The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-01-08
CHRISTMAS CHEER.
The Happiness Of tho Arp Family.
Atlantic Constitution.

Auanto Constellation.
1t is the same old story, but it ia good
one. "e have passed another milestone
in the journey Of life. Christmas has
come again and now it has gone. How
short these miles are getting "a we near
the end. They used to be long, very
long, to me. How that, I wonder They
say that time passes swiftly when we are
happy, and it is so, l know, for an hour
or day. but it is not SO for q month or
year. The flight of years Is measured by
our age. Childhood is happy and bright,
and to happy children the sun "dces new.
er rise a wink too soon, nor bring too
long day" but the years seem almost
au age-an age of pleasure. Time shrinks
up as we grow old. Everything shrinks
The trees are not so tall nor the hills 60
long and steep. The rivers are not so
wide aud the creeks have become branch.
es. Indeed, the great big world that
used to strain our comprehension and
excite our wonder ia not much Of q planet
now.
On Christmas night, that is the night
before Christmas, Mrs. Arp and I took
our patriarchal stations in the big arm
chairs by the parlor maptel, and with
patient and serene dignity prepared our.
selves for coming events. We let the
young folks manage these things now and
they give us no trouble. There was n
goodly gathering of children and grand.
children aud kith and kindred, and all of
them were arrayed in Sunday garments.
and the little chaps faces fairly shined
they were 80 clean, aud their fond moth
ers looked upon them with a visible Joy
aud maternal pride, when all of a
sudden our blue-eyed daughted opened
vide the door and exclaimed "Old
Santa Claus has come" Merciful good.
ness, what q fuss 1t looks like cyclone
had struck in these parts and was ex.
Ploding right here in the parlor. can't
here anything for the tutnultuous confu.
sion of infantile voices, and the grown up
ones are no better. Old Santa Claus has
just come into the room and emptied his
basket, and now the little tin horns are
footing and the harps are blowing and
the boys are popping paper caps in little
iron heads fastened to string, It is all
mixed up with ooh my, oh isent it lovely,
bless his heart. Look at my slippers
we'll | DECLARE" and the women folks are
showing their handkerchief and shawls
and perfumery, and soforth, and tho men
and boys are taking on over their cuff.
buttons and handkerchiefs and cravats,
and one boy has got q new gun, and
another fine book, and another some.
thing else, and there are frecrackers by
the peck aud ever and anon there ia q
grand racket IN the front yard, for they
are popping them in barrel, and here
they go and there they go, all on the
tramp and everybody talking at once, and
| think l hear n baby sgualIiDg and
wounded boy a bawling, and now of
course Mrs. Arp is calling, and the jun.
BILE is appalling, and amidst it all / am
still calm and serene, for Christmas comes
but once year, and let's havo fun aud
frolic and good cheer.
But by and by tho program changes
and the plays begin and big and little run
round the row of chairs TO see who will
be left out when the music stops. 1t
makes the old house quake when they all
throw themselves into their seats tumul.
tuously, and ever and anon hear on old
chair crack and now and then little
chap gets run over and re.ires with a
groan, but it is all right reckon for IL In
Christmas, and it is free for all. They
jammed me up in corner with my little
table sud all can do il to look on and
feast my soul upon their happiness Tor it
all carries me back to the days Of my
gushing childhood when never got tired
of such frolics and loved the nights that
brought them, when hide and seek was a
glorious joy and the little Jack Maringall
q drama OF delight. Oh would were a
boy again just now, not for life, but just
now. would like to feel MS l used to
feel when all was bright and gushing and
and there was no apprehension
of ..ouble or grief or dark shadows to
come. Such thoughts do come and 20 in
spite of Us and they mellow us down and
prepare us to let 60 our hold upon earth
when our time comes. thank the good
Lord for 30 gently tempering our life that
we become reconcled to the change in
due time. When we are young and
bouyant 1t Is all right we should ex.
claim {: 4sii - sif}a }hff
'grhe world Is very lovely oh my God,
thank Thee that live. 4.
But when we get old it is just as sweet
to sing:
81 would not live alwsys,
ask not TO stay"
And now the music has begun and
am called to help for they are getting up
q family dance and Mrs. Arp, and I al.
ways make the music. They let us do
thst-we are still useful and It would be
right hard for these young folks to get
along without US. Mrs. Arp's fingers are
still nimble and as gracefully touch tho
ivory keys, as when ] first worsL. oped Mt
her shrine thirty six yssss ago and went
into raptures over Kathleen Mavourneen
ard her beautiful hazel eyes-not Kath.
leen's eyes, but Mrs. Apps. And she
just nearly died over my soft dove like
notes on the flute as I carroled "The
Sweet Vale of Avoca," or "The Irish
Emigrant's Lament"
But now when the young folks wish to
dance, we cheerfully respond and play
medley that ha> neither beginning nor
ending, for It just goes on and on and
round and round, and Is q fantastic fan.
testia that 10 an original mixture of Dix.
ie and Run Niger Run, and the Bob.
tsE Nag and Come Out Of the Wilder.
/. sss and the Arkansaw Traveller and
Highland Fling, up in Balloon Boys,
and come others of like life aud key and
measure. !, Oh, we make music we do,
and the children always cheer us and
thank us 30 rapturoasly that we try Il
again when they call us and get ready
for the next set. is
5 And now tho programme changes
again and We have music with aong.
Younger fingers touch The keys and the
family choir gets round the piano. and
lcheers the wee small hours with melody.
The old standard songs are still welcome
sOngs that never, wear out, such as
Rocked IN the Cradle of tie Deep"
HSuWone6 Rfyer,S and IA f,nia I,aurie, d,