Daily Republican., 1881-12-28
.WASHINGrON LETTER,
The Adjournment Of COnxrCss-
Christmas MusinK.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Dec. 27.-Con
gress adjourned for the holidays, an,
we are in the midst of Christmas festiv
tiles, which are enjoyed by young anc
old, in more whole.souled ant
Thorough way than they have been en-
|joyed at any time since the great tinan
cial crash of73. The young rejoice in q
greater opulence Of presents, and theil
| parents are happy in their greater pow
er TO give. There was no lack of those
who lament that Christmas Is no longer
the series of happy festivals of by-gont
year,, but they belong to that class who
describe golden age which exists only
IN tho Imagination. IL IL difficult tu
believe, in the face of ocular rde,n0nstra,
tion, that there is any decline in the
appel te OF the children to-day; their
laughter is as genuine, their happiness
as simple and spontaneous rs ever. Nor
are the young folks, who are by this
time too Old to be called children, as ar.
tiiiclal a. some would have us believe.
IL is true that their tastes are in GER
tain sense more extravagant than
were those ofthoir mothers and fathers
at the same age.
An increase of National wealth has
taught us all how many pleasant things
money can get--hings not only pleas
ant in themselves, hut positively harm
less, except where the expense is self.
i,h or uiustitia5c The girls know
how pleasant tits to ride along ring
irg frosty road on u wull-traintd, easy
going pony; to drive Il fauItless horse
III u pretty rhaeton: to have sleigh
ready should an exceptional fal, f
snow give opportunity tor it; and to be
able to CRAFTY that most harmless OF
all tastes, the love OF what is pretty in
Itself, III new dresses upon appropriate
occasions, The boys, too, know the de,
light OF shouldering guu, Of heSlrii-
ing II bicycle, and indulging ia other
manly pursuits, the only drawback to
which is that they cost mouey. But
because We have learned t, appreciate
the almighty dollar, We have not, on
that account, become slaves to it, aud
we may safely believe that the hearts
OF our young folks are as true as ever,
their Instincts a5 generous, and their
apprehenSiuus OF what is straightfor-
ward aud simple aud loyal, as keen as
it ever was Ard Christmas, now more
than ever, il the time to test such feel
lugS. Ii Is the time when from every
side appeals are made to us; the time
when wecan all, each IN has own way,
do something at any rate to make 9TH
erS happier Even those who cannot
givcl substance can spare their time
and trouble: aud there are kindly words |
and thoughts and deeds, and thoughts
more precious than gifts and equally |
pleasant, both to those who give and to |
those VINO take. Day by day as the
dear old festival draws nearer, memo.
ries and Associations cluster round us. |
We are a year older than we were,
and though a year is but short time
in itself, yet but few years 90 to max
log up a life. We are q pcrceptable
step further removed from our youth,
with lis many sided pleasures and its
restless vitality; step nearer to the
last rest of all, which those need least
dread whose life has been happy be-
cause they have made happy and
bright the lives Of ot 'Iers. Christmas |
may change its customs and habits, ,and |
Jhrstn. as in Washington Ihis year OF
grace 1888 is strongly unlike Christmas
Is it was enjoyed III the days of the
irst Presiu eut and his immediate sue
'essors, but the human side of the fes
ival, its interest and it, sympathies,
cmain unchanged. Our hearts do not
;hange wi h oar fashions. and with the
eturn of Christmas have again return
'd all that in our younger days made
christmas gatherings occasions to be
ong anticipated aud attoctionately re-