The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-24
RETURN OF THE HOLIDAYS.
TOMORROW Is CHRISTMAS.
An, tomorrow IL Christmas
The light breezes blow;
The light breezes whistle
As onward they go;
All Ia rranrraN Ia ChristmaA.
CHRISTMAS IN THE PAST.

In the days Of old Rome, at the Satur-
MALTA, or festival in honor of Saturn, held
in the middle of December, the slaves
freedom in all games, amusements, and fes-
rivals. The festival was sort of harvest
home, when oil of the fruits of the earth
ware garnered. and it was regarded as
period of relaxation and unrestrained mer-
riment. Business of all kinds was sus.
pended. The law courts and schools were
closed. The slaves were exempted from
ordinary labor, and permitted to wear the
"pileus," or badge of freedom. They
partook of banquet, dressed in the clothes
Of their masters, while the latter waited
upon them at the table. The festival was
intended to call to mind the happy times
the Golden Age spoken of by the poets
when in very ancient ages Saturn regned
and there was perfect equality and unal-
loyed happiness among mortals. In the
method of the festival there was some
resemblance to the Italian Carnival and the
Christmas holidays in the Christian Church.
The poet says Of the last month of the
year: 49,
Though IN December frost asserts Its reign,
Yet in the kindly bosom of old Earth
1ho sccuo ia hOae uAO hOuih 'hSN' tNon sho
Born in his masters house. has freedom full.
And f. asts from dishes by his master served.
So to recall the ha ppy Golden Age
When Saturn reigned, and all the earth was
full
OF joyous people,"
The early Saxons called December sim
ply winter month; but the Christian
Anglo-Saxon named it Holy month,
because the festival of Christmas, in COM
memoration of the birth Of Christ, occurred
in this month. In the old times OF the
Saxon era in the history of England, and
far down toward our day, the great Christ
mas festival made December the most
cherished month Of the twelve in the
hearts and minds of Christian men and
women in that realm. 1t was season Of
great Joy, of merrv-making and feasting
among all classes Of people, from the mon
arch to the peasant. English literature, in
prose and verse, is full of descriptions of
the scenes Of the festival, when friends
and ,ighbors gathered at the board. and
part, OK of good cheer of every sort. The
spirit of the time was Swallowed in this
verse of an old song:
Now Christmas Is come,
Let us beat up the drum,
And call our neighbors together;
And when they appear,
Let US make them such cheer
AS will keep out the wind and the weather.
Another says:
Then we'll may we welcoms old Christmas to
town,
Who brings us good cheer and liquor so brown;
To pass the cold winter away with delight,
We feast 1t all day and we frolic all night
ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
The following interesting incident is re-
lated in an exchange by one who, on
Christmas night of 1871, sat beside Horace
Greeley in Steinway Hall, during the per-
Torrance of Handel's Messiah. During
most of the evening Mr.. Greeley sat appa-
rently lost in thought, if not in doze, and
seemingly oblivious to all that was going
on. But when Miss Kellogg appeared and
sang the great soprano solo, II know that
my Redeemer liveth," he reused up, his
face was sufiused with joy, his bright eye
was dimmed with tear, and he listened
with that steady earnestness so peculiar
to him when interested. When it was
finished, no hands more loudly applauded
than his, no face beaEed forth greater sat
isfaction, and he murmured to himself
those grandest of all the words Of the
world, 81 know that my Redeemer liveth."
Then again came the absent, preoccupied
look nor did it change until Miss Sterling
sang the contralto recitative, "Then shall
be brought to pass the saying that is
written, Death is swallowed up in victory"
when the same joyous look lighted up his
face. Less than a year from that time,
while he lay YEARLY on his bed of pain,
the old light came back as he muttered,
II know that my Redeemer liveth," and
shortly after his spirit passed from earth.
A few days later, at the funeral of Horace
Greeley, Miss Kellogg again sung, with
touching pathos, II know that my Re-
deemer liveth."
CHRISTMAS NOTES.
Germany is the great toy-making nation
of the world.
The Germans call Christmas :" the chill
dren's festival"
Franco discards Christmas trees. They
are of German origin.
A Christmas tree costs little and fur
nishes great enjoyment for the little ones.
Every family should have one.
Make some of the poor happy for day
at least. Their misery is harder to bear
than ever at Christmas time.
In some cities it is the custom of the
husband to receive his friends on Christ
mas day and the vile on New Year.
Girls, have mercy, and don't all of you
give your beaux slippers. Remember
that each fellow has only one pair of feet.
Above all things, keep in a good humor
on Christmas, fathers and mothers. Let
nothing disturb the enjoyment of the day.
The general custom Of decorating the
churches and houses with evergreens is de-
seconded from the Druids. They believed
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