The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-19

apartment IOr nominations.
Supper would be served at 8
O'Clock, perhaps later. A repa,t of
hot fried or "smothered" chicken,
stewed oysters, four or five kinds Of
cold meats; waffles, hot rells, corn
bread in divers shapes, battercakes;
wafers-as thin as paper, that yielded
crisply to the teeth and simulated,
not satisfied ,appetite--damson melon,
peach, ounce, strawberry and cherry
preserves; home made cakes, tea,
coffee and great pitchers of milk with
all the cream left on.
In spite of the luxurious ab1nd-
ancs OF their menus, the Virginians
Of that date we're seldom gormandi-
zers. There was little talk in well
bred companies of eating and drink
ing, Sumptuous fare was accepted
as part Of their daily living, and
even high feasts were never mere
feeds" Ifthey fingered over their
supper ON this evening it was in en-
joyment of social converse, not of
grosser creature comforts.
The plantation fiddler was in his
place at the top of the long drawing
room when the hilarious bevy hut-
tered back thither. The portly host
usually led off the first set with the
belle of the party, and his wife was
sometimes his vis-a-vis. Churchly
elders who had scruples about dane
ing in general were coaxed into tax
ing the floor for this "once year."
As the clock struck twelve they
Joined hands in wide circle and sang
Aud Lang Syne"-or quite as
often-"Praise God, from whom all
blessings flow" They were not
ashamed to name Him to whom all
praise belongs in those brave, sim
pie days-that are no morel One
more set-the Virginia reel, danced
on Christmas night in the Mother
Country to this time, under the name
Of Sir Roger de Coverly, and the
wassail bowl Of egg nogg was brought
in. A toast to the health and. hap
piness Of present and absent friends
was drunk, and the girls. betook
themselves to the CHEEKY, Crowded
chambers overhead, leaving the men
to smoke and talk politics about the
drawing room hearth.
Before sunrise, every sleeper on
the plantation was aroused by the
deafening boom of the Christmas
gun" A heavy blast Of gunpowder
was rammed into a hollow tree and
fred a daybreak. Decorations of
lesser force followed, from logs rid
died with auger hole and stuffed with
powder, guns, pistols an "pop crack
ers, while the outcries OF "Chris mas
gif, my marsterl" Chris mas gif,
my mistisl" under windows and
halls, rivaled the "baksheesh" yells
of the Bedouin.
Nobody in that region aud time
said, Merry Christmas, but always,
christmas gift" The strife as to
who should get it out first was, with
children and servants, a claim upon
the liberality of the later speaker
What was undoubtedly the primal
significance of the greeting was sol
emn and beautiful, - nothing less
than proclamation Of the unspeakable
Gift heralded by the angels anthem
above the plains Of Bethlehem.
Breakfast was not over until 10
O'Clock, dinner was served at 2 or 3
o'clock. Neither soup nor fish was
REGARDED as au essential to the feast.
Roast turkey at the head of the table
was balanced by boiled turkey with
oyster sauce at the foot. Roast goose,
midway between the two, mingled
fragrant steam with rising incense of
roast duck on the other side of the
castor; chicken, lamb, roast beet and
"shoat "-perhaps sucking pig
baked whole-and the inevitable
boiled ham, were separated by vege-
tables, pickles, catsups and sauces
Family silver reflected the sunshine
of happy faces; cut glass as old an
swered in silvery chimes the tuneful
clamor Of young voices.
The country fashion of taking wine
together lent individual interest to
the revel. The urhane host was ever
on the lookout for opportunities to
send the decanter along with-"Miss
A Mr.. B. asks the pleasure of tax.
ing a glass Of wine with you" Then
the graceful lifting of glasses, the
exchange of bows across the board,
the complimentary phrase from one,
the smile of acknowledgement from
the other-it is all old fashioned now,
but it was far prettier than the Gus
toms that have driven it out.
Ladies and gentlemen" called
out dear old Maj. A from the head
OF the table in the foodtide Of the
Christmas wassail, II crave leave to
offer a toast"
His plantation skirted the Apo
mattox river, which lies between
Powhatan aud Amelia counties. At
his right sat his favorite neighbor
Powhatan L., who was betrothed
to Amelia c., a Florida belle, not
present today.
"a toast!" repeated the host,
rising, mantling tumbler in hand, his
eyes Drumming with fun and fond
ness. Il give you--the AppomattoxI
May it cease to flow, that Powhatan
and Amelia may be forever united"
All that was the sort of thing
they did in the old Virginia days,
before war laid their pleasant places
waste. People watched for chances
to turn phrases handsomely, studied
the capabilities of language to give
pleasure to their auditors. Elegant
conversation was popular accom-
plishment. Now it is subsidiary to
dancing, murdered by Irritation.
| have spoken of Christmas week. n
To limit the festival to a single day
would have been reckoned a main
ing of their chief social rite. From
one manor house to another rolled the
gladstone party, tarrying by appoint
ment, a day at this, a night at that,
talking, dancing, driving, walking,
singing, love making-in such limo
cency Of delight as is possible to none
but the young. Now and then they
danced Virgins reels, quadrilles and
cotillio1S (also out of fashion now),
on the bare oaken floor of barn like
parlor, furnished with uncushioned
oh oirp ond thin ln00ad tahlao. a. Aha