Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-12-17
Festal Day In Dixie
A Carnival of Cheer

when the WasSail bowl was filed to the
brim, when the Yule log glowed and
the bOar'S head was borne into the
banquet. 1t was in the good old days
before the war that the folks of the
south observed this joyous season With
prOdigality more lavish and hospitality
more extensive than were dreamed Of
even in the annals of Bracebridge Hall.
Then came the true carnival Of mer-
riment. The old manor was ablaze
with life and beauty. From the sur
rounding country all the bellies and the
beaus had gathered. Morning brought
meet at daybreak for the fox hunt,
and nighttime called for "Old Uncle
Ephraim," the plantation fiddler, whose
reels were famous throughout the
whole country. Feast followed feast,
and the spirit Of celebration extended
from the master down to the field
hands, each Of whom received a jug
filled with good whisky when he called
for his Christmas rations.
But these are the days that have
gone, and with their going departed
many characteristics which made the
Christmas time down south so distinc-
tive. While the fate of war and chang
ed conditions have curtailed the prodi-
gality Of former days, most of the an
cient customs remain, and in many in
stances Christmas in the villages and
the country is but mild repetition of
antebellum ObservanceS
A fom Of 10 roo co1IDfTsu homes
still have some of the old servants who
were with the family in slavery days.
If these old family darkies have been
away during the year they always re-
appear with the approach Of the Christ
mas holidays and assume duties about
the household The old NANNY" al.
though her services have been engaged
elsewhere during the rest of the year,
reports to make the fruit cake for
Christmas dinner
She alone knows the culinary tradi-
tions of the family kitchen. The in
gradients of this wonderful cake have
been handed down from generation
to generation. and the spice and the
brandy and the citron and all such
things are compounded according to
the proportions laid down years and
years agone.
These fruit cakes bear the family
name, and some time, through the cour
teSy of the season and the exchange
Of compliments Of the day, slice Of
Grantland cake is on the same plate
with a slice of Dubignon cake. Not
infrequently these cakes are cooked
year in advance, by which time they
are fully seasoned and settled, although
the cracks in the icing and its yellow
tint mar the beauty somewhat. It's
cooking can be intrusted to no hands
except those of the antebellum family
cook or her descendants.
Not alone this old cook. but all
branches Of the service in vogue dur
ing the days of slavery are usually
represented about Christmas time. The
son of your fathers and your grand
fathers cOachman comes, and on rare
days the old man himself hobbies to
the house and spins out marvellous
tales of the past.
These old darkies are all presented
with gifts, and for each of their chill
dren a present of some sort has been
prepared. This feature generally comes
in the southern home before the rest
of the family has been attended to.
In the meantime the children have
been keeping eager watch at the door
Of the room where Santa Claus has
made his visit. No one is allowed to
enter this sacred precinct until the
paterfamilias gives the signal. but be-
fore this signal is given every member
Of the household must be dressed and
ready for breakfast and the morning
prayers must have been said.
When everything is ready the chill
dren are allowed to rush in and exam
inc the contents Of their stockings.
Some of the largest children still have
implicit faith in the wonderful person
atty of old Santa Claus. Forged notes
from the old fellow, admonishing them
to make their behavior according to
the precept of their mother, are eagerly
read and compared The interchange
of presents among the older members
of the family usually takes place at the
they are allowed to mingle with the
bounties Of old Santa Claus and are
plucked from the same holly tree from
which his presents hang.
The hunt for the holly and the mis-
tletoe, while not as exciting as the
chase for the boar's head, is just as
much a feature as that old English
custom and equally enjoyable. Sew
eraI days before Christmas eve a big
wagon, filed with straw and trimming
full of pretty girls and boys, too, is
driven into the woods. where the
search for the holly is carried on. 1t
requires a most agile youngster to
scale to the height where the mistle-
toe grows, and he is always sure of
a generous reward of kisses from the
girls below.
Christmas day is always quiet.