Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-12-23
ALEXANDRIA,, VA.
SATURDAY., DECBMBER q.


CHRISTMAS, with ali its merry associations
has come asala, aud the mau, woman or child
who dpesu't entei into the festivities OF the
season aud extract trou them all the legitimate
and r~atlouaI enjoyments they are capable OF
afordipg, EXHIBIT, but slight eVldeoce OF that
hisn order Of intelligence, which, it is asserted,
marks the difference Jet seen aulmals aud their
human copgcncrs. Lie prolonged TO It's utmost
limit is but short, auI under the most faV0ra
bic circumstances, uncertain. Way then should
we not Sc ,ze. ard w.lh avidity, such Innocent
pleasures ~ are witilio our reach Happl-
ness is not maa's uormal condition; he was
horn Co trouble IS the sparks hy upward. lie
who sucked Iite dry Of its delights, ideal as
well as gruss,-.nd died at an early age strain
Ing after moi e, >ay>, It, uut over the joys
thine hours have seea; count over thy days
from anguish free aud his experience Was the
same az that OF all who went before or followed
after him. No, life ct best is but a weary pill
grimase but i,w roses are CAST In our path
way, and il W. don pick them up We reflect
20 credit upoa car understanding, and
manifest Out iitle gratitude for being endowed
with that, supposed to DC, peculiarly q human
attribute. Let Us ali then enter Into tue spirit
oil Christmas: bc as merry as the season, and
as hilarious is p~rpprivly viii admit. ltlsa tlme
tnr neace on earth aud goud will towards men,
and let US make it So to he eItcLt OF ouI ability.
The dull care Of cur daily lives, as we'll as the
casua! tut provoking auuoyances occss'oned by
Grapt aud tie PARTY II which he is the repre-
sentative, should te shaken oft thoughts OF
re:urniog boards should be surplanted by the
more agreeable oLcs CT festive boards, aud 10
s.cad Of the reports Of Investigating commit
tees. let the air be filled With those OF lire
crackers aud ,orncdoes. 1t families lutte, aod
those who wh0 haven't families etjJy 10 an-
t;cipation such as may be vouchsafed them. Let
stockings Of the greatest length be hung by the
fire place, and let Christmas Nick stuff them
full; let the lardcrs be we'll stored, and the fires
be kept burning brightly, so that though the
snows aud sIects may fail, aud winds blow, al
shall be yous and comfortable within doors,
and the season be, as il. always Should be, the
merrlcst Of the year. There are few holidays
now that Virsiniars can heartily enjoy. They
never did much affect Thanksgiving day, and
the radicals have so travestlei the Institutions
by which the 22d Of February aud the 4!h o.
July were mad memorable, that the recurrence
of those days eau ses more of sorrow than oil
10y, becaus. of the remembrance of the once
happier times they revive. But its d .ferent witt
Christmas. They Inherited their love for ii
frou their ancestors, who brought it and it!
marry.makings aud festivities with them
from across the seas, aud as Its abou,
the only thug the radicals havn't attempt
ed to improve, it remaios with all III
beautiful associations, and they still love it
make it peculiarly their holiday, and will, wt
hope, c%outioue to do so until the end OF time
But some must weep while others laugh, sc
runs the world away, and while all who Cal
euioy themselves should do so to their heart
cor,ent, let them not forget that there al,
Others less Fortunate, though probably more
deserving, who have rot only 10 Well hilec
larders DOR brightly burning fires, but are al
most starving or freezing, and that, too. within
a short distance from their very doors; anC
that a small portion Of their %bundance, 81
small that 1t you'd be uuDot!ced, would make
them rich Indeed. Let them remember tina
though they have the poor always with them
poverty is more keculy felt at Christmas thai
at any other tue, for 10 addition to their mate
rial suffering from the cold weather OF that sea.
SOD, aud TIE suspension of labor during the
holidays, the poor then have to endure 10
greater degree the agony OF the contrast be-
tween their condition and that of their more
prosperous neichbors.
With these remarks we tcuder our readers
the compliments Of the season, and hope they
will have a merry Christmas and a happy New
Year.