Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-12-28
ST AUGUSTINE.
From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington Letter.
WAsHINaroN. d. c.. Dec. "a. 81

WASHINGTON. d. c.. Dec. "a. 81.
Congress has adjourned for the holidays,
and we are In the midst of Christmas fes-
tivities, which are enjoyed, by young and
old, in more W ole-souled and thorough
way than they have been enjoyed at any
lime since the great financial crash of rs.
The young rejoice in a greater opulence
of presents, and their parents are happy
in their greater power to give. There are
no lack of those who lament that Christ
mas is no longer the series of happy fes-
rivals Of bygone years. but they belong to
that class who describe a golden age
which exists only in the imagination. II
is difficult to believe, in the face Of ocular
demonstration, that there is any decline in
The appetite of the children to-day; their
laughter is rs 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, so artificial MS
some would have US believe. 1t is true
that their tastes are in certain sense more
ravagant than were those of their
fathers and mothers at the same age. The
increase of national wealth has taught US
all how many pleasant things money can
get-things not only pleasant in them
selves, but positively harmless, except
where the expense they entail is selfish OF
unjustifiabe. The girls know how pleas
ant it is TO ride along Il ringiH G frosty road
on Il well,trained, easy going pony; to
drive fautless horse in a pretty phaeton
10 have sleigh ready, should an excep
tlona( fall of snow give opportunity for it
and to be able to CRAFTY that most harm
less OF ali tastes, the love of what is pretty
in itself, In new dresses upon appropriate
occasions. The boys, too, know the delight
of shouldering gun, OF bestriding II by
;icle, and of INDUCING in other manly
pursuits. the only drawback to which is
t rat they cost money. But because we
have learned to appreciate the almighty
tJllar. we have not, on that account, be-
come slaves to it, and we may safely
believe that the hearts of our young folks
ire rs pure rs ever, their instincts as
generous, their appreciation of what is
strag htforward, and simple, and loyal, al
keen as ii ever was. And Christmas, now
more than ever, is the time to test such
feelings. II is the time when from every
when we can all, each in his own way, dc
sou ething at any rate to make Others
happier. Even hose who cannot give in
substance can spare their time and trouble
md there are kindly words, and deeds
and thoughts, more p ecious than gifts
md equally pleasant both to those who
give and those who take. Day by day
IS the dear old festival draws nearer
memories and associations cluster round
u.s. We are year older than we were
and, though year is hut short time in
it>elf, yet but few years go to the max
ing of life We are preceptible stet
further round from our yodth, with its
many sided pleasures and its restless vi
ttity; step nearer to the last rest OF all
which those need least dread whose life
has been happy because they have mad.
happy and bright the lives OF others
Christi mas may change its customs and
nabis, and Christmas in Washington this
year of grace 1881 is strangely unlike
Christmas rs 1t was enjoyed in the days
If the first president and his immediate
uccessors, but the human side of the fes.
ival, its interests and its svmptthies, re-
main unchanged Our hearts do not
htnge with our fashions, and with the
return OF Christmas have again returned
I'll that in our younger days made Christ
mas gathering occasions to be long antic
p.ted and affectionately remembered.