Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-12-20

stood q" carve il.
In those days It was considered q matter o'
course that n lady should Eno" how Ia carve,
though (s was the case with the mistress oil
Mount Vermont she might not spell CORRECTLY.
The accomplishment, Ike the making of Jams ana
cider. was appropriate for a housewife.
Christmas ut Mount Vernon in those times was
an exceedingly jolly and festive ocnos."n. WASH
ington was The richest man IN Virginia, ana 'h'
equipments of his household were h many re-
sp,cts more luxurious than could be- found IN the
houses Of his WcIlto-do ueishbors. For example
the guests at this Christmas dinner were provided
with silver forKs-a rare luxury at Tint period
when gentlemen customurily ale with ihrlF
knives. because it was out Of the question to HIT
peas and many other such cdibles to the mouth
with the thrpctiued steel forks commonly IN use.
1t is Il shock TO learn that the father OF ms
country ate with his knife, yet such Is undcnlably
The fact. That sage historian, Peter Farley, tells
a story Cprohably upochrypha) of an occasion
when somebody tried to XIII the immortal George
by putting poison on his peas. Showing his knIic
beneath It few OF them, ana ruising them 10 ms
lips, he looked across the table at his enemy, ana
said. shall | eat Of thcseT Still holding the
knife suspended, he again %transliXed he man
with his gaze and repeated The question. SO over
come was the would be poisoncr by Washington's
seeming prcsciencc that he fed from the table
and the perilous peas remained uneatcn.
At that epoch, in Virginia, the men who waited
on the table in most of the country houses wore
plantation garb. AT Mount Vernon, however, the
household scryitors were attired in Il handsome
and even ST. king livery Of scarlet, white and gold,
and the butler was a dream Of gorgeousneSS, one
m0n for each two guests was the minimum allow
anCc. Not only were there viands to be supplied,
hut II constant succession of bottles containing
wines Of choice vintage for the consumption OF
the male guests.
Ladies in those days drank next to nothing ut
all. To take more than n sip of vine, for either
maid or matron, would have been regarded as
the height Of improperly. But for the men-all
through this Christmas dinner the bottles were
kept going around. Mr.. Bryan Fairfax of AleXan-
dria would say 70 Mr.. G. w. Lewis across the
table, George. a glass of wine with you! ~ with
pleasure, Cousin yryan,' the latter would reply,
us he bowed and drank. Then MI. Fairfax would
20 through the same performance with every man
at the table-and so 1t went throughout the
repaSt.
The catablcs served at the dinner were nearly
nj of them products Of the Mount Vernon estate.
From 4 gastronomic point of view, no region in
the world was richer than that section of old
Virginia. There were cNnyaSbaCk ducks to be
shot on the river in front Of the house cartridges
ailN NtNlNOn were IlHllllul, anu the proprietor Oh
the mansion raised his own beef, pork, and NUT
ton. The only vegetables were sweet potatoes,
white potatoes, and beans.
From Il latter-day standpoint the repast was
conducted in Il peculiar fashion. All the dishes,
including three kinds Of meats and several Of
game, were put on the table ut once. While Mrs.
Washington carved the turkey, the gentlemen who
happened to be opposite the mutton, the vcnison,
etc, were expected to lend expert assistance In
the dissection of those comcStibles. The buildings
were eaten before the withdrawal of the cloth, the
removal of which left bare Il shiny eNpansc of
mahogany, upon which the fruit, nuts, and de-
Cautors were set forth in festive array,
When the cloth had been withdrawn, the host
would lift his glass, filled with choice Madeira,
and drink the health of his guests, Five minutes
Of general conversation would follow, perhaps
and then Mrs. Washington would rise, giving the
signal for the departure of the ladies'. Every.
body would get up the ladies' would make an elab
crate curtsy to the gentlemen, and the latter
would bow profoundly in response, With the re
tiremcnt of the women the real drinking woult