The Negro Laborer: A Word to HimCouncill, W. H. (William Hooper)
History
The Negro Laborer: A Word to Him
Councill, W. H. (William Hooper)
African Americans -- Employment; Work ethic
Lift the curtain, and let me show you the home of an individual who has
lost the comeliness of manhood--let me show you the hovel this brute
disgraces. Look! It is eight o'clock in the evening. The wife in her
old torn and soiled dress, is still faithfully engaged at the wash-tub.
An old broken lamp, smoking and sputtering, gives a pale and ghastly
light. The chunks of wood in the fire place are shoved together, and
four or five half clad, half starved little children are quarrelling
and wallowing in the sand, whence the bricks long since have been
taken. There is not a whole knife, or fork, or spoon, or plate, or
dish, or cup, or glass--not an article of furniture which is not
scarred and broken. At nine, that faithful wife, who is wearing out her
life with that miserable brute, has suspended her work, made the last
bit of meal into a hoe cake and divided it among those wretched little
creatures, and packed them away among some filthy and torn quilts on a
dirty straw mattress. She then returns to finish her labors. At eleven,
the thing called a man and husband and father enters. He is just from
the dram shop or the house of prostitution, where he has spent his
week's earnings with others of that ilk. He has no "Good evening," no
kind word for that faithful wife. He growls "Nothing here to eat?"
As that poor, weak, abused woman tremblingly stammers out an excuse,
with fiendish look and clenched fist he rushes upon her! Down let the
curtain drop! For angels and gods could not now look upon what follows
without tears of sympathy and anger intermingled! That man may be a
church member! He is certainly a member of some benevolent or labor
society, and may stand high in its councils. Is he a fit associate for
a true man? Should he not be hurled from your midst as an unworthy
companion? Here is work for the laboring man, and all men! Let us
elevate our home life, and make our wives and children happier.
The Germans are noted for their attractive homes. By comforts, sports,
songs, music, books, etc., they throw a charm into their homes which
inspires, cheers and elevates all who come within their influences. May
every laboring man in America build for himself such a home, whether he
lives in the city cottage or in the country cabin.
XI. Buy a Home.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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