The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-02-10

not in the enchanted halls of Syrens, but
in his comfortable chamber at Berkley
Hall. Upon the hearth blazed a splen'
did cracking Christmas fire, and his
music-loving soul was charmed, not with
The soft murmurs of woodland streams.
not with the sweet and touching strains
of an "old Allan Bane's" harp, but the
lively, rigorous music of several fddles.
pair of sticks and tambourine, in q
regular break down negro Jig, played by
the sable minstrels of the plantation, and
the shouts of merry Christmas T merry
Christmas rung out by more than q
hundred voices, made a glad and bolster
GUS chorus. The musicians and the cri-
ers made the circuit of the whole house,
stopping a few minutes at each chamber
door to make personal compliments
When they reached Walters room, they
struck, up with renewed energy the old
air, "come haste to the wedding" thus
intimating their lively suspicious and the
deep interest they took in his affairs d,I
ceur of the young master. When the
chamber occupied by the girls was reach
ed, they played ,"Santee Ladies'" alias
Steamboat" an air peculiar to the dar-
hes of those parts, and in every pause of
the music they would exclaim with joy-
GUS exultation, "Hurrah for de Santee
Ladies merry Christmas, missies mer-
~ Christmas We ladies head all de
ladies in de world Hurrah for de San
tee ladiesW .c-
If the music was not so melodious,
it possessed the merit of enlivening, and
Capt Gray, inspired either by it or his
curiosity, quickly made his toilet, and
descended the stairs to make his way to
the parlor. But what scene met his
amused and wondering gael The piaz-
zas, hall, dining room, pantry and parlor
were literally thronged. with the slaves
who had come up to the "Big House" +"
clad in. their best and gayest garb, to
give ard receive the congratulations of
that blessed season of love, joy and peace
to man. The warmly expressed and
heartfelt congratulations of the negroes,
and the condescension and kindly inter-
est shown by the family in the JOY of the
slaves were equally sincere. "You are
mine and I am yours" were the strong
and pleasant ties which bound in friend
ly interest and sympathies masters and
servants.
m Harry, like most Southern boys,
evinced an eager and anxious desire to
promote their mirth. He praised their
music long, and loudly called for each
favorite and familiar tune, and declared
he enjoyed the triangles, sticks and Gd-
dies at Berkley Hall far more than the
fine music discoursed by the famous
BIS Band of the city. The women
brought their babies for Mrs. Maham to
admire and praise, and Marion and her
young friends were presented by the
generous negroes with eggs, pindars and
new rice, which was beaten fabulously
white for the festive occasion. Those
rough, uncultiyated but generous friends,
and those simple joys, alas, alasl where
are they now? Whose rude hand has
snapped the strong cords ofmutual kind
ness and affection which bound us togeth-
err But We anticipate.
Breakfast being announced, the negroes
retired to an out house provided for their
accommodation, and the happy family
took their seats at the Widespread board
with heart, brim full Of thankfulness to
the Bountiful Giver of all their rich
blessings. Keen were the appetites
which youth, health and content took to
that delightful Carolina breakfast, over
which the gentle hostess presided, serv-
ing out with her own hands the fragrant
Java and the rich Chocolate. Memory
takes us back to those days of joyous
insouciance, when an aunt Chloe ruled
the roast, and the breakfast tables of
Berkley smiled the generous smiles of
peace and plenty under the large dishes
of pearly white hominy, snowy pyramids
of rice, juicy sausages, delicious, boiled
partridges, johnny cakes, wafies and muf-
fms unsurpassed!
"Father," said Harry, "the young fell
lows have been begging me to persuade
you to give them a supper party tonight.
Some of the neighbor negroes ars to be
here, for there are to be two couple mar
ried, and mother has promised each of
them q cake of her own make. They
may have the supper, may they not,
Father ?" continued the boy, coaxingly.
"I love to see them make merry, they
enjoy it SO much"
"Yes, they may have supper, but no
whiskey must be brought on the planta-
ton, make them understand that, Harry"
said the kind master, who loved almost
as we'll as Harry to see his slaves happy.
"And girls" said Marion, gayly, "when
we get back from church, I will claim
your assistance to fix up head gears, &c.
L have already had more demands made
ON me for head-dressings and bows than
I will be able to supply without your aid.
I do SO enjoy seeing the negro girls
dressed up; they look picturesque, and
wear their fnery with barbaric grace.
And for you, gentlemen" she added,
addressing Col. Gray and Arthur, 'we
will procure complimentary invitations
to the double wedding, since it is the
L l.