Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-08-14
A GEORGIA CRACKER DANCE.
One of the Few Pleasures of the Poo
Whites
Boston Transcript.

Boston Transcript.
rev. indeed, are the pleasurable excite
ments OF the Crackers life and yet he
mas some fete days and holidays Para
mount among the<e are the cane
grindin' and sugar bilin'." Most of
them have cane patch of greater or less
extent, according to the number of his
stock of cattle and the children big
enough to assist, and the extent TO which
ne can overcome his chronic indisposition
TO Tabor. Along in November and De-
cember the grinGings begin and usually
go IN rotation, so that "the linked sweet
ness may be long drawn out" Every
body is invited and preparations are made
to entertain all Corners, for the Cracker
above all things, is hospitable One or
more razorbacl<s yield up the ghost. a
plenty of grits and sweet potatoes are on
hand, and the larder is ready. For some
days before cutting actually begins the
Cracker is busy setting up his mill and
furnace. The whole affair is primitive in
the extreme. A pine sapling, with Just
the right crook in it. is hitched at one
end to pony. the other is fastened to two
small upright rollers, between which the
cane is crushed.
While the pony steadily treads his cir
Gle three or four sticks of cane are fed
to the mill. The thin, greenish Juice
runs into d rude wooden trough. which
conducts it to a barrel covered with a
gunny sack, which serves as a strainer.
The chimney and furnace, into the fiat
top of which the large iron boiler or
cauldron is set are rudely fashioned of
clay. After five or six hours hard boiling
and skimming, the syrup is done, and for
few moments all is excitement, as the
fire brands are raked out from the a.
mace and the boiler is emptied of its
saccharine contents. The syrup is a clear
amber and of a delicious flavor, and Just
few moments over boiling would change
it to sugar, for which your true cracker
has little use. the syrup having a much
greater financial value. The skimmings
are all carefully put in a clean barrel.
where they soon fermert and make a kind
of beer they call it, which, with age, be-
comes highly intoxicating. Well. the
Cracker works steadily for him for some
days, knowing full well that his fun will
come when once the boiling is over for
invariably they end with Il candy pull
and q dance.
Now, truly, a Cracker dance is a pecu-
boundless amusement to the outsider. if
so be he is fortunate enough to be in
vited to grace orc with his presence.
Young and Old, big and little, attend, each
one bent on getting his fullest amount of
enjoyment out of the occasion. There are
always some among them who can play
the violin, and the air they play must be
an heirloom, for it is always the same and
only ic q - ,.a
tous jangle on a few notes. and played as
fast as possible, but the Cracker seems
to enjoy it, and his feet keep time to the
measure, however, rapid as it may be
As the rooms are not large but sixteen
can dance at once. ard they are all in
one set. two couples being on each OF the
four sides.
The fun commences early and continues
late. a fresh lot Of dancers always being
ready to take the place of those who are
wearied out wi a good half hours rapid
dancing. for each set holds the floor at
least that long. All night long. above the
ting-a-tang of the violin is. heard a con-
tinUal repetition of such calls as these:
Honor you partners: now YOU cor
ners! All-a-men left, First couple 10 the
right and dos-a-ballet-net, Next couple
follow AM swing lady or cheat Irvine
the blacksrake in and OUT First lady 10
the right. swing and float" and such
floating. about as airy anc graceful as a
careering mule. "AIl lemonade and hit
a well sweetene5 with nothin', Honor the
flower basket, now the wood, box, Big
ring all around. Ladies 10 the middle OF
the floor and gentlemen to they seats!''
Then each gentleman makes a frantic
grab for his partner and leads her. rosy
and painting, to the coolest spot he can
find. for seats are few and far between.