Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-24

ih9tnfnic bent the happy fceti
No worL o.vsoine the songs they sang.
bnt work abundant for Tho tawe
Ny good things plenty. smoking NOT
iauebter come In great yav,shnv va,
4.ey troilcked early, froiicked late
Hna freely flowed the groR. / fear,
A1cofuing 10 the settled rule.
For Christmas comes but once n war
so passed the merry Christmas vvcet
ana New-Year's morning came and
me reyels ceased, the guests went home;
me backlog burned in two al last
Asa men Old Master sent for Ned.
stil mellow with protractcd rrog'
Auu ASKED him where IN Satan's name
ne picked him out that fre-proof log:
HnS Nea WITH all that dignity
mat drink c%onfcrs. cOntrived 10 snenl, .
4 lux and cut a black gum log.
anu soaked 1T nine days In de creek
FEARS u was a wicked thing.
I'm feared 70 meet de obersqer:
bnt nen. you mus remember, sab.
Dat christmas comes but once a
sketch by dr.. Page.
one OF the best glimpses Of the old Vir.
GINA Christmas afforded US by Or. PAGE
wiz be found in HIS The ola south" and
Is here reproduced:
The great fete OF the people was Christ
mas Spring had it's special delights.
horseback rides through the budding
WOODS with the birds singing: fishing par-
urs down on the little rivers. with out
ot-door lunches and love-making: parties
OF various kinds from house to house.
summer had It's pleasures: handsome din
hers ana teas. with moonlight strolls and
flces TO follow; visits TO or from relations.
or even 10 the White Sulphur. The fan
had lis pleasures. But all times and sea-
sons palSd and dimme1 before the festive
joys OF Christmas. 1t had been handed
down Tor generations; It belonged 10 the
race. II a come over with their fore
fathers; II had a peculiar significance; 1t
was a title. Religion had given II its
benediction. II was the time 70 "shout
the glei tiGings." IL was the holidays.
Ihere were other holidays for the slaves,
both of the schoOl-room and the planta-
ton, such as Easter and Whit Monday:
but Christmas was %distinctively 1.-THE
Holidays" Then. the boys came home
from school or college with their friends:
the members Of the family who had moved
away returned for the holidays: pretty
cousins came for the festivities: the neigh
borhood grew merry: the negroes were
all TO have holiday. the house-servants
taking turn and ~turn-about and the plan
tation made ready for Christmas cheer.
II was by all the younger population
looked back 10 half the year. looked for
ward TO the other half. Time was meas
ured by It; II was either so long "since
Christmas" or so long before Christ
The affairs of the plantation were
set In order against il. The corn was
got in; the hogs were killed: the lard
tried; sausage-meat made: mince-meat
prepared. the turkeys fattened. with 'the
big gobbler" specially devoted TO the
Christmas dinner" the servants new
shoes and winter clothes stored away
ready for distributions; the planta-
tiOn began to be ready TO pre-
pare for Christmas. In the first
place, there was generally a cold
spell which froZe mp everything and en-
the ice-houses TO be filled. CThe
seasons. ike a good many other things,
seem to have changed since the war;
This spell was the harhinger. ana great
fun it MAS at the ice-pond, where the big
RATS or Ice were foated along. with the
boys on them. The rusty skates, with
their curled runners and sin straps. were
got out. and maybe tried for a day. Then
the stir began. The wagons were all put
TO hauling wood-hickory: nothing but
now: other wood might do for
other times, but at Christmas only hick-
Dry was used-and the wood-pile was
heaped high with logs. while to the ordinary
w~OOd-cutteTs for the house were added
three. four, half IL dozen more. whose
axes rang all day long. With
a vim they cut, and how telling
that 'Ha'nhl' as they drove the
ringing axes into the hard wood, sending
Dhe big white chips flying! 1t was always
The envy OF the boys, that simultaneous
xvfIefop Of tho hraath and they ngpl
vainly to try TO initiate IT,.
HYPOCRITICAL INDIFFERENCE.
In the midst Of it came the ago or
)x-cart from the depot" with the big
of Christmas things. the black
iriver ~feignlng hypocritical indifference
as he drove through the choppers TO the
'tore-room. Then came he rush Of all
he woOd-cutters TO help him unload; the
.okes among themselves. as they pre-
ended TO strain in lifting, Of what mas
err or insists was going 10 give them
,ut of those boxes. uttered just loud
10 reach their ears as they stood
on while the driver took due adj
of this temporary prestige TO
live many cautions and directions.
The getting the %evergreens and mistle-
was the sign that Christmas had come,
vas really here. There were the parlor
nd hall and dining-rOOm. and above all.
he old church. to be dressed" The last
a neighborhood work: every
in 1t, and 1t was one OF the events
4 the year. Young men rode thirty ana
orty miles to dress that church. They
Id not 20 home again until after Christ
mas. The return from the church was the
,oginnlng OF the festivities.
THEN THE SNOW CAME.
Then by christmas Ewes eve the
wood was all cut and stacked high In the
~ood-house and on and under the back
so as 20 be handy and secure
rom the snow. which was almost certain
u, come. Then the snow came 1T seems
Christmas was almost sure 10 prlhs
i'm old times. at least Il IL closely assoc
lated with Il. The excitement increased;
he boxes were unpacked. some OF them
TO the general delight, others WIN
mysterious secrecy which stimulated me
to it's highest point n ADDED
/, The charm OF the occasion. Inc
filed up with special assistants
med for special skill In particular
ranches OF the cooks ART VINO Dustleu
b,u, with elistenlng faces and SHINING
- eaoer 10 add TO the general cheer.
vas now Christmas-Eve. From time
, ,tmc the hired out servants came
ONE from Richmond or other places
mere they had been hired or had hired
.omsaiyes. their terms having Deen py
ramon custom framed, with due regari
!, their rights 20 the holiday. to expire IN
Tor them TO spend the Christmas AZ
mo There was much hilarity C their
rrIyal and thev were welcomed as mem
20 ~ the family as. with their new WIN
- olo,bes donned a little ahead or time
came TO pay their "bespec's TO mas
=. and misfis." Then the vehicles Went
p 10 the distant station for the Vlsltors'
- The visitors and the boys. On. the
sct,ement OF that! The drag OF the hours
Orst. and then the expectancy as uhe
me- a~pproached for their return 'Hs
making up' Of the fires In the Visi.ors
(of the big fires; there had been
80 ,here ali day ITO air them, but now
~ must be made up afresh, the hnr-
,fne ~backwards and forwards OF the
ronts he feyerish impatience OF every
a. esneciaily OF the children, VINO are
80 ,he train is late or thai something
"a bannened, and who vi ana LOOK
towards the big gate" every hve mn
tss Notwithstanding the I'M : w
caution that a "watch-po' he'ei
THE BUSY MISTRESS.
There was an exception TO the excite
emit. The mistress, calm, deliberate, un,
moved about with her nsuai
ne composure, her watchful eye see
:. ,,st everything was ready ther