The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-03-15
CRACKERS ar A CANE DANCE
4 Gale Kisht n the Fine Weeds or Florida
A lsdieensus and Psssas Triple.

MAGNOLIA, Fla, March IA low nights
ago there was . cane dance at tho house OF
cracker. in q clearing some ten miles back from
here. The region 10 covered with thin
growth OF yellow pine. with here and there
low hill OF sand whittier than that OF the pine
land and bearing small oak trees. These high
and dry patches are called oak hnmmooks.
Betting back from the river are swamps with
ANAL streams flowing through them. They
are umbered with cypress. magnolia. and other
trees. Woody vines>An inch or more In diame-
ter and surprisingiy crooked extend from the
ground 10 the branches OF the trees. They help
TO make bowildsring and entangling thicket.
Cypross knees peg-iike growths from the
roOts-protruds from the ground a foot or SO.
and secm to have been put thore for man and
beast TO fall down upon when tripped
BY tho network Of vines. These swa,nrs arc
formed branches. They and the hnmmocks
are all that give variety to tho region extend
ing back from tho river. The roads are not
fenced. and IL IL difIlcult for even native to
keep his course after nightfall whom 1t lios
away from ono Of the wire ronds. The wire
roads arc the principal highways Of tho region
They used to DO called telegraph roads. and
that is the way they got their present dis.
tinctiys designation. Why they ever wcro
called telegraph roads is n mystery. 1t seems
Impossible that tho useful contrivnnco or
dinarily known a.. the tslegraGh could It
have had ANYTHING to 40 with II; The WIRE
rvDads conslst OF two ruts and the right OF
way; the other roads show ruts only here and
there. and instead OF the right Of way Is the
roads was all expended on the trees among
Shsh they run ina ARE Ss at r, WV
Il Is nesessry 70 ;ravo f ~ dsysh, When soins
~ attend cane dance tn miles away.
II wa. ar"ck1n.d" that the people came met, to
arOund. A sight is Rs lar its the eve can see
through the sc.nty pin" timber. They beyYan 70
brought their dogs, and when the sun
went down the collection Of yollow. yelowish.
I" ss ~" t. IN SS s" HI nSa s%ors
were the beasts that hr"ucht them. Young
be proud Of rode nstride their mules. while
the tnn,dsns sat on the floor Of the carts and
Sirs eras as' s.r.@ hats: ea'ieo shiss.
nnd cotton trousers we're de rigusur
70, the young men, STOCKINGS w.r9 r.; lies es,
Ia their pockets. as white kid gloves are often
carried else where. in order that they may be
gut on II TO ieave them nlI would make the per
son appear eccentric, The dress Of the young
women cunsisted SO largely OF sunbonpst that
There r.,r'ned 10 he little else worthy Of note
them head coverings Is to faii short OF doing
justice to their nmpiitndr. They cover NO!
only tho head. but tho shoulders. the face. and
n consdrr able area OF outiy territory They
are ribbed and n,arnhe.i. and IL must require
lapsing under tho influence OF this humid
Atmosphere
Dancing began In a decorous and half Ian
guild way almost NJ soon a. The arrivals ware
sufficient to make up n sat Tor n quadrtiie. The
younG men who had bur'ien",i themselves with
put them away. in their hats. The cracker
girls came out Of their snnbonnets -reluc,nnt.
~. 1t seomed. for 1t " said that the women OF
erarker-lnnd wear sunboun.ts even in bod.
Those girls were pictures of prim nsatness In
their ca 10" and narrow ribbons. There is never
al IA n la
dance. The host secs to IL that there is I'D
de in the hous" and anybody can do the I'D
There are only u lew changes or figures and
,ha... are called on ty the ,gen,' Of the lead
played '' on one me- fiddle by two " men-s
sawyer. who sits on stool and rasps
S sns wh sr a; front o, bSs m and
heat, ali four strings at the urIer pari OF tho
fhGrrhnard with two light sp,nts, somewhat
af-r the manner of PLAYING the either The
effect il less excruciatin. han might bs feared.
La tn" dance there IL h"tiliD. that suggests the
s.atelin"ss OF tine nlihust or the languid move
localities whern dancing ~ considered Il pro-
rr"s'ive, art, rhr cracker young mou dane
with u II -htsonla step that iminrts to their
bodies the motian of dancing rurr.t- strun.
on wires. run through their mi,iiIrs. The
mrd-nly daoorum wall permit. AS often ~
an"th"r c"upl. nrrivrs tho set is en- arG4d. for
ther" ~ meyer rlor" than one set on the floor ut
q time. and there are no wal flowers.
II WI. nut UNI IL after NJ gntiHil that the cane
dane wt- larry aHn,E Mhi'" me dancing
low iran' house fiom which tn" host had r,-
moved tho only ariiii"n in order tina, tho
dancers might hay. fu; swing t ~ youn.. mon
Of the fnmiIy WE'RE s".rtin-. pine knots fun OF
pitch for tle i'repnc", an | tor the lir" beneA,h
to- III F'"n is Of e@ w.n aa uHo
n"ss c'osei III among th~ iin"s. ihere WAS
haze around ;h" s,he3 "t the rnl'iron TINT
ont IN bad rciiri the tai trunks of the nearer
trees. and gave goI'!"n timing Ia the cloud Of
The VIII t" b!n%e lrAn he Tat liglt wool in the
firep acc lighted NJ IN" interior Of
tie n"ns ,,,,o SO SSHmr'",",y th,, the flame
shadow on tho crillng OF yellow pine
hoari-. II wa. then that the damcsrs be-
men kirh"d OIL their tr's:an- aud went it with
bare lo"l III way that soon shook tho sand
from b,hween their r"os. rho mnidrns. still
JOY seeing the 2,'st with which tlIrir Partners
entered mt" til" husinrss rhr rnaust fiddler
Dor" down on ms bow til III" hid- creak"i in
all it- timh"is. and ia" ~ !nt- Of hi. assistant
w"nt unanl diva Y tn T." yei"ri,y 81 nchiha,.;
j. might have been heard well over toward tho
Gulf Of Mexico, and the ye,'ow dogs without
howl"i tai the muiss pricsel up their uonder-
ons ears and atinmp,ed the pntcruHl bray. 1t
Wa Joyous and nn.un" orras,"n.
When til" dancins had baen going on with
Continuity for som" six or seven hours refresh.
inents were in order. pan of can. syrup WAS
hruu. ht IN. Green ctne- ~ the .mgth Of a
Juice were eat out. Can" sugar was added to
me spread. and G"n-rnns lnnnu'y of cane
sklmminss MS brought forth. I'M there was
cessation OF 'lhnu,as Tor ~ wuir. The young
man whitfield OF can. ~ nt"r. for the Young
women to dip syiup with from the common
pan. The crupchng 81 cans nith arose
like an inarticulaie murmur. and the
men drank OF til" skimmngs. With the
exception of st"n"tence there IL rnr-
hnps no other beverage NOR" bewiidnrin,
than this product nf the cane field. Its name
suggests an imrotnn, and harmless Triple but
the article itself IL no. that kind of wash II 10
~ much more pcrmrating than Jersey light
n ne Us that famuus nuid I. sharper than root
bar or the Hon. William MIG ory'I tenpern ace
DRINK o! weiss. 1t has n" III" vitrioic quality
which Thirty third degree toprrs delight in and
therein lies tho peril of triilinc with IL. Scarcely
m"rn pnng.ut is i than stat" arpl.saucs. On nn
empty stomach 1t rests Tor n whls as cool ms n
bit" Of cold vic,unls. Blu, It eventually per-
Nades the ehtre ,eing, and the man il hope
imrisSy he'nl"s.'y. and unanimously drunk;
gun barrel. II never fails to make "A bulls.
eye when 1t has n cnauc". The men on
ms occasion drank cautiously. ~ II line ol
tklrm sh"rs' night. kno wing some hin. Of thp
enemy strength. In only II few eases dill Tho
shlmminEs have opportunity to get in heir fire
Work, bnt the general warming effect upon the
party was evident Tho light wood wn- henp"l
upon the hrcs more generously. Tho hard.
ships 81 the iild'e were increased. Coats and