Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1858-12-30

servance CT ceremony set down IN the
Book of Common Prayer under the head of
the Solemnization of Matrimony
1t may appear strange, and yet we have
every reason to believe that the women of
Virginia and Maryland, in the early colo
nial time, were much less addicted to the
vanities of personal adornment than the fair
Puritans of Massachusetts, Bay. If we may
trust the pamphleteers of the period, the
grand daughters of Priscilla Alden were
quite as much given to little bonnets and
amplitudinous skirts as the graceful ladies
| Of Boston are at the present moment. A
writer, who styles himself the Simple Cob
bier of Aggawam, in America, inveighs
against the idleness, vanity and fondness of
dress which characterized some of the women
of New England. Says he: Il truly con-
fess it is beyond the ken of my understand
ing to conceive how these women have any
true grace, or valuable virtue, that have so
little wit as to disfgure themselves with such
exotic garbs as transform them into i'll shap-
en- shell-fsh, Egyptian hieroglyphics, or at
the best into French firts, which proper
English woman should scorn with her heels.
It is no marvel that they wear drail, on the
hinder part of their heads, for they haze no
thing IN the forepart but a .few squirrels
brains to help them frisk from one fashion
to another" Il have" he adds, "been a
solitary widower almost twelve years, and
proposed lately to step over to my native
country for yoke-fellow, but when [ con-
sidered how the women spoil themselves with
their cladments, have no heart for the voy-
age" A very different testimony is borne
by worthy John Hammond. with regard to
the women of Virginia and Maryland. In
his little book entitled ''Leah and Rachel,
or the two fruitful sisters, Virginia and
Maryland, j" published in 1856, he gives a
pleasing picture of the quiet, rational, and
independent life Of the planter; Of the cor
dial and elegant hospitality of his house,
and the thrift and decorum of his family !;
he says: that the wives were occupied with
such domestic smployments and housewife
ry as in Englanei, that is. in, dressing vttuais,
righting up the house, arranging the dairy,
sewing and rocking the cradle.
Passing over series of sketches of habits
and manners wonderfully graphic and alive,
for which our columns contain no room, we
must close this incomplete report of an ad-
mirable lecture with the programme of a
Virginia festival which Mr.. Thompson read
from an old williamsburg newspaper Of Oc-
tober, 1877. 'sWe have advice" says the
editor, ''from Hanover county, that on St.
Andrews Day, there are to be HorseRaces
and several other Diversions for the Enter
tainment of the Gentlemen and Ladies at
the Old Field near Captain John Bickerton's,
in that county Gf permitted by the Hon.
VIM. Byrd, Esquire, Proprietor of the said
Land } the substance of which is as follows,
viz:
''It is proposed that 20 Horses or Mares
do run round three miles Course for a
Prize of Five Pounds That every Horse
shall be entered with Mr. Joseph Fox, and
that no person be allowed to put up Horse
unless he hath subscribed for the Entertain
ment and paid half a Pistole.
That Hat of the value of 20s. be cudgel-
led for, and that after the first challenge
made, the Drums are to beat every Quarter
of an Hour for three Challenges round the
Ring, and none to play with their left
hand.
That a Violin be played for by 20 Fid-
dlers, no person to have the liberty Of play
ing unless he bring fiddle with him. Af-
ter the prize is won, they are all to play to-
gether and each q different tune, and to be
treated by the company.
That u Boys, Of II years Of age, do run
112 yards, for a Hat of the cost of II shil-
lings.
That Flag be flying on said Day 80 feet
high.
That handsome Entertainment be pro-
vided for the subscribers and their wives
and such of them as are not so happy as to
have wives, may treat any other lady
That Drums, Trumpets, Hautboys, &C.,
be provided, to play at said Entertainment.
That after Dinner, the Royal Health,
His Honor the Governors, &C., are to be
drunk.
That Quire of Ballads be sung for by a
number of Songstcrs, all Of them to have
Liquor sufficient to clear their Wind-Pi pes.
That pair of Silver Buckles be wrestled
for by number Of brisk young men.
That pair of handsome Shoes be danced
for.
That pair of handsome Silk Stockings,
Of one Pistole value, be given to the hand
soonest young Country Maid that appears in
the field. With many other Whimsical and
Comical Diversions, too numerous to men,
ton.
And as this mirth is designed to be pure
ly innocent, and void of offence, all persons
resorting there are desired to behave them
selves with decency and sobriety; the sub
scribers being resolved to discountenance all
immortality with the utmost rigor.
! Our report is necessarily but of part on