The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1860-01-12
Christmas in Berlin.


'e Christmas ia Berlin.
: We were fortunate enough to spend Christ
! ! mas IN Berlin 1t is the great festival q
i germany For weeks the note of prepsra
:. ton had been sounded. The stores wer
= dressed in their gayess attire, and raisn, will
glitter and show. The pipe shops, In . plac,
:. where everything smokes but the chimnsys
:, forns, as q matter Of course, a CAV feature il
: the scene. These are filled with pyramid
OF porcelain pipe bowls. ornamented mos
exquisl.ely with paintings, aud some OF them
command most fabulous prices. Here, too
may be observed pipes Of most beautiful am.
ber amber mouth pieces. smoking caps taste.
fully embroidered. tobacco-pouches braided
IN gold and silver. and all the paraphernalis
belonging to habit which has made smok
ing national necessity. The coniec,iorers'
shops are also at this season full Of sweet
things made with strange devices; for next
to his tobacco, does the German love cakes
and sweetmeats. Every day on the Linden.
at the hour of high noon, you will fnG these
confectionaries filed with well dressed eiti-
zens, slipping the luscious chocolate or par
taking OF rlch cake, or sill richer pastry,
which the German baker manifest much skill
in preparing. For weeks before Christmas,
these confectionery stores are filed with
cakes OF every form and device, done in SUI
gar and chocolate But the mos, curious and
interesting sight of all is the long array of
booths or fair stalls. For several DAYS before
CHRISTMAS, the large squares, both in front
and behind the old palace, and all the streets
radlatng from them, were filed with thou
sands OF these fail stalls. These are wooden
booths, ruoted over and ffoored over. Moth.
ing can exceed the extensive and varied as
sortment of children's TOYS thew display
Ii really seems as il the genius of good gifts
here exhibited the rich and varied stores of
this treasure-house to the wondering eyes Of
happy children Here, too. are immense
numbers of Christmas trees, ara as they
come into view from the country, the long
trains of wagons that bear them, seem to re-
hearse the story Of
"Birnam wood come to Dunsenane"
Some OF these Christmas trees are merely the
rough tops of the fir trees, Just as they are
brought from the forest !; others again are
planted in large boxes of earth. aud surroun-
ded at the foot with little gardens; others are
ghttering in gold and silver leaf. having the
body and branches wound round with silver
AMI gold wire
On Christmas eve. no house in Germany
IS without its Christmas tree. It is the hour
OF rejoicing. and around every hearth stone,
from the palace to the cottage, gather bright
aud happy faces. 1t is with them the even
ing when "the Christ Child" enters every
portal, bearing in his hands gifts for good
children. What a beautiful superstition is
that OF the Christ Kindchen. or Christ Child!
There is radence then about the brows of
the holy nfant,most beautiful in its asssoca-
Who. chfra oacs more; IS Tdr preclanr'g
love for little children.
The following free translation of a German
t,yI, tIa ph
ter of '.the Christ Kindchen:'
"See there runs Il stranger child, oh, how
swiftly, through the city Christmas eve,
to see the beautiful lights that are flashing
from many Christmas tree. He stops be-
fore every house, and sees the bright rooms,
in which boldly stands forth the iamptui
trees Woe is to the poor child everywhere
He weeps and says: To- ight every child
has its little tree-its light and Joy. | alone
nave none in this strange land am forgot
ten. Will no one let come in. and afford
me room for my cold feet? la all these
/ bright houses, is there no corner tor the
stranger ch.ll?' He knocks at door, but
there is no voice TO answer, no kindly hand
to welcome. Every father thinks OF his own
children, and every mother is busy about
the gifts. Then said the little stranger, -.
dear and holy Christ. have no father, no
mother, If thou art not these to me- be thou
my counsellor and my friend, for here am
forgotten He rubs his cold hands, he lln-
gers in the long. desolate streets, with his
eyes cast up to heaven. But look there
comes up yonder street. waving light be-
fore him, another child in smooth and white
rament, and hair that clusters in golden
ringlets around his fair young brow How
musical his voice, when he says,-'I am the
holy Christ; again | am once more a child.
as | always will be, to the worlds end. on
| this ha pv evening. Though all forget thee
will never forget thee. / offer my protec-
ton, as well in the street in the lighted
. houses Thy light, little desolate stranger.
will cause to shine III the open space, SO fal
tha, none in all these brilliant roorns shall be
brighter Then waved the Christ Child hit
G hand towards heaven. and forth stood, gilt
, ;ering overhead with many branches, shin
. ing tree. glorious with host OF stars. Brigh
: little angels bent down from the branches
n and drew up the poor child into the starr,
f space And SO was he ever with the dea
: Christ Child
: Now. how much more beautiful and sig
9 ni6cant is this lovely creation OF ''ihe CHRIS
a Child. than our ruds and senseless "Sant
! Claus. who is nothing more than kind c
5 annual chimney sweep, or rather halt chin
ney sweep and hall Jew pedlar- TIE Cbris
:. mas legends OF Germany have thus al a
4 appropriateness to the great festival to b
r ceIabrated II is the eve OF our Saviour
! birth. whose advent Gabriel came down I
q tell: whose natal morn was greeted by ang.
!, hosts in strains of more than mortal melod,
i As he grew in years, love for little chi
dren was distinguished trai, in his serenei
beautiful character. He never allowed .
!. opportunity to pass that he did not bles
i them, or improve their presence TO his disc
: pies by some beautiful sllusion. If he set
:. ii.,Ie child 10 their midst, it was only TO el
:. claim in divine accents. Unless ye be col
!. yerted, and become as little children. y
:. shall not enter into the kingdom OF heaven
: And when he rebuked his disciples wh
q would have kept them away. It was to OIL
n utter those sublime words, which have $
is often refreshed and strengthened the sinkin