The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-03-11
CHRISTMAS IN THE SOUTH.
IL Is a Time Of Merrlment Even II the At
mosphere Is Warm and Hazy.

1t Is Time OF Merrlment Even IL the At
mosphere Is Warm and Hazy.
The occurrence of Christmas in the
cold season in England and Germany.
where the time-honored stories and leg
ends connected with it have principally
had their origin, has been the means of
causing US to think of the day in con-
nection with snow and cold, of cheerful
fires and indoor pastimes Such, indeed,
are its usual accomplishments in our
northern states, but in the sunny
south the customary scene is very diff
ferent. The boys and girls, and older
people, too south of Mason and Dixon's
line manage to enjoy the holidays quite
as much as their cousins in the frozen
north, although skating, sleigh-riding
and snow-balling are not included in
the list of amusements
In the ante bellum days it was Gus
tomary for the prosperous planter to
give his slaves holiday, lasting from
Christmas till New Years, which they
had liberty, under certain restrictions,
to spend about as they pleased, free
from work. They greatly enjoyed it
Frequently the wealthy planter would
take his family by steamer to New Or
leans or Mobile, to enjoy city life during
the holidays In case they remained on
the plantation, however, there was no
lack of gifts to be presented. Former
trips to the city had amply provided for
the occasion. The children, white and
black, were sure to be up early to see
what Santa Claus had brought them for
Christmas morn After the children of
the household had examined their
treasures and found them to be
1.-The very things they wanted"
a second distribution was made
in ''the quarters" which was the
name given collectively to the
cabins of the negroes, which usually
stood punched together at some dis
lance from the plantation farm house.
None were forgotten, from the little
pickaninnies, who were delighted with
piece of candy or mort sugar. e.,
maple sugar, to the old ''uncles" and
''aunts," for whom the thoughtful
''missus" had provided useful presents
in the way of clothing, or of warm
udnDelS LOT Jnclr -TneumdClcS.
And the weather was usually glori-
GUS at the Christmas season. Let my
northern friends imagine themselves at
one of the southern cities at midwinter
Little Rock or Chattanooga, for in
stance. Without the exceptional chance
of being rainy, the weather is most
likely to be bright and warm, with that
peculiar, soft purple haze enveloping
the hills, giving them a far-away APP
pearance. The wind blows soft and
warm from the gulf. insects hum in the
air, and violets may be found occasion
ally blooming in sheltered places FIRE.
quently, too, late roses are found in
bloom until Christmas, while among
the trees the bright evergreens of the
magnolia, pine, cedar and holly con-
trast beautifully with the somber hues
of the oaks, or the bare branches of the
NAPLES and fig trees On more than
one occasion has the writer sat down to
a Christmas dinner with the house doors
and windows left open to admit the air.
mot much like northern Christ
mas" you say. No, but when one be-
comes accustomed, as | have been, to
the dry and warm winters of the south
land, they cease to feel surprise at the
absence of cold during the holidays and
take such things as a matter of course.
Arkansas Traveller