The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1869-12-23
CHRISTMAS.
A merry Greeting To All,
To ONE AND ALL OF OUR READERS WE

~ " AM - VT Obh AhE W.
WISH A Many CHRIsrMAsl
CHRISTMAS! best and happiest festival
of the year! Whose days are so far re-
moved from the dun by-gone of childhood,
that he does not welcome with gladness
the advent of this holiday! Whose ma
ture has grown so material and inaccessi-
BILE to kindly sentiments, that he cannot
appreciate the dear delights that come in
the train of merry Christmas! Who has
so far outgrown all the better impulses of
his life, that he feels no throb of that glad,
generous, universal kindness, which bursts
like a sunrise upon the world on every re-
turn of this happy Festival, touching with
teudernesst the hearts of the naughty, bring
ing mirth to the homes of the humble,
giving boundless riches to the young, and
r%eyiying a great store Of pleasant memo
ries for the aged! If such an one there
be, he needs the pity of all who enjoy the
spirit of Christmas, for the best and purcst
Satisfactious of which the heart is capable
have gone from him forever.
Day of bright romembrances for the
adult day of boundless anticipation and
poetic Imagination for the young day of
happy reunions, Of generous thoughts and
deeds, of active bouoyoleuco, Of kindly re-
membrane, of appreciativo sympathy, of
tender love! Though nearly two thous-
and years have passed since the child was
born at Bethlehem, it is still a day which
makes men and women and children the
happier and the better for its coming.
AS a people, We Americans are a busy,
striving, active race, and We place too high
avalue on time, measuring it by the money
standard, and unwilling to spare much of
it for mere recreation. Our holidays are
too few. 1t would be better if we had
more of them, and if We entered more
heartily into their sports and pastimes.
Our physical well-being demands that
there should be SOM season of the care
full, toiling year, when man should unbend
from his oppressive wisdom, forget for a
time his dignity, and let that folly in
which there is subtler wisdom than that
of schools, rule the joyous hour. Nature
has ordained the Christmas holidays for
JOsity ~"A fsastiRsS ,.. .TIh9. HYthm Of the
year calls for a rNcarnt CT Jttlqt this time.
by a power mysterious but irrepressible
Cessation from labor is compelled by the
season, and active amusement is stimula-
ted. Nature without is bleak and desc
late the Preside within CLOVIS with genial
warmth, inviting and melting to home
amusements and Ell joyments. Presents.
feasting, song, games for old and young
universal charity, emancipation of slaves
pardon of criminals-such have been fol
years the happy illustrations of the spirit
of this sacred season; such may its spirit
ever be.
The great friend of the children, rudy
white-bearded, smiling Santa Klaus, Will
his famous sleigh-full of toys and his har,
messed reindeers, his fur cap and lis biz
fur boots, his short pipe, his bag full Of
good things, his habit of riding over house
tops and coming down chimneys in the
middle of the night, and filling tiny stock
ings with presents while the oYners arC
asleep, is a most welcome invisible visitor
to all children. The Christmas tree, tt
which Santa Klaus is so an important al
auxiliary, is one of the p~rottiost and mos
attractive features to be seen at a Christ
mas Festival. We would not give the sounC
of the merry little voices and the patter Q
the happy little feet, about that gloriou
shrub, for all the jolity that could be go
out Of the biggest bowl of wassail eve
brewed. We doubt not that in many al
American home the day will be celebrated
with a more hearty rejoicing than wa.
often heard in the old baronial hall.
Though our Christmas festivities ar
conceded to be but modified reyels Of thu
Roman Saturnalia, it is apart from it
feasts and reioicings, a time which none 0
us should fail to akeep holy" With tn,
return of this season when shepherds watch
ed their focks by night. Let us renev
broken ties, cement more lrmly tende
friendships, burnish the pu.e gold of do
nestle affection, while the angel of tn
heart chants, "Peace on earth aud goo'
will towards men,"