The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-12-20
yE CHRISTMAS IN
YE OLOEN TIME
"reminiscences Of the Holidays In
the Past.
HOW THE FIDDLE GOT BROKE.

How the Old Slave Extend His
Christmas Holiday-He Asked for
Wheat Bread.
Anothrr Christmas is near and for
the Writ one of many. Still its return
is always welcome. Its enjoyments of
late years could not be such as in the
days when youth intensified everything
of social nature. Still bid it welcome,
because it brings joys to the hearts of
so many, and that it furnishes some
delightful mental vehicle to travel back
among past scenes and pleasures closely
akin to their ONCE realities. All know
OF the hilarities of the present, but only
the few know how the great holiday
was kept in the extinct past, where
memories Of some are prone to recede
A few incidents of those time may
interest some readers. and enable them
to associate the past with the present,
and compare the two if you will. In
those good old times, there was lust as
much anxiety and longing for the com
ing OF Christmas as now, but prepare
tons We're on smaller and cheaper line
than Of late years. Now preparations
are by far more elaborate snowy and
expensive, but still not so earnest and
sincere as aforctne Now costly pres
ents are the main features of the hol-
days. Many for mere forms sakes or
to requit some former obligation or ia
vor, or maybe to induce other presents
in return of greater value. Presents
in olden times were common, but plain,
simple, and Of earnestness. Persons
often challenged each other for a Christ
mas gift, and the one who spoke would
by usage be entitled to it, and generally
received il, De it ever so small. Some
times it would be a treat at hotel bar
if convenient. Once a poor boy solicit
ed gift from good old neighbor The
boy was asked what it should be. The
reply was piece Of wheat bread, "
such bread in those days in places was
rare. Wheaton -four was reserved for
special occasions. Rye, buckwheat and
corn were the staple bread elements.
In the chief features of the holidays
in those times were sleighing, and balls
at the hotels along the National road.
Deep SHOWS then covered the ground
! during most of the winter months, and
sleighing upon the old National high
way was superb, and enjoyed to the ut
most. Most of the young men could
sport sleigh and horse. Some times
large conveys of them would move to-
gether, and it can be imagined how
/ joyful the sport was, but the poor
horses had to suffer from fast driving
and excessive cold often, still they bore
the hardships without much injury.
Balls were frequent and numerously
attended by well behaved and we'll
dressed young men and women. Occa-
sionally the writer looked on in long by
gone days. Cumberland young men
would some times participate.
An anniversary incident is recalled as
Christmas;a Christmas eve. A large
party gayly equipped with their sleighs,
and sleds, We're on their way to ball
to celebrate the merry occasion. The
musician, the faithful old slave of Mr..
Truman Fairall, was seated at the foot
of a 2-horse sled, with the tuneful fiddle
at his feet The team next in the rear
was pushed to the utmost, and a goaded
horse planted destructive foot upon
the instrument, which was to make
merry an anxious crowd. 1t can easily
be imagined what happened the instru-
ment and what the feeling was of those
so bent on real enjoyment No music,
dancing or Waiting that night. Some
old fashioned counting no doubt.
There was no class of people who 50
much enjoyed the holiday seasons as
the colored folks, especially the slaves
To them Christmas never came often or
quick enough The anxiety for its APP
proach was almost unbearable. And
when it did come their enjoyments were
without measure, and the whites were
in happiness in seeing the negroes in the
ecstacies of their amusements, which
usually lasted a week or more. One
good old master Jesse Tomlinson, had
a custom of giving his favorite, Ephra-
i'm, holiday as long as good stout back
log would last in the chimney of his
round log house The old master was
always anxious about the Christmas
backlog. Once. more than usually so. /
Ephraim was often urged to have the
log in time. The truth was, on that
anxious occasion the log was for weeks
lying in soak in the old goose pond. /
That was the longest holiday he ever