Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-15
THE NORTHERN NECK
N Faces Turned Towards The Old
Burg.
BRINGING CHRISTMAS SUPPLIES.



Tramp Nuisance.
CONFORM. KING GEORGE COUNTY
g., December ecial)-Notwith-
leading the sudden advent OF real winter.
4ane frosts. singing cold. and pierre
.-~ winds. the public highways. cross
-.,se. snd by-paths leading from this sec
Ion 90 fredericksburg have been thronged
I. immense multtudcs Of rural citizens
r week past. and in these moving.
mixed multtudes nearly every family and
..~e here have been represented-all
losing towards the "old burg for one
.-i The same purpose-to LAY IN" the
.re.talked-of Christmas supplies"
r-r more than half a century these peo-
OH. have been IN the habit OF going to
isrlcksbure about two weeks before
rstmas 10 sell their butter. eggs. furs.
.-. other trade" and 10 buy their "hcli-
..r goods" which. by the way. consist
90 everything from a Jews-harp and a
scent un horn FOR the little folks Up
., -re most indispensable and costly
...ssaries Of ne" From early fall
,. The appointed week arrives for this
ms, Important Of an trips 20 town. the
.. folks add item after item 10 their
careful y-kept town memorandum" and
Or months and months every spare cent
o. laid aside In the old shot-bag for the
r.-.hase Of the good things" and
,.-efty things" for the great annual
f.st And when that time" two weeks
fr.-s 'Cusmus arrives sure enough.
al. -
e.,r tho tide Of human beings that rolls
o- 20 Fredericksburg from Monday morn
inc tl saturday night. No matter how
cold ODE weather, the first ray Of day
lrhf daWns upon a shiveriug, moving
mass n old and young. rich and poor
some % carriages some in bugges, some
r roai-carts. some in wagons, some In
t.-hrl-carts some In oX-carts. some on
-r-ehlck. some on foot-all hurrying in
fts same direction 10 exchange their herd
cafr.l produce and cash for the vast
variety Of store things" necessary to
make home happy and the lit ones
.cyols through the Christmas holidays.
CUSTOM FOR GENERATIONS.
THIS having been the unaltered custom
s,- err many generations. Christmas would
20 DO Christmas AZ all with hundreds of
crr people II these holiday goods and
christmas things did not come from
fredericksburg. Indeed, the word town
fas but one meaning 10 many of our peo-
BE. and that r. FTedericks5urg-the only
lace on TIE globe from which a majority
a. ths King Georgians and Staffordans
a-s u ling 10 buy their Christmas goods
Even the heads Of families who find en-
pigment In Washington city the year
around come down home two weeks before
Chr stmas. and 60 10 the "Old burg TO
purchase their holiday supp ieS-not only
because their fOrefathers did IL, but be-
cause. they claim, Fredericksburg beats
Che world" In point Of prices on these
articles.
Rlt not only "a this the appointed time
fcr family supplies 20 be hauled down
from "town"-many wagon-loads OF candy
s1l fancy articles for the large number
% Christmas trees" and Sunday school
ielebrations al nearly all the churches in
De county must come from town" and
Rom town" they are verify coming this
Tery week
With many people here. the holidays
really begin to-day All teamwork done,
great Kicks Of nre-wood piled Up high in
the back-yards. the hogs killed and sailed
way. the meal-tubs flled-that long
banned trip 10 town" about ends the
ears work with the systematic farmers
90 work more till Christmas comes and
c1es After the holiday things" have
been bought and stored away. it is out OF
he question to try 10 hire labor for any
purpose whatever, save for the digging
~ O. grave. the extinguishing Of q con-
fagratlon, or some such case Of emer-
rercy Even n a who G week remains be-
fore Christmas. nearly every human being
&C. busy waiting for the 18th 70 come TO
hand
HOW THEY SPEND IT.
Those unacqualnted with life In the
ral districts may be curious to know
aow these staunch. methodical farmers.
sfc spend the Christmas holidays.
Well could they peep IN the country
Kitchens and dlning-TOoms the week be-
fore Christmas and see the contents OF
Che huge. old "cupboards," sidebOards,
and lmpromptu "safes"-all laden with
immense turkeys hams. all manIer Of
fresh meats. and fat fowls pOund-cakes.
f-gar-cakes. "lasses-cakes, ginger-cake s.
i-if-cakes. spOnge-cakes, and great
stacks az juicy e-pies-thsy would
most naturally conclude that country
folks spent Christmas feeding their faces.
ai1 such a conclusion would not be
entirely at variance with facts. While
eating these good things"-the best the
iari can PRODUCTS a very important
part az the Christmas programme, and IS
not slbord.uated 10 any other part,
our people are az true to their church
services and 20 their sick and destitute
reiEhbors as IS the needle 20 the North
Pole. The fact Is, the country people
except. Of course, that class who degrade
Themselves By strong drink-get as much
real enjoyment and innocent pleasure out
o. Christmas holidays as any people
in the world aid. after a year OF toll.
larlsalps. and. oftt.mes, rcyerses, crop
failures etc. they more than any other
people. appreciate and enjoy this sa-
cred hol'day-week
As PRIVATE SECRETARY.
Colonel Edward l.. Hunter an attache
no tho Clerks office here a part OF the
time for many years past. has accepted
position with Hon r.. J. Washington,
~ WcsunOreland county. He viii act
Fs private secretary for Mr.. Washing
for and otherwise assist him In his law
~-e
Mrs Rose Hunter. of Washington. ID.
who has been visiting relatives in
t'- county for a week or so past has re-
turned home
N.Y. John r. Minor. Of this place. spent
ft' early part Of this Jtek At lryington,
'n Lancaster county. where he went 20
sf'e0d q meeting of the district stewards
~ he Methodist Church.
Tho ladies' Aid Society. OF Potomac
harll church held a very successful
delightful "sociable" at their church
Wednesday night. There was large
enhance OF the members, and many
t'W members were enrolled. An elabo-
ft. froe lunch was served. and greatly
Dyed. The meeting adjournd at $50
j. So and the members then wendcd
their way home through a "blinding'
If0w-sfOrm.
Ia. magnificent and commodious new
= ! - LII. L Griffin IL