Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-12-25

with burning cheeks and threbblng
heart, Cora sobbed out the story of
her folly, and her providential warn
ing, she was clasped in the arms of
both pare n's, there to receive the love
and forgiveness that had been await
ing her hoped-for, prayed-for return.
And thus what promised to be a
dreary Christmas TO Mr.. and Mrs
Sanford, was really the happiest one
ever known to them.
And as for Cora, she emphatically
asserted that one such Christmas eve
adventure during life time was
sufficient for her and ever afterward
needed the counsels of her parents.
A National Christmas.
Congress has never legislated to
protect the mistleloe or the holly,
though it is perfectly well known that
these holiday plants, which are much
more necessary to Christmas than egg
nog, find their way over here from
England in considerable quantities,
and take the place Of our American
varieties. This neglect is defended by
the Congre ssmen who give so much
time to the study of botany in our
agricultural department upon the
ground that no amount OF duties would
change the character of our native
plants. 1t is assumed that a moderate
protection, not for revenue, but to sat
isfy the American sentiment, would
not give to our holly (Which is already
a respectable plant in Virginia and
elsewhere) the very glossy leaves and
the very brilliant scarlet berries of the
English growth. 1t is perfectly well
known that the grape (wire being we'll
protected) by long cultivation here
becomes refined and purge6 of those
gross, earthly, highly fruity qualities
which connoIsseurs (whGn they have
seen the LABEL so much detest in wine
Bat whatever effect legislation would
have on the American holly, the
plant as it grows is adequate to express
the American Christmas sentiment.
With the mistlet0e the case is still
stronger. II is of no consequence that
this mystic parasite, which tiourishes
so abundantly along our Southern
coast, is not the veritable riScunI
album that the Druids handled with
SO much solemn mummery. 1t is a
perfectly respectable mistletoe with a
virgin white berry, and answers
every purpose of the other. The
young lady, when she Inadvertently
stands in the doorway. under the
misletoe bough. is not thinking
whether it is riScltm album and the
kiss which the young gentleman
steals, by immemorial right, is just as
sweet as if it were called by any other
name. He is thief, whose sins are
forgiven by Generalization, although
he does not know that the plant is a
phOrddeRdon
The Drawer would not escape, if it
could, the sentiment attached to the En-
glish holly and mistletoe, and it would
like very well at Christmas to mingle
the American and English varieties
ia token of international kindness and
the universally of the highest festival
Of the Christian year. But it is not
sorry to see growing a strong Ameri-
can sentiment, not boastful or bump
tious, but one of satisfaction in things
Americas. And Christmas, VITA its
overlooking good will, is a good sea-
son TO indulge it. 1t happens that
the holly fourishes with more beauty
and vigor in the South than in
the North. and that the mistletoe
likes the favoring air of the Gulf
States. The South is thus able
to contribute something essential,
in our traditions, to the Christmas
festivities, and the North, in
10 - g chat 4ln
country is our country, having in its
vast domain all that national pride or
sentiment or necessity can wish. In
the period of alienation the two sec.
tons, it seems, were in kind of veg
etable ignorance of each others
capacities to satisfy the finer senti-
ments of each. The North thought
it must go to England for its annual
romance of the holly and the mistle-
toe. Now, with better understand
ing, it knows that the united country
contains all that even poetry can de
mand for the great festival. The
cealed motive, frankly confesses that
the object of this paper is to induce
the North to send to the South
for its Christmas decorations. It
is the little things of life, the little
acts OF kindness. the little ex.
changes of courtesy and confidence,
that most bind people together. And
TIE dsv has come-has it not9-ln the
United States. when nothing is .ack-
ing to the perfect unity in sentiment
and national pride on Christmas Day.
Seei As the morning dswns which
means peace and good viii among all
Christian peoples, the South hangs
up the mistletoe bough, and stands
under it in the doorway, looking
neither south, nor east. nor west, nor
north, but just looking in maiden uu-
consciousness, Christmaslike; and the
North-well, the North, if the Drawer
knows it. just accepts the challenge
like gallant gentleman, glad to find
a good enough riscum album at
home.-ChdrleS Dudley Warner, in
Hdrpers Magazine for December.