The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-12-19
YE MERRIE CHRISTMAS
OF Years Gone By as Remembered by
1r. Jacob Brown, the
Historian.
THE SLAVES INGENUITY
In ProlOnging His Holiday by Soaking
the Yule, Back Log, in the Goose
Pond for Weeks Before Christmas.
To the Editor of The Republican.

To the Editor of The Republican.
Christmas is coming, and to the
writer as one of many must, confess
its return is always welcome. Its en-
joyments of late years could not be
such as in days of yore, when youth
intensified everything of a social
character. Still it will receive hearty
welcome, because it brings JOY and
happiness to so many; and that, too,
it furnishes even the writer of this
poor offering with pleasurable vehi-
Gle to wend his way back among the
scenes and pleasures of the deep past
to their own realities. The many
know of the hilarities OF he holy days
Of the present, but only the few now
know how they were kept and OBJ
served in the extinct past, where
memories are prone to go at large.
A few instances of the olden time
methods may interest some of your
readers and enable them to compare
the present with the past
In the gooI old times there was
just as much anxiety and longing for
the coming of Christmas as now, but
every act and preparation were ON a
smaller, simpler and cheaper scale
than the present when preparations
are far more elaborate, snowy and
expensive, still not SO hearty and real
as of aforetime. In our latter times
costly presents are the main features
OF the holidays celebrations-many
for forms sake or to requite some for
mer obligation or favor, or perhaps
to induce another present in turn of
superior value. Presents, too, in
those days were quite common or
usual, but plain and simple as well as
to the point. Persons often challeng-
ed each other for a Christmas gift
and the first challenger was entitled
to the gift, be it ever so small. Some
times it would be a treat at a tavern
bar of cheap whiskey if there hap
pened to be one convenient. Once
neighbor boy solicited a Christmas
present from that generous man,
George Bruce. The modest youth
was asked what it should be. Reply,
"a piece of wheat bread" Such
bread in those days was scarce and
rare, wheaton flour was reserved
for holy days, pies, cakes, etc.
And main features of the holidays
festivities were sleighing and balls at
the many hotels along the old Ma
tional road. Deep SHOWS in those
times covered the ground during all
the winter months and the sleighing
upon the old pike was superb and en-
joyed to the utmost Most of the
young men could afford sleigh and
horse. Sometimes great conveys of
them would move in a body and it
can be imagined how joyful the sport
was, but the poor horses had to suffer
from fast driving and excessive cold,
but still the hardy horse flesh did not
suffer greatly.
Balls were very frequent and nu
merously attended by well dressed
and behaved young ladies and men.
May it be suggested, the writer in
youth was a spectator, if nothing
more, occasionally. An amusing oc-
currence is recalled as of Christmas
eve. A large party of gaily equipped |
sleighs and sleds were on their way to
one of these entertainments. The |
the faithful old colored |
man "a slave) of Mr.. Truman Fairall |
was seated in the rear end of the two |
horse sled with the tuneful fiddle at |
his feet. The sleigh next in the rear
was pushed to the utmost. The urged |
horse in a lunge planted foot upon
the instrument that was soon to
make merry and happy an anxious
crowd. 1t can well be imagined what
to the merry making instru-
ment and what were the feelings of
the party so bent on enjoyment.
There was no music, dancing or
Waiting that night of disappoint-
ment. Some hard cursing, no doubt,
of the old formula. "Fiddling' in
those times was something of all oc-
cupation, especially in the winter
season. Mr. Joseph burst, of the
Flat Woods, would occasionally make
his appearance in his fringed hunting
shirt and deer skin moccasins, thus
presenting quite picturesque figure
as we'll as furnishing ball room music
TORY Drane, of the same neighbor-
hood, would occasionally furnish
dancing music. There was another
queer old fiddler-Aaron Ramsey, a
tri-mixture of negro, Indian and white
He could produce noise