Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-25

Whether Christmas proves 10 he fail
urc or success In the way Of enjoy
ment will be mostly owing to the way
in which IL is treated To some II VIII
bring no consolation TO others the mos'
abundant enjoyment. Doubtless, christ
mas viii prove as good as anything else
which the world imagines is absolutely
pleasurable. There Is a period In the lie
Of man when ne cares little ABOUT
spending bis Christmas in the city. ~
is the period lying between boyhood and
when he has some boys and girls or MS
own. Some OF this description or genus
homo will spend the day In the WOODS
II the weather allows. and hunt birds
squirrels, or rabbits. When the man
Is n boy he takes naturally TO the shade
of the greenwood-tree at Christmas, and
when grown there stll fingers the de-
sire 10 be free again. even for Just a
little while The desire in the male adult
is more rampant II fate has blessed
him with a goody lot Of little ones al
home. Of either sex, whose demands on
napa. however reasonable. cannot in the
nature OF things be giatifed by him
IL NAV. therefore. be safely surmised
that on Christina s-Day there VIII be many
amateur hunters striking for the rural
districts on early trains. They know
where TO look for game. and genera. >
6ad II without undue exertion. Some
Richmond youths have rural sweet
hearts. and nothing IS more natural
than that they should seek their presence
at any opportune moment, especially al
Christmas.
In Richmond there are all sorts OF
drinks for Christmas, some new, but
most of them old under newly-devsed
cognomens. Some find the cheer incident
TO the season in hot Scotches. hot gins,
hot whskeys. hot runs. and hot every
thing else made Of spiritus frumenu the
final effect of which is not at all times
pleasant. II Is said or course. wine Us
a popular tlpple on Christmas-day. as II
is on every other occasion when IL can
be procured. In the clubs and AT sociai
gatherings wine and wine punch now
often take the place of old-fashioned
eggnog. This latter. however. after all,
is said and done, is the Christmas drink
the true southerner revels in. IL ne
should be located where II is not pro-
durable a jorum OF apple jack with
honey concomitants proves no bad SUB
stitute.
Richmond has made amazing material
and typographical progress in the past
few years The evidence Of this is TO
be found in her miles of new streets
where only few years ago the grass
grew green, the harvest bright. 1t is
a city Of homes. and yet it is also hive
Of industry. The architectural revival
which finds it's highest types In the
greater cities has Invaded Richmond ana
lined her avenues with homes that are
the equal of any TO be found elsewhere
in all the land. As the years roll on
the brilliancy of her past will be irradi-
ated by the glory Of a future whose e.
fulgence already dawns above the hori-
ION. Estra perpetua.
Luckily most of the Christmases Of
Richmond have been of pleasant. II
not Joyous sort. but there have been
instances where gloom was cast over the
day by reason Of great calamity. or
these sombre happenings the most dis
tinctly remembered is the burning OF the
Spotswood on the morning Of the Christ
mas Of 1870.
\ Christmas happening comes from the
war The night before the Christmas Of
ls62 the Otey Battery, Of this city. was
near the town of Newbern PULASKI
county. Lieutenant Boiling, who was
commanding, had the company assem-
bled, and told the boys that there would
not be a rOll-call until S o'clock on the
morning Of the 10Th. The boys then dis
persed 10 spend their Christmas. When
the roll was called on the morning of the
26th there were present Lieutenant Boil
ling md the orderly-sergeant. Since that
time the company has turned out fifteen
ministers of The Gospel from its ranks.
Soon after the war there was a greater
- a p4pplg
here than ever before. 1t arose perhaps
from the fact that all OF them had been
victims OF the common misfortune. Du-
ring that time and after. those who
could afford II celebrated the Christmas
by inviting their friends. serving eggnog
and other flowing bowls ad lib. as
well as rounds of beef, turkey, cakes.
and other etceteras. Nothing delighted
the late James II. Pecor so much as 10
gather his friends around him at Christ
mas 10 indulge in reminiscent talk. He
was even more happy when operating as
host and entertained on an occasion OF
the sort than he was when engineering
a Democratic primary or steering ne
Theatre as agent for Mrs. Powell. On
such occasions there would always be
found present the venerable Charles
Campbell, the versatile and ready-wtted
veteran, Colonel Charles q. Thompson
late of "Our House of happy memory
When things had warmed up awhile Cap
tain Knowles would sing in his own in
imitable style that well-knOwn refrain
"a Dollar or Two while the veteran
Thompson would respond with "Lort
Lowell" Campbell and Picor belnl
deeply interested listeners To show
times ravages it may be remarked
that Of the four gentlemen named onl,
Colonel Thompson survives. H cele
brated his SD birthday last Thursday
He chose Richmond as his home in 1910
and since that time has seen and know
much OF her and her people. He hai
hosts OF friends here who wish him
long lease Of life
The Carriers Address 10 the Patron
of the Richmond Daily Dispatch" issue'
| Christmas. 1852, from its office, on Gov
ernor street, says:
This morn that holiday began,
by Scottish men called Yule,
| Which gives to every Christian man
The right to play the fool.
| And ancient privilege, tbs true.
! But whence derived we never knew,
And therefore cannot say;
Who through the year might grace III
| stool
Called Ounce blocks in our moderl
schools,
Are all, according to the rules,
| Expected TO be doubly fools
On this suspicious day.
Then Folly hail. Erasmous dwells
SO kindly on thy cap and bells
| And such delightful stories tells,
In his delightful way,
That, quite enchanted. / confess
! see not how l can do less
Than make thee lady patroness
OF this. my motley lay.
| Rich eggnog foams in many bowl,