Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-22

tuf. DlspcrsinR, eAcn sought 10 make
| most Of tho day. I betook myself to my
mess-fre, and in concession to domestic
virtue as repeated Benedict. with some
what OF protracted past service or expe-
rience. may confde TO give assistance TO
n knowing comrade (now a successful edu-
Gator of this city, in making with meagre
ingredients rice pa,dding. There was q
scanpering hunt by eager assistants for
butter and eggs lover the country and far
away and 0,e pudding ,ods success. Our
mess thought 10 real nice' pudding.
and 80 good" in truth-delicous. Mar
vel not! Alas for human expectations.
realizations of rest and peace. BY 3o'clock
i. NJ we were a-foot again. with packs Of
earthly pelf strapped and not TO be cast
off. Although not sorry Hungarians, we
were in martyr pilgrimage along the stony
road TO Winchester. No rest, thought we,
for the wicked
HOW HE KILLED RIO GRANDE ooosE.
Captain II. G.. Scott The hottest Christ
mas / ever spent was in Brazil the coolest
and merrest in this my native city, and
the toughest" on board of a United
States army steamboat III the Rio Grande
river in lS47.
As felow-passenge had n company Of
Massachusetts, volunteers of Colonel Caleb
Cushing's regiment, the captain of which
celebrated the day by whipping some OF
his men early in the morning Of that day.
] mildly suggested 10 him a. a brother vol
untcer officer and captain that we had en-
listed IN the war to whip Mexicans and not
each other. Colonel Jack Hays. the dis
tincuished colonel of the Texas Rangers,
who had Hancock Chevallie, Of this city,
as q major, was also a passenger. Colonel
HAYS. with our late great Chieftain. the
greatest leader Ot an unsuccessful
cause that over lived. fought along
side of Colonel Davis, under the eye
and immediate command of General Tay-
Tor, the father-in-law of Colonel DAVIS,
and both greatly distinguished themselves
az the battle of MOntery September, 1886.
There was first heard the crack of the Mis-
sisslppi rifles. and afterwards at Buona
Vista and saved tho day. From that day
the world knew who and what Colonel
Davis was--the great cavalier. The round
of these rifles reached the ear Of the Duke
Of Wellington, who said that the campaign
of our army in Mexico was one OF the most
wonderful known. j Will not ask you TO
excuse this, for every one, especially now,
wishes to pay his tribute Of respect TO the
memory OF Nh Davis and | wish to do 1t
here as a comrade in the Mexican war to
the hero of Buena Vista. the most wonder
full battle that WAS ever fought, and TO one
of the greatest men that ever lived and led
q noble cause.
We had been on board of this Rio Grande
steam boat many days PRIOR 10 Christmas
and we bad army fare. Mexican Chapparal
bull beef we had in all forms fried, roast
ed and stewed.) and at all tmes-brcak-
fast. dinner, and supper. IL was 50 tough
and bad we had II al ndUSodu. and tue
army pork and bareback was az bad az the
beef. These vinnds were not very attrac-
tive for q Christmas dinner. How | had
remembrance Of relatives and friends Mt
home celebrating Christmas "a only Viz
ginians and Engllshmen knew how 10 cele-
brate it, and visions of the good things
that we had "'fo' the war" passed boiOre
NV hungry eyes. and l determined 10 see
if / could not improve our bull-bcet fare
and get something good for Christmas. How
the Rio Grande and its banks abOunded Ia
Wild fowl and ducksl Ducks everywhere,
but not "A duck TO eat Water. Water
everywhere (RiO Grande), but not drop
(egg-nOgg) TO drink. and ! saw the captain
of the boat and he promised that II |
killed wild goose he would stop the boat
and get It, At that time, with the eXcep-
we had fint-lOck muskets only IN the
army and ammunition ball and buckshot.
Large hOcks of wild geese few over tho
boat. but "a none Of them az the historic
coon aid to my n6mesake, sad. Don't
shoot: / viii come down." / fired, and 10
my delight and surprise o large goose fell
in the river. The Captain kept his pro
mise he stopped the boat; picked up the
goose. and had him cooked for our Xmas
dinner, aud he proved (as in the puddlng)
in the eating 10 be i0''5tr than the beef.
had made a surprisingly fine shot, and IN
killing and cooking this bird discovered
fact in natural history that an old Rio
Grande river wild goose IL tougher han
Mexican beef, and that neither are good
Tor a Amas dinner.
Compliments Of the season and wishing
all connected with the Dispdicl. a merry
Xmas and happy New Year. and that you
nav have better dinner than did IN 1Si7
and something better to wash 1t down, L
bid you gOOd-by
A LAMENTABLE EXPLOSION.
Mr.. George W. Childs: Ny Christmas
recollections are exceedingly few and I'M
important, and no one event stands out IN
my mind sufficiently clear to make the tell
ing of II worth the while SO much same
ness has characterized each recurrence OF
the festival that III retrospect | can hardly
tell one from another. 1t l ever had "A
memorable Christmas it must have oc-
cured before | was born. for | cannot
remember it. It is my rule TO spend
Christmas day, n far as possible. quietly
at home. and not 70 20 in quest of adven-
lures. Unlike the heroes OF little poem
by DR.. Leigh Burton. which | am very fond
Of reading, | do not go from home to
drink egg-nOgg." but generally prefer to
take il there; and perhaps tins may ac
count somewhat Tor my dearth OF
Christmas recollections. for ege-nogg Is
not only seductive but Lethcan COM
pound as well. 1t is also calculated TO
make the day after Christmas much more
memorable than the festival itself at least,
If mans memory bears any proportion
TO the apparent size of his head, that
should be the case No doubt. there are
some who will agree with me IN this.
If by memorable may take you 10 mean
durability of impression merely, | may say
that the first Christmas of which | have
any recollection at all was probably my
most memorable one. A little incident oc-
cured on that occasion. which Is only val
liable as showing how long childish i'm
preston will sometimes last. | was very
little chap-still IN trocks, | believe, and
some one had made me a present of pack
Of pOp-crackeTs-a whole pack, just thlnk
Of that had taken n seat on the front
steps, and was buslly and delightedly un-
dong the pack, and had nearly completed
the Job, having all the crackers nicely dis
posed in my lap when suddenly some one
threw q light right IN the midst OF them.
They ignited instantly. and If ever was
witnessed a "sCattcratlon " and ludlStin-
guishable confusion Of small boy and fire.
crackers equal to that one, history has
failed to record the instance. The only
thing comparable 10 it, IN my mind, Is
"spit-deyil" IN full blast or man
falling over q wheeloarrow. Thinking OF
the agility displayed on that occasion !
have often wondered why my parents did
not apprentice ne to circus. As jump
er, at least, / should certainly have made
success, Judging 10y the exhibition OF my
powers then gave. My emotions al this
sudden and wanton destruction OF both
my anticipatiOns of fun and my crackers
may better be imagined than described. rs
the story-writers say. The occurrence
made such an impression on me as that |
have never forgotten 1t. / am sorry that l
cannot relate something of more "pith
and moment" but as you want fact, not
fiction, this viii have TO 60. ] suppose
that ought to be thankful that | have no
more painful recollection associated with
the great anniversary.
CAUGHT IN A TIdHT PLACE.
Major j. III. Capcrs: Ny most memorable
Christmas was III 1862, when my brigade
was III winter quarters on the OccOquan
beyond Manassas. | had been invited by
gentleman living near the village of Oc-
cOquan 10 spend the Christmas with him.
Having the necessary permit started early