THE PINK HURST OUTLOOK.
2
above, beneath. This is no exaggeration.
And it may not be amiss to say here that
nothing but poverty compels our neigh
bors to use this makeshift tor religious
worship. Two hundred dollars on top
of the land already given and labor and
lumber ready to be contributed would
build a structure where they could wor
ship God according to the dictates of
their conscience, rain or shine, in season
and out of season. And twenty-live
dollars would enable the Culdee church
to exorcise the demon of frigidity and
give every worshiper a warm welcome.
So Ave compromised on the Pine Bidge
schoolhouse, and we effected a compro
mise also with the clerk of the weather.
Did you ever stop to think that we must
always throw a sop to Cerberus when we
deal with this meteorological official?
In New England in winter we surrender
to him unconditionally. The El Dorado
state and Everglade and Flowery state
have their drawbacks to which concessions
must be made. Paradise regained and
Utopia are both terra ineoynita. Too
many start out in quest of health with as
foolish notions as possessed Ponce de
Leon. So in Pinehurst and vicinity we
must count upon some cool weather as a
bracer and tonic. Under these circum
stances the aforesaid temple of knowl
edge, a "counterfeit presentment'" of
which adorns this issue, was transformed
into a reception room, the Christmas tree
exercises being held out of doors.
Let us at this point introduce you to the
"native'" dominie. This pedagogue is an
exception to the proverb that "a prophet
is not without honor save in his own
country." His rod of command is full
of love blossoms, and no imported teach
er could better control the school, or
gain a stronger hold upon the affections
of his pupils. Do any of our readers
wish to make a profitable investment V
This young man needs and hungers for
an education, lie will do his level best
to support himself. But somebody ought
to advise him and help shape his plans,
as well as express an interest in a more
tangible form. Verb. sap.
We ought to retrace our steps for a
moment. It was voted to decorate pro
fusely and the North was levied upon for
bunting without limit, and Hags enough
for a brigade. A hundred of miniature
"stars and stripes" attached to diminu
tive spears were made ready for distribu
tion. But a delightful surprise was the
display of evergreens by the girls of the
school. An X-ray may detect physical
defects, but an occasion like this brought
into play a'sthetic sense and taste where
least it was to be expected. The spark
was there ready to be fanned into a
tlame; and' we venture to say that few
public Christinas gatherings saw as
beautiful decorations or better taste dis
played in their arrangement. The green
and the red, white and blue fairly dazzled
the eye. As you take in the picture
above, draw on your imagination for the
interior aspect. Forty children will
crowd it, and so the company of a
hundred stood or sat down outside, while
the Christmas tree, also too large to be
"cribb'd, cabin'd, confined," was planted
anew in mother earth, and lifted its
branches for the Christmas offerings.
At two o'clock Santa Claus in appro
priate costume faced a large company
composed chiefly of children. An
address of welcome by one of the
scholars had paved the way for his
coming, and he was cordially greeted.
Santa Claus summoned several assistants
to his aid, then plucked the Christmas
fruit, and sent it among the younger
children and those of a larger growth.
The very novelty of the whole affair
quite took away the little ones' breath.
Scarcely one of them had ever witnessed
such a spectacle before, ar.d it seemed to
them as if they were in fairyland. The
fabled Kriss Kringle was now a reality
before them, and right generously did he
dispense his bounties.
liations of candy were first dis
tributed; then books; next toys in ab
undance of different descriptions; and
lastly big, luscious Florida oranges.
The greatest care was exercised lest any
one should be overlooked. And after
the exercises a count was made of the
absent ones to whom gifts were sent.
How strong the magnet of attraction
was may be inferred from the fact that
four little fellows tramped eight miles to
take in the sight; and old mother Currie,
despite her semi-blindness and aches and
pains, forgot her more than threescore
and ten years as she saw for the first
time a real Christmas tree. The old
ladies present were not forgotten, and
useful gifts were bestowed where needed.
The tree was denuded of all its fruit, and
a happy company went home to enjoy in
quiet what in the midst of intense excite
ment they could not fully appreciate.
Citi bit no? Well, we drove through the
settlement today and found as a result
of our celebration that sunshine had
been carried into every home. This red
letter day in the calendar of these chil
dren will never be forgotten by them.
The picture has made an indelible im
pression upon their minds; and not the
intrinsic value of the gifts, but the in
terest in these children which the gifts
suggest has brightened the lives of both
"mithers and bairns."
But what of the Hags; are they an
appropriate gift at the Christmas season?
Yes, for any occasion, and here, especial
ly, for not half a dozen children of that
company had ever seen the stars and
stripes before ! The beautiful little silk
emblem carries with it something more
than sentiment; it teaches patriotism.
In the homes we have visited today
these Hags have the place of honor; and
the beautiful banner which like a sentinel
in a tower guards the little schoolhouse
day and night tells these children of a
united country and teaches them that in
union there is strength. Our word pa
triotism has a deeper significance than
its surface meaning. Its Latin root is
patria, one's country, its Greek root,
pater, one's father. Loyalty and rever
ance are involved in its meaning; and
why should this not be expanded still
further to include "God and Home and
Native Land?" What has been done is a
source of gratification. The next Yule
tide season will afford another opportuni
ty to give this people a social uplift and
stimulus.
The Colored People's Christmas Tree.
In a neighboring state a popular camp
meeting song runs somewhat after this
fashion :
"Oh de Alabama niggah am de best in de world,
Juba hallelujah.
De banner ob de Lord nebber am furled,
Juba hallelujah.
Dis niggah's blacker dan de ace ob spades,
Juba hallelujah.
But de Lord don't care for de different shades,
Juba hallelujah.
Rkkraix: Oh juba, halle, juba hallelujah." (bis)
And what the Yule-tide season means
to the dusky singers may be inferred by
their materialistic anticipation of the
glories of the New .Jerusalem in the
words :
'Up dere dese niggahs are drest up line,
Juba hallelujah.
Cp dere 'tis Christinas all tie time,
Juba hallelujah.
Kkiuain: Juba, halle, etc."
The eagerness of children impatiently
awaiting the coining of Santa Claus is
fully equalled by the restlessness of the
average "cullud pusson," both by his
anticipation and his enthusiasm in real
ization of the chief of holidays. It
speaks well for the dwellers in Pinehurst
that they put more energy and expended
more money upon the Christinas tree for
our colored friends than the cost of the
affair of Christmas eve.
Mrs. Baxter and her co-workers, the
Misses Gorrill and Miss Bradbury, as
sisted by Dr. Jones and Mr. Chivers,
grappled successfully with several prob
lems. A census of the possible benefici
aries was impossible. It is easy to pro
vide for a definite number; but it requires
genius to make provision for a provok
ingly indefinite number. And yet a
modern miracle was wrought; for was
there not enough and to spare? Coffee
and doughnuts were superabundant.
Oliver Twist's every encore would have
been responded to. No granny, no pick
aninny went away unsatisfied. Oranges
and candy were lavishly dispensed; and
a present was given to every guest. It
was no mean task to properly select the
gifts. Different ages were to be consid
ered and various tastes consulted; but
the voice of complaint was silent.
As to the exercises, it was in the air
that the guests of the evening (three to
five p. m.) had something in preparation,
but it failed to materialize. However, an
impromptu entertainment more than
eomjtensated for the absence of a formal
program. The orchestra again laid us
under obligations for several delightful
selections, Mr. Oehlmer sang as effectu
ally as on the preceding evening, Gladys
Bradbury and Mollie Jones gave recita
tions, and then came the unique features
of the day. Two colored girls, Annabel
Scott and Mamie Cross, "spoke pieces."
Next followed plantation dancing by
Jennie Brown, Georgianna Cutting and
Bebetci Taylor. Pelle Willis thrummed
the banjo; while Simon, whose surname
is lost in ignorance as dense as his dusky
countenance, "set the pace'' with his
hands and feet. How that boy could
"keep it up" as he did was a wonder.
His unwearied efforts called forth the
sympathies of the white portion of the
audience, at least, who were fairly tired
out by simply watching him. But the
dancing! From minuet down through
money musk and Virginia reel to the
latest mazy waltz, there is nothing like
it. And it was modest, too. Not even a
Puritan could take offence. It does not
need a skirt dance to make a sensation.
This exhibition of "double shullle" with
its many pleasing variations is sufficiently
entertaining. But we had almost for
gotten a leading feature of the evening.
The arch would lack its capstone if no
mention was made of the contribution to
the entertainment of George Washington,
"our Wash," the factotum of Pinehurst.
Marshall Wilder tells the story of an
English tourist who in the course of his
sight seeing in the city of Washington,
came upon an old colored man "totin'"
coal. Said the John Bull to Sambo:
"What is your name?" "George Wash
ington," was the reply. "George Wash
ington," drawled out the Englishman,
"it seems to me that I have heard that
name somewhere before." "Specs likelv,
boss," responded the coal heaver, "I'se
been workin' at dis job nigh onto ten
years."
Our George is no less modest. In
answer to a vociferous call he mounted
the rostrum and repeated the classic:
"When I was a little boy my mannnie kept me in.
Hut now I am a big boy, I'm fit to serve the king."
The audience was aroused to the high
est pitch of enthusiasm, and in response
to an encore he again ascended the plat
and eloquently responded with the lines:
"A boss man said one day;
'ISoys, tell me if you can, 1 pray,
Why Washington's name should shine
In history more than mine?'
I hear a rumble in de hall,
'It must hab been a fodder fall,'
Exclaimed a boy 'bout three feet high,
Keen use George Washington never told a lie'."
The hall was crowded. "Standing
room only" was the order soon after the
exercises were well under way. Curios
ity and intense interest were manifested
by the spectators, and every northerner
present will cherish the day in pleasant
remembrance. If the guests, the colored
people, were grateful to the energetic,
painstaking committee, the spectators
were equally so. We trust that the
arduous task the committee performed
may seem in the retrospect a delightful
privilege.
ABERDEEN.
Miss Buby Page is visiting her aunt,
Mis. II. B. Clark.
Miss Ingram is visiting her sister, Mrs.
A. A. McKeithen.
Mrs.G. W. Muse is visiting her mother,
Mrs. G. W. Pleasants.
Messrs. C. N. Blue and F. II. Weaver
are on the sick list this week.
Bev. Jesse Page's many friends were
glad to see him in town Tuesday.
1). A. McLauchlin has returned after
a several days visit to his mother near
Vass.
A. D. McLean left Sunday for a sever
al days' visit to relatives and friends at
Dunn.
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. McKeithen spent
Saturday and Sunday in town with rel
atives. Misses Helen Maurer and Beulah Har
rington left for Asheboro, Monday, to
visit friends.
Messrs. P. G. Dunn of Baleigh and
S. L. Dunn of Winder, Ga., are visiting
the family of II. II. Powell.
Messrs. Band and Green of Baleigh
spent several days in town last week
visiting the family of Dr. II. C. Williams.
"Just think of the extravagance of city
folks, Joshua !" said Mrs. Wintergreen
to her husband. "I read in the paper of
a woman who had a gold-plated bicy
cle." "That isn't a marker to what I
saw in the paper," replied the honest
farmer. "What did you see?" "Why,"
said he, as he lowered his voice to a
whisper, "I saw that some feller had a
diamond-frame wheel. What do you
think pf that." Detroit Free Press.