The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 44, July 1940 - April, 1941 Page: 360
546 p. : ill., maps ; 24 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Southwestern Historical Quarterly
both spices and limes from Jamaica, and when the con-
diments were lacking a little red pepper took the place
and added "kick" to the taste. . .
The playing of tricks and pranks was common enough
in the old pioneer days, but on New Year's Day the camp
of Lafitte resounded with the hoarse laughs and shouts
that accompany "horseplay" among the vulgar and ig-
norant. A privateersman could have passed readily for
anything else than a "valentine," yet the first day of the
year was the day when those able to write used their
wits and their pens (a quill feather of a bird shaped into
a pen point and usually blood for ink) to satire or ridi-
cule their companions-all, however, in a spirit of mirth,
or, as now called a "Christmas spirit." These gifts, as
vocal or written bouquets, were announced in the small
circles of men formed, or were read to the larger gath-
erings, and they usually portrayed physical defects and
peculiarities of character. French was the written and
spoken language of the camp, and generally under-
stood, but a patois, a jumble of French, English, Portu-
guese and Spanish was the more often used, and incor-
rectly at that.
One of the New Year's squibs which has survived reads:
En voila jo ami le bceuf,
Ilne Jamais argent eneuf,
Et quand desiro demand l'ceuf,
Tout suite esta dumb and deaf.
Translated, it went:
Here comes your friendly Le Bceuf,
Never has money enough,
And when you strike him for an ceuf,
He becomes at once dumb and deaf.
(The word "ceuf," although meaning an egg, was the
slang for a loan, for both became objects of doubt with
age.)
In 1848 colonies of Germans settling in Southwest
Texas introduced the goose, and this bird has disputed
and still disputes among the Germans of Texas a place
on the Christmas table with the proud American bird.
the writer once dined in the late '70s of last
century at a goat ranch in West Texas kept by a thrifty
German who, celebrating his birthday in the fall, had
the gizzards of geese stuffed with pecans and spices and360
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Related Items
Other items on this site that are directly related to the current periodical.
Van Dorn's Trails, 1858 - 1859 (Map)
Survey map of Van Dorn's Trails, showing Texas and Oklahoma counties, towns, rivers, creeks, and Indian reservations.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 44, July 1940 - April, 1941, periodical, 1941; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146052/m1/399/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.