Middletown transcript., 1873-12-25
Christians in aspaiu.

A =
in which ehildres srs mt SOD happ9 ~
the promise of ths somise ChsiaS.
But in every couatry the festival = sai)t&
BY . different name. ssd h pssst1
scpiss is painted siih diSsssns ssesasos
and manner. You know I'll sbouS or 49,
Dutch Santa Clause. With biz s1fsMs
twinklins eyes. his frosty beard. VI se6iy
face and the bag Of treasures vttt uhleb
be comes tumblins dosn shs ehiunvy 4
while bis team Of reindeer snort sad sssRt
on the icy roof. The English Chsisssaas
Is equally well-known. and the wsadsss =
the German mirscle-iree. the assi u et1Gb
no child ever forgets. But yca ~. ~
haps. mot 30 familiar wi,h tho spiris ~ ~
tlesss season Of advent 10 SoutbGu -.
rope, and 50 I will tell you soms A. shs
pleasures aud iansies of the spssisb Cbsiss-
msa. -.
Tho good cheer which il briggs svey.
where Is especially evident in Spsis. rh<J
are frugal people; ssd mssy essd
Spanish family is supported BY lsss thaa
the waste Of a household on Murray Hill.
Blu. there is no sparing .t Christssas
This 10 season 40 fatal to turkeys y
Thanksgiving in New England. The Co.
,ilian farmers drive ,hcm iate MsdsM y
great drevss. which they conduc, fron dor
to door, making the dim old strssts ~
with their scarlet wattlss. aud noisy wish
obstrepcrsus gabblius Bu, tho hcadqusrs
tiers Of the marketing during those dsys
are in the Plaza Mayor. where every ~
ric,y Of fruit aud provision 10 sold. Thew
is nothing more striking than those vuss
heaps of fresh golden oranges. pluctsd ths
day before 10 the groves OF Audalusis. .uuis
from Granada. and dates. from Africa; every
favor aud color Of tropical fruissgcs and
in the stalls beneath the gloomy arches,
the butchers drive their Hourishing trade.
All is gay and joyous -chafTcring and jet.
ing. greeting of friends aud ii,ling Of basts
ats. The sky is win'ry bn, tie grnsnd il
rudy and rich with the fruits II sunl,n,sr
At night the whole city turns out into
the streets. The youths and maiJeus cf
the poorer class 60 trooping through the
town with .amboriues, csstsnets and guitars
singing aud dancing. Every one has dit.
fersnt song to sui, his own state Of mind.
The women sing love aud religion. sai
many Of the men can sing nothing better
than politics. But tho part which the chill
aren take in the festival bears . curiou.
resemblance to those time-honorsd ccrs-
monies No all remember The as-ucis-
,ions Of Christmas in Spain are sfl II ,hs
Gospel. There is no northern ST. Mex
there to stuff the stockings Of good cbildrss
with rewards Of merit. Why, then, on
Christmas eve do you soc the little shoes
exposed by the windows aud doors? Tss
wise kings Of tha East are supposed 10 be
journeyng BY nigh, to Bethlehem. bearing
gfss and homage to the heavenly child asd
out Of their abundance. when they pass BY
the houses where good children sleep. they
will drop into their shoes some Of The treas-
urcs they are bearing to the Baby Pris.r
in Judca, This thought 10 never sbrtns
from the rcjoicings Of Chris.mas-tids ia
Spain. Every hour o! the time 10 sacred to
Him who came to bring peace asd good.
will to the world. The favorile toy " slss
sessen is called "Thc Nativity" Ii il ssnse-
times very elaborate aud costly, rcptssehs-
ting landscape under starry uigh; thc
shepherds watching their iocks; the maei
coming in with wonder snd awo. sud ths
Child in tho stable, shedding upoB tlm
darkness that living light which wsst su
oversprond the world john Hiy ia ~.
| Nicholas for January. -