Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-07

|HIHM tHNtW t.I
they looked upon as the most. AFFECT,
miserable, csst-dowu, broken-hearted,
.ll-treated creatures upon the top OF this
wide earth; in all of which they were
vofully at error, for many Of these slaves
were the happiest people that ever drew
the breath OF lifel All that had humane
and well-to-do masters were happy and
coutented. They were divided into
classes according to their several occu-
nations, aud were of varied habits; but
they ali enjoyed Christmas az the event
Of all events. 1t was what was known
as the corn field nigger that was, SUI
qeneris, the salient representative OF his
condition and his race. The corn-held
negro on plantation was like part OF
the soil. He had him comfortable
cabin to live in, and he might have
therein for bis especial comfort and
complaint, wife and just as many chill
dren as he could raise, all fed and
clothed at the masters expense, like
himself Besides this luxury of q wife
and children, he could raise q pig extra;
he could keep a dog, master feeding
both: he could have garden patch to
himself, and his "old woman" could
| raise as many gourds as her heart might
desire, and they were some on gourds
What is more, Sambo, in the good old
days, used to be touched with the divine
afiatus-he carried music in his sooty
breast" It is commonly believed that
the negro carries more music under his
vaistcoat than q Caucasian. But whether
th;s ha true or not. Sambo has soul for
sveet sounds, and the banjo was his de-
i;gbt. tbs companion of his idle hours,
his great good joy. Who in southside
virginia does not remember old Joe
Sweeny and his basjo2 Oh, how she
talked Old Joe was looked upon as
sort Of demi-god by the musicloving ne
groes. And then for the dsncing-in
the liz, the breakdown, the old Virginia
reel. the negro was perfectly at home.
Sometimes he moved with inimitable
grace through the figures of the dance,
and there was no white man could "cut
the pigeon wing like the corn.field mig
ger" His leg went right down into the
middle of his foot; but that didn't pre-
vent him from shaking that foot--not In
the least.
well, tnu9 ne Was tue year iounui "He
at Christmas, he "laid down de shovel
and de hoe" and spread himself. II was
local season with him--a point toward
which the aims and thoughts of the whole
year were turned. Ali classes of negroes
were turned loose them to make the most
pleasure possible for themselves. Sambo,
of the cornfeld; Dinah, of the spinning
wheel; the cook, the chsmbermsid, the
boy who waited on his masters table, to
Hand de bottle when twas left.
And brush away de blus-tail fly"
all went in for il at Christmas. Each
one expected and received some gifts
from the white folks at the annual holi-
day, and they we're seldom disappointed.
But this is over. Sambo is no longer
the happy servant he used to be; he no
longer enjoys his plenty, free from care
and anxiety he has got trouble into his
brain at last, and Christmas is not what
it once was to him. They are examining
the alphabet into his head and the ballot
into his pocket, but that does not make
Sambo happy nor give him bread. He
even neglects his foremost idol, the banjo,
for he cannot sing his song "in strange
land" Let us have pity on the poor
naorO