The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-11-25

THE town was like Live Oak, only
larger. Concrete sidewalks and
wide, concrete streets. Small build
ings of brick and dull wood. A
drug store on one corner and a
general notions store on another.
The depot, with it's painted signs
announcing destinations and fares
Macon, Atlanta, Columbus, Bor-
mingham, Jacksonville.
David peered into the darkened
station. Two white women sat on
wooden benches, with suit cases in
front of them. There did not
seem to be a colored waiting room
and he stood uncomfortably before
the large depot window with an
other list of destinations and fares
painted in bright yellow.
AN OFFER OF WORK
A lean, sun-dried white in a
soiled blue shirt approached with
a friendly air.
'Lookin' fo' Work?"
David was too frightened to an
swer.
How'd you like to work TO me?"
II cain, suh," the boy choked.
"I'm on my way tub Macon. I'm
waitin' TO- de bus, sub"
"All you darkies are always on
your way some place" the man
snorted and walked on.
THERE were hours to wait for
the bus and the white had
scared him. He asked the ticket
agent how far it was to Americas.
IF yo' fixin' to walk" the clerk
drawled sympathetically, head
yonder till you git to the highway.
That'll git you there. Maybe some
darkie'n give you a lif'."
Not until he was we'll in the
countryside did he dare ask for a
ride. A grizzled old Negro in an
empty wagon from which tufts of
cotton fluttered, ratified by and
David hailed him.
Coin far?' he asked timidly.
"Yonder." He nodded vaguely up
the road. 'Dey's plenty room if
you wan a lif'."
A FRIENDLY NEGRO
The horse logged YEARLY. A
wheel careened crafty. The driver
wiped his face with shirt sleeve.
"CIOin' far9N ha asked
"Americus."
''Purty far. Whut you gwine dey
fo'?'
''Wuk."
Plenty Wuk roun' here.'
II wan tub wuk in a mill"
"Ain' no eastern de fiers." He
glanced sidewise at the boy. "Say,
you ain runnin' away, is you?"
nAVID did not answer.
~ Oats alright l ain askin'
no questions. Doan you be skeered
O. me. Say, if was to tell bout
all de niggers / hoped run away
I'd be roasted lax barbecued pig.
LcTd, I've done he'ped mo- niggers
run away den dey is on Jake Mil
let's farm. L ain aSkin' no ques-
tons, but if you is foot loose you
better git Outen dis here county.
Why, dey ain a farmer roun' here
ain pullin' de hair out o. his haid
wOrryin' bout pickin' dey c1tton
er shakin' dey pecans err cuttin' dey
cane, er jes' plain worryin'."
SLAVE TRAFFIC
He wiped his face again.
"Dese white folks ain happy les
dey'S worryin' bout somethin'. An
wen dey starts worryin', foot-loose
niggers better start travellin'."
'How far is it to the county
Gne?" David asked anxiously.
"'Bout eight mile. Aim far.
Sheriff WeIby's huntin' 'em co'se
he gifts three dollars fo' ev'ry res.
but dat ain nothin' to git worriet
about jes' as long as you is wild
me. I got my own farm yonder
an fo' all dey know you's wukin'
~ Iut. SlI udO WOlllCb 4OOh OiiSii
yo' face"
THREE miles north the Negro
1 came to his cabin.
''Dis is my place." he said. eff
you got a dollar er two you'd bet
ter tex bus, boy. Ain nobody
stop you if you got ticket"
st got de fare" David said ner-
vously.
Den you better ride. De AM
ityville bus passes by here. You
kin change dey fo' Americus.'
DAVID TAKES A BUS
The bus was luxurious limou-
sine driven by white in a neat
uniform. The fare was collected in
advance and David motioned to q
seat in the back. There were no
other passengers until white man
in overalls, with his coat slung over
an arm, hailed the car on the high
way. The white man sat with the
driver. The front seat was the
dividing line for colored and white.
Ten miles farther another white
standing before his cabin held up
q hand and the two whites sat
in the back while David sat with
the driver
THE Amityville bus station was in
a three story hotel. From the
ticket agent David learned that the
connecting bus did not leave until
seven in the morning. He would
have to spend the night in town,
and he started aimlessly for Mig
ger Town." where he could find
lunch counter and bed, but he
had not gone two blocks before a
stocky white man stopped him.
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