Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-27
THE NORTHERN NECK.
THE ACTIONS or ANIMALS As
SIGNS or CHRISTMAS.
4 Compromise, Eovcver-Unable to
Innd-Hoiiday Trnde-The Business
Outlook for Next Ncnr-Personal
and General Notes.


said about Christmas Gin the country"
but now. verify. the country IS in the
midst OF Christmas. and everybody IS try
ing to have a good time" For twenty
four hours past the nerves. patience. and
piety Of our people have been put to the
test. Tin horns. toy pistols, lrecrack-
ors. drums cannon. and the like have
been sounding and resounding from noun
tain-top 90 bay-shore, and the nervous
individual. with fingers I'm his ears, won
ders n The country will survive these in
strumcnts Of terrible torture and the
awful antics Of the "risin' gineration."
As is thc case every season, very
amusing discussion is going ON as TO the
commences Of our Christmas Some
folks. neither distinguished for 'much
learning" nor proverhia for profundity
have raised the question as TO whether
the Saviour was born into the world
ON the 18th of December or on the 9Th
of January; and the only proof they
have so far brought to bear I'm behalf of
the latter is the fact that COWS spend
"a minute or so ON their knees az j. o'clock
ON the night of the 9Th of every January.
OF course. no couutryman denies this
! knceliug attitude of CATTLE on the night
of January 9Th but the people arc slo"
10 accept that as proof that January
9Th u.s. Therefore. Chiistm1s-Day; ana
I they are 10th 90 ignore December 9th
and observe another day. in Sod The
"satisfol element raise point i'm rec
buttal of the "cow-kneehng' proposition.
and chat is the fact that Just three weeks
before December 18th an the ROSTERS
crow in concert at sunset. and then
crow every hour Of the nights mp TO mid
night. December 18th; ana they claim
that. If the annual antics Of animals are
90 Dee considered. the growing OF ROSTERS
is ass significant in proof OF December
25th q is the kuecling OF COWS i'm proof
of January 9Th But those I'm doubt ass
10 the proper time for hanging mp stock
ines and making egenog have agreed
upon happy compromise this year. Tn
order 10 make no mistake about it. they
/ have ordered two jugs-oue for December
9th and one for January Gth-and viii
celebrate both occasions
THE CHRISTMAS BUSINESS.
The volume of business done hy the
country merchants this week has far exc
| coolcl their most sangulne expectations
| The sales have not been equal 20 those
of the corresponding period IN former
years. but better than tho unprec,dont-
el scarcity of money End very mcagre
| sales during the Whole lau lNulca' ~.
FROM 'D''".T i'lh TO- gee. ii..'t ~" .-.-
meIcaHlIt ""Sl u %. c.-
ieH i' per cent "'io" ln' NV
the last zoe years or 80 anu .'i ,..'.
with large stocks Of fan goods yet on
their Shelves uI-od.
Many OF the leading. most intelligent
and experienced businessmen Of the
Northern Neck who have been inter-
viewed conc ming me business oulIooh'
| arc of opinion That 1881 ana inc ne" noe
ministradon will bring no better tim
I ana no Improvement i'm business. 4ney
argue lIai in.,e Us H,. .... (,- r,s -''i T,
,ll ,.r..i, ~ f,r,, rrol.,ots efc ami
y.4 .. ,.,,,-, f.,,,-r,.. b.fora the
l-.,r..l. ,..,..r. ami oo,rt~,- e1tornrfsa.
..,- ,,,.,-i.,-. t.++l~ +i,,as Carfafrlv
.,- ,.t.,i... ,f-...s vim ro+ faro ms van
wv. ,...- .. chow have hitherto hocau-.
49, 80 d., t.r-..rs Who have ci,.r
..-' o.. r..... ,,,,,rfc-. ~ +hlr,
l-. ,.i....,, .i,.,. t.,., r,r.. 1.ra-.f-
I -.,'l t.... c,,r..u.l tt.fr hrei-
,l e'll ..'' ..l nm not e,,,-
~. ,,ot f.l.or tr f..- r,-fs v-fu OF
lo,,,se leave Hundreds ana hundreds Of
mon ont of omrloymeut Besides this
. .,., --.. i,,.,-l.. ,4o,. hero Tor "a ri,n,-
t-. ~ ICONS r..-t FIN r,froal-tias and
.or1-.,oo1 which has afforded lucrative
.,1nlo,.rrent FOR n GREAT many men. viii
pracficaIly come to am end ear.y this VIM
In ro~ the reason that The supn'v
If +ir,hcr Is ohout exhausted. This
,,,,-. e.rva ~ ada IN the army Of mem
49, i.tl,,~- ca. 7cq- A-,org those
f-l' t...'.l-.i, ,,.t, toli.,.o1 and ororol
~. +tl .l..,io,, 80 ,frtrf,.l,,. d, N-o,,e-,,-
! ,'-' 49,, ,-t.-..i,... 5000, o,f,. t,r..
go ...,,il.-, 5,,I ..i o+..r Tine
,.- i,,,.. ,,-.1,, +l,-s element I'm sivt,
49, e,l- ,r.t-i,,1o,,s ei.efio, vas an
,o1,r..,5 Hrt of I'm mon these are now
the most disqprcintcd and .hc gloomiest.
rD,.rD >-or r,>-D
~ -''i '--'-''
The heavy gale on the folomac last
! Wednesday interiercd with the arrange
| mcnts of The steamboats, so tnat n num-
Der of persons on their way here for
! christmas could not land 40 the King
/ George wharves.
Mr.. G. b. Arnold has retired from
I the mercantile business at Doeuc. this
] county. and Mr. Luther ". Jet has sue
ceedcd him.
Mr. y. s. Minor. Washington I'D. CO
attorney is spending Christmas with his
/ parents Mr. and Mrs. John II. Minor.
/ 20 this place.
"Christmas-troas" ana Sunday-school
celebrations viii DE the general order FOR
noxt week with the church people
here. Beginning Monday it viii take
/ nearly an the week for the various
churches to carry ont the programme all
ready arranead-the appointments being
/ so made as for the exercises at neigh
,oring churches not to conflict.
Rev. r. 4. Moudos, the popular young
pastor Of the Hanover Baptist church.
I'm this county. has received call To the
pastorate of "a North Carolina church. II