The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1892-01-01

pany in those days was no trouble: hos
pltality WAS as easy MS breathing, and
when bedtime came the girls We're con-
tent to bunch" in the big spare rooms,
while the G.A @illants slept on the cotton
seed spread ewhere on some conven-
lent Hoor. After supper-and such sup
perl the plantation fiddler took his
place, and then the fun began. Fore
an back two; tu' n yo pa tner at de corner;
shasha all 'roun; my Lor. ole massa, yo'
Spite eberythingr' and away the young
people, led by the host and hostess, would
| go in the mazes of cotillon and country
dance until the Virginia reel announced
sport ended for the night.
Before the faintest streak of dawn ap-
peared to warrant the assumption that
Christmas had really come, Santa Claus
himself could not be more alert than old
Daddy Ben, when with stalwart arms
piled high with cut wood and flaming
light God" knot in his hand he crept
through the never locked doors of the
big house into the chamber where the
master and mistress We're still asleep
and threw his burden on the floor. But
Daddy Ben's noisiness is well under
stood maneuver to break the slumber of
the "w'ite folks, so that he may catch
them with his "Chrismus gif. massa;
Chrisnus gif' missus. and the slightest
rustic of the bedclothes is warrant
enough for the suspension of the fire
building process, while he rises to his
feet and In stentorian tones shouts his
greeting
Then he goes off chuckling to the
other bedchambers in the house to re-
peat his ruthless enterprise there. Close
behind follows old Aunt 'Riah, and as
she thrusts her turbaned head in the
door there's another glad cry of Chris
mus gift, massa; Christmas gif'. missus."
By this time. July finds pretext for in
trusion in gathering up the family shoes
to blacken, and he too, makes the grand
rounds. Then come Judy and Bee and
Car'line and Phillis and Cynthy and
Scipio, the carriage driver, and the rest
of the army of house hands who SO
clogged the domestic machinery in those
lavish days, each repeating the formula
of Daddy Ben. until the angel of sleep
is fairly routed and the family good
naturally resign themselves to the fusil-
lade of Christmas greetings from the
woolly heads that have grown gray in
faithful service.
Before breakfast the guests have been
refreshed with a cup Of coffee. milk
punch or peach and honey" After
ward they assems..e OF the piazza to
witness the distribution of the gifts.
First come the yard folks" according
to seniority. and next the field hands"
the latter frequently numbering hum
oreds, aud each receives Il useful pres-
ent. The WOMEN receive b.:ndannas.
dresses, shaw and articles in bright
coiors: the me. receive jackets, trousers,
comforters fancy pipes and tobacc ): the
children caps shoes, calico dresses.
worsted hoods and sacks, in addition to
which are needles. thread buttons, scis-
sors. etc, for the heads of families Then
warm punch and eggnog, previously
provided in huge buckets. are set ont on
the lawn, and as the people file by. each
to quaff his rupful there is again the
merry Christmas" and "God bless yo'"
from every lip.
Still one more custom remains. in |
which hosts and guests alike participate,
namely the throwing of handouts of dimes /
to the youngsters. and the leaping. heap |
ing. squirming. scramtling mass of legs
and arms and woolly heads and shining !
eyes makes sport unrivaled even by the |
brushes" of a college football team This
frolic over, the horses are brought ont
for gallop, or perhaps race between
some of the thoroughbreds. or it may he !
that a fox is started by the hounds. In
the afternoon there is more dancing on 1
the piazzas; and so from morning until /