The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-12-24
BY slYRA.

Christmas is coming. Christmas is
comiug!" cliimed the little Foresters ail |
in breath, one bright slshiny morn
lug, as they were setting off for school,
and the merry little birds, natures nm
strelsy. took up the strain, and burst |
forth into glad chorus Of song.
"Christmas is comingw. nodded the tall
trees as they swayed to and fro III inc
crisp December breezes. Earth, with
her thousand voices, proclaimed the glad
tid;ncs, and tho hearts Of human beings
beat responsive to the great heart OF
nature, as they dwell upon the WORDS
which arc almost talismanic III the effect
they produce upon mankind at large.
And indeed, shonld it not be sol" Is
not Christmas the day III all the year
Wien tile children Of one Father should
realize the sense Of a common broIhei-
hood 7-when the sacred associations ana
blessed memories that cluster about THIS
ballowed day. should constitute the mo
tive power to all earnest lVlnsf v!
ve spirits of Light and Truth, and Love
and Faith, reign ye royalty on this Day
of Days! Enchain, cast out the spirits Oh
Dark ness, Discorl and Contention, ana
for these few conseeratel hours, let no
hlacl, shadows obscure the radiance OF
the white light that shines from the cv-
erlasting hills; let no harsh, d'scordaht
sounds blend with the wondrous har-
mony Of
Peace on earth. good will towards men"
But to return to our little friends,
Elaine, Willie and Hubert Forester,
| whose hearts were singing within them
| as we caught y glimpse Of them mo-
| lnent ago, giving their dear mamma
good bye kiss before burryng to school.
Mrs. Forester sought to infuse into
their hearts the true spirit of Christmas,
and in thus doing, taught them the mean
ing of the blessed day which too many
children (and l fear grown people, as
well), are apt to associate almost e2-
clusively with Santa Claus and holiday
pastimes.
| Little Elaine, more especially than her
brothers (perhaps because girls are nat
urally more thoughtful than boys), had,
from earliest childhood, learned to gather
about the thought OF Xmas, all holy asso-
ciations, and than sgiving, for the price,
less Gift to mankind more than eighteen
centuries a o.
The days sped rapidly away, and now
it was Christmas Eyc-a real Louisiana
day, warm, clear and bright. Elaine's
father had made o little arbor for her,
and trained over it q Towering vine
Here she could sit, with birds caroling
sweet melodies among the trees; and be
von1 the garden she could see the rivel
and fields stretching out in a broad ex
panse. She took ner little Bible, ant
I. sought her favorite place. Slowly ant
reyerently she read the sacred words, full
Of promise of the white worlds far away
Of the eternal Home beyond the stars Q
which this is but the dim shadow ant
: symbol; Of the river of life, and thu
trees whose leaves are for the healing o
the nations ;of the city that hath M
/ need Of sun and moon, because the Lams
s of God is the Light thereof.
She pondered long the words: 9Th
a Gates of it shall not be shut" cane
e yet" she said, there shall not enter int
it any thing that deii!eth, or maketh
lie, but they that are written III tn
lambs Book of Life; and only the pur
in heart shall see God | don't under
stand it at all. Everybody is not gooo
II but still every one wants to so to Heavier
u and if the Gate is always open, Why ca
- they not cnterf"
> A soft, blue mist seemed to rise frol
the river and float up in light, feec
I clouds in the dim distance. She watche
N it long-it was very beautil.,l-watche
it till it was partially rolled away, fn
a through the riffs sio could see shadow
s. outline Of What seemed to be II vast cit.
IS. like that of which she had been reading
l. A gate of pearl cleaned out from I'll
s. golden light and stood wide open. I'll
T air was tremnlo,s with the strains
d sweetest melody, and angel faces locke
ae outfull Of kindly welcome, as if watclil
~ eagerly for expected guests.
w Soon, tall man Of proud and haughi
~ bearing, approached the Gate. He W;
40 ono whom the world had greatly 10
f' ored-who had moulded the thought
his time, and to whom men had bee
. like soft clay in the peters hands.
Nv little child passed close under his arr
and with baby shout and merry laug
crept over tho shining stair, and w
- claspcd to an angels breast.
~ But what stopped tho strong man
no passed through so easily2 Surely, the
IN J was nothing to prevent his enteri
of when the Gate stood open! All! b
ed see! he can not brush aside tic folds
Sc. his long, heavy, purple robe. His ft
Nv are entansled. There was solnethi
me very strange about it. AS fast as
lie pushed it aside and turned up his bea
he tiful, embroidered sleeves, they won
We fly back again like a thing of life, a
nal prevent him from advancing a step.
lee After many fruitless efforts, an an!
ice looked on him pitsingly and said:'" !