Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1840-01-15
MISCELLANEOUS.
SPORTS ON NEW-YEAR's DAY.
BY ]. X. PAULDING.
% Cold and raw the north winds blow,
Bleak In the morning early;
All the hills are covered with snow,
And winters now come fairlVn


of his northwest winds, his peitlng storms
cold, frosty mornings, and bitter, freezing nights
And here we will take occasion to express oul
obligations TO the popular author of the Pion
GERS, for the pleasure we have derived from
his happy delineations of the progress of oul
seasons, and the successive changes which
mark their course All that remember their
youthful days in the country, and look back
with TENDER melancholy enjoyment upon their
slippery gambolS on the ice, their Christmas
pies, and nut-crackings by the cheerful fire.
side, will read his pages with gratifed spi-
hit, and thank him heartily for having refresh
cd their memory with the hal(-effaced recollec-
tons of scenes and manners. labors and de-
lights, which, in the progress of Time. and
the changes which everywhere mark his course
will, in some future age, perhaps, live only in
the touches of his pen, Ii, in the course of
our history, we should chance to dwell upon
scenes somewhat similar to those ne describes
or 10 mark the varying tins of our seasons
with sameness of colouring, let us not be stig
maiized with borrowing from him, since it is
next to impossible to be true TO nature, with
r oct seeming TO have the sketches in our eve.
The holydays, those wintry blessings, which
cheer the heart of young and old, and give to
the gloomy depths of winter the life and spirit
OF laughing, jolly spring were now near at
hand. The chopping knife gave token of good
ly minced pies, and the hustle of the kitchen
afforded shrewd indications of what was COM
ing by and by. The celebration of the New
\ ear, it is well known, came originally from
the northern nations of Europe who sill keep
up many OF the practices, amusements, and
enJoyments, known to their ancestors. The
Heer Piper valued himself upon being gen
,llnp nj IL l.
The winter holidays in especial favor and aiiec-
'lon. In addition to this hereditary attachment
o'ancient CUSTOMS it was shrewdly suspected,
that his zeal in celebrating these good old
sports was not little qnickened, in conse-
quence Of William Penn, having limited, in
the course of their controversy. that the prac-
fice of keeping holidays savoured not only Of
Pcpery, but paganism.
Before the Heer consented to sanction the (
projects Of Dominic Kanttwell for abolishing
sports and ballads, he stipulated for full liberty
on the part OF himself and his people of FL |
slngburgh, to eat, drink, sing and frolic as
much as they liked, during the winter holidays. |
fact, the Dominic made no particular oppo-
sttlon TO this suspension of his blue-laws, be-
fTfs addicted to good eating and drink
ing whenever the occasion justified that is to
say, whenever such accidents came in his
way.
Ii had long been the custom with Governor
Piper 10 usher IN the new year with grand
supper TO which the Dominic, the members of
the council, and certain of the most espectable
burghers, were always bidden This year he
determined to see the old year out, and the new
one in, as the phrase was, having jHst heard of
q great victory gained by the BGlwark of the
Protestant Religion the immortal Gus:avus A.
dolphus; which, though it happened nearly
four years before had only now reached the I
rile2e Of Elsinburgh. Accordingly the Snow
Bail B''sabie set 10 work in the cooking Of
a mortal super, which, agreeable to the taste
OF Nest Indian opicures, she seasoned with
sGch enormous quansies of red pepper, that
whoever ale was obhgedta drink 10 keep his
mouth from getting Oh fire, line unto CHM
q "
Exactly at ten clock, the guests sat down
to The table, where they ate and dranr to the
success of the Protestant cause the glory of
the great Gustavus, the downfall of PoIery
and the Quakers, with equal zeal and parioL
ism. The instant the clock struck twelve, al
round was fred from the fort, and vast and /
botonless bowl, supposed TO be the identical
one in which the famous wise one OF Gotham
went 10 sea, was brougbtin, filed to the utmost
brim with smoking punch. The memory off
the depanes year, and the hopes of the future, |
were then drank in special bumper, after
which the ladies retired, and noise aud fun be- I
came The order Of the night The Heer told
his great story of'having surprised and taken
a whole picket-gIord under he great Gustavus I
and each OF the guests contributed his tale,
tlking special care however. not to Guido their /
host in The narrellous--a thing which always
put the Governor cut OF bninor.
Counsellor Langlanger talked wonderfully
aboui public Improvements Counsellor Var
LEFT sung. orrather roared.s hundred verses Of
song in praise of Rhenish wine and OH
mar Plegel, smoked and tippIed, till he ac-
tHaliy came 10 determination of bringing mat
ters TO crisis with the fair Christina the very
pexi day. Such are the wonder working pow
trs of hot punch As for the Dominic he
departed about the dawn of day, in such a
plight, that, if il had net been impossible we