Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 May 1883 — Taking the World Easy. [ARTICLE]

Taking the World Easy.

Florida Correspondence. I have been greatly interested in conversing with these new and independent citizens, the colored farmers. One interview will serve as a sample for a dozen: “Well, uncle, how are you getting on with your spring work?” Pease like ain’t gettin’ on at all mos’ly, sab, spring so late.’’ “I see you have a mule. Is that yours?” “No, sah. Boss furnishes de mule.” “What do you pay for use of ( the mule?” “Four hundred pounds of cotton, sah.” “At ei?ht cents a pound, that would be $32 a year for the mule, wouldn't it?” “Spec you’s ’bout right, boss.” “How many acres do you work?”

“Well, sah, I’s ’lowd forty acres, but can’t git in mor'n ’bout thirty or thirtyfive.” “Do you work it all yourself?” “Oh, no, sah; I works two hands, sah.” “Two hands? Who are they?” “One’s my wife and tudder my fader, sah.” “What do you get to live on till you make your crcp?” “Well, cornmeal mos'ly, sah, and some bacon.” “Do you make your own corn?” “No, sah; de boss, he advances de cornmeat” “I see. He advances the cornmeal and the bacon, and gets his money back out of your cotton. Now what does he charge you for your cornmeal when you come to a settlement?” “Two dollar a bushel, sah.” “Two dollars a bushel! Why‘ it is not worth one dollar a bushel in Tallahassee. Are you sure he charges you two dollars?" “Ain’t no mistake ’bout dat, sboah. He gits two dollars for ebery bushel” “Well, now, what rent do you pay. for the land?” “Eight hundred pounds for de land and four hundred pounds for de mule.” “And how much cotton did you raise last year?” “Nigh as I kin remember it was seben bags and little over 300 pounds.” “That was nearly 4,000 pounds, at eight cents a pound, say S3OO. How much did you have left after you had settled your rents and paid all the advances?" “When I settled, sah, dey were nigh on to S2O cornin’ to me.” “Twenty dollars for the year’s work of three hands! And what did you do with all that money?" “dpree’d it off I spec, sah, and had a good time. Anyhow dey wusn’t none ob it left when Christmus done gone.” And actually the serious darkey chuckled and grinned a broad smile of satisfaction at the recollection of those Christmas doings, and how much fun he got out of that S2O. Although, they are a cheerful, goodnatured and amusing race, these sons of Ham, and now that society has been shaken down sines the reconstruction period, and the forces of superior intelligence and politioial sagacity have brought the whites to the top and to the practical controal of affairs in State, county and municipality, there is a remarkable degree of tolerance, of good temper and of good mutual understanding between the diverse elements of the population here. Political bitterness has disappeared, and order and law prevails.