Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-12-24
.mERRY CmRasTMAs.-

steps enort 10 lto career Tor one oey, enos
brushing away the eebwsba that weave
themselves arsand the heart, gives itssli
up 70 gin giving, merry making, and . 70.
nswal Of dear and kindred tiss. This ID
the occasion offered once yssr BY the
graceful, airy Genius Of Christians, for .
thsrsusb, genuine heart t-warming between
man and man, and the whole world d
large The ''psacs on earth and COED vii
toward men" has truer. heartisr signif'
cancs than st any ether season Of th'
ehangeful year. Sad must bs the heart
that cannot yield itself to ,hs genial inau
sncss Of this cnsery day. and there Ar'
such-vsry many, if the truth were told
whose hearts are dried and withsrsd, %
covered over with the cold weight Of gold
and wrapped doubly round with sslfshnssa
that the gentle memories Of Christmas ev.
fail to penetrate the drsary rscsssss Of theiI
chilly bsarts-it comes only once il ths
year. but to them it differs not from ether
days. Itis strange, for somewhere back
in the almost forgotten past, they
surely have bright spst, which
was always marked - joyoul
day, and that was Christmas. PsrhsDa
they have not forgotten. but the lsag ysar'
sf grinding agaiost the adamant, has taken
away much Of their faith in humanity, and
their youth recall, No pleasant msmsries.
Gsd help them for their Christmas 10 darl
and shserless.
This beautiful suston Of making pres
snts has come down through oil ages u
enc Of the sbssrvancss sf the day. II waa
inauguratsd BY the wise nsn Of the East
who made the FIRST Christmas presents, ,ant
We have IL te>day, unimparsd and endsar
cd BY the Thousand Christmas Fscollss
hons Of the past.
Why do ws pause 'Tis surs 10 recall
some Of these passsd msmsriss tingsd will
with sadness, yst pleasant in the recall. 4
year with ito lights and shadows. has pas
Sod since We greeted you merry Christ
mas" Ours was net the hand that pen
ID the heartfelt wesds-a hand even then
it seemed. stretching across the dark rive
With its messags Of "Gsod will to oil men.
Fred. was then confined 10 his bed and tn
shadows Of the other wsrld seemed near q
he psnnsd those words Of greeting to you
reader. Those shadows have since be
come realities with him. - they will - you
aud oil Of 10, and is il any wsndsr tha
there are sad memories mingled with thss
Of brighter hlsi Many homes through
out the land have been darksnsd since tha
day, and hsw many shall bs darksned il
the days Of the coming year, mono can tell
but il matters not IL their work be vel
done. Itis only . step higher, and on shi
day lot that work be begun. Thousand
will greet each other - the n.ornin
dawns With a"Merry Christmas" BY on
acts Of charity, let us mako it such TO o.
the needy and suffering within eur reach .
that should they 60 before US, they toe
will greet US in that brighter land, with
Merry Christmas. ut is more blessed I
give than to receive" and the conscious
ness Of having made others happy. Is
sufficient rsoompsnss for the deeds Of char
ity, and friendship done. There may
these whose hearts undsrtsnss rspsst
"rh. holly BY the cottage cave,
/ To-nlKht unpAfhered shall il atand
We live within the stranger land
And strangely falls our Christmas Eve.
Let cares that petty shadows cast,
i by which our lives are chiefly proved,
little spare the night we loved,
And hold it solemn to the past"
May the good genius Of the Christina
present, with his bright presence counter
act. in part, the darkeusd memory to thsr
Of tho Christmas past. And, finally, cour
tsous reader, may ysu be jsyously happ.
al day long through semorrow's fyin
hours; may no Scrooge-liks msmsries b
heavy on your soul may the moi ming .
the natal day find you better prepared tha
ever to give thanks for the blessings 70
enjoy and, IS the happy hours Of The da,
draw to clsss. and the children-satiats
with the days plsasure-trosp Of to bed
and you cit in the freight, bringing bacl
to life in the fire, old hopes and fansies o
long aRo-ist the peaceful and snaeblinI
influence Of The hour have ito effect on YOU
SO that the after years Of patience an,
forgiveness toward al, men, be 40 plsasur
able ~ this, the heart warming influence o
Christmas night.
SGArIHe.-The season has at last bee,
fairly insuguratsd, and our young felix
now have IN amusement that does net in
cur the displsasure Of long faced. Whit
neck tied fraternity, nor foster the ssnselss,
ssiv;tuds - fashion. Time vas when bsy,
and ysung men claimed the exclusive priv
ilsgss Of this health giving amusement, bu
since the introduction Of closed skatina
places, IL has come 10 be considered quit
proper to see old aad yeung, ladies and
children. giving thsmsslvss up to the ful
enjoyment Of sport with oil the sharactsris
tic win" Of our people. II I've thirds o
the States Il has become the popular wints
amusement Of s'l classes. Il has become
regular American institution, under III,
| patronage Of the fashionabls estsriss Of 60
cisty, and the fair enc who canust Do tn,
grape vine twist in the best style Of th,
art is called slew. Sore heads are nothing
and the amount Of cold that our drawing,
room acquaiutancss will stand 10 really sur
| piising. The exercise thus received bring,
roses to the checks and buovanoy 70 th,
spirits, - we'll - very materially aids o.
pia t. weave nets fer the bashful and nm
wary. The privilege Of intervening a,
arm just ct the critical msmsnt bstwssr
the departure Of some fair enc frem th,
perpendicular snd the assumption of IN,
horizontal. 10 . combination Of duty and
pleasure not to b feregsne. Therefore
folks. get your skates, bat don't 70 vile
ever the sport make your figures, eurvel
and circles. contend for the prizes, eultivat,
skill and grace in movement, but with i
oil, don't take "tss large dosss" Proper
y regulated, this amusement is enc o