The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-12-25

our iriends, the Agnostlcs and other slI-
perior people, might have laughed as they
listened. confess for my own part that
the words italicized, with their strange and
subtle suggestions OF mysterious sane
tity, caused In my mind anything else but
a disposition to laugh.
THE OLD vIRGINIANs.
To return to the old yirginians, from
whom the Virginians OF to-day inherit
Whatever distinguishes them from the rest
Oh the world. They loved Christmas, and
welcomed the day with Joy which is diff
cult to realize. The age OF doubt had
not. come, and the blessed nativity was
not a subject Of merriment. They were
true descendants OF the country people
OF England; clung .obstinately to the habits
which time out of mind had characterized
their ancestors, and would have .'the time
OF Xmas" different time from all the rest
OF the year. We may go back In fancy and
see the old race at their diversions in the
ancient family-seats on the banks OF the
James, the York, or the Rappahannock.
which still seem 10 ring with the mirth and
laughter OF the dead Chsistmases of the
eighteenth century. Time has seemed TO
pass by without laying its finger on many
OF these haunts OF the old race Rose
WELL" the home OF the Pages, standing in
lonely solitude on the York; Stratford,"
the residence OF the Lees, on the banks OF
the Potomac; "Saratoga," on the Shenan-
doah; the "Nelson III Home," in Yorktown.
and many more in the Tidewater and the
Valley. These old localities revive the
merry diversions OF forgotten generation
when hall and cabin rang with revel al the
dawn OF the Christmas season. The plant
ers were cavaliers. rs we may see by the
flowing locks Of the old Page and Nelson
portraits, and that OF Edmund Pendeton,
the most uncompromising Of churchmen.
They clung TO the immemorial festivals
OF the English Church, the first OF which
was Christmas; and throughout Virginia
the homes and churches were festoOned
with evergreens in honor OF the day.
THE CHURCHES.
At two seasons these ancient churches
were beautiful with decorations-at Easter
with spring flowers, and at Christmas with
cedar and pine. The good fashion is still
observed, and in many Of the old houses of
w0rship-St. Peters in New Kent, where
Washington was married, Christ church,
Alexandra, where he attended service,
coming in his coach from Mount Vernon,
and in numerous others-the descendants
OF the elder Virginians continue to welcome
Christmas with eyergreens, il not IN every
case the Easter season with the flowers
which would seem appropriate to it,.
THE FIREPLACEs ROAR.
Thus everywhere and in every manner
the honest VirginlaEs were determined to
divert themselves and to set aside Christmas
from all other seasons rs q day OF pure en-
joyment. For the time all was to be good
will, and that ennui, which BOssuet says
lies rs the basis OF human life, was TO dis
appear under revelry and the sound Of
laughter. While the happy time lasted
care and trouble were TO be fOrgotten-bv
the indented servant and the African in his
cabin rs by the lord of the manor in his
hall. Here, in the great manor-house OF
the '|nabob" Of TidewAter Virginia, the
Christmas festivities reached their grand
culmi1ation. The family clan has assem-
bled, of every age and both sexes; the
great fireplaceS roar, lighting up the queer
old furniture; old hounds, stretched in
front Of the blaze. seem TO know that
Christmas has come; on the board the wax
lights shine; there is the clink Of cups and
glasses; the good old yintages, which gave
nobody headache, cheer the heart; and
the lord of the manor raises his glass, and,
with smile on his ruddy face, drinks TO
the general Joy of the whole table.
THE DINNER.
OF this crowning event OF the day, the
Christmas dinner, Washington Irving
gives us sketch, for what he says OF the
old English ceremony will apply to Vir-
ginia. In the ancient English manor
house where he dined on Christmas day {:
"The parson said grace, when the butler
entered the hall attended by servant on
each side with large wax light, and bore
a silver dish, on which was an enormous
pigs head decorated with rosemary, with
q lemon in his mouth, which was placed
with great formahty at the head Of the
table, loaded with good cheer and country
abundance. A distinguished post was al
lotted TO 'ancient sirloln,' and | could not
but notice pie magnificently decorated
with peacock's feathers, IN imitation OF the
tail of that bird. This the squire confess
ed, was not pheasant pie-there had
been such mortality among the pheasants
this season that he could not prevail upon
himself to have one killed." As an appe-
tzer TO the feast the honest squire, intent
in bringing back the good old English
times, offered his guests rich compound
OF ole and nutmeg "ln huge silver vessel
of rare and curious workmanship, being
the wassail bowl so renowned in Christmas
festivities"
THE TURKEY.
II we make due allowance for the differ
- Esta1a,,1 and Nir-
ginia, this is a picture OF the Christmas
dinner in the Old Dominion. That "but-
Ter" in black dress and face as black
certainly ofliciated-the present writer
even remembers him in the callow days OF
childhood, with his white hair and impos-
ing dignity, and IL the "pig's head" was
absent its place was taken by something
better-the Virginia ham. The peacock
and pheasant abOunded in Virginia as
in England, but the great roasted
turkey at the head OF the table was more
attractive, ana "ancient sirloin," fattened
on Virginia meadows and the rich Indian
corn, was finer than the roast beef OF old
England AS TO the "wassall," tnat
abounded beyond all question in the old
Virginia manor-houses. The modern ad-
vocates OF entire abstinence have even
made the fact reproach. In the earlier
times the famous tipple was no doubt
compounded of rum, or ale and "crabs y;
but ere long we find the Virglnians
inyenting the great Christmas beverage,
eggnog. This, served as at present. in "a
huge silver vessel" on Christmas day, was
one OF the distinctive features OF the sea-
son, as it still remains, aud deserves all the
praise that has been accorded to it as a bev-
erage. With the old Virginians, however,
drinking toasts was the great ceremony,
after the removal OF the plum pudding, and
with the ladies and children still at the Ia
BILE. For let 1t be said to the credit OF
these honest people that they were no ad-
yocates of "gentlemen's dinners" or the
absence of their wives and daughters, after