The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-11-22 00:00:00

WINTER.

ACCORDING to the table of the seasons laid
clown in the schoolbooks which did duty in
years gone by, winter did not commence
mail the beginning of January, spring fol-
lowed at its heels in April, summer being
looked for only when July put in its appear-
ance, and autumn being reckoned from the
openibg days of October. This is a rough
ki dof division, which scarcely appeals to
common sense, and the majority of English-
men are certainly of opinion when November
is reached that winter has set in. The
weather-wise those who are learned re-
garding the phases of the moon, the changes
of the wind, and the diverse appearances of
the clouds—are ready to prophecy that just
as the summer through which we have passed
was sufficiently abnormal to justify being
remembered, the same will have to be said
of the winter upon which we have now
entered, when once it has gone. This is a
prospect which will affect different classes
in a very different light. The young and the
well-to-do will hail a cold winter as the pro-
vider of a friend of healthgiving amusement
not easily exhausted; it is to them the means

of securing skating and other hearty exercise
which can only be enjoyed when the temper-
ature is below freezing-point; and their
blood will course the faster through their
veins as they think of the joyous prospect
before them. But the old and the poor will
Hot await the corning of frost and snow with
mything resembling the same feelings; the
old will suffer from the additional rack of
rheumatism or of asthma as the bitter blasts
howl through the deserted streets and find
their way through every chink and crevice,
even in the best appointed homes; and the
, poor, to whom abundant fuel is a luxury
scarcely ever attained, will lose in work and
wages by the weather, and will have to en-
dure sore straits if there should be a prolonged
spell of cold, These latter are saddening
reflections, it is true, but it is well to look
at both sides of such a matter, and to see
! wich a little forethought, some-
thing may not be done to smooth away some
of the differences which at the first glance
may strike us as well nigh irreconcileable.
Winter is a time of misery for m ..ny, because
of the inevitable effect it has upon certain
forms of industry, but this misery would be
greatly alleviated if once its extent were
brought home to those who enioy good in-
comes and comfortable homes. In this re-
spect it is fortunate that Christmas falls in
the midst of the cold weather The old
institution has been gibed at often enough,
and there are plenty ready to say that it is
merely an excuse for feasting and jollity, and
that it has little of practical good effect. But
those who do not take such a cynical view
of this life know that with the feasting and
the jollity there is mingled an abundance of
good feeling which results in much bene-
ficence of effort. It would be one of the
greatest losses which could affect our social
life if there were taken out of it the one in-
stitution which is above all others an exhibi-
tion ocgood-fellowship and right-feeling;
And, recognising the value of such a factor
in our existence, it would add to its worth
if the emotions of benevolence which Christ-
mas arouses, were not allowed too speedily
to die away. Should this winter be marked
by extreme cold it will be marked also by
much misery; but this latter may be largely
abated if those who are in easy circumstances
use their best endeavours to prevent their
poorer brethren from feeling the direst effects
of the coldest season of the year. For some
weeks we 'Jaye had the gratification of noting
that the benevolent have been contributing ,
)ne,..ously- to the provision of at least a
modicum of good cheer for the thousands of
isooforturrate families bordering on starvation
ou the banks of the Wear, the Tyne, and the
rees. Within the last few days, alsof charity
•••.,s come to the rescue of the hosts of men

Ciao wn out of employment by the suspension
of the railway and dock works at Hull, in
iioe behalf no less a sum than £lB,OOO has

iyen subscribed. But in addition to these
.lasses of working people Who are in distress
rum the failure or temporary suspension of
their special indtisties, there are unseen but

!tutc.4 suffering communities in the alleys
!1,1 back streets of all our large cities and
~iwns over whom the hearty expression of a
seasonable wish, accompanied by a substan-
tial gift either of fooJ or fuel, or kith, would
exercise a cheering influence and tend to in.-
the recipients with renewed vigour,
resit hopes, and even aspirations wherewith

o commence anew the Cattle of life with the
..t.ivent of another year. Charity is essent-
,ally au English virtue, and the Christmas of
1:1,•:•.4 is not likely to fall short in the spun-
.heity of its exhjbitiou compared xvltlA Pre-
ous years; but it is doulj1:( bles9eo when
lestowed promptly. The bitterly Old

•eather has come upon us suddenly, the
•W-starved masses cannot inerense their
.-tappings to diminish the keenness of the

an-d
east winds like the more fortunate
o:mankind, therefore Upon all who have it
in their power, to however -small an extent,
.e wotild ut-Ve a speedy 'contribution of
mo3cy, food, fuel, or clothing to these, drgan-
isations which are the most efficient channels
for their distribution among.the neediest of
the needy poor.