Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-01-13
S el tee o aIf.
From the Missouri Republican
. u -A- R n .
FROM
q CHRISTMAS I,0G,
II A P 7 E R ]

Z
I not fail TO note it. The next day will be
the worlds chief anniversary, whether we
I live 10 see it or not Families are layinp
IN prodigious boards of fluids and solids.
as II their homes were Sabastopols and
they were determined to defend them to
the last extremity against all appetites ::
children wear glad and axious faces in
doubt as to the effect the mysterious mid
night visit of the ancient and well beloved
Santa Claus may have on the weight of
sundry stockings hanging from posts of
beds and little cribs, other children un-
conscious that the morrow is other than
such as passed yesterday, wonder what
Christmas means, that it should bring such
hustle. 1t is no birthday of Joy to them,
suffering and privation are their heir loom,
and they know of no change in daily Gus
tom, which brings no change to them.
The bells of the crowding, growing city
are, dinging the coming of all Old Christ
mas into the ears of the world below, with
the full force of their sound iron lungs
Christmas, frosty faced, purple nosed, jol-
ly old Christmas; rich in sirloin and tur-
key, and mince meat and plum pudding
boisterous, chilling, fun-loving, warming,
starving, hard eating, hard drinking Old
Christmas, with the weight of eighteen
hundred and half of years and more on
his back is with US again.
Such concert in the air; such pertness
in the little, shrill treble bell hanging in
the modest wooden little belfry of the
quiet meeting house in the retired bye
street, responding to its majestic brother
magnifcenty lodged in lofty carved tower
on the cathedral or fashionable church in
thronged thoroughfare.
Ding dong! ding dong!
OF sombre and respectable habit are
these bells on ordinary occasions, save
and except when they shake off their dis
NAL rust, and try to crack their sides en-
uIating each other in patriotism on the
L OuA III, tALAAA SIiliIlol ONteSIOIAS. LINZ
a goodly company OF ancient choristers.
they are now maintaining high jubilee,
determined to make night of It, aye, if
they never wag tongues again in compa-
ny. Merry, tinkling, jingling, changing,
whanging, laundering bells. Christmas
only comes once a year, and in what man
ner shall they. as high watch and ward
more acceptably announce his presence
than by sending their old-time tidings of
love and Joy clear ringing through the
frosty, bitter night air to the Christian
souls below, whether they remember what
Christmas is in truth or not.
'Tis Christmas carol pealing from a
hundred Iusty iron throats.
The wind, like a registering bully bent
on fun, fast aud furious is rushing along
wherever it wills, paying no respect to
age or sex, or little children such as may
be out on such a night-help their tender
feet; as men walk hurriedly on they feel
/ their blood icing within them. The snow,
feet deep, is caught up in clouds and
whirled against wayfarers, wringing wa
ter from their noses and eyes as if they
were sponges; ii IS dashed against houses,
where it sticks in huge spots and blotches
( like a new style of measles The wind
/ keeps up with it in this high frolic, cum
ningly picking out vulnerable dwellings Of
sisllly frame and venerable aspect, Gully
ing them into fearful agues, screaming up
stairways, rafting window frames as if IL
league with the society of glazers, roar
ing down chimnies as if in anger with
the bright, glowing fire for keeping peo'
pie warm, and finishing the joke by crown
ing the sovereigns below With fragment.
ary brick and tile, gathered from super
annuated house tops in its track.
A mad wind, my masters. 1t is SO loud
at times that il browns the changing IN the
belfries, and then it luiIs again like 6
grumbIing giant out of breath, from sheer
exhaustion; then the bells, the dear ole
bells rush IN ae am with their hapPy uln5
dong, louder il sounds than ever, deter
mined like a respectable minority IN Con
gress, TO be heard at any cost, and not b;
put down by any wind. however buster
ing and ungentleraanly and out of order
Gas elares from handsome stores
crowded in their windows with Christina
temptations, and saloons all brilliantly
hazy through a mist of frosted steam
Along chief thoroughfares, the homes
horny handed workers Of life are hurry
ing to their homes, for it IS late, bearln:
prize turkeys of fabulous proportions, fe'
and sacrificed expressly to the deity Christ
mas These are met now and then, wher
the shadow is deepest, and where man
football is least heard, by chilled wretche