Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-25
CHRISTMAS SEASON
| AS Seen ON THE FARM
pny Plantations Keep Up Celebra-
ton I'm Spirit of Old
Dominion.
|EsTIvE TIME IN COUNTRY
|fawg" Killings, Christmas Hunts
and Virginia Reel Bring Back the
Old Days-Negroes Share Pleas
ures of White Employers.
by j. NJ. HE'LL.

In Virginia. and especially IN that
prtion known as the Tidewater sec
On. many Of the old Christmas GUS
ms still prevail. This is a section
here large plantations. many Of them
storic. are the rule. The brick man
ons are fine examples OF Colonial
.chitecture. and negro labor Is still
nployed. On many farms the negroes
the dusky descendants Of former
ayes.
Lot us suppose 1t is the middle OF
ecember, only two weeks from Christ
as. and the feelings OF that beautiful
ason OF mirth and family reunions
ose at hand
Ono OF the very first of the many
operations viii he the killing Of the
hogs which, taken or grass some
rec weeks before. are now In their
IN, sturing good ear corn to re-
elton.
usT GET VI EARLY TO
WITNESS HOG-KILLING
You hear it said around the house
ut hogs will be killed In the morn
x" If you have never seen one OF
&c old Virginia g-killings you had
alter get up about O'Clock. You Will
nd big fire kindled around the huge
on pot. There Will be a wniskey or
negar barrel. one end set In the
round. In front OF this and raised by
rs OF wood will be the cleaning plat
'rm. The rudy light from the big
- casts dusky glow over the forms
:veral OF whom Will now go to the
IN OF hogs. and while the stars are
inning brightly In the winter sky, the
lawS KILN" begins. AS fat porker
stuck. he Is raised out of the mem
'asged pto the barrel. now nearly
vi OF hot water. and souscd In, head
2rst. In short time h. Is scraped
III hung on the gambrels
BY sunrise an ordinary killing Will
over The next day the meat Will
cut up. Then there will be the
rd-trying and the sausage making.
resh pork. ham. spare rib. chine and
usage VIII form portion OF the
u OF fare during Christmas week"
'r no work will be done from Christ
as Eve until after New Years Day.
Mess II be something imperative, like
'!h* the :cchouse or loading "a vessel
III hay or grain.
w ,uLE LOG Is
STILL A FEATURE
NithouSh our winters are mild In
y.npa-ison with those OF the NORTH
- ana Western states. still the Christ
SO woodpile on "a Virginia planta-
aus is one OF the features OF thefes-
20 occasion. Oak. hickory. pine and
"a VIII be found among the logs
i'cy all add to the cheering blaze OF
- great open fires in the parlors
ring or sitting rooms.
Not only VIII the "gret house be
III supplied with wood for every
"m, but every darlSies' quarter Will
we it's share.
Stoves are now in use In many houses
All degrees, and furnaces are being
il!ed In some, but. on the whole, the
rcn Fireplace still holds it's own in
hearts OF the people, and II can be
lid that the traveller will hardly stop
49, old time Underwater Virginia home
mas not its open nrcplaces in IT,
b the logs are piled high during
n-istmas season. The illustra-
hows one OF tho old time darkihs
IL the Yu!c log TO the gre,
our,."
uNTINuE HONORED CUSTOM
OF DECORATING HOMES
The time-nonored custom of decorat-
Ig the homes for this festive season
I'LL exists, and at least a week before
hristmas on to the woods do the
Terry men go" IN search Of holly
ics). mjstletoe. pine. running cedar
nd the like. Soon pnrlor. hall. dining
ooms and bedrooms Will be gay with
hristmas green's.
This Is a never-varying custom, and
spite OF all of the changes which
ave taken place, II would be hard 10
nd home that did not have some re-
n In hn 81
ion emblematic of Christmas
In many localities the Episcopal
hurch still is the popular one. Christ
las morning services are held and the
acred houses of worship will have
cen decked out with beautiful wreaths
combined holly, pine and running
cGar, while over the pulpit Is gem
rally seen great star, the story Of
;hich has gone down the ages as the
lost beautiful ever told.
9nHRfSTMAS HUNTS YET
SPORT OF KINGS
The fields, woods, as we'll as the big
I liver marshes in the Underwater sec
: ion. still provide good sport of n
General nature. Fox hunting $50 loved
fy Virginians) is yet INDUCED in. Wire
ences. and the cutting up OF so many
II the larger estates. has not broken
[lp the Sport Of Kings" There yet
enlain good packs of native hounds
4 hat make the welki in ring al Christmas
ime, as they chase Mr.. Reynard"
through the great bodies of unfenced
woods. Rabbit hunting also gives good
port to guest and host.
Quail shooting, one of the most pop
2llar forms OF outdoor sports, has its
thousands of votaries. The season is
open In the Old Dominion at Christmas
ime. A bird hunt is In order at this
festive season. Ducks and geese are
fairly plentiful in the great marshes
lying along the various rivers of Tide
water Virginia. y shot at a flock OF
Either may mean an addition to the
bag Of black duck. or mallard, or per-
|,aps savory goose to augment the
|,lready generous Christmas larder.
The christmas" hunts are looked
forward to and enjoyed by all. The
|'city cousins" have chance at this
ime to try their skill in bagging such
Fsame as has been enumerated. If luck
Intends them they go home rejoicing;
tho bag was small and luck some
What hard, they at least have had the
pleasure OF knowing that their hosts
have given them every opportunity to
themselves: also that the
christmas larder was most abundant,
even If they were not able to add to it,