the complete writings-4-第30章

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e　business　elsewhere；　but　the　ladies　about　the　tables　made　charming　groups　in　the　lighted　grove。　　Man　is　a　stupid　animal　at　best；　or　he　would　not　make　it　so　difficult　for　the　womenkind　to　scrape　together　a　little　money　for　charitable　purposes。　　But　probably　the　women　like　this　method　of　raising　money　better　than　the　direct　one。

The　evening　gayety　of　the　town　was　well　distributed。　　When　we　descended　to　the　Court…House　Square；　a　great　crowd　had　collected；　black；　white；　and　yellow；　about　a　high　platform；　upon　which　four　glaring　torches　lighted　up　the　novel　scene；　and　those　who　could　read　might　decipher　this　legend　on　a　standard　at　the　back　of　the　stage：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HAPPY　JOHN。　　　　　　　　　　　　　ONE　OF　THE　SLAVES　OF　WADE　HAMPTON。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　COME　AND　SEE　HIM！

Happy　John；　who　occupied　the　platform　with　Mary；　a　〃bright〃　yellow　girl；　took　the　comical　view　of　his　race；　which　was　greatly　enjoyed　by　his　audience。　　His　face　was　blackened　to　the　proper　color　of　the　stage…darky；　and　he　wore　a　flaming　suit　of　calico；　the　trousers　and　coat　striped　longitudinally　according　to　Punch's　idea　of　〃Uncle　Sam；〃　the　coat　a　swallow…tail　bound　and　faced　with　scarlet；　and　a　bell…　crowned　white　hat。　　This　conceit　of　a　colored　Yankee　seemed　to　tickle　all　colors　in　the　audience　amazingly。　　Mary；　the　〃bright〃　woman　（this　is　the　universal　designation　of　the　light　mulatto）；　was　a　pleasing　but　bold　yellow　girl；　who　wore　a　natty　cap　trimmed　with　scarlet；　and　had　the　assured　or　pert　manner　of　all　traveling　sawdust　performers。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　exclaimed　a　bright　woman　in　the　crowd；　〃Happy　John　was　sure　enough　one　of　Wade　Hampton's　slaves；　and　he's　right　good　looking　when　he's　not　blackened　up。〃

Happy　John　sustained　the　promise　of　his　name　by　spontaneous　gayety　and　enjoyment　of　the　fleeting　moment；　he　had　a　glib　tongue　and　a　ready；　rude　wit；　and　talked　to　his　audience　with　a　delicious　mingling　of　impudence；　deference；　and　patronage；　commenting　upon　them　generally；　administering　advice　and　correction　in　a　strain　of　humor　that　kept　his　hearers　in　a　pleased　excitement。　　He　handled　the　banjo　and　the　guitar　alternately；　and　talked　all　the　time　when　he　was　not　singing。　　Mary　（how　much　harder　featured　and　brazen　a　woman　is　in　such　a　position　than　a　man　of　the　same　caliber！）　sang；　in　an　untutored　treble；　songs　of　sentiment；　often　risque；　in　solo　and　in　company　with　John；　but　with　a　cold；　indifferent　air；　in　contrast　to　the　rollicking　enjoyment　of　her　comrade。

The　favorite　song；　which　the　crowd　compelled　her　to　repeat；　touched　lightly　the　uncertainties　of　love；　expressed　in　the　falsetto　pathetic　refrain　：

　　　　〃Mary's　gone　away　wid　de　coon。〃

All　this；　with　the　moon；　the　soft　summer　night；　the　mixed　crowd　of　darkies　and　whites；　the　stump　eloquence　of　Happy　John；　the　singing；　the　laughter；　the　flaring　torches；　made　a　wild　scene。　　The　entertainment　was　quite　free；　with　a　〃collection〃　occasionally　during　the　performance。

What　most　impressed　us；　however；　was　the　turning　to　account　by　Happy　John　of　the　〃nigger〃　side　of　the　black　man　as　a　means　of　low　comedy；　and　the　enjoyment　of　it　by　all　the　people　of　color。　　They　appeared　to　appreciate　as　highly　as　anybody　the　comic　element　in　themselves；　and　Happy　John　had　emphasized　it　by　deepening　his　natural　color　and　exaggerating　the　〃nigger〃　peculiarities。　　I　presume　none　of　them　analyzed　the　nature　of　his　infectious　gayety；　nor　thought　of　the　pathos　that　lay　so　close　to　it；　in　the　fact　of　his　recent　slavery；　and　the　distinction　of　being　one　of　Wade　Hampton's　niggers；　and　the　melancholy　mirth　of　this　light…hearted　race's　burlesque　of　itself。

A　performance　followed　which　called　forth　the　appreciation　of　the　crowd　more　than　the　wit　of　Happy　John　or　the　faded　songs　of　the　yellow　girl。　　John　took　two　sweet…cakes　and　broke　each　in　fine　pieces　into　a　saucer；　and　after　sugaring　and　eulogizing　the　dry　messes；　called　for　two　small　darky　volunteers　from　the　audience　to　come　up　on　the　platform　and　devour　them。　　He　offered　a　prize　of　fifteen　cents　to　the　one　who　should　first　eat　the　contents　of　his　dish；　not　using　his　hands；　and　hold　up　the　saucer　empty　in　token　of　his　victory。　　The　cake　was　tempting；　and　the　fifteen　cents　irresistible；　and　a　couple　of　boys　in　ragged　shirts　and　short　trousers　and　a　suspender　apiece　came　up　shamefacedly　to　enter　for　the　prize。　　Each　one　grasped　his　saucer　in　both　hands；　and　with　face　over　the　dish　awaited　the　word　〃go；〃　which　John　gave；　and　started　off　the　contest　with　a　banjo　accompaniment。　　To　pick　up　with　the　mouth　the　dry　cake　and　choke　it　down　was　not　so　easy　as　the　boys　apprehended；　but　they　went　into　the　task　with　all　their　might；　gobbling　and　swallowing　as　if　they　loved　cake；　occasionally　rolling　an　eye　to　the　saucer　of　the　contestant　to　see　the　relative　progress；　John　strumming；　ironically　encouraging；　and　the　crowd　roaring。　　As　the　combat　deepened　and　the　contestants　strangled　and　stuffed　and　sputtered；　the　crowd　went　into　spasms　of　laughter。　　The　smallest　boy　won　by　a　few　seconds；　holding　up　his　empty　saucer；　with　mouth　stuffed；　vigorously　trying　to　swallow；　like　a　chicken　with　his　throat　clogged　with　dry　meal；　and　utterly　unable　to　speak。　　The　impartial　John　praised　the　victor　in　mock　heroics；　but　said　that　the　trial　was　so　even　that　he　would　divide　the　prize；　ten　cents　to　one　and　five　to　the　othera　stroke　of　justice　that　greatly　increased　his　popularity。　　And　then　he　dismissed　the　assembly；　saying　that　he　had　promised　the　mayor　to　do　so　early；　because　he　did　not　wish　to　run　an　opposition　to　the　political　meeting　going　on　in　the　courthouse。

The　scene　in　the　large　court…room　was　less　animated　than　that　out…　doors；　a　half…dozen　tallow　dips；　hung　on　the　wall　in　sconces　and　stuck　on　the　judge's　long　desk；　feebly　illuminated　the　mixed　crowd　of　black　and　white　who　sat　in；　and　on　the　backs　of；　the　benches；　and　cast　only　a　fitful　light　upon　the　orator；　who　paced　back　and　forth　and　pounded　the　rail。　　It　was　to　have　been　a　joint　discussion　between　the　two　presidential　electors　running　in　that　district；　but；　the　Republican　being　absent；　his　place　was　taken　by　a　young　man　of　the　town。　　The　Democratic　orator　took　advantage　of　the　absence　of　his　opponent　to　describe　the　discussion　of　the　night　before；　and　to　give　a　portrait　of　his　adversary。　　He　was　represented　as　a　cross　between　a　baboon　and　a　jackass；　who　would　be　a　natural　curiosity　for　Barnum。　〃I　intend；〃　said　the　orator；〃　to　put　him　in　a　cage　and　exhibit　him　about　the　deestrict。〃　　This　political　hit　called　forth　great　applause。　　All　his　arguments　were　of　this　pointed　character；　and　they　appeared　to　be　unanswerable。　　The　orator　appeared　to　prove　that　there　wasn't　a　respectable　man　in　the　opposite　party　who　wasn't　an　office…　holder；　nor　a　white　man　of　any　kind　in　it　who　was　not　an　office…　holder。　　If　there　were　any　issues　or　principles　in　the　canvass；　he　paid　his　audience　the　compliment　of　knowing　all　about　them；　for　he　never　alluded　to　any。　　In　another　state　of　society；　such　a　speech　of　personalities　might　have　led　to　subsequent　shootings；　but　no　doubt　his　adversary　would　pay　him　in　the　same　coin　when　next　they　met；　and　the　exhibition　seemed　to　be　regarded　down　here　as　satisfactory　and　enlightened　political　canvassing　for　votes。　　The　speaker　who　replied；　opened　his　address　with　a　noble　tribute　to　woman　（as　the　first　speaker　had　ended　his）；　directed　to　a　dozen　of　that　sex　who　sat　in　the　gloom　of　a　corner。　　The　young　man　was　moderate　in　his　sarcasm；　and　attempted　to　speak　of　national　issues；　but　the　crowd　had　small　relish　for　that　sort　of　thing。　　At　eleven　o'clock；　when　we　got　away　from　the　unsavory　room　（more　than　half　the　candles　had　gone　out）；　the　orator　was　making　slow　headway　against　the　refished　blackguardism　of　the　evening。　　The　german　was　still　〃on〃　at　the　hotel　when　we　ascended　to　our　chamber；　satisfied　that　Asheville　was　a　lively　town。

The　sojourner　at　Asheville　can　amuse　himself　very　well　by　walking　or　driving　to　the　many　picturesque　points　of　view　about　the　town；　livery　stables　abound；　and　the　roads　are　good。　　The　Beau…catcher　Hill　is　always　attractive；　and　Connolly's；　a　private　place　a　couple　of　miles　from　town；　is　ideally　situated；　being　on　a　slight　elevation　in　the　valley；　commanding　the　entire　circuit　of　mountains；　for　it　has　the　air　of　repose　which　is　so　seldom　experienced　in　the　location　of　a　dwelling　in　America　whence　an　extensive　prospect　is　given。　　Or　if　the　visitor　is　disinclined　to　exertion；　he　may　lounge　in　the　rooms　of　the　hospitable　Asheville　Club；　or　he　may　sit　on　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　the　hotels；　and　talk　with　the　colonels　and　judges　and　generals　and　ex…members　of　Congress；　the　talk　generally　drifting　to　the　new　commercial　and　industrial　life　of　the　South；　and　only　to　politics　as　it　affects　these；　and　he　will　be　pleased；　if　the　conversation　takes　a　reminiscent　turn；　with　the　lack　of　bitterness　and　the　tone　of　friendliness。　　The　negro　problem　is　commonly　discussed　philosophically　and　without　heat；　but　there　is　always　discovered；　underneath；　the　determination　that　the　negro　shall　never　again　get　the　legislative　upper　hand。　　And　the　gentleman　from　South　Carolina　who　has　an　upland　farm；　and　is　heartily　glad　slavery　is　gone；　and　wants　the　negro　educated；　when　it　comes　to　ascendency　in　politics　such　as　the　State　once　experiencedasks　you　what　you　would　do　yourself。　　This　is　not　the　place　to　enter　upon　the　politico…social　question；　but　the　writer　may　note　one　impression　gathered　from　much　friendly　and　agreeable　conversation。　　It　is　that　the　Southern　whites　misapprehend　and　make　a　scarecrow　of　〃social　equality。〃　　When；　during　the　war；　it　was　a　question　at　the　North　of　giving　the　colored　people　of　the　Northern　States　the　ballot；　the　argument　against　it　used　to　be　stated　in　the　form　of　a　question：　〃Do　you　want　your　daughter　to　marry　a　negro？〃　　Well；　the　negro　has　his　political　rights　in　the　North；　and　there　has　come　no　change　in　the　social　conditions　whatever。　　And　there　is　no　doubt　that　the　social　conditions　would　remain　exactly　as　they　are　at　the　South　if　the　negro　enjoyed　all　the　civil　rights　which　the　Constitution　tries　to　give　him。　　The　most　sensible　view　of　this　whole　question　was　taken　by　an　intelligent　colored　man；　whose　brother　was　formerly　a　representative　in　Congress。　　〃Social　equality；〃　he　said　in　effect；　〃is　a　humbug。　　We　do　not　expect　it；　we　do　not　want　it。　　It　does　not　exist　among　the　blacks　themselves。　　We　have　our　own　social　degrees；　and　choose　our　own　associates。　　We　simply　want　the　ordinary　civil　rights；　under　which　we　can　live　and　make　our　way　in　peace　and　amity。　　This　is　necessary　to　our　self…respect；　and　if　we　have　not　self…respect；　it　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　the　race　can　improve。　　I'll　tell　you　what　I　mean。　　My　wife　is　a　modest；　intelligent　woman；　of　good　manners；　and　she　is　always　neat；　and　tastefully　dressed。　　Now；　if　she　goes　to　take　the　cars；　she　is　not　permitted　to　go　into　a　clean　car　with　decent　people；　but　is　ordered　into　one　that　is　repellent；　and　is　forced　into　company　that　any　refined　woman　would　shrink　from。　　But　along　comes　a　flauntingly　dressed　woman；　of　known　disreputable　character；　whom　my　wife　would　be　disgraced　to　know；　and　she　takes　any　place　that　money　will　buy。　　It　is　this　sort　of　thing　that　hurts。〃

We　took　the　eastern　train　one　evening　to　Round　Nob　（Henry's　Station）；　some　thirty