The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-12-20

C IL r IST Nj 4 s.


fore another issue of our paper, and
we are forced to offer our greetings
to Santa Claus a few days in advance
of his coming. Good, kind old Santa
Claus! No muddle in politics, no
stress of weather or general gloom
and foreboding will prevent his COM
ing. Let US then for the while
throw off the cloak of onr cares and
give him reception worthy of his
benignity and fidelity in coming
again despite our adversities and
troubles. 1t is not every friend that
sticks to MS at all times and under
all circumstances. Let US then cele-
brate the advent Of Santa Claus by
DOMINIC our best "bib and tucker
and resolving that for one day in the
year we will drown all our cares in
the flowing bowl ofegg nog.
For the young folks he will doubt
less come provided with the many
toys and gimcracks that delight and
please the young and pure hearts, and
their joy in looking into the full
stockings hung to the bed post or
chimney corner will be equalled by
his pleasure in seeing their bright
faces and listening to the prattle Of
their precious voices, when on Christ
mas morning they empty out on the
bed or hearth rug, the contents Of
those wonderful stockings. 1t will
make his old heart glad and his Cir
die shake with merriment to see
them beating their drums, blowing
their horns and popping their crack
ers that he had slipped down the
chimney the night before to put in
their stockings. And when the lit.
tie miss turns her dolly round and
round to gaze first at her blue eyes
that open and shut, her ringlets, ear
rings and beads or displays one after
another the beauties of her tea sett,
as she unpacked it from it's box with
the sliding lid, then the countenance
of old Santa Claus will beam and
glow with pride in his pets and
darlings. Happy old Santa Claus!
Every good boy is his protege and
every good girl is his pet. If amid
the scene Of frolic and fun Santa
Claus should just once shake his grey
locks rehectively and wish that he was
a boy again, with no knowledge of
the hereafter and no aspirations not
fully satisfied by the toys and bau-
bles he had so lavishly distributed
the night before, can you blame him
for it?
But for all that, the day has its
charms for the old as it has its plea
sures for the young. Mama knows
that when the family assemblies
around the dinner table she has big
turkey all baked and stuffed, and a
generous round plum pudding, flank
ed with the pies and other substan-
tials and delicacies that will make
her contribution to the pleasures of
The day no insignificant affair; and
as they gather around the hospitable
board Papa looks around and counts
lis treasures that the riches of the
world can not buy, and he hugs to
lis bosom the knowledge that they |
ire his-that the world owes him a !
lebt for what he has done and is do
ng to make it better and nobler and |
lie sits down a happy and contented
nan.
And then when the day is gone
md night has thrown her shadow
'ver the world and all gather around
he log fire that cracks and sparkles
Is it plays its part in the Christmas
holiday, let Papa and Mama tell the
ioung folks how eighteen hundred
md seventy-six years ago the Christ
hat came to redeem wicked world, !
vas born in a manger in Bethlehem
If Judea, and how he lived to make
| better world and died on the cross
or its sins.
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