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About The North Georgian. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1877-18?? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 1880)
N )rtl| Qeorgiai], PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDA BEIJTrON, G-A.. JOHN BLATS. 1-Ou per ananm 50 cents for six ruouths, 25 cents forthree months. “ wa y bom Bellton aie requested to send their names with such emoauts o! money a, they can pare, Yom See. ‘o $1 TWM THE night REFORE CHRIST* . MAS” BT EDO AR FAWCETT. u 1 P al * volumes, by savage winds hurkd. worid- ChriMuu * has the wild Whrr»°,T 10 lts ,10ises th ® ll,tlc on cs hark Whiu 1 • window looks forth on the dark. Thoi the black w ” nk of the sk y Thn snow “ Cloud paw hurrying by. Fratn the cb4ldren shape form after form n„“ { 4,0 wan va P°ry whirl of the storm; » n ?. tbat ra’wp? mighty horses that prance; n'i’i Allowing whales of prodigious expanse— Ta hen’ < ,h *y dlsc m a sttange figure, whose back, * oy the weight of a ponderous pack, / tre * niln « in front of him, plainer than day, beard of Kr.s Kringle like blown ocean spray! >h, happy voting dreamers, dream on as ve will I merry St. Nicholas trudging to fill, Through harsh wintry gusis, with benevolent tread, The stockings you hang beside mantel or bed I Hug fust your delusion, O soft dimple! arms, Ann gain while you can its illusory charms 1 Too soon Will reality’s hand tear aside rheswett vail of fancy whose filaments hide, Like the blemish, deep-sunk in the rose’s red youth, 1 hat stern disappointment, life’s actual truth!— *• n d yet, darling sealots, content in your creed, t! ow Y**? 1 w C , ‘ e yourfate through the future, indeed, If each disenchantment on earth left behind Such a precious result as awakening to find That in place of your Santa Claus, wrought from a cloud, V. as the love that engirds you, fond, vigilant, proud!— Ixire eager to bring, ere fthe morrow shall rise, New mirth to your lauchter. new light to vour eves I A Christmas Tableau Vivant. BY WILLIAM H. BUSHNELL. “Jerusalem!” It was a favorite expletive of good Deacon Parks when excitement got the better of his usual placid way, and his wife looked up iu astonishment as lie came stamping into the house, slammed the door after him and stirred up the fire until the hickory blazed and roared like an incipient volcano. “Gracious! What is the matter now, Job?” she exclaimed, pausing in her baking operations, wiping the flour from her hands upon her huge a}iron and lowering her glasses from her forehead to her nose to obtain a better look at her husband and satisfy herself that he had not suddenly lost his wits, “Why, day after to-morrow is Christ mas!” ■ ‘As if I didn’t know that! Haven’t I oeen making preparations for it for more than a week ? Catch me without nimce-pies and fried cakes and cranberry jelly and a great, bo’ancing turkey?” anil she smiled complacently at the thought cl the good things already prepared. ‘ ‘And I never thought of it until just t:ow—been sc, busy, you know,” he piuogized, r ,s if in reality he had been guilty of s< jme great crime. it don’t matter, Job; aiidb J. wouiu’j't worry about it, for I have fallen care o f everything for the blessed day nl ' <4 Minerva will be home from teacliing school. Poor- child! how she must suffer this weather, sleeping in cold rooms and like as not without a feather-bed and—” “It’s all her own fault, Hannah. The good Lord knows we have plenty for her and half a dozen more, and if she will persist in wearing herself out in teaching ttfier people’s brats, then—” “What then?” questioned a merry 'voice, as a pretty, rosy piece of mischief came bounding into the room, shaking the snow from her long, golden curls, and running up to her father, fairly smothered him for a moment with kisses and then darted away, laughing, to her mother, twined her arms about her neck and greeted her as warmly. ‘‘Jerusalem!” exclaimed the old man ns soon as he could regain his breath, though with his honest face flushed with joy and his lips quivering with emotion, for his daughter was indeed as the apple of his eye and the one thing upon earth altogether lovely. “My dear, precious lamb,” whispered the fond mother, through tears of happi ness, as with busy fingers she removed the jaunty little cap, furs, cloak and gloves, “to think you have come safe ly back to me once more and—” . “Now,” interrupted thegirl, “I should like to know what father was talking about when I came iu.” “So unexpected,” said the mother. ‘ ‘We did not look for you until to-mor row night.” “Oh, I had a chance to ride home,” rgr.lied the girl, blushing, “and got per mission to let out school. But you were talking about me, father?” “Well, yes,” he answered, with a mer ry twinkle in his eyes, “and I was about to say when you came rushing in like a young bear—about to say, though mind, I didn’t—that if you kept on teaching other people's brats you wouldn’t have strength to teach your own—when you get them,” and he laughed loudly at the changed expression of her face. “For shame,” responded Minerva. “But 11l pay you for that, father. Ite member, 1 am a young lady now, and you can’t joke with me with impunity, as you once did.” “A young lady? Whew! And I sup pose some young gentleman put him self to immense trouble to bring you home through the cold and storm and didn’t forget to collect toll at all the bridges. Aren't your lips sore, daugh ter?” The girl colored still more deeply, and bustled around to help her mother set the table for dinner, that she might es cape the teasing; but her father enjoyed it too much, and asked: “Who was it, child? Some of them scape-grace clerks from Beaverton, 11l be bound.” “You know I never associate with them,” she responded indignantly. “Mr. Frank Emmons brought me home." “O—h?” with a low whistle. “Yes, he is a nice and proper young man, and has such pretty black hair and eyes, and teeth and moustache, and such white hands, and sings like half a dozen angels and walks so gently,” and the old gentle man arose and strutted mincingly around The North Georgian. VOL. JIL the room in burlesque imitation of the attendant of his daughter. Minerva could not but laugh, yet pre tending to take no notice, glided about arranging the dishes, and her mother asked where the young man was. “I know, ” said her father, answering •the question for her. “Our daughter has rolled him up in pink cotton and sprinkled him with cologne and put him in a bandbox for fear he will get mussed.” “He will be here Christmas Eve,” in terrupted Minerva, with a strong effort at sobriety; “he and a number of others. I knew you would not care, father, if I invited them.” “ Not I,” answered the old man heart ily, and taking the curly head between his broad palms ho drew’ her tenderly to him and kissed the rosy and dimpled cheeks. “ You are truly cur one lamb, and everything will some day be yours. Yes, you did perfectly right, and it will be pleasant to have the house filled with young folks and have a rousing, merry time. That is how Christmas ought to be kept.” “We are going to have tableaux vivante, and one of them will surprise you, fattier.” He was that already, and had about as much conception of what was intended as of the lucid (?) explanations of Her bert Spencer of the Darwinian theory, and for him to have repeated the words with the French accent given by his child would have been an utter impossi bility, so he pretended knowledge, shook his head sagely, gave a very knowing wink, but kept silent and soon found that pressing business required Iris ab sence. But the doting mother was taken into full confidence and she and Minerva had a long, earnest and apparently deeply interesting conversation upon the sub ject —one that continued for over an hour; indeed it had not concluded when the old man returned, for he caught the name of the minister and asked: “What are yon going to have Domino Martin here for, child?” “Oh, just because I like him, and his wife is such a dear old lady, and they will bo very lonely on such a day, with their children all married and away from home. So I thought you would like to see them, ami if he is hero everything will be sure to go right, and it is Christ mas, you know, and—” “ Hold on, for mercy’s sake!” ex claimed her father, “or you won’t have breath enough left to eat your dinner, and that would be very bud.” “ But you wantdß to know’, and—” “You have told me sufficient to satisfy any reasonable-mo, tai man,” h" 1 said as he took his place at the table and began loading her plate as if she had been in danger of starvation for a mouth. Dinner over—it was one of the sub stantial, old-fashioned kind, though the mother had added the richest of dessert delicacies to tempt her child, ns if there was no such thing as dyspepsia in the land—and the Deacon took an easy chair by the broad hearth, lighted his pipe, and between the curling clouds of smoke resumed the subject of the morning con versation. “ How many are you going to have, daughter?” he questioned. “ All the boys and girls.” “Boys first, every time with your sex, and girls with the other,” he laughed, “but all means how many?” “Well (reflectively,) from fifty to sev enty-five.” “Gracious! the old house will scarcely hold them, and will be certain to be torn down with their romping. But what does mother say?” J i“Oh, she is perfectly satisfied, aren’t yon mother, dear ?” and a look of under standing passed between parent and daughter. “Then all I have to do is to help the riot along, for riot it will be with so many youngsters together. But w hat was it yon said you were going to have?” “A tub’lo yevang,” was answered with the broadest possible French accent ation. “Ah, yes, I remember, and no doubt it will be grand.” “I think you will find it solemn, father. ” “Y’es, yes,” and fearful she should see how much he was puzzled, he instantly changed the subject and continued: “Well, it will take a lot to feed so many boys and girls. They are always hungry, and can devour more than so many wolves. So, Hannah, I fear you haven’t provided one quarter enough.” “You are right,” responded his wife; “since our pet told me about her plans and how many would be here I have been calculating.” “Well, they shan’t go away hungry if there is enough in the land to toed them. I’ll have Mike kindle a fire under the big farm kettle, and kill lots of chick ens and turkeys, and send him for Mrs. Smith to help dress them, and when I go over to town to-morrow I’ll bring home some oysters and—well, any thing else you need to have a good time.” “Oh! how much I thank you, dear father,’’said Minerva, impulsively spring ing to his side and kissing him. “You are the kindest and best father in all the world.” “All talk,” he laughed, though rare pleasure was visible in his face, “and you’ll get married some day and forget all about me. ” . “Married!” exclaimed the girl, sud denly growing ashy pale. “Never! I mean,” she continued, with her face flushing to the deepest crimson, “I mean that I’ll never forget you.” “Whew,” he whistled, “I never saw the wind chop around more suddenly. Catch a girl saying she’ll never get married! They would as soon think of not being handsome and having pretty dresses. But you needn’t blush so. It’s all right and proper, and the natural con dition of womankind.” “Then,” asked she, archly an coquet- BELLTON, BANKS COUNTY, GA., DECEMBER 16, 1880. ishly standing before him with one little finger thrust between herred lips in mock modesty and bashfulness. ‘ ‘You wouldn’t object to my getting married?” “No, not to a good, honest, industrious man. Why should I? A human heart, and especially of your sex, without love’ is as good as wrecked. No, my darling; find a good man whom you can'love with your whole heart, and who loves you the same, for I am old-fashioned enough to believe in such things, and I'll not only give my consent but my blessing, some thing worth havingfor a start iu life, and such a wedding as will make the old rafters ring.” “And suppose, father,” questioned the blooming girl, half way between smiles and tears, “suppose it should happen to be Frank—Mr. Emmons, I mean?” “Humph! I don’t know. He is—” "Just as nice a young fellow as ever lived.” interposed his wife. “Yes, yes. I can’t say aught against him, but—”* “I know,” laughed Minerva at his con fusion, “when you really come to think of giving mo up it is too much. That’s it.” “I believe you are right, child. But I must go and see about an extra supply of provisions. Gracious! it will be fortu nate if we don’t have a famine.” He wiped away the mist from his old eyes, brought thereby the thought his daughter had suggested; tried to whistle bravely down the very situation he had with the touch of rugged eloquence de fended, ami hastened to call his man-of all-work and give him instructions. “Mi nerva has come back, Mike,” ho said “and is going to have some kind of a blow-out on Christmas Eve. She calls ita fabler vevaught, or something of the kind. “A fwhat?” questioned the Irishman, scratching his head in the most puzzled manner. “That’s what sticks me, Mike, though I did not let her know it. Anyhow there is to bo some kind of a female circus, and the animals will want plenty to eat.” “Blessings on the bright eyes of her, and its ivrything on the old farm I’ll kill if she wants it, thedarlin’.” “Yes, I believe you. That girl seems to have a faculty of twisting ovory one around her finger, and—” “Divil a won more thin her ould fayth er,” said Miko as he proceeded to obey the orders he had received, “an’ muther lashins of poultry,” well knowing that his share of the feast would be no stinted one. To a lato hour the making ready was continued, and all went to bed tired but happy. Anri the next day Was u continual bustle. Extra help was summoned, and the kitchen fires roared, and the im mense Dutch oven glowed and plenty ruled triumphant, while the old deacon was in his glory bringing supplies from town and making himself useful as well as most provokingly officious. So the day passed and the night came witli everything ready for the grand time. Early the house began to be filled with a merry company, and were welcomed by father, mother and daughter, the latter respleudant in robes of fleecy white, abundantly trimmed with soft, floating laces and looped with artificial flowers, while natural roses, fringed with myrtle and sinilax, were half hidden amid her golden hair and pulsated upon her joy ously throbbing bosom. For an hour there appeared to be a ceaseless chiming of sleigh-bells, and rosy, laughing loads deposited at the door. Indeed, so many were the teams that Mike was frantic to know what to do with them. But the Deacon believed in “the more the merrier” principle, and kept every one busy and contented. Yet for all the, gaily dancing and singing company, a shade of perplexity now and then crossed his face. He had not solved the mystery of the tableau, and it hung upon him as a troublesome nightmare. For hours the house rang and trembled upon its strong foundation. It was a veritable bee-hive of fun and frolic, and many a soft cheek took on deeper roses from stolen kisses; many an innocent heart bounded more swiftly from the en circling arm and many a pair of ears tingled from the slapping of white hands in payment for saucy jest or pilfered caress. But good, buxom dame Hannah had almost as much pride in her cooking as in her one dear lamb, and when the ancient clock made its huge, heavy, coffin-like case throb with the ringing of ten, she whispered to her husband, good, prudent soul that she was, that “the children must be getting hungry, and she was going to see about the tables. ” In response to her suggestion, he sought their daughter and told her they were going to have supper, and that the young folks had better stop romping and cool off, or some of them would be cer tain to take their death. “Yes, father,” she answered; “but we must have the tableau first,” and she looked up, blushing more deeply than a damask rose iu June into the face of Mr. Frank Emmons, upon whose arm she happened to be leaning. “All right,” responded the old man with a sigh of relief, for the burden would soon be lifted from his soul. “Doyon want me to help you?” “No; but tell mother, please, I want her.” And Miss Minerva darted away to her own private room, while the old man told the fiddlers to adjourn to the kitchen and make themselves eomfoktable until wanted agfiin. Evidently some of the girls understood what was going on, if the Deacon did not, for they cleared one end of the hall, hung a great patch-work bed-quilt across and marshalled the company into some thing like order. Then, after a brief pause, in which there was much whis pering, the improvised curtain was drawn aside and disclosed Miss Minerva stand ing hand in hand with Mr. Frank Em. mens, with a young Indy and gentleman as supporters, and the old minister be fore them. Amazed, but silent, the Deacon looked on. He did not comprehend the affair at nil had no practical knowledge of char, des, but when certain words had been spoken and a ring passed, a sud den light broke in upon the darkness of •his understanding, and he exclaimed with an earnestness that startled all: J t“Je-ru-sa-lem 1 It looks like a mar riage!” The hearty laugh that followed sufficed for a full explanation and it needed not the assurance of the minister to convince him that his daughter was honestly and legally married to the man of her choice. And yet at first he was disposed to lie an gry. Then ho saw the foolishness of such a proceeding, especially as he had previously given his assent to the se lection of his daughter, and entered heartily into the laugh against him self. “That’s what you call a—Jerusalem! I can’t speak the new fangled name—is it? Yet it wasn’t hardly fair to fool the old man so, Minerva., 1 did expect you would find something in your stockings to-night, child, but not a great, live man. However it is all right (anything she could have done would have been so) and we’ll make the best of it, and your moth er and I will have plenty to do in getting things ready to fill the little stockings that— A soft white hand stopped his words, red ..nd ripe lips were pressed upon his own, a silken face was laid upon his wrinkled one, a few tears of happiness were mined down upon his broad breast, and with faltering tongue the old man called the young husband to his side, gave him the hand of his darling, and said, “Take her and may God bless you both, my children. If I have lost a daughter I have found a son and shall have another arm to lean upon when my eyes grow dim and steps unsteady and—” More ho would have said but a great ringing of bells summoned them to sup per—and such a supper. It would have made grim Famine commit suicide in de spair to have looked upon the tables, and Tima throw away his hour-glass and sit blythely down and enjoyed the feast. The good mother had known the secret from the first, and with her pride stimu lated had distanced all former efforts, even to produce a Christmas supper, and the only complaint was of excessive full ness, when again the violins summoned the-jKirty to the. hall. A few more hours of such happiness as rarely comes to earth and the old house became silent. The company had departed, but not before the Deacon had invited all to be present that day year, whispering at the same time something in the car of his daughter that sent the blood bounding to her cheeks and caused her to turn suddenly and shamefaced away. Was he right? Come with mo this joyous, blessed day. You will be welcomed right royal ly. Come and assist in the festivities and taste to repletion of the good cheer, and when the bright-eyed babe is christ ened, join with all in wishing to him, aye even to nil upon earth, a happy, merry, bountiful Christmas. Christmas in Norway. Tn the mountain districts the day is kept with hearty hospitality. All work is suspended for thirteen days. The en trance of every house is decorated, and the walls of the kitchen are roughly adorned with gaudy pictures, fantastic ally painted in water colors. Through out Christmas Eve and Christmas Day the merry-making is entirely domestic, restricted to the members of each house hold. Not even a friendly visit is paid. On the following days the neighbors as semble at each other's houses by turns, for carousing. No regular meal is pro vided, but open house is kept, the tables richly spread for all comers. No stran ger is permitted to leave the house until he has partaken of the strong Yule ale, which is served up in true Norwegian fashion, cask following cask in rapid suc cession. On these occasions the servants sit at the same table with the host, his wife tmd family. All are dressed in their gala attire of rich colored cloth, trimmed with gold and silver braid, the women wearing caps and aprons of brilliant hues. The Mistletoe. It is natural for us to sing when we are glad, and carol singing once formed a principal feature at all great feasts or banquets. But in later times the carol seems to have been devoted to Christmas alone, and when the Yule log was blazing brightly upon the wide hearth, and the green mistletoe boughs hung from the wall and decorated windows and doors, the wassail-bowl was filled to overflowing, and true friends pledged each other with a joyful Christmas song; and under the mistletoe boughs the young people joined hands in the old-fashioned dance and chanted a blithe carol to which their feet kept time. We, of modern days, have little idea l of the rare virtues which were once ap propriated to the mistletoe. He who bung mistletoe around his neck believed that the witches would have no power to harm him, and that was truly a comfort able thought in days when the firm be lief in witches was almost universal. The Druids and the Celtic nations attrib uted the most valuable medicinal prop erties to the mistletoe, calling it all heal. , In Wales it was known as auidhel. j Among the fish of the United States the cod comes first in money value, the salmon second, the mackerel third, and then the menhaden. In weight the last stands highest. SOUTHERN NEWS. Etowah, Ala., has over 9,000 tax-payers. Twenty-light failures occurred in Alabama last month. The city tax rate at Mobile is $1.75 per SIOO. At Memphis it is $2. A gin for sea island cotton has been in v. nted by a Screven county Georgian. Capt. Henry DeTonti made the first settle ment iu Arkansas, in the year 1-080. Sheep raising is said to be the principal industry of Geneva county, Ala. Sheep-raising is s lid to be the principal industry of Geneva county, Ala. The forthcoming report of the Auditor will show in North Carolina 1,530,483 hogs. Twenty-seven artesian wells are in Fort Worth, Texas. A bill in Alabama proposes to forbid the shipment of frieight on Sunday. In Birmingham, Ala., more than 100 houses have been built in six weeks. Gov. Warmouth expects to make over one million pounds of sugar this' year on bis Magnolia, La., -plantation. Mr. T. M. Boyd, of Va., has been called to tbe charge of the Eufaula. Ala., Presbyterian church. The total loss by the fire at Durham, N. last week is estimated at $60,000 to $65,000. Fourteen or fifteen buildings were destroyed The Alabama seuate has passed-a bill au thorizing the appointment of a commissioner of immigration. Capt. Dwyer is cleaning out the Knoxubee river for steamers, which can reach Macon, ' Miss., by spring. The quantity of leaf tobacco sold at Dan- j ville, Va., in November, was 1,911,534 ( pounds. i The Henry county, Alabama, jail is with- 1 out an occupant for the first time since it ' . ... I was built. There are over 9,000 bates of cotton in ( compress in Vicksburg, awaiting transporta- j tion to New Orleans. j There will be 29 fanners in the next legis- < future of Texas. A very large majority will 1 be lawyers. In the African Methodi-l church of South Carolina, there are 100 local preachers, and 92 exhorters. The New Orleans Democrat says that the Sabine river never floated so many stea m • boats ns now. The travel on St. John’s river, in Florida is thought to be 50 per cent, greater than in 1879. It is said that there is plenty of idle land in Louisiana, which can be bougiit cheap and will yield large crops of corn, cotton and cane. i Gen. Joseph E. Brown lives on Washing ton street, Atlanta; Benj. H. Hill, on Peach- i tree, and Gen. Gordon, at Kirkwood, a sub urban village. The census returns from ten counties of | Georgia are not yet completed. It is thought . that the result will show that Georgia has be tween 1,530,000 and 1,140,000 population. I The new ice factory in course of erection at New Orleans wi 1 turn out about 25,000 tons of ice annually, and employ about 75 , hands. < The Jacksonville (Fla.,) Union reports the reception by rail in that city for shipment to northern factories of 55 specimens of Florida wood. The Gazette says that German or Sweedish servant girls are to be supplied to responsi ble families at Little Rock. Two or three have already arrived. Poisoned water is said to have appeared in the gulf. The Pensacola Gazstte hopes it will not reach the upper banks. The fish seem instinctively to flee from it. The Iberville South says that five'acres of cane ground last week on Mrs. Paulin Du py’s plantation yielded 18% quarters hogs heads of sugar of excellent quality. The constitution of Florida provides that after 1880 the legislature shall pass a law making an education qualification for voters. A plan to settle the state debt of Virginia proposes to issue three per cent, bonds for the whois of the principal and establish a sinking fund. The amount of public school money avail able in Georgia, this year is $346,273, or about 80 cents a head on the school popula tion. The roll of th New Orleans Cotton Ex, change is now larger than at the close of any previous year. The board is about to buy the property known as the Denham cor ner. An orange crop embracing 35 acres con taining about 3,500 trees, in Sumter county Fla has been purchased by a Columbns, Va., man for $31,000. He sold the fruit now on the trees for $3,000. The annual report of Major H. 8. Thomp son state superintendent of education of South Carolina shows 2,973 schools and 3,171 teachers for 1879-80, against 2,901 schools and 3 166 teachers for 1878-79. In 1876-77 there were 2,483 schools and 2,674 teachers. Twenty-five members of the South Caroli na legislature are in favor of holding a con stitutional convention, 18. are in favor of reg istration, 10 want the state and federal elect ions separated, 9 desire a property or educa tional qualification for suffrage. Gov. Hagood saw in Marlborough county. Xofth PUBLISHKD EtEBY THURSDAY AT BELLTON, GEORGIA. BATES OF SUBSCRIPTION. One year (52 numbers), $1.00; six monthe v 6 numbers) 50 cents; three months (13 numbers), 25 cents. O.lice m the Smith building, east of the depot. NO. 50. S. C., a field of 350 acres which yielded this year, as it did also last year, 350 bales of cot ton weighing 500 pounds each. At 10 cents a pound the gross value of the crop is SSO an acre, which is ab ut as much as the land is worth in the market. There are six moss factories in New Orleans and vicinity. All the moss ginned is shipped abroad as the furniture manufact urers do not buy it ginned, preferring to pick and clean it themselves. The total amount paid for the rough moss by the gin ners, uphosltcrers and mattress makers of he city is about $300,000 per year. The New Orleans Times says that that city is rapidly drifting into a deplorable condi tion, and if the narrow illiberal ideas of the moss-back element are allowed to prevail much longer, instead of being a great me tropolis, it will be a rickety, decaying old town, with dilapidated buildings, impassable Greets and a general air of rot and ruin. Major Marks, a gentleman of Orange coun ty, Florida, is said to have conceived the , scheme of securing Henry Ward Beecher’s summer tent, capable of seating,6,ooo peo ple, or some other equally spacious one, and pitching it among the beautiful lakes that environ the town of Wilcox. Inside of this are to be pitched a great number of smaller tents, for lodging rooms for guests. Dining and dancing hall,billiard room, etc., nrc all to be within this immense tent, and the whole tu.be fitted up and furnished equal to the most perfectly equipped hotel. Boating, fishing and hunting would constitute the at tract'ons. Christ mas Sentiment. Says a writer in the Yonker’s Gazette : “ There is so much about Christmas that savors of harmony, concord, peace—a peace that means not merely the cessa tion of hostilities between couflicting in terests in our social world, but that se rener, broader, deeper peace which unites man to man by all the ties of friendly intercourse which proceed out of an universal desire to make Christmas a bright spot among the fading memories of the year. I hke the sentiment the more because it pervades every commu nity and brings to view the better side of every man’s character. Not a Scrooge nor a Gradgrind on earth can wholly steel himself against its humanizing in fluence, and though theclosingof the day may find no charity dispensed or glad ness awakened, yet it will at least surely find the edge of his habitual severity blunted. If there is ever “peace on earth,” in its fullest sense, it is on Christ mas. Ido not believe that custom and usage alone have nwle-the modern anni versary day of the Saviotir’s nativity one of rejoicing; it has ever occurred to me that since first the glad tidings went out from Bethlehem the event has left its im press on each succeeding generation, and that each recurring “happy mom” has found the chord of human sympathy and love responsive to the mystic glow. If this were not so I think we should see less hand-shaking and cordial greetings than we do now, a more limited sphere of action for the aims gatherer, fewer vis its from “Santa Claus,” fewer Christmas tree festivals,listen to poorer and loss ex citing homely old stories >f legendary lore, hear less caroling of “Christians awake,” find a sparser harvest of mistle toe, and we would have far more con tracted views of our life-cloud’s silver lining. And then, too I like the meth ods we have taken as a nation to show our appreciation of that day. They are beautiful; they are just. They help ns to consecrate our lives and to shape them in the channel that is best suited tc their moral development. Where thoughts and motives are pure and simple, we may look for good deeds. Where the observ ance of Christmas is made known through benevolent acts, kind words to the dis tressed, family gatherings, happy chil dren and the distribution of gifts, wheth er the celebration be to honor the day for the day’s sake or not, the occasion is one that wo should be truly thankful for. This world of ours is bettered by Christ mas and every one of us should help to make it memorable. The Happy Christmas Reunion. On Christmas it is customary for all the members of a family to collect and unite in merry making, feasting and otherwise enjoying themselves. With what mingled emotions of jov and sorrow are these happy reunions looked back upon in after years by participants think ing of those dear ones now, perhaps, separated from them forever. Let hi make a Christmas picture: The sleighride to the house, the welcome at the dooi, the bounteous feast with ac companying jokes and humor, the stor ies games and other pastimes that follow, the unveiling of the children’s Christmas ,ree in tin. evening, and finally the fare well for the night. Then there is the jollymysteryof famous old “Kris Kringle,” who comes in his sleigh drawn by reindeer, over the tops of houses, pops down the chimneys, never spoiling with soot the pretty things he brings, to stuff full the row of stockings that hang from the mantel. Let us im agiue for an instant tho little, rosy, laughing, happy faces that peep into these stockings in the morning, and shout gleefully as each treasure is brought to light. Christmas has many happy '*> to set against the sad ones loss of time aud friends. A young man with ar took an unprotected hr in a rain-storm, and, c lirella over her, requr • of acting as her rai ■ claimed the young ’ “you wish met' Two souls with ’ two forms that • •
