113
8G.

T~hen the emancipation proclamation bocano effoctivo and th~i slaves were given freedom, some Of them piofered to roniainwith their masters, while othors started. out into the world for triomselves. Very often, some of tho slav~s, who had anticipated that liber+y ~w~ant more to them than anything e1~3o, and vïho wont out into th~ cold worLi of indifferonce, soon returned to their old masters. The~‘ round that t1~oir former home was a much be tte r plac o t o ab ode than anyth Ing out s i de of i•

R3creations of slaves:

	The fo1lowin~ is an old fashion ballad tnat was sung during the period of slavery and ~r~uich w~s very CO!~1Ofl throu:;hout th~ Purchase Region: TtJeff Davis rode a bi~ w~ito horse, but Lincoln rode a mule —— Jeff Davis was a fine, smart man, and Lincoln w~ a fool. Jefr Dav:Ls had a f~ino white; Lineoin only had a mule ~— Jeff D~vis was a wonlerful man and Lincoln ~ras a f ool~~.

	Rin~ dancing i~ras largely practicod c~urth~ the slavery oeriod. Especially was this participated in throu~‘)hout the Purchase Region. T~is was a rather prirnative kind of dancing and was perforrn~ mostly by negro children. The general procedure was to draw a ring on the ground, ranging from 15 to 30 feet in diameter. The size of the ring to he used was dotermined by the number of persons v;ho wore en~a~d in thu dancing rind. The youngsters would congregate ~rithin the ring and dance to the rhythmic hand clapping and rhylin of the t~uuhourine, which was performed. by the white people in the o oiimiunity.

	Sometimes large congregations witnessed these primitive affairs, and they became a great Saturday evening entertaix~ment for the co~nunity at large. During the peridds of intermission~ the youngsters, wi~o had engaged in the dancing~uld be given a kind of feast on barbécued neat and cider drinking. ~ the oonclusion of this brief festivity, they would continue in their