Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-16
IN THE SOUTHLAND.
Where ChrIstmastide Is Observed and
Universally Appreciated.
TYPICAL GAMES and SPORTS.
Turkey walking. Beef shoot'ns. and Fox
uuntine Necessary Adjuncts OF
tho Holiday season,
New York IIerald.)

.,r.,,. ,oathat Ia to say, IL Is only by
o,cturos IN detail that one can give the
nYect Of the whole Before getting about
Sben, AZ may be well 10 say that this love
AZ Christmas and the strenuous obser-
vance OF II come straight from those
English folk gentle and simple. who first
neonled Virginia and the Carolinas, and
whose descendants have spread over the
facc OF the country south OF Mason and
plxon's line.
There's no such thing as real Christ
mas now" sigh elder folk. white and
black. whose memories run back to the
gay, good days OF slavery. Then, In
truth, II was q two-wceks' Saturnalia.
No master who respected himself or
hoped TO keep the respect Of his neighbors
dreamed OF asking his black people 10 90
more in the month Of December thah XIII
hogs ana get up big Christmas wood
pile. a.
when the hauling was finished dozen
axes few, chopping II in lengths 'or the
big-throated, open fireplaces. 10y ana py
,here was a procession of stout fellows
with log or turn OF snaii s'io SUR, o, e
che shoulder. setting up great pies OF
erewood beside all the doors. After every
exI, IN the great house was duly sur
sounded the back piszzas filed ana chips
BANKED high in the saddle-room great
s,icks and small began to be heapeu
al the cabin doors. BY the time they
.rere nil fully furnished the mountain
NJ a woodpile was sensibly smaller
shoush far from exhausted. Usually TINS
came 10 pass about midday OF December
S4th. ,,, ,,,r,e
yv,,hout experience OF II, II Is almost
fn.possible TO credit how warm am close
Ias the tie between master ana slave.
trh1. M course. where the masters were.
as was ia the case with ninety-nine in the
brnaraa. fun Of kindly consideration for
their black people. The few cruel ty-
,onts who disgraced the name and
brought discredit upon the kfndliest class
under the sun were looked at askance
by their ne!ghbors.
Naturally, then, 20 the mass OF slaves
their masters concerns were as much
a matter of interest and pride as they
were To those affected by them. Besides'
the darky is born gossip, likewise
born detective. The shrewdest match
making mamma was not quicker TO de-
tect serious intentions in a promising
young-man visitor. Where there were
the young-man visitor was mighty
plentiful about Christmas time. He
came from far and near-often
across three counties He rode q
housekeeping horse. and was nice in the
,natter OF equipage. Often he brought
plong his own black boy. likewise
mounted, and carrying behind him fat,
bullying saddle bags stuffed with his
masters wardrobe. For the young man
came to stay at least the week-most
likely the fortnight. unless he got the
sack from the object Of his affections,
md SO rode away In "A furious hum.
Often. too. the old negroes went visiting
on their own account. No time like
Christmas for a trip back TO old Marster's,
or 10 see the sister or brother who
had been given to some other branch of
the family and so lived. maybe, twenty
miles away. Duly mounted. tricked out
3n Sunday best. with all sorts of queer
bundles dangling here and there. and
q carpet-bag. fat to bursting. swung at
abe horn Of the saddle, Black Daddy and
BLACK Nanny rode a-Christmaslng-and
ct the journeys end were as welcome to
whites as to blacks.
IN HOUSE AND KITCHEN.
Nightfall brought swarms of visitors,
both 20 house and kitchen. Very often
there was a dance In both as soon as IL
Mas fairly dark. In every cabin there
Uere laughter singing. and good cheer.
in many Of them revelry went on through
the night The dancing lasted maybe 10
] o'clock: after that there was singing
10 the accompaniment Of a gourd banjo,
with. little later. tale-telling in the
hight Of the waning fire.
The pious among the slaves sang and
prayed the night through. But their
riety did not take the form OF a prohi-
ttion sentiment With a psalm yet hot
1n the mouth they We're as ready as their
fellows to troop up to the great house
st daylight and drink their share OF
Christmas eggnog. Small blame to them
either since the eggnpg of those days
was a mighty seductive thing TO any who
bad n nice taste in drinks
TO make il, eggs as fresh as possible
were broken. the yolk separated from the
white. then white and yolk whipped to
foam that would stick If you turned the
bowl containing them bottom upward
with the yolks went light live, brown
eugar fresh from Louisiana plantation.
When the mixture became mass OF
creamy froth, the whites were stirred
lightly IN along with q dash OF grated
nutmeg and a little French brandy. After
q minute of tossing together, one person
the compound. Gurglel whishl whip! was
AL you heard for three uainutes-thsn the
big bowl mantled over with q drink III
for the gods II you had suggested put
ting in milk 70 one OF those old-tim'
egvnoe makers YOU would have certainly
written yourself down as lacking In th'
knowledge most essential to gentleman
"Ah. me! They are dead. those fine
old gentlemen-and their epoch with them
Here or there one fingers signing witt
Eastaff:
"There live not three good men un
HANGED in England-and one of then
grows fat and old"
Their race survives-the New South u
ms vigorous, If not 80 picturesque, al
The old.
THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
"Chrlstrnas money Is an essential o
the season. Everybody goes 10 town. a
much 10 make as % spend IT, BY con
sequence the sleepy small cities wake VI
20 almost metropolitan liveliness for TIT
swo or three days preceding the holiday
ITO see the whole life of the region 1t !
only necessary 20 stand the day througi
upon a frequented street corner and 1901
at what passes under the eye. Watcl
that group OF good fellows rushing dow
she street. For the most part they arr
sall. with hale. rudy faces, and aler
eyes. Thy have on ovorcoats, trim
worse Tor wear. and trousers OF heav.
Scans. tucked into high. muddy boots
They are planters on small scale, an
bound all for the factor who ia to handle
their crops and from whom they hope q
get an advance OF cash necessary TO th'
time They are laughing and chatting
rccklessly one with another. but In hal
abe faces there Is the shadow of anxious
doubt Those are the unlucky ones whC
nave already drawn on their crops. Some
one says; Come on: let's have drinl
before we tackle them fellows at IN
marehouse." Instantly the throng dive
throuSh conv nient door, not into
saloon. but grocery store. where it'll
later much OF their money Is TO be spent
uhe keeper OF II welcomes them warmly
uhey vanish again up a darklsh stair 4
bis. bare room. where they find bot
W.. glasses. and the best OF old whisksy
Inc proprietor may sell what stuff n
Ileases Woe 10 him financially, though
the liquor he keeps for treating b
not OF the best. Ordinarily he woul,
u'hk with them. To-day he has n,
.'ine Tor such courtesy. Already he ha
pOusht eggs enough to overrun three bi
wHsh'inbs. and butter enough 10 al
hoeShead. Piles OF dried fruit. too-ap
pes' peaches. blackberries, cherries,-t
s"y nothing OF scaly barks. ohsstnuts
ahuts hazelnuts. and big-river hickor
mus. He has bought. too, scattering lot
W ginseng along with the nuts. Ono
"A