, 1879-01-04
TIfC LErrER-1>OX.


1fraEEGoN, Mich. Dec. 3l.-Another Christmas
has come aud gone. Anothcrto 10 numbered With
the pnst. Merry Christmas! The day for joY and
peace, ret TO many tho snddest Of all tho year.
Abs orhttl III daily cafes, otllcr days pass un-
needed by. Not 10 with Cristn,as. Wa could
not forget It II wo wished to. The uchooiboy
sLous It IN hs gladueas TO bo FREQ for short tins
of The restraints Of tho school.roou. Our friends
hail US with tho rrcating thev meet us on the
street. We hear Of It wherever We 20. The very
birds seem to proclaim, s'Peacr on Garth, good
wilt towhrd mon" 1t Is duy OF Mcmurics, and
whether sa Or lsapny ouca they lntrndc their pres
cncc upon us. md We would not escnI'c them II wo
could We behold our past HE as panorama
spEc4l ont betorc MS, with thc ghosts Of FORMER
Ehs!stnas Days occupying prontncnt ptaces In tho
foreground. rrach,nK ont gaunt fingers tu welcome
with ths past. Eacn yrar addr ono moro to
the ehostly tl'rnne. and Us tho yaasa 60 by
scurcs tf them gather about III and whisper thclt
tales ut byRohs days, come of tltnr friends and
hnppy days. while uihers witt, funhistI gloo drag
before onr ahedding cycs souc sal AcaIlo Of tho
past csF which We would fasn draw tho veil Of for
10 saa,o tho '.alesry C.r!stnlas' co,nca like the
voice Of MI angol calling them bacE to the paths VI
street bnya shout 1t Mt tho outcast from .0cesy, ~
Nhc thrcntIa her rny aoNa the tAorourhfate, md
tear. Of sane ana SORROW All heF s5Gs r. faf sn I as
only snrsow and remorsc. The wnndctct hears It
OF The time when ho wuH i merry, light: t:hcartcd
boy, surrounded BY loving pareuts aud brothers
III bul times ara changed. No one ca:eH now
S',rthor he DO happy or not- TIE father md
lnther long hava slept the sleep of death, the
gonc 10 join thciE parents. tho rSmainin: ones
ycaEcc giving tho oilurs ttuusht save perhaps,
on occntious like this.
arcn calling Git ''Mcrry Christmas" iii their CLEO.
e e and Sa
cnlied hin father. ami nado his homo
place Of m'rth and joyonsness. Ah' thoao
l.e was quito intimate with Old Santa Claus. Bnt
al thisis oyst now, aud sadly hc sucks bis lonely
ho,nu to ind hfs wife wcon!ng over aomo sad re.
6tias. a s! ' any S: as s3s wo @
tircu gathered nbuut hor, hilarious With the gifts nf
santa Clans, tnrnH away to hllc tho tears ~ men,
ory brings hcfpre her tho scenes Of her own huppy
whpsn Isnyt tho Chr 1stlIaa snnw IL fAlllng.
Al! Fern l.rat, do not wonder nt the fad tone
You ~, soala not ncip the X wiiter ay Va arc 30 ois
10 think IN our sanpsA that no ono suffers bnt us.
Wt need iu undccctvo ourselves AZ soon ~ possi-
leart knoweth lii own bitterness. /" The pour ure
mt the only Onus whom VIC hare need to remembcr
se y III ates e III npa s o's, RI 'qss
sympathy. bnt those ure Often of moro salnc tnan
gult silver, and VT should not oxlnust the Bnp-
~ sH thai to da but kssp to III
ti,as su,ilcs aud kino words cost notlnx.
denial, and some oxcrtion, things ofttlmcs harllor
10 '.FaiAe" thnn money. Dear friends Of Tho
Hume wish yon all happy Now Yoar, anil. were
that thu scpnes which memory brings before yon
On each succeeding Christmas Day might DC hnppy
ones: but DC ilune that tha sad one. VIII nos ba
strUnlcntal III making thcln 10. +.