Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-25
shut Hearts opened at Christmas.

Milton. Walter Scott, Tnackeray, DICK
ens. Washington Irving. Longfeliow. Ten
nyson, and host OF other great authors
have left 10 the world writings about
Christmas. An these gcnluses sang the
praises OF Christmas IN their most sono-
rous sentences.
Milton gave the world poem which the
world Will not willingly let die. but which
Il doesn't care 10 read very often. Scott
has put upon record the important fact
that In his day at fine dinners the goose
held the place OF honor which We long
ago awarded 10 our festival bird. the
turkey. Washington Irving in his Sketch
Book gives us delicious picture Of
Christmas celebration at an English coun-
try-house, from which we see that the
old Virginia Christmas" was largely
copied from the Christmas OF Merry
England. And well II might have BEEN
The first settlers In Virginia were people
from the British Isles. and what more
natural than that they should have per-
petuated many Of the customs Of the
mother country? To begin with. they had
here the holly and the mistletoe: also the
boar's head, the turkey. and the goose
And our planters ever kept on hand
stocks OF good liquors to be used TO
drive of the malaria OF the low-grounds
and in the practice Of the rites Of hos
pitaiity.
But perhaps II is TO Dickens we owe
more than 70 any other observer and re-
corder OF Christmas customs. He was a
dear lover Of Christmas. There was In his
heart spot which was touched by every
mention of this day. He could be counted
upon for a Christmas story every year.
and speaking through the lips OF the
nephew in his interview with old Scrooge
Dickens says: ut Is the only time i
know Of in the long calendar OF the
year when men and women seem by
one consent to open their shut hearts
freely and to think Of people below them
as II they really were fellow-travellers
to the grave, and not bound on other
Journeys. And therefore. and though IT
has never put a scrap OF gold or silver in
my pocket / believe that 1t has done
me good; and / say God bless 1t.
I'll keep my Christmas humor to the
last"
There Is a world OF truth in all this
But whence springs this Christmas light!
Whence this brotherhood? Whence this
charity? Where else could 1t come from
than the Prince OF Peace; the Fountain
of Light? What other founder Of religion
has blessed the world with doctrines so
divine, so beautiful and beneficent? Ag-
Mysticism ought TO shrink out OF sight
at Christmas. even though II should hold
It's own on every other day in the year.
IL the Ingersolites should lose nothing
by their belief, or disbelief rather, than
the pleasures Of Christmas. they would
lose treasures Of inestimable value. What
is IT In their faithless faith that opens
shut hearts even so much as once year?
I'm keep my Christmas humor to the
last" is a good text for all of us who
have had happy Christmases and who
hope for others yet TO come. Yes, keep
Il TO the last. 1t will make you proof
against old age; 1t will make you better
man: make you a more considerate.
forbearing. kindly mana more compan-
ionable man to your fellow-traveller
bound on the same journey that you are
going.