The morning call., 1890-12-21

the Roundhead leader, made an effort to
chop it down. but his ak slipped and cut him
severely, while at tile same time large
chip flew up and struck his right eye, com-
pletely destroying its sight. This mishap,
which was regarded as provIdentlal
punishment, etfectually deferred the Puri-
tans from any further sacrilegious attempts
to destroy the miraculous tree.
The extent of the period in which it is ap-
propriate to display Christmas green has
long been subject of debate. Though the
Christmas season seem to gain rather than
lose in popular favor as the years roll by,
yet it is worthy ot note that it has been
much curtailed from what it originally was.
For several centuries it began with the eve
of All Saints day or Hallow Eve, October
30;h, and continued until Candlemas day,
February ID, the time between these two
dates comprising the Christmas holidays.
That long period was annually devoted, dur
ing the middle ages, to such a round of
ception of at the present day, all persons,
old and young. having free license to then
indulge IN all sorts of wild gambOls, pranks.
masquerades, and other extravagances that
would have been thought highly INDIGENOUS
and reprehenSible at any other time Those
were the palmy days of the Christmas green,
when TOR more than three months it trans
formed the grand old halls of the feudal
barons into Christmas bowers.
AS THE WORLD PROGRESSED
And mankind found many new objects to
occupy their time and attention, the exigen-
cieS of life imperatiyely demanded the cur
taiiment OF the Christmas season to much
narrower limits 1t was gradually reduced
from time to time, until at length it came 10
be generally regarded as commencing on
December 10th, marked in the church cal
endar " . Sapieniia," from the name of an
MT a A l,a
DR. Parr. when asked by lady ON what
date she should begin to decorate her home
with evergreen, replied: "On o Sapientia,'
madam. But say Christmas green, not ever
green; evergreen is Puritanical."
Whether or not the learned doctor was
right in regarding the term evergreen as a
Puritanical substitute for Christmas green,
it is certain that the Puritans OF Crom wells
time bitterly opposed the decoration of
churches, shops and other buildings with
Christmas green. 1t is even related of the
great Oliver himself that on one occasion he
tore down with his own hands some sprigs
of green which he encountered over shop
door in one of his walks during the Christ
mas season, SO bitter was his opposition, as
Lord Protector of England, to any recogni-
ton of Christmas.
Next in Importance to mistletoe and haw-
thorn rs Christmas green comes holly.
That of England is the most highly es-
teened, but this is simply because most of
our people are Ignorant of the tact that we
have two kinds of American holly which
are fully equal TO any that old England can
produce. One bears red berries, and has
broad, PREDETERMINED evergreen leaves. The
other bears
GREATER ABUNDANCE
vi handsomer scarlet berries, but its leaves
are not evergreen and they fall as early as
other forest leaves. Both varieties are found
from New Jersey TO Florida along the At
lantic Coast, but the two varieties are not
always found growing in the same place.
Where they can both be obtained they make
one Of the most beautiful of all Christmas
decorations. II you wish to produce most
striking and elaborate effect you cannot do
better that to arrange festo0ns of alternate
clusters of these two varieties of American
holly. Take feStOon of this kind and ex-
tend it along the high altar or wall of a
church and you will be delighted with the
contrasting effect of the bright scarlet ber-
rles OF the one variety with the darker, more
Somber hue of the other. Another pecu-
LARRY beautiful church decoration may be
formed by combining the leafiess holly with
the feathery ground pine, which latter,
though lycopodlum, strongly resembles
little pine tree, which belongs to the class
Known as cryptngams. or plants not bearing
true flowers This little pine may be said
to occupy an intermediate place between
feruS and MOSES.
Another lycopodium which is a very beau
covering the ATLAS of churches or any other
fiat surface that it Is desirable to decorate is
the club moss, or crowfoot. Nothing will
give an altar more beautiful appearance
than Christmas covering of this moss. 1t
is easily obtainable in almost any part of
the United States.
Another very beautiful and useful Christ
mas green is
THE GAuLTHERIA, OR TEA BERRY,
Also known as box berry or checker berry.
Early IN December it Is a vivid crimson, and
though by Christmas it is a little duller, it
still retains very beautiful color. Won
derfully brilliant effects in church decora-
ton may be secured by forming festoons
and wreaths in which all these various
greens alternate. Say, for instance first
cluster of holly, then one of the feathery
ground pine, and then one OF gaultheria
For house decorations, and especially for
dinners during the Christmas season, the
most fashionable floral ornaments are
blooming plants, Iiacs. Dutch tulips and
lilies of the valley. The different shades of
cyclamenS. ranging from snowy wilderness
through all the shades of rose coral, find
special favor Small holly trees, bearing
berries, are grown in pots and imported
from England. They are then placed in or
nament baskets and their pots concealed
with moss. But the choicest of all flowers
Tor house decoration at Christmas time are
orchids. vi roses there are many choice va
retleS In season, and these are also much
used. They are now greatly in favor for
Christmas dinners. They may be so ar
ranged as to form a basket, whence they are
taken by the host and presented to the
guests at the close of the meal.
GEoFFREY WILLIsToN CHRISTINE.
Copyright Is9D, all rights reserved by Georrey