Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-03-01
Up 4 LADDER.

i -
| % & - hallowed Gus
| - toms of Christ
! II liza .s: NJ mas as they are
| l. tsst slg,e3 NJ celebrated in our
| NTk Il a. M aativeland, there
~ are many thous-
tT ands Of persons
who basely agree in looking upon the
ancient festival as disturbing aud
uprooting of their daily habits, itnot
in the actual light of an unmitigated
nuisance. This is, no doubt, very
wrong, and not at all what should
be expected of us as members OF n
Christian community, and yet so, al
as. it unfortunately is regarded by
many of us.
There was certain young man
who toiled for his daily bread,
from ten to four" as the satirist
hath it, in the offices, OF that most
august institution, the foreign office,
to whom the blessed season which
poets and moralists have alike inn
mortalizad appeared TO be tooseyere
a trial to be enduring in the accus-
toned fashion. And because he was
young, and therefore both obstinate
and selfish. as many young persons
are wont be, he made ND his mind
that he would not do as Others of
his Kind did. and as he himself had
hitherto been accustomed to
do. e., return to the bosom OF his
eXpcctant family for the Christmas
yacatiOn-but would shut himself up
in his London lodgings for the four
days of enforced idleuess, read yellow
French novels, smoke inuumerab ole
pipes. go TO the pantomime ON box
ing night, and dine in peace and sol
itary grandure of roast mutton and
deviled kidneys tifso he listed every
night Of the festive season, at his club.
Ernest Redforth, such was this
misguided youth'sn the was only
two-and-tWenty years of age, or lie
might have known better than to
have flown thus into the face OF de
cOrum and propriety1 was so convinc-
ed of the practicability rs we'll as the
wisdom of this resolution, that. when
the jovial festival drew appreciably
near, he sat down and wrote to his
old mother in Hampshire, and in
formed her that he was going to stay
in town for Christmas this year.
''Forwhat is the good ofgoing home
to be insufferably boredl" he argued
with himself as be folded up and d.
rected his letter with a gay and iaunty
air. The governor is always as
cross as two sticks, the master has
poor peoples blankets and flannel
petticoats on the brain, the girls
are Notwithstanding and flirting
with the curate from morning till
night, this frost won't give for a
month, SO no chance OF u days
hunting. and now the governor has
let all the shooting, there's not d
single thinga fellow cando. / should
only moon about and wish myself in
town, and outofall the humbug that
goes on about merry Christmases
and family effusion! I'll stop where |
am"
But he reckened without his host.
by return OF post came such pile of /!
letters as he had never received be-
fore in ore day from the parental |
root They were pitched in every |
possible and conceivable ktyy. An I
ger, reproach, entrcaty! Eyeryt,nag
that was possible to be said BY sens
upon paper was poured forth n>;on
him by his excited relatives. low |
could he be heartless and unnaturap I
they wrote. How desert them thus
crnelly at the one time ofall the year I
which it most behooves all families |
to cling together? Whatwould their
be without him?-a yawn- /
ing blank What might not have
to scatter the family be-
tween this Christmas and the NEXT
who could tell How would he feel if I
his aged parents were to he by then
Wondering in the family vault?-the
most narrowing repentancel Would
he ever be able to forgive himself
again?&c., &C., &c. And SO the end
OF it was that poor Ernest had to
give up his little dream OF pence and
pleasantness, and to knock under. as
many a better man has done before
him, to the eXigencies OF that British
lugeernaut of fate to which most of
us ARE doomed moro or less to sue
numb-the Christmas fnmily gather
ing.
lie gToaned good deal over his
lefeat, Int when the day arrived lie
packed his portmanteau, putting mp
he presents he had thought himself
BOUND to come armed within pate
ic ioie gras for his father, a sealsain
lag ,or his mother, and sundry lesser
gifts for his sisters-upon which, be