Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-09-09
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"PlantatiOn Life"

A not very large but really APP
preclatlve audience assembled Tues
day evening IN the Gladstone Annex
to hear the Rev. James Battle Avirett's
lecture ON "Plantation Life in the
South before the War" His choice
dictlOn and chaste language. his beau
tiful imagery and warm eloquence,
touching pathos and fund of anecdote
pleased his auditors for one hour and
quarter.
The lect IRE opened with cOmpar-
isOn of the old South with the new, the
patriachal institution of the past and
the democratic methods of the present.
He then gave a description of a large
plantation in North Carolina, its vir-
gin forests of tall pines and its fertile
fields in we'll watered valleys. In the
centre was the Great House. He
took US through its immense halls,
running the entire length of the build
ing and crossing in the centre. We
stood on the spacious porches and
verandas. We walked beneath the
shading branches of noble trees, gath
cred flowers from the well-kept beds
and gazed upon the appetizing vege-
tables which furnished the table of a
hospitable host. This was the home
of his childhood.
Near by was the ''darkey quarters"
A broad street lined on either side
with numerous cabins, the inmates Of
which vie with each other in having
their own the neatest and. cleanest IN
the row. There the colOred people Of
the plantation lived and enjoyed life
"a life without care and few troubles
They ate and slept, they sang and
prayed, making the most out of each
moment before it slipped by. No
butcher invaded their territory with
meat bills, no grocer came for a settle
ment, no doctors duns found their way
to this SINS soucj. The master attended
to those things. Without restraint
they had their cOurtships and mar
riages. their joys and fears, in times
OF sorrow the masters soothing hand
helped to bind up the broken hearts.
The lecturer took us into their
cabins and pointed ont the festive
table, covered with its white cloth.
standing on the neat Sanded floor, the
hook IN the fire place where hung the
possum and the coon. He told us of
their religion and simple minded. sim
ple-hearted acceptance of the Chris
tlan faith and q Saviour'S love. He
told us of their peculiar Superstitions,
different in degree but scarcely in
kind from their better informed white
brothers. How glowingIy he pictured
their love for and fidelity to their
master. One was so truStv he was
often sent Il distance of forty miles to
bank with thousands of dolars One
was born at the same time the le3-
turer'S brother was uShered into the
world and they became companions
for life. They were playmateS when
boys and IN after years the relation of
master and body-s-rvant was main
tanned with mutual affection. The
master died during the war on dis
tant battlefield. The trusty servant
gathered up the remains, brought
them home for burial and in a few
months died from sorrow for his loved
and lost.
Thus their virtues were portrayed
and the happy intercourse between
the Great Home" and the quarters
described.
But change came. The booming
of cannon was heard at Manassas and
Gettysburg and Appomattox. The
ole South passed away, passed as the
brave crusader and gay cavalier and
stern Puritan had passed. They had
each in turn done the work marked
out for them by their God, and de-
parted. Plantation life was ended a
new South was to arise and with many
misglvings the lecturer hoped it might
accomplish the good intended.