Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-02-12
oLD.FAsHIoNED CAKE WALKS
A Never.FailinR Amusement in tho
Days of Slavery.

Days of Slavery.
Away back in the silken days of Dixie
iand, when cotton was king and slavery
the colossal sin of the new world. cake
walks occupied peculiar place in tho
relations between master and slave.
After the weary tolls of a long day in
the fields the negro forgot his wrongs
and dreamed of liberty in practicins
with his partner intricate steps for the
cake walk that usually took place every
Saturday night. The sensible planters
encouraged this amusement, for such
simple advertisement often softened the
stubborn spirits. But the grand cake
walk, the one that aroused the most
Intense rivalry, and was looked for
ward to by the darkies with the same
feeling that children wait for Christ
mas. was the function that took place
after "massa's' return from his annual
trip North, where he went to sell his
cotton and buy new machinery and i'm
plements for the coming season. The
confection that graced the walks on
Saturday nights was nothing more than
q corn pone, enriched with few eggs
and butter. On this occasion the cake
was a massive structure, covered with
Icing. SO delectable that a look Mt 1t
widened every slaves eyes and un-
Tipped his shining teeth. The master
and all the ladies of the household at
tended the contest that every partici-
pant had been preparing for In months
past.
To-day the cake walk Is as omnipres-
ent as in the 50's, and many a man who
In the old days witnessed them with
heartache, knowing what was to fol-
low so soon, now looks upon them with
Infinite amusement, and goes home
contrasting the two different conditions
that a law Of progress has made. No
where has the cake walk been repro
duced with such close fidelity and nat
ural effect as in Nate Salisbury's
BLACK America" Not less interesting
than the cake walk Is the effect 1t has
upon certain Of the spectators. In Con-
vention Hall the other night, seated In
one Of the first rows, were three South
ern men, who passed service in the best
and worst days Of the gray cause. Near
them was an old negro couple of the
my" type. Time had aged their heads
with a covering whittier than the cotton
they picked in their youth. The South
erners showed as much fervor as this
humble pair In the program rendered.
When the magnificent chorus sang the
old-time melodies the gentlemen kept
time with their feet, and uncle and
NANNY" moulded their heads in unison
with the voices.
But the pinnacle of ecstacy was
reached when the soprano of the az.
gregation. Bessie Lee, sung the 'Suwa.
nee River" AS the sweet notes of that
song sounded through the big hall, SO
silent with its great concourse of peo-
pie, down the shining black cheeks Of
the old colored couple the tear drops
splashed until their ebony faces looked
like whitewashed ebony. Hardly less
affected were the gentlemen. One Of
them leaned back in his seat and closed
his eyes while he softly beat time on his
knee with one hand.
What retrospect did he see behind
those closed lids? Youths golden
hours, wealth, aff1uence, the turmoil of
war, the sting of defeat, then peace.
new fortunes and-then Bessie stopped
singing, while the applause surged over
the hall, led by the Southerners and tho
old colored couple. Distant in environ
ments as the two poles. yet brought to-
gether by the reminiscent music.
"Lawd bress yo' soul. Sue; amt dat
man wild de watah million mouth Just
like old brack Phil what Marse Peyton
owned?" remarked uncle.
"Yaas, indeedy," returned nanny;
Aan' Jess look at dat brazing wench wild
her low-cut dress. An dem steps; dat
girls got de debil In her, sho'."
"Kurnel," remarked the elder of the
two SOutherners to his companion,
"thats the finest cake walk, sub, I've
seen since the wah. I used to own,
sub, a niggah just like that fellow on
the end. He was the greatest cake
walker In the South. Po' old boy Jack,
he died befo' he got his freedom."-
Washington Star. !