The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-12-23


Mr.. Carroll invented this pudding or mere
ly ate it is not known, but his name will be
handed down to posterity in connection
with it as well as with the Declaration of
Independence. Not to eat plum pudding
at Christmas was to neglect one of the first
duties of an honest and useful citizen.
The elaborate preparations at the house
were reproduced on a minor scale at the
overseer's house and in the Quarter of
the negroes, generally large two-story
structure of frame or brick, the First floor
being one large room, with huge hospita-
BILE fireplace, and the second floor divided
off into number of sleeping apartments.
In addition to having the 'leavings" of the
kitchen at the house, the colored people
were often permitted to kill for their Christ
mas dinner sheep or pig and were given
materials for enormous "bakings' of cakes
and puddings. Huge logs of wood were
also slowed away to cure for the Christmas
fire. At last, the holidays having arrived,
the whole plantation was given up to unre-
strained enjoyment and mirth. At the
house the company passed the time in fox
hunting, riding, sleighing, playing 'old
maid, game which invariably terminated
in boisterous romp, singing, dancing and
eating. Even the young ladies, strange to
say, were always hungry. 1t was remark
able that every member of the party was
not taken suddenly ill; but they went on
from day to day eating the richest confec-
tions and drinking egg-nog and apple-toddy,
without apparently suffering in the least.
The dances in those days were very elabor-
ate. The waltz had just come into fashion
and was a queer piroueting dance, very
unlike the graceful movement of our day.
The polka was also fashionable, but the
square dances were the staple of the eve
nings amusement The most accomplished
dancers, instead of moving through the
figures slowly and indifferently as they do
now, hoped about with queer skip which
would be very ludicrous to us, shutting
their feet, with their heads thrown back,
and sometimes with their arms akimbo.
The dances, which always terminated with
the Virginia reel, afforded unlimited op-
portunity for Irritation and fun. The full
dress of country beau at that time was a
frock coat of brown or blue cloth, waist
coat of Aowered silk of as many different
colors as possible, a cravat wound several
times around huge standing collar, trous-
ers which fitted close to the skin, and
pumps with black bows and silver buckles.
The dress of the ladies did not differ mate
rally from those of the present day.
The colored people enjoyed unusual Ii
cense through the week it was in fact
their saturnalia, and you may rest assured
they enjoyed themselves to the top of their
bent. The ''quarter' was ablaze with light
from the roaring fire of seasoned hickory
and pine and the innumerable tallow can
dies which were stuck in holes in pine
boards that were fastened above the door
ways and against the walls. The negroes
danced to the tune of the banjo and fiddle
sang, made love and, like their masters, =
ate. Whatever may be said of slavery in
other respects, it certainly showed in ia
vorable light on these occasions, for il
would have been hard to have found any
where faces that were happier or freel
from care than those of the negroes as they
danced the hoe-down or struck the double
shuttle.
There was another pleasant feature Of
the MARYLAND Christmas-tide, and that was
the reunion of families, which always took
place at that period. No matter how fal
apart they might be living, the members
Of family generally made it point tc
come together at the house of some one Of
them for the family dinner. The tie Of
relationship was very strong and knit to-
gether persons of very dissimilar tastes
who were related ever SO remotely. Peo
pie "cousined" each other who for the life
of them could not have traced their rela-
tionship, and at the Christmas board there
was an atmosphere of something more than
friendships feeling, as it were, that the
family ties were re-knotted, After dinner
the ladies usually retired to the parlor tc
gossip, while the gentlemen accompanied
the host to the barnyard to examine his
horses, his fat cattle and his pigs. 1t was
a simple life-healthy, vigorous and clear
The little ones on these country places
appreciated Christmas more, perhaps, thar
their elders, for the natural enjoyment O.
a child on this occasion was intensified il
their case by the variety of their enjoy
ments. The first thing to be done on Christ
mas morning was, of course, to look aftel
stockings the next was to burst the bee
and hog bladders, which, after the air with
in them was rarifed by holding them tt
the fire, when stamped upon suddenly, ex
ploded with a sharp detonation; then
visit to the ''quarter'' was in order, whenc
the negroes, aroused by the firing Of tor
pedoes and crackers, came trooping out t.
Join the sport and to catch young maste
"Christmas Gift Who can estimate tn
ioy of the children of those days il
having the run of an immense estate wit
their guns, their drums, their wagons, etc
host of ''dinkies" following in their trail
to sympathize with and admire them a
well as to minister to their wants? 1t is bu
lust to add that the children were general
kind to their black subjects. The countr
children of this generation have missed
good deal, so far as their enjoyment c
Christmas goes, in not having been Dor
thirty years ago. :.
Of the Maryland Christmas of colonia
days we know but little, except inferentia
ly, but Judging from the traditions an
customs which have been handed down
many an old family, it must have been tn
occasion of even greater and more pre-
longed festivity than in the time of whic
we have spoken. Until the middle of tn
eighteenth century there were but fe'
towns in the State and the large plants
tions were the pivotal centres Of society
It is known that on some of them tn
county courts and legislative councils wer
held, so that it is to be presumed tn
: Christmas festivities at all the large farm
were of particularly brilliant and enjoy;
BILE character Then, instead of sending
Baltimore, the planters sent to London ft
their supplies, the vessels often bringin
!. them almost to their doors.
Z christmas ia still the occasion of muc