Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-01-05
From the Journal Of United Labor.l
WILL O'THE WISP.
A TALE OF THE War.
"BY UNKNOWN"
CHAPTER FIRST.
"BY UNKNOWN"


OuIistnias wAs BTanu leSttNAi III
the South before the late war. /
was kept as the greatest holiday o
the whole year. White and blacl
considered il a week of real pleasure
Visiting. eating. and dsinkins = -
the order of the seven days holiday
So great great preparations were made
in each household for the coming hol
iday. And then, when the all-impor.
tant day came, it was held as sacred
to the greater part of the Christian
world.
The dawn Of Christmas day was
anxiously watched for by crowd oi
blacks-slaves on a Maryland planta.
tion. Big and little. old, and very
young, were congregated outside oi
their quarters. and silently waiting
for the first faint streaks of light in
the east. At last one saw the dark
misty hue of night roll asunder and
give place to the pearly pink of the
coming day.
A shout went up OF christmas
gift I Christmas gift !" and all started
off on joyous run for the great
house" of the white people. Once
reached, the same glad cry echoed
around the house and under the win
dows: Christmas gift, marster |
Christmas gift, missus Christmas
gift, chillun !" and, christmas gift,
ladies and gentlemen
Such noise, such a grand hubbub
Of sounds and cries of Christmas JOY
was never heard except on this glad
day of the birth of a Saviour to the
world.
Windows were thrown up, and the
half-sleeping inmates of the great
house" appeared in their night robes,
half-covered by hastily caught up
shawls and dressing-gowns to face the
keen frosty air that met them as they
opened the windows, and, in return,
cried: christmas gift to you all |
a merry Christmas Then the crowd
Of blacks opened space in front of
them, and band of boys and men
stepped out Of the crowd, and, with
their fiddles, banjoes and castinets,
accompanied themselves as they sung
most melodiously the plantation
Christmas carols. A final scrape of
the fiddle bow, and a bobbing up and
down, right and left, of the dusky
crowd as they courtesied and pulled
their short, woody forelocks, in token
Of parting salute. The master then
called out : after breakfast, l shall
expect you all to come for your Christ
mas gifts"
"Thanky, marsterl thanky, misses !
thanky, everybody" was heard as the
laughing, chatting, pushing, merry
crowd ran off to the quarters to pre-
pare for the daYs's delights.
This especial plantation belonged
to "old Mars Charles Hill (as there
was young Mars Charles so the
negroes made the distinction. And
"old Mar" was known as one of the
richest tobacco planters in Prince
Georges county, Maryland. He was
also known for his lavish hospitality.
A plate and chair was every day in
the year, and at every meal, placed
at his table, called "the strangers
place" 1t was often filled too.
On this Christmas morning his
large and commodious house was taxed
TO the utmost to accommodate the in
vited guests. Still more were to
come for the Christmas dinner and
the ball afterward.
Julius Cesar, the head waiter, had
just ushered the family and guests
from the dining-room, where they had
finished a sumptuous breakfast into
the large old-fashioned parlor. where
the immense fireplace took whole
logs to fill its empty space, and then
sent the flames smoking and roaring
up the black chimney, with a shower
OF sparks crackle of sound when he
stepped aside at the door to admit q
most important Parsonage.
A short broad, black woman, will
high yellow and red turban on hel
head; large gold hoops hung from
her ears; white linen cape coveret
her shoulders and ample motherly
bosom a long white apron nearly
covered the short brown skirt of he
dress. Her large fiat feet, were neat
ly dressed in blue yarn stockings anC
low leather slippers. Her face beam
td with good nature and her who.