Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-01-01


"mouth water" to think about it !
The Christmas breakfast having
filled us to the brim Of Epicurean de-
sire and stretched to their utmost ten
sion tho Sancho Panza guages of good
humor, our stomachs, at the nod of
concerted signal, into the great hall
room of entertainment Immediately
stepped the two fa1noas black fddiers,
Jack and Sam, who, after seating
themselves and tuning their instru-
ments by a variety of thrummings and
tintinabulations, struck out upon the
cid fashioned jjiigs anu hornpipes, ma K
ing the catgut talk most persnasiveiy
to our heels This was for the "chil-
dren's Dance" and right skillfully
did we white youngsters "trip the light
fantaetie toe in reels, polkas and
round dances, while our elders looked
ON admiringly. The epilogue of the
performance was the calling in of
Burt, old masters waiting boys to
"pat Juba," in which he excelled.
Directly the huntsman's horn was
heard winding out its stirring reveille
in the front yard; the air was filled
with Babel of hilarious noises,-the
yelping of hounds leaping overjoyed
from their kennels-the proud neigh
ing of steeds-the lively voices of
dozen neighbors calling to old master
and his sons to join them in the days
sport. So, ho! Old master and his
boys are mounting with alacrity, and
anon they are off to the woods and
fields with the rest; and many red
fox and antlered stag will those riders
bring home this afternoon, trophies of
their skill in the mighty Nimrod's an
cient art, triumphantly dangling In
front of their saddles
The negro men and boys mostly
went along as bush -beaters, whippers-
in, horse-holders and game-fetchers;
mounted on all sorts of steeds-mqles,
jennies, unbroken colts, oxen and
billy-goats-a motley, .merry-making
crew. When all returned, that after
noon, the game was piled up in the
front yard; anecdotes Of the chase,
brag stories of each hunters make
and shoutings and haw-haw-ings cx-
traordinary were banded and lavish
ed over the dead creatures and then
came the crowning glory of the dur
nal fruition-the Chri.tnas- dinner. To
this astronomical wonder the Christ
mas breakfast was but broken-leg
ged forerunncr and puerile sspredictor.
Ranged along the centre of the great
dining table stood whole line
of monstrously large dishes, each up
holding fat and full-grown turkey
gobbler, seasonably stuffed and right
eously roasted. To tell of all the cakes
and puddings and pies and delicious
sweets and appetizing dainties that
crowded every available inch of room
upon the other parts of the board,
that made the mahogany legs creak
| and groan by sheer superabundance
of gravity, and that threatened to
empty themselves into the guests laps
and on to the floor from being piled
up too high-to adequately describe
and delineate all these things, say,
would occupy all four pages of the
SENTINEL and the Mammoth Xmas
Brother Jonathan and the New York
Herald to boot.
The "women folks" had been quilt
ing all day in. old mistress room but
they now came in to dinner, greeting
the lords of creation with smiles, cour-
tesies and inefably winsome ways,
adding its choicest fayo, to the feast
and its lovliest wreath to the wine cup.
Now dishes, knives and forks rat
tied like small artillery jokes and
laughter leaped from lip to lip; old
| +;r,o b,,n,r,,.. ;r,o.a GIIeJN ~
filed. emptied and filed again and
again; the jewellers were no halfway
men, here or anywhere else Every
white person was welcome, even to the
triaingest topper iii the county-for old
master was whole-souled Democratic
son of Revolutionary sires, who could
sing GA mans a man for a that" in
in true Scottish style-who could dc
the honors of his hospitable board and
drink the toasts after the fashion of
''The fine old Irish Gentleman" that
was also a favorite air of his. Every
body at the Caucasian table was filled
up to his chin by lavishly overfowing
plenty, pleased to his very hearts core
by endlessly favored variety, put in
such perennial intellectual good hu.
NOR he could never forget it, and
there was bountiful share left for the
blackamoors. Far into the night the
carousal continued-Jack and Sam &
fiddles, dances, plays and games, max
ing the old house resound from floor
to gable.
During the other succeeding days
of "holiday week." the program was
much the same as on Christmas day
varied occasionally by skating spree
on the pond, a shooting snatch in the
grove, grand partridge drive and net
ting in the old fields, or a molasses
candy-pulling and "skin-dig" party
at neighbours house. Long live the
memory of the old-fashioned Christ
mas!
If an old mans "reminiscences ano
reveries have not already wearied you
my dear aud respected audience O
SENTINEL readers, he wishes to ado
this little closing paragraph to thank
you for your courteous attention, anC
to wish you, one and all, ajolly Xmas
and a Happy New Year Of the Dem
ocratic dispensation about to be re
newed by President Grover Cleve
land
M. Vernoa, N c. Dec. 20, '84,
lever interrupt any conversation with =
| hacking cough; it creates bal impression
Better investa quarter of adollar in bottle Q
DR.. Ball's cpugh syrup anl care It.
. 8 3