Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-21

Z brate this year a strictly
American Christmas at our house We
will cut out everything borrowed from
other countries and exalt everything
peculiarly American
Jolly plant said Mabel. Let me
see There will be dinner. The din
ner'-
That's dead easy" interrupted Eliz-
abetn, the natural cook of the family
Roast turkey. with cranberry sauce
Of course, and squash and lima beans
and canned corn. Those are enough
vegetables. We cannot have the first
course. oysters, for other countries
have them.
Eyes, but other countries oysters arc
such beastly, mean oysters they don's
count. Let us have our own Blue
Points"
Very good; Blue Points it is. Then
we will have pumpkin pie-the kind our
New England grandmother made-and
ice cream That's like the oysters: all
ice cream except the American brand is
so poor it does not count"
..What'u we do for fruits, nuts. raj
sins and coffae2" asked Mabel
Wen have Florida oranges, Califor-
MIA figs. raisins and almonds. pecans
from Texas and coffee-let me think,
Why. yes, of course; our own South
and Central American grown coffee IS
the best anywhere. and the old Eas- In
dian coffee planters say so. It's Amer
lean coffee grown anywhere on the
western continent, isn't it?'
"Of course. But. Eliza beth, I'm
afraid we'll have to use Irish table
linen
THAT'S So admitted Elizabeth.
crestfallen. but never mind. The
best part OF Ireland is in America, so
it's much the same"
Then the charming Ronceval girls
planned out the rest Of the Christmas
scheme The gifts to their friends were
OF American manufacture and inyen~
ton To Aunt Jane they gave sew
ins machine. to Cousin Ruby, who had
literary aspirations, a typewriter; 90
their small brother Fred a mechanical
toy stea mboat, while to a young man
not particularly in favor they sent
Yankee chrome card with much red and
yellow in it. Finally. to sister who
had married an Englishman and was
shortly to keep house in London they
presented carpet sweeper and q
clothes wringer, knowing she could
scarcely find these IN all Great Britain.
Christmas day they had the turkey
and pumpkin pie dinner at O'Clock
because the fashona BILE evening dinner
is an imported institution. After din
ner the family-children grown people
and all--had popcorn. hickory nuts and
from the genuine Louisiana cane mo-
lasses.
But there's the evening to be provid
ed for" said Mabel after dinner in the
II don't know what 20 do,
We must have dancing and music, and
all the dances. all the music worth any
naldo march that Filipino composed.
Elizabeth thought awhile. I've got
it, she exclaimed, Frightening up.
Wen just have conversation as long
as possible, which will be stupid, to be
terestingly, especially after a big din
ner. But we must put in the time
somehow till o'clock Old fashioned
Americans kept early hours. Then
we'll dance the Virginia reel and Tuck
er. l think the Virginia reel is an
dance. II it isn't, it ought TO
be, and know Old Dan Tucker is an
American dance tune. But we can't do
the Virginia reel all night. On. yes.
there's the Shaker dance-hopping Up
and down and moving the hands TO tbs
music. II that isn't an American dance,
l don't know what is
Correct. Elizabeth. Then let US Gloss
with singing. There are The Star
Spangled Banner and 'pixie'-simon
pure American. After that coon songs.
Elizabeth, have the idea
Of my life-we will close out the even
ing OF our American Christmas by all
singing something from Moody and
Sankey- How's that?'
Fine" answered Elizabeth
SUSAN MERIvALE