The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-12-28


In the eyes of his master he still is fair
And worth his weight in gold:
Herald and presbytcr.
The "Mayf1ower's" Christmas.
Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton tells
in the ST. Nicholas the story of the
celebration Of Christmas on the May
flower. Historians take SO little note
OF the dOinys OF women and children. she
says, that l presume not one Of my read
ers ever heard of Christmas on the May
flower; and yet the unWritten history
Of individuals and nations is always most
interesting. | am indebted for my facts
to Elizabeth Tudor Brewster, named aft
err the Queen. She was a favorite niece
of Elder William Brewster, who went to
Holland with the Pilgrims, and lived
or was a Brewster, and into her hands
came many Of the private family letters,
dim and yellow with time and among
others this account of Christmas.
While yet ut sea- the mothers began to
discuss the probabilities Of reaching land
celebration for the children, rs they had
half dozen on board the right age to
enjoy some holiday performances. The
foremothers who came from Holland had
imbibed the Dutch love for festive occa
slons, and were more liberal in their
VlNNn tH0l tut llS1u ulltduS ullCCI lIOlll
England who objected to all the legends
CT old Saint Nicholas. But Elder Brew
ster, then 70 years old, and loving chill
dren tenderly, gave his vote for the cele-
bration. Accordingly, as they sailed up
the beautiful harbor of Plymouth. the
for the glad day. Knowing the fondness
Of Indians for beads. they had brought
4 large box of all sizes and colors which
they. were stringing for the little Indians,
as they intended to invite Il few OF them
to come on board the ship. The mothers
holly, laurel and immortelles to decorate
their log cabins. OF these they made
Wreaths to ornament the children and
the saloon. As soon as the Mayhower
cast anchor Elder Brewster and his in
terpreter, and as many Of the fathers and
went ashore to make arrangements about
their cabins, to visit the squaws and in
vite the children. The Interpreter ex-
planned to them the meaning or signfic-
ance of Christmas, the custom Of ex-
changing chn4GS e, gifts, etc. and they readily &C.
sachem of the Wampanoags and chief at
this point. The yellow fever had reduced
his tribe, once estimated at 10000, down
to 3OO, now scattered all alcag the south
ern coast Of Massachusetts,
When. the, Pilgrims landed there were
only a few huts at that point But the
noble chief Massasoit was there, FORUM
ately for our little colony, consisting only
OF 102, all told men, women and chill
dren. Massasoit was a splendid speci-
men of manhood, honest, benevolent,
dawned, bright and beautiful, he came
on board with two squaws and six lit
tie boys and girls, all in their ornaments,
paint and feathers, the children in bright
scarlet blankets and caps made Of white
rabblt-sklns, the little ears standing up
on their ,foreheads:, and squirrel tails
hanging down their backs. Each one
carried small bask et containing beech
nuts and hickorynuts and wintergreen
berries which they presented gracefully
to the English children standing in
Pre- prefer had ,, taught them to say Happy
in the Indian tongues So they shook
hands and received the natives gracious
", presenting them, in turn, with little
TN pals filled with fried cakes, almonds
mes a horn and drum. The mothers
tled strings of beads round their necks,
wrists and ankles, with which they We're
greatly pleased.
They went all over the ship, and asked
many many questions about all they saw.
When Massasolt proposed to 20, the
mothers urged him to stay to dinner, but
he declined, saying that they did not un-
derstand English customs in eating. and
that the children would not know how
to use knives. forks and spoons.
moreover, ne said they never ate ex-
sun was still too high for that.
Inc exchanging of presents was a very
pretty ceremony, and when thew were
ready to depart the good elder placed his
hands on each little head, giving a short
prayer and his blessing. While all this
was was Transporting the ssquaws asked the
they readily did, and placed wreaths of
IVY on their heads. AS they padded
drums sounded.
Then the mothers decorated their ta~
b!es and spread out grand Christmas
Gunner: Among other things, they brought
custom to make a large number of blum
puddlngs at Christmas time, and shut
them up tight in small tin pals and
hang them on hooks on the kitchen wall.
where they keep for months. You see them
in English kitchens to this day. With
brussels sprouts. salt fish and bacon, the
Pilgrims had quite sumptuous dinner.
Then they sang "God Save the king"
and went on deck to watch the sun 20
down and the moon rise in all her glory.
The children took their little baskets
to their berths, the last objects of inter-
est on which their eyes rested as they
fell asleep.
Watching the Wasps.
Among my favorite insects, writes
Charles 3. Bennett in the st. Nicholas,
are the common social wasps, especially
those that do not make any coverings
over their nests. One reason is becanse
l like to study insects in their wild state.