Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-24

Sapientia-but please to saw Christmas
pie-mince pie is Puritanical." Iftlere
Is anv merit in eating mince pie, as mis-
association Of il with the holy sea son
seems to imply. then il Is the test of the
p'ety OF the Pilgrims of New Eugls nd.
Tor they and their descendants did not
hesitate to eat mince pie any day in the
year they could get IL. and had so N UGH
grace that they could take 1t with im.
puDity for breakfast on q summer IN ,rn-
ing.
In the fifteenth and sixteenth cent, ries
this whole season was given up to re wells
and jollity. in which eating and drinking
had prominent part.
Christmas was always a democ attic
festival. All classes mingled in the
games and merriment. and hospit Atty
was universal. An English gentleman
in the country, on Christmas day il. the
morning, had all his tenants and n,igh>
bors enter the hall by daybresk. The
strong beer was brosched, and the b ack-
jacks went plentifslly round. with toast,
sugar, nutmeg and good Cheshire oh .ese.
The great sausage (the Hacking, must be
boiled ut daybreak. and il it failed 10 be
ready. two young men must take the
cook by the arm and run her round the
market place till she was ashamed cf her
lsziness. The maids had, however some
privileges of retort. In some PLACES in
Oxfordshire it was the custom for the
maid servant to ask the man for ivy to
dress the house, and il the man
refused or neglected to fetch the ivy. the
maid stole pair Of bis breeches
and nailed them up to the gate in the
garden or highway. During the festival
days the tables were perpetually spread;
the sirloin Of beef. the minced pie, the
plum porridge, turkeys. geese and plum
puddings were all brought upon the board
at ouce. and every one ate heartily and
was welcome. so that the proverb origi-
mated of " It's merry in hall when boards
wag all" The gentlemen went to early
service in the church, and return ed TO
breakfast on Drawn and mustard and
mslmsey. Drawn was dish of great
antiquity. 1t was made of wild boars
| flesh.
Another dish. common in ShsksDesre's
day, which added at least TO the show OF
the feast, was the stately pye." tb at is.
peacock or pheasant pie. In the days of
chivalry the knights took their VOWS at
solemn feast, on presentation of roasted
peacock in golden dish. This custom
was kept up at Christmas by the bring.
ing in, on the most magnificent dish the
house could afford. of peacock H. pie,
preserving as much as possible tie form
of the bird. with the head elevated above
the crust, the besk richly gilt and the
beautiful tail spread out to its full ex-
tent.
The requisites for good Christmas fare
were plenty of good drink. blazing fire
in the hall. Drawn, pudding and souse,
and mustard with all beef, mutton and
pork. shred or minced pies of the best,
pig. veal. goose. capon. turkey, cheese.
apples and nuts, with jolly carols. When
the company tired of games and iomping
sports. it gathered about the rudy fire
and had tales Of legendary lore. adven-
lures OF knights and ladies and friars, of
strange sppsritions and ghosts. of
coaches on lonely noors drawn b. team
of headless horses driven by neadless
coachman, with graveyard passengers. OF
wonderful portents In nature. stories OF
true love wrapped in mystery AMI ending
in grief. and all sorts of ghostly reminis-
cences, which seemed as real as the dane
ing shadows which the light of the Yule
log cast upon the dusky timbers Of the
hall.
The custom OF decoration ly green
plants and flowers in all sorts of festivals
is as old as history. and the use of ever
greens at Christmas needs no explains
ton. nor is the custom any less christian
because IL is of immemorial use among
pagan nations. The mistletoe, however,
has a unique place. The Celtic people
and the Druids held it in the name ven
Grafton that the Romans did IL was
used by the Romans in religious ceremo-
mics, and 1t msy have been the golden
bough" Of the internal reggie ms. The
Druids gathered it against the festival of
the winter solstice with great holemnity,
the prince of the Druids cutting il him>
self with golden sickle. 1t was used as
a charm against evil spirits, and excel
lent medical properties are asciibed to it.
II was supposed TO possess thu power to
preserve from poison, and The mystic
property of giving fertility. kissing
under the mistletoe" may have had refer
ence to this ancient belief There was a
tradition that the maid who was not
kissed under the bough Of Ilistletoe at
Christmas would not be married during
the following year.
Many of these good old customs re-
main to add TO the merriment Of the fes>
tival. The Christmas tide IL essentially
merry. The JOY Of giving. combined with
the peace on earth and good will to all, .
which should attend il. make it an occa-
sion of great happiness and light hearts
edness.
In Rock Island there may be expected
the customary Christmas tress and Santa
Claus visitations that bring joy to the
little ones. the family gatherings, big din
ners. etc. Business will lie generally
suspended after noon, and the county
and city offices. banks. etc. will close,
while the postoffice will Close its business
department after Q q. m.
The sunday school Of the Ninth street
NJ. Z. church. had its Chris mas festival