The Shasta courier., 1855-12-22
Christmas Day.

Before another issue of our paper, Christmas
tay will have come and gone Christmas-day
How many sacred recollections of our boyhood
are stirred into life by those words AT its men,
ton memory moves with unwonted activity,
and comes trcoping along with numberess
Christening and holy "reminiscences of the purer
days of life, long ere the heart had become
hardened by rude contact with the rough world.
Chrisrmas-day We yet love it OF old, when
our eyes sparkled, and our heart glowed. at the
contemplation of gingerbread rabbits and horses,
Barlow knives, tin whistles and wooden guns.
At every recurrence of this delightful and sa-
cred holiday, we feel the "old time come over
us''-we are boy once more-and the memory
of the past, stirred as with The wand of some
genIi, recalls with painful, yet pleasant dis
tinctness those Christmas morns when, with
our gentle sister and white headed brothers. we
gathered around our mothers feet, and looking
up into her mild blue eyes, in which shone an
holy love for us, we received from her lips the
beautiful story of the birth. life and death of the
child Jesus o, inexorable Time thou who
with winged feet dost bear us with thee so rap
idly toward the shores of eternity! why may
those days of sinlessness never again return TO
us
Let us all determine that this Holiday shall be
kept in a manner which will please Him in
whose honor it was instituted. Not with glut-
tony and drunkenness, but in manner that be-
fits reasonable beings. Let each one determine
to strive to make others happy. Let us who
have plenty, not forget the poor and destitute in
our midst and with our abundance let us make
their hearts to rejoice. Let us not forget those
who are so unfortunate as to be in prison. Let
us remember those who, afflicted by the hand
of Heaven, are now lying in our County Hos
ptal Let none be forgotten. SO that The sound
of mourning may not be heard mingling with
the sound of mirth on that day. Ay, let us re-
member and pity the poor and unfortunate.
AS blossoms and flowers are strewed upon the
earth by the hand of spring, as the kindness of
summer producelh in abundance the bounties of
harvest; so Tie smiles of pity shed blessings on
The children of misfortune.
He who piiieih another recommended him.
self; but he who is without compassion deser-
yeih it not.
The butcher reenteih not at The bleating OF
the lamb, neither is the heart OF The cruel moved
with distress.
But the tears Of the compassionate are sweeter
than the dewdrops falling from roses on the bo-
som of the spring.
Shut not thine ear therefore against the cries
snt the door; neither hard su thine heart against
..e calNnities Of the innocent
When the faherless call upon thee when the
widows heart is sunk and she imploreil thy as
sisiance with tears OF sorrow; O pity her afic-
ton, and extend Thy hand 10 those who have
none TO help them.
When thou seest the naked wahdcrer of the
street. shivering with cold and destitute of hab
itation, let bounty open thine heart, let the
wings of charity shelter him from death, that
thine own soul may live.
Whilst the poor man groaneih on the bed OF
sickness, whilst the unfortunate languish in the
.horrors-os n dnnS-en, or the hoary head of age
lifts up feeble eye II thee for pity; @ how
~canst thou riot in supertluous eHs"yments, re-
gardless OF their wants, unIeeling OF III = woes.
In conclusion. 10 each and all we say, "a
Happy Christmas-day r.