, 1858-12-24
Christmas.

7 origin, the reviver Of cheerful feeling and
: merry sports, when we should forget the ills
5 Of the past and drink in fresh supply OF
p the milk of human kindness. To-morow's
) dawn will usher in another merry Christ
r mas" which universal custom unites to
make happy day, wherever it is observed,
in Europe, America, in Asia and Africa,
: and oven in the distant isles Of the ocean I;
when family reunions are reunions indeed,
when gleefnl little children with merry faces
crowd around their toys, and talk Of old
Santa Claus, their patron and friend. Some
tell US this old Santa Claus is wicked i'm
position. They ssy he does not Chamber up
the sides of the house, and into the win
dows, with his coach full of toys and his
eight tiny reindeer Well, be it so; you
can't make the youngsters believe it.
"There seems to be a sort of moonlight
mystery about the origin and identity Of
this Christmas elf, Santa Claus Some
persons are satisfied with tracing him back
no further than the early days Of New Am
sterdem. Others think they find him in the
person of worthy bishop, called Nicholas,
who lived in the days of Constantine He
was noted for his deeds of charity and mer-
cy; and among other things, for having,
ESQ the legend goes) raised to life two boys
who had been murdered: hence, probably,
be came to be regarded the particular friend
Of children. Some centuries after this he
was adopted as the patron saint Of the Do
minicans. The Greek Church in Russia
always hold him in great honor He was
considered as the especial patron Of scho-
lars, virgins aud seamen. Possibly it was
through some connection with this last
class, that be acquired such influence in the
nurseries Of Holland"
1t is little amusing to observe what a
transformation this saint has undergone
since his FIRST appearance. Oace bishop
in Asia MinOf, grave and meek, now fat
aud jolly little Dutchman, capering about
Of q winters night with a fOar-in-hand,
over house-tops, down chimney y-Aues, making
oil sorts Of surprises for all the good chill
dren Of the land, and then whisking of out
of sight before cock-crOwingl Here is q
daguerreOtype of his appearance, taken by
a skillful artist:
His eyes, how they twinkledl his dimpes how merry;
His checks were like roses-his nose like a cherry;
His droll little mouth was drawn up like bow,
And tho beard Of his chin as white as the snow.
The stump Of pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke 1t encrcled his head like a wreath.
He had broad face, and little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed, like bowl full OF Jelly
He was chubby and plump, right jolly old elf;
And laughed, when saw him, in.splte Of myself"
The many pleasant associations of Chriet.
mas commend it to our favorable regard.
Whether it be the true anniversary of our
Savior's birth or not, it may serve to re
mind us Of that great and joyful event /
assures us Of Gods mercy. Pardon is Of
fered to the guilty. "Peaee on earth, good
will to menl" Every other blessing come,
in consequence of this; every other is height
ened by connection with it.
The return Of this holiday carries our
thoughts away to that green isle of tn,
l-oeean, merrie England, where the rich in
their ancestral halls, and the poor in their
cottages, have for long centuries spent this
day in social enjoyment 1t reminds us Of
many happy seasons in our own childhood
when this festal day was the subject Of long
anticipation, when, on the joyful evening,
"The stockings all hung by the chimney with care
In hope that st. Nicholas soon would be there"
and the children, suugly nestled in theil
beds, spent hours in sage conjecture about
the gifts they might expect from their pa
tron saint. What gleeful shouts rang
through the house in the morningl Nc
late sleeping to-day. "Wish you merry
Christmasl" resounds in every chamber and
passage Aud now for the stockings and
Santa Claus. Candies, toys, a raw potato
or ouion, by wav of joke, new dolls, picture
books and o birchen rodl Father and
mother must share in their surprise, and
express amazement at the kindness and tact
Of Santa Claus; and even grandmother
must relax her usual gravity, aud declare
..IGshe never saw such wonderful fine things
in all her born daysl"
1t is very desirable that children should
be made happy in every reasonable. way
1t serves to attach them to each other, to
their parents and to their home. And to
a person of mature years, the remembrance
Of happy childhood is an unfailing source
of pleasure, solace amid present cares, a
u. r. T. Al