The Washington times., 1901-12-22

There we're hats, caps, red-top boots,
shoes, bright dress patterns, and &C many
wares that the scene looked not unlike
an auctioneer's establishment.
The Planters Address.
High upon the bench mounted the plant
er and thus addressed his audience:
We'll, boys" said he. Il am right glad
to be able TO be with you another Christ
mas morning Over on the hill yonder
you can see the tombstone of my father
who died fighting the Yankees thirty
years ago. Uncle Josh here can tell you
how good he was to his sla-es, and al
ways remembered them on Christmas
morning. When / was little boy on his
knee he used to tell me that IL would
always be kind TO the negroes and consid-
crate of you woald be paid back thou
sandfold.
Now, when he and l and all my broth
ers went TO war TO fight for our side our
black folks stood by the old home and
managed and cared for everything the
same as IL We were here. During your
freedom you have lived peaceably and we
have never had to lynch n man from this
plantation. Therefore. ! am going TO give
each of you Christmas present and you
can now fall in line and select the thing
that suits you best
AS each passed along he made hi.
choice. was fitted with a cap, selected his
size OF shoe, or took a pair of red top
boots for the boy or a dress for the "ol'
oman. II was amusing 10 see some pass
by serriceable pair of shoes to select a
bright new red necktie worth no more
than % cents.
Finally all were served when new keg
with suspicious looking bunghole was
brought upon the scene. Then the new
tin cup passed from mouth to mouth till
every one had been served. The ladies
in the house had in the meantime been
remembering the servants and were treat
ing them TO a liberal supply OF egg-nogg
Crossing the Red Sen.
The plantation preacher had been among
the visitors to the mansion that morulng
and so his sermon about noon In the
meeting house was very forceful as the
spirits had Influenced its delivery. In his
long and vigorous sermon he had de
scribed the liberation of the children of
Israel, how Moses and his followers had
finally crossed tho Red Sea, and the
drowning Of Pharaoh's army.
"Bruthrens, de chilluns OF Isarell war
airly in de mornin' and walked dry shod
acrost dat great sea while de ice wus
thick an walkin' WIS good. But old
Pharaoh. blest de Goodness. came trot-
tin along bout u O'Clock when de ice
wus done melted thin, and It just up and
broke and down went old Pharaoh and
his army kerchunE."
When the meeting was over a little
fellow who had taen to school approached
the digniied parson and said to him:
You must be mistaken about ice on
the Red Sea. for my geography says that
there is no ice in the torrid zone so near
the equator as the Red Sea"
Oar. now" retorted the saddened par
son. Il allus knowed dat eddicatiOn would
spile you nggers Looi.-a-hyah. do you
know dat de time what rs talkin about
wus a long time befo' they wus any
geogdfes. 'quators, or zones?"
The Corn Sucking.
Monday was fireworks day. Each
had spent his Christmas money
in firecrackers, and with the rusty mus
kets and logs loaded with blasting pow
der the poor hounds were kept yelping all
the day long, and into the far night as
the booming broke upon the still air.
Tuesday night was Con shuckin'.'
at ST. Johnson's. Now. in cotton coun-
try, the corn 10 not so plentiful that
the husklng OF II is a great problem,
but fun must be had aud the corn had
been made the modest preteNt. Kicked up
in the yard near the crib was a respect
able quantity of corn In the husk, and
In the house nearby was a pot OF cook
ing ''chittlins." and couple OF those
jugs.
AS In pink teas in other grades OF So