Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-12-20
A Southern
Christmas
Before the Emancipation
Proclamation
BY ELLA RAY WEIGH

II was Dec 10. That was before rail
river the great carrying trade OF
freight and passengers. and the steam
ers plying back and forth between
St Louis or Cincinnati and New Or
leans were the main means OF convey
ance In the southwest. One might
start from either of these cities early
In December when the ground was
covered with snow. and reach New
Orleans for Christmas TO find summer
still lingering.
On this day of Dec 10, when the
steamer Tccumsch was passing Baton
Rouge, In the cabin sat two men play
Ing cards. In those days on the Mis-
sssippi gambling went on openly.
either chips or money on the table
without any pretense Of conccalment,
and these two men were playing with
the principal currency Of the period
the state bank bills. One Of them
was professional gambler. the other
young sugar planter. whose home
Orleans. The gambler was quietly
taking away from the planter what
money he had with him; now permit
ting him 10 win q few dollars. and
now forcing him TO lose a great many.
Presently he took the last OF his OPP
poncnts funds
Arthur ST Clair could not afford to
lose this money lie owned n good
plantation and the negroes 10 work II.
hut had no capital Indeed. many OF
the planters Of that day were In con
tinual state OF debt. usually borrowing
on new crop before having liquidat-
ed their indebtedness for the old one.
ST Clair was one Of these. Besides
working on the credit system In vogue
AZ the time. he was very kind mas
ter to his slaves and never denied them
anything they wanted. no matter what
the cost Nevertheless. having lost
some $500 10 the gambler he yielded
10 n temptation 10 risk separating one
of the families he owned. for the pur-
pose Of making an attempt 10 rccoup
81 have n negro hoy. ten years old
he said. "whom | consider worth at
least Sioo VIII You lend me 5000 on
him.
Certainly sub; with pleasure. sun
"rll draw MP a note containing
Hen on the boy"
TITS not necessary, assure you. sub.
Your word is quite enough. sub"
So they played on till the amount
loaned was lost: then $500 more was
borrowed. This also hcing lost. bill
Of sale for the boy was made ont for
the property to he delivered ten days
from the date. signed by 81. Clair and
handed 10 the gambler.
81 would be happy TO loan you more
on other OF your servants. subj" said
the gambler
mo" said the other rucfully. by
what have done have separated a
family. The boy have lost ut cards
IS the only child OF the best man and
the best woman have on my planta-
ton. II will break both the fathers
and the mothers hearts 10 part with
him. have done very wrong and Will
do no more"
st Clair. with lowering brow. went
out on the guard. as the deck outside
the cabin was called. and. sitting him
self down In one Of the wooden arm
chairs he found there, gave himself up
to remorse at having yielded TO temp
tatlon. He was not troubled ut the
money he had lost. for money In itself
20 lt.. In 10 nj In
had used his credit to the uttermost
farthing. and he saw no way TO pre-
vent the boy he had lost. Billy. from
being torn from his parents In ten
days scene would be enacted that he
dreaded Ten days. Why. In ten days
II would he Christmas
st. Clair arose from his chair and
paced the guard feverishly. OF all the
days In the year 10 take boy from
his parents and turn him over 10
strangers. Why had he not made the
time twenty days-any other than on
Christmas day? II had not occurred
10 him that the tenth day from the
present would he the day on which all
Christians tried 20 make all other
Christians happy How could he tell
his man. Sam. that on Christmas day
instead o. being made happy by gifts
his family was 10 be made miserable
by the loss OF one Of It's number?
St Clair carried his trouble home
with him. but kept II 10 himself till the
day before Christmas. He tried TO
nerve himself TO tell his wife. that she
might relieve him Of the task OF telling
Sam and Susan. the parents OF little
Billy. that on Christmas day they must
part with their best beloved. But his
effort was failure AdeIia ST. Clair
took as much interest In the welfare Of
her negroes rs II they were part Of
her own family. Her husband could
not nerve himself 10 confess how weak
he had been.
He knew that Sam was very fond Of
him. though he was Sans master. lie
had often stood between Sam and
harm aud had given him everything he
wanted. He felt that he could impari