The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-12-07

4
1 himself back in his rocker with
a faI-away look.
Yes, Christmas. ventured. but
1 Christmas is not what it used to ne"
nor by n jag full retorted my old
friend. pertiy
! don't know whether it was the men
ton Of jug fun or something else,
but anyway Brown suddenly revived
from his sorrowful mood and showed him
sed anxious to talk. and [ let him pro
coed and spread himself:
This yankee notion Of Thanksgiving
seems TO me to be getting bigger than
/ Christmas They don't have nothing now
ut Christmas like they used to have. and
is my notion that it is the making Of
such sl-to-do over Thanksgiving that
causes il. We never heard of no Thanks
giving day tn since the war and If
we are to lose the JOYS Of our oli-time
ChrisJmases. I. for one, would be glad
"" had never heard.
As my friend ceased to talk I had
time to study, and in my heart fc,t
Exc agreeing tRat our Christmases We're
not what they used to be and that as
Thanksgiving day grew larger Christ
mas p4ew less Anyhow. my study, as
Brown 81, with his head bowed III his
cries and | thought of some OF the
Christmases had known. a Constitu-
ton lay in my lap as | studied. and
without Intending to read my eyes fell
on a paragraph stating that Sam W.
Small was in ono of the city hospitals
aud an operation would have to &c per
formed upon him. aud this knew,
meant that Mr.. Small was seriously sick
Back over the miIe-post OF years ny
mind wandered. calling lip thousands Of
Incidents In connection with the life Of
Nj Small. till at vast | was liviug over
again Christmas night in the ole
Constitution building on Broad st1eet
Memory after memory weled up in con
rection with that night think there are
only three now working in the mechan-
ical part Of tho great paper who were
present upon this Christmas night Of
which | speak The editorial force con
sisted of Mr.. Finch. Joel Chandler Har-
ris. sam Smalwith Mr.. WILDLY to do
the society" and small locale.
on this night MI. Small wrote odd
SIS Yu Log think this was the cap
ton Of the poem. and III my heart ! think
I have never known a sweetor Christmas
poem. and it is Of the writing that ]
choose TO speak. though the poem is lost
lost in the immensely of the files Of
the great paper and the carelessness of
its author
Nj Pascal J. Moran was foreman Of
the paper then. He was stickler on the
Observance Of Christmas. and always
generous he WAS overhowingly so with
friends at Christmas Not a hint was
given that M Moran had ordered a ban
quet to be spread when the paper was
got 10 press. 1t was long before the
lays Of telephones. but there We're boys
that carried the messages--especially the
order for a banquet--on almost lightning
wings. AS a boy hurried to Thompsons
to order the banquet brought forth. an
other boy Went to the editorial rooms and
there invited Mr.. Small to join the com
posing room--h5 Joined
As the last form was being locked
II was remarked that there was no Christ
mas poem. Mr.. Small volunteered to
write one if the forms would wait and
the printers return to work. I think it |
WAS six printers that went to the cases" |
Mr.. Small sat down at the ''forenan's" |
desk and in thirty minutes cold Sis Yu !
Log was being locked in the form !
and I stand upon it that never a Christ |
mas story from that Christmas to this |
has excelled it III sentiment or in pic- |
turing the old time south
But Brown has revived, his ideas NAV |