Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-30

draws itoH DIS breast-pocket document,
which nc nolus 10 the expiring mitch in
time 70 Perpetuate It's fire. They are
saved we must show that the action was
heroic. Tue paper SO promptly sacrificed
In tho Interests OF science aud humanity
was one reserved by its possessor nj the
last moment before leaving civilization,
and u was surinise1 that It contained the
last iona evidence OF the tender emotion
entertained Tor him by fair writer,
who msyhaps penned the loving mis-
sive Win trembling hands and blind
ing tcar; NO doubt gentle hand
had traccd on that well-wo-n letter sweet
words that brcatbed both VOWS OF de-
votlon and prayers for success. II wlsap-
psrently worn us an amulet or tallsmtn.
The romance Is not vet unrsyeIled. for thn
hero is--as heroes sre-reticent. Rut ar.
we not reminded Of the Bible. watch.
placed by tender hands with thoughtful
care In the broast-poeket OF the soldier.
stops the fatal butler. or OF the Crusaders
cross turning the deadly scimetar OF the
Saracen! surely our incident may take
B. place beside these. We can only hope
That the IRE was indeed Prometheus aud
that the epistle may assist match that Wa
made In heaven As we'll as one that was
lighted on the desolate Greenland coast"
THE FIRST ARCTIC CHRISTMAS.
On December 18Th the day was character
lied by auroral displays "too uumerou,
aud varied to be described" the minimum
temperature being 1875 degrees. On D.
cember 22d the Thermometer ranged from
--40.2 degrees 10 --49.7 degrees. Tae
weather for some time thereafter was warm.
err, the temperature ranging from 90 de-
Crees 10 -29.2 degrees, and on Christians
day the presents kindly sent by thought
iul persons in the States were distributed
amid much mirth and sport" and the
writer says: "COuld the pOssessors OF the
kind hearts who contributed so much to
the pleasure OF the party have boxed in
upon the smiling faces, living az lin dry Of
their faith In the anticipation and suspense
attending the bestOwal and opening OF the
mysterious packages. they would have felt
fully rewarded. The p-iZ,s sometimes
drawn reminded us OF lottery or a church
fair. / found myself in possession OF a
pipe accompa' led by 4 neat bag OF chamois
skin filed with fine tobacco. Not h1viug
yet lesrBed the use OF these articles,
found the Doyel property something OF an
elephant. Egg-nog was pissed around,
aud drank to the health Of those at home.
Notwithstanding the mummihed appear
ance al one Of the ingredients OF the beye.
rage, II was redo,ent Of civilization .ndthele-
fore pleasant. But Christmas dag passed
away quietly, as our Sabbaths generally do.
OF course the festive season brought with
il regrets that cOuli not be suppressed and
lOn9Bgs which could not be sltisfed when
professions Of absent loved ones and sew
cred friends followed tie funerals Of other
Christmas days through thoughts that
would wander over snow and ice and land
aud sea % the happy tiresidcs where We
knew they were gathered. Yet we all had
to look OH the bright side. and although we
missed the absence OF chiidhOods grace and
msiden's bushes under the mistlctoe, the
bearded men who graspod hands beneath
the smOko-bcgrlmcd roof fee something
OF the inspiration OF the glidsOme time
when mans good viii to MIN brealhes
forth in eycry.hlng' Every one extracted
as much comfort ~ possible ont OF the
circumstances. We even know OF the
sordid individual who congratulated him.
scli on the immunity OF his excheqUer
FROM the heavy drafts usually entailed b.
the purchase Of Christmas presents.
THE CHRISTMAS BILL OF FARE.
at must, however, be confessed that
dinner was the event OF the dag to ~. We
could rot. despite all our efforts, magnify
any other incident 10 the same proportion
Of interest. This gusto over, our gIstro-
nomical enjoyment may speak for our own
tastes, bat IL must be remembered thst
thre WIS nothing more aesthetic IN our
dreary life from which pleasure could be
derived. our bill OF fare, although
not remarkable for varietY. appeared
TO have been contributed by the
whole globe. There was m)ck-tur-
tie soup which certainly saw the me-
tropolls aud might have come from the
Brevoort; salmon and crab.salld that car
RED one back to days when the broad
Chesapeake opened up before him, and
musk OK tongue and roast bcei whose per-
funed juices cxhaled their delicious odor
for our nostrils alone-varietics ~ great a
nightingalcs' tongues. Wehad cider ducks
and guilimots from SandersOn's Hone;
green corn, which GIled your ears with
breathing Of summer brcezes and the rust
ling Of silk. your eyes with tears, and your
stomach with cantentment. The temperate
zone also gave Us the humble potato. an1
that excellent esculeut the asparagus.
From the lands OF the sun AMI the pain
we hads tropca! coc0anut-pic and grapes
that filed our minds with sunsets. We
had also Brazil nuts, iig'. and pincappies,
and TO cncouag tine native production OF
our own regions we had ordered ice-crca,n.
Our plum-pudding could have been stood
Tor portrait to ombellish blue and gold
edition q Dickens's Christmas Tales
As il entered with its halo OF blue flame for
an aureoIa OF glory it looked fitting sacri-
fec 70 Epicurus.