The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-12-22
Eyerybody's Day.

You are too poor to have any Christ
mas this year. Sickness, misfortune,
perhaps disaster, have elouded your
year. Whatever you have that is not
necessary for your life you owe to, 9th
ers. You can give no gifts with clear
conscience. You have nothing to spare
for presents; all must 90 for necessities.
Very well! make gifts of necessities.
Love makes wood silver, and brass gold;
it converts the necessity into. luxury.
The most expensive Christmas is not the
merriest. 1t is not even now too late.
Come, come! Let IN the light and
brighten the dark year with at least one
joyous day. Decorate your rooms with
evergreens. If you live in the country,
the boys will enjoy ramble in quest of
winter beauties-sprays of fir. spruce,
bittersweet; If in the city, they can
pick up from the cast-off garments of
some church enough to make a wreath.
an anchor. or a motto. Litter and
troublep What if there are? It will do
you good to break in upon the dull rou-
tine Of, too prosaic life with the litter
of love and the trouble of merry-mak-
ing. No timer The time spent in bring
ing sunshine into darkened lives Is new
or wasted. .sg..
Look on this picture; the reality ID in
hundreds of homes all about you: Christ
mas has been looked forward to with
delightful anticipations for weeks. As
the days draw near the children are
busy as Lees making articles for use or
ornament. Some are not very useful;
some are not very ornamental; but love
gives value to one and beauty to the
other See the family dispersed about
the family sitting-roOm, making great
pretense Of spying out each Others
work; and taking great pains not to see
it. Christmas comes. Perhaps there is
a tree-possibly q little one; possibly q
dwarfed and stunted one. The best
fruits sometimes grow on dwarf trees.
Perhaps there is not much on it. Perhaps
the little are necessaries; apair of warm
mittens for the boy; hood for the girl;
a much-needed pair of arctics for father;
a better lamp for mothers none too
good eyes to use in her winter evenings
sewing; barrel of potatoes for all con-
cerned from the Christ-child-for
even potatoes will taste better for
having Christmas flavor, and it
is wonderful how long that flavor
lasts. Or in lieu of q tree is q
box an old shoe-box, with q frill of
chintz to cover the sides, and evergreen
around the top. Into it are piled pro-
miscuously the Christmas packages,
labeled for distribution. All being
ready. one of the boys, arrayed as Santa
Claus, hands out the contents. Such
shouts of laughter and merry jests when
Mary's daintily- covered package, tied
with ribbon. turns out only an almond,
and Annie's brown paper parcel. with
score of rough wrappers, displays but a
pretty silk handkerchief. Some mes
saga merry rhyme, pretty motto, a
loving wish-adds value to every article;
and though the gifts have small market
value they represent uncounted wealth
of affectionate remembrance. .
Wake up. then, Responding mother!
cast-down father! Ring out the Christ
mas chimes in your own heart; light the
candles in your own life. Let the music
of Christmas sound out and the light of
Christmas shine out; and greet the day
with the Joy of hope and love. 1t is
late to begin; but it is not too late 1t
is never too late to mend. Christian
Union. . ....... ..-r -rEF o..