The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-23

service would be held In the church. open
ed by the Christmas hymn, 'Chrlstiahs.
Awake" and followed by an ahtnen' irolh a
the MESSIAH, and after that the rest
OF the day would be given over 10 iainiiy
gatherings around the weh-nlled boaru.
and to quiet social enjoyment anu tne
mas trees, and games. In the evening
the Morris dancers and murtnurers "oulu
come TO our houses. dressed in fantastic
costumes. and perform their plays ane
sing The sounds OF TIN morn.
and frecrackers were new,
heard HOW IL ever became posSi
BILE to celebrate the blrth OF the fIllce
OF Peace" with such horrible peace-ue-
stroying and dangerous features passes
my comprehension. Throughout Ens
land the whole Christmas season - III" 20
ed by family gatherings and quie. 1880
Joyment oil the pleasures OF oie,o,nt unon
hospitality 10 alt. Those depehu'',,|o ceii
Won make II part OF their duty " -.
mo, Won and wish YOU a merry. christ
mas and n happy New Year, az" ,Nla,1,e
and drink at your table h az. ~ ~ .,o,c,o
"Christm boxes" (smau tlios s y, ,nra sei
All through the day our uVoiS ".tet,,rs
don, ionr closed against such Nislsots'
and by night fail grHatnssN % 49, n" cheese
made with the Chrls tii'S -, =, Lindiv
9 @I no", ,,D,o continued and friendships
cenented. and we were all MADE 10 leei
that we were one common Ial,l'' !, ,,io',r
brating the birth OF our common "1 boVrv
ana TclOiclHS
"Tinies like these, in quick success
Taught cen toll to please"
REV. DIR. JANIS Y. FAIR.
In nv experience no Christmas STANDS
ont prominently as the happlest. lhey
ali fower up equally like the peaks or
n great mountain chain bathed IN me
golden tints of memorys magic haze, ana
ranging back til the consecutive INKS
dissolve into the beauty OF mes roSe"'c
dawn. ,o..,..
NV childhood was almost completely
Isolated i'm the life OF my South Cafolina
home and us brightness was oDscuIed ny
the gathering clouds OF war. pu. : , ~
sumo the recurrence of the great inns
ttan festival scarcely ever brought great
or JOY to any child. HOW brlehlE ~
dawned out of the SOFT southern SKIES;
1t wove its romance around the river ana
the hills. IT'S glad spirit seemed 10 toucn
even the gloomy Old cypress trees ana
60 whisper a sweeter note into the pam
tive roaring of the pines but or the lairy-
land Of those far off days us memory
fingers with me yet, fragrant as the mag
nolia and evergreen as the holly.
| usually spend the week In the qulet
CniOyments Of home. one or 1tS mosI
pleasant occupations is the annual rou ,i9
of Christmas literature ] invariably read,
not the least loved Of which is WaShinS-
ton lrving's description of his Christmas
observance in England, ana Ienhysoh
| wish The Times and each Of its nu-
merous readers a merry Christmas and a
happy New-Year.
MIR. HfSRY r, MELoEEy.
| do not remember any particular
Christmas which was spent with such
special incidents as to make IT conSplcu-
ousIv happy above All others. But my
experience is that when ! have done
most to make. others happy II MADE the
happieet Christmas Tor me. There are
lew men, perhaps, VINO nave arrived ~
the meridian of life VINO, II asked Whlch
was the happiest Christmas they ever
spent and how they spent IT, whose meHi-
Org would not instantly revert 10 chiIu-
hoods days. Ny memory viWdly re-
produces the happy scenes and incidents
at the old country home, with the big.
dome shaped wood pile looming up lh the
Wood-yard the smoke-house fairy Sroah-
ing under its winter stores, The Earrtl
laden with fruits and nuts, and CHRIST
| toas Eve al hand. stockings were hung
near the chimney f1re-pIaceS,( ana tHe
children retired early Rising at IN
! the morning. before the huge, blaAnG
log fires we gathered, with father and
| mother. and with happy hearts we con
/ idcntly peerci into the heaVy-laden
| stockings 10 hnd good old Santa ClaG3
| pcVer-failing rcmembranCcS, Ihen, win
meals Of delight as the day daWned, We
| gave frI vent 10 our CXuberauce of joy
I'm Il rOlliClIing play in the lawn, ana win
| cheer after cheer for the glorious day
! burst OF another Christmas, fire on and
! explode every conceivable thlhS thdt
! would make a noise.
| The HAPPY experiences OF childhood nj
! WAYS remain fresh upon the memory.
| Perhaps they ave immortal II SO, II
! but embassies the importance Of STRIVING
TO make childhood days bright and happy
! at an titne.. and especially so at the ever
! youthful Christmas tide.
Rrv. DE. w. j. YOUNG.
II would be diHcult for me to say Just
! which one of all my Chri StmdSSGS mas
been the happiest. All OF them have been
| happy, very happy indeed OF late an
| DAYS are happy-tEe privilege OF the Cnris-
! tan, whose Bible commands MIN 10 re-
| jolce in the Lord always. But OF all MY
! happy ChriStmasses, those have been me
| happest that have been spent in the
way rost nearly IN harmony WIN
the lessons OF the manager ara
the cross carrying aid. not sending
! It, to the poor OF the parish, taxing not
| only what we call me hete7si''ea' ,tic
| some Of the sweeter things of Hfe-a niue
! of the outside Christmas cheer VISITING
| the sick. and trying to take aiohE WIN
! me n snatch Of the angel song gong 10
| the prison house to tell those III BONDAGE
! the story of the SaViour.s love. Yes
! those DAYS are ever the brightest 10 God 81
! children. be they Christmases or not, mat
are sprnt most nearly like Ills days, VINO
went about doing good.
| EDMAhD ,. ROSE.
! There is nothing half so sweet In lie
! as the recOuecuUhs oil our chlluHOod, MOI
| excepting love yours dream therefore,
! your question carries me D1ck TO the
| nalCyOu days OF my youth Whcn 1 had
! no notes 10 pay Tor myself or IilrHC7'
| In my carry days the peace ana qu4et
| OF my old nome WAS disturbed by me roar
! OF cam On ana the rdttc OF muShtfSs
| our northern friends we're constantly en-
! deaVOUug 10 thrust themselves upon Us,
| but there was a pile OF 'flcNehlhc iyih5
! aTOtnd ~ OLD Virginia waiting dhtH my
| came along 10 Eleet them with q can
| uou song, with powder airy ana nope De
| tone us We often aWoke 10 The can
| mons CloIuS. But TO the POINT III quto-
| ton; the line had been closely drawn ana
| our people were cut OH from the NofId
! teNGnd. LenCe 'nlCk-ndchs' We're things
| OF the past. All, well do l remember 4
! trip made to town by my utar mOtICr.
! Many were the bundles and odd were
! tnoir Shapes when 1 STOOD ny dad saw
| family carry al and bright beamed Inc
| lace " her, VINO has lurg since gone
! hence when she Informed me that kris
| kih6ie' would be with az IN the morn
! Ing. Ch.lduAe, the excitement Of the &C.
| casion Gl.pcled all sleep from my eyes,
| how | tossed through that long and
! weary n.ERt Of December -, lSuj. Final
! ~ day daWned and out of bed / jumped,
! / dId not TAKE the time 10 dress v hat
| was the use (my little slip was sum-
! CienO, i ran into the room wherein my
! parents V ere quietly sleeping and low,
! what q sight confronted me! My sock
| vas filled " IN all the good things that
! could be obtained at that time. bu; above
! all the beautiful things my eyes ever
! bchCld / espled in the shape Of a pair OF
| boots with red tops. Just think OF red
| tops, in the centre or which was a golden
| star, | waited not for socks but glldcd
| into those lovely boots, and | am sure
! Napoleon, IN his paim.est days did not
| hold a candle to me. " hen we awake
a - am .f-e II