The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-30

In Frcdericksburg-Tius Hospitality Now
as Then.


1t was hundred years ago. and as II ex
fists to-day. Then the city was not com
pactiy built as now, but was rather Z
confederation OF country seats, surround
ed by beautiful lawns and gardens. clus
| scred around a nucleus OF a few busJ
streets.
The aristocratic danes who dwelt ir
these old homesteads went abroad IN
their coaches. were served by a multipli
city Of servants. and kept open house al
the year round. Yet their lives and THEN
manner of entertaining were characterized
| by simplicity unknown at tho present
day in social circles ne appointments
OF their dning-rooms. bedrooms and par
lors. would provoke a smile of amused
pity from their great-granddaughters
who are accustomed 10 modern improve
ments, and invention, and artistic deco
ration.
Instead Of the modern drawing-room
with its luxurious furnishing. its oriental
draper.es and dainty devices TO allure
the eye, its downy couch. piled high with
| fluffy pillows the huge lamps sOftened
TO q roseate glow with siiken shades: the
parlor of lang syne was usually a low
| ceiled apartment, with waxed and polish
! ed floor which In garniture and arrange
mel,t would appear very stiff and meagro
TO the fin de steele belle. The inevitable
hair-cloth sofa. Of rigid and forbidden
outline and immense proportions. claw
| footed and sombre.
Grave, indeed must have been the
spirit that could whisper tender nothings
| upon anything so suggestive Of cata-
| falque with a back TO it, Some high
| backed curiously- mahogany
| chairs. an ottoman. which, In its embroid-
cry, represented the patient needle-work
Of years. and spinet or Harp in one
! corner. generally constituted the furniture.
| Wax candles, in silver candlesticks. shed
a soft. dim light from one high-carved,
wooden mantei, and family portraits
| adorned the walls. The small and nu-
| merous windows were hung with simple
muslin.
ENTERTAINED pROFUsRLY.
Dinner parties were very unlike the
present formal social function. with its
length OF courses and dainty intricate
menu The mistress OF the house invited
The guests she delighted to honor, at
high noon, and when carriage after car
riage had rolled to the door and deposited
It's burden Of brocaded danes and beruf-
fed and silver-buckled "gallants," the
company sat down 10 a table set forth
with snowy drapory and willow china
and laden with an abundance and variety
Of substantial viands that seems incredi-
lie. Emphatically protusion was not
considered vulgar in those days OF over
fioS1ng plenty Hams. turkeys, rounds
Of beef. saddles OF mutton dn the plural
be it understood). not to mention smaller
fry. were all thought necessary 20 any
festal board. and. II the list was not
completed, the lady of the house was
considered to have a very poor effort, in
deed.
Verify. our forofathcrs must have had
immense gastronomic abilities.
1t is told by Colonel Byrd Willis, one
Of the wcll-known citizens OF that time,
that ne was wont TO assert that "a turkey
was q very inconvonient bird too much
for one person. and not enough for two"
Contrast the teas" too. Now one puts
on ones best bib and tucker. and sallies
forth I'm the afternoon 10 become one Of
q hundred or two others on social
thoughts intent, and. with them. in "A
more or less flushed and crushed condition,
10 receive "A thimbleful Of chocolate. a
mOrsel Of cake. and a soupcon Of punch
from q hevy Of eXquisitely- gowned and
distractingly pretty dobutantes. Fifteen
or twenty minutes after one energies
somewhat brcathless. but happy. in the
consciousness Of social duty performed.
In those by-gone days a tea" meant
something widely different from this.
The "neighbors" who were invited begun
10 arrive at early candle-light, and the
shining. mahogany table was freighted
with a bounieous supply OF hot loaves,
mullins. waflies, pink-tinted ham. and
broiled chickens, quiverng jellies and
golden cake. amber preserves and crys-
talline. green sweetmeats, the latter often !
as old as the hostess. 1t was considered |
as important for the mellowing touch OF |
TINE 70 he upon the sweetmeats as upon |
the wine.
CARDS WE'RE POPULAR.
Afterwards there was . rubbet Of whist !
or a few games OF cribbage; some sweet |
voiced maiden sang a tender love song.
her white fingers strayiug over the strings |
of the harp, or the ivory keys OF the /
sDinet. Then the masculine element |
would discuss the affairs Of the country |
ct may be that some of them were we'll
known patriots and statesmen OF their
time, and the feminine contingent would
ind more interesting matter In the state
Of their households and the newest thing
in pelisses
IN these degenerate days the up-to-date
girl goes 10 a german at 10 o'clock. dances
for two hours. and comes home quite
tagged out Then q ball was a ball and
our sreat-erandmOihers danced from
dusk till daylight. and talked about it
for six months after.
Speaking of balls. probably the largest
md most noted which ever occurred IN
fredericksburg was that given in honor
of the Marquis de La Fayctte I'm ls2i ut
The "Rising Sun Tavern" But the most
Important social event was a wedding.
not one Of the acknowledgements
)n-the-train kind In vogue now. but one
which It took a week to celebrate. The
ceremony was hardly considered valid
lnless the festivities were kept up for
liz or seven consecutive days, Sc being "A
'oint of honor that every near relation or
friends on either side should entertain the |
lrdiai party. Relatives came from far
md near. with their men-servants and
naid-servants. their carriages and horses,
'ailroads being unknown; travelling in
mes own coach for days together was
he usual means Of journeying from point
o point. The idea of accomplishing a
hundred miles In two or three hours would !
ave sounded downright impious, sug-
'estive OF traffic with the evil one.
II frequently happened that the sons
Z the household were sent abroad TO be
ducated, and IL Is fact vouched for that
Or. William s. Scott. one OF the best
nown physicians OF his day In this city.
Tas present at the dinner at which Sir
Walter Scott publicly avowed his author
hip OF the Waverly novels. making. of
curse. great sensation. for. though the
act had long been suspected in literary
ircles. he had never owned II before.
'r Scott was a medical student at the
me. pursuing his studies in Scotland.
lie has been dead many years but the
tory is well remembered in his family. ,
TRIP BEAUTY or HrR sriTr.
Perhaps the most celebrated beauty and /
ellie that Fredericksburg ever produced
oc III. - |