The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-01-05
BROADBRIM'S N. Y. LETTER

The Christmas Chimes are ringing am
as l sit here listening and writing, the
notes, loud, and clear and sweet, sound as
much like requiem as jubilee. Neal
me are couple of little sleepers; perhaps
dreaming of the golden visions of the COM
ing morrow if in slumbers so profound the
happy sleepers eyer dream. The bells
ring out, drop my pen and close my eyes.
and float awav in memory through the
sweep of years, long since dead, and th,
brightest hopes OF which are dust and ashes
How long; ah, how long it seems since
lay like these happy sleepers, waiting for
Christmas morn. have often wished
that the spell had never been broken, and
that Santa Claus in his furry coat, all
covered with snow and SCOT. could as living
long ago. have eaten of the fruit of the
tree of knowledge, Dut it has brought me
no happiness; it has turned to ashes on my
lips. In pursuit of the earth, ever TO find
the tickle goddess fleeing and be, ond my
reach. l have struggled a lifetime foI
the bubble reputation, only to realize with
the psalmist, ''thst all is vanity" aud now
those midnight chimes remind not onl! OF
the birth of Christ, but that another year
will soon be numbered with the dead.
Watchmanl what of the nighLp What
hath occurred since the ringing OF the last
Christmas chimes? A change in the nation
al dynasty-a fierce political battle fought,
In which armies aggregating eleven millions
Of men were engaged, and when the result
was announced, the defeated army laid
down its arms and surrendered the govern
ment, to the victors, for which God bt
thanked at theChrslmas time. Marvellous
has been the growth of these two greal
cities of New York and Brooklyn since
these Christmas chimes were ringing 6
year ago over one hundred thousand hay,
been added to their population, and in 4
recent address by the Mayor of BrooklyI
TO the municipality, he uttered the pro
phecy, which will no doubt be fulfilled
that within decade, Brooklyn in point o
population will be the first city in the Union
In the past year between thirty ana fort!
millions of people have crossed its might.
bridge, and so admirable have been il
arrangements for TRANSPORTATION. that no
one in million has been injured.
Notwithstanding the mad struggle TO
fortune on Wall street, with all of its mani
fold faults and transgressions, good ha
come out of Nazareth. Cresus has no
closed his heart to the piliful appeal @
charity, grand, beneicent, holy, whic
these children of fortune have generousl
endowed; where the destitute and ailin
poor can receive better treatment and bel
ter care, than England's King could hay
commanded for untold gold century age
The hearts of the rich respond to the CT
of charity; for this God be thanked 4
this Christmas time.
Should the belief in Him be shaker
whose name is now supreme on this sacre
holiday, no greater calamity hath befalle
mankind in all ages. II is the poor VII
would miss him-the sick, the homelts
the forsaken, the dying. Wherever the su
rises tomorrow on the haunts of men ar
civilization asserts her sway, there vi
rise the "Hosanna" and "Goria in E.
eelsis Dec" that the child is born and tn
Christ has come. That he has come al
is here, is not fairy tale. Come with u
eat ints The streets, and We can zee