Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1857-01-24
CGgMDR3GA23Q8.
For the Register.
For the Reglster.
LAKE PROVIDENCE, Louisiana.
December 26, 1856.

D Mr.. EDITOR. suppose your Vih'g
r is celebrating Christmas in the usual wa.
: with fire. ckers, masqueradlng, oahJ
paying and da eng on the corners OF IN
streets. Christmas Is not season oil eH
traordinary interest in Carroll Parish, ex
cept to the negro population. This beln!
The only HOLIDAY of the year Except 1h'
! 4lh Of july The slaves are on The qus "
+ re for many weeks beforehand. Inc
hundreds OF Irish laborers who are
work before our door, raising and repair
ing the levee 10 keep the Mississippi
within bounds-they also celebrated
Christmas by spree. As each dlEl
wheeler imbibes one quart of bad wills
key in every "a hours, 1t must require
IAlexandrian talent 10 become intoxicated
on these special occasions. These IRISH
spend their summers in the upper coun-
try, harvesting for the Mssourans, &c.
At this season they are employed by the
planters living next the river 10 labor on
The levee, al IS cents per day, and board
ed. They have two large shanlles be-
tween the levee and the river, and during
10 days rain which poured about the
first Of the winter, Mr.. S., received a
pathetic nole from their chef, asking for
some lumber from his steam-miIl to
keep Gods rain off of Gods blessed
people" They look very picturesque in
their red and blue flannel wamusses, scat.
tered all along the river bank. The Mis-
>issippi has risen so rapidly that we see
/ The river over the top of the levee and
read the names Of all the steamers. About
twenty STEAMBOATS, pass every day. The
Natchez surprised us very agreedhIy with
d tune on her newly invented whistle,
! ('The CaIliope.'') was sitting in my
room and heard suddenly, something like
hand organ playing Yankee Doodle"
with great spirit. | ran out TO the front
gallery and found that ii was boat CIV
ing her musical signal at Sutton's Land
ing, Just before the door. The NatcheZ
and we could there see her and hear her
PLAYING "Susaunah.' This country is
so flat that we can see the tops of the
churches in Providence. The Court
House there had one of lis gable ends
blown in by hurricane, last month. |
was in town that night, attending a we'd
ding party at the Carroll House and had
expected TO stay in Providence until NOR
ming. But Governor T., persuaded me
to ride out in his carriage and we all set
off about two o'clock for our homes. The
darkness was really Egyptian. Mrs. T.,
feared the ditch on one side and the levee
on the other. Her husband procured
lantern and got out on the box with the
driver. | reached home before the storm
began, but my friends had a mile further
10 90. begged them all to stop with
me, but Mrs. rs regular carriage driver
had been ran over by wagon that day,
and she was anxious 10 give hlm persona
attendance. q mention his TO show how
I false is the AboIilionsl's charge o! Souih
err nhumanilv to slaves.) have seen
four or five terrible storms since my arIl-
val, but that nights tempest exceeded all.
Although the planters handsomest houses
are bat one story high, 10 avoid the fury
of storms, MIR. S., feared we would
break fasl in different locality on the next
morning. But the house remained upon
It's foundation of slender brick pillars
I'VE only lost handsome china tree in
the yard) The thunder and lightning are
terrific. Our next neighb0r had servant
and mule killed, some weeks ago. The
lightning spII the riders skull open.--
Game is verv abundant in this seclion.--
Deer and wild turkeys and tell ducks fur
nish US with good living all the fall and
winter. hear our next neighbor keep
ing Christmas with hunting party, in
his forests. He will probably bring him
self and 'deer" TO dinner tomorrow and
we will make The coupe welcome. We
get oysters and bananas off Of the boats
all the time. Owing to the heat of this
climate, pork cannot be kept, and we are
dependent upon New Orleans for good
deal of our marketing. We can send
there for and receive any article in a
weeks time The roads are now IN bad
condition from the prolracted winter rains.
There is an almost impossible marsh be-
tween this and Providence. The roses
and periwinke are still in bloom in The
flower garden, although we have had sew
eral days of bitterly cold weather.
dress just as warmly here as at home
The greater moisture of the climate is apt
10 give aa unsccIimaled person severe
colds and ague. attended a large din
ner party at Mr.. rs, yesterday, and we
sat in the drawing room with the windows
. open. The thermometer stood at 60
: about shutdown. There was platform
: out OF doors for the negroes 10 use fOl
: dancing. They had fine barjo-playe'
) and fiddler also. We came home and
: attended the ball held by Mr.. SIS slaves
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