Early Christmas Feast In Oskaloosa
Semira Phillips
Oskaloosa, Iowa – From the book Proud Mahaska 1843-1900 by Semira A. Phillips. Available freely at the Internet Archive.
1852– Mr. White’s next attempt at taming a wild animal for the solid pleasure of its society was with a badger. The badger was not a success; boys would come around and poke sticks at it, which didn’t seem to be particularly enjoyed by the badger, however much it may have been enjoyed by the boys. So one day the badger became desperate, broke his chain, and escaped to parts unknown.
These misfortunes happened to Mr. White in the year 1852. He was almost inconsolable when the badger made his escape. But in a few months after, some time in the summer of 1853, he met a man somewhere who had for sale a large black bear, already sufficiently domesticated to be led by a chain. Mr. White purchased the bear and was happy. He had him taken around to the back-yard of his hotel, had the chain made fast to a stake, and the bear was placed in Mr. McNeely’s care.
Mr. McNeely was delighted. His foresight was keen. A great feast and a great “hit” in the hotel business loomed up before his mental vision. Game of other kinds was quite plentiful, but a whole bear served at one meal was something unusual. And that was what Mr. McNeely mentally proposed to do, if Mr. White could be induced to have that bear slain. Mr. McNeely knew his powers of persuasion; he would manage it.
That bear soon became so accustomed to seeing a crowd of men and boys around that he paid no attention to them, but just kept on eating. He fared sumptuously every day; devoured great quantities of food from Mr. McNeely’s table, and waxed fatter and fatter. Mr. McNeely did not “reckon without his host,” for in the course of time, after many persuasions and logical arguments, Mr. White was led to see that a great bear feast would not only be a bonanza for Mr. McNeel in the hotel business, but would advertise the house and thereby bring him a purchaser. In those days everybody’s property was for sale or trade. Speculation was rife in Oskaloosa; so Mr. White consented to have the bear sacrificed, but it was “stipulated in the bond” that Mrs. White should retain a considerable portion of the oil. Pure bear’s oil at that time was valuable. It was supposed to add greatly to the beauty of the hair, and was much used for that purpose. I remember seeing a young man in church one day whose hair was so completely saturated with bear’s oil that it fairly dripped off.
Mr. McNeely did not swerve from his purpose. A week or two before Christmas he made known to the citizens of Oskaloosa and surrounding country that a function, such as had never been witnessed nor enjoyed by society in this part of Iowa, would be given at the Eagle Hotel, on December 24th, 1853. Dinner would be served at 3:30 p. m. The cuisine would surpass anything ever attempted in this community. Many rare viands would be served at that banquet; but what was most unique, a large black bear would be slaughtered and the whole of it placed before the guests, prepared in every manner known to the cuisine art. After dinner the dining-room would be cleared and those who chose to do so could “trip the light fantastic toe.”
When the afternoon of the 24th arrived, the elite of Oskaloosa and country ’round began to arrive. Soon the Eagle Hotel was filled to overflowing. Mr. McNeely did all, and more than he had led the people to think he would do. The bear was fine; the banquet was a grand success financially, and every other way. Everybody went away more than satisfied. They had had all the bear meat they wanted. As the bear was the principal feature of the entertainment, some of the young men called it the “Bear party,” and some were rude enough to call it the “Bear dance.” That bear was large and fat, and when he had come to be slaughtered and dressed, such quantities of “pure bear’s oil” I don’t think had ever been seen by the “oldest inhabitant.” It took a great big kettle to hold it. Mrs. White was an expert in whatever she undertook, and she made a success in rendering that oil, as she did of everything else, and gallons of nice clear oil was the result. After she had given me a great big bottle full, and had shared liberally with her other friends, she had quantities of it left.
