The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-03

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;stosgst ansot tier ssyanee, and. II
adinner. / soon gos both. iFfhej iandlera
kept bar. which on Chrissmas eve ssfass
doing q brisk business. retired TO a cold
room to partake Of fried pork, some warm
cabbage, which kept warm exictly thirty
seconds, and some beverage whfrh had only
q speaking acquaintance with the coffee
pot. But was hungry, and though shlver-
ing, had q good appetite--the very best
Of sauces. ''ss
Returning to the bar to settle, found Il
confronted BY a dozen ruddy and eager eti.
Gems, one of whom, O self-complacenty young
man who had been to town, was reealing
the landlord with story about ''Toodles,"
which had not been heard Of by many pres
ent, suppose. The landlords attention
was especially demanded by the story-tel-
ing drinks and gathering change. But he
kept up merry conversation with Mr..
Goodies" "This is frst-rate-listen to
me, and let the man wait awhile-he will
enjoy the joke" "Of course it is first
rafe.' $50 Toodles says to Mrs. Toodles-
and Mrs. Toodles says to Toodles." "Bran.
dy toddy, sir-here's your straight, sir
twenty-five cents, SIR" "D-n it, Norris,
listcn-it is the best thing you ever heard"
"Pm listening-it is the best thing out"
And away went the narrator of what Too
dies did and said, in the midst of the gen.
eral drinking and palaver until he got
through, and the lanG. watching, burst
out into a violent Ha ha and he he
and hol no although he had not heard
two connected sentences of the story,
and his face representing the blended
expressions Of the Coor-knocker and
the rinstailed monkey--his eyes glar-
ing about like the aforesaid monkeys
! at drinks and change on every hand. But
the narrator was so captiyated by the laugh
OF the bar that he forthwith repeated treat
for self and friends. to the infinite delight
Of the bar.
In the general confusion of the festive
cuSsing-the laugh over the story Of N1r.
Toodles, supposed by those present to have
been distinguished member of the frater-
rity of Doodles-I at last got hearing, set
tied, and bid adieu to the Noodles, fillding
myself again in company with driver and
John Frost, Esq, who embraced me and
clung to me tighter than creditor. The
new driver was entirely sober, and not in
teresting. Hecoutined his utterances chiefly
| to denuuciations Of the horse, and bis exer-
tions to urging him forward. He banged
away on the right rump Of the horse with
an instrument which was evidently an old
L
ont to the staff. whose end was much fraz-
zled. At last l suggested that the right
rump had become hardened, and probably
change Of the locality of beating might
have good effect. The driver ayaled him.
self of my advice. and it was ga perfect
success"
Finally, at about o'clock, arrived at
tic house Of a relative Of the family
| was on my way to visit, intro
duced myself, and explained Tho strait /
was IL. had u Warm welcome, and was
a funeral from The house. The revered
father and grandfather Of the household
was put into his cold grave, and the
afflicted family had turned away from his
earthly remains TO tue end Of time. ]
found myself on Christmas morning in the
house of mourning instead of Joy. slept
soundly after getting TO sleep; but before
that sleep came, felt q frequent shiyering
from the days eXposure-reSembling the
spasmodic trcmor OF the breast OF the child
whose heart has been wounded by Ito it) Il
bed, was saluted by a negro boy with
Christmas gift" l shall never forget that
| salutation. 1t made me feel very comfort
able. 1t was SO social, so seasonabe, SO
suggestive to stranger.
Al breakfast ! played with the chill.
I
contiding little girl and entertained her, as
| she did me, with some pratte. l beheld
| the mothers eyes swimming in tears, al.
though she smiled. at last she placed her
hands to her face and sobbed audibly.
gently, and with light football, retired from
the room. She sent Inc word by her ven-
| cradle aunt that / had so reminded her Of
her dead father that she could not restrain
her feelings. Dear fount Of teurs Source
| 1T hn hoart
addest Il grace to loneliness, and refine
ment to piety! Thou sheddeSt gentleness
around, and impartest soace to the grieved
spirit! Thou commandest alike our love
and our homage
l baGe adieu to my kind host and hostess,
and in the carriage kindly loaned me by him
arrived at midday at my place of destina
| ton, where Christmas welcome awaited
me. l found rich reward for my journey.
| Old and young contributed to my enjoy
mcnt. Among the little people the sensa.
ton was ut hish-water mark. In the tenl-
| pest Of joy suudry ef1gies and miniature
machines had already sustained serious
damage. The dolls had been seriously
| touzled, and wanted the help Of the toilet !;
the drum had hole in it, and the field
marshal Of the house had thrown aside his
warlike weapons for toy 4EOlian harp,
and from his early essay upon that instru-
nentt we might suppose that s be was des-
| At twilight their little heads were rested
upon their pillows, and their deep repose
showed how weary they were with the
Christmas day.
The holiday over, returned by dit
ferent route, and passing through Wash
lington saw the boat ] intended to travel
in fast bound in the ice at the wharf from
which she had not moved since the oath:
Dear old 'Maryland-my Maryland. She
wears the air of serenity amidst her af1ic-
tion. The country in Charles and st.
Mary's resembles tide-water Virginia. The
hills are gracefully sloped, and there are
intervals of wide low lands or 1ats bounded
by the gradually-rising hills. Those flats
are generally superb land, while much of
the upland Is good-produciug fine tobacco.
But the ornament of the uplandS is the
noble cedar, which grows large and in greut
quantity. 1t looked so sombre and poeti-
tleecy snow, stretching across the road in
many places, forming, fairy-like, covered
way that filed me with admiration.
l need not speak OF the people--we all
know them. The negroes seemed to me
more gentle and less inclined to alteration
than do those Of Virginia. And though
the land is SCARED by washing and untldy
from neglect, because Of the war and its
consequences, there is u degree of quiet,
order, and security that we have not in
the tide.water of Virginia. The people
are, as ever, kind, and the graces of social
life are maintained brightly and healthfully
amidst the sorrows that beset them.
| / travelled by way of the ridge which di-
vides the waters of the Patuxent from those
that full into the Potomac. 1t is superb
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