Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-12-24
But To I've forgotten, Charlie
IN i fh-i which brings n trHr.
And ir,t 20 think that Invent been
Sprir wife hut a single year.

Your vic buN u Nlil&sic t'''.
The selection of Christmas gifts l.
matter 80 delicate, 80 conpiaN, so modl-
fled bv invisible circumstances that 1t l.
a subject impossible to outline, AMI yet
there j. an ever-applicahlc rule which Is
aftry all, only Il modification ot the
Golden Rulr-Vhat il shall III every
sense crafty both receiver and SlVcr,
and that il shall not wound the most
delicate feelings. The only rcal reason
for offering Christmas gift Is the spirit
that prompts il. Unless you have gwen
yo,Ir friend words and loving regard,
more precious than all outward tokens,
Won have no right to offer him Christ
mas Gift. This day is especially the
festival of the family, the home and the
Church, and this manifold character
NAV be- IohServed in gifts. The ideal
Christmas is to have made some one
happv, and for this the means are as
different as are the individuals. The
Gift should be adapted to the circum-
Stances of both the giver and the reclpl-
rnt. To receive a costly gift which one
knows his friend could not afford, anu
which will entail on him many 4
sacrifice of needed comforts, IL source
of main ONLY, and the more 50 that 1t Is
hardly of nature to be expressed. n
gift that brings with ii n perpetual sense
of obligation is worse than vaiueleSS.
Again, luxurious presents when
the piycr can afford but which the
REGIMENT cannot afford to have are ut
4 terly ont of taste and betray an absence
Ofthought rather than the delicate dlvl-
nation that should determine the otler-
ing. Ii may, ut first, seem aS an amoly
! that one cannot afford 10 merely possess
[ Am article of luxury, freely given, but 1t
, i none the less true. We all rcmcm-
her the minister's silk stockings, which
absolutely compelled him to reillrniSh
his wardrobe, which he could lily attoru;
but being the gift of a wealthy pariStoil-
or he dared not offend her by not using
her rift-the hose Or those days being Il
monument article OF costume. And we
! MI remember, too, the new parlor ear
net of Christopher Crowtield, which
( Ultimately entailed upon that genial
gentleman the entire rcfurnishing of bis
house by way of preserving harmony III
/ its appearance. To n Young ma rleu
/ rouple who are housekeeping on a
/ limited but tasteful and comfortable
scale, the gift of Il diamond PIN or ring
would be far less appropriate, because
! il would afford far less pleasure, than
/ would gift af u set of books, OF hne
/ picture, or some rare ami beau'liul
| engravingS. AT the first reverse ol
/ fortune, tile diamonds would b. the hrSt
| thing to find their way To the ''mele,
T i'm his mysterious precincts of the tire
Gilt balls, while books and pictures are
a low forever i'm the simplest OF homes.
, To a hoy full uf fun and frOlic the gift OF
: a mir OfskatCS would doubtless afford
. far more pleasure than the gift OF that
spcndid new Illustrated volume OF
/ Longfcllow'S poems. \ gift need not,
/ either, he purely ornamental. Articles
of use are quite rs appropriate wheh
mutual circumstances indicate them.
We are accused of being very practi-
/ cal nation, and the American Christ
mas partakcS of this character. While
! we bring rare flowers to the chancel and
/ altar in church: while We wrcathe our
/ homes in Christmas greens, and even
have our holly and our mistletoe bough,
while We make gifts Of rare and beauti-
full things from all parts of the, world,
| we do not yet forget to send the SUD
stantials of a Christmas dinner To those
who might not rejoice in one otherwise
nor forget the cheap toys that make glad
! the hearts of the poor and desolate iitts
ones of earth. The American Christ
mas is \ complex subject after all. IL
has as many different phrases as it has
| people who celebrate it. From an oh
| serYance of the church ii has come 10 be
a national holiday, and its influence is
toward the development of all that is
4 highest and most unselfish in human
ity. ~
Christmas offerings have their reac-
tionary effect upon character. Like the
quality of mercy, they are blessing to
him who gives and him who takes,
The true spirit Of Christmas Is the eul-
ture of all that IS finest, and sweetest