Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-22

-------------
Marselles vest. and black trousers.
whisked away the edbles before their
eyes and transported them to side-tables.
where stood stewards and carvers ready
to serve the dish that a guest might
name.
VIRGINIA COOKING.
Rich oyster soups invariably led OF at
these dinners; there were various kinds
OF fsh-white rock fish, sometimes three
feet long; shad, mullet, etc. As many or
the guests were naval and military om-
GERS. their wives, and other members OF
their families. the dinners in their pro-
fusion OF dishes and the ingenuity ana
perfection of their "old-Virginia cooking
We're designed TO remind them or the
finest dinners which ever they had eaten
outre mer-and probably the design was
more than successful. The hostess, from
her post at the head of the table, watch
full of the needs Of her guests, with
chances of the eye or with motions or
the delicate hands, directed the move
ments and quickened the intelligences or
the trained servitors TO the necessities
of every guest There was no waiting
or delay at these dinners-certainly not
for the guest-and at the intervals when
the successive courses were passing the
guests would Inu tne OluC4OuS Nditci a.
his elbow ready to fill his glass with wine
or receive his order for something more
solid Teneriffe. port, and champagne
were the favorite wines at dinner or
the kind Of which I write, and for those
who liked something stronger-some OF
the old commodores present, perhaps
there was plenty of Old London DOCK
brandy and West Indies rum. AS oppor-
tunity presented, strains from military
bands from Fort Monroe or the navy
yard added zest to these splendid dinners.
At such Christmas dinners as these in
the South in the old days, female colored
servants never were called upon to walt
at table by their masters or mistresses.
To do so would have been mira dig; the
function" was quite too important for
such a relaxing of discipline. / questioned
an old ex-Norfolk family servant, who
often in the ffties had served as head
steward at such dinners on the subject
of female walters.
mo, sr.'' exclaimed the old man.
somewhat reproachfully; "dey wasn't no
use for wimmen IN dat dinin' room; dat
was agin de law
EASTERN SHORE.
do not know how the Eastern Shore
OF Virginia Christmas dinners OF to-day
compare with those Of old, but i nope
they are as good. / am quite convinced,
however. that the cheerful, festive, ana
family features of the time of innocent
survive. that the eggnog and the cake
taste as sweet as of old. and that the
smackng OF youthful lips at the pillow
game" in the parlor Of the great house
Is as vigorous as ever 1t was.
What | have written above OF the
country Christmas observances in Nir-
| ginla-both as to the table and the
sports-was and is true, according TO
circumstances and opportunities, among
the people Of the South, generally. The
educated and well-to-do classes, always
proverblally hospitable and generous. dis
play these traits Of character TO a marked
| degree now as in the olden time.
The Christmas days in the South when
slavery was still an institution" In that
section, brought unalloyed enjoyment To
| the plantation slaves, young and old.
For them the foreshadowing OF the
| Christmas holidays pleasures lay In the
| Strengthening of oxen, sheep, and hogs,
which always took place few days be-
fore Christmas. They would do the kill
ing before great, blazing fires, which
made them forget that the ground was
frozen, perhaps. and that the cold was
biting. During those occasions they
| never lacked either the coveted supper
]
which were given to them 20 take e
their cabins.
In Mrs. Smedes's "Memoyials Of q
Southern Planter" from which ] already
have quoted, Il Is said: Music and cards
and games of all sorts filed up larg'
share of the days and half the nights
The plantation was as gay as the house
The negroes in their holiday clothes, wer'
enjoying themselves I'm their own houses
and in the great house, too. a visit o
a day to one of the neighboring town
was considered by them necessary TO tn
complete enjoyment of the holidays. The.
had their music and dancing. too. TIL
sound Of the nddles and banios. and tn
steady rhythm Of their dancing fee
noated on the air. day and night TO tn
'Burleigh' house"
In southern cities Christmas sports an
customs among the American element ar
about the same as elsewhere In tn
country. The firing of guns and pistols
the discharge Of firecrackers. Roman can
dies, and skyrockets are among the popu
lar sports.
EXHIBITIONS OF REVELRY.
During the holidays these exhibition
of revelry seem TO be the most apprecl
ated evidences OF Christmas among thei
youthful population. Generally. no hind
rance is placed by municipal authorit
TO this way of enjoying Christmas an
New Years. In the southern cities tn
Christmas dinner is almost universal. a
are also the attendant features Of SAINT
Claus and the Christmas tree. the cake
and wine and eggnog. the Christina
stocking bulging out with toys and car
, dies for the children. the assembling {
, friends in festive reunions and the salt
ff vi n
, Christmasl" to which many. anxious [
group all the good wishes OF the seaso
in one greeting add, And Happy Ne
, Year, At Christmas, also, the hand {
charity is ever wide open.
/ must add to this budget OF Christina
, observances something OF the manner |
which Christmas and New-Year's Da
, are celebrated in Louisiana among III
Creoles OF that State. who are the d,
scendants OF the Colonial French an
| Spanish populations. Both Christina:
; Day and New-Years Day-the latter {
. recent years-are feasts Of obligation
, the Catholic Church. Christmas Ev
among the Creoles is observed until mid
night by the reveilion, or vigil, or "keeT
ing wake" which is made the occasio
of feasting and hilarity. Among tn
sugar planters. II formerly was the Gus
tom for their families and their Christ
massive guests to spend some hours {
the night at the sugar-houses. where th
boiling of the juice OF the cane was
progress. There. palatable beverage
called win de came (wlne OF the cane
made from the juice Of the cane into
sort OF punch. is concocted. At midnigi
the feastlng and revelry end. the revei
lon Is over. and all attend the midnigt
mass at the parish church. The midnigt
mass was also formerly feature OF III
Creole Christmas-Eve in the towns an
cities. but II became common in som
places for noisy and more or less ntox
Gated men TO enter churches and distur
worshippers during the services There