Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-11

Christmas Eve he found a newspaps,
reporter sitting beside him I'm tn,
Firth Street car. This reporter wa.
on the job. and had been detailed b,
his city editor to cover" tho meetiny
ut the City Home. Through n mutual
Arrangement the reporter was siver
F.! the copy OF the Mayors speech. with
the proviso that II an emergency
! arose during the course OF his dc.
/ livery Of the speech. the copy was &c
he handed up IL the Mayor so h,
, might proceed without cmbarrass.
mcnt The assembly room Mt the
! home was literally packed. Holly and
cedar covered practically everything
Candles burned. n largo chorus OF
/ picked voices were singing carol
whom the Mayor and the reporter en-
tered
liurrah for Dick" shouted a voice
AS the huge figure Of the Mayor an
peared In the doorway. The shout was
taken up and given in treble. falsetto
baSSo and staccato. He got lost i'm
the crowd and was practically man
handled and dragged. pushed and
showed upon the little stage. Thu,
reporter. with the Mayors specch in
ms pocket. was hopelcssly separated
rom the presence of that official
speech the crowd shouted.
speech, Speech
The Mayor stood up. lie was
breathing hard. as he fumblcd In his
inside pocket for a copy OF his speech.
Ladies and gents" shouted the
Mayor This is indeed a surprise
had no idea that would be called
upon I" make speech" There was
great applause AT this. The Mayor
removed his empty hand from his
pocket. He realized that his speech
Was out OF reach. He glanced over
,he crowd 10 locate the reporter.
Was Completely "Out of Brcnth."
Ladies and gents" hc repeated.
YOU must excuse me tonight.
walked SO fast in order 20 get here
on time and / am 50 much out OF
breath. that | find i; Impossible 20
maze Il speech AT This time. thank
YOU just the same
AZ the conclusion of :hc entertain
men;, during which the Mayor had
the pleasure 81 distributing the pres
cnts. ihc Mayor and the reporter got
together IN the reception room. Mayor
DICK Ela.ed q; the reporter. The re-
porter c!ared back.
How can / use this speech III the
paper in the morning." asked the re-
porter. You didn't deliver H."
y shade Of disappointment spread
over the Mayors face. Super.nten-
den; George Davis arose to the oc-
casiou. suppose he suggested.
you make The speech now"
The idea took Ike successful vac
ciuation. Charlie Phillips. Frank
Cunningham. Tom Walford. Eugene
DAVIS. ana several other city OH
CialS. including Alderman Marx
Gunst Julius iiobson, George Rus
keil. ana Clerk Of Committee Nc
pow-ll gathered around and the
Mayo. Delivered his Christmas ad-
dress. reading from The copy handed
him h. the reporter, The speech
TOOK and i appeared in the pa
per The mex: day.
Superintendent Davis was always
looking Ter entertaining features 20
help maze life worth living for his
charges :ic was assisted NY lake
Wells and Thomas Leath, who at fire.
CGcrt Intervals arranged 20 send
TauLeTili. performers from the sum-
we- PARIS and theaters ont to the
Home - entertain tho inmates Some
Of th- famous actors of tn. day CON
tr!hu,ct to the pleasure az the poo:
folks, and they took real pleasure
In their WORK.
There are now some o, the old
folks at the Ciry Home who remem-
Der IN" good old days when George
them With the elimination OF the
Council Committee on Relief OF The
Poor. and the consolidation OF the
various eic-mosynary institutions IN
der one department.. the scmipuhlic
entertainments were discontinued. But
1t Is quite certain that Il the In
mates We're permitted 10 choose, the
good old DAYS Of the Day>s regime
might be revived.