Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-12-24
CHRISTMAS.
Watching the PurVeyOrs
and Pets of Santa
Claus.

squeezing, surging crowd has been
on Queen street during the after
noon and night of the past day or
two. 1t is the Saturday eve of the
year, the Hallow cen of the great
human heart-that pleasant middle
ground which lies like a very twi-
light between the anxious, agonizing
suspense of anticipation on the one
hand, and the surfeit of possession
on the other. Such it is for the lit
tie ones at least, and Christmas vas
only made for them. Fifty-one
parts of the great year, both in social
and divine economy, are allotted
to manhood; the other fractional
week is childhood's alone, for at
such a time we recall the Babe Of
Bethlehem, not the strong man in
the garden of G~ethsemane.
Why will backwoods debating So
cieties persist in everlastingly wear
ing threadbare, "Mr. Present, which
is the more agreeable, anticipation
or possession ?" Every notable
event in man'shistory has its Christ
mas eve, that blissful come-between
which is far better than having.
What a God-send for the little
folks that Christmas comes to.mor-
row! All, there is one day less to
wait for the first pair Of red-top
boots, the horse, the gun, the doll
and the tea-set; and what a long,
long weary time is one whole day of
waiting and watching for the angels
of the household.
But just look at the children
Here is the great, overgrown, grand
fatherly child of eighty. Christmas
enough in his old bones to stock a
small village of himself; and here is
the good old grandmotherly girl of
seventy, capped and specialized for
the coming Of Kriss, gazing, not
with their own, but with little
''pets" eyes, as they swing the house
hold tyrant along by either hand.
And here are the grown up child
rem, not so old; and one, in fact,
whose life, even now has just reach
ed that pleasant period between hop
ing and having, as M car read
through the frame work of curls
that always lodges towards his
shoulder to miss the shoulder of
some other gentleman h%urrying by.
"What crowds !" everybody COM
plains. "What in reasons name
brought everybody to Queen street,"
All what a lively world it is
The whole city is out of doors.
Santa Claus has emptied his toys in
to the street, and the ''best man"
takes the largest share.
Pity the "best man, is the boy
whose papa's purse is the largest /!
Pity that on Christmas eve, at least,
some invisible Societe Mternationdle
can't make a kind of old-fashioned
Jewish jubilee on that day.
"Now do take your hands out of
your pockets BROTHER" whispered
little Sis, with a well-directed nudge
of the elbow, as the two hurry along
the pavement towards Queen street.
"Do take your hands out of your
pockets, its Christmas time," with
an air which seemed to imply that if
ever a boy ought to be a marked
specimen of manly propriety Christ
mas vas the very time, of all others
in the world, to show it.
Little Bud is always moulded of
coarser clay than little Sis, and the
happy glance downward at his new
boots, and upward into the face of
his pro tenn guardian, spoke as plain
as words-'Christmas be darned."
But he did not feel it, not a bit.
He only intends to be manish in that
particular presence, for in his heart
of hearts, he fears he has committed
a blasphemy against Santa Claus,
which that august parsonage may
resent, with a vengeance, on his
next trip down the chimney.
All b0yhood is out of doors. Nor
are the little ones far away forgot
ten.
Peanut stands are not sighted.
D~- d. NJ