The Camden chronicle. (Camden, S.C.) 1888-1981, December 13, 1912, Image 24
CHRISTMAS IN
COLONIAL DAYS
Interesting* Account of an Old
? v.. ? Time Celebration.
prten Wore Their Hair In Ciirle mnC
9u?h Gemee ae "Green Qrow the
HuhHch, O," Furnished
Amusement.
auWMIHl of en,
old-fi^hmed col
"li Of Ul#
Christmas season
is proiervcd in a
diary of a guest j
of M;i J, a#D. VVJ1 !
Ham Uoyd. one of
the signor* of the
Dealt* ration of Iq*
?h |t( inl< who
ri'fOHnt^ the good
cheer of hfs house- !
hold in the old ;
homestead
at Westornvllle, I
N. Y. The house ,
in standing, and la !
Htlll OOOUpi*d dur- 1
lug a part of the
Hummer by some
of his descend
ants. In those
early days of the
republic the Journey from New York
by sleigh took tun days.
In preparation for tho coming fes
tivities, the diarist notes that the
keeping room (nB tho main room was
then called), which today would be
called the j?arlor, or drawing room,
was trlmms'd ? laborately with spruce
add cedar branches, there being no i
holly growing lit that region. Besses
made of (Ibhu?> paper, In rod, pink and
whit<*. wiMo plentifully distributed
through the evergreen decorations.
The rortM wen: made, by two young
women guest*. MIS* Catherine Floyd
and Miss Mary Floyd, who were en?
gaged to be married to James Madison
' and Thomas Jefferson, afterwards
presidents of tho United States. They
wore assisted In entertaining guests
during the day by the Misses Wiggins,
neighbors . of the general. Among
other guests. Bishop -Whipple ' and a
fellow clergyman were present, as
well as the (lance of the diarist.
The festivities began Christmas Eve,
c jirid all the family hung up their Btock
fngs In front of the huge kitchen fire
place. The Illumination was that of
tallow candles In silver and brass can
dlesticks. MIsb Catherine Floyd had
expected her flanco, James Madison
(an wan Jotted down In the diary),
and was greatly disappointed at his
not coming. He sent, by way of a
Christmas gift, a full-length likeness
of Gen. George Washington, framed,
which was brought by a neighbor re
turning home from New York.
The merrymaking was at Its height
Christmas Eve, all sorts of then fash
ionable ahd popular games, such us
"Hunt the Slipper," "Blind Man's
Buff," ami "Green Grow the Hushes,
O," being Indulged In by tho young
people until 10 o'clock, at which hour
sharply General Floyd closed the
house. ?
That In keeping early hours he wtis
not altogether arbitrary appears when
we learn that the breakfast Christinas
morning was at early candle light. Tho
diarv savs: 'it wns so earlv ami I
had to take my curl-papers out.' so I
am sure my luilr will not curl at all."
The gay yOung people gathered In
tho Immense kitchen after breakfast
was served, to examine the stockingH
that Santa Claus was expected to
have left In prosperous condition. Of
her gifts tho. diarist remarks: "Such
beautiful gifts I have never received
away from my home. Some beautiful
mink skins, sufficient to make my win
! ter fur and muff, from dear General
Floyd, taken from animals caught In
a trap near the milk house, Baxter's
Saints' llest,' and a nice volume of
Watts' hymns from Mrs. Floyd, a
white velvet pincushion, painted with
roses and leaves, from Catherine, and
a pretty collar of lace footing from
Mary. My dearly beloved gave me a
ruby ring, the emblem of eternal fldel
Ity aud love." The "dearly beloved"
became her husband a few months
later.
"Christmas Day was Indeed a joyful
one; after we had seen all our gifts
all the young people went to the hill
back of the house and coasted for twe
hours on the hard crust of Ice and
snow; the distance from the top of the
hill to the gulf ravine was nearly a
mile."
WHEN THE YULE LOG BURNEC
Pretty Customs of Former Timet :
That Surrounded That Necessary
Feature of Christmas.
The Yule log oh the fireplace roared :
The whole hull was aglow,
The great hounds lay brfore the blaze
Dreaming of stag and hoar.
.One of the prettiest sights of the
old-time Christmas must have beer
that of the Yule log being drawn
homeward, surrounded with joyous
laughing children, shouting merr>
greeting to each wayfarer as ho
doffed his hat in reverence to the loj
ho full of good promises whose flamet
had the power to burn out old wrongs
and heartburnings. On the arrival ol
tho log at the "baronial hall" it wat
customary for each member of the
family to greet It in fitting mannei
either ln^ verse or song.
Tn som? parts of Franco there "wni '
also the custom of the Christmas log :
althojigh th^re has beei^ a different
slgulflcanca. Thur* the log had uu?
tended from eagh end Um toy*, cakaa
anl fruita for the children of th?
hoiv>*; These war# the gift* potll
MttOlet or Chriatnuui child \ru sale
to have brought.
/In the mountain district* of Oar
many the C'brlatmaa log was supposed
to have the power of warding off dun
gere from lightning and was kept bo
neath the bud of the maater of th?
bouse from one Christ rnaa till tha
next, whin It waa uaed to light th?
new log. On Chrlatmaa ere all light*
and Area were extinguished In the
house and n piece of the laat yearV
wood wan taken to the neighboring
church, where U waa lighted at th?
flamea |?/ the uanctuajfy light, signify
Iiik the new llK?it that had coma Into
the world on this night. j
Beaulleu on National Debta.
M Heaulleu declares that the worhl
at the preaent time la badly governed; ,
that It la in the handa of Incurable
prodlgala and improvident expert
mentera. Aa proof of tbla^ position tin
polnta to the public de^ta of all couu
tjrlea, which ahow a decided tendency
to multiply, not by reason of streaa
of extraordinary cireuraatancea, such
aa war or national diaaater, but be
cause the credit of natlona is extend
ed to enterprise* which ahould remain
within the field of private endeavor.
f\ Christmas Carmen
Jpbn tirctnleaf Wbittitr
. ^ . . 4 r I
Sound over all waters, reach out from
all lands,
Che chorus of cokes, the clasping of
bands;
Slug hymn* that were sung by the
stars of flu mem,
Sing son?? of Me angels when Jesus ;
was bomi !
WKb glad jubilations
Bring hope to the nations!
Che dark night Is ending and dawn
has begum
Rise, hope of the ages, arise, like
the sun
Jill speech now to music afi hearts
Hat as onei
Blow, bugles of battle, the marches of
peace*
Cast, west, north and south, let the
long Quarrel cease*
Sing the song of great toy that the
angels began,
Slug of glory to 6od and of good will
to mam
lolning In chorus
Che heavens bend o'er us!
Che dark night Is ending and dawn
has begun*
His*, hope of the ages, arise like
the sun
Jill speech flow to music, all hearts
beat as on?*
(ttljrifitmajff (ttlfrmtnlogij
?306 ? Diocletian slaughtered 20,000
Christiana.
597^-St. Augustine baptized 10,000
Saxons in Kent.
790 ? Off a, King of Mercia, In battle
with Welsh.
800 ? Charlemagne crowned Emperor
by Pope Leo III. In Rome.
878 ? Alfred the Great defeated by
Guthrun, the Dane, at
Chippenham.
1065 ? Westminster Abbey consecrated
in presence of Queen Edgitha.
1066 ? William the Conqueror crowned
at Westminster.
1171 ? Henry II. entertained Irish
Chieftains at Dublin.
I 190 ? Richard the Lion Heart feasted
Crusaders at Sicily.
1417 ? Sir fohn Oldcastle burned as
Lollard heretic.
1428 ? Truce at siege of Orleans to
observe Christmas.
J 492 ? Columbus's ship, Santa Maria,
wrecked at Hayti.
1572 ? Cardinal Wolsey, insulted by
Gary's Inn revels, titrates
two men into prison.
1 620- ? Pilgrims building first house at
Plymouth.
1 642 ? Sir Isaac Newton born.
1 644 ? Christmas kefit os a fast day by
English Puritans.
1 647 ?Christmas celebration prohibited
by Parliament.
1659 - General Ccjri of Massachusetts
prohibits celebration on pen
alty of fine.'
1 720? William Collins, poel, born.
1773 ? Tea ship in New York sent
back to England. .
1775 ? Arnold and Montgomery at
? si^ge of Quebec. ?
1776 ? Washington crossed the Dela
ware to attack Trenton.
1777 ? Washington's army starved at
Volley Forge.
1 785 ? Shay's rebellion started in
Massachusetts,
1837 ? Zachary Taylor defeated Semi
nal es near Big Water Lcke
in Florida.
1848 ? Col. Doniphan and American
Volunteers defeated Mexi
cans under Gen. Ponce de -
L.con at BrcZlto.
I R 5 / ?iLibrcry of Congress in ruins
fitc
1 8o0 ? Coldest C iristinas in England.
1864 ? Union fleet and army allocked
Fort Fisher, but withdrew.
1866 ? Yacht Henrietta ended ocean
race from New Yo'k to
Cow&s.
1868 ? President fol\nspn issued procla- '
motion of general and un
conditional amnesty.
/ 87 ' ?Paris in distress with German
army surrounding city. *
MY CHRISTMAS DREAM 1
OW, thin the won
derful dream I had -
? tt dream of llio Cbrlat
i ina? Tree:
I d roamed thai a melody
Mwoet and Klad ran*
out from aomowluro
to ine.
Arid out of the allvered
eaat they came aud
out of tho rony went ?
More children than ever
u man might name 01
vvvr a man naa guessed;
And going and coming, and cowing
and going.
With ?' u mm tint a -drumming and
buglers a blowing, u ; j;,
Were all the children that evor wer?
known sluce ever there way an
<arl.h,
in hundred#,. in couples, anil all alone,
I . each 'hunting a song of mirth
And then In ' thtH
wonderful dream
of mine tim chil
dren ran to and
fro
And muiched in a
loiJK and winding
line as Hwlflly uh
thoy might ?,<>,
And each an ho paus
ed thy* Christmas
Tree looked up
with a radiant
face,
Kn(\ each uh he came there bont the
kneo with curious, childish
grace ? '
And coming and going, and going
and coming,
With buglers a-blowlng and drum
mers a-drummtng4
Were rll, of the children that eyer
have been since there was a
* world at all
Knd none was n-hungcred or pale or
thin, or orlppled or like to fall.
And alf of
them ring
in this
dream of
mine, a song
that JL wish
I knew,
For It had a
melody fair
and fine and
every tone
was true;
And all of the
e h i 1 d re n
they looked
at me in
pity ? or so
it seemed ?
While stars in
the boughs
of the
Obrls tmaB
KRIS KRINGILE IN COMMON CLAY
MOOBL. BY C. A. BBATY.
rree in marvelous glory r.l amp#.
And going and coming, and coin
ing and going,
With drummera a-drunnning and
buglers -a-blowing,
tVere all of the children that ever
have played bince ever the
^orld began.
knd each little f< Jow and each little
maid delightedly laughed qnd
ran
And then in thiB
wonderf u 1
dream I dream
ed, I thought
that the Christ
mas Tree
Grew fairer and
fafcr^r until it
seemed no
fairer a thing
could be;
And all . of the
children they
call od my
name and all of
the children smiled.
fcnd (suddenly then io my heart thore
oam? the fojth of-fa little child,
And going and mining and coming
and igolng,
.With drummRis u-dnimming an<f:
buglers allowing,
I. iiwirchfd with the children of all
? the hinds, of all tho yearB and
times,
A.nd Vaughed aa we ran with our
close-llnlicif hands and chanted
our world-old rhymes.
WILBUR D. NESBIT.
Just What He Meant.
"Ypur toys are very pretty, but tbe
prices are too high," objected the cus
tomer. .
"Why, look at that drum for $6.48.
You can't beat it at the prlco," pro
tested the dealer.
"I believe that is wliat 1 intimntod
in my remark/' said the customer.
News From Home!
! |
'
To the person who cannot join the family circle
at Christmas time there could not be a more acceptable
gift than a subscription to a home paper.] [A paper
that chronicled the daily doings of the folks "back
home" would be appreciated far more than some frail,
glittering little trinket, no matter how valuable.
q
Just at this time a subscription to The Chronicle
for an absent friend or relative would be most [[accepta
ble. In addition to the enjoyment the people who have
left the old. place would derive from receiving the
NEWS FROM HOME, there are nearly one hundred
young ladies in this coufity who would appreciate the
-votes on the subscription, as they are striving to win
the fivePassenger Ford Touring Car being given away
by The (Chronicle in th?Mr Automobile and Prize Voting
Contest. Subscription one dollar a year. Make your
#
dollar do double duty.
Obey That Impulse!
feofttheauJ **
aucod no
dramatic ujg
[hun j*Loie v?i(S
lavo
? ,1H
au<| liaUiayth^
of ,hw taSj!
?now. of no ?
' *35
??,^5
? ? u, 11
, "Kullwl tt, s*
* ? lM,r. "JS
?> the . ifHi- J?
at 1 which
rftpO?(J Willi tlus V u li t i,i,. feaUflfl
the time or i ?i?= winter uoUtiot *
Longfellow Iiuh used 0110 of fa*
U? "Hfmg 01af'? ci.rirtJE
Anotlior, in which real rjUriotasf
vor and nigral heroism i'1 ty a birtl
the utory lof the first ChrietniM t il
There stands at. Ait< ntn rgw? i
northern Germany u ty,utu.. ? rnrt&i
lill in honor of Saint H<>i.lface; J!
the place of the statue U mld't|3
the ulte Of the first Christian cWj
In north Germany.
Boniface, who muni not bo contusi,
with any of the nine pupu# wto-S
the name, wuh a Hilton by birth, *5,
his name was Wynfrith. DecB|2
high ecclesiastical honor, he choiej
he a missionary to the rude tribea o
the German forests. * Of these trib*
TacitU/k tells ub; and wo knot thi
they were implacable in war ifc
bloody in their worship, but tbi
umong their virtues wuh a mark!
purity of private life and love ?
home.
ftaoh year these people sacrifice
to their gods- One of their holies
Bh rincs was a great oak at Geltmq
There they gathered at midnight t
the winter solstice, and offered a UJ
lad as a sacrifice to call back the n
treating sun.'
Thus they were assembled at tb
Y.uletlde in the year 724. Ab the mU
nighty approached, an old priest raft*
the hammer to strike down the chlU
when Boniface interposed a stroaj
arm and an eager word. He told thei
of a child who was born seven hu
dred years hfcfore, and how he shoi
?d o men that they need ofler a
mote bloody sacrifices. He trtd
of the love of God and the beauty c
his service. The 'stern men heard tl
believed. ' Urged by the heroic mh
slonary, they hewed down the dar
thunder-oak, the scene of bo Ail
.sacrifices. ,
The legend says that when the tn
fell, It left a young fir growing b
tween the shattered branches, and m
broken by their tall.. Boniface tol
them to take that tree to thetrlM
quoting hall; to serve God witk Jo
atad feasting; and to take for thel
Yule tree this one, with roots u
stained with blood, and with em
gr^en foliage for a symbol of inifflo
taiityv
If part of the story is myth, it Is ?
all myth; and it is ourely a beautifi
way of explaining one of the m?
beautiful of Christmas custooa
V.outh's Companion.
"AS YE DID UNTO -TH0H
So he died, and .they said unto
"It is written against you that
heeded not the sorrow and Jhe
of them that were stricken in
and suffered in illness and want"
. And he said :
"That Is unfair, for all my life
I noted especially the- suffering
want of the pobr, and not a Chr
went by that I did not say over
PY$r that I was sorry for them,
one gave them more sympathy
no,, one showed more commie
for them. Why, lots of ti
thought of them, on cold' .
nights, and said to my friends that !
was too bad they had to endure
vations."
"That is correct," they said
bim. '"But it is written that you
not materialize your sympathy-^
simply sympathized in words, i
words are not eaten, nor are
worn, nor are they burn<?d in Stqj
So he was abashed, and stood *
for a space. Then he said meekly;
"And I roust not come in?"
As to that, they did not answer, I
they said again unto him:.
"All those that you symj
with, are here, and now they wlflj
pathize with yoa." ^
Wilbur I). Neabii.
Mrs.
V - ... ? '?
His Hard Work.
Wunder ? Does anybody
read those Christmas poems in I
papers?
Mr. Wunder ? Oh, yes. The
^ih!*thw=prootYeaders have to.
6hristmas Plum Pudding*
The Christmas plum pudding ii 1
scended from the plum porridge '
is a time-honored dish at
Christmas feast To be
made, each person in all the.
hold must stir It before it is
and tho mistress of the hou*e
add the spices "with her WBja
hand," and so she favors
a year. I? she is an Ameriear
mixes her pudding in an ancient i
bowl, stirring it with as ancient _
spoon, whose handle is adorned
an old English crest, so-much
ter, for in the new land she >
iftg to iteep aliye the custo?s-:
made old England merrie.
The pudding should bftjfl
well-floured cloth "six hours
day of mixing, six hours upon
of eating, an3 ttelMinr
cease '^o arise from the pot
pudding is within it."