The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-12-24

be empty; one slight form that eladdcned
the fathers heart and reused the mothers
pride to look upon may not be there. Dwell
not upon the past; think not that one short
year ago the fair child now resolving into
dust sat before you with the bloom oil health
upon i,s check and the gayety OF infancy 10
its Joyous eyes. Reflect upon your present
blessings, Of which every man has macy
no, on your past misfortunes, OF which
every man has some. FIJI your glass again
with merry face and a contcnied heart.
Our life on II that your Christmas shall be
merry and your New-Year happy one.
Who can be inseusible 10 the outpourings
OF kindly feeling and the honest interchange
OF aflectionate attachments which abound AZ
this season OF the year? A Christmas party
We know nothing In nature more deIignt-
fuI. There seems magic In the very name
OF Christmas.
Petty jealousics and discords are forgot
ten; social feelings are awakened ~ bosoms
TO which they have long been strangers;
father aud son, or sister and brother, VINO
have met and passed with ayerted gaze, or
look OF cold recognition, Tor months be-
fore, prefer aud return the cordial en-
brace, and bury their past animosliies IN
their present happiness. Kindly hearts that
have yearned towards each other, but nave
been withheld by false notions OF pride anG
self-dignity, are again united, ana all Is
kindness and benevolepce. Would That
Christmas lasted The whole year through
as it ought-and that the prejudices and
passions which deform our better nature
were never called into action among those
to whom they should be strangers.
n. nf.,;es .&ae oya ~ r Il m, arnpaa is alyyays
In excellent spirits, aud after employing all
OF the children during the day In stoDing
the plums and all that, insists regularly
every wear on Uncle George coming down
into the kitchen, taking off his coat and
stirring the pudding for half an hour or so,
which Uncle George good-Daturediy does,
to the yociferous delight Of the children and
servants. The evening concludes with
glorious game OF blind.man's buff. in an
early stage OF which graudpapa takes good
care 10 be caught, in order that be may have
an opportunity to display his deXterity. On
the following morning the old couple, with
as many OF the children as the pew will
hold, 90 to church in great state, leaving
Aunt George at home busting decaDters and
filling castors, and Uncle George carrying
bottles into the dining parlor and calling for
cork.screws, and getting into overybody's
way.
But all these diversions are nothing to The
subsequent excitement when grandmamma
in high cap and slate-colortd silk gown,
and grandpapa with beautfully-pIaited
sbirt.fiiIi and white necaerchief, seat them
selves on one side OF the drawingroOm fire,
with Uncle Georges children and little cOu-
sine innumerable seated in front waiting the
arrival Of the expected visitors. Suddenly
hackney coach is heard to stop, and Uncle
George, who has been looking out OF the
window, exclaims: "Here's Janet" on
which the children rush to the door and
helter-skelter down stairs. Uncle Robert
and Aunt Jane, and the dear little baby. and
the nurse, and the whole party, are usbered
Upstairs amidst iumuItuous shouts of"' Oh,
my!" from the children, and frequently
reDeated warnings not to hurt the baby
from the nurse. And grandpapa takes the
child, aud grandmamma kisses her daugh-
ter, and the confusion of this first entry has
scarcely subsidized when some other aunts
and uncles. with more cousins arrive, and
the grown-up cousins f1rt with each other,
and so do the little cousins. too, for that
matter, and nothing is TO be heard but
a confused din of talking, laughing, and
merriment.
A bestating double knock at the street.
door beard during momentary pause OF
the conversation eXcites general inquiry
of "Who's that ?" and two or three chill
dren who have been standing at the WIN
dow answer in a low voice that it's "poOr
Aunt Margaret" Upon which Aunt
George leaves the room to welcome the
new conner, and grandmamma draws her,
self up rather stiff and stately, for Margaret
txrff hAtt hnr nnf
and poverty not being a sufficiently weighty
punishment for her offence, has been dis
carded by her friends and debarred the So
clety OF her nearest relatives. But Christ
mas.day has come round, and the unkind
feelings that have struggled against better
disposition during the year have melted
away before its genial influence, like half
formed Ice beneath the morning sun.
The air of curious rectitude and cold for
giveness which the old lady has assumed
sets i'll upon her; and when the poor girl
Is led in by her sister pale in looks and
broken i'll bOpes-nOt from poverty, for
that she could bear, but from the conscious
ness Of undeserved neglect and unmerted
is easy to see how much OF
it is assumed. A momentary pause sue
ceeds the girl breaks suddenly from her
mothers neck. The father steps hastily
forward and takes her husbands hand.
Friends crowd around to offer their hearty
and happiness ana mar
moDy again prevail.
As to dinner, it's perfectly delightful
nothing, nothing goes wrong, and every
body is IN the best Of spirits and disposed
to please and be pleased. Grandpapa
relates a cirCumstantial account OF the pur-
chase OF the turkey, with slight DEPRESSION
relative to the purchase Of previous turkeys
on former Chrstmas-days, which grand
mamma corrobOrates in the minutest parti-
cular. Uncle George tells stories and carves
poultry and takes wine and jokes with the
children at the side.table, and winks at the
cousins that are making love, or being
made love to, and eXhllaratcs everybody
with his good humor and hospitality; and
when at last q stout servant staggers in
with gigantic pudding. with a sprig Of
holly in the top, there is such laughing
and shouting and clappng OF little chubby
hands, and kicking up OF fat dumpy legs,
as can only be eQuaIled by the applause with
which the astonishing feat OF pouring light
ed brandy into the mInce piesis received by
The younger visitors. Then the dessert =
and the wine land the fun! Such beauli- |
iul speeches, and such songs, from Aunt
husband, who turns out to be
such nice man, and so attentive to grand.
mamma! Even grandpapa not only sings his
annual song with unprecedented vigor, but
on being honOred With an unanimous
encore according to the annual custom. ac-
tuaily comes out with Il new one which no.
body but graDimamma ever heard before ;
and young scipegrace OF cousin, who
has been in some disgrace with the old peo.