Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-06
GRAND BARBECUE.
4 ROYAL Time In Caroline County.

4 Royal Time IN taronhe tonhS'
RICHMOND, VA, September 5th.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
| accepted an invitation on yesterday,
extended by the good people of Caro-
line through Mr.. Wingfeld, the Register
of the Land Office, to attend an old
fashioned Virginia barbecue in that
county near Woodford station, on the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Poto-
mac railroad. A number of gentlemen
left Richmond few minutes after III
O'Clock. and in two hours were at the
station. where they were met by Cap
tain c. Il. Smith, the Democratic can
didate for the House Of Delegates; Mr..
Washington, Mr.. Wood, and others,
and escorted in carriages and spring
wagons to the banks of the Malta
POM, about a mile distant, where
the barbecue was given. There
we found crowd of about 300 citizens
gathered in groups under the shade of
magnificent trees. We were most cor
daily welcomed, and Immediately piled
with invitations from all sides to
Come, now; let's have something"
The variety Of something" would
have satisfied old Bacchus. Then we
were invited to the pit to see the OK and
the mutton roasting whole. At the ex-
pense of being tedious, will undertake
to tell briefly how this is done in Vir-
ginia A pit is dug in the ground with
a surface measurement of about 6XS
feet, and depth Of about : feet. On
the night before the day Of the
barbecue the pit is filled with
white-oak or hickory wood, or both,
which is burnt to live Goals, so that
when the meat is placed in position for
cooking the Goals reach within two feet
Of the top Of the pit. The OK is split
down the back bone and spread out just
rs old hare is prepared to be barbecued.
Polls long enough to extend across and
rest on the sides Of the pit are thrust
through the animal and he is then sus-
pended over the fire, from which no
smoke arises. AS the cooking pro-
crosses he is basted at short intervals
with a rich, aromatic dressing. The
time consumed in the barbecue is about
eight hours.
About 3 o'clock the guests were as
sembled on both sides Of long tables
and invited to indulge themselves in
the following bill of fare Ok roasted
whole, mutton roasted whole, old Vir-
GINA ham served as it is in old Virginia
and nowhere else, fried chicken, cat.
fish chowder. squirrel soup, Caroline
club thrown from water into the pan
and all the vegetables which belong tC
this season.
Now. Mr.. Editor, let me say that the
man who has never eaten beef prepared
as it was in Caroline on yesterday doe;
not know what good beef is. He ha;
something to look forward to and hope
for. After the guests had filled them
selves with the good cheer Of the table
speaking became the order Of the day
with the request that no allusion should
be made to politics, as the occasion wa
entirely social. Quite number Of gen
tlemen made happy responses to calls
and the day wound up with hearty
hand-shakes and neighborly invitation,
to ego home with me and spend tn,
night"
While politics were not discussed by
the speakers, your correspondent made
inquiries Of prominent gentlemen pres
ent, and the opinion was unanimou
that c. T. Smith would carry tn
county by from four to five hundred
majority. He is a man of good sense
good manners, good habits, generou
heart, and very popular with all classe
and all parties. also met prominen
gentlemen from Spotsylvania, Stafford
and King George, all of whom believ
we will carry the senatorial distric
composed Of those counties. f.