Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-12-12

begin and might be kept up almost indefinitely.
though. for his part, Washington never went be-
yond second glass of wine, and it was his usual
custom to leave the table within a few minutes
after his wife had gone.
TOaStS, in those days, were never drunk until
after the ladies had left the table, and beauty's
health pledged in this fashion while she
was present But when the men found them
selves alone, it was the proper thing for young
gentleman to get upon his feet-which, it is to
be hoped were still steady-and to say Il give
you Betty Lomax, the most beautiful girl in West
moreland county, Or perhaps it might be Susan
Lee of Rappahannock- Such toast was custom
arily drunk standing-with all the honors, the
phrase
Indeed Christmas was great day of festiv-
ity in the Virginia of that epoch. Breakfast
at eight nine o'clock, unless it had been de-
cided to go a-hunting in the morning-in which
case the meal was eaten by candlelght. If there
was fox-hunt-a sport Of which Washington was
very fond-the host wore brilliant red waist
coat trimmed with gold lace, and the ladies who
rode were beautiful in scarlet habits On such
occasions Mrs. Washington would out in her
chariot and four keeping close to the hunt
the roads would permit. Not until 1855 were
the Mount Vernon kennels abolished and the dogs
sold.
Those days when meals ample but
We're not multiplied. Eating, when undertaken,
was mere frivolity, but serious business This
Christmas dinner was at 80 p M. there had
been no lunch. and there was supper to come.
After dinner there gameS-blind mans buff,
hunt the slipper, and the lfke-with much romping
and more or less kissing. sprig of mistletoe
was hung up in convenient place, and if a girl
happened to be kissed under it by young
she did not faint or call for help. In fact, it
might be suspected that she did not seriously OBJ
ject.
Never and nowhere in this world were there
more capable and expert makers of love than the
young of Washington's day in old Virginia
Nobody ever saw joler fellows than they
If they loved fercey, they proved their sincerity
by marrying early; and, when of them
unfortunate to lose his wife, he would in
variably marry again. Marriage considered
just about the most important duty of life, and
the love affairs of the gentlefolk freely
that Mars James was "going after" Miss Saie
Lee and would talk the matter over with his
young master And it the same way with
the girls.
So it may easily be imagined that on a festive
occasion such this Christmas celebration a
good deal of incidental love-making, some of it
serious enough, accomplished But the
Master of the Revels though he himself had been
sufficiently ardent in his youth. in later life
eager sympathizer with such folfes.
Though Mr.. Washington took part in the
romps that followed the dinner, he heartily en-
joyed the fun Occasionally he relished a game
of cards, and probably on this Christmas evening
he INDUCED in some such amusement, in company
with the older people,, while the young folks
Scampered and rOmped. He played for money,
but the stakes were small
There were two young people at Mount Vernon
in those days-the and daughter OF Mrs.
Washington by her first husband. 1t is easy to
imagine the part they took in the romps Christ
mas day John and Martha, their names were,
but everybody knew them Jacky and Patsy.
Patsy died in 17T3. when just budding into
anhood, while her brother married young. and
had four children. two of whom. George and Nell
lie Custis were adopted by Mr. Washington To
George he left the famous Arlington estate oppo-
site the city of Washington which afterwards
fell by inheritance to the wife of Gen. Robert E.
Lee.
On Christmas eve there was dance, to which
all the neghbors for many miles around were
matter of course invited The party began
before eight, and over by O'Clock.
Young ladies' beauty in those times was not
spoiled by late hours For music there was q
single fiddle played by old slave the place
IA whitehaired negro who kept the time and
helped on the tame by pounding the floor with
his big foot
All the young ladies wore low-necked dresses.
making brave display of pretty shoulders and
the men were in knee-breeches and silk stockings
Mrs Washington's gown. cut V-shaped and filled
In with ruching. OF French silk: but the
clothing she ordinarily OF domestic
manufacture, being woven at Mount Vernon. where
no fewer than sixteen negro women were kept