The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-02-01
War and Christmas Trees.

An old proverb says: off somebody ~ouio
play in hell, there will always be SOMEBODY
70 dance" Men sre the crestures OF habit,
which they do not easily give up under any
circumstances. II they are only good habits
il ia plessant 10 see them maintained through
oara-at;ons. and even under the most for
bidding circumstances. The habit of light
ing Christmas trees seems to be one to which
the Germans especially will stick, even
under the laundering of cannon and the very
presence OF death. There was neither G
camp nor hospital which on the late Christ
mas eve did not have is trees. In every
town and village of France occupied BY the
German army means were found TO celebrate
the birthday Of Christ in that touching man
ner, which is now accepted by almost every
civilized nation on earth. The castle OF
Versailles. which has lately witnessed so
many strange things-such as a Protestant
service in the chapel of Louis XIV; the eie
walton OF a German king TO the digniV Vi
IA en- peror; the distribution of tbs aecora-
ton of the iron cross, the symbol OF bravery,
to thousands OF German soiuiefs-
Witnessed too. one of the
oraa,as, Christmas eve celebrations 10 gems
nine German st7le. 4 company of sappers
WAS ordered TO cut rs many young pine
trees % were needed for the festivi,y, and
immediately after the church bell had con
cluded their call the trees were distributed
in the varioussrooms of the castle, and after
they had been covered with the Christmas
gifts sent for that purpose from Germany,
and contributed in part b. the officers OF
the army, the sick and wounded soldiers
were admitted and received their share
For about one hundred of the more severely
wounded who could not leave their beds the
trees were pat 10 their wards. In some
cases the trees were fastened in front OF
their beds; in others where there were six
and eight beds in the same room larger |
tree was decorated for al in the centre. |
One hundred and twenty of the GONZALES |
cents were gathered ia the large hall OF
Louis NV, which wss changed into q per
Get garisn, cc0wlsl VIA, orange and pine !
trees. every one sparkling with light and
the richest Christmas gifts. Ia the rear
there were sixteen beds, with such wounded |
soldiers as could hot yet move about. but
who were so far out OF danger that they /
conlI be brought 10 the hall from their J
wards. The centre was occupied BY 4
large table, covered with eatgbles, tanners |
and other ornaments. When the doors opred !
and the wounded warriors entered, they were
received By the reyimental bard PLAYING the
chorus, Now all thank Cod after which
the presents were distributed.
\ similar & stivity was celebrated in the
Lyceum, when about four hundred of the
s.cx were gathered around the Christmas
trees. In one Of the rooms were ten cor
valescents from typhoid fever. They had
their own tree, EEed up by an English lady
OF great wealth and standing in society, who
from the commencement Of the occupation
of Versailles voluntarily served as head
nursa in this ward. The king had sent a
rich present TO each Of the sick and the com
manding general, Baron Foigts Rhetz, dis
tributed them.
The German papers are full of similar re
ports from almost every place in France
v hich is in the possession of the Ger
mans. At Savern, in Alssce, for instance,
Christmas Ere was celebrated "iust
as at home and even little more"
Each Of the three hundred rooms in the
Old Episcopal palace. used a. present
as q hospital for French end German
wounded soldiers, had their Christmas trees,
and every one Of the hundreds of patients
received welcome gift. At Epernsy
captain Of the Prassian Iandwehr invitad all
the poor children Of the place, endan i'm nense
Chr istrnas tree was go covered with gifts, !
which he had collected frcm the boys, the
officers and the inhabitants OF the place
The mothers of the little Frenchmen accom-
panied them, and one Of them in leaving
re msrked: "These Prussians are not half as
bad as ". GAMRETTA told US they were.
The remem brsnce of these things will last
long in France, and inesmuch Rs in a few
years half million French soldiers, who
are nov kept es prisoners 10 Germany, will
return to their native land with souvenirs Of
the kindest treatment received from the
hands Of their captors, it would seem that
better feelings might in future prevail
between the two nations, and that especially
the French, in balancing the official wrongs
which they had 20 suffer with the unofficial
kindness Of which they were the objects
might give them better idea of the true
character of their Teutonic ueighbors.