The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-12-26
JOLLY OLD SANTA CLAUS.
HE Is NOT NUISANCE, AND DOES NOT TORMENT
ANYONE.

An exchange says: ''Santa Claus is begin
ming to torment parents. He is saint; but
he ID often nuisance, especially when funds
are low and the family large"
Santa Claus never torments anyone. That
jolly old saint, the very soul of pleasant re-
membranes, who comes but once year she'd
ding sunlight and gladness all over the land is
no tormentor. The mysterious little old man
in his coat of fur, with his bag of "nicknacks"
on his back driving over the housetops on
Christmas Eve is no nuisance" but rather u
welcome guest in every home, from the palace
to the lowly cot. Who is there who does not
regret the time when the existence of "true
enough" Santa Claus was proven to be other
than what our young minds had always pic
tured him to be? How early on Christmas
morning, before it was fairly daylight the
night-gown brigade of youngsters were up
from their dreams of sugar-plums and toys on
a tour of inspection of the stockings that had
been hung up the night before to the mantel.
One can all but hear the gladstone shout of
the youngsters of by-gone days, when they dis
covered their wish realized by some toy or
book appearing, the gift Of the chiloren's best
friend, Santa Claus. Few are the grown men
and women, whose hairs may have turned as
white as the Christmas SHOWS, but what love,
ON Christmas day, to sit down by the fire, close
their eyes and be- child again for few short
minutes and live again if but for brief time,
in mind, the happy hours Of their childhood
at Christmas time. Some will be awakened
from the delights of such memory by the
glad shouts and happy songs of their own lit
/ tie ones or the gladstone voice of their grand
children on this golden anniversary.
To be sure, Christmas of to-day is some
what different than in the days gone by. 1t
may be more elaborate in its display of gifts
and all that goes to make it merry, but even
with all this the feelings Of emotion are just
the same. No more joysome, no more hap
piness. The change is no greater than the
change in the ways of the world. Christmas
is no day to dwell on other than joyful sub
jects. To be sure. there may be q little pair
of stockings missing from the mantelpiece,
the happy voice of a little one that made the
Christmas SO bright last year may be hushed.
but is it not comforting to feel that the voice
that is stilled to us is singing sweet praises
to Him of whose birth this anniversary day
is celebrated2 A Christmas in Heaven must
indeed be joyful occasion.
Then there is another thought that will
come up to the thinking ones. Are there not
in some home little ones whom Santa Claus in
his hurry has overlooked? Has the poor Wild
ow and orphan been remembered as
they should on such a day? Have
the widows children as warm clothing as
they ought to have at this season Of the
year? Were that worn-out suit of clothes and
undergarments, the things that were OF no
good except 10 go in the rag bag, what we
ought to have sent to them? Will they
have a good square meal on Christmas
These and q hundred other such questions
will come up and they will never be salts
factorily answered unless we appoint our
selves committee to see that these poor
unfortunate ones are provided for and that
their Christmas is, at least to a certain ex-
tent, merry one. No individual can
take care of the whole town, but there are
few individuals who are making prepare
tions to enjoy this festival day but what
can do something for one poor little boy
and girl, can do something to make their
hearts merry and make them believe this is
not world altogether void of humane feel
ings. No true man or woman can look upon
Santa Claus as a ''tormentor," but on the
contrary, especially where one seeks to
make the deserving unfortunate ones happy,
he is ever welcome, though mythic guest.