Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-26
COLONIAL VIRGINIA YULE7IDE
MEANT WEEKS OFJOYOUSNESS
Hosts on the Big Estates Filled Their Homes With
Merry Christmas Guests, and Gaycty Reigned
Through Flying Days and Nights.

inc the bellies and beaur
t the facS %"i!S the %nrellght played on
BY, the nr". with that grace ace w siIeS
!nuies cultivated in that day when
!" aahcc nhd play and sing were the
ends OF education, they tripped tho
m!nuct. ."'
n pointed foot straight forward
saSs Mr. Christian. $50 tint no wrin-
ping: with majestic grace, most
evenly" And then the warmer
'ryrhic dances" the round dance and
the newly born Virginia reel.
Sad to relate. the ladies' swcre most
drcid'aliy, n !ove-making-not "a
I'M ~ MAS a part Of tn" festivitirr.
mus. while in the cnbinr. he slaves
weeks. In the big house the gentle.
toik OF Old Virginia spent Christ
mas.
DIR. Mortimcr's Party.
Ih"re Is recokd Of n party just pre-.
N.ouS TO Christmas held at the home
~ pr. Mortimer. Mary Washington.
phyDiciIn. IN fredericksburg. ii wac
= Eay event. and because her mother,
niue Maria Mortimer. just sixtcen.
sat hostess at the big tnbic. At her
t",hers right sat General Washing
Mrs Marin III" Marquis La Fayette.
Soun' lie flstraing. Count Rocham-
ian generals. statesmen and beau
n,a ~ nome was ocnutifllly dec
rated III, the army coiors-bun. and
D,ne--hnd in cedar and holly. ana
In tables were filled with every
"s,,cacy and %toNis;s were. drunk to
King of France" "n 'he
md ! danced with all these great
,nsh. wrote tho li,tlo Miss Maria:
nay. oven with Betty Irwis' Uncle
beoTgc himself"
81 Gun~ton IInlI.
Ihs pcautiful child-wife OF George
maSom, OF Gnnrton Hall. Anne Eilers,
pe sI an invalid early, in her mar.
Stn.nsilann was kent At home and
hnssrrd nnnie'ly for years. devoted to
estate OF this richest virginian was
AIMED for hospitality. nnd he held
tranh PARTIES at Christmas.
90 plnc.;' wrote Mr.. Fithian. 'iB
lnhic" are pleased with the partv
ssoo w y 'p.r"; While Il is also much
,r,"nunnm! ny IN" leading men o. the
SOM home that young Thomas Jcf-
i,"rs"n. from the west" met fer the
mret tlinr Mason. who was to DC his
~ Lot, James Monroe. and nii,n-
pr9'nin"n, Vlfginians.
nl'rr ne ,ii,voiution. and for year.
Nh'll ~" hic'. General GcorE. VGnbcn
Wno icy nnc wing OF Wash!ngton's
army arrr"s Tho Delaware, proved a
.la'r leader nj tho victory nj Trcn-
Ton. AMI escorted back 1900 Hessian
%pr!sonerR. celebrated ChtIatmas WIN
treat party NJ his Tho sentry
'N' ~ Fr'n~eIcikshurG. Into which
celebration OF Christmas. hn, OF tho
=, KIM r.ntrh. ana Z the patty
va aid aTd inTlas" YIN III 2nsStr Young
were rare and costly rnd bts
III, tN.0e,i ~" always told rnch
'f't '''N' W. rar'r wgs ~, 80
hrNle Christn'as-anh the victory az
y, hT hs irrepressible Irivh humor.
,r ..,s ~ ~ ~, e,m' In ticlr
Win roIa. Their swords ella ntinE and
E'' IN ,'5s + alton al al each
ne dIn! groom door two
80 q .'nNs Z" Tho utmost marHico
h"to ana shouiiared guns wh"nu
'-ihrn. r.reM, r,nti,n,, Corporal
RAJ called, and each would salute Tho
Jest. Hc.,ra aim '. ali wcrc DR., Tn
. tn''n 7ui t''cre led by Wa"
.."n" powerful Tolcc. they sang a
g"ll q '''hrisiiaas Day In &c" and be-
on Christmas pry, In -
'"' r2SHsd troops with bayoncts
For Trrn,on marched away.
-, '"'.'f 4i'. tue uppts baiDw
~" lIEht obs -IrcG by han ana snow
'u' no sigus Of dlsrnny. '
.,nr cbi"ct wn8 thc Jcseian bon6
Ihat h7"H lnv1hc fair Freedoms Iand
VI 1ntr'er ~ tina, place.
wont v '~pNIngton, he ed us IN
" N Gus GINS streaming in r.nowr
Nhtch n"'er had known disyracc"
There were seven vorsns. and who,
'h"H" wcr" done, the guests. Nfty or
NOR" ate ana danced and made merry
All night. 1900
y" sped Christmns.
SO sici IN" M"rry Chrls,moa se.-
son Tn tho OLD laws when vlrcinia
'"hSt"d :hc most luxurious civIiiza-
'ion q'rrc Greece. maintained by men
'nd women who hardly. know caro-.
VINO commanded arrnits Of slaves and
stores Of necessities. and to whom
ne best OF iifo. in youth at least.
was TO sing and dance and love.
N'0rE the Knrnnhannock and poto-
mac rnd In she James River colony.
servants and masters AMI .ndcnturcd
'n"n held high reveirv under the
"hndl"s where tho log Ares blrzed. In
halls FRAGRANT WIN cedar and holly
ara hanEcrous-wi;h hanging mis-
,l";oe.
God res. you Merry G~enticmen-
\ Mrrr" Christmas All
Or Cihn, ~, nugin, ,or