Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-12-24
Christmas Sleigh-Ride.

CHRISTMAS 1--we Wlen ne Iell III win au oiu seu-
tleman who invited him into his sleigh, What
then happened be tells in Scrlbner for jan
uary:
The old gentleman pulled bag from behind
the seat, and taking it on his lap proceeded to
show me some of the contents.
''They seem to be old-fashioned toys re-
marked.
Yes he Paid with a sigh, these new
tangled affairs are of 20 service to me. gu
couldn't get paddle. wheel steamer, With a
real engine, into common stocking, You
ruin the vessel or the stocking. And there's
scarcely girl in the land who wears a stocking
large enough to hold dolls trunk, furnished
With silk dresses, bouuets, and all the neces
sary undercothes. No, have to coDGne my
self to such things as bear proper proportion
to the feet and legs of children. There IS one
thing" said be, turning upon me his still jolly
old counteuance, that has had more Influence
thau any thing else in causing the general in
difference with which [ am now regarded.
'And what's that p | asked.
Furnace heat" be said, "What sensible
person. old or young could expect fellow
with bag on his back, TO come doWh-a hue
and through an iron register 1t would be
absurd to try to make even child believe that
auy thing of the sort is possible
And then he put away his bag and took the
lines again. with look of resignation.
ITS all wrong," said |, "all wrong The
old way was the best.
''No doubt of it, said he, "but what can
YOU expect /? Everything old is changing,
changing, changing" low about old iurul
ture | asked. That seems popular enough. J"
"That's changing, too, he answered, Com
ing down out of the garrett 10 the parlor As
to people, in general, scarcely know what to
make of them. There will soon be 20 such
thing as Christmas Hcreabouts it's losing
ground every year, and New Years Day is
taking it's place. The jolly old Christmas fes-
tivities are almost forgotten, and the young
men are satisfied to trot around on New I ear S
Day and nibble cake and drink wine at a hun
kred different places, while the women sit aud
smile at hundred different men-somc friends
and some strangers-tll the day done. What's
all that to the grand old times we used to
have? But, as said before, what can yoa
expect2 There are men now, who 60 SO tar
as to assert that matter contalns within Itself
the promise aud potency Of every form of Iltc !!
Would you expect the children OF such persons
to hang up their stockings =
mo, | said. u don't think l would.
"Of course not said be, with considerable
asperity for so jovial an old fellow; 1T would
be entirely out of keeping. Go long there |
are not half.a-dozen houses in that town be-
hind US that I could get into If you do man
age to squeeze down chimney, you're pretty
sure to land in kitchen fire, or in cellar fur
mace | hate furnaces They're the inven-
ton of the Devil, sir, and pure air and pure
Christianity are dying out with the open fire
places. Go long, you Biixen expect the
next thing will be that the children will leave
off their stockings altogether.
saw that he was getting excited, and did
not wish to say anything that wou Id further II
ritate him, 80 [ simply remarked that he seem
ed to be driving faster.
"Yes," said he, whipping his reindeer into
smart gallop, I'm going to fine old farm
house that stands down yonder 10 the valley.
There the people know how to live. There are
great open fire places with grand old wood
fires in them-shiniDg brass aDdirons, big
back-ogs and a merry cracking blaze. Hi
there, Vixen There the children have been
playibg wild rollickiDg games all this evening,
and there they have hung their stockings by
the big fire place In the kitchen 60 long,
there, hi hill
The old man was now in a glow Of delight.
He cracked his whip and shouted to his rein
deer. The gallant creatures seemed to catch
his enthusiasm, aud they dashed over the Snow
at the top of their speed.
Isn't this rather-rapid p said l, as l
clung fast to the side of the sleigh.
"Oh, yes he shouted, this is the right sort
of driving. This is the way people 60 when
they want to get there. Hi bi! Away with
you. you rascals There's the house, right be-
fore US
Are you going to drive-on top?'' said |,
almost breathless from the rapidity of the ride.
'Certainly |" be cried But you needn't
be afraid. Ijust take that shed first, then up
to the roof OF the kitchen, and then clip! aud
away to the top of the house u
AT this be rose, and stood up in the sleigh,
cracking his whip and shouting to his stccds at
the top of his voice.
The reindeer dashed forward like mad-they
reached the shed, they bounded up, the run
ners struck the caves with bang, and out
shot into a snow bauk. -" "Etchings," ScrtGner
fnr 1ooIuoy,,