The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-17
MERRY CROWDS ON
BROAD STREET
All People Exuberant Oven the
Thought OF Coming
Christmas.
A GREAT PARADE GROUND
Kindly Raillery and Gentle Wit
Hold All Hearts in
Crush.

a spirit OF good nature. Eayety and
happiness has taken hold upon the good
people OF Richmond. happily IN keeping
With this season OF the year. and on
Broad street. the grand parade ground OF
merry crowds. one may see il sparkling
ana encrvescing Is sheer excess OF itself
every night.
on Saturday night. when the stores
Kept open until IL o'clock. as usual. this
happy spirit was especially predominant
Young people surged UP and down the
street in two opposing tides. and the
stream % humanity fairly bubbled and
overlooked with an efervescing exuber-
ance.
Nuletide. with its thought OF the over
hanging m.stietoe, its green and red holly.
the great log on tho fire and the r1crri-
ment Of the time IS in the air. and no
one. lest he be a grumpy ascetic who has
never tasted the Joy OF living. and passes
all Ills time IN cynical comment unon the
good people ~ this old. old. happy world.
hut feels good thoughts. happy thoughts
and kind feelings arising IN his heart.
Everywhere Is the spirit Of raiuerv.
good -natuTed and kind and Wit without
its caustic sharpness. and festive humor
at and holds tho human heart In n leash
Of kndlincse
Holiday Near at Hand.
Christmas IS only a week away. and
few there be who realize that within
another eight days viii dawn tho greatest
day ~ All tho year, when man. woman
and child viii live only with tho thought
81 awakening an that happy morning %
soc what friends have remembered him
OF her. Already the young scion OF the
house. whether 70 be noble or plebeian
- In, afrrf
90 lie ~ nights sleepiess for fear that
perhaps, santa Claus, because he has to
visit so many millions Of homes may for
get 10 come down his chimney or pass
through his little keyhole.
From the hundred stores on Broad
Street a sheen n light dances out upon
"a moving crowd. and viii do 80 every
night this week. even until midnight on
Mouday-Chr Eve-wheu the pres
cnts Will have been bought and hidden
away until the morning and the turkeys
safely housed, whence they may never
strut In pride and dignity again. Though
the days have been warm and Il has
seemed more unlike Christmas than IN
any year almost before. the world-old
Christmas enthusiasm and warmth OF
heart have crept out OF their long hiber-
nation and taken utter and absolute
possession % tire hearts OF an.
Though hundreds are out every night
In anxious pursuit OF something suitable
o. buy 10 give 10 some one else. there are
thousands more who are out merely for
the JOY OF living, to come IN contact with
thrir fellows. % feel the pulses OF all
humanity that, after all rs said and done.
are in tie final analysis very much the
same. There is no other time in tho
Year when the underlying bonds OF hui
rnanity are so clearly exposed and made
naked 10 the ewes OF the world: and any
night now on Broad Street one may see
the handsomely goWned women OF society
brushing elbows with her sister Of a more
humber walk Of life and sending her a
glance Of kindness instead Of the more
usual naughty stare. All CULTS and an
artificial lines Of dernarcation between
classes are forgotten. and kindly shirt
prevails among those who seek the gay
companionship and a real touch OF hu-
manity on Broad Street of nights.
Perhaps there are quite little firtatIons
on the side. but where's the harm2 A
pair Of twinkllng. snarkling ewes peeps
out from world OF furs. and. II the
rest OF tho face IS IN accord-and il usu-
ally is-what man Is there who would
not betray a momentary interest-and
smileT They are soon forgotten. these
mild flirtauons Tor Yulet!de comes but
once n year; and. after New Year. comes
a more sober day. when the world set
ties hack into The old grooves and the
wheels OF time roll on as IL nothing had
ever happened 10 mag the serenity OF
their course.