Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-22
SOCIETY AT XMAS.
b. Life Of Folks 0. Fashion Now al
lis 2snith.
LAST WEEK A VERY GAY ONE.
Tho Assembly One of the Most Brit
liant entertainments I'm Our HIS
.rx.uinrs mt the Womun's
c,ub--cermaas and Receptions.

"a, christmas no more desire rose
Than with a snow in Mays new-fang!ed
mir;h."
The exquisite rose when reaches ''s
highest perfection at Christmas "ouiu
have inspired poem itself from inc
ready pen OF the eloquent scribe 1hese
ere the days when everybody loves 'ue
Christmas rose. and the Christmas violet,
too. The love for the beautiful anu
aesthetic In the keeping Of days and ann
vera,ries has increased tenfoid IN THESE
latter days. Only a few years aSo
blooming plant at Christmas was '"i'
sight anywhere. and not common even III
conservatories. The horticultural ART mas
reached It's perfection, when certain Typ.
%, flowers can be made TO bloom ana
n-;s,ten Christmas. others 10 reach theh
nsoSee, nerfection at Easter, ana the
.,orgeous chrVsanthemum TO tinge the au,
,,rnnal ea-th with its colcrs or goio ahu
white and crimson just ~ uihe io' -"
1,bankseiying season. The hcily VIII e'ei
80 ,vnical Of Christmas with us; its soar
let berries and polished foliage are sus
eestive of good cheer ana merry sa.nei
ings. and its clusters heautiiuliy aruste
bv nature. as al beauty IN nature - oi'iS
perfected art. $1,000 $3.50 -.
tine of an kinds custom has nxed Boou
many things. the reasons for when are
mi Immediately apparent, yet little con
sheraton brings to light a cause 'housn
the origin may have occurred IONS cen
turtles ago. 49,, ..,,-
with the Christmas festival there natn-
rally exists the idea of feast-not as tne
principal OF distinguishing Observance pu'
as one Of its accessories. ms tactoi
doubtless came from the neatheh ieS.'
vsis which the Christian day was inau-
.,nrotad 10 dtsnlace and from which II
Is borrowed our great-great-sr anulathers
kept the Christmas feast In joviai fash-
ion. for every dish placed smoking on the
board had a peculiar signihcdhce OF us
own. and was invested with a halo OF
traditional and time-honored ASSOCIATIONS
The niece de resistance Of the Christmas
fea-ts of those days was the boar he"u.
with an apple or lemon IN the mouth set
off with decoration OF holly. and supple
rnented by sundry rich and complex
dishes of which we have still the plum
pudding and mince-pe as SURVIVORS Grac-
raliv as the nature of the celebration
softened somewhat, the pncouth boar
head gave place TO the roasted peacovh'
which came into universal faV0r-a ulsn
which must have sorely tested the COOK
skill and have been more decorative IMAM
toothsome The skin, with the plpinase
attached. was stripped off. the Dird stuI-
fed and roasted with sweet herbs, the
gorgeous feathers were again replaced
is aided beak held bit OF cotton, satu-
rated with alcohol 1t was the privilege
Of the fairest lady to carry on this dish,
and Of the most hOnOred guest 10 carve
II When a particularly ambitious art
effect was desired. the peacock was
served up In pie. its plumed head anu
crest appearing over one side or the ulsh'
and its magnificent tail sweeping the
table from the other. II was but a step
from this handsome and convenient dish
To the christmas goose" which became
IN the majority Of the homes of the Ilch
and the poor. the centre of the Ieast. NO
custom was ever more universal than that
OF cooking the goose on festive occa-
sions. and many amusing proverbs grew
ont Of IL The goose hung high" in Eng
land until the American Colonies, when
swarmed with wild turkeys, adopted that
bird as the distinguishing factor IN the
THANKSGIVING feasts Of the transatianuc
settlers. There being no Thanksgiving
nav in Great Britain, the nearest APP
proach thereto was the Christmas feast
and that best OF all food birds, the turkey
was adopted as the typical bird OF me
occasion and for nearly two centuries
has held the place Of honor in the mother
country as well as in America.
Tho festivities Of Christmas have al
ready begun; the past week has beer
niled by entertainments marked by un
us,,al elaboration as 10 decoration anC
srmntousness. The first Assembly,
which took place on Thursday evening
81 the Jefferson, was one OF the mos
brilliant and artistic entertainments eve
given In Richmond Two bands OF musi
made the magnificent court and CORR
doris. banquet halls, and reception-rc ON
ring with delightful music. The arrange
ments were perfect for the comfort an
pleasure of every guest; the costume
were the most tasteful and elegant eve
worn here; the supper was what wa
claimed for it-a really magnificent ban
quet. Truly. the committees IN charg
deserve credit Tor the successful crown
ing OF their efforts. The Assembly
1ns a long-felt want In Richmond SC
ciety: the married people are accorde
their rights in this one organization an
the young people are admitted TO larg
share in their pleasures.
The elegant reception by the tel
OF the American Revolution. 10 . &c hi:
tor1cai societies, the Sons OF the America
Revolution. OF which Mr.. W. w Henry
president; the Sons OF the Revolution
Of which Mr.. j. Aston Cabell is pres
dent. and the Sons OF Colonial Wars
took place at the Jefferson on Monda
evening. Miss Perkins. as the presld
ing genius and essayist OF the occasion
was very graceful and attractive. an
was handsomely coStumed In Dresde
satin. She was assisted by Mrs. Jane
Lyons. Nj George Mayo, Mrs. w. W
Henry. Mrs. Decatur Axtell. AIRS. Ed
mund s,rudwick. Mrs. Herbert !
Claiborne Mrs. James Aston Cabel
and sf'sses Katherine Halves, Mary Man
y newton, Nellie Boyltin. Maj
Lew sallie Marshall Lou Adkin
and Misses Glasgow and Walden. Mr.
Axfrirs voice was exquisite IN the rend
ton OF 1.-THE Etar-Spangled Banner
Miss Perilins's paper was interesting
matter and elegant in dction Mis-
West was most happy In her recitatio
OF "The Boston Tea Party" and M
McCabc, I'm his toast at supper, mad
many witty sallies in referring to n
Revolutionary ancestor, whom ne repr'
scented: his pronounced opposition
''tas." and recalled the fact that. In thi
respect. he had emulated his virtues.
The ship was placed on a table In n
banquei-room. and was laden with
little chests OF tea, rs souvenirs. Ca
was tied with ribbons. and had ca
ATTACHED bearing the name OF the guei
These were sent from the Oriental T
Company. Boston.
TX was greatly regretted that the
gent. Mrs. Barton II. Wise was pi
vented from doing the honors by /
rcavemcnt in her family.
The Woman's Club has had an M
usually attractive week OF literary nile