The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-24

TAD realized our happiness, Brother
said 10 me. what would we have done
n old Kris hadn't conner And ! an
swered, well. we would have had some
thing 10 give away Thst IS the prst
,,hristn,as l remember. Since then there
heve been many others. but they are
5irsrent. Brother way down South mas
q blue-eved baby Of his own. Jimmy way
l.ut West doesn't see n southern thf'Sl-
,oss The Baby's blue eyes Madge
brown ones. and the laughing ones on inc
visitor are looking out upon christmas
a a. among the angels. ana there Is
only Mother and me.
o., vben the day comes around we
Ia, no merry. and happy. for 1 can say
.bsnk God. ass ] did then. Always
ne something 10 give away
a lady A. seven"
am asked about the First christmas
porncn,ber" This is easy OF recall as
80 VAS but one memorable christmas
a. au my early ne My childhood M"s
,srv sad and very dreary' DIX o"""' ~ "a
VIZ -, 10 and left the parent nest. ana
~. 49,, interval OF a decade, ] made my
-, and was the child OF my parents
a'' . m was az once decided that
~ I6 10 a prodigy and 60 this end the
49, .,,o, other little ones devote 10 play
80 ctyeo 10 study and my poor h'"e
- nos crammod with knowledge u7u-
hg'" o~si5erod nf for the mental as
~ .,ior of those Of double MY yours
,,.- owned a doll. My toys WtiV
- o,d I had read condenser piDic
- cover 90 cover az four years OF @se
"a have the golden locket to-day WilCn
,.or5ed the achievement ] h"n no on,'N
49, Ipoyrr having attended schooD,
nf L
Ia a., q boop or Jumped rope until
u.",,,flqve lust before my seventh BIRTH
M --bsn NV uncle came TO us with his
uay' ersnish children. en- route for board
lng-schooL 49,.
.r,oy we're Of about my own age. happy.
..,rat unframed little folk. and Ia their
honor We had a genuine Christmas JONI
ecstion with a child's party and tree.
our stockings were hung mp in the huge
cavcrnous southern chimney ana thefe
we're mysterious parcels coming 10 the
house long before Christmas-EVe, wheh
W. were sent to bed early that We might
arise with the dawn 90 see what santa
Claus had brought us. I looked on ln
r,uerior sort of way at the eXuberant de-
u.yht OF my cousins when some pretty Fft
was evolved from their stockings ana
their indignation when after untying I'D
hons and unwrapping numberless pieces
~ tissue paper a bit of coal or tufhp
was developed. but I myself was not sun
t,ctod 20 these alterations or JOY anu
dlsappolntments. was a superior chiiaI
no "a little lady" as my father called
me. and insisted on my living up 10 lhe
cbaracter-and I found only books and
trinkets and no deceptive and irritating
paddlng among my gifts.
In the late afternoon came the Chrlst-
mas party. and / had been taught to re-
coive my guests I'm fine Chesterheldian
stvle. end that "a lady" "a lady at seventy
might permit herself 10 smile, out never
10 laugh audibly. and that the most
favoreed lad Of the party / might elect
10 the honor Of conducting the hostess to
the refreshment table.
THIS was my one childish CD Christ
mas but many other Chrlstmases sue
eeeded It when I was the light Of an
adorlng husbands home, and these prov
Il 10 me that childhood is not always
ne many Of the mthinH1g claim-the
happiest and sunniest period OF our
lives.