The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-01-03

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gree Of notoriety by the publication of
the celebrated Morey forgery four yeals
ago. REQUIE CAT IN PACE.
The weather which was miserable and
murky during the week seemed to have
10 perctptDle effect ON the throngs that
blockadsd the avenues and crowded the
streets. The little fat man aud tue big
fat woman loaded down with velocipeaes,
dolls cradles, rocking horses, tin trum-
pets, Noah's Arks miniature locomotives,
drums, infant caliopes, and all those
evil inventions which give such delight
to the gamins, and which make their
parents so miserable, staggered along in
asort of exstacy, butting against one, and
reached with the precious burthen. Not
withstanding the hard times the sales Of
holiday goods have been fully up to the
records of past years. 1t is evident that
the squeeze is not universal from the
sale Of Ferdinand Wards pictures, last
week, which ran away up into the thous-
ands.
1n the midst of our festivities we have
had several calamitous fires, the des-
truclion of Pratt's Oil Works, sinking n
round million Of dollars; and the burn
ing of Harrigan & Hart's theatre, losing
$3.50 900 more. There have been several
largo fires besides these--the losses OF
the week being not far from two millions
of dollars.
In the height of our financial troubles
things have taken Il singular turnover
two millions in gold rolled in on us
from Europe and more is coming our
cousins on the other side of the water
want something we have, and for which
they are sending us good British sover-
eigus. Let them come on, we haye lots
Of stuff on hand which we will part with
on the same terms-for heavy exports
are our only salvation in 1885.
One of the pleasant features of this
holiday season is the general desire to
remember the poor The felon behind
his prison bars stained with crime, and
sclrred with sin was not forgotten. The
ragged houseless tramp, foul and un-
slightly, for one day had warm shelter
aid meal. The newsboy aud the boot
black found kind friends TO remember
them. The ragged waifs-uuclaime
and od-forsGken-were gathered in
f:om the stormy strsats, and were re-
minded that He who feedeth the
ravens" had not forgotten them. One
of the marked characters in this city is
Judge Steckler, jew, and while this
may have been the faith of his fathers,
and Mr.. Steckler himself is an honor to
his ancient faith-there nrc no narrow
lines in his religious belief. Every
Christmas he gathers in the poor by
thousands and feeds them. jew and
Gentle, Turk, Pagan, or Free-thinker, it
makes no difference-he does not ask for
a certificate of moral character; the
principal question is-are they hungry
ana poor. Though the heavy snowstorm
which set in with the Christmas chimes,
and the cold blizzard which succeeded it
have caused much suffering among the
poor-the anniversary of the birth of the
babe in the manger at Bethlehem has
helped to soften it, aud made it less hard
to beGI.
Whether men believe in the christian
religion or reject it, there is one bright
living fact that the poor will remember.
and that is the name of Christ, When
the cold and biting wintry storms came;
when hunger pinched them; when the
frosty wind swept through their tattered
garments,-the name of Christ symbol.
lied warmth and comfort and meat and
drink and joy.
1t is something to know that there is 4
bond that unites men all around the
globe in every cline, and that, at least
once year, opens their hearts to the cry
of the poor. We are now on the thresh.
hold of another year -on which We enter
with some misgivng, What is before
us no man may forecast. Labor is dis
organized, and we will need all of our
wisdom and all Of our care to steer our
snip to a safe port; but trusting that he
who guided us SO wisely and we'll, will
not forsake us, and wishing all my read
ers A Happy New Year,
Yours truly,
BROADBRlM.