The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-12-30
2Ox3O.
It is Christmas day.

1t is Christmas day.
Before the stars had ceased to twinkle
in the winter sky, we had heard read,
the GOOD tidings OF great joy" brought
to the sheperds; ''for this day is born to
you Savior, who is Christ the Lord, in
the city OF David"
Now with the holy influences Of the
daysaround US, and it old memories, JOY
full and sad, like eager guests, crowding
into the chamber of our heart, we wait,
On the confines of the old year to well
come the new into our kindom, 2Ox3O
and rentedleven at that. What shall it
bring to Us? Shall our kingdom be dis
turbed by internal strife or shall love and
peace rule therein.
Your kingdom reader may be larger
than ours or it may be smaller. 1t may
be 30x40 or only AXIS. But you have
kingdom; and a republic combined !;
for all the citizens of this little kingdom !;
that four walls enclose and that we call
heme-are sovereigns, the smallest and
most unwise citizens, as 1t frequently
happens, being the greatest sovereign
and a tyrant withal.
What shall the new year bring to our
kingdom, to your kingdom. peace or
strife, love or hate, happiness or unhap-
piness?
All, who can tell you may answer, for
the curtain of the future is down. al
ways down, and amid its shadOws,-to
become the realities OF lS76,-may Turk,
pale death, to enter your home or ours,
even when homes sun rays are warm
and bright. to chill it into winter.
Yet, think you, that He who, in mercy
has hidden the future from US, has given
us no armor to shield us from it's blows?
that He who has made home sanctuary
has left it without a guard?
There is home armor that the blows of
fate render but more polished and chaste
l. e. family unity there is home guard
that even death cannot conquor-love,
and when its fatal shaft has sped true to
its mark and the gray head lies low, or
young eyes lose the light that was
perpetual sun beam 10 parents heart,
the angel OF love with gentle ministry.
sooths the mourner's grief, and points to
4 heaven.
And thisangel ever awaits to be in
vited to enter our homes no matter how
small their measurement may be or how
humble their surroundings. 1t blesses
equally the stately mansion and log cab
in.
A very little thing can attract it; a
pleasant word, kind act, cheer full
laugh; rs their opposites. 4 surly word
rude act. an angry scowl, can scare it
away. All trifles you think, yes, trifles
but the great surging ocean in its har-
monious whole is made up of trtles, of
drops OF water. Trifles make up the
sum of human happiness, especially home
tritles and it is of this little independent
kingdom, 20 80 or 1t x IS, we are
thinking,
A fig for our big neighbor. the world,
let it buster and storm as it will, il the
affairs ofthe home government are in a
healthy state.
Here is a trifle. u home tritle. an
every day trife-a kind word--Fa,her
ormother son or daughter. brother or
sister, put it in the place of the angry.
sullen word when the latter rises to your
lips. acquire the habit o. doing so and
before the chimes have rung out the
year 1876, you will have brought about
moral revolution in your home and the
angel of love shall swell therein. Let
each Of us, in cheerful spirit, well
come the new year with the good resolve
of attending more closely to the interests
oi.our little kingdem, 20 K so. in placing
il on q peace footing; the peace OF God
that so it. may be the sanctuary of our
hottest affections.
But to carry out this good resolve we
must not depend upon our own strength
which is only weakness, but upon Him
whose coming was announced to the
shepherds. "ior this day is born to uoy
a Saviour. who is Christ the Lord, in
the city of Dvaid.-
STEVENS COUNTY.
We have received several letters. ask