The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-25
letter from petor.bnrr..
CORRESPONDENTS of the Richmond Dispatch

teoffesponoence OF the Richmond Dispatch
PETERSBURG, December 81, 1875.
CHRISTMAS has already begun Ia good earn.
est, as the noise along the streets abund.
antiy attests. Still, o very little tin.horn and
ana very listle fre.cracker will 20 q great
ways; and 1t must not be inferred that am
enjoyment Of the season Is on apy
very large scale. Indeed, 1t is the opin.
ION OF the business people that this Christ.
mas Is rather dull one. The tow
and candy-shops, the bookstores, and
fancy stores, where little money will buy
great deal and make good show. are
crowded !; but the heavier lines of business
are not so well patronized. The merchants
appear to have anticipated dull time, by
reason of the scarcity OF money, and have
expended no great labor and gone to but
small outlay or preparation for the season.
So far, John Barleycorn has figured but little
in the donors paid the HOLIDAY but he
will no doubt make his appearance late In
the evening, and bear, perhaps, more than
his just share 10 its exercises.
Here is Christmas anecdote, which al
though hardly "news," is q fact, and not
without certain interest: a small five.
year old, who had been all agog about Santa
Claus for many days, was taken out to see
and enjoyed the display immensely. While
be looked around with open mouth his pa
rents priced and occasionally bought such
things as be was known to want for his
Christmas presents. Presently it appeared
to come across the child's mind like flash
that there wasn't any Santa Claus; that his
parents were preparing gifts for him, and
that they bad been deceiving him. His face
fell, and he declared that he wanted nothing
and would take nothing for his Christmas
present, and be started TO bic him home.
| Wasn't that curious instance OF "dislllu-
sionment 7"
The earthquake continues to excite inter-
est, although the excitement and apprehen-
sion created by it have naturally expired,
except among very nervous people. Gu
riouS circumstance proper to be mentioned
in this connection is that good many OF
our people are believers in the doctrine OF
the near approach OF the Second Advent.
Rev. DR.. Gibson, rector of the Grace Pro.
testant Episcopal church, has been recently
preaching series of sermons on the signs
and wonders of the latter days. The faith
Of those who agree with this view of the
subject has been greatly confirmed by the
earthquake. Curiously enough, again, the
shock came almost exactly at midnight,
which is commonly believed to be the hour
when the last judgment will begin.
The funeral exercises ofthe late j. Wayerly
johnson took place to day from the residence
of his father on High street. The services
were of an affecting character, and were
conducted by Rev. MIR. Hanes, rector Of St.
Paui's church. a large number of the
friends of the deceased were in attendance.
The stockholders of the Atlantic, Missls-
sipp and Ohio Railroad Company from this
city, including the proxies representing the
stock held by the city, returned from Norfolk
this morning. The train on which the STOCK
holders and other passengers arrived con.
sisted of ten closely filled cars. There were
many ladies from the western part of the
State, who improved the opportunity of
visit to the seaside,
Charles Steam, an apprentice OF CHARLES
Winston's, on Old street, was seriously, II
not fatally, burned last night by flaming oil
from kerosene lamp.
The TemplarS got back from their visit tc
the Richmond CommIndery to-day In goo0
plight and greatly delighted by the hospita
bic reception accorded them.
+ Messrs. Eichberg and Shields have also re-
turned from their recent business visit TX
your city.
The p1pers here will suspend one day q
Christmas.
Robin Hood, in behalf Of Petersburg
, sends Christmas greeting to all Richmond
and to the Dispatch in particular. for which
: success and happiness are Invoked.
ROBIN HOOP.