Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-10-18

Dickey-Well, introduce me, Pen, at
once.
Psnelope-It won't do you any good,
Dickey; she bad already received the pro,
possl when she said it.-Brooklyn Life.
/
SUNDAY In SLAVERY DAYS.
II Was a Great Day with the CoIored
Folks on the Plantation.
From Kate Fields washingtou.l
In the south before the war Sunday was
looked forward to with anticipations of un-
affected happiness by the negroes on the
plantations. With 1t came not alone the
restful idleness of the day, but the addI-
tionsl pleasure afforded by opportunities
to attend divine worship, writes Edward
Oldham
The negro, as q race, IL q social being.
The absence of extraordinary brain power
denies him the privilege of thoughtful
meditation or the solscs of reflection. His
fntuitive impulse Is to loosen the cords
that bind him to himself and to seek con-
/ genial companionship.
The innate Characteristic of socisbility
was intensified in the plantation dsrkey,
whose masters family was usually the CEN
ter around which q highly social micro
eosm revolved. Sunday was the day
above all the rest when he could give full
play to this tendency, and he was never
happier than when in the midst of q
group, hearing himself and others talk.
"Gwine ter chu'ch,n therefore, always
| meant for him more of q season of social
than religious enjoyment, though occasion
ally there were venerable exceptions to this
rule. The dsrkies from all the neighbor-
ing plantations were to be seen at 'tmeet-
in nd all
the week and bits of highly colored gossip
were to be exchanged amid hearty gutfAws,
In which the most innocent good nature
abounded
The ants-bellum negro was always pic
turesque in his attitudes. adjunots and
surroundings, and particularly 60 "ober
Sundays" The manner OF his locomoiion
to and from the "meetin' house. made q
striking picture, with touch of irresisti-
BILE drollery about it. More than likely he
proceeds afoot, and Ii the day be pleasant
he carefully removes his Sunday shoes"
and the thick cotton socks, draws off his
coat, throws IL over his left arm, and dan
gles the shoes from his right hand. With
his impediments thus adjusted he advances
upon his way with q quick, swsying, shuf-
fitDg gait, a light heart, q plantation hymn
at the top of his tongue, or CHEEKY,
rollicking whistle upon his lips. IL the
great, or the darkey himself the object of
the masters or overseer's especial favor,
he is infulged with the use of q horse,
sstride whose backbone he strings himself,
his wife and q youngster or two. They
jog along slowly, putting up with the lu |
dicrous discomfort of the arrangement |
with every evidence of good humor.
If the attendant upon divine worship be |
tar advanced in years, his master, with |
that respect for the aged SO characteristic |
of the southern gentlemen of the old |
school, places at his and ''de ole 'ooman's" |
disposal an humble vehicle. which hss out
lasted the greater part OF its usefulness |
To this he harnesses a plantation mule, |
whose solemn denesnor and highly delibe- |
rate movements are in keeping with the |
measured, easy-going characteristic of the |
darkey twain. They set ous. the wabbling
wheels describing an endless series of
curves, convex aud concAvs. The yenera-
BILE occupants are seated in split-bottom
chairs aud are attirei in their ''bes' bib
en-tucker," With their flaming apparel
''settin' two wsys fer SuBdsy"-to employ
the veraacular-by which they mean to
suggest the sll-pervsdIng presence of
starch, which plantation dalki.s were &C.
customed to use unstintedly. Thus, with |
an entire absence of self.consciousness,
the aged couple arrived at the church In |
due time.
If it be shrine intended exclusively for |
dusky worshippers, the building will be |
large rectangular structure composed of |
logs, the spertures between being chinked |
with mud aud clay, and the roof consist |
ing of lows of rough oak clapbosrds, held
in place by long ssplings lying lengthwise |
with the building, and these in turn being |
secured by prongs of hickory. The most |
conspicuous adjunct of this humble house |
of worship is the chimney, which leans |
away from the structure with a hurt Of |
Tended air. It looks as though it were
about to topple down, and its heterogene-
GUS materials constitute an impenetrabls
mystery, held by a framework of sticks
and clay.
There was no scarcity of negro preach
ers in the ante bellum days On every
plantation there were a number of Eek
horters," who were regarded with pious |
fear and veneration by the negroes. In |
the services conducted by these black min |
listers the women participated as much as
the men, and some of their Experiences" |
were extremely amusing; but all in all |
their worship was peculiarly impressive, if |
not weird. |
No rites of pomp or pride baguile their soul; |
No organ peals. no clouds of incense roll; |
But, line by line, untutored voices raise, |
Like the wild birds, their simple notes Of |
And hearts of love- with true devotion. bring
Incense more pure to heavens eternal king.
Singing is one of natures first and best |
gifts to the negro, and no music Is more |
resonant with melody than the voices of |
several hundred blacks singing "Ds Ole |
Ship O. Zion," IS with supple genuflexion,
their bodies swsying back and forth and |
their hands clapping, they keep time with
the singing. An emotional race, the negro
is intensely susceptible to the influence of
music, and with melody comes the irresis-
tibie desire to move the feet, Pat the knee,
or make gesticulstions with the hand.
In the mitder seasons of the year the
negro worshippers assembled beneath a
spacious arbor formed by a framework of
saplings resting in the forks of small
growing trees, or of others cut down and |
stuck into the ground. Upon this crude
scaffolding were deposited quantities of
pine boughs, which protected the congre-
CATION from the sun and the showers. and |
dispersed an aromatic odor that was by no |
means disagreeable.
An object of the most envious concern |
to the other darkies on the plantation was |
the family coschmsn, or carriage driver, |
or that of their number who was singled |
out to 20 with ''young mistis" or any 9TH |
er member of the household to church.
Aside from this being considered a recog-
milton of superior merit and a mark of
bpcSiai SOnAocuCs, IL Win many
privileges which were greatly enjoyed. 1t
meant more comfortable transit to and
from church, more presentsble apparel,
and, best of all, good estin's"
The sermon over, a general hsndshaking
by the dispensing congregation was in or
der, and sometimes, when a sermon was to
follow in the afternoon and the day was a
pleasant one, the attendants divided them
selves into little group here and there.
The baskets were opened and the lunches,
prepared By the old-time southern cooks,
were heartily enjoyed. A general inter
change of small talk and the news of the
neighborhood made the time pass swift
| ly; then came the second sermon, after
which young mistis" is escorted back
to the carriage by some gallant beau,
who, seeing her and perhaps the ''old