The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-12-25
CHRISTMAS CHIMES.


Oh, glad day, bcaming crystal fair,
Growing the year that dies
Der bird forgotten vale and glen,
Pour happy soBg sounds over again,
Breathing of "Peace, goodwill to men
Goodwill to men,
"Some san that ever 'galnst that season comes,
{ Wherein our Savour's birth Is celebrated
The bird Qfdamaing singeth all night ions@
And then, they say, no spirit dares stir abroad
The nights are wholesome; then no planets
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm
.... jus --Shdksped,e.
Paul said Brethren, keep diligently feast;
days, and truly, in the hrst place, tuc u"3 VI
Chrsts birth"
It's Chrysos,om who, referring to Christmas,
eloouenty terms 1t 1.-The most venerable and
tremendous of all festivals the metropolis and
mother OF all
or the three great annual holidays, Christmas
day is. for many reasons, the greatest; and one
reason among othersls, that It stands out OF tne
winter.time, the first and warmest OF them. IL
is the eve and fire OF the season, as the hre Is OF
Christmas and Of ones room We have always
loved it, and ever shall; first Ito give chilc
reason, and very good one, too, In this In
stance), because Christmas day Is Christmas
day; second (Which is included in that reason
or rather includes it, for it is the grcatest), be-
cause Of high argument which WIZ more
properly stand by itself at the close OF this artl
Gle; third, because of the hollies and other
evergrecns which people consplre 10 prihS ihto
cities and houses on this day, making q kind Of
summer in winter, and reminding US that
THE poetry OF earth is never dcad"
fourth. because we were brought up In a clois.
tered school, where carols had not gone OUT OF
fashion, and used to sit in circles round huge
fires 1T to roast an OK, making lncOhcelVaOle
bliss out of cakes and sour oranges; fifth, be
cause of the fine things which the poets ana
others have said of it; sixth, because there IS
no business going on" Mammon" is sus-
pended; and seventh, because New eur stay
and Twelfth-day come after it; that is to say,
because it is the leader of a set OF holidays, ana
the spirit is not beaten down into commonplace
the moment it is over. 1t closes and begins the
year with cheerfulness.-L Hunt.
A Christmas day, to be perfect, should be
clear and cold, with holly branches In berry,
blazing fire, dinner with minneapolis, and
games and forfeits In the evening. You cannot
have 1t in perfection, if you are very nne ana
fashionable. Neither, alas! can it be enjoyed by
the very poor; SO that in fact, perfect Christ,
mas is impossible to be had, till the progress OF
things has distributed comfort more equally
But when we do our best, we are privileged 10
enjoy our utmost; and charity gives us right
to hope. The completest enjoyer OF Christmas
inextto a lover who has to receive forfeits from
his mistress), is the holiday schoolboy VINO
springs up early, like bird, darting hitler ana
thther out of sheer delight, thinks OF his mlnce'
pies half the morning, has too much OF theih
when they come pardon him this once), roasts
chestnuts and cuts apples half the evening 10
conscious of his new silver in his pocket ana
laughs at every piece of mirth with louaness
that rises above every other noise. Next DAY
what a peg-top will he not buy! what string,
what nuts what gingerbread! And he Will have
anew casp knife, and pay three times too much
for it. Sour oranges also will he suck, squeez
inc their cheeks into his own with staring eyes,
and his mother will tell him they are not good
for him,-and let him go on. A Christmas even.
ing should, if possible, finish with music. IL
carries off the excitement without abruptness,
and sheds repose over the conclusion OF en-
joyment.-Leigh Hunt.
GOOD ENGLISH.
The Juror asked Judge Stipp to be excused
from service: "Vell, you see, doan't under
stand dot guide English, putty quyick" ON,
never mind that" said his honor you won't
hear much of it spoken around this court room"
Lawyers wake up.
The police are taking q deep interest in In
dian club practice, and in the course OF few
weeks under Otto Gondolf's splendid instruction,
they will be prepared to do clubbing" Win
neatness and dispatch.
Morris Jnd-pendent: Congressman Hayes
franked a lot five mail bags full OF pub docs
to this postotlce last Friday, and one package KaS
1t was duly forwarded TO this persons present
address-to the Illinois State Prison, at Joliet.
Had you forgotten that Henry had changed his
residence, Generals"
The Liedertafel Society held fair at Willis
Hall during this week, closing on wednesday
wifi
and otherwise, was success, netting for the
society some $500.
PLUCKED.
Didn't you know, your honor" said one OF
the "plucked" on the morning after the law ex-
animation at the Appellate Court TO Mr.. Jus.
tice that am a graduate of Notre Dame"
''Wcll, no." said his honor, 81 didn't" Well,
am, sir; don't YOU take that into account"'
The facetious Mr.. Justice: "Wel no; not er dam
bit, | believe" The young man went home
with one side paralyzed.
A. T. Bartes and Stephen Arnold were the
contestants for the watch at the Liedertafel
Fair. The question was, who is the more popu
lar. Bart captured Holland and the watch by a
So note 90 to the wild, wild wind, swallowed
up in thin air, &c, when Arnolds vast popular.
ity is so settled you know. Ta.ta. Why didn't
you call on Mendoza.
The holiday trade in Ottawa has been very
lively Fine roads and good weather have filled
the streets daily for q fortnight past, and espe
cially this week, and immense quantities OF
goods have been sold. sF y.
La Sale has a frst-class sensation on hel
hands, the blaze of which broke out on last Fri
day afternoon. The story goes that some three
weeks ago, Mrs. Cody, q very estimabe lady Of
that city, received grossly insulting letter from
some one signing his name -. G. Black" in
which proposals were made that would shame