Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-12-23

By some writer's the boar's head was
considered mathematical of Judaism.
But In Oxford University it is said to be
commemorative of the bravery of stu
dent who was once fercely attacked by
a wild boar while he was sauntering
through the neighboring forest reading
Aristotle. When the beast rushed upon
him, the youth, with great presence of
mind, thrust the volume into his open
mouth, crying out Gr9cuna est! thus
effectually choking ferocity with wis
dom. Oxford has famous Christmas
carol which runs thus:
I" CdpM dpri defero,
Reddens ldudes Domino,
The boars head in handle brynge I,
With garlandes gay and rosemary
pray you all synge merrily,
Qui estis IN conpiuio!"
OF such importance was the Office Of
being bearer Of the boar's head, that in
ITO King Henry H. of England linn
self carried the dish to the table of the
young prince, his son. There is one
popular dish, however, which we must
not omit to mention, since it has come
down to modern times as delightful as
ever, and has engaged the attention of
all good housewives for many centu-
ries. And this is the. universally be-
loved mince-pie
This dainty dish is by no means to be
passed by, either with the pen or at
table, for besides being the most deli
cious of all pies, the mince pieis eminent
ly historical. Its compounds have a
peculiar significance, since they are in
tended to represent the sweet myrrh
and spices, and other precious gifts
which the Magi of the East offered to
the infant Saviour. Likewise the mince
pie should always be made oblong in
shape, as it formerly was, for this pe-
culiar form is intended to represent the
manager which Graded the Holy Babe.
Who that regales himself with a gener-
GUS piece of this favorite pie, would
ever suppose that so delicious an edi-
BILE had ever been the cause of furious
contentious, of bitter feelings, and
even regarded as test of religion?
But there was once time in England,
when Puritanical opinions prevailed,
that one could discover Presbyterian
by simply placing before him mince
pie The Puritans abhorred this tempt
ing dish, and would sooner have
burned at the stake than have sullied
their souls by eating mince pies. It is
related of Bunyan, that when suffering
in prison from sharp hunger, some one
offered him a mince pie, which he an
grily rejected. .... -
Not only historians, but poets also,
have immortalized the mince pie, which
latter surely has some latent capacity Of
immortalizing itself, since, in despite Of
the war which the Puritans waged
against it, it still fourishes, as dainty,
as delicious, and as inviting as ever.
All j! .......
Happy they, thrice happy, who possess
The art to mix these sweets with due address.
Delight in pastry, temper well the crust
And hold the rolling-pin sacred trust;
Not in the tyrant's prosecuting mood,
But as graceful instrument of good.
Where shall the cook discern so sure way
To give mince pies an universal sway?
For when the sweets. combined with skill.
The light puff paste with meat delicious fill,
Like Albion's rich plum pudding, famous
grown,
The mince-pie reigns in realms beyond his own;
Through foreign ATTITUDES his pow'r extends,
And only terminates where eating ends.
Hail, then, exhalted pie, whose high renown
Danes, Dutchmen, Russians, with applauses
crown
Sovereign of Gates, all hail nor then refuse
This cordial off'ring from an English muse
Who pours the brandy in libation free,
And finds plum pudding realized in thee y
There is an old legend which may
serve as savoring to the crust, which
says, that in as many houses as you eat
mince-pie during the Christmas
tide, SO many months of good luck will
you have during the year.
In all the merry-makings of Christ
mas in the olden time, the Wassail was
a compound of ale, nutmeg, sugar, toast
and roasted apples. Every family had
it's wassail-bowl, and some of these we're
very elegant, being of massive silver.
The term aO0ssaiI is said to have origin
ated from the salutation of Rowena, q
fair maiden who lived in the fifth cen
fury, and who presented the British
King, Vortlgen, on Christmas morning,
with bowl of his favorite beverage
with these words:
Loved King, wass he'll.
The wassail-bowl was carried from
house to house On Christmas, it's bear
ers singing carols as they went, and ex-
pecting to receive gifts whenever they
paused.
The Anglo-Saxons, who drank such
huge beakers ofliquor in honor of Odin,
or Thor, continued to drink the same
quantities at their various festivals in
honor of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the
Apostles and all the saints. Wine, ale,
mead, pigment aliquor made of honey
and the juice of mulleines- cider
we're the favorite beverages.
In Spain it is customary for .grateful
patients to send a gift of a turkey to
the family physician at Christmas, this
royal fowl being considered there, as
we'll as in our own country, the fttest
bird to grace the festive board. A
medical man in large practice might
find himself suddenly confronted with
an army of gobblers upon Christmas
morning.
From the very earliest times we may
trace the use of evergreens and flowers
at great festivals and religious ceremo-
nies-they being universally regarded