The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-12-25

The light of the day on which our Say,
ior's birth is celebrated dawns upon oul
world, and while at all times it becomes
us to dwell in our thoughts upon thai
wonderful advent, let us initiate as fal
as possible, his divine ~cllarity-doing
good to others as he has done good to us
Well! this is pleasant. Seated in al
old arm chair this December evening
by a table heaping full of Christmas
books and toys. A good sized hickory
log is swapping and blazing On the
hearthstone, tossing a shower of sparks
and a roaring sheet of flame up the
chimney. Very easy to forget the cold
wind without and the binding snow
flakes. Hark! a dull, rumbling noise,
faint at first, then louder and yet louder
What can it be? Down the chimney
with a rush, and on the floor with q
bound, d~ropsahuge fur-clad, rosy-faced,
white-haired gentleman !; old to be sure,
yet jolly.
"Why, Santa Claus, how are you |?
Never have seen You before, but know
you by your pictures. Be seated"
He laughed a ringing laugh which
made the walls echo, but said nothing.
He knocked the ashes out of his pipe,
and then advancing gave a blow, intend
ing to show his cordiality, but a trife
too emphatic to be pleasant.
REALLY, Santa Claus, this is rather an
intrusion. Every mans house is his
castle, and the unbidden guest is rarely
welcome"
"All right" he said, with a knowing
nod, "my business is to visit care-worn
people, and make them asmerry-hearted
as little children, during this bright
Christmas season.
Then-Would you believe it ?-then he
gave the candle a sudden puff, and out
it went. The room was lit only by the
glaring light from the burning wood up
on the Fireplace. "Look!" cried Santa
Claus. Lot he had thrown upon the
wall a picture, beautiful beyond the
dream of the greatest artist. Another,
and another, and another-and / gazed
in rapture, sometimes laughing, some
times weeping, filed with strange emo
tons. So life-like were the colors; and
the figures sometimes movedand spoke.
"a little bedroom; in it a mammoth
crib, where two curly-headed children
were sleeping sWeetly.
The lights burning dim, and by it
you can see a slowly moving figure
Santa Claus himself. See him as he
seizes a child's stocking by the MANTLE
piece, and crowds into it-don't wake,
dear children-a top, a ball, a package
of bon-bons, a drum, a pop-gun, a doll,
Noal's ark, and eyer so many things
besides. Wonderful how much a child's
stocking will hold on Christmas eve!
Wait till morning comes, and you will
hear a shout of triumph from a pair of
young Threats. Then, a grandly furn-
ished parlor, none too good for such a
family to gather in on Christmas.
A happy family, and in numbers equal
to the ol~d-fashioned pattern.
The tree, which reaches from floor to
ceiling, is in all its glory, with its can
dies, its silver balls, and rows of orna-
mentalpop-corn, whileits branches hang
with oranges, apples, and with such Gu
rious fruit as books, and boxes, startling
toys and candies of all colors, Never
was such a tree, never! THAT was the
family verdict. What a clapping Of
hands, what a shout of joy, even baby
joins in, and what an inpromptu dance
around the tree on the part of the young
er members of the flock. How quickly
did the picture fade-then change into
another. How full of contrasts is this
strange, eventful life OF ours! Only a
step from smiles to tears, from mirth to
sadness.
"a sick-room, and on the couch was a
pale-faced girl, about eight years of age.
Very sick she seemed. Father and
mother were bending over the little one
tenderly, brushing away the gathering
tears. A little boy was trying to push
his way to get-a view Of his dear sister.
"Mother, isthis Christmas morning a.
asked the sick child.
Yes, DEAR was the reply.
"0h, / am so glad that / have lived to
see it. 1t tells me that Jesus was once
i child. He loves the children, for lie
blessed them and | shall go and see
him il / die. Shall mot, dear mother?p
\ Yes, yes, dear child.' DRAW aside the
curtain and let the light enter" It was
done; but a brighter light than that of
day came streaming through the VIM
dow-a holy, peaceful, heavenly light
and bore ON its beams a faint sound like
that of mingled harps and voices. IT
fell upon the child, and another house
hold light faded, as fades the morning
star Iii the light Of heaven.
Then Isaw a church filled witlra large
congregation. The Gothic walls and
pillars are trimmed with many d green
wreath. The platform is filled with
children who have longed to see this
day. AT the signal, up they rise, and
sing with voices which sweetiy ring and
echo one Of those old-time carols, which
are as full of music rs when first heard.
1T was good to see those smiling faces,
and to hear those childish voices as they
sung of Him who was once the 4 babe Of
Bethlehem
N What isthisg Al comic Dictnre. dear