Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-12-28
Old Virginia Xmas.

O!d virginia XmaS.
Il remember, remember" as Thos
Hood once sang, an old white stucco
house in Virginia, broad and rambling,
with unexpected wings and outer stair
ways, and the kitchen Offices connected
wish it by latticed walks.
1t stood amid grove of really noble
oak trees that III the first year of war
bowed their grand heads and fell crash
ing carthward in answer TO the order of
United States authorities to make q
breastworks against possible rebels ad-
vancing from Manassas upon Washing
ton. Around this dwelling stretched
undulating lawns, encircled in turn
with woods that were the fairy world Of
my childhood.
BY many besides the one who sum
mons this Renaissance the old place.
destroyed by war, will be remembered
with keen pleasure, torit was the grand
parental home of a large family accus-
toned to resort there for delightful long
southern visits, and at all times Of holi-
day.
Although the climate in that part of
Virginia does not by any means imply
warm Christmases, it is not to be count
ed en- for snowy ones, and great was our
youthful glee when white flakes falling
or Christmas-eve caused the servants
10 inform us that celestial goose-picking
had begun.
To recall the celebration of Christmas
in old Virginia should have TO dis
pense 9 hodgc-podge of souvenirs as
much material as sentimental. For
there is prominent the cooking part of
it, to whom the ladies Of the household
always lent nice care, and in which the
children took vivid interest. There
were loavcs of sugar to be watched in
the breaking, almonds TO be blanched
and crushed in rose water, icing to be
made to assume the t:accries OF frost
work on the pane.
Outdoors. | recall visit to Il quaint
little bright-cyed 'possum kept in bar
rel, of whom his negro captor told me,
smacking his lips TO my disgust, that
he'd make prime eatin' when he gifts
on a bed Of baked sweet 'taters Christ
mas night.
There were pig-tails roasted
and distributed among the child
ren by their negro admirers,
but of these Joys l tasted not. There
were calico bags of chinquapins 0asci-
mating little gold-brown baby chest
nuts, also brought into the house as
trophies from the colored people, and
big apples, with ears of popcorn, small
bottles Of abominable sweet-scent, and
boxes made of shells bought on their
visits to the neighboring towns.
In return we gave them whatever
our savings would allow us to contrib
ute. It was inevitable that the first
consideration of Christmas gifts,
whether from a child or adult, should
be for the servants of the household. [
know there was meaning, tender
ness, in these interchanges that one
never sees to-day in the presents count
ed upon and received with cool indif-
ference by the domestic staff ofmodern
days.
"The first Christmas l remember
ah me q gray mist surrounds it,
and | seem to be in the dawn of
crisp Virginia morning, nestled
in-now for shock to modern
hygiene-the depths of a Virginia
feather-bed, with some ostensibly slum-
bering elder bumped in warm cover
ings at my side. Detaching itself from
the line of the chimney-piece hangs
my stocking, OF which hasten to take
thrilled possession.
Truly-yes, fervently-I believed
that the treasures presently spread up
on the lluot-work quilt came to me in
an aerial sleigh driven by a jolly red
nosed man in furs. Whether it was ac-
tually swallows in the chimney-top or
flying squirrels gambolling upon our
caves, l believed sundry noises of the
night to be the pawniug of tiny chars-
ers on the roof.
This creed gave me years of unquali-
fed satisfaction. and when recently |
asked small person of six whether he
still believed in Santa Claus and he an
swered me in whitening good English
II never believed in Santa Claus l al
ways thought it was parents" felt
quenched and detected beyond reason.
At br lfast, with the sun looking
in the eight long windows of the din
ing-room and twinkling on the holly
and box-bushes under them, outside
one felt there was gala in the air.
Then we went to church, and after ii
we sat down, at o'clock. to q dinner
that lasted late in the afternoon. The
odd silver shown anew, and the jellies
quivered with satisfaction ut the fun
around the board.
In the evening we gathered about
the fire made upon the remnants OF
last years Yule log and told stories and
played games. There were six Win
dows curtained with red damask i'll the
drawing-room and several doors, in
and out ofwhich boys and dogs were
perpetually moving
The indoor games | remember best
al Christmas times in old Virginia after
the ceremony of rolling in the Yule log,
which would never roll, and was al
ways forcibly tugged by boy cousins
with excoriated hands and doubtful
tempers, were performed in high day
and holiday fashion, too dccorous to be
really to our taste. They took place
under the supervision ofmaiden aunts,
amid the red damask chairs and sofas,
girandoles and ostrich-eggs ofthe draw
ing-room, and enshrined sort of fear
ful joy.