The sober, thinking and industrious ones of our number, would employ themselves in manufacturing corn brooms, mats, horse collars and baskets, and some of these were very well made.
Another class spent their time in hunting opossums, coons, rabbits, and other game.

But the majority spent the holidays in sports, ball playing, wrestling, boxing, running foot races, dancing, and drinking whisky; and this latter mode of spending the time was generally most agreeable to their masters.

A slave who would work during the holidays, was thought, by his master, undeserving of holidays.

Such an one had rejected the favor of his master.

There was, in this simple act of continued work, an accusation against slaves; and a slave could not help thinking, that if he made three dollars during the holidays, he might make three hundred during the year.