The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-08-02


hours, so by o'clock at the latest all
must be over the fire Eternal vigilance
is the price OF barbecue quite as much
as Of liberty. As the Goals die out fresh
ones are added from the log fire blazing
at one side. About every ten minutes
the meat is basted with salt water. In
the last hours cooking "dipney" takes
its place-a wonderful compound Of
sweet lard, strong vinegar and stronger
pepper. That part Stephen knew he
could trust to Uncle ST, the head bar
becuer. Getting it all under way,
though, kept him out Of bed until IN
the morning To shave and dress for q
momentous occasion by light of a candle
that Just makes darkness visible is no
small ordeal. Stephen managed it fairly,
though his trousers seemed to him to fit
less comfortably than at first. He could
not stop to worry over it, though. He
was due at Major Eton's breakfast ia
BILE, and it would never do to have his
horses blown before Nancy got sight Of
them. His passion for her had cost him
a new buggy and a set of double har-
ness. This was the first trip in the new
rig. If he came back from it engaged,
he would count the $500 the luckiest
investment of his life.
It was a fair world indeed that Ste
phen drove over-one i'll full flush OF
summer greenery. White mists lay
folded athwart the hillowy tree tops,
dawn winds blew fresh and cool in his
face. Birds sang strong and clear from
hedgerows dripping dew, cornfelds IN
silk and tassel gave out a fine, faint fra
GRANGE. In the bottoms morning glorles
overran them and hung, bells of white
and blue, and pink, and purple, and
scarlet, in wreathy vistas or made car
net over the rich dark mold. Breadths
of clover were all a-shimmer with gray
dew, the scent of grapes and peaches
came keen and sweet to the nostrils,
rabbits ran and partridges piped i'll the
yellow wheat stubble, and over all lay
the tender, tremulous shining of earll-
est day.
Bran dances are peculiar there, an out
growth of pioneer times that lags super
fuous to our own. The first settlers had
vivid memories Of assemblies and coun-
ty balls in the seaboard states. Lacking
bathrooms, they built big bush arbors
in some grove beside spring, beat the
earthen floor hard and smooth, covered
it an inch deep in bran or sawdust, set
the fddlers and the prompter high at
one side, made rough tables for the bar
becue dinner and asked all the county
to come and be merry. Dancing began
as early in the morning as enough
dancers could be got together and lasted
throughout the day. Waltzes were un-
known, the cotillon even looked at
askance, but the good company gave its
whole heart and mind and feet to the
qradrille and the Virginia reel. Ste
phen's bran dance had few modern
improvements, notably in the music,
which was to be made by a full string
band of much local renown. There
would be broiled chicken, boiled ham,
cake, ice cream and fruit of all sorts to
supplement- the barbecue, not to men
ton tea and coffee, lemonade and fresh
sweet cider. Then, too, the invitations
were simply gorgeous-printed IL col
ored ink upon cream laid embossed pa
per. Only ladies received them. Any
man of good soical standing was free to
come if he pleased. If al Objectionable
one appeared, he was promptly warned
off the grounds by the floor manager,
who upon this occasion was to bedeck
himself with sash and a badge worthy
the chief of militia parade.
It was agreed upon all sides that
Stephen had "laid himself out, . over
the affair. His heart swelled with
pride as he drove slowly past and found
everything going exactly as he would
have it. 1t was good omen, quite good
enough, in fact, to Danish his super
stitious feeling over being forced to tell
his love Friday, notoriously tie day Of
bad-l luck. About three hours later he
stood on Major Eton's piazza the hap
piest young fellow in the county. He
had come, seen, conquered-at least he
had reason to think SO. Nancy had re-
ceived him with unconcealed empresse-
ment, fed him upon smiles, broiled
chicken and wafaes-all were equally
adorable. Now she was beside him all
in vapory white, with a red rose at her
belt and another in her hat, critically
admiring the turnout which stood at
the steps ready to receive her. Major
Eton walked slowly around eying it at
all points. Virginia bred, he rated HIM
self as an expert in matters of equipage.
Stephen was all impatience to be off,
but it stood him in hand to be i'll the
majors good graces; SO he dared not
hurry him. After the third round the
major pulled off his hat, wiped his fore
head refectively with his red silk hand
kerchief and said patronizingly, "Pret-
ty fair, Steve pretty fair; very we'll in
deed for young fellows buying. l
could have done better, of course, but
Ill know more about it after I've tried
it. Jump il, you two, and let's be off y
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