Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-12-25

4
times" declare its coming and denote its character
The world assumes its gayest gear being
| dressed
As for birthday, in its best"
A genial sense of fellowship, a touch of beartb
warmth that makes the whole world kin, j." pervade
the very air which is clear tuned for siIyertone,
carols crisp with huoyant lishtncss of tha
time when the very nights are wholesome"
| From "Merrie Engandes" long ago to the presen
day Christmas comes to us almost with the advent O
winter as if by its genial influences to warm tn,
soul and forty it against the chilling rgor Of thos
lealeSs months when all nature is smileless Its very
name is replete with hallowed memories from III,
Past as well as laden with holy hopes for the Future
and demands from each heart its tribute of reverence,
| and grateful joy.
Hardly century had passed away from the grey
dawn, when the multitude of the Heavenly host SANG
| Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace
! good will toward men," when the Christian Church
| instituted the observance of a day in commemora.
on Of that greatest of all events to each Christian
/ soul.
| with no precise data to decide upon the exact
period OF its occurrence for several centuries II e
listed as movable festival in the Church. being most
frequently celebrated in the early spring Some nm
satlShed Saint in the Pontifcal reign of the first
CuuS, lnportuned for an investigation into the real
date OF the time when Jesus was born in Betbie-
hem of Judca, in the days of Herod the King" and
the committee Of learned theologians who weighed
and sited the subject to its utmost. ultimately set
tied upon the present date as the most probable and
| authentic.
thus, since the fourth century the 25h of Decern
ber has been the day of all days in the year" hal
lowed by religious faith and worship and looked upon
in the whole realm of childhood as the mystic seaso
when Santa Claus is the sovereign saint and house
hold jollity the order of the day.
Upon the Continent and penncioII,, in ErrIorl a.
night before Christmas is one Of unending noise and
excitement; at midnight bells are rung mass is eeIe
nfated IN most imposing manner in churches decked
with eFergrecnS and choicest flowers for the satiso
ton OF the devout, while worldly jewellers use tbe
solemn occasion for luxurious feasts carnival liEe
cNtraVagance5 otmasqueradc and rout more sugges-
uYc OF material than spiritual season of gadness
When one remembers all the vices of gluttonv and
drunkenness pcrpctrated at this time in the very wan
tones7 OF holiday, can easily cease to marvel
ut the Puritanical stanoss that frowned down any,
thIng like an outward and visible festival
In the grey dawn London streets re,ouud with
youthful voices chanting the quaint Christmas carols
these canticleS recalling the songs of the "sbop
nerds who watched their docks by night" at the
time when the Royal Babe Of Bethlehem lay cradled
in the manger Some of these ''Cbrigtrassa ,orIIc"
date back as far 1921 and all arc of ancient date
poetry as well as music. The Welsh rival the Eng
ilsh IN the antiquity and number their carols while
Germany and France furnish them similarly cbaroc-
istie and full cfnationaiity.
Dancing was also practiced to the tunes Of those
carols and the music of guitar violin or tabour and
whole families, with taper in hand, Joined in its
Whlrilng measure. An odd custom used to prevail
land may even AT this day among the Caabrian min
Strels, VINO wero accustomed to make pigrmaces to
the various shrnes of the Virgin Mother during the
days previous to Christmas pausing before each 10
make the echoes with their wierd music under sort
o sentimental idea that thus she would be checrcd at
the approaching crisis Of the birth time of the UoIv
Child
In the nativity as represented by the master hand
"i farhae!, shepherd stands by the door ulayinr
upon species of bagpipe These carols have, during
some years past, been imported into this couptr and
the singing Of therl by scores of parish or Sunday
school children, forms charming feature among the
exercises of Christmas day. At ST. Luko'g Church in
this city, the carols are sGng after evening service
and their naive simplicity will haunt the memory in
spite Of all everything melodies from one Christmas to
another,
As for the Christmas trce-that astounding and
unclassiied Britanical specimen the childish miracle
new-wrought with year, its every branch laden
with sudden blooms Of gayest coors and most fantas-
tic shapes bringing with fresh surprises each hailed
with shouts Of merry glee-may its shadow never
grow less or it branches be unblessed by many tokens
of the home affections.
One need not bo told that we owe this marvel
moro cunningly contrived than any sef-uprisng or
ange tTec of an eastern juggler's art-to the ever
fresh genius of Germany. There truly children are
more like grown folks and grown folks more like
children than in any other land this side of the Ar
cadian fields. To all Germans fest-days are an ey-
hlbit OF natural tendencies. and holidays as essential
to their healthy social life as Sabbaths are to spirit
ual growth.
They have many days especially devoted to mental
relaxation and innocent pleasure so that Christmas
is almost exclusively devoted to the young and is
indeed, termed in many districts in Germany. Nor
way, and Sweden, The Childron's Festival" and
the tree is decked with especial reference to their
needs and tastes.
More credulous than the practical masters and
misses of adOescent America youthful Germany does
not fou legends or decry superstition and the tute-
larry genius of Christmas variously known as St.
Nicholas. KTiss kringe Sante Claus is here en-
bodied as krecht Rupert and appears bodily before
the bewldered and huddling groups to call out each
rembler. and bestow gifts according to their merits
We have this device most happily carried out at
a Children's Christmas Eve festival when the en-
trance of the wonderful gift brnger, pack on back
and pockets crammed with toys, was the signal of
great CONSERVATION and as extreme delight
Alas for the nrOads of modern improv ements that
the wide blazing hearth longer stands the expo
nent of hospitable warmth and welcome! No longer
may yule logs crack bithe accompaniment to cards
and songs around the wassail bowl. We cannot now
display humble imitation of the "merrie
Christmasse' of Aud Lang Syne; one by one all its
primitive games and customs its easting and frolick
ing are fading into diSuse, and England marks her
Christmas Feast only with traditional roast beef and
| plum pudding its mistletOe boughs and holly
branches its sOemnly joyous prayers in churches all
embowered with evergrcens and vocal with carols
| This habit Of decking houses and chapels during
the Christmas season derived from the practice
Of the ancient Druids, and from belief that
sylvan elves betOok themselves to the friendly shelter
| and there protected from chilling winds and
npping frostS till the dawning of Spring. 1t is about
the only one among the countless customs that ap-
peals to the and the heart, suggesting the bright
| happy hopes that may exist despite the deadcning
| influences of the outer world.
In our land the purely religious view taken of the
day tends to the doing away Of most of its uniting
revelry. Let us not betake ourselves to the other
| extreme and end by ignoring it altogether.
We are not OF those who would put aside festal
days as unneeded, trivial useless-let still pre-
| serve some seasons in which the heart may grow.
Letfrendship severgreens keep bright each hearth
| and the holly berries of mirh cluster about each
board, and while feasting "sumptuousIy" in the
purple and fine linen of case and luxury let uS
take good heed to note some famishcd Lazarus who
sits shvering ut thyesh0 0lds and thus make our
selves and others a merry and Happy Christmas tide
BURNED TO DEATH.--Between ten and eleven
| o'clock Saturday night policeman Eccleson of
the Western district, while patrong his "heat was
attracted by offensive smell from something burn
ing, and upon making investigation, discovered
smoke issuing from the dwelling No 20L Sarah Ann
street, near Pearl. He forced an entrance mmedi-
aely and there found upon the floor wrthing in the
sgonies Of a horrible death. coIored woman named
Sarah Smith. He called for assistance and did all in
his power to relieve her suierings but she died in
| few minutes. Coroner Greentrec was notified and
| jury of inquest summoned, and from the evidence
elected it appeared that she had kindled large fire
in a stove, and then laid down beside it, Falling
asleep. her clothes in contact with the red hot
stove and were gnited and before assistance reached
| her she was burned most terribly. daughter who
| asleep in another part of the room was only
aroused by the barking of dog and the efforts of
| the policemen to gain admission. Upon the stove
was found an opossum. which deceased had put there
| to roast The unfortunate woman was thirty-six X
years of age and is supposed to have been intoxi-
| Gated.
| FATAL CASE OF SHOOTING-.About 10 o'clock ON
Saturday morning fatal accident the result of care
/ lessy handling firearms, occurred at the Pennsyl-
vania House. No. l5S Franklin street. between Paca
and Green streets The proprietor of the house. Mr.
| Stansbury, and boarder, named Andrew j. Childs
were examining intenty four barrelled Sharps re-