The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1878-12-26
Educational Column.
DECEMBER.
,. r. LANGENBAUGH.

,. r. LASGENBAUGH.
DECEMBER.
After an autumn that cajoled straw
berry plants and other simple vegeta-
bles into the belief that another sum-
mer was coming, and so induced them
to put out untimely blossoms and
leaves, we feel the presence OF winter
at last. December grips US with cool
assurance by the nose, and the fea-
lures take a purple tinge under his
refrigerating fingers. In the streets
the pace Of society is accelerated: in
the house thin FLOODED individuals
gravitate toward the fire. Some
stand colossus wise. with their backs
10 the family hearth or stove, forget
I'll that the human body is not good
conductor of heat, and that domestic
caloric is diffusive stimulant which
no gentleman has right to focalize
on his own person to the prejudice of
his relatives and friends. Profession
al beggaTs, in a costume Intended 10
excite by contrast the compassion OF
the warmly clothed, are beginning to
haunt the cold corners, and, alas
honest poverty. too proud TO beg, sits
hungry In many fireless rooms. Mer-
chants and brokers rub their hands
on change, and the chill air adds
wings to the speed OF individuals
bound on shining expeditions about
the fatal hour CT three. The little
~black-your- boots offer to @shine
you up at half price, they feel SO
shivery Ladies have assumed their
heavy winter cloaks, and encylir dered
their dainty hands in fur. Behind
the plate glass windows OF our dry
goods stores. thick and sumptuous
fabrics suggest ideas OF comfortable
magnificence, and in the toy shops
The saint OF fathers hopes and moth
ers' darlings, rosaried with glittering
gim- cracks, is regarded by the rising
generation with rounded eyes. The
windows of the grocers and confec
TONERS begin to look frosty with SUI
gar and ice. In short, December is
@in town." Beyond the town the evil
dences of his advens are still more
palpable. Go out into the fields Ia
the early morning. and you shall see
what an enchanter he is. From his
night-robes, as from Prince Ester
Hays famous court suit, fall show
ers of seed diamonds. At sunrise
they lie sparkling on the meadows.
and cover the gray fence with ven-
Ger Of light. Silvery lace. too, he
hangs among the sedges. and OF the
field spiders webs he makes faiIy
bridal wells. II one believed ih elves,
1t were easy to fancy him jeweler and
miiliner to Titania. And then what
wizard tricks he plays with the
streams, ringing their shores with
brittle, semi transparent terraces,
and sometimes, when bis spells are
very potent, spanning them with fra
gile crystal. Now and then he in
dulges IN a white feather movement
aud whitens the air little with the
shaking OF his wings; but January
and February are more prodigal Of
their plumes than be. Upon the
whole, December does his spiritiDg
with gentleness in these ATTITUDES,
and 1t is not until he has left us that
we are made to feel what bitter ty-
ran. winter can be.
CHEERFUL coUNrENANcE.
We once heard q young lady say to
another, @your eountenaee to me is
like the shining sua, for it always
gladdens me with O. cheerful lCOk."
A merry or cheerful eountenance was
one OF the things whieh Jeremy Tay-
lor said his enemies and prosecutors
could not take away from him. There
are some who spend their lives as IL
shut up in a dungeon. Everything is
dark, gloomy and forbidding. They
mourn from day to day that they
have 20 little, and are la constant
fear lest what little they have may
escape out OF their hands. They al
ways look upon the dark side, and
can never enjoy the good OF the pres
ent for fear OF the evil that Is to come
This is not piety. True religion
makes the heart glad; and when It's
noble principles are felt and exer
eised. men will be happy in spite oil
themselves. The Industrious bee
does not complain that there ars &c
many poisonous flowers and thorny
branches in her road, but buzzes on
gathering the honey where she car
find it. and passing quietly by the
places where it is not. There /.
enough in this world to complain
about. and find fault With, IL we hav,
the disposition. We travel often in
hard and uneven rond; but, with
cheerful spirit, and a heart to prais,
heaven for its mercies, we may wall
therein with great comfort, and com,
80 the end OF our journey in peace.
How to Make Cows Give milk.