Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-24
THE oLD-TINE CHRISTMAS.


Nobody expects the veteran who lags
more or less supornuously upon the stage
Of Iifo to admit that modern Chrstmases
are half as jolly or half so sensiby OBJ
served as those of the famed long ago.
To be sure our children luxurate in
wealth OF toys which old-umers knew
not Of. and most people are better housed
and dressed now than their ancestors
were; nevertheless. am the comparisons
he makes are in contempt of the present
time.
And. I'm turn, the children Of to-day,
when they have grown gray and equity
ana have come TO look for pleasure in
the past rather than in the future, viii
derlde the Christmases of that day. 1t
may be- that then travellers Will be going
10 and fro in flying machines. or cross
ing the ocean in submarine boats, and
that children will have dolls that can
talk and walk. but the reminiscent vete-
ran will still cling to the memories" Of
mis- youth.
So man has been created in the be-
ginning the present satisfies and the
future allures. in old age the mind con-
lures up the past and pictures glories,
many of which never existed.
IT'S distance lends enchantment TO the
view.
And robes the mountain in its azure hue.
Yet, seeing how prone we are TO revert
10 childhood days for satisfaction which
the present denies us. it should be the
aim OF every rational being at this sea-
son. especially, TO make happy every
rhild within his reach Thus We may
SOW seed Of comfort for some ones dis
lant harvesting and thus We may Doe
cmbalmed in some grateful memory,
though the world has forgot US and rank
weeds grow upon our unmarked grave
But talking about old-time, old-fashion
ed Christmases. those of Colonial Nir-
ginia would seem TO be entitled TO pre-
cedence. Folks" did not then have IN,
trouble of raising turkoys-thcy went
into the nelghboring woods and killed
them. Ducks, too. We're abundant. anC
canvasbacks hadn't been counterfeiteC
then. Whoever had a gun could provide
himself with them. SO. too, with dee
and bar" Ard i'm the Underwater coun
try fish and oysters were likewise album
dant. The breeding of swine had jus
begun Usually the hogs were turno,
loose upon an island and left 70 root p
OF die. and they usually managed TO sc
a living. But the dainty smithneld han
Of that day was brought from the subur
OF that name near London, and alon
with ii came plentiful supply of liquor.
Our trade with the West Indies ais
made liquors-especall jamaica rum
cheap And In those days Jamaica run
and French brandy were looked upon a
indispensable in the preparation of IN
Christmas bowl of eggnog.
Those were rolucking Chrlstmase.
Each lasted half a month or more. Fir.
one and then another planter had "
big day" when mis- friends for score
Of miles around responded TO his invita-
ton II tradition is TO be relied upor
many Of the men returned home niue
the worse for liquor OF course. ther
were exceptions. Some few hosts woul
not set out liquors ana some guest
would not drink when invited But
was an era Of heavy drinking, ana nc
even a funeral was complete without foo
and liquors set out, ostensibly, for thos
who had travelled long distances. Tn
Virginlans of to-day drink much less tina
their ancestors did. They are more ten
perate. True there are men now VII
indulge themselves excessively. but the
are usually very young men. And sociei
takes notice OF their shortcomings. wher
as in the olden times. such persons see
not TO have been frowned upon.
Retrospection. as We have intimated.
a halo-producer, and old men live IN thei
pasts. but when We remove these remil
iscent mists from our spectacles n
Christmas Of to-day looms UP as a joyou
wholesome holiday. Times have chang,
and with them people. but we belle,
The world has grown better Where on
the bronze gobbler clucked in the Dir
brush church now stands and when
eyentlde the sun sinks Ia the red whit