The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-01-21

bsas,siiul grcsr than ever before. The
pis cid iskes we're - smooth and blue ~
tie siy shove them. The day vas ushered
10 by the airing Of guns. and the explosion
Of Gre crackers. more like the Fourth OF
July than Christmas Such s the custom
10 many or ell parts OF The south. This
seemed odd 10 our New England ears
which had never been sisuned 70 that kind
Of Christmas music. Bat these explosives
we're more suitable 10 the weather. than
vas the weather 10 Christmas.time. &C.
cording 10 my early education. But vas
IL not unkind 10 break the spell upon me.
aud turn What for the moment had seemed
my New England Christmas day. into .
Fourth Of July. sith ito usual acconpan-
iuent OF 6re crackers and guns, - II The
summer temperature in this CLINE. wAs not
spough2 Our Christ came In times Of
peace. and vas the Prince Of Peace; and
1t his advent
Nor var, nor battle sound
Was heard the world around"
Then Why this sound Of var, these "wars'
Wild alarms" TO usher in this Day OF
Peace. But joys and rejoicing find many
ways Of demonstration, and We will not be
the sslisppoin.ed jadse, to condemn or
criticiss. The negro vas. and is now 10 =
great extent. AZ institution Of the south.
And this much have they done TO establish
= custom. or style OF celebrating Christ
mas in the manner - above described; for
this has been their peculiar way Of demon.
strating their Joy over the day, since first
they had heard OF II. Surely it matters
not so much. as TO the particular medium
through which the expression Of our joys
find vent. The thing Of greatest impor.
lance is. to have Vie spirit Of Christ, aud
the JOY and happiness Of true Christmas
our hearts gratitude to God, that in the
city Of David, ~ the appointed time. there
was born - Saviour, which is Christ
the Lord" So we rejoice over the day,
and our hearts are made glad over our
Christmas gifts. and our homes made hap
py, even ~ OF old, and in the days Of our
childhood. around the hearth-stones Of
our New England homes.
Our Christmas dinner passed Of - most
Christmas dinners do, with feasting on the
good things" spread on the bountiful
board before us, and with Joy and merri-
mcnt so natural to the OCCASION. After
dinner. We heard not the merry jingle Of
the sleigh bells. nor did we robe ourselves
in fprs, blankets, shawls, ETC., in expecta'
ton that our "feller" was to call for us, to
join him in pleasant drive over the new
fallen snow" On the contrary, by invita-.
tion OF friend, we we're one OF party to
take row upon the lake. We were not
rsbed and wrapped for the trip, as You Of
the north might imagine; but with sum
mer dress. as for summer sail, we were
all equipped and prepared for our after
dinner airing. Upon the opposite shore Of
the lake we landed, not in field OF snow,
but in field Of orange trees, one OF the
largest and oldest orange graves in this
section OF the state. Such beautiful
sight as were these great trees, SO loaded
with fruit that the branches touched the
ground! Many Of the branches were
supported by strong poles, such was the
great weight Of the oran ges upon the trees.
You can hardly imagine how lovely and
novel was the sight. as We stood within the
overhanging branches these little orange
bowers snd the golden fruit hanging above
and around us Mr.. Phelps the owner Of
this grove. told us that be thought there
were between two and three Thousand
oranges on each tree, and that there were
in the field three thousand trees. ! saw
in this field the tangerine, or kid glove
orange a. il is some times called mot 90
common variety here. The tree itsell
is q beauty. both in form aud foliage. II
grows TO about the size OF the smaller
cherry trees in the gardens Of the north,
You can partly imagine how lovely this
rich colored fruit would look, as IL clus-
ters and nestles among the leaves OF the
richest green, which robe the tree in sc
beautiful foliage. And here too, were
fruit bearing lemon trees; and many lemon
trees had oranges budded, or as we say
grated into them, and thus was the odd
sight OF both lemon and oranges upon one
tree. Mr.. Phelps kindly permitted us to
pick some oranges from the trees and ]
secured one Of the largest ever saw, q
Christmas gift worth having. would like
to send IL you, "weather permitting" But
no, it will not stand so cold Christmas.
greeting, IS you northern climate, and you
northerners would give i'll Iii no friend
to the ,eros, and would much prefer ia
stay with one In more genial cline.
Now this my first Christmas ia Florids
was very pleasant, aud hope we may
oil have the pleasure Of spending another
holiday season in this sunny-lsnd. had
thought Of giving you some account Of
the New Year, down south" but my
letter is already much too long. and
must close.
NonIHAhNER.
| OBITUARY.
| Died In Fort Dodge, Iowa. Jan. IL