Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-12-24
The GHOST Of CHRISTMAS EVE.
nr ,ExAron Il. Il. nInnLEnnnarn.

IrIullug 10 the IMtfffnHS com
| plimentary request that ! give it a
Christmas story. furnish only d
slender thread Of incidents inter
woven with the warp OF traditions
Hnd local characteristics belonging
% the Valley Of Virginia. 4 ma.
tive of the Valley can best appre-
ciate the Mosaic OF its population
and the continent streams of its civ.
llization. From these varied sources
have come many beautiful legends,
as we'll as many idle stories of
"spooks" and GHOSTS and "lair-
ics.' The race relations of the mar
ratOr will, in most cases, determine
the character of these stOries-oi-
ten ingenious and poetcal in inven-
ton, and always innocent in nara.
ton. The Valleys physical char
acleristics multiply its folklore, as
well as enhance its romance.-
An English traveller once said of
1t that its "beautiful prospects and
sylvan scenes, transparent streams
and majestic woods might tempt
princes to give "half their domin.
IONS for what the residents OF the
Valley possessed, viz: "Healtb.
content and tranquility Of mind.p
North OF Ireland people, mainly
Presbyterlans, located near Win
chester, building their "Opequan
Church, said to be among the old.
est churches in Virginia. Super.
added to the imagination of the
Irish race, they had the severe ac.
curacy Of the Scotch, with whom
they were intermingled by mar.
riage and religion. Joist Iite's
forty thousand acres in the Lower
Valley gave homes to many thrifty
Germans, who were to build Stras-
burg and develop the general re.
giOn lateral to the Massanutton
Mountain. These Germans were
honest citizens and hearty merry.
makers. They brought their re.
llglon, customs, traditions, cos.
tunes, sports, dances, and even
their supersiitions, from Fatherland
TO the Nirginian Arcadia. Wed.
dngs and social festivals of all
kinds were occasions of recreation
and iuu-maklng by these Germans,
who were Lutherans, Mennonites,
CalvlniSts and Thinkers. Sternly
religious, not all of them were
lnlmlcal to the social enjoyments
popular with young people. In
the Valley there was as little knowl-
edge then Of Sir Roger de Coverly
and the stately minuet as of the
racket aad other modern dances.
The yOang fellows of German birth
or paren'age who acted as grooms.
men in "white aprons, beautifully
as the chroniclers
tell, were bent upon their duty OF
protecting the brides slipper from
being stolen from her foot. Not
only did her dancing depend upon
the safety Of the slipper, but were
il lost, the grOOmSmcn must pay
bottle OF wine in Naturalization
The Germans Of the Valley, in the
simple costumes and sports brought
from Fatherland, were as full of
lest rs were the Irish in their ilgs, I
and neither scOldcd the other, while
HE Qnakers, true to their cOnvic-
tons, rcprObated hllarity and world F.
lness OF all kinds. 1t needs hardly F.
he assertion that the adventurous
iOuDg LOwlanders from tidewater /
'irglnla, who had drunk Give faith /
,mS deep to the English sovereign, /
md the colonial authorities, and .
he Established Church, at the Ra.
clgh Tavern, IN Williamsburg, did
iOt interfere with these diversions.
While these foX-hunting and horse.
acing Eastern NirgIuians, who
vent
with Spotiswood round the land
And Raleigh DER tine seas"
id not always attract the admira.
ion OF thrifty Germans, for their
Xpeusive and often reckless amuse.
rents, they intermlngled with our
alley people. In my native conn.
y, Shenandoah, rs in Rockingham,
'agc, augusta and Frederick, their
r>ccndintS are found in families
q whose hood are cOmmingled
ic manhood and womanhood Of
u the white races in this Valley,
Inch NrglnlanS are fond OF sig
aiizing is the West Augusta" 20
Inch Washington would have re.
reatcd Tor the last defence Of his
bleeding country" Nor were the
egro SuperStitiOns and anecdotes
Eastern Virginia wanting to the
,lklore Of the Valley. "Rrel' Rab.
itt' and "Brer' Fox" were tails
zen in the Valley, as well as in
ruckahoe.' The preponderance
( Partially was for the supernat-
raj and the preternatural, so illus
rated in the legends of Ireland and
Germany.
But | am to give the american a
christmas story, perhaps a badly.
Did ghost story. | heard it many
ears ago at more than one of the
OWNS along the Valley pike he.
ween Winchester and Staunton,
& whose hospitable inns, where
heery fires stimulated harmless
ossip and the telling OF strange in.
ldentS by "ileld and flood" In my
memory the presence of the listen.
X negro, old "Uncle Sampson
$ he was called in my native town,
: emphasized more than that of
he gentleman who was the nara.
Or, or OF any Of the gentlemen who
'eIe lager auditors of the personal
which years before had
cen told 10y one of the most learned
Irists in Virginia. lie had little
aspect tor superstitlons of any sort,