Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1878-12-21

ance, the money-box was scrupulously
passed around. The esteem in which thu
custom was held may be learned from thu
following madrigal:
| To shorter winters sadness,
See where the folks with gladness,
Disguised, all are coming,
| Right wantonly a-mummtng,
| Falal
Whilst youthful sports are lasting,
To feasting turn our fasting;
With reveB and with wassails,
Make grief and care our vassals,
FalaI
For youth 1t we'll beseemeth,
That pleasure he esteemeth;
And sullen age is hated,
That mirth would have sbated,
Fala
1t must have been rare fun to see the
mummers making their rounds. Arriving
at the first residence in their way, they
knock at the door, says one account, and
claim the privilege of Christmas in the adj
mission of George and his merry men. First
is seen Old Father Christmas, bearing, as
emblematic devices, the holly bough, was
sail bowl, etc. Beside him stands a pretty
little girl, carrying branch of the mistle-
toe Then comes the Grand Turk, the gallant
Knight St. George, and the latter's antago-
mist, the devouring dragon. A doctor is
also present with a large box of pills to
cure the wounded. Drums and other mu-
sic accompany the procession"
Another old custom which is Intimately
associated with the ancient observance Of
Christmas was the performances of the
"Waits," who were at first court pages, and
afterward town musicians sometimes en-
ployed as watchmen to call the hour, and
sometimes simply serenaders, who relied
upon private liberality for living. Says
an old writer of the waits of Glasgow: A
remnant of this custom, still popularity
called waits, yet exists, in the magistrates
annually granting a kind OF certificate or
diploma to few musicians, generally blind
men of respectable character, who perambu
late the streets OF the city during the night
and morning for about three weeks or a
month previous to New Years day, in most
cases performing on violins, the slow,
soothing airs peculiar to portion of the
old Scottish melodies; and L.. the solemn
silence of repose the effect is very fine. AT
the commencement OF the new year these
men call at the houses OF the inhabitants,
and presenting their credentials, receive a
small subscription" In the cities OF Lon
don and Westminster, even so late as half a
century ago, the waits held a semi official
position, and the post of leader OF the waits
was held to be so valuable one that in the
great metropolis it could only be obtained
by purchase. This custom, too, has lost al!
its original significance, though both here
and in Eng land traces Of its Influence are
still observable. The writer has frequently
seen comp mics OF young lads, grotesqrely
costumed and provided with all sorts Of odd
musical instruments, going the rounds on
Christmas eve, and has witnessed their
minstrel performances in the Railways OF
private dwellings in our large cities, which
they invariably concluded by passing round
the hat. The serenadeis in such cases,
however We're by no means poor children,
but had undertaken the expedition quite as
much for their own amusement as Tor the
Christmas money thus collected"
THE CHRISTMAS DINNER.
A Christmas dinner in the olden time
was a very different affair from that OF our
day The dish which ruled the roast on
every board in teudal times was the boars
head Borne on platter OF gold and silver
and garnished with bay, it was proudly
carried while trumpets blew and MINISTRIES
sang their merry strains, by the steward into
the banqueting hall, followed by noble
procession OF titled lords and ladies. AS he
marched at the head of the company the
steward sang:
"Caput apri defero
Reddens landes Domino,
The boar's head In hand bring
With garands gay and rosemary;
Ipray you all sing merrily,
Qu estis in convlvlo.
The boar's head, understand,
, Is the chief service in this land;
Look wherever 1t be found,
Servite cum cantico.
Be glad both more and less,
For this hath ordained our steward,
To cheer you all this Christmas
The boar's head and mustard
Caput apri defero
Reddens landes Domino"
The mustard was an indispensable accom-
paniment to the dish. Says another old
rhyme:
| sweet rosemary and bays around 1t spread;
Ills foaming tusks with some large pippin graced,
n midst those laundering spears an orange
placed,
| ,uce, like himself, offensive to his foes,
| The roguish mustard dangerous to the nose"
When parliament, in the time OF the
commonwealth, undertook TO put down the
| dtloIl, VIC poai HSdu
to decorate the Christmas table. With it,
too, has gone out of fashion dish then al
most equally famous-that OF roast pea
cock This was esteemed great delicacy
the " iood for lovers and meat for lords,
and great care was taken in its preparation
The fowl was never picked, but the skin
stripped off with the plumage. 1t was theI
stuffed with sweet herbs and spice basted
wish yelks OF eggs and roasted. Whel
properly done and sufficiently cooled, il
was tightly sewn up in its own skin and
feathers, the whole body sometimes being
covered with gold-leaf; and then piece o
cotton having been placed in its beak
saturated with spirits and ignited, it wal
sent to table. We can easily believe that i
required considerable skill on the part
the carver to handle it. Three tat wethers
we are told, were sometimes bruised to max,
enough gravy for single peacock. 1t wa
generally reserved for ladies of quality t
bear the dish TO the table, and over i
knight-errants used to vow the most despe
rate feats OF gallantry. The mince- pie
known at first as the shred or Christina
pie, is probably at least three centuries old
Originally it was a mutton-pie, but it wa
not the less toothsome on that account, i
we may judge by the old rhyme beginning
"Come guard the Christmas pie,
That the thief, though neer SO shy,
With his flesh hooks don't come nigh
To catch it.