New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-23
CHRISTMAS IN DIME.
WEEK OF NIsITS AT THE BIG HOUSE
AND OF WEDDINGS AT THE CABINS.


to as a season of fun and festivity. high and low
rich and poor black and white. celebrating to
the best OF their ability On the plantation scarcely
anything is done after the first OF December Out
get wood for the enormous fires that the draugnty
roughly built houses render inevitable There Is
ony a sprinkling OF cotton to be seen in the helds
where here and there some opening boil reveals
its tardy produce the potatoes are all banked. the
peas picked. the long ago harvested. and the
happy hearted tllers of the soil sit them down. amid
their temporary abundance. to enjoy the good that
the gods have given them Nay. they do not sit
down. a term suggestively reposeful Is inappro-
PIRATE. They walk about. visit from one plantation
to the other lounge about the streets and public
squares OF the and villages. sing dance. hunt
and frolic TO their hearts content. ana no intma-
ton OF the work they might be doing in this spare
time TO further their plans for the next years
crop disturbs their holiday making. No thought Of
the rails they might he splitting to mend their di-
apidaed fences. OF the straw and muck they might
he accommodating enrich their WORKOUT fields and
OF the thousand and one Improvements they might
ne making about their humble homes. The sprink-
ling Of cotton left IN the fields Is gathered by the
women and children. and sold for candy and cakes
and Christmas trinkets; and any extra cotton left
in the houses from the bales that had to be
devoted to the payment OF rent. the "lein etc, is
carried to town. and traded for Christmas goodies.
SHOPPING At THE COURT HOUSE.
The courthouse square OF the largest town in the
county and tn, smaller squares of the more Sc
qucstered settlements and hamlets are Jammed
and packed with eager. interested humanity during
the week which prccedc1 Christmas The stores do
thriving business. and every possible variety OF
farm produce which can be turned into money or
traded" for Christmas supplies is brought to town.
Eggs there in quantities. ana chickens, turkeys.
ducks and all varieties OF dried fruit carefully
cured the previous summer and put up for just
this occasion or butter there is not much sold.
usually thrifty planters wife sends In few golden
pats. carefully prepared in her private dairy.
Everybody who has any money goes 10 town 10
spend IL and. apparently. everybody who hasn't
any goes to watch the others invest.
All sorts and conditions Of life can be seen by one
who pause3 on a frequenttd street and
watches the passcrs-by. There comes prosperous
looking carriage drawn by pair OF grays and
driven by a black codchman who looks "a II he yet
belonged TO the old regime. The well-iressed gen
tleman who leans back within the vehicle is one OF
the od-school planters. who yet cOntrives TO make
his fertile cotton lands yield him comfortable Nv
ing. and who manage his plantation az nearly as
possible his father did before him that is as fer
Is compatible with the changed conditions which
prevail He possibly has little business To
transact OF the larger stores or at tn" bank.
bu, h. has in reality. driven 10 town merely TO
meet friends whom ne has not perhaps seen in
months. rlcn deal In other towns. but whom
ne knows tre Christmas season will attract to the
courthouse from their far-away plantations on the
other sdo Of the county. They Will meet and talk
about crops. politics. the people they used to know
and the good times they used to have will arrange
a hunt or TWO for the holiday season. when one or
Tho other " tho party will plan to entertain the
rest al his house viii take dinner together at the
hotel and that arstocraiic looking planter. who al
sixty-eighi is picture u athletic grace as he rides
HI. nelds. and has keen ~" and as true
an aim - any YOUNG in the state. viii drive
OF toward his homo. his heart warmed toward all
humlnt, sni his old friends IN particular.
COT NTKY FAMILY.
Here is group o. humber cass come 70 town
TO shop for Christmas Father ard mother and
eroNn-up daughter. They have come in the wagon
Witch 10 % take back the hour and sugar they buy.
There BE- fNc..c-y car-oi1 boy with them. but he
has gone or 10 sell iho squirrel skins hs has been
saving up Tho father is shahbiy dressed and
slouche- along with hs hands in hi pockets. his
hat the back OF his head. and his mouth
full o, tobacco His FAC, wears kindly
precision. though and he i- honest and kind hearted
and Nou.l give BIS Last cent - help friend In lis
trcs. lie is coward either fact he would
promptly denonstrat" We're ans ono to attempt to
infringe IN what no considers his rights lis w!fe's
face j. sal.oW and scanned with thousand wrinkles.
The bonnet she is wearing is OF style In vogue
wears ago hr- Nsll-Noru dress is - rho commonest
material and o, that indcscrihabe shade 81 black
which. Tor want OF = better term. call rusty.
and scru'iri1es everything In tn shops closely.
though SD" appears nervous and excited. probably
accogut - this dissipation ~ which she j.
guilty The daughter wears appl"-grecn dress
much trimmed ami q string Of = .ary looking beads
TED ~nh flowing pink ribbon about her neck Her
sunburned fdcc j. powdered 10 degree startling 10
behold and the r'oplng white feather IN her hat
and tho stringy looking whit" veil falling about II
CIV, her a highly festive appearance. II is
than likely that she has done good share of the
hoclng OF Tho crop her father has sold tins fail per
haps sometimes has even guided the plough In his
absence. and she has every right 10 share ~ the
Christmas money This farmer probably does not
his land. bu cultiNates his rented acres with
the assistance OF his family pan which him
the provisions that negro hands would sduander.
well the expense Of hiring them All three Of
this group ask at the dressgoods counter for white
muslin and the interest that the mother and
daughter particularly display I'm the hlmy stuff
makes one cone ulc that she % the powdered face
is going to wear a dress of that material at
rural fes,ivty The father does not approve OF the
quality OF the goods shown them.
I'VE want something better than that" he tells
the clerk with air OF importance "Lizaler here
is mighty smart. good girl and want her to
look a well any OF EN-. Iiakey's gals dress
cost cents u yard and Lizalee's must go ahead of
hers"
IizaIec bushes crimson through all her powder
at this unwonted praise from the head OF the fam
lis and the clerk asks II there l. wedding on foot.
oh no." says l.zalee. blushing still deeper red.
"only I'm goIn' to speak to the schoolhouse Christ
mas night"
"They'sc gon' to have an entertainment to buy
origin for the church." explains the mother. and
Lizalee and thrc, other girls are To speak "A piece
~ dialogue Mar" corrects I.izalee.
great diversion at Christmas among the darkies
and some the white people is gander pulling. Ii
is a sport cruel that It's popularity Is anything
but a credit those who pdtroniZe IT, number OF
plump ganders whose necks are well creased. are
suspended at the regulation height, In much the
same manner as rings arranged at ordinary
tournaments. The knights" who enlist for the
prizes dash out on their horses IN courty fashion
and grab each OF these down-hanging necks In sue
ccssion as they pass. the most skilful rider and
'puller winning the prize. These gander pullings
are a delight 10 the negroes. who walk miles to at
liz. Ill tIrr-