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

and boisterous conduct on the part OF
men wsii be summarily suppressed by the
police.
All OF the principal manufacturing es-
Establishments shut down either Friday
afternoon. or In the middle OF the day
yesterday. II IN gratifying 90 know. how
ever. that despite the dull times the
prospect is that operations will not be
suspended for more than the customary
time. which II from one 10 W weeks.
IL should be borne ia mind. however.
that owing 10 the fact that so many
persons have out OF employment during
the winter the present suspension will
prove an unusual hardship. short though
it be, and that the demands upon the
charitable viii be thereby Increased.
The public ofices-4State, Federal, and
m~unicipal-and the banks and exchanges
viii be closed on Monday. and Sunday
hours Qr0m 4 10 8 r. NJ VIII be observed
ct the p~ost-oflce. OF course. all the
schools. public and private. give the usual
holiday. and there will be a general sus-
pension OF business.
CHRISTMAS IN THE PRISONS.
IL would naturally be imagined that
Christmas IN the Richmond prisons Is a
very unwelcone day. but as a matter OF
fact 1t brings much JOY and gladness TO
the unfortunates incarcerated. At the
city jail they are given a good dinner,
and many little trinket are usually sent
down 20 be distributed among the pri-
soners. The Allen 6 Ginter Branch Of
the American Tobacco Company each
year dispenses an abundance OF cigar
cites and tobacco at Hotel de Epps on
this occasion. and nothing IS so welcome
a visitor 20 a place OF confinement as n
plug Of the weed" or n pipe Of smoking
tobacco.
The convicts at the penitentiary will be
given holiday. Nor f. this all, for to-
morrow afternoon they will sit them
selves down 10 a dinner Of turkey ana
cranberry sauce, g., such as they get
but once a year. The day is generally
ono OF great rejoicing at this institution.
and the 1871 persons who are serving time
there will be more than likely 10 enjoy IT.
AT THE MALE ORPHAN ASYLUM.
IL ia probable that none will get more
real happiness out Of Christmas than the
boys Of the Male orphan Asylum. They
will be permitted 10 spend the day among
friends and relatives. and at night there
will be a big display of fireworks on the
lawn at the institution. and the lad
will give an entertainment called "Buifal0
Bill" on Thursday afternoon the regu-
lar Christmas dinner and Christmas-tree
will take place.
FIREWORKS IN EARNEST.
There was an explosion on Main street
Yesterday afternoOn-an explosion that
fairly shook the post-ofiice In it's founda-
lions and made the walls of the neighbor-
ing buildings culver. Great crowds ran
I'm the direction Of the noise. which was
indicated by an immense cloud OF smoke.
Everyone expected to see something ter
rible. and the streets presented the scene
of a mad stampede. But the something
terrible" was missing. and instead OF a
horrible termination to the explosion, 1t
ended In uproarous laughter and applause.
While Mr.. J. w. Brooks and two young
men were riding peacefully along in a
buggy loaded with "baby-wakers' ana
other Christmas-tide articles. one of the
party decided TO take Il smoke. He struck
n match, took a pun, and then-but good
ness only knows what did. happen next,
for there burst forth a laundering sound
Ike the roar OF artillery. The vehicle
became az animated as a jumping-jack.
and the horse made "A mad plunge. So
did the three occupants of the buggy. TOT
II Is by no means pleasant to remain
seated when "baby-wakcrs' underncath
Won get in n demonstrative humor, as
US the case In this instance. The trou-
BILE was caused by the one innocent little
match which dropped among the big
crackers"
NOBODY WAS HURT.
Strange to say. the Unforeseen accident
accompanied by no serious results
and the catastrophe assumed a most
ludicrous phase. Even the three unfortu-
mates who were thrown most closely IN
touch with the "baby-wakers' took the
thing as a joke and laughed most hearth
" over It when they realized that they
were stii on earth and had not been shot
Nd 10 the moon. 1t was rumored in the
crowd. however, that just after the grand
obust-up" Mr.. Brooks had a confused
idea that nothing had been left Of him
but a co~llar-button and a chew Of to-
bacco.
After the frightened horse. which only
ran a few yards. had been pacihed the
ioIIv trio rode of In state amid plaudits
from several hundred throats.
THE HORN HAS ARRIVED.
The tin-horn Is here. 1t arrived yester-
day. and 1t needed no precursor TO an
nounce its coming. With one toot 1t pro-
claimed its advent, and with thousands
Of other toots II proceeded to make HE