Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-24
NOT ALWAYS AS NOW
HOW XMAS WAS CELEBRATED
EARLY IN THE CENTURY.
THE CELEBRATION LESS FORMAL.
Holiday Week Throughout Virginia
Given Up 10 scasonabIe Pleasures
In Colonial Days and Just Before
the War.

1 The new century CWNucd on "A country
| seething with political dissension and
Keeling from tho loss Of the master hand
which had guided It firmly and safely
| through almost insuTmountabie difficult
| ties. Great Washington was dead, and
the young nation, trembling on the brink
Of anarchy, mourned bitterly his death.
Even I'm old Virginia political contro-
vorsy ragged, and its quiet towns held
bitter factions. But as time went on,
tho political skies grew clearer. ana
prosperity began TO dawn slowly on the
| young country.
The state OF Virginia was among the
first to recover, and her early prosperity
is explained by an old writer, who says:
"Virgina's wealth is territorial. Her in
stitutions SAVIOR OF the soil, and her pop
ulatiOn consists of land-hOlders of many
descents unmixed with foreign alloy. She
has no large towns, where men may
meet and devise improvements or changes
I'm the arts of life. From this cause she
| has been less disturbed by popular com
/ motions. less Influenced by popular fer
vOrs, than other communities. Her laws
and habits have a certain hXedness,
I which even reject many Of the valuable
improvements OF the day. In policy and
government she is according to the sim
plest and purest form, republic. Ia
temper and opinion, in the usages of
life. and in the qualities Of her. moral
nature. she IS aristocratic The gentle
men Of Virginia live far from each other.
surrounded by their bOndsmen and de-
| pendents. The customary intercourse OF
| society familiarizcs their minds to the
relation Of high and lOw degree. They
| frequently meet in the Interchange Of
/ large and thriftless hospitality I'm which
| the forms of society are foregone Tor its
comforts and the business Of life thrown
aside for the enjoyments of its pleasures.
| The halls. the large and ample boards,
| and the great family hearth, with its inn
! mense burthen Of blazing wood casting a
| broad and merry glare over the congre-
| gated household and numerous retainers,
makes a winter party in Virginia afford
| a tolerable picture of feudal munh-
cence."
MERRIEST or THE YEAR.
Thus We see the gentleman OF Eye
| olden time" in Virginia. cast aside con-
| ventionally and threw himself with all
! his ardor into making Christmas the
! merriest time Of the year. lie filled his
= spacious home with guests VINO, imbued
| with the spirit Of the time made it re-
| sound from garrett to cellar with jollity.
| The uncarpeted floors cleaned with poll
| ished ustre. and to the irresistible tunes
| of a dusky fiddler, many a dainty lass
| and gallant youth tripped the light IAN
| tactic toe. Every available spot in the
| house was wreathed with cedar and
holly. and many a kiss was stolen under
| the mistletoe hanging slyly in dusky cor
! ners.
The walls Of Colonial houses were all
of panelled wood and the windows small
and with deep embrasures. The mantels
| were high and embelished with heavy
| moulding that extended 10 the cornce OF
! the room.
A famous series Of Christmas dinners
I'm the early part Of the century were
| given by General Weldon, OF Revolution
| arv fame. These dinners were CONNIE
! lucrative OF the battle Of Trenton, fought
and won on Christmas-Day the great
| SQUARE room wreathed in holly, cleaned
with the mstre Of highly-polished ma
hoeanv. In the centre of the room, sur
Lrounded by leather-bottomed chairs,
fstretched the vast mahogany table,
| grooming beneath a wealth OF eatables
| and holding stately china and innumera-
| bic pieces Of solid silver.
We can imagine the hospitable ola
| General i'm his coat of blue broadcloth'
! his profusiOn of snowy RULES, and MS
J gorgeous Marseines waistcoat. from
/ which dangled a bunch of heavy seals
exhorting his guests TO "eat drink and
be merry" At the door of the dining
room ne always stationed two stalwarl
! negroes. dressed IN continental uniforms
and holding wooden muskets These he
! dubbed Corporal Kibuck' and "Corpo-
| raj Kildee" AT the close OF the suihp-
tuous feast a small boy, dressed IN UNI
FORM was perched upon the table anu
fred the patriotic ardor OF the guests ny
singing:
"'Twas Christmas-Day In 20,
our ragged troops with bayonets hA|
sc.
THE BIG CHRISTMAS DINNER
The Christmas dinner was always
great event and the housekeeper spen
Weeks I'm directing her duslIy hand
maidens in the preparation of its dainties
: Some of the viands conspicuous were
I eoodlv ham of bacon in its own darl
skin. on which was carved fanciful figure
\ bv the ambitious cook; huge roaste
| saddle of mutton; an enticing dlVerslt
of noultrv: fried chicken, a proiuslo
of the products of garden oysters, CRABS
and pickles of all kinds
Waiting on the table were peVy o
| negroes in every stage OF training, Iioi
tbe veteran serving man TO the rude
half-monkey, half-boy, admitted for III
first time into the parlOr Each adde
an article of coxcombry-a pewter buck
fastened for shirt-pin dingy paru
colored ribbon. OstentatiOusiy displaye
across the breast Of a coat and prepos
ferrous cravat, girding up an eXorbitantly
starched shirt and collar.
The wine. which flowed freely, was ice
- almost TO freezing point, and after Dime
tea and coffee were served IN an adJoin
ing apartment.
JUST BEFORE THE WAR.
- Later on in 1860. the times were yer
much the same. For weeks beior
Christmas the slaves, happy IN anucl
patton of a good time, hauled the hickor
logs for the great fires. The hauling O
the great backlog was momentou
occasion. and it was selected with srea
care. for no slave was iorceo 10 "oi
nntl il had burned through. a goo
story is told of back log which burne
for two nights and TWO days wthou
breaking. much TO the bewilderment @
the master. He asked his slaves hoy
such a thing could happen The fore
most spoke up, confidently
'Huccom so, NASSAU 'Cose hit dor
Ia burn: case hit am blackgum log, any
how and we done soak hit in de cree
six months"
Good cheer was the keynote OF IN
Christmas OF 1850. The "smoke-houses
were stocked with mutton 'chines." an
sausage from the sturdy 'porker," an
profusion OF turkeys pullets geese
and ducks bushels OF oysters taken fires
from the river. and punches OF partridge
rabbits. woodcock, and Wild fowl
In the cellar great piles OF ruddy apple
sent forth a spicy smell. and In IA
"stOrcrOom," raisins, oranges, nuts. al