Merry Boothie Christmas !!

[L Verge]

Lovely photo of Mrs. S by the way! I have to tell you a story about her cookies.

For thirty years, we did three nights of candlelight tours at Surratt House; and the public was treated to homemade treats and punch when they entered the family dining room (there are two dining rooms at the site - one that served gentlemen travelers during the 1850-60s and one for the family).

We also had Union and Confederate re-enactors on the lawn. We would declare a Christmas truce, and Confederates would escort visitors to a check point and hand them over to Federals who surrounded the house. One of the Confederates, however, had a penchant for cookies and would sneak in the kitchen door every now and then.

That was no problem - except, he swore that cookies would levitate off the tray and come to him. He was sure that Mary Surratt was prompting him as to which were the best cookies! Poor thing, I think shell shock from too many Gettysburgs had done him in.

Merry Christmas and many best wishes to all for a happy, healthy, prosperous, and historical New Year.