The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1856-01-05
4 Christmas Tree III the trimea l.

A Virginia lady, travelling in Germany,
translates and sends home letter to the
Hamburger Correspondence" from one
of the German soldiers in the Crimea. 1t
is published in the Staunton Vindicator.
We extract the following touching descrir-
ton of ''a Christmas tree in the Crimea -
eve were disappointed about spending
Christmas in Sebastopol; so handful of
us Germans, out Of different regiments, de-
termined to pass our Christmas tide in the
trenches. Unfortunately only about half
our number were able to join; the others
we're on distant guard, and could not obtain
cave. We had our rendezvous behind
high embankment, and as soon as i. zss
quite dark, we reared our Christmas Tree
"a half withered little fr-decked with
little pitch torches, which we had made our
selves, for wax tapers we had none, and
with few parti-coloured paper-lanterns.
Close under it, each one deposited whatever
morsels OF the often scanty ration he had
been able to spare during the past few days
chiefly crackers and boiled mess beef.
We had hung on the tree some biscuits of
better quality, in lieu of the conftures of
home; but the grand treasures were two fine
apples. We had also purchased some bette
Gates, not to be despised in camp, for the
generous sum of three forms.
$50 down we sat, men smitten by fortune,
in those trenches, under the Christmas Tree,
sign of eternal peace. Officers and p1ivates
forgot for the hour all distinction of ra. X;
we were only brothers. A few Englishn-en
joined us, but only as spectators. At
given signal the lights were kindled, and
our fir tree shone in wonderful beauty. We
shouted, leaped for joy, and oxulted like
children. But the mirth lasted only a slcrt
time, and we became very serious. Our
thoughts wandered away to our homes, and
yhe circles Of our loved ones, now perhaps
lighting up the ChriaJaame and thinking of
us. O. that We could have flown to them
"One of our comrades here broke sieI ce,
and gave utterance, to what we all had i'll
our hearts. He was brave, soldierly fell
low, Sergeant NeumaGn. In short, inartif-
cial words, which came from the bottom of
the heart, he spoke Of the past, when we
were all there at home in our German faith
erland. He spoke Of the bloody present;
he spoke of the eternal future, concerning
which in our actual peril of death we all
had good cause to think But Christ our
Lord said he, for this cause, became man,
and as on this day became babe, tLat he
might rescue us from eternal death. And
We are here like the Shepherds, who once
on that first Christmas eve lay as we do in
the open field; and the heavenly messen-
gers bring to us the message OF JOY which
they then brought to them In cOnclr sion,
the Sergeant knelt down, and said the
Lords Prayer.
"No Sermon" the letter goes on to say,
sever moved us so deeply, as these short
and earnest words resounding through the
night. In silence we clasped each others
hands and were unable to refrain from tears.
Two Turkish adjutants came by, and point
ing to the tree, uttered something like dis
pleasure. We paid them no attention,
pondering on our hard lot. Having OBJ
tained leave to light campfire, we allowed
the fir branches, now that the lights were
gone, to burn freely, and as we had saved
our billets all the week, it made a grand
blaze. The heat was pleasant, for the night
was cold; a:d now our banquet began and
we gave healths, to sweethearts and friends.
The last sticks were still glowing, when the
sky suddenly became clear, and the stars
above famed like the tapers of heavenly
Christmas Tree. We joined hands in a ST.
lent Good Night and sought the way to
our barracks, where things look very diff
ferent from under the fir tree. From Sc
bastopol the cannon shots roared sullenly
over our heads; and have just heard, that
one of the comrades, who celebrated the
season with us, was on his way to quarters
) mortally wounded by shell. He kept his
last Christmas in the trenches"
GLUE IMPERvIoUS TO WATER.-If coat