In The White House
Of The Confederacy,
light, offering challenges both small
and great.
But. when you get right down to it.
cross country skiing is where you find
it. As it requires only snow (and about
SI 50 worth of equipment), ol' man
Winter can unexpectedly turn down¬
town Raleigh into as fine a ski area as
any in the state!
All You Need
Basically, cross country skiing is as
simple as downhill is complex. Like
downhill, you need skis and poles, but
that is where the similarity ends. While
the downhill advocates struggle along
in heavy snowsuits. weighty boots,
padded gloves and goggles, the cross¬
country skier moves easily in knickers
(to be really *'in"). a light jacket (the
layered look is best), and low cut ski
shoes that are every bit as comfortable
as bedroom slippers.
A hat. light gloves, and a Thermos
full of hot chocolate are all you need to
round out the package.
It would probably be appropriate to
explain why cross country skiers tend
to need less clothing than their dow n¬
hill counterparts only a few ridges
away. As one rather tired-yet-fulfillcd
skier said upon reaching the front
porch of the Cone manor house. "Boy.
this can get lobe work on the uphills!"
According to weather forecasters,
the somewhat erratic snowfall aver¬
ages in the North Carolina mountains
tends to be 35-38" in Boone. 48-50" in
Blow ing Rock, and upwards of 55-60"
in the Roan Mountain area. "This usu¬
ally gives us four to six weekends of
good cross country skiing from
January to the end of March." ex¬
plained Wuenscher. who added that
this did not take into consideration the
mid-week activity.
"Unlike downhill slopes, where
snow can be manufactured on demand,
we cross-country skiers must depend
on Mother Nature for the white stuff
. . . and she rarely lets us down!" em¬
phasized Wuenscher.
i6
The Last Christmas
By NELLE RIVES CHEEK
Historian. Winnie Davis Chapter. U.D.C.
In December of 1864 the sound of
guns down the river could be heard
clearly in Richmond. Fog. rain and
dismal weather threw a pall over the
suffering and hunger of the city.
Rumors spread that Savannah had
been evacuated. The North was re¬
joicing over General Sherman's mes¬
sage to President Lincoln: "I beg to
present you as a Christmas present the
city of Savannah, w ith 150 heavy guns
and plenty of ammunition, and also
about 25.000 bales of cotton."
There was no occasion for rejoicing
at the White House of the Confeder¬
acy. but Mrs. Davis did her best for the
sake of the children. The family rations
had shrunk by this time to rice, corn-
meal. and an occasional piece of meat.
This Christmas rice, molasses, and
small pieces of meat had been sent
anonymously to be dispensed to the
needy. Mrs. Davis made her rounds
with these supplies, then helped her
family assemble toys and confections
for the orphans of the Episcopalian
home. She urged her friends to strip
their homes of such toys as they could
spare, and appealed to her own chil¬
dren who "rushed around the Mansion
picking up eyeless dolls, three-legged
horses, tops w ith the upper peg broken
off. rubber toys, monkeys with the
squeak silent, and all the ruck of the
children's toys that gather in a nursery
closet."
Robert Brown, one of their most
valued servants, made a doll house to
give as a prize. Mrs. Davis's sister
Maggie painted the mantel, the
shelves, the door panels and picture
frames of the doll house. Furniture was
made of twigs and pasteboard. Mrs.
Howell, mother of Mrs. Davis, made
pillows, mattresses and sheets for the
two little bedrooms.
The young people strung apples and
popcorn for the tree set up in the
church. A neighbor made candle
molds. The President shared in the
distribution of presents on Christmas
Day.
Mrs. Davis managed to round up
some substitute ingredients for their
own mince pie and plum pudding.
Their cook made a spun-sugar hen.
life-size, with a nest full of blanc¬
mange eggs. All the servants tiled in to
wish them a Merry Christmas, ac¬
cording to custom, and each received a
gift.
Stockings were stuffed with molas¬
ses candy, apples, small w hips plaited
by the family, worsted reins knitted at
home, woolen gloves, paper dolls and
small tops.
The President received a pair of
chamois-skin riding gloves, embroi¬
dered and monogrammed under the
guns at Fortress Monroe. The children
had written him little letters with their
grandmother’s help.
For Mrs. Davis there were six cakes
of soap made from the grease of a ham .
a skein of fine grey linen thread spun at
home, a pincushion made by some
poor woman and stuffed with wool
from her sheep, a baby bonnet and
handmade dress for Piecake (Winnie,
who was six months old), and a
chamois needlebook left her by one of
the visiting English correspondents.
The family all walked to church on
Christmas morning. They never used
'he carriage for this purpose or drove
out on Sunday. While they were at¬
tending the Christmas festivities for
the orphan children. General Lee
called at their home. He had received a
barrel of sweet potatoes which had
been sent to him by mistake. He had
taken a dishful before the mistake was
discovered. The rest of the potatoes
were given to the soldiers.
The day ended with a "starvation
party” at a neighbor's home. There
was dancing to the familiar war tunes.
Officers rode into town with their long
cavalry boots pulled up over their
knees. They were splashed to the waist
w ith mud. but they pul up their horses,
rushed to where they kept their dress
uniforms, and did their best to cele¬
brate the last Christmas of the Confed¬
eracy with good cheer and brave
spirit.
the STATE, December 1983
