Some of the negro men, indeed, had been down to the creek all
night setting out their fish-baskets and getting the "pit" ready for
the meats. The pit was a large hole, in which a fire was kindled to
roast the animals, which were suspended over it; and they must
commence the barbecuing very early in the morning, in order to get
everything ready by dinner-time. The children were as much excited
over it as the negroes were and Mammy could hardly keep them still
enough to dress them, they were so eager to be off. Major and Mrs.
Waldron were to go in the light carriage, but the little folks were to
go with Mammy and Aunt Milly in the spring-wagon, along with the
baskets of provisions for the "white folks' tables;" the bread and
vegetables and cakes and pastry for the negroes' tables had been sent
off in a large wagon, and were at the place for the barbecue long
before the white family started from home. The negroes, too, had all
gone. Those who were not able to walk had gone in wagons, but most of
them had walked, for it was only about three miles from the house.
Despite all their efforts to hurry up Mammy, it was nearly nine
o'clock before the children could get her off; and even then she
didn't want to let Cherubim and Seraphim go, and Uncle Snake-bit Bob,
who was driving the wagon, had to add his entreaties to those of the
little folks before she would consent at all; and after that matter
had been decided, and the baskets all packed in, and the children all
comfortably seated, and Dilsey and Chris and Riar squeezed into the
back of the wagon between the ice-cream freezer and the lemonade
buckets, and Cherubim and Seraphim in the children's laps, and Mammy
and Aunt Milly on two split-bottomed chairs, just back of the driver's
seat, and Uncle Snake-bit Bob, with the reins in his hands, just ready
to drive off-- whom should they see but Old Daddy Jake coming down the
avenue, and waving his hat for them to wait for him.
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