New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-18
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EVrRYDAY GIVING.

The story of q Christmas gilJ maze TWO
years ago comes to us in time to carry its
meaning to such of our readers as have no
money to give away. lady travelling III
Europe in 1871 was taken by her friends to
visit small asylum in the South of France
for poor and deformed children, where good
Protestant pastor and his wife took them in,
reared them. with the tenderness of father
and mother, and taught them occupations by
which they could 1T the proper age earn their
own living. The American was very
much interested and touched, and re-
NAMED for a week in the little farm
house studying closely the management of the
pupils. After tho FrancO-Prussian war, she
learned, by chance item in a newspaper, that
in consequence of the poverty of the people
the asylum, which had depended on voluntary
contributions, must soon be closed and its
HELPLESS inmates turned adrft on the world.
She had no money, and, indeed, no thought
of obtaining any, but in the fllllness of her
sympathy she wrote a description of her visit
to the asylum for one of the magazines. The
story of the old pastor and his lifes labor of
love, told with the simplicity and magnetism
of real feeling, was read by man of great
wealth in this city, and few months later,
about Christmas time, the lady who told it
heard that through her means the asylum was
endowed with a sum which would support it
for at least two years longer. She had not
known as none Of us can know, how great
harvest few kindly words would yield
After all, the scarcity of money in these
days, when the temptation is so strong to spend
it, may be of use if it reminds us how much
81; xub; bty
from us or pay us for. Christmas is but poor
matter, landlords holiday, if its charity lies
only in st. Nicholas's sack, in turkeys, pud
dings, OF pretty tililes sent with a card and
the best wishes Of the season. it is the love,
the recognition of human brotherhood be-
meath, that gives these things weight or value,
and the making of presents is but one of the
thousand ways of uttering this love and kin
ship. Few of us can express them as did the
woman Of orr story, but we all have tongues.
The best of all ways, perhaps. is i'll our habit
ual everyday voice and manner in the house
and street. 1t will not count for much TO a
mans wife and children if he heap costly furs
or Jewels on them on Christmas morning and
come down to breakfast every day in the year
with a snarl and q scowl, or stiff, cold civil
ity. There are men who make a fetish or
loss if you please, Of their newspaper or the
report of the Stock Exchange, and who come
in reality no nearer TO their children than If
they were South Sea Islanders. There are
initiative men who go through life talking
in false tone, laughing in false key,
apng some miserable model of gentil-
ity or propriety. How much of their
real selves do they give to any
human beingY Whether we have lean or
full pocket-book on Christmas morning, We
may set out with one rule Tor the next year,
that every man owes to his family, and to
every passing stranger, straightforward look,
simple genuine manner, and cheerful
voice. He has no right to insult and burden
his neighbor with his troubles. A happy face
Oh the street is u benson to every stranger that
looks Mt it.
We can give too through the year justice
and consideration to the people whom we EN-
ploy. Women, more than men, need this hint.
Your small housekeeper nags and stints wash
erwoman and cook for twelve long months,
gives them q calico dress ct Christmas, and