Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-27
ECHOES FROM ALTON.
VISITING THE cows no TEST A
TRADITION.
No satisfnction-The bird OF Dawn
fng-Shakcspcsrc I'm Evidencc-Ap-
pctiying odors--A Study In foiiti-
cal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Notes.
1corrosnondenee OF The plspateh.D

race of Adam. In the country this is
time OF vigiis. Christmas-Eve the an
Gent Shepherds. on watch. waited for the
appearance OF the star There is a strange
belief vet extant among many country
people that at midnight Just at the mo-
ment Christmas-Day comes 10 earth, II
one watches he Will see the cattle fall TO
their knees as the legend SAYS the oxen
did around the sacred mangcr In Bethie-
hem al the time Of the nativity.
II is worthy OF note that since Adam
was a farmer everything Of legendary
interest Of the customs OF people, CT re-
lisious rites or Of games and superstiti-
lions. have been OF rural origin. We so
back TO the FIRST tllers Of the soil for our
knowledge What they did IL ii has not
been lost in the mists OF time. we fol-
low-softened. OF course. in the mode by
modern civilization.
And so 20 here. where we have nor
altogether drifted from olden ways. We
keep vigil. and SO out Christmas -Eve to
see the cattle kneel Chrstmas-Eve the
night was as clear as II the eastern star
lighted the western vault, when our party
Of voung watchers stole silently down TO
the stables We found the cows peace
fully run misunderstanding one beside the
straw rick and the others under the big
barn sheN Jersey Bess turned her large
soft eyes wonleringy upon US as we
came near but mo on chewing her cud
In evident oblivion Of anything more an
Gent than last evenings supper. Ger
tainly the cattle were not kneeling, and
the legend was wrong. but orr true be-
lever put the fault upon the watches.
and declared that a single minute. too
soon or late ct midnight, would break the
charm.
a BEAUTIFUL NIGHT
The moon was Of marvellous bright
ness. the lght Of her glory falling upon
the shadowy mountains. and trimming
the dense forests with the beauty Of
magic world. The hour wrought a sense
CT spiritual nearness. until one could al
most imagine the angel chorus, Peace
on Earth; Good VIII 10 Men was ring
ing through the air as on that other
Christmas-Eve nearly 1900 years ago.
But this was q night that also dr0wsed
and dreamed Of sTperstiuons.
There IS a bird that sings all the
night long before Christmas said our
teacher. well-read in the mystics How
] wish We could bear it,
"What kind Of a bird?" asked John
Henry. who never believes unless he
sees. and not always then.
II is called The bird OF dawninc. and
IL sings al night 10 frighten of evil
spirits"
The bird Of warning, them" some one
suggested, "a warning Tor the spirits"
There was GREATNESS silence while We
listened. Presently. family of sounded
the foot. toot" OF a lonely owl In the
hollow below Doby's. and the whistle Of
the express due 81 ALTON cut the air
with a shrill reminder Of the outer world.
But Shakespeare writes Of a popular
belief IN the bird Of dawning-
Some say that ever 'gainst that season
comes,
The bird Of dawning singing all night
long.
And then. they say, no spirit dares stir
abroad,
The nights are wholesome; then no
planets strike"
Shakespeare may have known. but as
VIC closed the door upon our late yisiis
g nery star shot across the midnight sky.
APPETIZING DOORS
The flush Of another Christmas and a
million stockings were lifted from their
moorlnxs by the Preside doors Of roast
turkey and mince-meat pies IN the air;
roasted pig crab-apple Jelly spicei
punch. and eggnog-all homemade. and
grown by our own toliing hands in
happy labor-steam out from Alton 10
slaughter's. end east and west, from
Humpback 10 hungry Town. There was
love and Joy. spruce. pine, and cedar
from Rockhsh Gap to Brent's Mountain,
and the glor IS Of the season, In aristo-
cratic mansions. and humble cabins on
the hillsides al
The red. beaten roads have revived
from a trance Of dulness and since the
holidays came in are crowded with smart
traps, heayily-laden wagons, and farm
carts. bringing in relatives 10 join the
merry circle once more at the old home
And yet there Is another pcture-we
have cur poor At no time OF the year
Goes their condition stand out in such
bold relief as when the more fortunate
make merry and enjoy the good tnings
OF life Contrasts are sharper. the
gaunt spectre OF want Oh one hand; a
smiling figure Of plenty on the other
This is peculiarly so at Christmastide
In the country. less, perhaps than in
cities. IS there frightful suffering. and
here probably more than there. are sup
plies al hand, ready for rel Of.
Here. also, IN the open country where
nature Is clean and wholesome. there h.
none Of that wretchedness and squalor
that almost makes charity stand appalled,
in helplessness TO relieve. And few are
homeless. We except the tramps, VINO
than usual Every Chesapeake ana
Ohio eondoia seems to be landing at least
one Of these wayfarers, and The army
Of cross-tie tourists are making their way
from the mountains 70 the sunny chmes
Of FLORIDA
II IS a study in political economy why
go few tramps are illterate men. l never
saw one that could not read know
the tramp's eruditiOu 10 n chestnut JOKE,
but. honestly. IL is tue
Coming down the bend from ALTON the
other DAY, ! saw one summing himself Ike
toad on d log by the creek
He was Of the weary Wiggles order
He may have been diamond In the
roueh-thcre were no scinfillations. Ills
garments Were tattered aud torn; MS
chin neither shaver nor snorn. ills
shambling limbs were spread an over the
crossing and he ga2ed iuicnHy az an
Ola muddy newspaper he held ia his
sroutty hands Upon MS mobile features
there was look Of interest.
AS the dun mare stopred TO drink
these words were waited moufnfully on
the whistllng winds.
"Twenty-aye dollars rewarql Valuable
biack-and tan cogl Answers TO the name
thought he had the dog and halted.
but he had only thG tail-end OF an aisu-
ment.
~ answers 70 de name OF Dan-an' wots
de matter wild my beiB biack-and-tah
dorg?"
Later he passed down Nelson avenue
and accepted the hospitality OF Chestnut
Ridge at the back door.
Homeless. friendless, cold, and ragged