The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1883-12-22
MERRY CHRISTMAS.

the Christ was born.
There is probably no day in the
year so generally celebrated the
worl6 over asis ChrAtmas. Other
holidays may be observed with
more display and noise, but on no
other does "good cheer so abound.
True fellowship seems to assert
itseLf on Christmas as it does not
at any other season, or upon any
other day. Especially and appro-
priatelv is it, above all other days,
the child's holiday, for Christ said
''suffer littio children to come un-
to me-" His whole life was EN-.
blematic of childhood, in that it
partook of innocence and meek
ness sweetly blended. At about
the hour that the star directed the
shepherds 20 the lowly building in
which the Savior was born, all chil-
dlen are supposed to be asleep
while in their chambers hang little
stockings which Santa Clans fills
proportionately with their deserts
and as consequence many hearts
unused to rejoicing thump against
!
little breasts and joy sureharges lit
tie bodies from crown to foot, leav-
ing impressions which the ravages
Of time will not erase.
Before US is paper containing a
beautiful fugitive word painting of
Christmas, which we appropriate,
it being SO much better than any
thing our poor brain could coin,
and which we think will be highly
appreciated by our readers
'It is now some eighteen hun
dred years since the world began
to count its Christmas tides. If
chronology had not blundered we
might call the present by its actual
numerical; but it is out by some
three or four hundred years in the
annals of our Christian era. How
ever, we are certainly verging fast
I +o,,.onJ +l,o +,r, +l,orconItb onpi
vorsary of the birth Of Christ. Far
back in time, but near by familiar
ity, seems that epoeh-that point
which divides the past into ancient
and modern. As long ago as
stretched the ages of Assyrian and
Egyptian dynasties-twice as
long as the rule Of Rome-anG still
the story is as ''household" to us as
the things which happened yester-
J day. Who can coniure up, at a
word, its scenes? Jerusalem
Nazareth 1! the long file of camels
, striding over the dark desert by
night, toward the solitary star gilt
toring SO suddenly and with such
mystery to beckon their swarthy
, lords from the Orient hills! Who
l has not made from all the old and
new masters his own picture OF the
wayside inn at Bethleham The
crowding pilgrims, the patient cat
: tie, tho traffic, the dust, and in The
T. midst of all the Christ and his He
brew mother And how uuietly
d we receive, on the strength OF I
, story made for all times and peo
L pies, "the alteration Of the Wis'
h Men"
s We never wonder to find thos'
: grave and reverend seniors claC
S in early Italian or medimval cos
d tune presenting, OH bendcd kne
2 salutation unknown to the East
- Jewels and contecticns of the man
y ufacture of the "streets of the Jew
l. elers" at Florence, or the Do
= Platz of Cologne. What, if unde
g porticoes, which the Romans on
y built, horses are waiting which tn
e Magi would not ride, and the Ma
l. donna smiles upon the wistful tra'
" elers in Greek 'poplus," her fe'
X lures and the lovely features {
her divine child profoundly FL
o ropeans
70 70 What of all this 7 We are n
! more disco lcerted than to kno'
that the three wise men died an,