The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-30
SAVANNAH SOCIETY N 1850.
Ward McAnister Tells Bow Charm
ingly Interesting It Yves.
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From the Post Dispatch.
In 1912 the city of Savannah, in which
was born, was a very aristocratic town. Its
society was composed of planters and pro-
fessional men. Trade had no social footing
in it of any moment. The southern planter
was a born aristocrat He had literally as
much COVER In his sphere as any old feudal
lord His slaves we're the creatures of his
caprice and pleasure. The work of their
hands supported him. gave him his
position and influence, and he,
Iously nurtured and cared for
them. Their loss was his loss. l have seen
a southern planter leave a large dinner
party, jump into the saddle and ride nearly
twenty miles to care for a sick negro 1
have lived on plantation with 800 slaves,
all devotedly attached to their master, evil
dencing as much loyalty and fealty as an
Englishman to his sovereign and taking
great pride In their master and mistress.
In fifteen years of boyhood at the south,
seeing every phase OF plantation life. can
only say that l have witnessed no indi-
vidual scene of cruelty. Some hardship l
have seen, but no downright cruelty. The
only man whom / ever saw separate
families that is on being compelled to sell
all the negroes On a plantation) selling them
separately for profit, instead of in families,
was a hiA1hCAk'AAhls Ab SuCn dCb1Ou
murmur OF indignation went up In Savan-
nah and had the person remained he would
have been sent to Coventry. The life
of a successful planter was one of great
sunshine and pleasure. / well remember
James Potter the brother-in-law of
Commodore Stockholm, who had his sum
ner home at Princeton, N. j., and a fine
plantation, Cole Raine, which he inherited
from his father, on the banks of the Savan-
nah river, some six miles from Savannah.
carrying me over his 1-story brick wine
room and pointing out demijohn after demi-
John of his highly-priced old Madeira, with
the dates of the vintage carefully recorded
on the demijohn, and his pride in exhibiting
it, Then followed the calling up of the old
family coachman, and giving him his orders
for the day, when the family were to dine
a patriarch, all went with him,
wife and children, who gathered
around his neighbours festive board
where were displayed every delicacy that
the country could furnish. Then Madeira
was given first, last and all the time, from
the appearance of the old-fashioued mock
turtle soup, with its delicious force-meat
balls, to the dessert and Ice cream. In
those days ice cream was the event Of the
dinner, for at the south cream is a choice
commodity, hard TO get sweet and good,
but still they had it flanked with jellies,
Charlotte russo and what was then known
10 Savannah as "snow balls" Digit pound
cake covered with thick sugar coating.
dinner was an event. Every member
of the family felt that it was an occasion of
Importance. The old negro butler with his
assistant would slave over his decanters,
polishing them till you could see your face
in them. The boys of the family were dis
patched on their ponies to collect all the
celery they could find, for that, again was
rare and hard to get. The colored fisher
man was sent off to catch rockfsh, and at
daybreak the young negro huntsman went
in search OF game. You rarely sat down to
less than one wild turkey, a ham, haunoh
of venison and wild ducks. The ladies left
the table in single file at the conclusion of
of the dinner, the gentlemen all stand-
ing until the last had disappeared. The
folding doors were then closed, the cloth re-
moved and the cid black mahogany table,
shining like mirror, was covered with
Madeira decanters standing in silver castors
and at each plate was glass finger bowl
with four pipestem glasses on the sides just
touching the water. Round went the de-
cgnters, toast after toast was drunk, story
after story told, and then knew that in my
fathers house, ii the dinner was on
festival like Christmas or New Years, my
parent would burst forth in song with this
old English ballad:
LOfQ l6nny6On, ne was bold forester,
The keeper of the kings deer,
Lady Eleanor was fine woman,
Lord Thomas he loved her dear.
Bravely going through it, though he knew
not a note of music and had no song In
him; still there we're bright fires, great
southern hospitality, endless talk on wines,
considerable drinking, and a grand total of
great spirit, enjoyment and Ego" in the
whole affair
In those days, in the city Of Savannah
itself, there were many accomplished, high
bred ladies, who would have been brilliant
ornaments to any society,"" They enter
tanned of an evening charmingly, in a way
we would now call very simple. It was a
style of entertainment, however, that even
would be appreciated in the old Faubourg
at Paris, for be it known, in that cherished
circle the like simplicity i'll entertaining,
provided it is beyond criticism. Its very
simplicity evidences great refinement and
taste. At these evening receptions
there was always buffet table"
in one of the rooms of American
chicken salad such as no French
man cap make. American ice cream, the
best III the world, made of pure cream,
stewed oysters, such as you never see in
these modern days, and thin bread and but
ter, with huge punch bowl OF Jamaica
rum punch, while in the early part of the
evening both tea and coffee were served.
Terrapin then formed no pat of the supper,
as at the south. They always made soup of
them for their dinners, and never served
them at supper, as we do. Pate de foie gras
was then also unknown, but where one gets
oysters in perfection mot cooked up and
thickened with -four and milk, perfect
chicken salad, good ice cream with plenty of
champagne, it is all one needs at any sup
per. When they gave grand public balls or
private balls supper was provided with
venison and game in abundance. In those
times there were no elaborate toilets, there
was great simplicity Of dress, woman's con-
quests we're made by the charms aud graces
given them by nature rather than by the
art OF women modistes aad men milliners.
There was then great refinement, delicacy
and much cultivation among the women
and the men prided themselves. above all
things in being gentlemen. This gave tone
to society. Money had In no sense the power
it has now. Birth. breeding and cultiva-
ton we're the requisites society demanded
as passport to its inner circle. In those
days. both in New York, Philadelphia and
Boston, they entertainment in the same
simple way. Old Peter van DYKE IA COLI
ored mani gave all the fashionable suppers
in New York. Ducks were about the only
addition to the southern buffet.
The real fashionable life of New York,
the creation OF smart set," began with
Mrs. Isaac and Mrs Colford Jones. They
then took the initiative in all entertainments.
Miss Jones marrying Woodbury. Lanpdou.