Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-02
A GEORGIA XMAS EVE
Some Interesting Sights and
Scenes Down in Augusta.
Great Day Crowds from South Carolina
In the Evening the Fun Was Like
Our Fourth"
Correspondents of the Spy


Augusta, Ca, Dec. rs, 1S97.-It was In
1897. The whirligig of time had brought
around another Christmas eve. Angus
ia was famed by the southern edge of
the great cold wave that had passed
from west to east in the north The
anticipation of Christmas day and its
glories had brought in great crowds
from South Carolina They came into
the city behind mules, on mules, on
foot, on oxen and on anything and
everything that could carry human
being. Some were black and some were
white, and some were chocolate brown
and yellow. Steers drew canvas-cov-
cred wagons containing small bundles
of fodder and other farm products,
while six mules would be hitched in
front of a small wagon on which was
one bale of cotton. Very often the
driver would be astride the "off" hind
mule, with one check line in his hand,
and vocabulary of English peculiar to
the South Carolinian, in his mouth. The
air in front of this opening would some
times be sulphurous. But as if this was
not enough, negro boy would be y-~44ssik-
ing ahead holding the bride of the lead
ing mule. Colored women and white
women alike Wore sunbonnets fascina-
tors and ancient Sunday hats, while
some of the ''colored gemen" were
crowned with high hats of the time of
Andrew Jackson.
The peculiar procession passed
through the dark, long, covered bridge
across the Savannah river all day long.
They poured out of it's end like a Gala
thumpian parade and lined Broad
street until the w.1e thoroughfare
looked like the annual fair at Novod-
goski, in Russia Signs of poverty
were visible on all sides, while tobacco
Juice, snuff juice and poor rum were
still more distinct But withal, there
was honely good cheer. The darkies
would sell their turkeys, ducks and
geese, and Immediately turn their cash
into fireworks, cheap toys and gin.
Time wore on, and evening APP
preached The town clock struck ev-
cry hour, as usual At O'clock the
scene changed. The long line of cleo
trio lights which run along the centre
of the street flashed out, and reflected
on the weird scene in dazzling rays.
Then there began a movement and
twisting of the throng until it was final
ly in motion, and the evacuation of the
city had begun. No caravan of the
desert was ever more impressive In
30 minutes the weird caravan had
twisted itself out of the city, and the
songs OF the drivers fioated on the still
night air on the other side of the Sa-
vannah river
AT 8 o'clock new crowd appeared.
They came from the wealthy homes of
the city, and were attired in their '.best
DID and tucker" These people were out
to celebrate Christmas eve, which has
been distinct feature of local life from
time immemorial Girls came in locked
arms up the wide pavement footing
horns and popping torpedCes until the
din partook of a wounded knee ghost
dance. AT times, indeed, it did not seem
safe for a man to be alone on the
street. He was in imminent danger of
being captured by these fair maidens
and impressed into their service. The
racket was increased until a college foot
ball celebration would pale into insig-
nificance.
When the girls had blown their horns
until the last degree of endurance. they
would charge upon a lonely man with a
battery of torpedoes, make him pris-
oner of war, and only release him on
condition that he would furnish them
with a new supply of peppers. There
was no escape, and, indeed, many a
man enjoyed ,being captured by the
pretty girls. The only real regret that
captive would feel would be in being
released.
AS the night wore on, matronly
women and stately men were as en-
thusiastic as the younger people. Men
whose appearances would indicate that
their voices had resounded in legislative
nails, We're footing the bazoo as loud as
any fair daughter
Presently the clock struck H. The
stars were shining brightly in the
heavens and the distant booming Of
cannon roared like the sullen approach
of an enemy. The crowd began to thin
away, and the blazing lights in the store
windows began to flicker and die out as
one by one the girls left the street At
IL o'clock all was as still as the grave,
the deathly silence only being broken by
the occasional football of policeman.
In the morning the city awoke to find
itself bathed by a cold freezing rain,
while the trees IN the parks We're pen
dant with glittering icicles. The rain
drops caught and hung to the limbs of
the glorified trees and turned them into
temples The trunks were the pillars
while all above them was a mass of eS
quisite work in green and white Thel
were pearls and diamonds, and the so
of the wind came to the
like the muffied beat of the breaki
upon a low, coast. 1t required strq
nerves not to be impressed with ae
grandeur of everything around. w
the storm sounded all its solemn y as
and started on the march, 1t was in ed
a sovereign spectacle.
Presently the sun burst through I'd
gray clouds and the magic scene wac
ended The winter charm mad tade
and given place to new pane M
Instead of the prfsmatic icicles ms,
were bowers of sylvan foliage ara 49,
SONS of snowy white and fiamlG $50
Church bells pealed their 5i1 5s7
welcome and southern mansions q ~
their hospitable portals to, fan ~
unions. Each native Augustar e rn,-s
ter. and to strangers 1t was
g..s,s
The casualties Of the ever tls -.,,,ts,,
three fires and one color Z r.e5ss
killed. A white man was 81 ei ~e5 t,i,
the left lung and several tqrc
the neck" 49, ti-ttnre
Thus did Augusta celebra IS
eve Of 1897. ~
National Characteristic, Ok
Scratch a Russian and yoi iiN -lfth 4
- - Ct,oDnv itYaQ. l4sf 49,. II