The Elk Mountain pilot., 1881-12-29
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
HOW WE SPENT THE DAY!

couple vi weeks preparing vi! .StlildS
tree, to be loaded with presents, candy
and nic-Aaacks for the children of the
Sunday school. 1t became noised
about town that at the hour of half
past seven on Saturday evening the
church would be open and presents
distributed, SO the church was crowd
ed long before that time, and every
body was admiring the tree; how
nicely trimmed, how nicely the church
was festooned with evergreens and at
the same time wondering for what pur
pose the stage was erected, with hang
ing curtains and other paraphernalia
that go to make up for dramatic
performance. At the tapping of the
bell, the buzzing and noise in the
audience was s!lenced, and the cur
tain was drawn to one side, there
stood arranged boys and girls to the
number of about twenty, who sang a
beautiful Christmas carol, Prot. Car
rlngton playing the accompaniment
On the organ. As the bright little
girls stood on the stage dressed in
white, holding boquets Of flowers,
and the mischlevous boys gazing out
on the audience with a look of cum
ningness, Our memory reverted back
to cur school-boy days, when we
threw spit balls, pulled each others
hair and said it was the next fellow ;
but alas! time, ike the ripping
stream, passeth, never to return again,
and we can regret the opportunities
we neglected to improve in our youth.
And it is a lesson the young should
learn, is to improve each hour, so
that when they core to the age of
maturity, they viii be an ornament
to society instead Of a stumbling block.
The singingand tabieaus by the child
ren was surprise, as well as a treat to
the audience, SIS 1t was unexpected by
al. and goes to show what "a little
pains can accomplish, as the children
all acquitted themselves in most ad-
n;rable manner, both in singing and
in speaking. They all recited, in
turn, some poem that they had COM
mltted to memory appropriate for the
occasion, and was sure to bring down
the house with laughter and applause.
After the entertainment Thomas
Jefferson Maloney, who had been
rugged out as Santa Claus, appeared
on the scene, which Immediately caus
ed CONSERVATION among the little ones.
He began to call off the presents on
the tree when the fun commenced.
Of course great many Of the big
folks " received presents, some useful
and Others as lvdicrous as possible.
The PILOT man received a paper doll
little off color, but we suppose
everything goes. A tencent package
of tobacco was on the tree for the best
looking man in the house, which was
unanimously awarded to Bro. Hard
ing; the smile of satisfaction which
played about the countenance of the
recipient was full of pride as he glanc-
ed at his rising generation and softly
murmured "Little Alice will some day
get Christmas present" Many 9TH
er little incidents happened to add to
the mirth of the evening. and taking
the entertainment as a whole it was
about as enjoyable as any we have at
tended in Irwin for 10 these many
days.
The ladies of our camp deserve
great credit for attempting to get up
such an entertainment under the un-
favorable auspices. Mrs. Painter and
Mrs. Browning especially deserve
credit fp their efforts, while other
ladies assisted as much as they could.
CHRISTMAS MORNING
Carol, Carol Christmas,
Carol Christmas day.
Although we were not blest withthe
privilege of being IN our far off homes
with family friends. listening to the
merry chimes of the church bells in
the great cities, we were blest with one
of the brightest days the sun ever
shone on, for certainly Heavens beau
tiful daylight never was brighter on the
vine clad hills Of sunny Italy, nor the
cerulean eXpanse above us never clear