Daily Republican., 1878-12-24
Chrlstvnas II Mere.

Though Christmas in name will not
commence until IL o'clock tonight, in
reality it has been upon us for week
past, and as day by day passed by it
became more OF reality. This is fact
which parents who have small children
know all about, and all the formal de
claration now required is the ringing
of the bells to usher in the eighteen
hundred and seventy ninth birth
day of the Christ. babe of Bethlehem.
When the intonations Of the bells shall
have died away upon the midnight air,
then through our city from dozens OF
choirs will arise the music Of the grand
chorus
while shepherds watched their hocks BY
night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down,
| And glory shohe around"
Tonight busy hands and loving
hearts will labor until midnight with
the Christmas trees, that the glad and
merry shout of the children may h.
h card in the morning, when they com
down from tlfeir bedrooms and tino
the Christmas cedar glstening with
presents and the stockings full of can
dy. We cannot better paint the hap.
pinrss of home at that hour than in thr
! following verses
o how happy is the home where little ba,c
icet
WIN move softly about, and where faces SC
viii come at daylight, and, without any
warning,
Kl 5 the "od folks" awake on next Christ
mas morning.
When golden haired children, in such wee
robes OF white
VII give loved Christmas wlshes--then as
if last night
Good olu Santa Claus found all these stock
iugs SO small,
With the red and white stripes, which hum
on the wall.
How the sleepy old folks" will rub opcH
their es,
At the chimney place look, and express such
surprise
When the stockings are sped, stuffed ,s fuI
as can be-
And the children, delighted, shout out H.
their gee.
Although richer by Tar, when sweet chidhOo
is DER,
May the treasures Of lie be which fall to the.
store;
Yet not one with such welcome and love "
be traught
As the toys in the stockings which SAINT
Claus brought.
Oh, the homes without wee one! We pi y
them SO
They viii lose the best part of the Christm..
-ek know.
rho the old folks " can sleep Just as long
they please,
Wc'll awake belo.e dawn. but not envy their
ease
1t is hoped that everybody will crl-
brate Christmas in rational mannri,
and with an intelligent knowledge Of
the Glad occasion which it commemo.
rates, in a manner that will show L I
only respect, bat love and veneratiUn
| for Saviour sent to redeem tall,r
man, ana thOuEh al cannot bflnE ana
lay at the feet OF the infant Chri
myrrh from the forest and gold from IL"
mines, they can bring true and loving
hearts, which are to him a more accept
aHlr sacrifice. While the people t.
morrow are partaking of the good che,
Of Christmas, they should not forge
the poor, as they wrr" The great con
crrn OF the Child Of Bethlehem whru
| He arrived at manhood 5 age.
In order that the employees of the
REPUBLICAN may have a chance to enjoy
the festivities and comforts OF Chris
mas there will b. no paper issued to
- morrow, aud in making this nnonnc-
Tmrnt we would take occasion to tharh
I'h~ merchants Of Wilmington for .h.... .
liberal advertising patronage and n.'
only toth"m but to evrryhoiv, we VII.
a MERRY CHRISTMAS.