1 4 Hisl/ast j3reukdoum \ NEW YEAR'SIN\ THE SOUT■.* FIFTY YEARS AGO By WILLIAM ROSSER COBBE. _____ UK first day of January at the Sout ti 50 years ago presented V.i scenes that would be strange /Ojj[ JP indeed if enacted n this gen «¥* eration. To the negro slaves as well i as to the many white people it was known only as "hiring day." At every county seat in every slave state it was the yearly custom for people of all degrees to gather, some as spectators, I others as actors in the events of the day. j IJy far the greater number collected j piompted solely by idle curiosity. Upon every corner and at every point available in the courthouse square sat lugro women with great baskets of "ap plejacks" (a sort of fried apple pie), gin gerbread and persimmon beer which they offered for sale. During the day men engaged in tests of agility and strength, which ended not in- r ' 3 ', is Sfe? \'•SJ^IWI^SpS '^'ii X S A,'££ 22 -A>- >Vi'W>..#• t#? ;>'.' fi \ "; "\ V >,/ Wff ::P , # Aunty Selling Apple-Jacks. frequently in a free for all light in which fi.«ts only were n>ed and after which ng Arrests were made. In those New Year days the "rumshops," us they were culled, did a land ollicj business. Whisky was plentiful and cheap, uwd the prejudice against drunkenness was by no lueatis so general t'• <*n as now. The foeal point of interest, however, was tl e hii'ii out of negroes for the en tiling ve.tr. Now and then negroes were offered for public sale, but that practice ' was not so conimon then as in the earlier | part of the century. J'lanters neither out their slaves, I nor did they employ those of other peo- i p!e. Hut tho«e belonging to minor chil oren and widows, as will as many who were chattels' of residents of the towns ai ■! x. lages were comm nilj "hired out," e-pe <ally n tfiey la 1 been ta trades. I o: win* »d tooks or house servants. | Many town residents pos.se.-sed slaves be yond tbe r home needs, and tin-e were, niretl out to others who might icipuic their Jervices. The ' '.mi.u t lasted for the calendar! year only. It must be renewed annually, 1 if d* *tt*d by the coiitiacitog parties. I slut'.'t nisooiltlptiot obtaifta a* to the di.agie. ablenesa und shame of this prat t.ce M ~.ers .tail a direct pecuniary in tere»t in I leir slave*, ami it wa» to their interest to to it that these secured htt* Ml •' ' P WW. A- in U » Im*, e.i n »!«ve Was permitted to fin, ,-e •11. 112 . , ~ . tame employers year by year lor inl'l j \.i) • |tl-it!> I ~'".,,! wt"i"';. mai tei latiiev in the liaridi of tie - > •.. . , 'bu*i (it" at tv tuv |i}' vi| t-J der. This, also, was commonly the prac tice as to "cornfield niggers" and un skilled laborers generally, of both sexes. There were pathetic scenes now and t! en when negroes were sold at public auc tion on New Year's day. Very rarely it chanced that at such times members of the same family were sold to masters widely separated. it should appeal to the common sense ot any man tiiat slaves being valuable holdings, their owners would neither treat them cruelly nor permit them to be abused by others. Owners of valuable horses uni formly are kind to them, and horses are not human. In this Southern New Year's day, too, men met to settle long due debts, to pay notes and to rent farm lands. Taken al together, it was a busy, busy day, full of its comedies as well us its dramas, and, sometimes, tragedies. At such times the slaves of the planta tions enjoyed their annual two weeks' vacation and these crowded the villages to buy all manner of gimcracks—cheap jewelry, ribbons and laees, and, having a sweet tooth, cheap candies as well. Any well-ordered slave could make "overtime" money, and it was a very sorry one, in deed, who had not a few dollars at the New Year, to throw away in folly upon a wile or a sweetheart. The "white trash" gathered then solely with a view to looking on and to picking up what they could. As they were de spised by both the well-to-do whites and the negroes of all degrees, they usually kept to themselves. They neither hired nor were hired, but in some manner con trived to secure their full share of whisky. Like the old "general muster" day of the ante-bellum days, the 'afo' de wall' New Year has passed away with all its scenes and shiftings, yet the memory of it remains with t lie older residents as re minder that one day at least, and that the initial one, of the Southland, was one of potential energy and signally characteris tic in its incidents of the age and times. Hail the Same Effect. I hear that Jack s fiancee has made him give a Nov \tar'u promise to stop smoking." "That so? Well, mine has not said a word about giving up the weed, but our engagement has just the same effect." "How soV" "Every time I call all the cigars in my vest pocket manage to get erushed, and, of course, I don't smoke them!"—Ualti more Herald. 1' 1 itiim for 1 lic \cw Your. Now man resolves to strive anew A; il In the coming year win more Of that which misers fasten to Than he has ever gained before. His wife applauds him antSsits I's.wn Considering how she will show A few r.i w didoes to the tow n If hubby nets his schemes to go. —Chicagu Kecord-lKrald. Tit I K TO HIS KKSOI.ITIOX. The 1,11 tie Fellow * Strike me if yer wants ter. I've resoluted never ter lift lue hand in auger agin' aiioib i ag.n', "lie is out if I Uiost 1. ounelul Uty "lli atiM, lii.intt of writing oat hit ilutions, he tut the p.i,'. fur Nki. CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1902. Tivo Resolutions That Failed By ELISA ARMSTRONG BF.NGOUGII. <3 <3 "V ' we,e B°' n ß |o Rive your husband a lovely surprise VV » H|\, for New Year's; do tell me ]$ how it turned out!" .-aid i the bt>ide's friend. "Did you carry out your inten tion?' "1 diil, and I can safely say that I will never give him another surprise as long as 1 live. You see, he had resolved not to lose his temper or complain about anything about the house for tiie entire year. I was so pleased that I wanted to do something awfully nice 'in return. Finally, I decided to become a model housekeeper, and, by way of | showing the depth of my resolve, 1 decid ed to cook his New Year's dinner my j self." "H'm, perhaps it was as well that he J did resolve to keep his temper tor an "I've Kcsolvcd Not to Lose Ma Temper." entire year. Fudge and angel's food are not very filling for a hungry man." "Fudge and angel's food —the idea! 112 , decided on a menu of six courses, and spent ten days in looking up the recipes for it and studying them. Unfortunately, the exertion made me so tired that I be- J came mentally upset and was apt to con j fuse a recipe for Italian cream with one for creamed lob.-ter, and they are very, i very different. However, when New i I Year's day really came and Harry said j ] that he must spend the greater part of it 1 I at the oflice going over his accounts 1 felt j | 1 that success was sure." , i "By the way, haven't you a good cook? j And didn't you let her help and advise | !you?" I "She wanted to, but I told her that she needed a holiday and must take it while I got the dinner. She thtn confessed that i , she didn't want togo out because her j | beau was coming to see her and would be ; offended if she was out. I told her that j ! made no difference; that what you did | on New Year's day you did the year round and if she did not work on that day she j would doubtless be married to a million aire and living a life of luxurious idleness j within six months." j "Humph. Did she go then?" ! "She did. Then 1 set to work, ami, j oh, how I did work, but somehow nothing ' v.as—well, quite like the pictures in the household magazines. The odor of things j burning, too, became so strong that the i man from next door—a perfect stranger — I came over to see if the house was on lire , and if he could be of any use." "Well, luckily, you could air the whole j place thoroughly before Harry came home." "1 did. By noon I had cooked enough to feed a regiment—dinner was to be at , I three--but somehow it did not seem very j ! appetizing, so 1 decided to have only four | courses; that was a more economical din- I tier for a young couple anyhow. When | Ilarry arrived, promptly at three, I was j all ready and trying to look as if I felt j ! cool and hide the two burned and one i cut finger. I had decided that three ! courses were enough for anybody save u j ! glutton, by that time." "Well, I am sure that everything was | very nice." "It—well, it was not quite perfect; I . had forgotten to stuff the chickens and | 1 had put salt in the cranberries instead of sugar, but that was mere detail, for : the table looked lovely with all my be-t linen, embroideries, silver, glass and I china on it. As I wanted to surprise him thoroughly, 1 did not tell him that I had cooked it myself—l meant to tell him that J at the very last." "As a sort of postscript to the dessert. How nice!" M hm. Well, though he had said he ' ; was wildly hungry, he did not eat—just . played with things, lie kept starting to *>eak, too, and then shutting his mouth ! tight without saying a word. Something ' was wrong with tiie coffee, though I had putin twice as much as the cook book .-aid. As lie set down his cup, well, rather more forcefully than was quite necessary, ' he said: 'Well, dear, it is New Year'-' day, .in 1 I have resolved not to lose my i temper for an entire year, but 1 mu»t J fay one thing: the girl who cooked that dinner must be dismissed before to-mor- I row's sun is up. A woman who would give i hungry man underdone c'lieken. I overdone potatoes and a*l.islos pie, wouiu : be capable of murderinn us in our beds!' " | "('i, well, v ill need nevel tell him that you cooked t mt dinner." I"1 dtdn t tell him, but he undertook jto di- aige tlie cook, and she did!" As tlie Oltl ten r Kittles. I No. - >u i'' i t o*i. m- ••.rl> ii- • ijn't call me, mother dear, I I'll In »»!'! ut > ir wukirn me th it *tu the jfiad New War, j Put i\er> ttlitstli tu Die town will blow I A'-d b■> wlili i i<a i.'li.gcd horns, mother. | lliil. i iii lln in lii mfiirln Ii le. ton III' Ml" • It) Ii ll I' I nil Meill >1 the soft out tutu the middle ot the rouwt I 1 i m.! ,» , ~u . I«»ui •!> 1 " 1 i H TURNING A NEW LEAF 8 (jjf A MAY YEAR'S STORY IM /ZgJ by MANDA L. CROCKER. j&U j MRS. MA 11CIA BKRKIK had been mistress of the Shelly Farms for only a few short months; but long enough, II after all, for every one in the icighborhood to have an opin ion of John Heme's second wife. She dressed finer than his first wife did—ino.>t second wives do—she spent more hours at the piano, and seemed several degrees more aristocratic' than the first Mrs Berrie. It was an honored custom, reaching back to the stouter branches of the an cestral tree, for the owner of the Farms to give a New Year's dinner to the coun tryside; anil each guest was invited to come and "turn a new leaf for yearly luck." Of course, it was the "firsts," and not the "seconds" or "thirds," as the ship pers say, who enjoyed these annual feasts i and, usually, they began several weeks before to plan "what to wear." This year it seemed a necessity to be a little more particular about the cut of gowns and I width of trimmings, for the new Mrs. Berrie was a lady of means in her own right, and dressed elaborately. "We must make an impression," said Mrs. Wilton, decisively, "and she must feel that our presence is an honor to the Farms. I intend to have a new silk; a regular dinner party dress." And so the "firsts" planned to sur pass all former efforts, for the sake of profound impression; therefore, by the middle of December a score of lovely new gowns were the pride of as many ambi tious feminine owners. The mistress of Shelly Farms was af fable and gracious to all, and the tony "firsts" were just dying to display their rich costumes in her honor. Hut for some unaccountable reason the invitations were tardy. Could it be possible that the second wife was one of those new women, who would, at one fell swoop, eliminate the annual dinner? And would John Herrie stand that? In sheer desperation of suspense, Mrs. Goldwaite was delegated to call at the Farms, ostensibly to speak of a philan thropic movement, but really to scent the New Year festivities and overdue cards. Mrs. Berrie received her visitor very | courteously and pleasantly, and supported j the philanthropic idea enthusiastically, I even graciously accepting the presidency j of the society when they should oig.inize. | But when the conversation drifted into j holiday news the caller not, by any ] tact, draw out the bride's plans concern ing New Year's day. Exasperated, Mrs. j Goldwaite suddenly let go skirmishing and ' asked her, point blank, "if the Farms | would give annual dinner this year?" | "O, certainly," answered the new wife, | her face lighting up with pleasure, "hus ] band and i have been planning for that i some time. The invitations are late, but ! Mr. Berrie could not help me until to-day, | and, of course, I am not well enough ' j acquainted to get the names alone. We I | shall send them this week, however, and ; "How About Your Annual Dinner?" j I shall enjoy the 'new leaf turning' with | my neighbors exceedingly." I This information was what Mrs. Gold ! waite had talked philanthropy tor two full I hours for, and she took her leave, feeling i that she was a heroine of the first water. Hut Mrs. Berrie accompanied her caller I to the front gate in her eagerness to talk • more about the "movement." "It is to elevate the toilers, 1 understand," she I said, "and to get in toueh with our poorer , I neighbors?" j "Ye s," answered Mrs. Goldwaite, he.-i l tilling to break up her luxurious New | Year's dream by bumping against the in i tru»ive fact that washwomen and ditch j diggers occupied tlie same planet together with the "firsts." | "Yes," she repeated, "and when we or ganize you will accept the presidency?" and she got up an interested look, almost a> good as the genuine. "Certainly," was the reply. "I thank vuu for the honor," and Mrs. John Berrie pressed the caller's hand fervently. Tue delegate was not vi ry favorably in ! Itueiiccd with the young wife's enthusiasm over the question, and the pressure of her bun I chilled, rather thau thrilled* her festive heart. But one consoling thought ran through it all' they never would "oiganiae," It »a- only a subterfuge to nose out some thing more substantial. Mi-, (joldw.iilc tripped along to the I turning, >\ wn ibi Ml Mi-. Wilton, »in. rented in her ponies tu a»k breathless!) : i "J) d you liuil out?" I"To be »ure; it takes me to find out," |in .112 she tossed her head in ti tuiup i • I ■> will have the dinner a-, u-u.il. But Mi-. Bei lie, not being teqiii inted, eould not write the invitations alone; anil Mr. I!i I I te eould not help her until todat " ••11. \e -' ' cried Ml. Wilton "that , | hwli in it ail. Weil, we ree .* . I w ll b- delighted tu help turn the ueiv '<il | his >e.ii, InCiiiae ol the .»,,t over the philant atopic work," 'and m". , H ll'.ushks* Both ladies tilled and I eiaH'id Ihwr hands, miweu.. { «uiu>*d ( 1 at the adroitness of their "feint" and its I success. | The expectant "firsts" were all agog | for a few days, looking for invitations; i but, strange to say, not one of them rc j ceived the familiar square envelope with j the Berrie coat-of arms in the corner, and things were once more fast assuin j ing the mysterious. ! But everything was made exceedingly plain, finally, by the buxom Mrs. Meigs, washer-woman for a trio of the immacu late set. "And it's me and mine who are goin' to have a fine dinner on New Year's day!" "Naw, Yer A wag Off I" I i*rie boasted to Mrs. Wilton on the next Monday morning, as she ran her broad hand through the steaming suds. "Some one going to send you a nice | basket?" quieted Mrs. Wilton, thinking at once of the benevolent president to be. "Naw! yer away oil!" laughed the woman of labor. "We've an invitation to the New Year's dinner at Shelly Farms; got it in a line cover with the Berrie army coat blazed onto the corner of it." "Why Mrs. Malinda Meigs!" exclaimed the astonished Mrs. Wilton, "you are not jcking me?" "No, ma'am, I'm not," giving the handle of the wringer an emphatic yank; "it's the Bifcle truth. And I was so tickled at what she writ onto the gold-aiged card, she sent me." "What was that?" asked Mrs. Wilton, desperately, the awfulness of a philan thropic "movement" gripping her heart strings. "Why, she writ that 'she and her hus band would turn the new leaf themselves | this time and invite the worthy poor to dine with them on New Year's day.' | And now," dropping her voice to one of I pleasant interrogative, "where be you agoin' to dine. New Year's, ma'am?" "I hardly know yet," answered Mrs. i Wilton, truthfully; then she fled to the j closet and studied the fine, new dinner I dress, with conflicting thoughts. J For a young chit from college to come lording it into their midst and make such unheard of snubbing plans in her en deavor to appear peculiar, was simply cutrageous! The Shelly Farms' new leaf j was perfectly abominable! Something would have to be done to offset this dis ' gusting philanthropy. By four o'clock that afternoon Mrs. \\ ilton had made th* rounds of the insult ed elite of the countryside; and a swell ...————————— mmmm —— mm^mmmmimmm —_—_______— \f /~7 711HY did they ring the bells last night yi / / W" 1 In steeples white and tali ? VI J J *■> S Why was the earth with Joy bedight ? CT J The soft snow over all; u Was it a dream, or did I heir A sound beneath my sill. |________ While winter's starlight, cold ard clear, Revealed the sleeping hill ? nAY, nay the Ne-.v Year came last night, MOR will he leave us till »ce mere Another year was born: IX The ear'h is robed In snow, His footprints in the fleecy white And on the ever-sounding shore The watchers saw this morn; The winds of winter blow: The newborn guest is at the door. Then, lean!;-!: on his own good staff, A smiie upon his brow; Kindhearted, old and gr »y. But he will le-ive us old an ) poor The vintage of the year he'il quaff A fleeting year from now. And slowly pass away. K : : brings to all who wait for him T ELF.SS the bells that ring him In, l; A snr iie, a laugh, a tear; I With many a s-ng and shout So. fill the chalice to the brim Ere long. I knew, ami J earth s din And drink the Clad New Year; *1 hey'll giadly rng him Jt; Let every heart be gay and light, But while he tarries as -ur >-u • t ' And vanish every s:gh. Let there to ringing cheer; A New Year came t > us 1.-st night He li be the friend we 1 ve the best— Adown the winter sky. The wir.sorre. glad New Year I ||YE. at his beck the birls will sing. C' before t /I In Springtime's scer.tej bowers. If A cherub with a smile, And fr :n beneath his fret v .11 spring Adown The filmy Mar..t Wly God's sweetest, fairest I tttrts He! ve.ej many a mile; He'll tarry till the Summer weaves Aral at eh rail er the lan J Har webif m.ny hues. He k k I tmid the din- And Autumn 'm»l her golden sheaves And I —t be hew!. - kindly hand Her happiness renews. Was first to iet him In. TOR hlin the songsters of the dells 112 HF chalice fill and let him know Will .Tike I eiri earest strains, V. T ~tl ,e I r htm is Mt g At i ! itt-r •• ill V re.is An .i t e ■ , • . Will iteck the wolds an i plains; O greet him with a sr-g; His skin will weir the (test b.ue, Frcini f |.i( ■. Ii in tea to sea. The brook that seeks the sea In accents l< ud and clear Will have a nil rm«a i y iu, Let every heart ! e glad and free Beneath the atately tree. To greet the gt-od rj.-jw Year r. C. H*rt"*ugh, | II L - 'w ! dinner party had been arranged for, at Airs. Gold wait e ■*, for three solid reason#. First, to uir their new toilettes; second, to soothe one another in their common grievance, anil third, the Goldwaite cot lage was so situated that they cjiild enu ily see the coarse tide of the "seconds"—! and possibly the "thirds"—flow to th* farms. Punctually at the appointed time the outraged upper current gathered at the appointed place to see the outrageous un der current set toward the philanthropio president. By three o'clock all tlie indigent but re spectable people of the neighborhood had gone by in their Sunday best. "Onions and sauerkraut!" drawled Mr. \\ ilton, as a German family passed utt foot. "Our white necktie brigade," comment ed another "first," its the pastor of a poor church, a mile away, and tiie superinten dent of its Sunday school, together with dozen scholars, went by in a double sleigh. And the "firsts" rustled theu silks and smiled in aristocratic contempt. Before the tioldwaite party broke up, however, a mes-enger from the Farms bowed himselt into their midst and out again, leaving the hostess looking sus p.ciously at a nie-sage in her hand, with "the army coat blazed onto the corner," a-* Mrs. Meigs would have said. She glanced timidly around the expectant circle and finally drew forth a daintily perfumed note and read: "A very happy New Year to all! ft has occurred to us, dear people, that you n:ay not have comprehended our motive in bidding our guests for the day. As we all are interested in philanthropic work, wt will be understood when we say, the new leaf we turned is very time ly and beautiful, and has made many hearts happy. Husband and 1 turned the leaf suggested by Luke, the beloved physi cian. We knew you were all well able to return the compliment, and so we hade those who could not recompense us. "We extend greetings and desire that you all rejoice with us. Mr. and Mrs. John Berrie, Shelly Farms." The "firsts" looked soberly at each other; the spirit of the note touched the good in them and the new dinner dresses were, for the time, forgotten. "Yes," they said, "the whole neighbor hood has enjoyed a Happy New Year to day. Surely it is a pleasant new leaf!" But the philanthropic society' has never been organized, although the prospective president is ready and waiting. FOR FITUtE CONSUMPTION. "Jedge, I want to swear off to-day. What'li you charge lor a pledge?" "Twenty-five cents." "Can't you make it five for a dollar?" A Genuine I'iriiic. Johnny Jones—Did you have fun watch ing the old year out and the new year in? \Villie Uoeruin —Did J? Say! 1 watched my sister and her beau watch the old year out and the new year in!— Brooklyn Eagle.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers