The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-01-18
OLD CUSTOMS IN CHARLESTON.
HOW OUR rGRAND-MOTHERs
LIVED.

LIVED.
The Style and Manner I'm Which They
Were Christened, Married and
tions.
(Mrs. Hartwell NJ. Aver in Sunday News.)
In all the length and breadth of our
land there is no city whose early his
tory, both social and political, is more
interesting than that OF our own
Charleston. In Ante-Revolutionary
days, almost from the time the first
colony was planted, Charleston was
the centre of Southern literature and
culture. and down to the. time of the
civil war Charleston was one of the
richest cities in the Union and no
where was more refined and elegant
society to be met with.
There is much that is interesting in
the history OF our colonial and munich
pal government, but for us women it
is probable that most of the interest
centres in the personality of the people
themselves. How they lived; how
they enjoyed themselves at their so
cial functions; how they were chris
tened, how married !; how they buried
stheir dead, xand sin what manner thev
-mUurncu -rnefYf:- KIT Jnfs nus fTvTng
interest for US, whose ancestors those
old Charlestonians were. Their quaint
old tom bstOnes are enough to set us
wondering, as we stroll Through the
graveyards of ST. Phillips and the Cir
cular Church. And though their
stately marble virtues may be in sharp
contrast to their pitiful human feel
ings, we will be contented to let the
evil be inferred with their bones, and
speak of only what Is. good and pleas
ant. -.
In the first place DO 1t understood
this paper does not tell of Ante-Revo-
lutionary Charleston. The customs of
which l write are those of the 20's and
30's-in fact they are written down
just as they were told the writer by
lady who is, herself, most lovely
and charming bit of old Charleston
and true type of her kind. She has
lived more than her three-score and
ten years, and yet preserves her
brightness, her elegance and charm of
manner, and tells OF the departed days
of her youth with an animation and in
terest that makes it a pleasure and a
privilege to listen to her.
To begin with, the Charlestonian OF
that day was, upon enteringathe world,
received with rejoicing, and all visitors
were offered cake and wine when they
conner had condescended to honor with
it's presence. Then, while yet q tender
infant, 1T made its triumphant entree
into society at It's christening, which
was a very imposing and elaborate
ceremony. On that grand day all
friends of the parents were hidden to
the church, where the precious mite
was the cynosure Of all eyes, and the
baptismal ceremony was gone through
with. Upon returning home cake and
wine were again offered to the invited
guests who had assembled. or, in some
cases, dinner party was given in
honor OF the infant, especially il it
were son. Or, if neither OF these
were done, cake was sent to friends
and relatives, much as wedding cake
is now.
The toilet of the infant upon the
baptismal day was very elegant-a
long robe, usually of imported, hand
embroidered French muslin, with
dainty shoulder knots of colored rib.
bon and confined at the waist by a
band of embroidery, under which
showed ribbon of the same color as the
shoulder knots. Upon its head was a
tiny cap close fitting, (the closer the
better,) and having around the face a
full ruchrhg of real thread lace.
Probably the most imposing feature
of the occasion was the "maumer, 4"
(the "dah " was OF later origin) in
whose arms the hero or heroine of the
occasion was borne. This individual
needs especial mention. Her frock
was, of course, immediately neat, and
she wore great checked gingham
apron. She would have scorned to ap-
pear without large and very white
handkerchief tucked in her belt. But
her head-dress In those days sugar
came always in large loavos, over
which was fitted a pastebOard cover
ing, very high and round, for the bet
ter protection of the sugar. These
coverings were eagerly seized upon by
the old maumas lover whose heads
they exactly titted) and were used as
foundations for their head dresses,
which were bandanna handkerchiefs
of the most gorgeous colors obtainable.
1t was often the case that the mau-
ma into whose care the little one was
given had nursed it's father or mother
before it-maybe been maid for one of
its grandmothers, when both were
girls. And never were children more
lovingly cared for, more willingly
waited upon, than by the black hands
OF these same maumaS.
And now, supposing the Charlie ston-
ian of that day to have to have been a
girl, when she reached the proper age
she was sent to an aristocratic school
for young ladies. There were two OF
these, and between them existed a
great rivalry. One was Madame Tai
vande's, and was situated at the cor
ner Of Tradd and Legare streets in the
house which is now the home ofJudge
Simonton. The other was Miss Dat
ty's, and was kept at one time in Le-
gare street, in the house now occu pied
by Major Augustine Smythe, and at
another in the house in Glebe street
next but one to the corner of Went
worth. While at the latter place it
was boarding school, and one morn
ing there was CONSERVATION among
teachers and pupils alike for when they
arose they found that some miscreant
had during the night fastened over the
gate sign, upon which was painted
in large and conspicuous letters, "The
Nunnery OF ST. Datty."
To this school came girls from all
the Southern States and even from Gu
ba. One pupil, lovely Cuban. was