Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-12-03

quite as much of frolic. The me-
grces' Quarters" consisted OF a row or
rows OF cabins, generally of logs, 'front.'
ing street not tar from the owners
house, and to the rear. Here, after
supper was ended, the slaves were left
to them elves. and found what amuse-
ment they could until the bell rang for
bedtime. Then all were supposed to
retire, and any who failed to be in
place when the overseer or driver
made the final round for the
night were subject 10 severe pun.
ishment The slaves were not per-
mitted to leave the plantation with
out written pass or permit from their
owner or overseef, and in town the fire
bell was generally rung at clock as
signal Tor them to go home. After
the ringing of the bell the n eht
watchmen or patrol of the town
started on their rounds, when every
slave found on tho street was stopped
and questioned, and if found without a
pass was arrested and locked up The
ringing OF the fire hell was, therefore,
signal for general scampering, and
in every direction belated darkies
could be heard pounding the sidewalks
with their generous feet in an effort
10 reach home before the night watch
started out. This well unde: stood
feature of Southern life it was that
gave rise to the once popular song
"nun, Niger, Run, the Patrol VIII
Catch You.
The diversions of the plantation
were very simple. In the season pos
sum and coon hunts were in order, the
slaves who joined in the srorts often
being accompanied by members of tho
owners family, who vert for the mere
plo lsure OF hunting something. With
the slaves, however. the expedition
was strictly business enterprise. for
then, as ever since, the fat poSsum
was esteemed most tGothsome dainty,
and lucky indeed was he who managed
to secure one of these much-coveted
animals for his own exclu i've eating.
The preparation Tor tho table was
matter of much interest and no little
care. AT or the 'pos>um had been
made re dy for the roasting, large
pumpkin was split in two and the seeds
taken cut Of one half, which was de-
posi- cd lofore the fire and filled with
peele sweet potatoes The 'possum
was then hung up by his tail befole @
rearing fire, directly above the pump
kin, and slowly twrling around, he
was equally + astel on every side,
while his fat, forced out by the heat,
d ipDod on the sweet potatoes and
pumpkin, otatoes and pos um were
all cooked ready fc + consumption at tho
same time. and fea t was thus pro
vided which, according to darky esti.
mate, was fit for the gods.
The life of the slave. with its Inter.
val5 of re,aXation, was not, in tho
main, an unhappy one. There was a
lrtA ln, 81 81 HI
oldtimc negro slave lived only for the
day. The morrow troubled him not.
He was sure of living, for he know
his master could not afford to let him
starve. He was not allowed to learn
anything. All books to him wcro
sealed. But knowing nothing of them
he never missed the information they
contained. His greatest salts action
was to have good master, and whom
he had any ambitions. tho highest
was t) run away and go North, where
he would TIC rce. 1t wa often graft
I cd, too, for if any one will take the
time to lCok over the files of any news.
paper published in the border States
he ore tho war; he will find that ore of
its most conspicuous features was the
pict ire OF running negro with bundle
slung on stick over his shoulder,
ana de:crlptlOn OF the slave supposed
to have run away. But instances are
also not lacking OF slaves accompany
ing their masters during long journeys
through tho North and remaining as
devoted on free as on slave soil.
The slave an the freedman are two.
cs entially different persons. Since
the emancipation the Southern colored
people have su stained n change so rad
irpl that H. poD not he considered d bOt
as a change OF character. They have.
lost much of the careless happiness OF
slavery, but have gained in a knowl'
edge of the respcn ibility of freedom.
The change is immeasurable and even
the most radical advocate of the old
system would not now venture on re.
turn to slavery and the over. eer, or to
affirm that the freedman i not inf
nitely superior in every respect to tho
slave.