Lincoln County advocate. (Canton, Dakota Territory, [S.D.]) 1876-1877, 1877-01-03
"1HE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
A Christmas Eve Chat with the
u AK gaty4 Children.
. Z. ~ ~ a5.aHy
"a Merry. Merry Christmas y


shops and avenuesl Such loads II
bundles packages that feel Just lite
Christmas presents il you happen to
jostle them, and parcels fragrant Of
confectionery. All the little gifts that
have been. left to the last have been
purchased to-day, and most people
have expended their every dollar in
presents for some one whom it would
be unkind to forget. Nearly every
person is tonight employed with an
o occupation which makes him happy
all seem to be in q hurry; but their
haste does not make them cross. The
throng may push, and feet may be
frozen standing in the cold, but none
lose patience; for beneficial feelings
are shining out like the "star in the
east" and faith, hope and love are
making hearts too happy tonight for
anything but pleasant action. Ill tenn.
per and selfshness stand apart to.
night. Sorrow and grief must hush
their cries for this evening
Without the door let sorrow lie,
And if for cold it haps to die,
Well bury it in q Christmas pie;
And evermore be merry !" l
Our households are far merrier than
the crowds in the stores and streets.
The children are hilarious, both the
older who have piled away school
books, and are not to be terrified by
gnarled example or puzzled with
French exercise for a week or more;
and the little folks who are trimming
over with Joy at the prospect of to.
morrow's revelations. Even the infants
the wee babies-seem to laugh more
sweetly, and look more dewy in their
slumber. Surely this is the eve when
babyhood is blessed !
Almost every home is verify given
over to the spirit of the times. There
is wonderful odor from the kitchen
that is spicy and savory, and convinc.
ing that extraordinary dishes are in
preparation. The drawing.room is
beautiful in its Christmas dress. The
dining room looked never so cheerful.
The chambers have each some token
that Christmas has come: and the
closets-let no one explore tonight
into their darkness and mystery. The
place where there are the most pleas.
ant associations will be the room
where the stockings will be hung. 1t is
Of no consequence if there is no open
fireplace there, Perhaps there is q
stove or furnace.register. Santa Claus
will make his way out for all that. He
has not been creeping through chin.
neys all these years for nothing. OF
course the children must be put to bed
somewhat earlier, where he has to
take down stove pipes and pull out
registers. Now the merry time for the
children begins. They shall have the
second piece Of pie; their tea and cof'
fee little stronger than ordinarily, and
sit up an hour later than usual through
the holiday week.
Well dance and sing and make good
cheer, .r.-
For Christmas comes but once year"
Draw up the great armchair before
the open CRATE, and gather the children
for a cosy talk in the freight. Let
them sit elose together, like so many
larks, the babies on your knee, and the
larger boys and girls over the arms Of
the old rocker. First, talk over that
story, nearly nineteen hundred years
old, of the child who was born in
manger, and was Graded am ong the
stabbed beasts. The neighing horses,
stamping in their restlessness, gave but
rude welcome to the worlds great
gift, as it lay, pillowed in the hay ! The
story Of the birth of the Saviour, so
simple that the youngest may be told
tonight why Christmas is the day Of
gifts how Christ was the gift to the
world-that legacy Of Faith Hope, and
Love
After supper these children must
hang up their stockings and be off to
bed early, and off to sleep too-not
lying with one eye open, for Santa
Claus will not appear until he hears
them snoring. What ears the old fel'
low hasl He can hold his head over
the top Of the chimney, and discover if
the children are really asleep or play.
ing postum. He makes quick work OF
filling the stockings, afterhs has jump
ed down the chimney with that big
bag of toys, and with the "useful pres.
ents" tied in bundles about his neck,
legs and arms. How he .chuckles and
grins when he spies the rows of stock.
ings and knows he has been expected.
How carefully he arranges the can.
dies and notices in baby's sock, put
ting the big sugar plums right in the
toe. But he has not long to stay, so he
Grams in the whips and balls and or.
anges and nuts, and divides the dolls
and wagons and trunpets, and off he
goes again to jump into his famous
sleigh that carries him over the house
tops.
Christmas is universally observed as
. day OF rejoicing throughout all
Christian countries. It is more es-
pecially observed as day Of festivity
In England and America. The Catholic
and Episcopal churches hold services
of praise. and pifts of all dissertations