The New York herald., 1876-12-24

invention could fashion the widest fancy desire
Few hands the cunning devices after which
many OF our Christmas toys are modelled. The
frut o Christmas tree is an accu ulaton OF ncon-
gruities. Santa Klaus himself although the embod
ment OF tho spirit OF our modern Christmas has ttic
or no relation 10 the story ofthe Chrstchiid whose
birth II rs the mission OF Christmas 10
commemorate Christmas CUSTOMS as rule.
have noihing TO do with Christmas
Christmas reminded him OF Pan. who had the head of
god, but the noois and tail OF demon. IL Is only
has become he patron SAINT OF the season. and his
characteristics are mostly drawn rom the ST. Ncholas
which old Bishop Moore depicted in his poem Of THE
Night Before Christmas. his tangled hair and beard
she merry twinkle Of his eye, his pack and its con-
tonts his sledge and his deer and his familiarity with
chimney tops all given vitality In that poem and
IL is In itself suggestion II not catalogue, of what
the reporter saw
OUR CHRISTMAS LITERATURE
Our Christmas literature is as incougruous rs arc
our Christmas customs Old George Wither sung OF
Christmas as the time when
Kings and queens poor shecpcotes have.
And mate with everybody;
And %1si:s ~i:s nSm mem play play p.' The 'noady &
This rule still to hold good, and It justines not
only 81 Nicholas and his pack but Santa Klaus and his
cheer OF kind words and good gifts Especially is IL
the OF good gifts to children II is this more
than anything elise that makes Santa Klaus necessity
OF tho event and makes all repeat the carol which
DicKons wrote:-
Then again III sing Till the roof doth ring.
To the silent old night far welcome tonight.
As the King OF the seasons ell.
But the old saint IS not dear to among
Christmas associations the OF Charles Dickens.
How our hearts 60 out TO him every year We shall
never have any to NIL his place writer OF
Christmas stories. "Thc Cricket on tho HEARTH and
'The Chimes are as much part OF our Christmas us
the pine tree and the stocking hung up by the Chin
ney. Since his death We have gone over the old
familiar ground and found new pleasure IN our old
trends number OF writer's have tried 10 oil the
vacuum in holiday literature by writing stories Of
Christmas sights and scenes, but no one
has ever caught tho spirit OF the day as
hc did The arr was filled with the odor OF his plum
puddings feet have danced to the music at Fezz
wigs ball go to, my boys" said Fezzwig, "no
more work tonight Christmas Eve, Dick Christ
mas. Ebenezerl" Who among US has not gone down
the middle with ola Pickwick at DINGHY Dell farm 7
And we have all had turn In that mad dance IN the
"Cricket ON the Hearth" where May and Edward first
had the floor, but were soon followed by John and
and Mrs Dot, and last, but not least, by Caleb and
Tiliy Slowboy. And Christmas dinners! May We
never enjoy anything less than Bob Cratchts goose.
And the pudding! "Halloi great deal OF steam
The pudding out OF the copper smell like a
washing day! That was the cloth! A smell like an
eating house and pastry cooks next door to each
other with laundress next door to that That was tho
pudding" Yo who tomorrow sit down to rousing
plum pudding after all the turkey you could eat aud
every luxury the affords, think OF Bob Cratcht
and his solitary gooae and pack 0askctful OF goodies
larger than his dinner and see you don't feel as we'll
satisfied old Scrooge did after sending tho prize
turkey poor Bob And don't let the day pass with
out reading one Of Dickens Christmas stories; You
will have a kinder feeling toward your fellow mon
when IL Is finished. Do you remember what Fred said
to his uncle Scroogef That he had always thought
OF Christmas as "a good time; kind, forgving,
charitable, pleasant time; the only time know Of IN
the long calendar OF the year when men and women
seem by one consent open their shut up hearts
freely and think or people below them a. II they
really were fellow passengers the grave. and lot
another race Of creatures bound another journey"