Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-12-24
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CHRISTMAS. The term Chistmas is derived


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CHRISTMAS. term Chistmas is derived
from the Latin Church is properly Christi
HASA (the Mass Of Christi In former times,
the celebration Of Christmas began in the latter
part Of the previous day-Christmas Eve
The house was first decked with holly, ivy,
and other evergrecns. Candles of an uncom-
mon size were then lighted under the name of
Christmas candles; an enormous log, called
the Yule log, Or Christmas block, was laid
upon the fire, while the people sat round
RECALLING themselves In the course of the
night small parties went from house to house,
singing Christmas carols-slmple, popular dit
ties, full Of joyful illusions to the Redeemer
These carols were more generally sung in the
morning Of Christmas day. A contributor to
the "Gentleman's Magazine in 1911, descrb-
ing the manner in which Christmas was spent
in Yorkshire, says About six o'clock on
Christmas day, was awakened by sweet
singing under my window; surprised at visit
50 earl and unexpected, l arose, and looking
out of the window, | beheld six young women
and four men welcoming with sweet music the
blessed morn. 1t may scarcely be imagined
half slumbering ear such strains as the follow
ing would fall:
God rest you merry gentlemen, /
Let nothing you dlsmay; /
For Jesus Christ our Saviour
Was born upon this day,
To save us all from Satans power, .
When we were gone astray. Il
Oh tidings Of great Joy, / i
For Jesus Christ our Saviour 1 I.
Was born on Christmas day
Christmas carols are among the oldest of
English songs. Sir Walter Scott gives us the
following picture of an old time Christmas.
'And well our Christian sires of old i
Loved when the year its course had rolled,
And brought blithe Christmas back again,
With all its hospitable train.
Domestic and religious rite
Gave honor to the holy night;
On Christmas Eve the bells were rung, ---
On Christmas Eve the mass was sung; 1...
That only night in all the year,
Saw the stoled priest the chalice wear
The damsel donned her kirtle sheen,
The hall was dressed in holy green,
Forth to the wood did merry men go,
To gather in the misetoe. ..
Then open wide the Baron's hall
To vassae, tenant, serf and ALL
Christmas has long since passed into sy-
nonym for innocent festivity. The decoration
of Churches with evergreen is pleasing relic
Of the olden times. -E;piscopal Methodtst.
HEADS AND HARTz.-The Parisians have
got new plaything, which is amusing and
astonishing them greatly. It is a dccapita-
ted head which speaks "a head made OF
india-rubber, with such skill that 1t not only
takes the expression, but makes the movement
Of living face in speaking, and it answers all
questions put to it. The head is admitted to
be very ingenious piece of Workmanship
AS to the mode by which it is made to utter
words, no explanation is given; but it is easy
to understand that some one speaks through
pipes, or that a ventriloquist is employed.
The invention is said to be g Yankee " one,
but this is not true, and Yankee" is merely
mentioned for effect, The only g decapitated
head which speaks, that has been seen in
this country, is the one now being exhibited
by NJ. Hartz, at Dodworth Hall, and he first
introduced it in England where it excited con-
siderable curiosity, as it now does in New
Iork-Honoe Journal ,..r ....
TEE "DAGMAR' JACKET. This style of
jacket is very fashionable at present among the
ladies' of St. Petersburg, who have christened
it after the fair and youthful bride, whose near
relationship to the Princess of Wales gives
additional interest to all particulars relating to
herself and to her alliances with the heir to
the throne of all the Russias. The material
Of the Dagmar jacket is white ribbed cloth.
The design which ornaments 1t, both at the
back and front, is black braid, worked with
beads The scolloped edge of the jacket the
sleeves, the neck, are bordered with black
Astracan fur. Sable is occasionally substituted
tor Astracan and has an extremely rich effect
AS TO BEARD.-Von Helmont tells US that
Adam was created without beard, but that,
after he had fallen and sinned, because OF the
sinful propensities which he derived from the
fruit Of the forbidden tree, beard was made
part Of his punishment and his disgrace, BRING
Ing him thus into nearer resemblance with the
beasts toward whom he made his nature ap-
proximate. The same stigma was not In
fcted upon Eve because even IN the tall she
retained much Of her original modesty, and,
therefore, deserved no such opprobious mark
Won Helmont observes, also, that no good
angel ever appears with beard; and this, he
says, is capital sign by which angels may be
distinguished
THE LONG DRESS regime seems TO be on
its last feet, judging from the appearance our
fashionable bellies present on the street. Men
will now no more be thrown upon their noses
BY treading upon crinoline, the disgusting
scavenger's Office will be abolished BY the
ladies', and frowning faces will no more attend
torn houuces. The era Of short dresses has
begun.-Honae Jounnt.
ROOM ACTORY