Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-12-20

Time WIS, with most of us. when
Christmas day, cncircling all our limited
| #orld like magic ring left nothing out
iuy Us TO miss or Seek baund together all
opr home enjpymentS, affections and
| hopes; gvourcd cyeryt aing and every one
around the Christmas fire. and made the
little picture shining in cur bright young
eyes complete. Oa this day we
shut out uo,hng! "pau-r!' says Il low
voice. Nothing Think ,'' "On Christmas
day we will shut out from our Eresides
| nothing" Not the shadow Of vast CITY.
where tHa wiJtered leaves are lying deep?"
the voice replies. Not the shadow that
darkcns the whole globe? Not the shadow
that darkrus the city of the deadP Not
even that. Of all the DAYS in the vcaI
we will turn our faces toward that city
upon Christmas day, md from its silent
hosts bring those we loved among us.
City Of the dead, in the blessed name
wherein we are gathered together at this
time, and in the presence that is here
among US according to tie promise, we
will receive and not dismiss thy people.
who ere dear to us. Yes We can look
upon these children angels that alight so
solcmnly, so beautifully among he living
children by the fire. and 3an hoar to think
how hey departed from us. Entertaining
angels unawares, as he pa'riarchs did, the
playful children are unc0 scOus Of their
guests. but we can see thcm--can see n
radiant arm around one favorie neck, ms
if they were n tempting of that child away.
Among the celestial figures there is one, a
poor mlsshapen boy on earth, of glorihcd
beauty now, of whom his dying mother
said it grieved her much to leave him mere
alone, for so many years as it was likely
would elapse before he came to her being
such child. But he went quickly. and
was laid upon her breast, and IN her hand
she leads him. There was gallant bov
who fell far away, upon Il burning sand
and beneath a burning sun, ard said :
Tell them at homo, with my last love,
how much | could have wished to kiss
them cnce, but that | died conlentcd and
had dourmJ dutlr Or there was anorh,r.
over whom they read The words, There
fore we coWmiL his body to the dcap!"
and so consigned him to the lonely ocean
and sailed on. Or there was another who
lay down TO his rest in the dark shadow
of great forests; and, on earth woke no
more. Oh shall they not, from land and
sea and forest, te brought home ut such
4 time? There wHs Il dear girl-almost n
woman-nevcr to he onc--whO made IA
mourntul Christmas in . house of Joy, and
went her traCkless way to lhG silent city.
DO we recollcct her worn on. family
whispering that which could not be heard,
and failiug into that last sleep for wnari-
ness? 0 look upon her nowl y look uron
her beauty, her serenity, her changeless
youth, her happincss Fho daugh or OF
Jairus was recalled 10 Ii. ID je; but she
was more bIcst, she heard jhc s,mevoice,
saving unto her, "Arise foreV n" We
had friend who was our friend f. "a oarIy
DAYS. with whom we often pictured the
ch"1gcs that were to come upon out lives,
an merriy imagined how we wcu !
Tsp K and walk and think and talk, whcl
VIZ came to be old. HIS destined habta-
tio il the city of the dead It ceived him
in lis prime. Shall he be shut out from
our ! ristmas remembrance? Woul his
lovn 50 exclude us? Lost friend, lost
child, lost parent, sist brother, wife,
husband, we will not so discard you. You
shall hold your cherished places in our
Christmas hearts and by our Christmas
fires; and, in the season of immortal hope,
and on the birthday of immortal mercy
we shall shu! out nothing. The winter
E \ goes down over town and village; on
the sea it makes q rosy path, as if the
sac ! tread were afrcsh upon the water
A e. more moments, and it sinks, and
nigLL comes on, and lights begin to sparkle
IN the prospect. On the hillside beyond
the shapelessy dill'used town, and the
quiet keeping of the tree hat grid the
village steepIe, remembsan are cpt in
stone, planted in common flowers. growing
in grass, en,wincd VIII ,owIy brambIes
around many I mound of earth. In town
and village here are doors and windows
closed ag inst the weather, there are
flaming logs heapei high, there are pyful
faces, there is healthy music of voices
Be all ungentleness an, harm excluded
from the temples of the household gods,
but be those remembranccs admitted with
tender encouragement. Tney are of the
time and all its comforting and peaceful
rcassurances, and of histor' that reunited
even upon earth the living and the dead :;
and of the broad beniticeRc and goodness
that too many men have / led to tear to
narrow shreds. .-DickeNs.