The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-12-26

rors of war were suspended by melodies
which were thought to be delightful.
The beautiful custom of adorniug houses
with evergreens during the Christmas holi
days is ascribed to various causes. Those
who have taken the christian view of the
matter refer TO those expressions SO fie-
quent!y met with in the propkctical wri.
tings, where green boughs are spoken Of
as ornaments of the sanctuary and signs
of rejoicing. Others have affirmed that
the custom had a pagan origin and refer
to the beautiful druidical custom uf hang
ing up in the house boughs Of green 10
which the wood spirits might resort to
shelter them from the nipping blasts of
winter
Christmas out door sports possess a char
acter of their own-fully appreciated by
all those who have shared their delights.
Who does not remember with enthusiasm
many sleigh ride over the smooth snow,
when the influence of the cold wind was
met and overcome by the warm glow of
the heart. There is no element so power
full to combat with winter frost and snow
as real cOntentment, and to him whose
heart is weary and restless, all the fires OF
Nesuvius would prove insufficient. But
at Christmas every one is filed with an ex-
ultamt glow and the cold air is rather re-
veled in than otherwise.
One of the specialities OF Christmas DAY
in Olden times was the Christmas pie,
which was often composed of fish. flesh
and fowl. In the reign of Henry III, the
sheriff of Gloucester was once ordered bv
that monarch to procure twenty salmon,
ten peacocks aud ten brawns,'' for Christ
mas pies. The peacock was only produced
at solemn and chivalric banquets, such as
that of Christmas. and when thus served
up-with gilded beak and plumed crest,
his head appearing at one end of the pie
and his tail at the other. spread out III all
its glOry-was carried in state into the hall.
to the sound of minstrelsy, by the lady
most distinguished for birth and beauty,
the other ladies following in due order.
Hail, all hail the joyous morn;
Tell it forth from earth to heaven.
That to us a child is born,
That to a son is given.
Angels, bending from the sky.
Chanted at the wondrous birth:
''Glory be to God on high.
Peace-goOd will TO man on earth
Join we in our feeble lays,
To the chorus of the sky:
And, in songs of grateful praise,
Glory give to God on high.
One of the first problems the young
scholar sets himself to discover is what
day of the week Christmas falls on. See
ing that a little disappointment ensues
upon the accident Of the 25th of Decem-
Der falling on Sunday, it soon became a
question in the nursery how often the event
viii happen. Confning himself 70 the
present century, the child finds that be-
tween 1900 and 1900, Christmas day occurs
on Sunday fifteen times, and during the
hundred years it happens thrice lin 1920,
1S40 and 1876 that leap year causes Christ
mas day to Jump from Saturday TO Non
day. 1t viii be nine ) ears before the holi-
day falls again on Sunday. After the nine
years the intervals are six years, five years.
six years, eleven years, and so on a. long
as the century holds out but the occur
renee of .he centenary spOils the order,
there being no bisseXtile for eight years at
the end Of each century.