The New York herald., 1873-12-25


But our modern Cosettes are not half SO easily
they must have the dois house, her china set. her
that can tickle the dolls vanity or meet
her presumed necessities. As 10 that vanity
Miss MacBride" In miniature. She insists
upon having her city house and her summer villa.
she must have her parors hung around with real
Her china II ifdiminutive, must be genuine, and her
dresses, II ditto, must be IA the latest fashion,
false view OF life. IL teaches them that there is
suffering in the world-only wealth and luxury:
be given. Suppose that some soured Caleb PLUM
mer would reproduce IN toy the horrors OF ten
would display the dirty rags that make the bed on
the noor-the rags with the bones In them that try
to find rest In them o. nights-all the poverty and
squaor and wretchedness OF the scene. Would the
in by the children Would they shudder at tne
open their little hearts In dual stream OF pity and
charity Perhaps so, perhaps not. Wealth and
poverty rarely understand one another. For the
rest, Childhood Is not the interpreter to bring
Having settled with the children let us see how
CHRISTMAS DAY WAS CELEBRATED
by the men OF New Amsterdam. We are not speak,
Ing here the who ruled this city alter 1874,
and the Englishman drove the Dutch for good out
OF Fort Amsterdam. But we are speaking OF those
glory; when the bakers gave Is good honest loaves
to the dozen; when fddles and hddlers were IN
nigh repute and when cherry brandy, true hol-
Let us give picture or Christmas Day In lC6o.
To do that one must first fancy one Of those quaint
old houses, high r1dged but with slowly sloping
roois with the social stoops and the low, project
ing caves beneath which, in fair weather. the soliu
blrghers were wont to congregate at twilight TO
smoke their long pipes and to discuss the price OF
bearskne and the chances OF the connecticut colo
nists to enter their town. But II % Is inside ,aS the
There the good rr0ic is IN all her glory. Suppose
that 1t is in The forenoon. White capped and bare
lnttn in Crffn nf hn
She s. '' and her daushterss are busy sprink-
ling the floor with the whitest sand
fantastic curves, Furnishing the huge oaken chest
that stands in the parlor, filled with the cherished
homemade linen, and scruDblng until they look
ladies' never exposed except on Christmas, New
Years. whirsuntde and such FEAST days.
Amsterdam like his successor, OF New York, dimes
at home on Christmas Day. The house has been
lighted up with the huge candlestcks; the Holland
cupboard is bright against the wall; the house
linen is as pure and as clean as the good woman
can make II and the brass nails o. 1.-the the straight r
monds. Where is the good man In the mean time ?
Just this time on the Commons or at'Beekman's
watching the youngsters contest for the prize
turkeys He has been doing his best to be the first
neighbors; and now, may be, he is swelling in re.
collections how he used to shoot when he was
young. Old fashioned comfort was the mot
the step at night. Then, after the Christmas din
ner, II Mynheer be patriarch, he smokes his long
pipe among crowd Of dancing children and |
grandchildren, ana, he listens to the squeak OF
the fiddle, thanks old Stuyvesant from his heart,
Tor the music OF the catgut-
And so the holy day was kept until that dreary |
time Tor
ALL TRUE BORN KNIcKERBocKERs
when the Dutch forces marched out OF the FORT |
and the Lngllsh flag was run up over the Stadt |
Auys-to stay there century or trife over.
Every one knows that St. Nicholas Is no friend Of |
war; and 1t Is not strange, therefore, that the |
aarums OF the drum and the shrill terrors OF the |
Warlke NE irightenea ne ora geaaieHien t away
were settling their little matters together. The
tiny reindeer were not heard so regularly on the
the big fireplace. Christmas languished from 1904
when the town was first taken to 1874, when 1t
was finally ceded to the English. Fortunately,
however, the English were great sticklers for
Ch istmas. They reared 1t high up and made many
20 IT, onS tS nee
says an old writer-"must all die-ior in II days
multitude Of people VIII not be fed with little.
Now plums and spice, sugar and honey square 1t
among pies and broth. Now or never must music
be in tune, for the youth must dance and sing to
The country maid leaves half her market, and
must be sent again.; II she iorgets PACK OF cards
on Christmas Eve."
cestors kept their Christmas-wlth solid purpose
OF getting the most out OF the day. They found
and G greater latitude to it. Mynheer donned his
longest wasted coat his largest mapped vest with
ber OF pairs OF preeches and smoked his longest
pipe HIS children sang in the language they knew,
and he lett his new friend to honor the day as he
preferred. Oi something the descendants OF both |
have reason to be thankful. Both Mynheer Van /
Something and English John, kept up the fires on |
PEELED TO remake the alphabet Of reverence and
then learn to spell In 1t. All that we need Tor
s that we snail transfer 1t as bright TO the chill.
dren who come alter us
And, right here, 1t may be well to see
HOW WE KEEP CHRISTMAS
or course, there Is deal OF German silver where |
before there was the genuine article. OF course,
too, that Is not FAULT exclusively 1t is pretty
SIMPLE .no on 1Ss Christmas and Day than
we are usually. But are we sufficiently simpler |
Do we aim to see only that which Is so hallowed |
and gracious In this timer Or do We, even on that
day sacred to the Arcnetype OF humility, swell and |
strut like the Junonian peacocks Pdter:ranffds
and mis- turkey the latest in his square. Mater. |
laAtds declares within herself that her Christmas
tree shan be the handsomsst among all the neigh
critical Perhaps we ought to remember, as
Things change their titles manners turn
we may possibly be blaming ourselves for what is |
days OF the Van Twilers and the Van Dams and II |
we spend more upon our children than they were I
won't do upon theirs, it is fair 70 suppose that
ia not mere ostentation, but multiplied Incomes,
that make up the difference, Suppose, then. we |
drop the mask OF Ponathea, and hasten to admit |
that among the most touching memorials ever |
rendered to Christmas is that sweet procession Of
children, who leaving tneir warm beds, and hav-
creep, with loving STEP to
THAT SOLEMN ByD,i
wherein papa and mamma are awaiting their |
little ones on Christmas morning, and where these,
with many loving and touching gesture receive
the kiss that, Of all that earth can give, Is the
sweetest and the sofest-fOr does 1t not fall upon
the dear little children from parents who hold
them to be the most precious OF earth's jewess
For these children that bed Is the first altar Of the
day. They have-with what eagerness let all VINO
have been children remember-secured their treas
ures, taken up the lighter ones and dragged the
heavier ones, and gone TO hear what papa and
mamma have TO say OF the wonders Santa Claus
has brought to them. or all the thrones in the
world this bed on Christmas morning Is the most
honored. What throne is as strong as itf What
king and queen tender, yet as imperious, as
its occupantsf What subjects are as reverent as
those wno softly purrfng, lay their love and child
ish pride before themY What service is more
radiant and more joyful?
ssNow capons and hens, besides turkeys, - chrrups
in the old writer whom we have quoted above. All
thou smple-minded man, we have turned over a
new leaf since thy time Thou has placed turkeys