 | Incidents in the life of a slave girl |  |
XXII.
CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES.
Christmas was approaching. Grandmother brought
me materials, and I busied myself making some new
garments and little playthings for my children. Were
it not that hiring day is near at hand, and many families
are fearfully looking forward to the probability of
separation in a few days, Christmas might be a happy
season for the poor slaves. Even slave mothers try to
gladden the hearts of their little ones on that occasion.
Benny and Ellen had their Christmas stockings filled.
Their imprisoned mother could not have the privilege
of witnessing their surprise and joy. But I had the
pleasure of peeping at them as they went into the
street with their new suits on. I heard Benny ask a
little playmate whether Santa Claus brought him any
thing. “Yes,” replied the boy; “but Santa Claus
ain't a real man. It's the children's mothers that put
things into the stockings.” “No, that can't be,” replied
Benny, “for Santa Claus brought Ellen and me
these new clothes, and my mother has been gone this
long time.”
How I longed to tell him that his mother made
those garments, and that many a tear fell on them
while she worked!
Every child rises early on Christmas morning to see
the Johnkannaus. Without them, Christmas would
companies of slaves from the plantations, generally of
the lower class. Two athletic men, in calico wrappers,
have a net thrown over them, covered with all manner
of bright-colored stripes. Crows' tails are fastened
to their backs, and their heads are decorated with
horns. A box, covered with sheepskin, is called the
gumbo box. A dozen beat on this, while others strike
triangles and jawbones, to which bands of dancers
keep time. For a month previous they are composing
songs, which are sung on this occasion. These companies,
of a hundred each, turn out early in the morning,
and are allowed to go round till twelve o'clock,
begging for contributions. Not a door is left unvisited
where there is the least chance of obtaining a penny
or a glass of rum. They do not drink while they are
out, but carry the rum home in jugs, to have a carousal.
These Christmas donations frequently amount to twenty
or thirty dollars. It is seldom that any white man or
child refuses to give them a trifle. If he does, they
regale his ears with the following song: —
Down in de heel, so dey say;
Got no money, so dey say;
Not one shillin, so dey say;
God A'mighty bress you, so dey say.”
Christmas is a day of feasting, both with white and
colored people. Slaves, who are lucky enough to have
a few shillings, are sure to spend them for good eating;
and many a turkey and pig is captured, without saying,
“By your leave, sir.” Those who cannot obtain
dishes can be made. My grandmother raised poultry
and pigs for sale; and it was her established custom
to have both a turkey and a pig roasted for Christmas
dinner.
On this occasion, I was warned to keep extremely
quiet, because two guests had been invited. One was
the town constable, and the other was a free colored
man, who tried to pass himself off for white, and who
was always ready to do any mean work for the sake
of currying favor with white people. My grandmother
had a motive for inviting them. She managed to take
them all over the house. All the rooms on the lower
floor were thrown open for them to pass in and out;
and after dinner, they were invited up stairs to look at
a fine mocking bird my uncle had just brought home.
There, too, the rooms were all thrown open, that they
might look in. When I heard them talking on the
piazza, my heart almost stood still. I knew this colored
man had spent many nights hunting for me. Every
body knew he had the blood of a slave father in his
veins; but for the sake of passing himself off for white,
he was ready to kiss the slaveholders' feet. How I
despised him! As for the constable, he wore no false
colors. The duties of his office were despicable, but he
was superior to his companion, inasmuch as he did not
pretend to be what he was not. Any white man, who
could raise money enough to buy a slave, would have
considered himself degraded by being a constable; but
the office enabled its possessor to exercise authority.
If he found any slave out after nine o'clock, he could
to be coveted. When the guests were ready to
depart, my grandmother gave each of them some of
her nice pudding, as a present for their wives. Through
my peep-hole I saw them go out of the gate, and I
was glad when it closed after them. So passed the
first Christmas in my den.
| Incidents in the life of a slave girl | |