St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1858-09-09
Sunday in New Orleans.

Yesterday wa about rs dull a Sabbath As
we have ever vet seen in this city. Even
,hur.h-g"ing seemed to be at a heavy discount;
IN! in the attc;1tr,.nA the streets were quiet and
almost totally deserted crcrwl:,->r 'cing crowd:
rI with lakcgncrs. the late retreats swarmc!,
and tn. suburbs. III spots winch we vlsltei-
there being IN items in t"wn--wcrc sufficiently
lively and pleasant. So that the city was like
some pies we have c;ttcn--iiat and ta>telcss i'll
the middle hut GuOl around H." edges.
IN tn" afternoon we visited the famous spot
in thc classic and ancient Th;n:, Known as the
racket Tor rlquctlcvl ground. 1t is large
common out OF Claiburnc Circle in 81 yht uf tn.
P"uchartran Railroad. As there may be Eiany
of oar readers who don't know what racket is,
we will tell them. 1t Is SnmcthIng like tennis
hai,-a big field game. III which the ball is
picked W and thrown with two sticks, having
<poun-like ends There are two parties to the
game. each party have their target, Il tai! frame,
i !opt and u hall wide, covered with canvas.
and their cnlorS flying at the top. The targets
are about two squares apart. and whichever
party oftcnc>t hits the ta'kct-it doesn't count
unless the ball hits the CANVAS clear of the
yrarr,,.--t aims tho game
Yesterday we found the game was tie grand
annual battle between the two negro parties
which have existed for the last thirty or forty
ycarS-ihc ihvillc party. cuInpoSed q: the city
negroes, the Bayou party, made up "f the ne
grnrs living ont back - tnwn. along the Bay
on ST. John. c>t Ordinarily. the game Is free
to any number on either side; but this time it
WAS Il match O. cighty-thrcc picked men on
each side fnr Il wager Of $3.50 n side and the
flag and $40 to the first man marking bail, or
lifting tagrt Tho La:iiic darkcys floatcd
blue co!orS and ali wore blue caps; the Boyou
bows colors and caps were red. The scene
was sufficiently lively when we reached the
ground Just before the game begun One Whole
side of the field was thanked 10y the refreShment
booths of turl'lned wcnches. with flags Tying
and all the general excitement characteristic OF
race cnurS"; the prize flags of the opposing
parties Haunting from stake midway between
the targets; the negroes stripped, bcitcd, and
eager for the fray. playing about with their
rlckctS and spectators ul all colnrS ard de
.,rccs pouring upon .hc field in hundreds and
even lnnt!san,lS for there could not have been
less than three thousand people on the field
before the game closed. We noticed consider
able sporting spirit and q high party feeling
among the friends and hackers ot the contend
irg clubs.
At 5 o'clock the fun cotnmcnccd. The red
and blue caps q hundred or more. huddlcd up
in = crcwd sticks in the air. The bail Is thrown
up There is 4 clattcr of the rackcts-a mad
ough-and-tumblc in which the strongest mig
gers keep underneath where the ball is-thc
plrtiSans yell anil fling up their hats-the
fight and the cAltcr of the sticks goes
IN root hog or die. Up goes the baIl-but
the claShing sticks stop it-another scrmbie on
the ground-thc ball flies dozen feet otf-a
dozen nigycrs fall over it in pile. and whilst
thcv struggle. n muscular little BAYOU buck
steals of with the ball. But they chase him.
LavilIcs and Bavous; and, heavrns, how he
runs. After a race of fifty or hundred yards,
he ccts Jump or 20 ahead draws for fling
and but its no Use. The Lavile racketS stop
his. amid IN oppoSn" clatter of the Bayou
rackets-and there is another terrible roofing
with the sticks IN the ground. For ten or
fifteen minutes this fighting goes on. before some
luck athlete gets the bali and gets far enough
from the crowd to give the ball good
fling for base.
At last the ball flies 10 the other side of the
field. Hear the wells: Bayou" "LlviIlc."
..Bayou.'' See the sweating darkics. Shirtlcss
and shoelcSs. 90 laundering after the ball, and
lust sec how the white people scatter before
them, The bail Is Oh the ground again, ard
tiftv nigecrS fighting ever il fierCcr than ever.
They roll and pile about all over the field af-
il goes again IIorc yelling. After another
desperate battle it grazcs the tn rect. Just see
the hats go up: and notice The general madness
of the field, when it was only miss. Away
they 90 again. Now over yonder, roofing
among the weclls-now in among the beer
stands 1t is none Of their lookout ii the
stands get upset, or White people get knocked
down or run over or cracked on the ShinS.-
Look at that black Hercules, with half pair
of pants and nothing else on. Taking short
cut to head the ball. lie bolts head foremost
through crowd of white men. scattering them
in all directions. The white t,cn don't like
it much but they know it's none If the mig
gers lookout.
And 50 for over two hours the battle RACES.
the thousands Of spectators Surging abot!i eith-
pr following the ball or getting away from it,
md at all times impeling the niggers After
o'clock. when it becomes 50 dark that :he
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