Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-01-08
LETTER FROM ILLINOIS.

UTuftu CTOSStHg, DeC. 70, 1907.
"Wish you a Merry Christmas ~
"Thanks same t you, with a
Happy New Year!'
Glad hearts prompt the wish;
cheerful voices accent the words.
Greetings in so many tongues; gifts
from so many hands christmas
wishes and Christmas gifts; Christ
mas candies and Christmas songs, |
Christmas greetings and Christmas
cards, Christmas candles, Christmas
trees, Christmas bells, Christmas toys,
Christmas dinners and Christmas
joys. How full this world is of |
Christmas In the store and on the
street; in the church and in the |
home, in the asylum and in the Jail,
among the rich and among the poor;
wrinkled age and dimpled youth-all
feel the magic thrill of Christmas.
Had the angels known simply the
good cheer that would fill the ami
versary day of Bethlehem's child,
still they might have chanted their
hymn of praise. Who save prophet
or angel could have seen even that
in the babe of a Manager? And, yet,
all their "good cheer is but a 1.-THE
of the external and visible effect of
that child's birth. 1t changed the
course and character of history; it
become the central link in the chain
of time.
All epochs look forward or back
ward to this, all events date from it,
without it the world has no chro-
nology. A letter cannot be dated,
note cannot be drawn, or deed re-
corded, or check paid; no court OF
Legislature can be convened, or cleo
ton held, or law enacted, or proclama-
ton issued without reference to the
child born in a stable and laid in a
Manager.
Were we disposed to moralize,
here is ample food for thought. We
might ask how this event, so obscure,
should become exalted until all other
events assist to make it more promi-
nent and unmistakable How it at
tracted the wise men and the shep-
herds? or why the birth of a child in
a stable should trouble the king?
We might ask after the spiritual
significance that underlies the eX-
ternal? Was the wonder in aUhere or
rather in avhdt the babe was? But
we leave this to the readers; let each
follow his own cogitations.
Christmas has an influence upon
the world that is nowhere better OBJ
served than on the streets of trade.
1t may be called sentimental where a
group of children are called up to
sing before public audience:
Hang up the baby's stocking;
Be sure you don't forget
The dear little. dmpled darling,
1t never Christmas YETI
but when you go into great stores
Q the several floors of which cover
e acres of area, all loaded with gooC
;. things to put into the said "baby's
:. stocking" there is more than senti
e ment. Indeed, this is the true eli
+ max of the mercantile year. Her,
q the tide of trade reaches its flood
k Every energy is strained for tn
It Christmas trade.
Il Chicago has the reputation of be
$ ing wonderful city; but it is tn
r Christmas trade that brings out al
o her wonderful features. The enter
% prise of her merchants, their re
It sources, sleepless vigilance and tire
8 less shrewdness are best seen jus
Is before Christmas. All previous Ell
10 forts are overmatched in the dlspla
,e of costly and elegant goods. Ever
,e device by which to attract attentio
n is eagerly utilized. The streets an
Of show-windows emphasize the fat
e. that we either, have fallen upon wol
g derfully prosperous times, or as
10 people are unaccountably extrav;
lis giant. The display of costly luxurit
e has increased many fold in the la
re four or five years. The push an
! rush and excitement on the streets
a. much like that on the Board
en- Trade. One State street firm, III
Is able to handle their Christmas goo'
hs in their monsterous store, opened {
, : extra store on Wabash Avenue, al
el- filled it's six floors; real Iii
"Santa Claus" presided. Before /