The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-12-23
Che Citerarp Gfbo,
JpmwoaGmck Advertiser.
, Westerly, December 81, 1850.


presents SO commonly bestowed upon
them at the yearly coming Of this day,
and other hearts in larger cases are look
ing forward to the feast of fat things to
be enjoyed. Many of the most pleasant
"reminiscences of our childhood are sug-
gested by the name of" Christmas. "
1t was to our young hearts the Milleni-
um of our year, and was looked forward
to with even more anxious longings than
any other holiday of which we knew. The
pleasant surprise as hundreds of wishes
for a " merry Christmas" peeled upon
the morning air, and the silvery laugh
of innocence which answered to every
wish expressed, were the first tokens of
its coming. And then came the excla-
nations of joy and surprise at the con-
tents of full stuffed stockings which had
been hung up the night before in antici-
patton of the visit of "Santa Claus "
There were the candies and dolls for the
girls, and tops, wheel5arrows, wagons,
whips and sometimes little knife for
the boys. We we'll remember when we
first could call knife our own. 1t was
one Christmas morning, and could you
, have seen the inch which it added to our
infant altitude, there would have been
no longer doubt of the hereditary prop
critics of that universal propensity as
cribed to the Whiting Yankee Ma
ton" The forenoon was usually spent
in examining and comparing presents,
and then came the Christmas dinner.
The table was filed with what, to our
childish fancy seemed the summum bomunl
of all things good. Many are the pains
and sikheadaches We have enjoyed the
day after, as consequence Of our ove1
loaded stomach. But Christmas din
$ ners always went off to the perfect sat
l. isfaction of all concerned. Then cam
o the afternoons in which we little folk
= were permitted either to 60 a visiting o
. receive callers, while the older one
were taking sleigh ride. Well do w
remember our old play room. 1t wa
, an unfinished room in the upper story
; comprising both chamber and garret
pendant from the rafters above was al
t old swing in which we were wont t.
9 make experiments upon the propertie
d of the pendulum, while around the room
: upon rude shelves of our own construc
:, ton were arranged our toys. Here
h was that we would gather with our cous
S. ins from the neighborhood, upon tn
as Christmas afternoon and while away tn
flecting hours. However much ou
belligerent dispositions were disposed t
: show themselves at other times, we sci
= dom had any Use for them upon tha
), day, all was peace and harmony. An'
y then in the evening, when our man
> headed Christmas candle" was lighte,
/. and the happy family group were gath
ii cred around the blazing fire, our parent
6 would recount to us the life of HIM
- - whose honor that day was celebrated
,e until the starting tear would dim OF
RI sight, as we contemplated such perfet
he love.
Iv But was this day always celebrate
le thus is query in the minds of some
p, The first traces that we find of its OF
az servation are in the second century
10 about the time Of the Emperor Commc
ed dus. The decretal epistles, indeed
ne carry it up little higher and say tn.
ut Tclesphorus, who lived in the region
ny Antonius Plus, ordered divine servic
nv nv to be celebrated, and an angslicshym
to be sung the night before the nativi,
of our Savior. That it was kept befol
y" the time of Constantine, we have
nd nd melancholy proof; for while the pers
90 cution ragged under Dioclcsian, who the
kept his court at Nicomedia, that tyar
among other acts Of cruelty, fndi
multitude of Christians assembled
'rk gether TO celebrate the nativity of Chri