Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-12-19

burying ground was reached the
mourners were in dog trot, with per-
spiration streaming down their faces,
their breath coming hard and their
eyes bright with excitement.
The blacks of the Neck never put
spade into the earth to dig a grave
until the corpse is literally on the
ground Arrived at the graveyard,
beautiful oak grove on the sloping
bank of the river, Daddy Hardtimes'
body, in its pine casing, was deposited
upon the ground, and the mourners
struck big ring around it with hands
all-'round, as children do when play
ing ring around a rosy" That was
to keep out "Platt-eye" and the devil.
"Platt-eye" is the particular imp and
fayorite of the devil and next to the
devil himself the most feared spirit
in the demonology of the Waccamaw
Neck blacks. "Platt-eye" is the scout
and factotum of his satanic master.
He spies out opportunities to slip
into open graves and capture souls;
for. be it known according to the the
Ology of the Neck, the soul of the de-
parted does not leave the presence of
the body until the funeral has been
completed, to the last shovel of earth.
However, neither "Platt-eye' nor
his master can go through a ring
made by the Joined hands of devout
believers, nor can they tolerate the
singing Of religious songs. The post
ponement of the digging of the grave
until the arrival of the body, therefore,
is a precautionary measure, and the
striking Of ring around both corpse
and grave-space is for the purpose of
making assurance double sure.
Pine-knot torches had been called
into requisition by the time the cor
tege reached the burying ground and
the corpse was grounded" and the
ring struck. These primitive fam
beaux lit up the grove with a prevail
ing tone of red, and flung fitting,
ghostly shadows among the trees. The
torch-bearers formed a circle outside
the circle of holy dancers" with join
ed hands surrounding the corpse and
grave place. Their eyes, distended
with excitement, shone in the REQ
glare, and their teeth-all negroes have
magnificent, pearl white teeth-glis-
tened in the light. The ch-bearers
might be compared to number of
ebony statues with ivory eyes and
teeth, showing against a black back
ground and Illuminated with a pale
red Creek fire.
The dancers around the corpse lost
no time. They began at once slow
chant, circling around the spot from
east to west, ''as de sun trabble." At
the same time, the grave-digging was
begun. In few moments the tune be-
| came a trifie faster and the circle be-
gan to travel with more CELEBRITY. Then
there began TO be some gyrations OF
| feet in the line Take care" sang out
| Sampit. Mine how you fling yo' foot.
| You kin fling UNI how you please SO
you don't cross UNI; but if you cross
| yo' foot de debble git you sho'."
| Around and around went the circle
| with ever increasing momentum, and a
| frightening of the voices of the sing
| ers and dancers" Their faces were
now shining with preparation, and
their eyes protruded The circle rose
and fell with uneven yet rhythmic undu-
! lations. The celebrants were breathing
/ hard. They were in the ecstacies of re-
| ligious feryor. Presently one Of them
| fell from exhaustion. Ready hands
| dragged her away-for it was a wo-
| man.
| Glory" shouted Sampit. Faster,
| And faster went the mad whirl Then
i there were Others that dropped out
But as soon as a gap was made it was
/ filled-up with ready recruits from tbs
| outskirts.
/; The crisis was at hand. The grave
| was flushed. and it was time to deposii
| poorold Hardtimes within it. If they
] cnn IL get a layer of earth oyer his coffin