The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-27
THE OLD-TIME BARBECUES.
POLITICS AND PRovENDER OF
THE PAST.
The Gathering of the CLASH Prepare
tions for the whisky Toddies
and stump Speakers-iun, froiic' Right
ing. aud Eating.

things. Like great many OF the old time
customs, they are preserved only IN their
scmblancc. In the oldcn days. they were
occasions at which the aspiring politician
vauntcd his opinions. met his peers and dis
cusscd in feeling and patriotic accents the
issues Of the day. Newspapers were then
not 80 numerous a. now. but were read
closely. and were oraclcs of political sort.
There were no free schools. but
BY contact and aitriuon, minute
information Of matters Of public concern
went the rounds, and the deepest interest IN
PARTY affairs was evidenced by the masses.
The barbecue was load stone that drew
crowd in spite Of rival political FEELINGS
wings and Democrats went 10 them' along
the same road eat at the same table. drank
from the same tub Of whisky. and quarfccd
over the same leg Of mutton or RIB OF shoal'
in advocating the merits Of their respective
leaders. The way The barbecue was soiton
M was this. An aspiring politician would
announce. that at some spring in the woods.
or some cross road grocery. called n me
lingo Of the times a store. that he would
announce himeclfa candidate for Office. ana
that he and Colonel and MAJOR
would speak 20 the people upon the
great issues Of the day. These notices
and nailed 10 the trees. along the highways.
upon the store doors and every whcelwrgbt
and blacksmith shops door In the ncighDor
hood under the caption in large letters Oh
"noticc." Then the talk Of the affair would
commence. Men AT church. al the country
posiofice and everywhere that they met
would talk about the approaching event.
and back their remarks with bets as 10 the
superiority as a speaker. mat the 'oiohei
possessed over the Major.
ALL BY ONE MAN.
sometimes one man gave the barbecue,
Tor these were not stinicd times. when cur
rency was ably discussed publicly
aid secretly hoard'd. At other times,
10 make il democratic. several gentle
men threw In and furnished shoais.
lambs and whisky in abundance Trained
huntsmen went out the evening before the
barbecue and brought In the next
morning hundreds OF squirrels for the
stew. The pit for barb, cuing was also
dug the night before. II was generally
about three feet wide. nearly as deep. ana
as long rs might be required to accommodate
the lamb and shoat that would simmer
uycrthe bed of Goals al its bottom. \ hfe
was kindlcd i'm the pit twelve hours ln hd-
vance of the time when the meat would be
nut on the cross-sapings 20 cook. This was
done 10 harden the sides of the pit
in order 10 make the heat gem
eral. ANA secure steady and even
roasting Next morning. the day %. the
barbecue. "a gang Of negroes, under the
charge Of some veteran manager, would Zoe
on the ground by sun up. Oak bark fires
would be- started in the pit, the slaughtered
meat. which had been brought from
adjacent farms, would be- washed
with clean spring water. and as soon
as the bark turned % red hot Goals Of ilic,
would b. spread upon the green poles across
the pit without having been cut up at all.
LARD AND VINEGAR.
long pole with a mop az one end would
now and then be- dipped into "a large pot of
melted lard and vinegar. and then the artist.
with his left hand up 10 his forehead, would
soak the various places that were browning
too fast on the lamb or pig. and the salt.
black and red pepper, vinegar and lard
would soak into the meat as u slowly
cooked. adding "a flavor 20 II that made the
Virginia barbecue famous. Meanwhile
big fire had been raised. and huge pots. iull
Of squirrel meat ealiOping round ana
round in them, hung over the lrc
Nothing has ever been discovered that eN-
GELS "A stew made ont of squirrels and made
after the fashion prevalent in Eastern Nir-
ginia. The bread was baked In huge
ovens. ON the spot and IL was al
WAYS corn bread. Nothing else would
De tolerated. The whisky came in
five and tcn-gallon runlcts, sometimes IN
barrels. II was considered an iudlspensi-
BILE part of the arrangement. Great tubs
were washed clean. and sweet. cool spring
water was put In them. and sugar hy the
pound added Then the whisky was poured
in. The ratio of wafer 10 whisky was very
small.
While all tins was going on at the barbe-
cue ground. the sulragans were making
their way toward the spot They came in
troops on horseback, laughing. talking and
chewing tobacco as they spurred their
steeds through the woods and along the
fields. i'm WAGONS and all sorts OF vehicles.
until when 10 O'Clock had arrived. every
surviving limb iu the neighOorhoOd had "a
horse tied 10 it. and tie entire
ground was surrounded with vehicles and
neiphinr steeds. The first thing done
was 10 take a drink. Some took IL straight,
but the old men. who knew there was plen-
~ and whole day before them, squatted
on rude seats, and slipped tOddes. As the
crowd increased. each newcomer took "a
drink. The ncighbOrhOOd jester was on
hand. and always surrounded bN crowd
eager 10 hear from him. His stories had "a
freshness and application that made mem
enjoyable. Now and then song varied The
programme. Laughter, Jokes, grave politi-
cal discussion aud genuine enjoyment made
"a pretty picture of unseliish freedom and
perfect pleasure.
At noon. or very soon thereafter, for the
people of the past were early risers anu mao
famous appciites, a voice would be heard
calling. 80. yes: O. yes: walk up gentlemen
and pet vourd dinner" This had been spread
upon "a long table made of rough plank,
resting upOn pieces of timber that were held
up bV wooden forks driven i'm the ground
Plates were plentiful. knives and forks
scarce The delicious barbecue was plen'
iifully distributed IN large wooden trays az
short distances from each 0ther. Inc hunks
OF bread were scattered from one END
of the table 10 the other. and the men
surgcd backward and forward, 'hring and
falling back" a. they expressed, untll tue
table looked like a cyclone had struck IT.
Pocket knives were drawn from the cavern
Gus depths OF pockets. the tobacco crumbs
knocked from their handles by gentle taps
ON the thigh and then the keen blades Were
made 10 shave the shanks and ribs OF These
choice bits Of barbecue. Dinner over. the
goose ouin tOOthpick did duty, as each n
turn slakcd his thirst, and then the an
nounccment would be made that the Col
Onel would address the crowd.
Sometimes stand would be erected
under "A large tree: sometimes the speaker
stood on a big stump, and sometimes, oMin-
30 the topography of the place. he stood on
the ground. facing the crowd that occupied
the slOping side OF hill an mont Oh
him. The old stump speakers were
close observers Of mankind. Which
much the same under all circumstances
and the bait for votes that was thrown oul
in the DAYS of free holders contained just az
much subtle deceit as that which chalac
tcrizes these DAYS Of hlOOd-born universal
suffrage. But tue public bit az the bal
then. and they bite now. and perhaps there
is not much difference Ina the happiness
now and then. Sometimes hot words
would be let fall. and then
fist aud skull fight would var,
the mopotonv of the proceedings. "iair PLAY
and no gOuginc," would be demanded, ane
a bully or two would see that ii Nas en-
forced. and the CRY of "'nuh, take hin
way usually ended the tight, leaving lh'
participants with a mashed nose and q
maulcd eve. Al such places, men who's,
names are now well known in the political
annals Of state made their maiden speeches
and had planted in them the fires of pOliti.
RffrfHN