The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-12-23

If al tho mothers in the world were dying
that hard old Pine would not care,' said the
boy, bitterly. @Lst US 20 bac,, into the val
ley, sister; there we viii find Sood people,
with kind hearts, whila here there IS no enc
to care for Us"
'.Thera is orc WHO cares for US even here"
cried the sister, spyin:, the Christmas roses,
and IN q moment she had scraped away the
snow and plucled them. ~Ne lad forgotten
tho Christ child, end that tomorrow is lis
birthday Let Us take the roses to tho
church, and there pray that our mothers Life
may bs spared"
So they hGstene1 down tho mountain to tie
village church, where they found tt.o good
pastor busy trimming the altar for the Christ
mas festival He too. the flowers ald put
them, with some feathery moss, into tall
wlii.e vase Than he knelt with the children
and prayed for their mothers life, and the
roses nodding on their stems smiled is though
the gift asked for were already granted.
When they returned home their father met
them at tho door anil exclaimed joyfully,
"The fever has turned and your mother IS
better. Thank God.'
Tho Christmas rose had fulfllei It's destiny.
All, mel the blaci, pine was right. We were
all made for q wiso purpose, and VIC shall
learn what it is il Gods own gooi time.
sThe Christmas rcse is not rose It belongs to
the family Hellebore, bisck Heilehore, 50 called
from the color of ir5 roots. Its large whts
fcwers ere produced In winter, and is grows only
with red.
Three Angels on the First Christmas
Forming.
When God created man He commanded
His angels TO visit him on earth and guide
him in his ways, SO that he might havo fore
taste Of the bliss of the life to come. But
rnan sought after sensual joys in the place Of
those in heaven, and growing greedy Of
worldly fruits, began to quarrel with his
neighbo-s for the possession Of them; and
the guardian angels wept among themselves.
But when the strong oppressed the weak and
took from them by force the product OF their
toll, Justice rose up sorrowinG, and, leaving
earth, flew back to heaven And when the
weak overcame the strong with treachery and
deceit, and got from them by cunning what
they feared to takc by force, Truth rose up
sorrowing, and, leaving earth, few back to
heaven. And when the injured went forth
to slay their injurers, and crirlScned the
plain with their brothers blood, Peace roso
up sorrowing, and, leaving tho earth, few
hack to heaven.
Thus each bad act scared some good angel
from the wcrid, until Forgiveness, the nest
beautiful OF all, alone remained behind. And
when size heard Anger ard Revenge whisper
dark deeds In mems ears, and counsel them
Happiness as 1t Is in Youth and Maturity.
Isn't it little queer that as we grow from
youth to manhood the objects change which
bring us pleasure. The amount OF happi-
ness realized varies but little! There seems
to be a certain amount OF the article implanted
in us; no more, no less. The boys sled gives
place to the richly caparisoned sleigh, the toy
house to the imposing residence, the toy
watch to real one, the toy boat to an ocean
yacht-but the first yielded quite as much
pleasure as the last.
The Christmas gifts and pleasures OF youth
brought as much happiness as houses and
lands, honors and fame do in after years.
Our happiness is all relative, anyway We
enjoy by comparison. The boys sled is big
enough to fill his mind The mans yacht is
merely a toy, which has its use for a time
and then ceases to anIuSe. Christmas is O
reality to the young-a definite pleasure
point To the full grown boys and girls it is
en- attempt to arouse the old enthusiasm, the
belief i'll Santa Claus, the enjoyment in gift
giving ana gut receiving. 1t comes and goes,
and they try hard to persuade themselves
that they enjoyed it with an old time zest
to repeat that had been done to them, she
rcsc up sorrowing and said:
Il will roS leave the earth. While my
sister angels were here L might have rested
in my Fathers bosom, for man needed me
rot; but row that they have fed, viii seek
TO make man listen to my voice, telling Ei,n
that as he cherished forgiveness here, so that
forgiveness viii cherisl, him hereafter"
AT that moment new and most beautiful
star blaZed in tie heavens. 1t was the star
OF Bethlehem Pointing to it Forgiveness
said, Behold, the light of the world. 1t
shines as a promise that will ever dwell
upon the earth" And Peace and Love, re-
penting, few back and have never since lett
the earth. So ths loveiieSt angels OF heaven
came home 10 the werid on tie fist Christ
mas morning