The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-12-13

NEW ORLEANS
the day which can wiring compassion from
the Workhouse, and mercy from the Jail
Sometimes the wind will roar down the
streets, drifting the snow, twisting the
chimney-pots until they spin, and sending
all the sign-boards swinging o-and- fro like
dumb chimes; the glass will clash, the roof
shake, and the SCOT dance down the Chin
ney-ah those are the pleasant accompani-
ments to the festival. 1t is the snow and
we will have Christmas of our own on the
leads, and cutters, and spouts, and house
tops-shan't we 7" says the snow. And the
wind roars out q mighty affirmative. The
little children clap their hands, for their
glee is boundless and the old people look
jolly, and exclaim: "God bless us, whats
windy Christmas ~
know how they manage to keep Christ
mas in great houses. There, indeed, 1t is a
commonplace affair enough, for with 1T
come no Observation-Disclosures buildings and
joints, and Christmas-bOxes are no novel
ties to the dweller therein. You will find
them sitting, those great, cold polite PEG
pie, in one vast luxurious apartment, red
curtained, sOft-carpeted, amid the richest
furniture, and. the dearest glass, and the
finest plate. They sit on straightforward
chairs, those people do, with very grave
faces and very low voices; very proper,
very admirable conduct 1 admit; but love
| to be pleasant as wise, and prefer
naturalness to politeness. The little chill
bred rest their frifled elbows on the glitter
ing tables, and criticise the pictures, and
turn over the leaves of their Christmas
books, for all the world like old people.
Mamma is languid, and papa looks as if he
wished the night was over, that he might
look gloomy and discontinued again with
out any breach of propriety. The apart
ment is beautiful ]; but not bit of holly,
not a bit of ivy, because, as my lady tells
the children, who have brought up raptu-
rous accounts of the style in which the ser
wants. hall is done up with boughs and Der
ries, they are vulgar, and only used by the
poorer classes. When the tea equipase has
| been removed, papa generally calls on the
youngest daughter to play her last piano
exercise, or, as he particularizes it, that
thing about the flats" And when she has
wearied her thin, little fingers over the
keys, mamma says: My dears, it is bed
time ~ and the bell is rung, and the dears
are kissed, and the maid takes them up to
bed, where they lie awake for hours, listen
ing to the poor man in the sad coat, aud his
poor wife in the limp dress, who are sing
ing Christmas carols under the windows.
1t is Il fine thing, kr Ow, to be rich and
wear diamonds, AMI go to church in a load
of furs and fashionable carriage; but to
enjoy Christmas as it ought to be enjoyed,
occasionally with that highborn and tenn
perate nob1ewoman WHO was wife to Duke
Humphrey. L know of only one man of rank
who can be said to have rightly enjoyed
Christmas, and that was Sir Roger de Co
verify. Look ut his letter to MFR. Spectator,
in which he tells him that at Christmas he
always keeps good joint and a stout hagon
ON the sideboard, for the entertainment OF
the destitute. Bless that dear old heart.
Christmas is the apotheoss of poverty
Therefore it is that good angels sit, in that
holy season, by the firesides of the poor,
and that the tenderly disguised minister OF
Gods bounty, whom men call Chance, drops
unaccountable crowns into empty pockets,
{ and replenishes the cruise of the INDECENT
When look back upon the Christmases
of two certain years, and pat their separate
experiences together, cannot help think
ing that they present as many shades and
contrasts of thought and situation as could
be easily collected within SO narrow a com
pass. Recalling the special incidents and
!; surroundings which serve to distinguish one
from the other, the misery and desolatlou
which darkened one festival, the sudden
happiness which lighted upon the other,
cannot help feeling thankful /; and, mixing
the bitter and the sweetin one foaming hip
| pocrene, find the draught taste delicious
/ know a man, walking daily In the traffic
rutted highways of trade, but gifted with
/ keen perceptions and noble regulations Of
?. great truths, which, to our common loss
: lack higher direction and holder flight
3 who asserts that at the day of Judgment the
) economy of Gods providence will be vim
, dictated in our suddenly seeing, that how