The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-04

,r,,e ,sac,x.s.os Or. uncle Sed's Little

80 igss GoEB4 60
~. ny IySxs RANDOLPH.
IL was rnle at Thornton Hal. sSs
! Jnbroken from Colonial tiss
THAI, holiday at Christnlasflda Z. r
y wss mcasufed BY toe Christmas blaze:
NOR AM the hsck-log buraed IN t'vos
mo darkies on the place were free free,
- And ,svc themselves to 1oility,
Aud mighty were the log: they brought.
For Christmas comes but encc . year.
Old Ssa had en-. the log tina. year.,
Old Ned, the nddler, far renowned.
Who played at every country dance
That happened thirty miles aroand
He cut The log; for days his face
Showed CLEANS OF merriment and craft;
He often went behind The house
And lesned aaalnst the wall and laughed,
And caifed the other darkies round
Aud whispered 10 them in the ear.
And fond the ringing laughter broke:
For Christmas comes but once year.
Al twilight upon Christmas Eve
The log was borne on shoulders strong
or man who marked their cadence steps
l. With music rs they came along:
And Ned, with air OF high command,
GANG msrching at The head OF all,
As he had done for thirty year."
On Christmas Eve ut Thornton Hall.
He led the chorus as they marched.
The voices ringing loud and clear
From lusty throats and happy hearts:
q
Thoush brisk,y blazed at Christmas Eve
That Ere with Gancs and embcrS bright,
Until the antique fireplace lit
The pancled walls with ruddy light.
Although thespacious chimney roared
Like woodlands In autumna gales
And lion andironS of bronze
Were red-hot In their names and tails.
That backlog, incombustihe,
Lay guile unkinded In the rear,
Or only slightly Scorched and charred;
For Christmas comes bit once wear.
vice open swung the great hall door
Before the east was gray with dawn,
And sleigbs with argoSles of girls
Csne jingling M across The lawn:
Came youths aStridc OF pranciEg stceds.
Came cousins 10 the tenth remove,
With cousin greetings by the sweet
Lip services that cousins love.
The silver tankard went around
TO every lip with brave good cheer,
F. According to the ancient rites:
For Christmas comes but once year.
They Toasted high at Thornton Hall,
The Christ mas revel lasted long:
They danced the ola Virginia reels.
And chantcd lnsny tovial song.
The old folks prosed, the young made love:
They played the romps of olden DAYS,
They told strange tales Of ghost and witch.
But ibouah the pile OF lightwood knots
Dcfed the frosty atmosphere,
For Christmas comes bnt once year.
, And nj the quarter merry rang
The dddle's Scrape, the banjo's twanS;
How rhythmic beat the happy feet,
How rolicksome the songs they sang.
No work at all for hands to do,
But work abundant for the jaws,
And good things plenty, smoking hot,
Made laughter come In great yaT-haws.
They frolicked early. frolicked late,
And freely 10 we'd the grog, fear,
According to The settled rule:
For Christmas comes but once year.
SO passed the merry Christmas week,
And New-Year,s morning came and passed:
The reyel ceased. the guests went home;
The backlog burned In two at last.
And then old master sent for Ned,
Still mellow with protracted grog,
And asked him where in Satan's name
He nicked him out that frc-proof log;
And Ned, with all that dignity
That driRk confers. contrived to speak.
"I tux and cut black-gum log
!. And soaked 1t nine days in de creek.
~ fears it was s wikid thing,
I'm feared to meet de oberseer:
But den you must remember, sab,
Dat Christmas comes but once a year."