Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-27

bale4 OF fcd-nannet suHtS LOT tue Won
and brieht-colored calicoes for the wo-
men, and tobacco and bandannas for
All. are awaiting distribution; and as
each article is handed out, with
kindly wish on the one side and gene
raj courtesy Of acceptance OF the other,
there is display Of goodwill toward
men that neither mastery or bondage
ever ignored.
But one more duty remains for the
master to perform, after which the day
belongs to the light-hearted aud merry
voiced folk, who will make the most OF
It in their own way, which will be an
undisturbcd way on this day. This duty
is the scattering Of largess among the
tribe of youngsters known on work.
days as the trash gang" Four or
five dollars reduced to the smallest
fractional currency then known in the
South (half dimes) would be sufficient
to exercise the minds and limbs OF
all the boys and girls, who awaited
with eager expectancy the first throw,
which would send them a heap
ing, leaping, sqairming, laughing,
scrambling mass of legs and arms aud
woolly heads and shining eyes, pitch
ing, rolling in their zeal to secure the
greatest number Of coins. This frolic
over, the crowd gradually dissolves,
and up at the quarters begins in earnest
the preparation Of the supper, which
has been foreshadowed for weeks by
the fattening Of geese and chickens, the
hunting Of 'possums, squirrels, and
wild ducks. the killing Of the fatted
calf, and the industrious accumulation
of eggs and " sweet-'taters " for cakes
and pies. And while the men "barbe-
cue the calf and the pigs over deep
trenches in the open quarter lot, the
women, in full possession Of the "cook-
house " and surrounded by several score
of water-toters "and " chip-fetchers, "
apply themselves with much clatter of
tongues and utensils to the making OF
pies and cakes and 'lasses-bread and
cracklin'-bread and dried-apple turn
overs and variety of dishes which we
dare not call delicacies, but which never
theless find hearty and appreciative con-
sumers when, later on, they come to be
displayed on the long table, built for
the occasion, Of new lumber, and draped
with a bolt Of white domestic loaned
by ole miss for the purpose. And
what if the china that sets it of
is Of rather an eclectic sort !;
what if a paucity Of forks and
knives is supplied by whitfield and
pointed sticks? The cheer is good and
the merriment genuine. Next to the
big white cake IA delusion and snare)
in the centre, from which springs aphe
nomenal cedar-tree upon which bloom
phenomenal paper roses, Puss, in bridal
array, is the most conspicuous object,
and those who most loudly proclaim
that they " dom begrutch her dat good
for-nuthin' Sam she done tied herself
to-" do, obviously, begrudge her the
elegant attire which is Missy's gift, and
is calculated to compensate for any
amount of shortcomings in her life
partner.
Into the small hours the fiddling and
the dancing will be kept up after that
prodigious supper has been disposed of :;
and if the breakfast next morning comes
on table at half-past 9 instead of s; if
the horses look guiltless of the curry
comb and brush; if an air of dissOlute
languor peryades Sans cOuntenance.
and is even guilty reflected in Uncle
Ottoway's heavy FOOTBALL, who minds -
Christmas comes but once year