The New York herald., 1870-12-11
THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
Christmas and New Years
Presents.
~~~~s~Ns~.n>~~~4>>>~<>->~~-
''THESE ARE OUR JEWELS"
"A Ramble in the Great Diamond
Houses.
THESE ARE OUR JEWELS"
Statuary and BrOnzes, Clocks, Watches
,4m and Articles Of Virtu.
THE GREAT GIFT DAY.

between friends What would sthe hondaysn be
without their holiday presents Whether they be
costly or cheap--whehcr 1t IS tle purse OF the mil
M0nparc the small savings OF the artisan that are
drawn upon for the purchase--these Christmas pre-
sens equally beautiful ana sacred How many
bright young eyes look up with bea rs OF intensified
love into the fathers face on Christmas morning
when the little gift is presentedl How many wife
presses TO her heart the simplesr token OF q hus-
bands love, or The jewel almost above price No
matter which, it IL equally valuable ana endeared to
her, as the symbol OF an honest anection, which
has kept lis torch burning along the path
that leads back Tor many year, which
memory follows now to the bridal and the
honeymoon. Aud Is there not a most tender emo.
ton stirred when the maiden accepts, with blush
Ing happiness, the Christians gift, which perhaps is
only the delicate prototype of t greater gift throb-
bingly hoped ior-the loving hlmselfl In this
case memory is not retrospect. Indeed 1t is not
memory, but prophecy, that warns the maiden's
heart ana makes her beautiful eye glis.en.
And thus, with rich and poor-the youthful and
the old-in households where tawdry splendor
often mocks the genial soul OF hospitality. and IN
the humblest home, where honest virtue sanctlfies
the poor mans hresIoe, these Christmas gifts come
like the presence Of angels, bearing blessings on
their pinlons.
WHENCE COMES THIS CUSTOM
Of Christmas gifts? Ii is doubtless the instructive
impulse which grew out OF the first great Christmas
festival, when God gave to man the most precious
Of all gifts, His only Son. to become the preacher OF
q divine philosophy and the martyr OF an eternal
faith. The first act OF man, In order to show his
devotion to that helpless Infancy Of Divine humanity
nesting In the manger at Bethlehem, was to offer
gifts rich gifts from the East pronered by the hands
Of kings, with tokens of love and gratitude. These
offerings OF gold, frankincense and myrrh were the
first Christmas gifts. They were laid by men
II the feet OF the mysterious God, and SO
rom that day TO this, between man and man, these
TOKENS OF friendship and love annually pass ON
every beautiful Christmas festival. Christmas day
therefore, Is esscnt ally the day OF gifts The young
welcome IL with childish gee and throbbng expec
tation; neither do the Old desplse IT, In age as in
youth the heart Is open TO the most delicate touches
Ofarlection.
As for the beautiful legend OF
SANTA CLAUS,
that has gone up top story of the househo Old
away up to the regions of the nursery lovely
cOnceit it is for venders OF toys; witchlng deu.
sion, too for the young believers in the ancient fur
coated Dutchnlan-neophytes they are In the
worlds mysterics--who near In their dreams the
tramp OF the reindeer and the jingle Of the bells
and The voice Of encouragement.
Now oasher now % Dancsri now Prancsri now vixenl
But we fear that ''Young America is becoming
sceptlcal about this delicious myth and that many o
stocking is hung up Christmas eve with sly
wink from each urchin who is beginning to detect
that 1t is the generous hands OF those who provide
eli other domestic comforts ana pleasures which I'LL
the stocking with all its gllttering toys and not the
old spowladen traveller, with his tradltiopary beard
hairy cap and well filled pouch who comes down
the cnimn ey.
However, santa Claus in the nursery s the hero OF
the brightest chapter IN tne life OF man. In the
dreary night OF mid-wmter, though the wind howls
without, singing weird songs through the skeleton
trees, he comes In glow Of sunshine u on the
sleep of youthful inn0cence-a Sunshine that leaves
q thousand sweet remembrances behind which ex.
pand FAR beyond the limits oil the nursery, and per-
haps brighten the future years OF the man with the
recollection OF scenes and hours when to believe in
Santa Claus was not SO bad after ali-when he may
come to think that it happier be innocent and
credulous than to be stepped In the ntrlgucs of life
and to have become a practical unbelIever in
everything in which the heart claims mastery over
the brain. Santa CLAUS and his associations there
FORE may last for another generation at least. by
that time little ones If we may Judge from the
present current OF progress may be like ull.arm ed
Minervas, panoplied with knowledge and wisdom
at their very birth. And when that comes to
pass farewell to the reign OF Santa Claus and all the
happy deiuslons belonging to the legend which
charmed our grandmOther5 and grandfaIhers in
their unsoInist0cated childhood. ar
But we are straying from our gift land. We started
tifui Christmas gifts be had Tar as taste and
fancy lead us. Obedlent 10 the DECK OF Beauty's
fairy wand we seek
The fretted splendor of each nook and niche
where the exquisite gree Of art In sparkling gems
wrought into elegant forms first invites us. "In
short'-as Micawber would say-we 90 to
the Alhambra of Union SQUARE Here ones eyes
daZzed with the array OF jewels in every shape
iaces, brooches, earrings, and the magnificent FUN
sets OF pearl anu coral emerald. sapphire ana da-
moads OF the finest lustre. Who can measure the
cost, or who describe the variety III these long
crystal cases which line the storeY The value may ne
counted by millions; the variety can only be mear
sured by the Infinite skill OF The designer and the
arrlfcer. The superb stock OF
DIAMONDS
frst attracts the visitor, They around in every
form Of delicate workmanship, ali executed too az
indeed, are nearly all tho articles In the collecton
Ds Ianys own M ,n aph The das most gorgeous Or
containing necklace earrings, brooch and bracelet,
is valued at
OF course there are sets OF much less price, run
ming low $1,000 the variety OF brooches, pins,
rings, charms earrings and other ornaments. im.
parting TO the diamond case the dazzling briliancy
Of q
CONSTELLATION OF SUNS.
the ornaments OF pearl The stock Of these is ex-
eeedingly beautiful and varied IN design
AncIt ls one DlagnluCelG Set, CONSISTING VI Dr0Ocn
and earrings Of the purest pearls, set in
brilliants. single surlng OF pearls, the most
perfect that Ceyl6n diver br ought up from the
depths Of the Indian ocean, is valued at Sl2 0o0-a
costly ornament Tor some fair throat but one that
an empress might wear and feel proud. Most Of
these pearl sets are meant for
BRIDAL ORNAMENTS,
but many OF them are got up for that speciality.
There are only two prerequisites to render the rarest
OF these jewels ayallable--the money TO pay for
them and the bride TO wear them. No doubt some
purchaser Will come along one Of these days to
whom fortune has gwen both requisites
BEATUs vIR
Next to the diamonds and pearls In brilliancy is
the silverware, Of which there is gttering stock
One dinner set, conspicuous above ALL is remarka-
bic for the beauty or its design and the fine finish Of
the chasiDgs. II stands supreme among all the
other dinner and breakfast sets, and be laid
any gentleman's table fer the moderate gum OF
$4,000. Looking around this branch Of the estab
lishmcnt we are disposed TO think that there Is moth
6nnr IN he lnA NJ eilvArYara n a