Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-03-09
owls and venison and bear meat, roast

ed and brOiled with plenty of potatoes
cabbage and other vegetables. During
the dinner the greatest hilarity always
prevailed, although the table might be
large slab of timber hewed out with q
broad-axe, supported by four sticks in
augur holes; and the furniture some old
pewter dishes and plates the rest wood
en- bowls and trenchers, few pewter
spoons, much battered about the edges,
were to be seen at the tables. The rest
were made of horns. If knives were
scarce the deficiency was made up by
the scaIping knives, which were carried
in sheaths suspended to the belt of the
hunting shirt.
After dinner the dancing commenced
and generally lasted until the next
morning. The figures of dances were
three and four-handed reels or square
sets and jigs. The commencement
was always square four, which was
called jigging it off; that is, two of
the four would single out for jig, and
were followed by the remaining couple.
The jigs were often accompanied by
what was called cutting out; that is.
when either of the parties became tired
of the dance, on intimation the place
was supplied by some one of the COM
pany without any interruption of the
dance. In this way dance was often
continued till the musician was heartily
tired of his situation. Towards the lat
ter part Of the night if any of the COM
pany, through weariness, attempted to
conceal themselves, for the purpose of
sleeping, they were hunted up, paraded
on the floor and the fiddler ordered to
play Hang out till tomorrow morning.
About nine or ten o'clock deputation
Of young ladies stole the bride off and
put her to bed. In doing this it fire.
quently happened that they had to as
cend ladder instead of pair of stairs,
leading from the dining and ballroom
to the loft, the floor OF which was made
of clapboards, lying loose and without
nails. AS the foot of the ladder was
commonly behind the door, which was
purposely opened for the occasion, and
its rounds at the inner ends were well
hung with hunting shirts, petticoats and
other articles of clothing, the candles
being on the opposite side of the house,
the exit of the bride was noticed by but
few. This done, deputatiop of young
men in like manner stole off the groom
and placed him snugly by the side of
his bride. The dance still continued.
and If seats happened to be scarce,
which was often the case, every young
man, when not engaged in the dance,
was obliged to offer his lap as seat for
one of the girls, and the offer was sure
to be accepted. In the midst of this
hilarity the bride and groom were not
forgotten. Pretty late in the night
some one would remind tho company
that the new couple must be in need of
some refreshments; Black Betty, which
was the name of the bottle, was called
for and sent up the ladder. I have
many times seen as much bread, beef,
pork and cabbage sent along with her
as would afford good meal for half
dozen hungry men. The young couple
were compelled to eat and drink, more
or less. of whatever was offered them.
It often happened that some neighbor
or relatives, not being asked to the we'd
ding, took offence, and the mode of re-
venge adopted by them on such occa-
sions was that of cutting off the names,
foretops and tails of the horses of the
wedding company.
On returning to the infare, the order
of procession and the race for Black
Betty was the same as before. The
feasting and dancing often lasted several
Fdhys,-at Nthe{ eud Of which tha whole
company were SO exhausted with loss
of sleep that tseveral days. rest were
requisite to fit them to return to their
ordinary labors.,
Should it be asked why this unpleas-
ant portrait has been presented of the
rude manners of our forefathers, /, in
turn, would ask the reader, why are
you pleased with the history of the
blood and carnage of battle2 Why are
you delighted with the fiction of poetry,
the no1el and romance? The truth,
and only the truth, strange as it may
seem, has been related. A state of So
ciety and manners, which are fast van
ishing from the memory of man, have
been depicted with view of giving the
youth of our country knowledge of
the advantage of civilization and to give
contentment to the aged by preventing
them from saying that former times
were better than the present."