Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-01-04
Letter frn,,, Stannton.
[ Correspondence Alexandria Gazette.


STANTON, Jan. 3.-Large numbers
ofcountry people are coming to town
to-day. The lawyers (of which Stann-
ton has forty odd) are early birds this
morning and the storekcepcrs are hust-
ling.
The mechanic aud laborer is back at
his work and in earnest. On my way
down town | noted dozen housekecp-
ers indulging in ~ little spring house
cleaning" and the school children on
their way to school.
The holidays up here, are, therefore,
over, and the New Year swell and nap
PLY begun.
Ours was white Christmas and the
cold snap helped TO make it more ike
an old-fashioncd one-one with the
flowing bowl, a hearthlire burning VAIN
and bright, of family reunions and So
cial gatherings, and, in all Christmas
of hearty good cheer.
Eight-inch ice on the lake at the talr
grounds and sufficient snow Tor bob
,leds on the hillsides gave out-oi-door
recreation during the whole OF the
week.
Monday was court-day but the attend
ance was slim, and although special
meeting of the council gave the boys
all the license they desired for making
noise it was the most quiet Christmas
day in many n year.
NewYear's Day was not very formally
observed here, but at night number OF
entertainments were given.
went to that mt the institution for
the deaf and blind. 1t was their annual
masquerade and dance. The attend.
ance was large and those costumed
numbered so or more pupils, who
quantity, grotesquely or prettily clad
had such clever ways for avoiding iden-
LITIGATION that but three or four OF the
whole number were recognized.
At this school but two holidays are
given and none are allowed to return
to their homes-a Christmas celcbra-
ton and two or three other little en-
tertainments being given them and
they are made such as that no child
need wish to be elsewhere at the time.
The blind boys gave literary, must
cal and dramatic entertainment on Sat
urday evening that was most credita-
bic. The music was acknowledged to
be of high order and was thoroughly
enjoyed by those from the city who fill
ed all the vacant seats, the recitations
and determinations especially i'll negro
dialect and with Irish brogue were very
good indeed, eliciting frequentapplause,
while the school room scenes were in
tcresting, and the piece in which a
countryman and bootblacks and news
bows figured would have been credita-
Bile to persons not afflicted as these are.
With the close of the programme the
Milton Literary Society convened on
the stage and called for and presented
Mr.. l. S. Humbert, long a teacher and
graduate of that department, with a
handsome gold cross and star. Mr..
H. responded in a happy little speech,
as did Principal Doyle.
Such as the last two Saturdays GA
ZErrEs must make the former AleXan-
irian put on his specs and@ead paper,
and | believe it makes his breast throh.
eyes water and him to wish himselfon
| UlUIt DdCh db IOLuC. ht'S VIZ hiSHt
before Chrstmas-Yes, F. G. B" and
others are correct. Many of us missed
the dear familiar rhyme and believe
nothing else brings up before us in all
| its realities the Christmases of our child
hood. and like our Latin we may not
have frequent need for it but we thank
Cod we it once did learn even if we've
now forgot.
The GAZETTE, Twas the night before
Christmas, and the death roll of the
year bring to us who are no longer IN
the old burg the choicest of all our re-
collections, and we feel deeply as we
think them over. None but an Alex
andrian can appreciate the old town and
none can wish her more or better than
they. The GAZETTE is the paper our
grandfathers read, the one our fathers
gave to our mothers to read to us and
teach us to read and we learn how TO
read it better and better as we advance
in years, so we can't do without it.
Here's to it, as the Spaniards saw. a
thousand years. b.
-S>--