The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-20

there are who, doubling their ability
10 refrain from consuming their -regu-
lar quantity of beer and tobacco at the
canteen, 50 long as the juggling coppers
seem to burn holes in their pockets,
request the sergeant major to deduct
so much from their weekly pay and put
it down to the regimental Christmas
dinner fund; in the Vernacular they are
said to be ION the peg" or under stop
pages" AS a consequence from this
abstinence, the morning "defaulter's
list begins to diminish. and the guard
room to show a corresponding lack of
inmates, for punishment at TINS season
means probable loss of privileges,
and mourning penalties, such as being
detailed for guard duty on the day
itself
Soon the barrack rooms begin to as
sumo an unWOnted aspect, and the or
derby officer winks conveniently at the
disordered state of the walls and roof
during the days devoted TO decoration.
The ever-present handy man is de-
tailed to superintend the work of Orna-
mentation and under his directions,
and with his assistants, the occupants
of each room devote their leisure time
to adjoining the walls, roof, fireplace
and even doors, with unique reproduce
tons Of the regimental motto and
crest, while seasonable Illustrations
from the current papers and periodicals
are pinned up in every vacant spot,
and elaborate festoons of cOlored or
! gilded paper endow the hanging lamps
or gas jets with an extraordinary ap
! pearance of gaiety At the dulleSt of
times the bare look of the barrack
room is relieved by some pretty and
attractive decorations, but at Christ
mastide gorgeous" is the only word
| that conveys any idea of the effect
| 81, I1JD
are despOiled under the cover of dark
ness to supply the green stuff neces-
sary, and holly, mistletoe and ever
greens endeayor to conceal the objec-
tionable whitewashed walls.
THE GOOSE AND THE PIG.
The major, captain and subaltern Off
! GERS also contribute literally to the
| fund, providing each a quart of beer
per man or q load of coal to each
! room, and adding a substantial sum in
money to aid in obtaining the all-im-
| portant dinner. debate among the
members of each barrack room as to
what shall be obtained as the piece de
i resistance for the feast. It must be re-
membered that in the British army the
men sleep and eat in the same apart
ment, II or IA beds being allotted to
each barrack rom. Hence each COM
pany contains several small 'messeS'
which are distinct Generally the occu-
pants Of two rooms form a mess of
about "A or % in one of the roms; this
is especially the case on great occa-
sions such as the present. Now an an
cient custom and time-honored tradi-
| lions have decreed that there are but
two dishes fit for Christmas dinner
roast goose and roast pork. Rarely, if
! ever, IS this rule departed from, and
| naturally the adherentS of either deli
cacy are very stubborn and irreconcila-
BILE It is a curious fact that the old
soldier inclines to the homely but salts
flying bird" while the cruity'' and
young soldier seems equally prejudiced
in favor of the more succulent pig. In
| deciding this knotty question, the ma
jority of course, is bound TO rule, and
| the disappointed 'gourmands take 20
their defeat very kindly, to judge by
results at the table. The usual scale of
provision is one goose or a leg of pork
to every three men.
Early on the eagerly awaited "eve"
the corporal in charge of each room
collects the "dimmocked" boards
and obtains the ''stoppages'' money
from the sergeant major. The latter
official undertakes the necessary mar
keting, while the corporals are commits
stoned to expend the money they have
obtained in purchasing a key of beer
and some bottles of vine or spirits. Two
gallons of porter always Dorter) to a
man is the customary allowance, SC
that q fair-sized key must be had and
in order that no undue expense may
be incurred, this article is always pro-
cured, if the CORPORAL be astute, from
the nearest. nrewerv.
THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING !
] The preparation and cooking of the