The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-01-03
JUDGE EDWARD STAKE.
He Gives Very Interesting Account
OF Christmas Thirty Years AGO.

OF Christmas Thirty Years Ago,
When the judge of the court
turns away a moment from the
stern, matter of fact and precise
calculations Of the law to the brigh-
ter and more cheerful reflections of
human happiness and the best wav
to secure it, his words fall with a
singular weight upon those accus-
toned to hearing him deal out axi
oms of Jurisprudence from the bench
Judge Edward Stake has made a
seasonable departure in this partic-
ular, by giving to the Baltimore
4merican the following interesting
account of Christmas thirty years
ago:
Snoro = e..,aiffieult to contemplate
arurt,s.s s.ssfllklng example of the change
IN the hs'Hf1ts and tastes qf the .nen.
pie than is fotrnd-in contrast Of
the observance Of Christmas at the
present time and the manner of its
celebration thirty years ago. In it
is reflected the story of a people
whose lives have in little more
than a quarter of a century under
gone complete transition from
state of utter simplicity to one of
great luxury. What then served to
bring to the hearts Of the young,
joys and memories the tenderest
and most lasting, would now be
scoffed at and regarded with dis
dain by the same classes no further
removed from those on the same
plane of life.
"My first recollection of the great
; holiday of holidays was as a boy in
; a country village, some thirty odd
, years ago. 1t was, as it is today,
a quiet little place, containing q
population of about fifteen hundred
, people, plain, honest and thrifty.
: The tastes Of these people were sim
pie and modest IN the extreme, and
in these humble homes were exem-
, plifed and reflected the habits and
customs of a well-regulated and or
derly community, knowing not the
meaning of luxury, and yet stran-
gers to want. The village was the
9 resort of large number of colored
: people, who found employment on
o the farms nearby.
"'The postofice was kept by one
of the merchants, and here, from
the day preceding Christmas until
New Years day, was spread out on
!, long table collection of sim pie
toys, candies and SIN Ill articles. 10
assemble at this store on Christmas
9 Day, and feast their eyes in wonder
a and amazement, was the delight OF
y the children Of the village. Occa-
{ sionally child who was fortunate
in having a little money would
) proudly make purchase of some
toy. When the holiday season was
over these toys would be gathered
d, up and stored away for the next
) seasons display.
cit was customary for the fami-
lies-and but few were too poor to
practice ito bake few cakes in
anticipation Of the day, and these
principally comprised the gifts and
good cheer Of this festal occasion.
!. During the day the aged and infrm
colored persons Of the village would
appear, expecting, perchance, glass
of grog and few cakes from the
, we'll to do families. The colored
people had a church, and as early
as three or four o'clock on Christ
. mas morning they would assemble
there and sally out, marching
. through the streets of the village,
singing hymns with a peculiar spirit
+ and melody.
cit is difficult at this day to de-
' scribe the charm of this quaint old
' practice of these simple people.
. Whether it was a mere imitation of
f the old English practice Of singing
Christmas carols, which some of
: the early settlers had handed down
by tradition, or whether it was to
f signify day of freedom from their
slavery, | have never been able to
learn. 1t was local, and confined
r to the village, and comes back to
: me with peculiar charm across the
: flight of years.
{ "Following the German custom
of their ancestors-for most of the
Y population were descendants from
Y German settlers-the afternoon of
: the day was usually devoted to a
= display of skill in shooting at tar
get, where the contest would be
/ carried on until the setting sun
closed on day of peace and inno-
l cent joy and happiness,
9 "As we advance IN years, Christ
mas becomes a memory, the choic-
est and most cherished in the store
house of our minds, to which we
turn with rare pleasure and delight,
while from 1t radiates recollectlons