McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1916-11-24
DAY OF REJOICING
Thanksgiving Celebration Is a
Great Event on Cotton
Plantation.
JOHANNESBURG day on a cot
ton plantation means an open
heart and hand on the part of

THANKSGIVING day on a cot
ton plantation means an open
/ heart and hand on the part Of
the master and a full stomach,
day Of happiness, and, consequently,
gratitude ON the part Of the worker. 1t
means, also, another, and, for that
little world, universal token, an Of
fering up of thanks for the numerous
little white pods which bring profits
to the master and the winters proyi-
sions and clothes to the worker. But
1t also means day of play to all.
Hard as is the labor Of the cotton
plantation hands, they do some extra
work willingly for Thanksgiving day
for several weeks beforehand. 1t is
sure sign of the approach of Thanks
giving day when one sights here and
there through the woods the bobbing,
smoking pine torches that light the
way for dozen black, shining, grin
ming faces. 1t is the usual hunt for Mr..
Possum that keeps them from their
beds, and makes them scramble
through thickets, jump bitches and
wallow through marshes.
For several nights the woods for
miles around the plantation are the
scene Of night activities. 1t is easy
enough to find the trail of a 'possum,
and when once located the dogs lead
a running, bowling band in the hunt.
Mr.. Possum Is, however, slow mover,
and when he hears the yelps of those
hounds and the bowls Of the negroes
and sees the glare Of the torches, he
gets up the nearest tree and settles on
a limb.
Somehow the light fascinates him
and he usually settles on the lowest
limb. 1t Is just what the hunters
want. Mr.. Possum is noted for his
fondness for dead meat, consequently
a 'possum that Is shot is not the most
savory Of meats. Their object is to
catch him alive and when the tree Is
reached he is surrounded by ring Of
blazing torches and bowling blacks un-
til in sheer fright he drops off, plays
dead and is bundled into sack, to be
hustled off in the morning to the plan
tation pen. Sometimes two or three
are caught in night and some Of
them show fight. Once In the pen they
are fed for couple of weeks with
food that takes away all trace Of their
natural food and rounds out their
sides with good, sweet meat.
Several days before Thanksgiving
day some Of the hands are taken from
the cotton fields and put to work
around the plantation buildings. This
is, with the exception Of Christmas,
perhaps the most enjoyable task Of
the year, for it means the preparation
for the feast which the plantation is
to give its hands on the day when
thanks offerings are made.
Usually this is spread in one Of
the big buildings on the plantation,
perhaps barn or a cotton shed. The
hands are set to work at first to clear
out the place and make 1t clean. Then
they put together dozen or more long
improvised tables and benches, and
lastly they decorate the building with
all kinds Of flags and bunting. On the
side near the center they also put up
the fiddler's stand. for later in the
day there comes the usual dance. Sew
eral days before, also, some Of the
hands make barrels Of ginger beer and
sweet cider and stow them away to
ripen for the feast.