The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-17
Ilre qRteIGqgatar.
CHRISTMAS w4ssATL IN OLD YIR'
GINA,
ny MARION HARlAND,
ICepyIighled 1855 BY s. 8. MCCLURE

gina. Nor yet NsW years Day, aa kel
by KnickeIbtcSsr burgers, The twent,
second Of February was celebrated by co
lege oralionp, the Fourth Of July give
over to political barbecues, Chrlstml
time was the reservoir into which d,
bOuched the fush tide Of family, socil
and national reioICinga, WithlofIy as wilt
lowly, it was q watch tower eel on q hill
the benign light Of which, like the liRmin
sword guarding Eden, flashed every WAY
Backward rays from Christmas gone me
and mingled with the dawn Of Christina
coming,
We began to count the days yet uniu
filled with the TsddeHing Of the roc
naples, The opening Of the Chinqus pi
burr; the spple'hRrVesti the fall Of III
leHt; the change from pucker to sugar i
the pulp Of the persiInmon-were way
marks, impatieatly numbered, In the pro
CeGRion Of months and weeks toward th
eliminating glory Of the year,
HouRekeeperB commenced preparation
for 1t in sober earnest by the last week o
November, especially in the country. Thu
traditions Of our English ancestry tolt
nightly in modelling our habits OF life
"ChTiktmas In town" was deprecated will
dash a compassionate contempt BY
planters aud their families. They KEEP
open house at that season with heartlnesl
that looks to us now like bootless extravA
gapCe. The premises were set in order
early In December IS for royal nupHall
and court bauAuats. MipCs.meSt was al
ready made, molstened With peach
brandy In quality and quantity sufficient
to season 1t against must and mould, theI
sacked doWn iP hugo jaIa, and blSddeTl
frost came "hog.killing," providing hams,
spare.ribg, chimes and Paueages Of deli
ciousness iulmitable, and to those who
never tasted them, unimsginable. Pots
Of lard, tired oUtii into endSyshardle ss
were ranged on the storeroom shelves
destined to furnish hot baths for the
hroods Of summer chickens, cooned up
aud iGLiensl VI ORls and must. Pens
were built Tor ststely turkeys and pom,
poug AuscoVy ducks, and the tenants fed
ID regularly and boupriully o. werr
the children who hoped to cal
them. Later on, came Cske.mgking
never entrusted 10 the Aand Of hiyelings
lruit.Cake, with just enough -four wrought
into 1t to hold together the fat and liberal
soul i; pound-Cake, into whose msnuiRc-
sure sixteen ounCes Of each ingredient
Yves nRhteously compounded; ginger
cakeB, warranted 10 keep for months
spice and lemon'Cskes, and, IN the las!
days Of joyous activity, sponge.c cake,
moulded and frosted into Hnow-bslls as
big as the list, and owing their buoyaat
being 10 eggs and elbow TQweIs With not
so much ~ dust pi baking powders,
EugliBh plum.pudding was not made in
every family. On the thrsshc,G OF tbia
empire, ditlident housewives and ease.
loving coob9 paused, drpading and
daunted, Qaly veteran divers, plunging
into tho depths Of ancestral reCines,
brought up success and establisbed a
culinary reputation Wanted by children
and ohildrth'v children.
las December nights grew toward their
longest and DeCslhber days nesred The
brleiest Of the calendar, feather bada wore
beaten for ten BinQtsg each by the hail.
like arrls OF coTOrcd housemaidp, under
the eye Of the mistress or her laCtotum,
and provision Of blauksta, sheets, ETC.,
made for temporary sleeping places. On
8 rainy or snowy day, an armiul OF st.Sw,
fastened to the end otG pole, WAC thrust
up tho threst Of every chimney to burn
out the enCrusting SCOT. Hens, melted 10
the full measure Of theisdgty BY aStu pe.
COLLAR to colored poultry keepefe, Yielded
eggs by the hundreds Tor puddinRs and
pifs, with especial reserves for egg.nogg.
By Christmas eve every pantry was
packed to Groaning; comets Of fame and o
galaxy otsparks streaped from the Kitchen
chimney every eligible nook held q bed
a deem young girls With attendant gal.
Iants surrounded the dr1WingIoom Are
tho play Of repartee and compliment, and
tho ripple Of legato laughter rose and ebbed
to the piano Accompaniment responsive
to the sweep Of white fingers. City guests
we're always hidden andalways came to TIC
plantation ChriSLmRu irolic, Company
was no trouble; hospitality wasS1 natural
and easy Ra breathing. hut the holiday
reception was the cream d welcome to the
victor. II eight bachelors sIspt and
smoked in "the Office" In the yard and aa
many girls occupied the zone spare chamber
Of the homestead, nobody lelt crowded.
There were plenty Of feather beds and
blankets, great store Of linen heir.looms
that required the wear Of two generations
70 make them thin, and big Ares burning
al night In every apaFtmeft for 'yentil'
EsaFpor would be served at eight clock
perhaps later, a rCpsst Of hot fried OF
"smoLhered" chicken, ttewod oysters, Ton,
OF five kinds Of cold meat wsfties, hol
rolls, corn bread in divers ohspea, halter.
c3kCs, wafeIs-as thin % pspts, that
yielded CriRplg ia the tseth aud stimulst.
ed, not satisfied Appetite-damron, melon,
peach, ounce, strawberry and cherry pre-.
serves, homemade Cakes, tea, coffee and
great pitchers Of milk with all the cream
left on,
In spite Of the luxurious abundance Of
their menus, the ViIginisng oil that date
were Geldom Eosmsndigers. There was
little talk in well.hred Companies Of eating
and drinking, sumptnous fare was &c.
copied 40 q part Of their daily living, aud
even high ieasIs were never mere "ieeds."
II they fingered over their supper on this
evening II was In enjoyment olSoClRl con.
verse, not Of groager creative comforts.
The nlantatiou,ld was in his place
81 the Top VI the long drawlng,room when
tho hilarious bevy Auttered back thither.
Tho portlY host usually led % tho frat set
with tho hello Of the party, and his wife
was sometimes his Vie a Va. Churchly
elders who had ECruples about dancing III
general, we're Coaxed into taking the floor
lor this "onCe a year" As tho aloskstfGCb
twelve, they Joined hands ID swIas circle
and eaag, NAnld Lang syne't-or, quite
as otter, -"PyaiBo God from Whom Of
Blessings llow." They were nat ashamed
to name Him 70 whom all praise belong
Ia those brave, nimplO day6-that are NJ
more One more Get-ths Virginia reel
danced on Christmas night In the Mothe
Country to this time, under tho namO q
Sir Roger dc Coverly, aud tho warsail
bowl Of egg.nosg was brought III. A toAs
10 the heath aid hRppiHeas Of present ant
absent friends wRs drank, and the girls ha
took themselves to the ChpprS, SroWdel
chambers overhead, leaving tho men i