The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-12-24

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much better, and feel that it is so mucl
more our own, through personal use
care, and contact.
One of the uses of the art-decorativ,
erea has been to make women, whose or
binary household duties are executed b,
servants acquainted with their own home
| aud interested in their improvement
Finding out where to put 4 plaque, max
ing place for Il cabinet. or adding bi
leads to unexpected discoveries of tbs
need of stricter watchfulnesS or more
direct personal efforts: and not a few
modern households date the work o
renovation from "mothers china craze.
| must say pity men for not usually
having any part or lot in the home Christ
mas activities. There are exceptions
| Men Of simple. natural tastes. and heal
! thy love of domestic life. who will look
alter the Christmas Tree. assist in put
ting up the Christmas greens. and ever
| putting the power of their strong arms
into the beating of the Christmas cake
| but these instances are rare, and, as q
rule, the women of the household are
| better pleased to have it so. Men are
considered rather helpless and trouble
/ some: and. if about. very much in the
way, when anything unusual is going on
and the reason is that they are more
| ready to offer advice and opinions, in re-
gard to matters with which they are I'M
| acquainted. than lend their strength
where it is most needed
1t is great comfort to have in the
kitchen handmade, who is not only
willing to help in all needful ways her
self. but does not object to the presence
of others. in what SO many Of this class
are pleased to consider their own do
main. with which even the mistress of
the house has no right to . interfere. -
\ great many American women. espec-
tally those resident in cities. resign all
participation in domestic affairs. partc-
u!arly those of the kitchen Department.
because they cannot endure u contest
with the coarse. assertive individual who
reigns there. But this is great mis-
take. If the mistress of the house re-
signs the scepter, she may be sure the
maid will take it up. \ better way is to
train young servants into the ways Of
the house-make them part of the fam
lily. to the extent, at least of being in
terested partakers of the seasons of re-
.joicings, and pursue the even tenor and.
habits of life. As matter of course.
they will quickly adapt themselves to
the circumstances. if they are adaptable:
and. if not. the quicker they are got rid
of the better.
1t has been said that the service. and
universal character of the Christmas fes-
tival. gives to it one of its greatest charms:
but it also widens greatly the circle Of its
activities. After all the thinking and the
buying, the cutting and the making. the
keeping carefully, and handling discreet
ly. right in the midst of the chopping
and mixing, the cleaning and the deco
rating, comes the necessity for sending
away Christmas cards and Christmas
packages. Christmas hampers and Christ
mas baskets. Some of these are to dis
tant friends; some to poorer neighbors.
u n tint hat
rely upon the charitable for " Christmas
trees" and "Christmas dinners The
woman who attends to all these duties.
who brings up her children to be her
assistants in performing them, is doing
work for which, in the future, they can
never sufficiently thank her. because it
will have laid the foundation of useful
and happy life, besides filling the men,
DRY of their youth with the most peasur-
able associations. Such boys and girls
can never become vicious. for they will
have an unfaiiing stock of sweet and
wholesome influences to draw from: and.
if any lapse should occur, they will sure
memory of their home life and the de
sire to reproduce and perpetuate it.
erces is this: that it strengthens home
ties: and in these days of club luxury,
Of individual seltishness, of temptations
to Young men to live for themselves alone.
until too late to retrieve their mistake
it is of great Importance to use every
good means to increase the attractiveness
the gregariouS life of the hotel. club, and
restaurant. This can be done by per-
sonal effort on the part Of woman only:
by a species Of heroic effort should it be
done. if need be. in the face of discour-
agcment and seeming non-appreciation.
All things are best done from sense of
duty. and because they are the right
things to be done, for then they can be
relied upon permanently: while if they
are a matter Of caprice. to please our
selves OF somebody else. the act stops
with the non-existence of the move.
Let every one determine to make Christ
mas for some one else, even if it does not
come to herself from the hands of 9TH
ers. We may not receive the special
Christmas gift; but we cannot be de-
prived of the larger Christmas. that
grand old Christmas that fills the air
that walks the streets. that shines through
radiant eyes, that speaks through poem
and story, that rings out in chimes: that
inspired. that most beautiful Of all an
themS, ages and ages ago, of Peace on
Earth. and Good Will to Mem" Can
these or predicate future more divineo
This is the note which has sounded
through all the centuries: this is what
Christmas must always mean for us.
Let us bear it constantly in mind: let it
make our thoughts more kind: our words
more gentle: our hearts more free from
the world would be if it was all peace.
aud good will; it would be heaven. Let
us not add one to the notes of discord
that mar it. Let not onr Christmas at
any rate lie tainted with unworthinesS:
but let us keep it bright as that good
woman's dollars; who when friend re-
marked their cearncsS and crispness.
when she was paving for Christmas p,r-
chaSas, said: Yes. | don't like to pay
for gifts with dirty or disteured money;
save my brightest and cleanest money