Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-12-25
CHRISTMAS.

We suppose there are people who look
upon the Christmas observances as waste
of time and money who grudge the out
lay required to meet the social demands of
the season; and who take no pleasurein the
one real enjoyment of which the occasion
is susceptible, namely, the making of
Others happy. These people, however, are
a small minority, and if they should disap-
pear altogether in the natural course OF
things, they would not be missed. There
is another class of persons who seem as if
they never could enjoy anything unless
they can contrast the comforts by which
they are surrounded with the misery OF
some other part of the human race There
must, indeed, be deep vein of this kind
of feeling in human nature, for it has been
recognized by keen observers in al!
times. Thus st. Augustine did not hesi-
tate to express the opinion that one of
the highest delights of the blessed in
Heaven would consist in the continual
contemplation of the tortures of the
damned in the neighboring establishment.
Thus, after a wide interval of time, the
cynic Rochefoucauld observed that there
was something not altogether displeasing
to men IN the misfortunes of their dearest
friends. And at the present day nothing
is more common than the practice of hight.
ening the enjoyments of ourselves by roll
ing under our tongues, as sweet morsel.
the discomforts Of others. So when a
California journalist wishes to make out a
particularly good case for the Christmas
time of his own State, he naturally begins
by referring to the dreadful weather they
are having beyond the mountains. He
dwells upon the bitter cold of the Atlantic
States. He pictures the poor people there
freezing and perishing. He expatiates
on the depth of the snow, on the diff.
culties of communication, on the dan
gers attending exposure and having
convinced himself and his readers that
everybody at the East ought to be ex.
tremely wretched, he turns and portrays
the geniality of our climate, the softnest
and warmth and fertilizing powers of
the abundant rains, the absence of nip
ping frosts and binding snow. storms, the
superior climatic comforts and advantages
of the Pacific Coast generally. So when
we wish to appreciate the coziness and
conveniences of we'll furnished and
warmed room and a plentifully- supplied
table, we look out into the darkness and
the driving rain, and unctuously remind
one another how many unfortunate
creatures there are for whom Christmas
brings no suggestions of turkey or egg
nog, or brilliant gift-laden trees, or pleas
ant social gatherings It is conventional
to say that these reminders stimulate
charity and good will, but we think
the point not altogether clear We
doubt somewhat whether those who are
fondest of such contrasts are foremost in
good works. 1t is very well known that
people who abandon themselves to the vice
of novel-reading become exceedingly senti-
mental and sensitive over the sorrows and
dangers of fictitious characters They
will sob when the heroine is abused by the
wicked uncle, and they will paIpitate
when the hero is flung over the dreadful
cliff, and catches by the eyelash half way
down. But let them, in going out into the
street, encounter some prosaic evidence of
misery, and the chances are ten to one that
their conduct will rather resemble that of
the uncharitable Levite thsn. that of the
Good Samaritan