il E) S Cornell University Library Dthaca, New York FROM Digitized by Microsoft® This book was digitized by Microsoft Corporation in cooperation with Cornell University Libraries, 2007. You may use and print this copy in limited quantity for your personal purposes, but may not distribute or provide access fo it (or modified or partial versions of if) for revenue-generating or other commercial purposes. Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® “Ptreet Cries of an Old Southern City’ BY HarRRIETTE KERSHAW LEIDING. WITH Music AND ILLUSTRATIONS CHARLESTON, SouTH CAROLINA, 1910 Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® “Strect Cries of an Old Southern City’ Se _O_grAnm_Q_ HE streets of this quaint, old Southern City are teeming with sights and sounds of interest to those in whom Familiarity has not “bred contempt.” To a stranger nothing is so amusing or unintelligible as the various cries of the hucksters as they ply their street trade, en- deavoring to inform the “world and his wife” concerning their wares. Toan inhabitant of this enchanted old “City by the Sea,” numerous members of this “Brotherhood of the streets,” become well-known friends; their several cries, familiar music. When asked about themselves these hucksters tell you that they come “From up de road” or “Across from Jeems Island, Mam” and some from “ober de new bridge” and still others again are town negroes who secure their wares “Down at Cantini Wharf and Tradd Street Breakwater, my missis.” They congregate there to receive the boat loads of fresh “Vegetubble” and “Swimpy, raw raw.” Long before even these en- terprising denizens of the sleepy town are up and doing, the “Mosquito Fleet” has put to sea while the still, grey dawn is break- ing and you hear them sending back in calm weather the long, faint cadence of a rowing song; “Rosy am a handsome gal! Haul away Rosy—Haul away gal Fancy slippers and fancy shawl ! Haul away Rosy, Haul—away Rosy gwine ter de fancy ball! Haul away Rosy—haul away gal.” Even in wet or windy weather when the wind is fresh and strong, sails are hoisted and silently the fishing fleet flits out like a flock of ghostly birds across the harbor, across the bar and out to the fishing banks, forty miles away. For these fishing boats are manned by intrepid sailors known far and wide for skill and daring. All of the folk songs have a queer minor catch in them and even the street cries have an echo of sadness in their closing d . Earl orning the usual shrimp “Fiend’s” cry of cui eae ee Bigitize by Microsoft® F _ Rawr! Rad Ruy Survmp + was superceded by a strange, unfamiliar, and piercing sweet cry in a boy’s faint, clear soprano. Like a little lark this “Jean De Reszke” of the small, black world, gave his name and advertised his wares, in a voice that made you think of the freshness of dawn across dewy fields. He stood under the window and sung: on a Daw-Try Daw! ama Swim PY Rar! an G Dart Try j —_ { == L <> Waur-Tays Mard-Try hase Swe mp Qu Le Lh 4 The shrimp are sold early in the morning. When the “Mosquito fleet” puts back into port, the fish are hawked about the streets and the lusty-lunged fishermen cry then ee <—t 1 }_t ay, ye iL © Wher any with an ominous voice, that seems to hold in its queer, breaking sound a reminder of the days and nights of danger which falls to the daily lot of these toilers of the deep who still must put out to sea in calm or storm alike, regardless of the death which threatens when “The Harbor bar be Moaning.” Allis not sadness, for here and there a quaint bit of human nature or glint of humor, shows. For instance, even in the Street cry parlance, “The Sex” holds its wonted superiority and you will find that “She Crabs,” called through the nose of the vender, “She Craib, She Craib” bring more money than just ordinary “Raw Crabs’—by which distinguished title is meant the less desirable male crab. Ot ya t = She Crait! She erat! She Cract-! “Old Joe Cole, good old soul,” who does a thriving business in lower King Street under the quaint sign of “Joe Cole & Wife” is the bright, particular, tho fast-waning, star of our galaxy of street artists. He sets the fashion, so to speak, in “hucksterdom.” Joe has many imitators but no equals, for he looks like an Indian Chief, walks with a limp that would “do a general proud,” and uses his walking stick as a baton, while bellowing like the “Bull of Bashan.” It is a never-to-be-forgotten occassion when Joe lustily yells: “Old Joe Cole—Good old Soul Porgy in the Summer-time An e Whiting in the Spring 8 upon a string. Don’t be late I’m watin at de gate Don’t be mad—Heres your shad Old Joe Cole—Good Old Soul.” Porgy, it may be remarked in passing, is a much prized variety of chub, and is much esteemed among the colored brethren, “embracin of the sisterin,” as one old, Galered) pyevithensaid. When asked to sing so that his remarkable cry might be cor- rectly reproduced, Joe gravely informed the awe-struck crowd sur- rounding him, ‘“Yunna niggers gwan from here now cos little Miss done ax me to sing in de megafone so as she can write Me down in de white folks’ book and she aint ax none ob yunna niggers to do dat ting, jest Me.” And sure enough I did. The “Vegetubble” Maumas are wonderful, wide-chested, big- hipped specimens of womanhood that balance a fifty pound basket of vegetables on their heads and ever and anon cry their goods Pa with as much ease and grace as a society lady wears her “Merry Widow” hat and carries on a conversation. As these splendid, black Hebes BOREAS Wer ash swinging stride you may hear. es wa Red nore Jo mou orm Suqa Pear : Perhaps it will vary in season to “Strawberry.” While the mascu- line rendition of “Strawberry” is put in the following enticing form d > Dt — ee Straw. GA. any- tt = lean vy Or may be that yet again you will be informed that “Sweet Pete ate her.” Which being interpreted means that they are selling sweet potatoes to the tune of Red Rose Tomatoes, only it sounds quite cannibalistic sung thus-wise. Amongst all this babble of femininity the masculine call of “Little John,” as he styles himself, comes as a relief to the ear. He sings as he wends his way: “Heres your ‘Little John’ Mam. I got Hoppen John Peas Mam! I got cabbage—I got yaller turnips Mam, Oh yes Mam”—and so he comes and you buy what you want and on he goes still singing what he’s “got” to sell. “I got sweet Petater —I got beets; I got Spinach;” and so on like the brook, forever: “Little John” sings, his approach marked by the musical sign “Crescendo” his retreat by “Diminuendo.” When I hear “Little John,” I think of an old street crier, long since dead and gone, whose cry was used to advertise his load of water-melons, thusly : Load my Gun Wid Sweet Sugar Plum An Shoot dem nung gal One by one Barder lingo Watemmillonyicrosoft® Now—a “nung gal” is “Darkese” for young girl, as you will find out when you get a plantation darkey to tell you the ancient rhyme of the love affair of the old Oyster Opener and the Young Girl. His tragic affair of the heart is briefly told in the dialogue which follows: The Old Oyster Opener taking the part of “Ber Rabbit. ” “Ber Rabbit what you de do day’? or as we would say “Ber Rabbit what are you doing there”? and “Ber Rabbit” sadly answers—'I open de oyster for nung gal. Oyster he bite off ma finger an Nung gal he tek me for laugh at.” It is a curious fact that the Island negroes make no distinction in talking, between “he and she” and when “Ber Rabbit” of the above says “Young gal He take me to laugh at,” the old man gives a good illustration of that peculiar trait of their language. There is a gentle looking old woman who gives vent to the most ferocious and nasal howl of—‘come on chilluns and get yer monkey meat.” i q Woh Ket — meot Should you hear it, do not be alarmed for it heralds nothing worse than a harmless, old body selling the childrens’ favorite cocoanut and molasses candy. Digitized by Microsoft® ow Chal le Git (3 Digitized by Microsoft® This performance is only equalled by the one of the mild antediluvian “Daddy” who gravely thrusts his wooly head into your back-gate and emits in an eminently respectful tone of voice the following jargon: “Enny Yad aigs terday my Miss” which being interpreted means—'Do you wish any eggs which my hens have laid in my yard and which therefore are fresh eggs Q. E. D, Fresh Yard Eggs. Digitized by Microsoft® In Charleston, even the chimney-sweeps are musical, and as their tiny faces appear at the top of the chimney they are sweeping, you hear “Roo roo” sung out over the sounds of the street below. Chimney Sweep | be é poe A Also to this tribe the charcoal boy belongs. He drives into town a tiny donkey hitched toa tiny, two-wheeled cart. The cartand load are black, the donkey is black, the boy is black and the only other color that you can see in the whole outfit is the whites of the boy’s eyes as he rolls them around and calls the eerie, long-drawn-out “Char coal.” He sounds weird, melancholy and even doomed, with his mournful cry of “char-coal.” You wonder which is the saddest and blackest; the driver, the driven, cart or contents, as they wend their solitary and spooky way onward, crying ever that sad, minor wail of VV Hh = ae —— ex 4 Vv | I (Cyrp=4 C= |e | GF I I ze 7 Chan --------- Coal. Digitized by Microsoft® All these interesting things and more too are here, jostling your elbow, passing your window, begging your custom and offering rich and picturesque effects to those who have “Eyes to see,” and furnishing a queer, original but fast fading, street symphony to those who have “Ears to hear.” Digitized by Microsoft® Che Huguenot Church barleston, S. C. Digitized b § Microsoft® 1912 THE HUGUENOT CHURCH OF CHARLESTON, S. C. As is perhaps not generally known, the first Protestant settlement in America was made on the shores of South Caro- lina, not far from the present town of Port Royal, and by the Huguenots. This colony came out under the leadership of Jean Ribaut in the Spring of 1562. This settlement of South Carolina by a Protestant colony antedates that of the English settlement of Virginia by forty-five years, and was fifty-eight years before the arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth, Mass. But this settlement at Port Royal did not have the success that was hoped for it, and nad to be aban- doned—not before seed had been planted, however, that bears its fruit to this day. On landing one of the first things the Hugueuots did was to unite in a service of thanksgiving to God for their safe arrival. They erected a monument to commemorate the occa- sion. To quote from the Rev. Dr. Vedder, ‘‘The stone pillar of Jean Ribaut was the corner-stone of the temple of Pro- testantism in the Western Hemisphere.”’ Though the colony was not a success, yet Huguenots con- tinued to come in small bands with other settlers, seeking in free America those rights of civil and religious liberty denied them in their own country. But it was not until after the Iidict of Nantes, October, 1685, that the great immigration of Huguenots to South Carolina took place. Four prominent settlements were made—one on the Santee River, one on the Cooper, one at St. John’s, Berkeley, and the other in the City of Charleston. One of the first steps taken by each of these colonies was toward the establishment of a Church wherein they might worship according to their faith. It is with the Church in Charleston that this article has principally to deal. The Huguenots of Charleston make two distinct claims out- side that of having the only Huguenot Church in America. One is that theirs was the first Church organization in South Carolina, and the other that they were the first to carry the gospel to the State outside the city of Charleston. The first Huguenot church organization was about 1681-2. In the cemetery surrounding it lies entombed the dust of many who have slept there for more than two centuries, the pioneers of the Church. On the tombs are engraved names that have become historic in the annals of South Carolina. The present building was erected in 1845. It is stone, in Gothic style, with ornamental masonry extending in pointed columns above the nogtitizdt pyfenekogreatby as did all of the churches of Charleston from the terrible earthquake of 1886, It is interesting to note how this church became the only Huguenot Church in America. When the English Church was established by law, in 1706, the Huguenot Churches were of course absorbed therein, though it was long in becoming a complete absorption, so dear to them was that form of wor- ship made so by ‘solemn memories and unspeakable sacri- fices.’? They were given the Episcopal Liturgy in their own language, and were allowed in some instances to retain their own pastors. In after years many of the Huguenots went into the Dutch Reformed and Presbyterian Churches. But here and there were those who still clung to the faith of their fathers. Especially was this true of those in the city of Charleston, where, long after the older ones had passed away, the younger still kept aglow the spark of their spizit- ual belief. VQ. a Ras S. Vedder PASTOR OF THE HUGUENOT CHURCH, CHARLESTON, 8S. C. The first church building had been burned in 1740. They took steps to eregojemebke by Whigh shaged the same fate, and still later another, which was also bummed. The present building, as has been stated, was erected in 1845. It stands to-day unique in history, the only Huguenot Church in America. The book of worship used is rare in itself, being identical with that published at Neufchatel, Switzerland, in 1737. In form of government the Church is Presbyterian. It is ruled by a bench of elders called a Consistory. The pastor is Rev. Charles 8. Vedder, D. D., L.L. D. His pastorate has extended over a period of forty-six years. Dr. Vedder is a profound scholar, an eloquent speaker, and is greatly beloved by his congregation. He is not a Huguenot; but the tradi- tions of the Huguenots, the noble record of their endurance, their every interest are as dear to him as though they were his very own. Dr. Vedder is in his 86th year and through impaired sight conducts the entire service by memory. At the anniversary meeting of the Huguenot Society of America in New York, in 1884, Dr. Vedder prefaced his remarks by the statement that, while Dr. Vermilye and Prof. Demarest, two distinguished Churchmen who were present, were Huguenots in the Dutch Church, he (Dr- Vedder) was a Dutchman in the only Huguenot Church in America. Many of the members of the church reside elsewhere but retain their membership in order to associate themselves permanently with this memorial sanctuary and its monu- mental relation to the faith of their fathers. Some of the pews bear the names of Huguenots residing in other parts of the country who esteem it a privilege to pay their annual rental. Huguenots residing elsewhere contributed gener- ously to the restoration of the church after the earthquake, notably Mr. Charles Lanier, of New York City. In addition to the many and costly memorial tablets to the original fami- lies of the church the opportunity is now offered to Hugue- nots throughout the country at merely nominal cost to have erected tablets to the memory of their ancestors. This op- portunity has been improved by very many and the walls are rapidly filling up with these testimonials of filial, patriotic and pious regard. Among those thus remembered are Elias Boudinot, Nickolas Bayard, Commodore Maury, Martha Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Francis Marion, and very many others. Having often been likened to Westminster Abbey, the Hugue- not Church of Charleston is every day more and more justify- ing the comparison. Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® Cornell University Library F 279C47 L53 “Ahi 1924 028 790 629 olin Digitized by Microsoft®