Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-19

day of all the year again. the birthday
of tho Prince of Peace, steals over MN.
But how is he to do IL? Santa Claus
hasn't brought him anything for many
wear Then he remembers the ola gun
He resoIves-not without many miseW-
ings-to get I'D and shoot both barrels |
in honor of the day. at is tbunderinsy !
cold" he calculates, and would give any
thing to let himself down to teeth-chat-
tering like the boys do. But ms p'e
cepts to them about getting harueheu ~
the cold won't admit such hypOcrlSy' -
takes the gun down and goes out 10 the
edoe M the ward, overlooking tue river,
and shutting both eyes for fear the oiu
thing will bust" he bangs away one vi
two neiehbors hear the loud reports ring
inc ont on the still morning air, ana won
der at passing what "Old Billy is MAKING
a fool of himself about. IL Is zone. ms
Christmas IL begun; but so Is the pesiil-
ming Of the end of it. He may tax 10
the neighbors about the much more iun
they used to have at Christmas thah 10y
do nowadays. and tell the boys now nv
used to hold the popcraekers IN ms hano
TO explode. One of the little ones dshs nm
70 show them how it is done, and ne says
800 sharnly than the occasion calls lor'
"Ycu boys shoot your own popcracKers'
I haven't got time TO bother with you
now" re adds that boys are heap more
ti,nid now about burning their hahuS IMAM
| they was when he was a boy'
| Nv breakfast-time tho country boy mas
| demonstrated 10 every living thing on inc
| ,,laca his supreme ability to blow norm
F, tn~tda ont and to incite the cat TO her
| greatest powers Of speed by Tying I'm
| mack OF popcrackeIs 10 her 'ali' a.
| ttroa,,fast comes the hurry and hustle OF
/ nj
9sren5 the day" at his grandpa S. ne
tos bean there every Christmas since ne
nor,d remember. and is sure OF having a
| oood time Grandma always has tpe pest
| srnit-calxe and coolest custard, ana ordiu- :
-, ALWAYS insists on his being heipeu a'
| tho dinner the second time 10 every inns,
| He Is good TO the honored oIu Iauy' 90
roralv over refuses TO please her IN th''
.asnoct The servants at Grandpa house
Gro 90 much more considerable ano po,i'o
20 him than those at home, ana Di'nuPa
aI1yav. increases his bank account w
o5-cent piece. These things an coIl I,, a. :
With the solid fact that Chiisihus 80
.iest started" and Il ain gov " 81 90,
!es. .n-morroy. and next day, nor TOT
echoo. aI,." TO make the morning brlm-
full OF good time'
D,rner comes at 8 o'clock. three hou,s-
,eo ,oinutes-later than every othei uay
- the wear. except Sunday, anu esoi' VIZ
,,inuts of them has been coul.eu "a.
tugica He never was SO huhslS IA 49,,
wv. he eats till his grandmothei
, IRE az" ',,or him anxiously, and ascer
snineS gh., has any Jamaica ginger II
the house. - a., q hurry. AND
3 No 60 called In TO SAY his piece
7 80, ne IN going TO speak that hisnl q
rhr,st,nas tree. IL he comes ou' a.
.no - he is rewarded with as MANI
Ile into the apple barrel as ms OUT
Y PS stomach will permit Chrls'ilsl
go comes with a great Christmas tie
e ,roy,nr under its presents lor ev1is 80 -,
$ "a q church full OF people ms -
: comes I'm the entertainment. anu .
drst time ne experiences the o =,
exaltation, and hears me sweese1 a
a eA, =, hands and feet IN applause q
S inusio aoinp. Ii is the music OF al
s no ,rirmnhaI procession. IL Is uine
d ne. n,ght-he Is not apt to forget aha =
X I'D think about II a great oeai II
?. -. ,ot that as soon as ne touches a
% Va tomorrow comes with its ne" joy
~, Cor week of visiting ana pen,
a .,,s.aa NJ shooting, of walking tne eai
= .arror TO every living thing .ha'
;" sr,aIIer than he Is! He 10 ne
d SnnhIe "rashings" and ha,f asleep. a. -
IS SouS torces all the grown people IN "
10 nc ~. 20 subscribe to the latter ''ie'
% NOT ALL THE YEAR CHRISTMAS.
a. pu, christmas passes, as all 5oys -, =
a thinks. and as he wni ,niu a.. =,
al while Joys and sorrows snn ns,s .ga,
N sorraws very slowly. school, Desi n,s a des
pa On much he has to tell 70 MS is,,
anu ts who happens to be ce a,,a,ns In =,
me }or whom he gathered n ,,s.nns ye
40 Sefore the holidays. she ,nsrrv ial
is oereiess,y. he thinks. 10 nus ms' ,na,gs
~ "a he wonders sadly at the new ,n III
"a e naS. his speech at the Cnri ss Cor
"a ,ar,a,oment, but she was tns'e, .,s nv
IA ss,. her. He remembers. 700, s s,s 81,
a s,,.,ng BY a boy, whom. even ,,n,t "
as s,'t arsswvh. he was forced to aona 's =
r. OF varv manly looking and handSo .ns q |.
70 He was her cousin IRON he
OF ,om s was older then himself. HOW ,, ns
nd anu, anu 70 be older! Presently. ne s,~"t
ae ,ons her face to her slate anu 50" ,,s
xt n ,av Of the vile hoy in the ssH Tn r
70, .hara sho used 10 write ms .-,,,.a
nd Nupio S,s~. ftplw2 Ssrr w.