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Show jm0w JM BELL. imm Sfefi) m0 How folks in the tidewater section of pii state that mothers presidents celebrate during Christmas season. Some of the spirit of Merrie England 150 years ago iKfit' fr Tb, pervades that part of America today, fifrfewi tiM- A1r h i f f f ?f J CHE visitor to an old plantation in tidewater tide-water Virginia, at Christmas time will no doubt be agreeably surprised to find that many of the old customs survive BTTT and are regularly observed, not only Er -sSI on the large plantations, but on the t J smaller farms, and even in the negro fyr quarters. So all get their full measure . A. 0f gjfts an(j turkey. Perhaps the first sign of Christmas Is the killing of the fat hogs, which have taken on flesh rapidly since they were put up and hardened hard-ened on good, sound ear corn. Hog-killing time means a generous supply of "fresh," in other words sausage, sparerlb, chine, cheese-souse, pig's feet, and, of course, that fresh pork ham baked during Christmas week. This Is flanked by a baked ham two years old and sugar-cured. It will all furnish mighty good eating for visitors who drop In for a little while, but have not time to stay to the regular dinner. Those who have spent years on a tidewater Virginia, Vir-ginia, plantation know just what hog-killlng time means to host and hostess. All through the countryside, coun-tryside, from the humblest negro holding to the largest river estate, preparation for Christmas begins with hog-killlng time, for then the corn Is gathered, the woodpile Is ready, and farm work In general Is In such condition that all are in pretty good shape for the holidays. That Christmas Gobbler. Two weeks before Christmas, the turkey gobbler gob-bler (generally one of the year's raising) Is singled out from the flock, put up In a slatted coop In the back yard, fed on shelled corn till he Is In proper condition, killed the day before Christmas, hung up on the north side of the porch and next day, when cooked In the pld-time kitchen by an old-time old-time negro "kitcheB queen, forms the pfe'ee-de-jresistance for the big dinner. The Christmas menB rejoices In roast turkey stuffed with oysters, bread crumbs, etc A sugar-cured ham (from one to two years old), crisp celery, Irish and sweet potatoes (the latter candled), salsify and spinach (all grown In the home "gyardln,") macaroni, and, of course, cranberry sauce for the turkey, the dessert consists of jelly (plenty of wine for seasoning), blanc mange, both white and chocolate, choco-late, meringues, fruits, such as Malaga grapes, rosy-cheeked apples, hanimas and oranges. Wine Is served at table and a toddy of whisky, sugar and water, with a dash of nutmeg, will most likely be taken by the gentlemen beforehand at the sideboard. side-board. Roquefort cheese and coffee end the feast. This menu is Indicative of a typical plantation dinner; others will be in proportion to the taste and means of the diners, but It can be safely asserted as-serted that nowhere would a guest or a stranger sit down to a meager feast on this day, for even the negroes have prepared most liberally for the great occasion. Christmas Decorations. The good old custom of decorating the houses for Christmas still obtains, and the generous supply of holly, running cedar and pine, growing In the Virginia woods, Is used. Mansion, farmhouse farm-house and cottage are all decorated. Mantels, hulls, and even bedrooms are witnesses to the season sea-son of jollity. Family portraits of ancestors, now long laid at rest, are honored with a wreath of green and the red berries of the holly, a Christmas greeting from the stern canvas. What are the social customs that emphasize this season in Tidewater, Virginia? On Christinas morning a glass of eggnog or toddy is taken by the gentlemen as they go into breakfast. After this meal, the company will separate. It is possible that some of the party will go to the Colonial church in the neighborhood for morning service. The ancient brick edifice will always have been decorated by loving hands for this season. Wreaths of evergreen intertwine on walls, chancel and pulpit. The morning service over, the congregation exchange ex-change Christmas greetings outside. Some presents pres-ents are taken to church for neighbors who live at a distance; happy, inexpensive recollections of the season, but appreciatively Indicative of the momentous mo-mentous occasion. Back from church, homo folks and guests are ready for dinner. Hunting Parties. The east Virginians have ever shown a penchant for hunting, and chasing the fox behind a good puck of hounds has always been a sport par excellence. ex-cellence. This sport slill exists in the country districts, dis-tricts, and in spite of wire fences, now ulniost have been quip and jest around the hospitable board. Love affairs begun, and harmless jealousy can be easily discerned. The "lancers" Is the next figure. A couple steals off after the set Is over, a secluded lounge In the hall offers opportunity for the "sweet nothings," or maybe true love called forth by the propitious time and place. The negro servants stand around the hall door and watch with fascinated gaze the many couples as they go through the dances. Happiness fairly gleams on their dark faces. The night Is waning, already the roosters have crowed for "three o'clock." From now on until "de brek er day" the dancing keeps up, and when the first red streak appears on the horizon the violins play "Home, Sweet Home." It seems that the fiddlers fid-dlers fairly excel themselves as they draw their bows for this, the last waltz. The dancers swing to the steady rhythm of the music. The music ceases. The dance Is over and one more old-time Virginia Christmas gathering Is a memory. The host and hostess speed the parting guests, and presently pres-ently the "great house" is quiet. The Customs Inherited. The customs inherited from English ancestors will never be forgotten in this section of "Ole Vlrginny," where the plantation owner was a very king, where the smaller farmers had their own peculiar pleasures, and where even the negroes (following the example of "de wlte fokes") have always made merry in the l'uletide season, following fol-lowing the time-honored customs which have existed ex-isted so long that like the common law, "the memory mem-ory of man runneth not to the contrary." Changes have taken place In this favored section, sec-tion, many of the oldest families have sold their ancestral homes and moved to the cities. The numerous well-known estates have passed Into the hands of wealthy persons from the North and West, but in spite of changes, the spirit of Christmas Christ-mas animates the natives of all classes and is caught by the "strangers within the gates," for the Northern and Western folks that have settled and made their homes with us In nearly every case enter Into the social life of the communities In which they reside, and during the holiday season sea-son join hands with the natives all In humor for the week of frolicking. universal, you will hear the baying of the hounds and the cheering of the mounted hunters as they pursue the crafty fox through fields and woods on a Christmas morning. The Christmas dinner Is more or less a formal function and it Is likely that the family and the guests will be In place when the blessing Is asked by the host Even the allurements of the hunt will not make the men overlook the time-honored custom cus-tom of being In place when the stuffed gobbler Is served. The Country Dance. In the evening all join In the old-tlrae country dance. The very name suggests quadrilles, lancers, lan-cers, two-steps, waltzes and even, perhaps, the schottlsh. These delightful recreations, still observed, ob-served, come from the "mother country," and have flourished In east Virginia for three centuries. Nothing Is more joyous than a Christmas dance on a Virginia plantation, where observance of tbe season Is inherited, where the servants are negroes, ne-groes, the fiddlers are negroes and thoroughly familiar fa-miliar with the dear old dance music so fondly remembered re-membered by those of ante bellum days. Invitations Invita-tions have brought out the countryside, whose social position deserves the courtesy. The "great house" is decorated with all the evergreens of the season. Bright fires are burning and the servants are on hand to wait on the "wlte fokes." The night Is a starry one, and a rime of frost has settled over the landscape. Outside there Is a rumble of vehicles over the slightly frozen road leading to the house, buggies, carriages, perhaps a four-mule wagon, with its gay crowd of young people, the black jehu guiding his team and coming com-ing in a rapid trot. There may be one or two automobiles. au-tomobiles. The big front door Is thrown open, a blaze of genial light welcomes the incoming guests, who shake hands with the host and hostess standing within the portals. Upstairs go the "gyrls" to the "ladies' room," while the gentlemen go to the room assigned them. All Is bustle and happy preparation prepara-tion for the coming dance. Nine o'clock chimes from the timepiece on the parlor mantel. The lively bevy of maidens are trooping down the broad stairs. What visions of loveliness are these highbred Virginia girls! and they charge the very atmosphere with coquetry. Young gentlemen offer hurried requests for the dance. Then the real revelry begins with- the tiddler's call of "Choose yo' pahilnahs fo' de fus' quaddrill." "Turkey in the Straw." There Is a graceful sweep of skirts across the well-waxed floor, a clasp of hands as the couples fall in place. The scraping of violins to the tune of "Turkey in the Straw," and the head fiddler calls "fohwud fo'." One dance follows another with short Intermission, until supper is announced at 12 o'clock. Then the musicians play a murch for the couples as they make their way to the big dining room. Around the lengthened mahogany table Is spread a feast tit for the gods. Cold turkey, turkey tur-key salad, pickled oysters, cold ham, celery, olives, beaten biscuit, thin wafers, fruits, cake and bluck coffee. At 1 :30 dancing is resumed. There |