The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-12-21
The Backlog; OF, Uncle Ned's Little Game

It was rule at Thornton Hall,
Unbroken from Colonial days,
That holiday at Christmas tide
Was measured by the Christmas blaze;
For till the backlog burned i'll two,
The darkies on the place were free
To dance and laugh and eat and drink
And give themselves to jolity.
And mighty were the logs they brought
Ofweight that six stout men might bear
All gnarled and knotten, slow to burn;
For Christmas comes but ONCE year.
Old Ned had cut the log that year,
Old Ned, the fiddler far renowned,
Who played at every country dance
That happened thirty miles around.
He cut the log: for days his face
Showed CLEANS of merriment and craft;
He often went behind the house
And leaned against the wall and laughed,
And called the other darkies round
And whispered to them in the ear,
And loud the ringing laughter broke:
For Christmas comes but once year.
At twilight upon Christmas Eve
The log was borne on shoulders strong
Ofmen who marked their cadence steps
With music as they came along;
And Ned, with air of high command,
Came marching at the head ofall,
As he had done for thirty years"
On Christmas Eve at Thornton Hall.
He led the chorus as they marched,
The voices ringing loud and clear
From lusty Threats and happy hearts:
For Christmas comes but once year.
Though briskly blazed at Christmas Eve
That fire with flames and embers bright
Until the antique fireplace lit
The panelled walls with rudy light
Although the spacious chimney roared 49,
Like woodlands in autumnal gales
And lion andirons of bronze n
Were red hot in their names and tails.
The backlog, ineombustibley
Lay quite unkindled in the rear,
Or only slightly scorchedand CHARGED
For Christmas comes but once year,
Wide open swung the great hall door
Before the east was gray with dawn.
And sleighs with argosies of girls
Came jingling up across the lawn;
Came youths astride of prancing steeds,
Came cousins to the tenth remove,
With cousin greetings by the sweet
Lip service that cousins love.
The silver tankard went around
70 every lip with brave good cheer,
According to the ancient rites:
For Christmas comes but once year.
They Toasted high at Thornton Hail,
The Christmas revel lasted long;
They danced the old Virginia reels,
And chanted many jovial song,
The old folks pressed; the young made love,
They played the romps of olden days,
They told strange tales of ghost and witch;
While sitting round the chimney blaze.
But though the pile Of lightwood knots
Defied the frosty atmosphere;
The backlog still held braYely ont;
For Christmas comes but once year.
And at the quarter merry ran
The fiddle's scrape, the banio's twang;
How rhythmic beat the happy feet,
Hoy rolicksome the songs they sang.
No work at all foF hands to do.
But work abundant for the jaws,
And good things plenty smoking hot
Made laughter come in great yaw -haWs,
They frolicked early, frolicked late,
And freely flowed the grog fear,
According to the settled rule:
For Christmas comes but once year.
So passed the merry Christmas week,
And New Years morning came and passed;
The reyel ceased, the guests went home
The backlog burned In two ut last
And then old master sent for Ned,
Still mellow with protracted grog,
And asked him where IN Satan's name
He picked him out that fire-proof log;
And Ned With all that dignity
That drink confers cogtriyed to speak,
II TUX and cut black-gum log
And soaked it nine days in de creek.
fears it was wikid thing.
I'm feared to meet de oberseer;
Bat den you must Temember, sab,
Dat Christmas comes but once year