The Bossier banner., 1881-12-22
Merry Christmas.

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Merry Christmas.
Next Sunday millions Of people
scattered over every part of the habi
table globe, will join, after their own
manner, in celebrating the return Of
Christmas. Away in the foreign
regions of Russia, Of Sweden, ol
Siberia itself, in the ice bound coun'
tries of the old world, where endless
fields of snow cover the earth like a
winding sheet, where avalanches
thunder down Alpine sleeps, glaciers
and ice-bergs lock the waters in
their icy bounds, will be found men
and women and children who will
hail with delight this anniversary.
In the heated regions Of the equa.
torial zone, and in the pleasant
homes Of the old and new world,
christian people will welcome Merry
Christmas. ei
The day is q hallowed one
hallowed by time, by tradition
and by the event it commem.
CRATES. Away back in the years
made hoary and venerable by the
fight Of time it claims it's beginning.
When Rome was yet mistress of the
world, when Athens was the seat Of
heather learning and wisdom, when
Tyre aud Sidon were the busy marts
of the East, when Greek aud Roman
mingled in the yet populous cities Of
Hercalanium and Pompeii, when
Jerusalem, the holy City, sat like a
queen on the olive crowned hills and
looked down on the vine.embowered
valleys Of Palestine, thisanniversary
had its beginning.
Since its advent amepg the noted
days Of earth. kingdoms, once
mighty and powerful, have gone
down into the abyss Of time aud are
only remembered BY the dim light Of
tradition. Kings have strutted their
brief hour on the stage Of life, have
died and been forgotten, OF live only
to be execrated for their vices and
excesses. Cities which were the
homes of restless, busy thousands,
have disappeared, and their very
place is forgotten. Still, the day that
commentaries theadvent of the Man
God is welcomed wherever are to be
found men who remember and be.
lieve in a Saviour. 1t is q holiday
that has survived through all the
shiftings and mutations of time, and
which win survive till suns shall
rise to set no more, and man will no
longer heed the return of days.
Especially is this q joyful day to
the young. The child who is just
beginning the journey Of life, before
whom the pleasing prospect spreads
out like a flower strewn plain where
all is bright sunshine and singing
birds, where everything charms the
senses, and therc is nothing to mar
the delights of anticipation, looks
forward with eager delight, and vel.
comes with unalloyed joy the return
OF the long-wished day. Loving
parents and kind friends have re.
membered them. Dear old SANTA
CLAUS, in whom they believe with q
religious faith that nothing can
shake, has not forgotten them, and
their well-flled stockings, hung up
in the trusting innocence of child.
hood testifles to the goodness Of the
kind old gentleman who drives his
nimble-footed steeds over housetops,
and finds his way down the chin.
neys while the little ones are asleep.
With what wide open eyes do they
bound from their cosy beds on this
eventual morn and rush to the Chin
ney where the little stocking is fair
ly bursting with the good things
pat there BY their nocturnal visitor!
Row eagerly they run to display
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