The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-06-03
Dinner Party in the Olden Time.

on which he had arrived at the 10th year
| OF his age. The invitation had been gen
eral to all his neighbors and acauuintan-
ces: and from the great respect in which
he was held by all who knew him, the
concourse was very great indeed. It was
but short time before dinner that [
reached MIR. Dalrymple's; from which
time until dinner was announced. no
kind OF refreshment whatever was Of
fered to the company.
| About one o'clock Mr.. Dalrymple in
formed the company that dinner was
ready, and invited them to follow him.
He conducted us into very largo shed,
with rough walls, lathed and filled with
mortar, and earthen floor, but ceiled
above. In this shed the dinner table was
| set.
The dinner consisted of bacon, green's
and hominy principally, with coarse
hoecake and Johnny-cake bread, made of
cornmeal. The bacon and green's were
served up In large turned wooden dishes
or plat.ers; and the plates were of the
same kind OF manufacture. At short in
tervals on the table stood wooden cans,
with water in them. The knives and
forks were of the coarsest kind The
table was of oak wood, clean secured
but there was no tablecloth. The seats
were benches and three-legged stools. No
servant attended the table, nor was it
necessary, for everything intended to be
used at dinner was on it.
| Mr.. Dalrymple invited his guests to
sit down; and when they were seated he
asked blessing, and then pressed them
to help themselves, to such as was before
them; and by way of example to the
rest. he helped himself
The company stared at each other and
then at MIR. Dalrymple, and secretly
| cursed him and his DINNER in their
hearts; but from the great respect thew
had for him, said nothing, but helped
themselves to small portion of the din
| ner.
AS soon as the guests began to eat,
which they did merely out of respect, Mr..
Daltymple gave signal by blowing in
small gourd, when in rushed half dozen
servants, clean dressed, in course home
spun cloth, who laid hold of the table,
with all that was on it, and instantly ran
out of the shed, and returned with a neat
plain walnut table, with clean but coarse
linen cloth, and an excellent dinner,
in pewter dishes, al bright and clean.
The dinner consisted of excellent ham.
roast beef, lamb, shoat and fowls, with
vegetables of the best kind, and well
cooked; bright pewter plates, with good
buckhorn knives and forks, now supplied
the place OF the wooden ones-and instead
OF wooden cans, were placed on the table,
at proper intervals, small stone pitchers,
filled with excellent persimmon beer or
cider, within the reach of each seat.
The stools and benches were also removed
and their places supplied with plain flag
hpttom chairs
This transformation of the table and
its furniture, not only .dissipated the
chagln visible in the countenances of the
guests, but excited their .appetites, so
that they dined plentituIly, as there was
a great variety of choice meats and veg
etables on the table.
When Mr.. Dalrymple discovered that
the company had dlned, he gave another
signal with his gourd, and immediately
two dozen French walters rushed into the
room, dressed in livery, clean shaved
and profusely pordered. Out went the
walnut table with its contents, and the
whole furniture of the room. The floor
was instantly covered with rich Turkey
carpet and walls with fine silk tapestry,
and an elegant mahogany table and side
board brought in. The table was cover
ed with three of the finest diaper cloths,
and most splendid dessert, composed
OF the most fashionable pastry of every
description. sweetmeats and fruits of the
most choice kinds, served up in fashion
able plates of the finest China, and SUI
| peru cut crystal glass vessels; whilst the
sldeboard groaned under profusion of
choice wines, cordlals, strong waters, &c.
| &C., so that nothing was wanting to
| tempt the palate of the greatest epicure
Pleasure now beamed on every counte-
nance, whilst the sparkling glass was
emptied to the health of Mr. Dalrymple;
and as the company appeared disposed to
| enjoy themselves, Mr.. Dalrymple pre-
pared to withdraw, and leave them free
from the restraint which is natural in
the presence of an old and respectable
man. But before he retired he addressed
them In substances as follows
My worthy friends, this is my birth day
on which | number three score and ten
years, which seems to have been consid-
cred by the pSalmist as the limit of hu-
man life. L cannot express the pleasure
| feel at seeing so large a collection of
my respectable friends and acquaintances
on the occasion; and before | leave you,
| consider it duty | owe to you as well
as to myself, to explain my conduct in
the arrangement of this days entertain.
ment and especially that / may avoid
the charge of being under the capricious
influence of old age. 1t has been the
practice of many people at all times, ever
since the period of my earliest recollection
to complain of hard times and scarcity
Of money; and as | had never experience
ed either myself, conceived the project
Of convening my friends together on this
day, and to demonstrate 10 them, by
familiar examples, the reason.
At the age of twenty one years mar
ried an industrious young woman, and
went to housekeeping; as we We're both
poor, we were unable to procure better
furniture than was this day exhibited in
the first course, for you must know that
it was fundamental principle with me,
from the beginning, never to owe even a
penny, to which principle / have scrupul-
ously adhered during my whole life BY
Industry and frugality, we were in few
years enabled to adopt that style of living
exhibited in the second course, and which
we have not changed to the present time;
for l never suffered the example of others
to influence my mode of living, especially
when it rendered to affect my pecuniary
concerns. In this manner have | spent
nearly half a century, happily with my
family and friends, raised and educated
seven children, and furnished them with
means to begin the world, and am now
IN possession of a competency, to support
me during the remainder of my life, if
managed with the same prudence that
has been observed in acquiring it. As
made it also a rule to spend less than my
: annual income, every New Year found me
in the possession of surplus; | conse-
: quently never have myself experienced
! | Il Of,