The New York herald., 1872-12-22
Santa Claus for All-thc Rich, the
Poor, tho Young and tho Old.

tell us that another Christmastide is about de-
scending on the world, the most sceptical
being finds his thoughts away in o snowflake
world of their own. 1t would seem as though
the footprints of Old Time upon the Christmas
snow were pictured by the hand of memory
on the heart, there to remain long after the
year and its snow were gone, the one to the
clouds of history. the other to tho clouds of
air. And what are the white and sparkling
thoughts that cluster SO fairy-like, so weird
like, 80 ioyfully and withal SO mournfully
within the rims of those footprints? Why
do they move us to pleasant smile crossed
with sweet shade of melancholy, like the
shadow from an angels wing? Because they
form the vision Of joyous youth seen from the
present through an atmosphere of all life's
sorrows and joys. The mellowed light
tones down the sharper outlines; the mind
dwells on the picture and becomes .solaced.
We may forget for moment what Christmas
means IN religious sense; but we will not
fail to weave into the fantasy kindly, CHEEKY,
snowy-bearded face. fur-clad form with a
pine branch ON the shoulder, the mystic Saint
of the nursery, the jovial Saint of after-years-
good old Santa Claus
| Long may his saintship flourish IF he is
not American to the manner born, we have
naturalized him. If for us he goes not among
the fir trees of the Schwarzwald to cut his
bough and garner there around the gnarled
roots of leafess trees from fairy toymen his
store Of knick-knacks we have noble forests of
our own in Maine, and nobler still in the
great sweeps of the Sierras, where he may hold
his elfish fancy fair beneath the waving of the
giant pines and cedars. Wherever he goes to
gather his good things, he is certain to be
here on Christmas Eve, and just as certain
to 60 Pumping down the chimneys with
whisk to fill the stockings and deck the Christ
mas trees of young America. It would be
we'll, indeed, if the aforesaid Young America
could fix his faith on other things as devoutly
as he does on Santa Claus. But Young
} America must grow older, and then he begins
to doubt the story. The early cynicsm Of
twelve makes sad Inroads on his faith in the
chimney theory for does not the chimney
end in q stovepipe? But not for all his bud
ding manhood and adolescent citizen
ship would he shatter the pretty myth
that his little brothers and sisters talk them
selves nightly asleep specializing on. 1t be-
comes sacred. If it is myth it brings him
presents all the same. The box Of toys is ex-
changed for book of exciting adventure or
for new suit or game. Here he commences
to count the footprints in the snow. From
year to year it goes on. The myth brings him
trinket, a watch, chain. OFF at school as
the holidays approach he forecasts what Santa
, Claus will bring, although he knows full well
T that his papa is the Santa Claus. He begins
Z soon to make Christmas presents himself, and
: when, man and o father, he sits around
the Christmas board and sees the little ones
! !, wondering and chirruping over the toys on the
: tree, he blesses old Santa Claus still. If o
time comes when the Christmas board is bare
+ and Santa Claus has passed that chamber by
5 and the old man looks dreamily out on the
5 whirling snow, he can see with one glance the
: whole vista of his years. The loneliness is
: gone, for Christmastides Of olden gladness
fash upon his soul and the feast Of memory is
lit, if only for a moment, by their rays
There are reverses to the picture. Santa
Claus, like all the fates, is partial. For all his
/: kindliness he is toady to wealth, to caste, to
fashion. There, in a den on Baxter street, is
group of ill-clad, dirty-faced little children,
who are as ignorant of Santa Claus as Mir
ambo, the King Of Ujowa, is Of Christianity
| The old white-bearded fellow was too busy on
!: the Avenue to leave them o token Of his
! existence. Like Cosette, in Lies Miser-
ables, they may have stared in at the
|, toyshop windows; but no weary-hearted,
! love-longing Jean Vatican was there to buy
them even fve-cent toy. There are the little
. newsboys and newsgirls, running wildly with
] their bundles of papers to and fro, who are in
fidels to the belief in Santa Claus. Look into
: the hospitals, where the pauper patient has
v bodily pain added to the mental on this Christ
: mas Day without its Santa Claus. Look into
the prisons and asylums. Would not the
hardened hearts be better for o sight
E of the old snow-tpped comfort-bringer
/ There are homes for the aged and
the INDECENT where little Christmas cheer
: would make the old hearts young for space
Gaze, if you Will, in upon the inmates of the
!. House OF the Good Shepherd. All you have
}. seen Of shattered homes and widowed hearths
\ and frttered lives will not match this gather
ing. To the eyes of humanity the fallen
! woman is more direct matter for sincere
1 sorrow than all the fallen angels ever cast
\ out Of heaven. The harsh st. Michael
of worldly opinion who fourishes his fiery
J. sword of social disgrace above their heads is
I pitiless as his prototype. But in that House
A of the Good Shepherd may be seen other
: women Of angelic souls who minister to the
: social outcasts who guide the erring feet into
! the right path, who lift up the sin-darkened
brow that the merciful light of God may shine
A upon it. Good people, then, you on whose
D fireside circles this blight has in Gods and