Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-12-24
if he might let them down and close the

1 II ne mtEut teC I0tn uOWn auO Close Ift<
vision entirely. The eyes keen, search
ing. with judgment Of men and things
in them. Many criminal at the bar,
seeing those piercing orbs turned on
his, confessed guilt at the moment.
The major. fat. Jolly. with red face and
bsldish head, fond OF joke. fond of a
toddy, fond Of good dinner, fond of q
frolic or fox hunt. The doctor. quiet,
meditative, introspective, with kindly
glance and quick intuition. He was the
oracle Of the neighborhood. Pater
familiss met them at the door with
"Walk in, gentlemen, I wish you the
happy day; This way, please, >, and he
led them to the sideboard. It was q
curious old bit Of furniture, with four
drawers. deep enough for q decanter,
and each drawer divided into three
spaces for decanters-twelve in all.
Thus il was fifty or seventy years ago.
All took their drink Of mornings, none
seemed to care to take much or many,
but it was the custom Of the day. And
It was ''Your health, sir'', and MY
compliments, my dear Major, and
such like exchanges of sentiment.
Rides up neiRhbor. a young man of
twenty, he bowing awkwsrdly to Sue, she
fsir-haired and seventeen, with mild
gray eyes and blushing cheeks. How
it does happenl She is standing under
the mistletoe. and the young man makes
dash for her, she scampering off into
the hall. and out there is heard .'don't, Z"
and '.you mustn't" and please STOP,
all ending in more subdued noise like
the popping Of cork from bottle, and
both reappesr, red in face and very
happy.
Oh, it was a merry Christmssl Not
much going to church, for that was
miles away and the custom Of the
country was not such in great part; but
there was fun, jollity. merriment. hap
piness, and the greatest of good neigh
borliness. And it lasted q week.
Christmas festivities were kept up until
New Year. with visitings. excursions,
dances, frolickings, courting, an occa-
sionsl fox hunt for the elders, and coon
and 'possum hunting for the juniors.
There was one incident that should
be written down. The lady Of the
house called for her carriage before
noon. and whispered to the driver a
word he seemed to finch at, but the
carriage rolled away and returned in
time for the dinner. 1t had brought to
the manse an old and poor relation, one
who, il he had brought his troubles on
himself, as indeed most of US do, was
not forgotten in this time Of good
gifts TO men,. Old, feeble, with quav-
ering voice and shaking steps, he takes
his place At the table. and he too has
his Christmas with the family and
guests. What If he had led disorderIy
lifef What IL he had, as most thought,
disgraced the family? 1t was Christ
mas and there was no contumely for
him that day.
II was all long, long ago. And long
since Sue, the fair-hsired, has grand
children Of her own, the major has
CEASED to drill the militia. the Judge
has gone to that bar where he himself
Ia judged. the doctor has settled in a
land where no man shall say. az am
sick" and the gay and thoughtless
negroes are scattered To the winds or
dying in the purlius of the great city.
The pageant fades. the old times go.
go. are gone. Yet there was much Of
IL TO rejoice In. Men were honest and
honorable, women were pure and modest.
There were good, wholesome Christians
in that day. even If the habits of the
time seem to us incongruous with the
Christ-lif And it is we'll to take the
old books. the old legends Of the old
Virgins. and studying these. see if from
them lesson-many lessons-of purity,
honor. nobility Of character. may not
be learned, lessons that may profit rs
In this day of the strenuous life.
JAMES B. HoDGxIN.