The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-25

scene. 1t was gay time, and doubt
the fine horses sped along with their
precious human freight. There were
many rich or prosperous farmers liv-
ing from mile to five miles from the
village, and they, too, Toasted and
frolicked in right royal style. And sc
it was all over that rich, prosperous
county. In those days much of Vance
county was a part of Granville. The
planters were a very hospitable peo-
pie, and many were well educated, Gull
tured and refined. An invitation to
visit one of them in his home meant
pleasure and entertainment of an
ample, even luxurious kind The finest
dinner | have ever sat down to in the
fifty-one counties of the State | have
visited, was in Granville after the war,
in 1870. II WAS SO rich. so extensive,
it required two large roms for the ell
tertainment of some twenty guests.
The first courses We're held in one dim
ing room, and the deserts cts, were so
many, so rich in style and variety they
had to be served in another large room
later.
Prior to 1860, it was the universal
custom for hosts to keep we'll stock
ed sideboard with fine wines, brandieS
and whiskey. Mint julips, toddies and
sherry cobblerS We're common. 1t was
deemed a part of hospitality to invite
guests to the sidebodrd after a drive
Of miles. At dinings liquors were al
ways displayed in abundance, And
yet / never saw an intoxicated man at
any private home where | have dined.
1t is well for morality and refinement
that this inherited custom from Eng
land and Scotland has disappeared
completely. No doubt many a drunkard
owed his love of the ardent to the
early imbibing in moderation at the
homes of genial and hospitable hosts.
1t is we'll indeed for suffering human
ity that dangerous. if inviting Gus
tom has gone glimmering" never to
ceturn, it is to be hoped. Strong drink
IS the curse of humanity, and is the
lewis chief instrument in beguiling
the unwary and cursing homes and
filing jails and poor-houSeS. The
world has grown larger and richer, but
it is very doubtful if modern society
really has more sane enjoyment and
heart pleasure than the fathers gone
before possessed. Although there is a
great clamor for education, and
schools multiply like mushrooms in a
night, but it is not certain that the
owe of pure literature, of the great
authors, of elevating letters is equal
now to that which prevailed in the
South in ante-bellum days. Take the
village of which / have written. In
1840-1S50 there were not more than
seventy-five white men in tiff SO
many. | am sure there were at least
twenty-five who possessed gifts and
culture of az character that they could
have written a creditable+ essay. There
was conversation then among men and
women. When a boy of from twelve
to fifteen l sat literally at the feet of
i've or six cultivated lawyers, and lis
tened to conversations that were edu-
Gators to me, and the influence of
which has survived to this day with me.
Most of the ladies in the village then
were really we'll educated, and read
but little, if any trash. 1t was a dis
tinctive society of we'll read, we'll in
structed, refined, social people. The
purity, the elegance, the loneliness of
the women were most fascinating.
There We're no scandals, no boisterous
freedom between the sexes. The fair
women We're adored, and always treat
ed with the utmost gentleness, deli
cacy, considerateness. A man in his
seventy-seventh year who lived then
was familiar with the best civilization
Of that time can see no possible adj
vance now in prevailing customs, man
nerS and habits. | believe most sin
cerely most firmly, that before 1861
the South had a civilization much SUI
perior to any that ever prevailed else
where in this land of the free and
that in 1904 it has no counterpart any
where. in those days there were
classical scholars and really we'll in
formed men all over Granville. There
were prominent farmers of my ac-
quaintance whose homes [ visited
men of adva need years having passed
beyond their seventies who read the
best literature, the greatest poets, the
most famous prose writer's ofs Great
Britain, and who would chat you by
the hour of Shakespeare, Chaucer,
Horace and Thackeray, who knew
great authors thoroughly, and who
read the best current literature. These
gentlemen resided on their farms. But
have no incidents of Christmas times
to record. There was nothing start
ling or particularly memorable.
Christmas was pleasant cheerful, hos
pitable, and everybody seemed in
good humor. There were wicked peo-
pie and truly religious people then as
now. The followers of Jesus Christ re-
Joiced in His great sacrificial death.
and the blessed Atonement that was
consummated. perfected through and
by Him, and were happy, hopeful, at
peace with God and men. Be it so
now.
Let tie true UeJlcNcFS III the blessed
and adorable Son of God rejoice con-
tinualIy in the hope of Heaven and the
promise of eternal life. Let them be
ever ready to meet their Lord and Saw
Jour in His second coming. Let them
dwell richly and constantly upon the
majesty and glory of His approach
how the heavens will be filled with the
external glory, when He will appear
with his magnificent escorts of accom-
panying angels-when they shall
come, angels and archangels and the
glorified and redeemed in Heaven. at
His summons to attend Him. What a
blessed company ii will be, when Gods
Heavenly hosts shall descend with the
Redeemer, and the hallelujahs shall
I'LL the air, and acclamations of re-
Jolclng and praise shall rush through
the sllenceS, and all shall be filled with
the power and glory of God. Hallelu-
Jah! Glory and Majesty, dominion and
power be unto the Lamb forever and
ever. happy, blessed Christmas to
one and all,
Two interesting pamphlets have
reached me within a month. One
is sent me by my accomplished friend
and writer Mr.. Oscar w. BlacknalI.
of kittrell. 1t is really entertaining
and informing. 1t is entitled: "Ine
Supplies for the Confederate army.
How they were obtained in Europe