American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-12-25
[For the American Republican. ]
MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIENDS

A MERRY CHRISTMAS! MY FRIENDS!
Let me pledge you in bumper of--not egg
\nogg-the milk ofhuman kindness, Love shall!
\the toast.
OILS Christmas Eve. Parent, other, sister,
TIM with what pleasure giving anticipa-
lions are our hearts filled, as our heads reclne
on our pillows. Peace and security reign a.
round Comfort the precursor and companion
r"f social conviviality encircles us.
"Past twelve o'clock" o, that is tho watch
an, and we hear his heavy tread we nestle
lore closely at the sound of his faithful voice,
nd feeling as if the wing of a guardian spirit
iaded our slumbers, gently compose ourselves
mo, don't close thy eyes just yet, friend!
The Waterman whose voice thou hast heard
9th he resemble the clock on thy mantel? Is
ne not thy brother with warm human blood
flowing through his veins, gushing affections
thrilling his hcart-strlngs, human dependencies
and relationships, love and friendship, it may
be as deep as thine? Then thou wilt not
grudge him one little thought, there as thou re-
posest at thy ease, and he standeth without in
the cold, dark night keeping faithful guardian
ship over thy home and repose.
And after the lonely vigils, the morrow when
he shall knock at thy door, thou wilt meet him
. with grateful face and generous hand. Shall
not his wife and little children bless thy Christ
= mas gift?
u And now while thou art in a mood for all
III that is kind, let reason the case Of tins same
thwatchman for few moments. The year is
,qubassing away. We, all, have some renovating
10 PP?lan for the New Year. There is no one, per-
.me iaps, who does not secretly turn over a new
N. teaf in his minds book-and am certain my
sporiends will not object to q few nelC thoughts
y" confess that they are almost new to me-
"Rather, a strange rarlor topic-about watch
ho,r E,,ir |
until my attention was enlisted in the subject
by gentleman, few evenings since. Never
before, suppose, had | sympathecticaEly asso-
ciated humanity and a Waterman. Now,
began to think, and will you my brother, and
you, my sister; nay, don't turn away as it were
no business of thine for, entire nous, hast thou
not full faith in the compelling power of those
dark eyes, or the persuasive eloquence fthose
blue ones, well, then, crave their influence
to-day, as We think about the Waterman. Can
we imagine more arduous life than this.
see the father Of the family with his little ones
around the domestic freside, beguing the long
winter evening with social joys, and whatever
his occupation thro the day, the shades of eve
come to him robed in no gloom. What 10 him
the peltng of the storm without, within is the
blazing fire, tho kindly smile Is it SO with
the Waterman? 1t is an old adage that we can
best Judge OF our blessings by comparing them
with those less favored. Do we recognise the
divine principle, "The laborer is worthy of his
hire:"
In our civil government, whether in State or
town, the perqusites of office are eagerly sought
after But in my opinion, the Office of guar
dian Of the night might as well be "labor
Of love" for there are certainly lew selfish con-
sderations attached to it. His remuneration
is disproportionably small in comparison, with
that received by other officers, as tho Mayor,
sc. His risks to person greater than any 9TH
er's, his sacrifice of personal comfort entire
Men, in every other profession or livelihood
look forward, as settled axiom, to a compe-
tency when time shall have withered the vigor
of youth But the watchman's strength is put
to the severest test man can submit to, and
often with family dependent on scarcely fair
remuneration for his toll He often continues
at his post until years or broken-down frame
entirely incapacitate him. And then having
been able to lay nothing up for the future, that
future becomes present of pitabls penury.
We require able bodied, faithful men in this
occupation; no one can deny its responsibility
or how much we rely on those engaged in it.
Let US put fair estimation on its services
And now, dear friends, wishing you once more
a-no-many merry Christmases, and hoping
yosr gallantry will kindly sspouse the cause of
the watchmen and Of PoRrIA.
SHOCKING. Three chdIen were burned to
death with dwelling of Mrs. Robinson at Ro-