The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-12-23
Christmas IS Eerel

WISH all Tie pdtrOHS VI LHc
a pleasant andjoyfdlseason oft. The
shop windows give indication that,
although times are hard, there will be
no want of attraction 10 relieve the
pockets of old and young Of whatlit-
tie change they mayhaEe left 10 the
youngsters especially this is always a
joyous season; and to see them en-
Toying themselves, does even an cold
foggy" good, and makes bis mind run
with the Poet in imagination, when
he exclaims:
"Methlnks I've cast fniltwenty years aside,
And am a boy asaIn!"
The holiday season is specially con-
secrated by long custom, to the do
mestic charities and affections-to the
comforting o Fights and to the kindly
interchange of courtesies among
friends and neighbors. May all our
patrons enjoy a merry Christmas
and may they live to welcome many.
such seasons, Without anything to
mar their happiness, or cast a gloom
over their prospects with each return
of the day. Is sr1
How the stirring years do fleet
away. 1t seems but yesterday, as it
were, since school boy days, when
Christmas and New Years were look
ed forward to as an epoch and the
events of the chimney corner and the
august descent of "Santa Clans" were
enough to fill our hearts and minds
to the brim of intense and trembling
rapture; and now there arc thos c at!
our knees whose eyes dance and
whose voices ring out in glad shouts
of laughter when we tell them that
oft repeated story Of :
=The night before Christmas, when all thro' the
N house
Not a. creature was stirring, not even a mouse"
Christmas is a household word.
The children and domeSticcs; the par
eitts and guests; abe stranger within
our gates,s all shout the @Merry
christmas morn, as the snn-the
blessed sun. rfses,fn spIendor over a
world of gladness and gratitude. We
tfejoice and feel generous; we give.
each of his little store some token to
make glad anotllers heart, and we
think after all how poor the gift COM
pared with that wliich'the Savior gave
us, when he sweat drops of blood, and
prayed in his last expiring agonies for
the forgiveness of his enemies, and
sealed the sacred mission ofhis life or
earth with the blood which purifies
the world he came to'savc. In all the.
broad realms which have seen the
FHghfofC Christian teachings in Europe,
Asia, America, or the favored spots
IofseId 0ceaRsssunay Uses, Christmas
bis halted With reverence and JOY by.
lie old and young, and the dignity of
profound gratitude mingleswith the
gentle impulses of social life ; so that
religion, as it oughteEer to be, is in
INTO tile hourly urse
OF the fireside as well as the solemn
RITES 1offlie Cathedral aitaf, or tie.
humber prisons in, the lowliest chap
eis Thes Imposing midnight mass,
and the gleefal shouts of the merry
child with, It's Christmas gifts, alike.
bespeak for the day IN imperishable
importance in the hearts of humani-
ty. We bless each happy return of
Christmas-day in our personal histo-
rfes, for aside from the dignity of its
holier memories, it is entwined with
those dear recofiectfons ofthe realm
of cur youthful reign, when no care.
came to embitter the cup of II ear-
lier days: vs. bless it, too, as identi-
fled with the religion Of our fathers
and our country. We bIess,it as The
memorial of the proclamation of
@peeaee and good will to men, and we
feel stirring within us. a thrill of joy
ous imagining: almost like the voice
of proFhetieeyision, which tells of the
coming years, when "alfanations, peo-
pies and tongues and tribes will
bless the name of the Martyr of
Mount Calvary. and Sing a song of
gratitude upon the anniversary ofhis
miraculous advent: Inspired with
such hopes and-cherishing such me-
mories, We bid o,ir patrons and all the
world a "MEREY, MERRY CHRISTMAS"
and impIore for them many a happy
return ofthis day in the years of the
yelled future.
D.