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152  THE COLORED AMERICAN MAGAZINE

screaking, falsetto voice yelled out "all aboard," and in a few minutes, standing on the platform of this palace car, the jolting of which reminded me of the old ox-cart I once upon a time took so much delight in driving across the corn fields in the Sunny South, we were speeding on our way. There was no standing room; no, not even in the vestibule of the car.

How much, thought I, had I lost by paying my fare to stand up on the rear end of the baggage car, when I might have saved that amount and besides secured a comfortable seat on the front end of the same car free of charge as "blind baggage."

It was simply revolting! Think of it! Young ladies, the very flower of our race huddled together in a cattle car, to be almost stifled to death and immodestly jostled against by such as have no regard for the chastity of pure womanhood, even if found at the sacrificial altar, much less in a "Jim Crow" car. When Lincoln, a young man possessing nothing other than an insignificant name, first saw the injustice and humiliation to which slaves were subjected, heaved a sigh, and under a breath fully stifled with emotion said: "If ever I get a chance to strike a blow at slavery I will hit d- hard." We all know too well the story of his blow. Would that Providence could raise up another such to strike a death-dealing blow to this hell-brewed legislative enactment!

How can America boast of a high civilization, of equal rights under the Constitution when one part of this same high civilization is subjected, by hostile and prejudiced legislation to such ignomy and injustice as that perpetrated in the "Jim Crow" car law?

But enough of that, for such meditations tend to make one mad. Perhaps someone will ask "Why did not some of you secure Pullman tickets and thereby escape this indignity?" To such I will say that one at least did try to get a berth, but having already an African "birth," was given that same old stereotyped denial that they were all filled up and of course they will not permit you to look at the diagram. So you see there is nothing left for you to do but to "suffer the affliction of your people since you cannot enjoy the pleasures of a Pullman car berth for a night (season)."

But the most touching sight I have ever witnessed was that of a young woman in the last stage of decline being taken home to her people, apparently to die in the land of her birth, Georgia. But alas! about I a.m. there was quite a commotion in the car which attracted the attention of all the "passengers" and on investigation it was found that death had untimely entered our "Jim Crow" car and claimed this poor soul. There happened to be a number of medical students on the coaches behind and they were immediately summoned, only, however, to announce she was dead, which we all knew. There we were then, the living and the dead, boxed up together in a "Jim Crow" car, no ventiliation, no water, very little light, but heat enough to drive one insane. Thus we had to travel until the body could be taken off the train at Charlottesville, Va., about 4.30 or 5 a.m. The sad part of it all for the living was the fact that the patient showed undisput-

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153    THE COLORED AMERICAN MAGAZINE

able signs of tuberculosis in its most advanced stage. The only wonder is that she lasted from Rhode Island to Virginia, except it be the fact that she was not subjected to the "Jim Crow" cars until she reached the National Capital. Such a car, such terrible heat, such poor ventilation, such awful jolting, I should think would prove too much for the most rugged athlete.

As incomparable as it this most outrageous design of the "Jim Crow" car law is, to my own regret, I had to acknowledge before I reached my destination that something had to be done to meet the crying demands of this seemingly unfortunate section of the South. The great industrial leader in the South once said, and perhaps is still saying it to-day, that he would be ashamed of any man who could not say he was proud of his race. But I was very much ashamed of these certain members of his race whom your humble servant had the displeasure of meeting on his non-private car in the South.

Well do I remember, it was on a Saturday  evening when this real "Jim Crow" set was returning from the small towns and hamlets to their country homes. Some fresh from the cotton mills, some from the coal wagons, some from the public works and some from the phosphate mills, but whatever work or what not, they were coming and wherever they were going, they were well loaded down with their old familiar "corn" and occasionally a man-size jug--the old family demijohn full of "red eye" (rye). Seeing one of  their own race a stranger, especially if well dressed and of gentlemanly deportment, they think it incumbent upon them to make his acquaintance at once; and no better show of hospitality and friendliness could they desire than to present you the bottle, and of course after tapping it themselves, by way of assuring you that it is on the level; and a refusal on your part is deemed by them as a just cause for the most vile and abusive reprimand, for they seem to think that you think yourself above them if you do not take part in their fun and  partake of their crude hospitality. No wonder, thought I, that such a separate car law exists. There are two sides to this question. If we ourselves do not feel that we should be made to ride in the care with such a rough gang of men, what do we think of the other fellow?

But even that does not justify the act in the last resort; for even these people themselves acknowledge the fact that personal appearance, worth and merit count for something. Do they not make some provision for their own "poor white trash" apart from themselves which is is by far better than that provided for us? And too they provide for them according to their external physical appearance, so that the city gentleman does not have to be contaminated by the foul touch of the country farmer.  Why them should they compel a gentleman of our race (I saw one minister of the gospel as well as the President of a State College relegated to the "Jim Crow" car) to suffer such indignity and molestation? Why should we not be given more and better accommodation for ourselves, our wives and our daughters, so that we, too