, 1882-12-30
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30. 1852.
Christmas Day

All in cloud of glory.
As once upon the plain
To shepherd boys in Je~ry,
He bring good ness again,
He is the young folk 5 Christmas:
He makes their eyes grow bright
With words of hope and dtender thct
And visions Of delight
Hail to the Christmas angel
All peace On earth h. bring;
He gathers TIE youths and maids
Beneath his shining wings.
The children's holiday is at hand. /,
is true children have other hol ldays
they have a share on the Fourth Of July,
but the enjoyment is always subject to
such parental restrictions and limitations
that the youthful mind finds itself ham
pered almost beyond endurance. The
patriotic youth asks for pistOi and gets
a pin-wheel, it is little wonder he is con-
cious that the day is not at all his own
when he is bound down TO pin-wheel IA
triotism. What mockery to attempt to
celebrate the Declaration of Independence
when the anniversary really brings moth
inc but oppression aud the pin. wheel,
Asain, although tie youth contribu' es
much 10 the c m nemoratiye racket, his
p,aceSs ignomin;ous, While he fires his
crackers in the back yard his father pa
rades the streets and assaults the shy with
his oratory and Pyrotechiics. and shakes
the earth with his cannon. In truth the
child cu's'hut small figure IN the event
of July.
Thanksgiving comes but the child does
not rule the day. Thanksgiving is a reyel
revel of The ancients; every thought has
backward turn. The moss is scraped from
off the branches Of the genealogical tree,
and the buds are little thought Of By
day the child gnaws the "drumstick,
while the ancient gorges himself with
rich and savory flesh, and at dark the
youth are swept 10 bed that the hearth
stone may be clear for age to rake over
the embers of antiquity.
But Christmas rights all Of chlldhOcds S
wrongs. Youth sits at the feast while age
girds himself for attendance. From
Christmas I've To Christmas night tie
reign Of childhood is! unbr, ken. In fact,
for days and sometimes for weeks before
the day. the energies Of the household are
bent TO the service # the little ones. The
approach Of the, ,'event casts the family
beneath the yoke, and the fetter Of love
and devotion, which have been cautiously
concealed, are WORN IN open view The
enthroucmeut If the little ones is com
plete.
To the little ones Christmas Is a pleas
ure both in anticipation and realization.
Carried far from childhood's thoughts as
many Of us have been, and hound to
harsher thoughts by the burdens Of life
which comes with mature years, We may
forget the pictures which fill the mind Of
the child both III waking and sleeping
hours. But they should not be forgotten
nor disregarded, when it lies within ones
poyer TO treat them more kindly. Ii Is 4
pleasure and duty to minister to the
happiness Of the little hearts entrusted to
our care. Ii is sin TO neglect when Joy
is so easily given. The toys which seem
priceless treasures 10 the child, are pro-
cured by an insignificant outlay or pro-
duced by Il skiIlfui hand in few leasure
hours. Let them not be denied. Let 1t
be the pleasant duty of each TO spread
abroad Christmas cheer 1t will reward
any effort which the work may cost, to
think of the joy which viii thus be
brought INTO little hearts where perhaps
Joy seldom comes One need not look far
to find an opportunity for generous deedF-
"The poor We have always with you,
saith the Saviour.
Christmas morning is a gladsome time
in family where love reisns. The hearts
Of the old are warmed anew by the joys of
the little ones, and these joys in youth
who have been trained Alright, will ava
ken a thankful spirit which Will manifest
itself in signs which make the old home
glow with the light Of love and affection,