The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-23
cnLoN l GnnN nSLL BlGGEE.

the aniI0ating belet thdt santa ClhuS was
thing OF realty. and StCCk;ng-hangnb-up
was n thing of JOY. But so far back M
those days In my case That memory -
couded by the years which have since
sped swiftly by and l cannot now Iot'e
any particular Christmas in these cay
on which | was happier thdn on any otH-
cr Memory does recall one OhTISlIiidS
when, IN the days OF early nahHoou
therc sat by my side one OF the ldil
sex VINO. IN her coniidihS nature han
f,laced her hand in mine some short Whlie
before. and who was on that 'hii 10
Day the sunbeam which btlEhleheu ever!
movement OF Hfes changing scenes ana
on a ChristmaS-Day IN years lat'I' Nhen
we were blessed with children watched
the suarklug eyes OF their mamma as
these young Americans gletfuly Tolnpeu
amid the trinkets which had been pluck
"a from The ChriStmaS-trec. But no l.ttle
ones are at home now TO pun TN WAGONS
or play with dolls. TWO have passed away
and the other ten are all grown up ana
oVertaKcn by such cares as come along III
life, and gray-haired papa ana mamma
arc saddcncu by the thought or soon
going from them forever. There is no
such favored SPOT on earth as nome
which chaaSeth not.
EEy. IN. !. J. LATFRETY.
Ny happie.t Christmas was spent forty
odd years aLO among the young slaves or
plantation nearby the lower Roanoke
hunting hare ana busting pop-ciacA-
crs. and firing toy cannon. l owned
small bird gun. new knife and
f,,l,bar ball~thtUgs seldom seen in that
interior section. \ country lad couldn
hold any more happiness. The pressure
was thousand pounds to the square
inch The white by since freedom rs
sorry sight on Christmas.
KB JOHN 3. HARDWOOD.
Christmas morning was a source o
great pleasure g me, ds / watched my
Little fOur-Year-old boy approa ms
Christmas tree. Such dcnght ana Joy
1 never witnessed before. lie was soon
= Nd by his nttic companion. and as
1yKcd upon the picture of true happl'
ness / could but eXclaim:
''Oh, time OF peace and JOY.
only 10 be once more wdkeiuh watch
ful boy.
with the stocking in the corner for old
Santa Claus to fiji,
snail ever thank God for Christmas
I'm boy d. memory SuN.'
Later In the day several friends called
on me. among them many Of my old
school chuns from a distance. As IN
cldent after incident of former days vas
recitcd, there came M to me pleasant
and happy recollecti0ns. II was a source
of great happiness to introduce TO then
my good wife and baby boy. IN tho al
ternoon l contributed to the wants o
some poor families, ana the pleasure IN
witnessing the JOY EXPIRE ssei by the re
cipients afforded me much happiness. ~
my wire ana self sat by our frcSide "A
night, J felt that "" should be truiy
thankful for the blessings Sod had be-
kiOMtU uulllH tue 9tttlt anu I''Nl 'ArA''9
that Christmas, 1850; was the haplest OF
our lives.
REv. JOIN JASPER,
The happicst Christmas l ever spert
WAS December -, 1891. tho day of My
Lords Birth. and 10 think that / could
join with Ills people 10 worship him was
the way l spent that Christmas.
NH. .. ,. JtEsoN.
Which was the happiest Christmas
you ever spent and how did you spend
az
Probably the happiest Christmases
which any OF us ever spent Wcie those
OF our cHudnoou. Looking BACK az them
now, they seen to have been seasons OF
unalOyeQ pleasure, and doubtless thcy
~ere, we tnen nau no cares and not
only ala We ENJOY ourselves, but che eli
foTtS OF All those nearest ana dearest to
US were devoted 10 mahlns pleasure amt
happiness Tor US. DoupuesS much OF
tins pleasure seems mole intense 10 as
even now than II Cid then.
IL Is surrounded bhy GA
mOur which passing years serve
only 10 intensity rather than uIminish. /
taAo 1t, however that you desire rather
thct ! should tell yOa of the happiest
CarStmas which / nave spent since the
passing away OF tho days OF ms chIu-
mood. Probably inns misHt be liked at
period OF twenty yeas ago, when, al
though no longer u boy, 1 was yet IN the
neyday or young MANHOOD, with Wlte
uear native laA1 amongst the western
hills OF ny nauNc county, where stlli
ringers much OF the oid-ume hospitality
ana quaint customs Oh the ''meTrle EnS
land OF the past, ana where music is the
passion OF nearly every native.
AZ that time the keeping OF Chris tmas
was rCliSiO usly observed. No work was
done from the day before Chrisunas-Day
until at least the Gay but one following
II. The cellays and pantrles were allied
TO repletion with all The good things OF
II 10 Il rot a
them. The houses were decorated with
cveTgreens and mistletoe. and all the
churches made beautiful by loving hands
with texts and decorations. Christmas
1--we marked the COmmeuCcmcnt-and the
placing OF the 1Ule log on the fire was
the hISt indication, or the JOYFUL season
On that night would be given a perform
ance OF ltdndcls great masterpiece, The
Messiah III the town nah of our nearest
town, whcn the place would be packed
with an audience Of from 200 TO 1900
people ana the Work would be rendered
- principals and chorus OF five hun
dred performers. supported by d band
20 huhdre~ eAC-ut&ujs ard the grand
,a organ. FIom the opening strains
y omiort We my people on tIrousa
tae 0htal story Of ChTists birth and
Gt -idte triumph OF liis cause, as
tn.t t..s ~reat work and Welded 10
m "eaier. Ia my opinion. 20 that or
tl sN.s team was ever reanzed by any
...... -~..,. oocs tue WAo.c OF the vast
crowd would listen with rapt ana silent
. -Ioci OAly uy tne Involuntary
rising and standing OF the whole audience
an mute reverence, during the singing OF
.-s,-...c uat.~iuJdh chorus" These
performances OF this grand work We're
not mercy incident to the large towns
and cities, but took place IN almost every
small village, each OF which mad ITS own
choral soc-cty ana hanC, probably of
one or two hundred performers such a
celebration most appropriately marks the
season OF thc coming OF the Saviour. At
midnight Oh Christmas Eve the bells IN
the village churches Onost chrrches there
have peds o. SIX on eIEnt belis) would
rims out merry peal tor half an hour
resound.Dg over hill and dale, and the
city churches. having chimes, would
chime out the Christmas hymn, Chris
tians. awake salute the happy morn. &"
Long before daylight broke on Christmas
Day Ddnos OF singers. with the accompa:.
nent Of Volins and BASES, would peram-
buiate the villages and all the country
side, waxing up the seepers with the
Christmas hymn and other sacred music
These singers II was our custom TO wei
come 20 our houses ana regale with
Christmas cake and coffee or good, home
brewed beer, as they preferred, and often
nave got up at o clock in the morning
to admit them 10 my house and listen
TO their sweet performances for an hour
or more. All through the day different
bands OF these carol singers would call at
our houses and give their performances,
being satisfied 20 receive Il small gratuity,
which was usually applied 10 some benev-
olent purpose, or for the purchase or mu-
ecaI Instruments or music. At 10
o'clock In the morning OF Christmas Day