Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-18
WASSAIL IN OLD
VIRGINIA.
Written for THE EVENING STAR
BY MARION HARLAND.
downright, 1851

copyright, 1861
In the DAYS that are no more, the legal Thanks
giving Day was not known in Virginia Nor yet
New Years Day, as kept by knickerbocker burgh-
ers The twenty-secOnd OF February was ceie-
brared by college oratiOns; the Fourth OF July
given over 10 political barbecueS, christmas Time
was the reservoir into which debouched the nush
tide OF family social and national reJocfngs
With lofty as with Iowly, il was watch tower
sci on a hill the benign light OF which, Ike the
flaming sword guarding Eden. flashed every way.
backward RAYS from Christmas gone met and
mingled with the dawn OF Christmas coming.
We began to count the days yet unfulfilled with
the reddenlng Of the rock naples The opening OF
The chinuuapin burr; the apple harvest; the fall
of the leaf; the change from pucker TO sugar In
the pulp OF the persimmOn-were waymarks, I'M
patiently numbered in the procession of months
and weeks toward the eliminating glory OF the
year.
Housekeepers commenced preparations for IL In
sober earnest by the last week OF November es-
peCially in the country. The traditions OF our
English ancestry told nightly in modelling our
habiIs Of life. christmas In town was depfe-
Gated with dash OF compassionate contempt py
planters and their families. They Kept open
house AT that with heartfneSS that looks 10
Us now like bootless extravaganza Inc prsi MS
Were set in order early In December "a Ior roy
nuptialS and court banquets- Alnce-heat Wa az
ready made, mOistened with peach brandy, IN
qantity and quality sufficient to season II against
must and mould then packed down In huge jar,
and bladders tied over the mouths Win inc IlIse
hard frost came .'hog-killing," providing hams,
spareribs chimes and sausages OF del1ciOusnesS
tnimiJable, and TO those who never tasteu lhelii,
unimaginable, Pots OF lard, tired oua
stOre-roOrn shelves destined 10 furnish
hot baths for the brOOds OF summer chlckenS,
cooped up and fattened on oats and muSh. Pens
were built for stately turkeys and pompouS Mus,
cOyy ducks, and the tenants fed as regularly and
bOuRtifuly as were the children VINO hoped 10 eat
them. Later on came cake making. never en-
trusted 10 the hand OF hirengs; frult-cake. with
Just enough flour wrought into IL 10 hOld together
the fat and liberal soul; pound cake, INTO whose
manufaeture sixteen ounces OF each ingredient
nghteouSly compounded: ginger cakes, Wdr-
ranted TO keep for months; spice ana lemon cakes.
and in the last days OF joyous activity, sponge
cake moulded and frosted into snow OaliS as Dig as
the fist ,and owing their buoyant being to eggs
and elbow power, with not 50 much as dust or
baking powders. English plum pudding was not
made in every family. ON the threshold OF TINS
elnprise, diffident housewives ana ease-lovlnS
cooks paused dreading and daunted. Only yete-
ran divers, plunging into the the depths OF anceS-
trail recipes brought up success ana eslaDi1sned Il
culinary reputation Wanted by Children and
childrpn's children
AS December nights grew toward their longest
and December days neared the brieIest OF the
calendar feather-beCS were beaten for ten minutes
each by the flai-like arms OF colored houSema1dS,
under the eye OF the mistress or her fact0tum and
provision OF blankets, sheets, etc., made for tempo
r;ry sleeping places. ON rainy or snowy day, an
a-nfuI OF straw fastened TO the end OF pole, was
thrust up the throat of every chimney 10 burn out
the encrusting SCOT. Hens, melted TO the full
measure of their duty by arts peculiar TO c0iored
poultry keepers, Yielded eggs by the hundreds for
buildings and pies, with especial reserves Tor egg
b Christmas-Eve every pantry was packed to
groaning: comets of flame and galaxy OF sparks
Streamed from the kitchen chimney; every elfgi
bic nook held bed; dozen young girls with at
tendant gailantS surrounded the drawing-rOom
fire; the play OF repartee and compliment and the
ripple OF legatO laughter rose and ebbed TO the
piano accompaniment responsive TO the sweep OF
white fingers City guests were always hidden
and .,lwayS came TO the plantation Christmas
frOlic. company" was no trouble; hospitality
was as natural and easy as breathing. But the
holiday reception was the cream OF welcome TO
the visitor. III eight bachelors slept and smoked
In 1.-The office In the yard, and as many girls Oc
cspied the one spare chamber OF me homestead.
nobody felt crowded. There were plenty OF feather
beds and blankets, great store OF linen heir-loOms
that required the wear OF two generations to
make them thin, and big fires burning all night In
every apartment for ventilatlons
supper would be served at eight O'Clock. perhaps
later. repast OF hot fried or 'smothered"
chicken, Stewed oysters, four or five kinds OF cold
meats: waffies, hot rolls, corn bread in divers
shapes, batJer-cakeS; waferS,-as thin as paper,
that Welded criSply TO the teeth and stimulated,
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 abundance Of their
menus, the Nlrginians OF that date were seldom
COMMANDERS. There was little talk in well-bred
companies OF eating and drinking. SumptuOuS
1are was accepted as part OF their daily living,
and even high feasfS were never mere feeds" II
they fingered over their supper this evening IL
was in enjoyment OF social converse not Of grOSSer
creature comforts.
The plantation fidder was in his place at the
top OF the long drawing room when the hilarious
bevy fiuttered back Jhither. The portly host
usually led on the first set with the belle of the
party, and his Wife was sometimes his ris q ris
Churchly elders who had Scruples about dancing
IN general We're cOaXed into taking the floor for
This ''Once a year" As the clock struck twelve
they joined hands in wide circle and sang sAuld
Lang Syne"-or quite as often-"Praise God from
whom all blessings fow.' They were not
ashamed 10 name Him TO whom all praise belongs
tayS-tlat
one more Set-the Virginia reel danced On Christ
mas night in the mother country 10 this time,
under the name OF Sir Roger de COyerley, and the
waSsail bowl OF egg-nog Was brought in.
\ toast TO the health and happiness OF present
betOok themselves 10 the CHEEKY, crowded cham
bers 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 "Chrtst-
mas gun" heavy blast Of gunpowder was
ranned into a hollow tree and fired at daybreak
Is.tOnations OF lesser force followed from LOGS
riddled with auger-holes and stuffed with powder
guns, pistols and '-pop-crackers." while the out
cries OF .-ChriSnas-g11, my marSter," Christmas
cir, my insists under windows and in halls riy-
aled the ''bokSheesh" wells OF the Bedowin
Nobody in that region and time said sMerry
Christmas but always "Christmas GIFT The
strife as 10 who should get il out first was with
children and servants, a claim upon the lberality
primal significance OF the greeting was solemn
and Notwithstanding less than proclamation OF
the unSDeakaDle Gilt heralded by the angels an
them above the plains OF Bethlehem.
Breakfast was not over until ten O'Clock dinner
was served at two or three in the afternoon
Neither soup nor fish regarded as an essential
To the feast. Roast turkey al the head of the
table was balanced by boiled turkey with oyster
sauce al the foot. Roast goose, midway between
The tw0 mingled fragrant steam with rising In
cenS OF roast duck the other side OF the CASTOR
chicken, lamb. roast beef aud '.shoat"-perhaps
a sucking pig baked whole and the inevitable
boiled nam, were separated b. vegetables
pickles. catsupS and sauces. Family silver re.
nected the sunshine OF happy faces; cut-glass as
Old answered in silyery chimes the tuneful
clamor OF young voices.
The courtly fashion OF taking wine together lent
individual interest 10 the reyel. The urbane host
was ever on the lookout for opportunities 10 send
The decanIer along with-"Miss A., Mr. Ii asks the
pleasure or taking glass OF wine with you-
Inen, the graceful lifting OF glasses. the exchange
OF bows across the board, the complimentary
phrase from one, the smile OF acknowledgment
nom the other-It il all Old-fashiOned now but IN
was FAR prettier than the customs that have
driven II out.
Ladies' and gentlemen called ont dear Old
Tide OF the Christmas wassail, Il crave leave to
offer toast
His plantation skirred the AppOmattox river
which hes between Powhatan and Amelia coun-
ties. At MS right sat his fayorite neighbor Pow
Eatan L-whO was betrothed to Amelia Ca
Florida belle, not present to-day.
"a toast repeated the host rising mantlino
tuInbler In hand, his eyes Drumming with nun and
Iondness- Il give yOu-The ApponattoX, MAY nc
cease 10 flow, that Powhatan and Amelia may be
forever united,'
All. that was the sort OF thing they did I'm the
old Virginia days, before war laid their pleasant
,.af N..flNR ID.