The Cecil Whig., 1885-12-26
THE DAY WE CELEBRATE
How Kris kringle Reigned SUI
premc in ElktOn.

peal answered peal from house to house
as children and grown folks awoke and
arose to join their hearts and voices in
the gladness of the day. Where were
all the solemn faces? Where was gloom
and sorrow and despair? Vanished. like
an unwelcome dream, and down upon
every solemn face, and deep into every
saddened heart descended the Divine
peace and comfort and joy of the Christ
mas Day. There was sunshine inside the
houses if there wasn't much outside.
And how much more than sunshine
every home contained. Mothers and
fathers, sisters and brothers had not been
idle during the few days preceding the
festival. 81 had the shops and stores
been emptied of their wares and filled
up once more only to be emptied again.
and so on day after day until every pur-
chaser had reached the bottom of his or
her pocket book and the gifts for friend
and relative were all bought. Ga, such
crowds of purchasers and such stacks of
gifts. Grocers and confectioners, and
jewellers and shop keepers were crowded
day and evening. The finest and plump
est turkeys were captured first, then
came nuts, raisins and fruits The long
counters of the confectiouers' shops were
lined with eager buyers. Eager to get
the finest bon-bons and sugar plums.
Pound after pound of the toothsome
goodies" were purchased. Oh, how
many children were to be made happy by
them! Rich children and poor children.
sick children and well children, for there
are many charitable hearts in Elkton,
many kind forgiving natures, after all
that IS said and done. Why, see
how they hocked to the little
old hut in the woods when
the Christmas day came. Old "Mammy
Faulker" was not to be forgotten. Oh,
my no. Why, the whole town remem-
bered her. The rich in carriages, and
those who are not so rich went on foot
to her door and laid down their gifts of
warm clothes for the winter, of turkey
and potatoes, of wholesome bread and
vegetables, and the children came with
cakes and nuts, the boys, in their gener-
GUS manly way, carried the baskets for
their little sisters and helped them pound
upon the door of the lonesome little hut
i'll the dark still woods till they heard
the queer old woman hobbling from her
nook in the corner to see who her unex.
pected visitors were. Oh, the look of
glad surprise that beamed in her eyes
when she saw the merry faces and the
tempting bundles. And presently cart
full of coal drove up and soor after an
other full of wood, then came some one
with quilts and blankets, then another
with warm skirts and soft warm shawl
for the shoulders of the shivering crea-
ture. Oh, how charitable all felt, and
how happy their kind deeds made them
feel. Thrice happier than if they had
staid at home and enjoyed the long glad
Christmas day selishly among them
selves. And how happy the poor colored
folks along Back street and down Water
street were made, too. Oh, the wide
white wings of charity were spread
abroad lovingly in Elkton on Christmas
day. Everybody was thoughtful of the
poor, as, indeed, they should have been.
The preachers did not stay in their
churches and talk of the dear Christ
child to the finely arrayed congregation
that usually gathers to hear them, they
thought such folks could read their
Bibles at home and be good, true, and
noble men and women on Christ's day of
nativity without their council, so they
left their pulpits and went out among the
houses of the poor who have no Bibles to
read nor could not read them if they had;
went out to the homes of the sick and
starving and fed them with the food of
Gods gospel healed them with the min
istration of His holy promises, and told
them the beautiful story of Jesus
Christ. how he, too, was poor and
suffered both in the mauger and on
the cross. All the ministers in Elkton
were like Charles Dickens Oh Christmas
day. They did not stand in the pulpits of
their nice warm churches perfumed with
the lustful odor of flowers while those
who needed cheer and warmth and the
lesson of Gods gospel lay on their hum
bic beds of straw unable to walk to the
sacred sanctuary or afraid that they
would not be welcomed by the finely
dressed if they did come. 1t was glad,
forgiving day in our midst, indeed The
flame of love in the hearts Of all burned
steadily and cheerfully. Enmlty was
forgotten, benevolenc. and mirth were
alone remembered. When evening came
the lights of the beautiful trees with
their gorgeous trimmings were lit in the
houses of the rich, and the little wander
penny candle or a paper rose to dress
their tree at home with were asked to
come in and see the beautiful ornaments.
None were left to stand out in the cold
with shivering limbs and chattering
teeth, welcome awaited them at every
door, and innocent baby faces smiled
down upon them from the arms of moth
ers who made them welcome and spoke
kind words to them because they thought
how very likely it was their own boys
might be wanderers of the streets, too,
some day. And SO passed the day we
celebrate. Typical of it's name and
observed as it should have been. Oh,
how glad the heart of the little old wc-
man in the little old hut in the woods
has been made, not for one day, but for
a year of days And the heart of the
poor black folks were never quite so merry
before, nor were the hearts of all the
folks in Elkton ever quite SO charitable,
ever quite so kind and forgiving, nor ever
quite so happy because of their charity
and kindness and forgiveness.
CIRCUIT COURT.