Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-12-25
CHRISTMAS DAY.
Is it to Be Observed Simply as Day of Give
and Take ?-How to Make Il
Most Blessed.
Youths Companion.

Youths Companion.
Christmas time and good cheer are
synonymous terms. If there is a period
in the whole round of the toiling, schem-
ing, SHINING world when life seems less
burdensom and home joys more real, it
is when parterJamiliGS begins to come
home at night with his pockets bulging
out with knobby bundles. 1t is when the
youngest boy confers darkly with his
mother concerning some secret which
has to do with his father. 1t is when
the oldest boy in vain tries to conceal an
awkward-looking package, six inches one
way and seven by nine the other, by
crOwding it into his coat-tail pocket
When the very atmosphere, all about, is
redolent of good wishes and happy sur
prises, and musical with words of charity
and goodwill for all.
Yet to many people the coming of
Christmas is anticipated with dread and
looked back upon, when past. with
feeling of relief, because the holiday has
come to mean "give and take"
1t Is no exageratiOn to say that thou
sands of good people in this land have
forgotten how to gioe Christmas pres
sents represent to them matter of er-
chdtIge To another class, who have low
ing hearts but slender purses, the thought
of Christmas brings embarrassment and
envey. Is there not something wrong in
that idea of Christmas time which ex-
presses itself in conversation like this:
Mother, what on earth can get for
the Delaneys this year? You know they
will be sure. to send us something this
year, as they did last"
m sure | do MT know. You might
give the two girls those vases we saw in
the city yesterday
Indeed won'tl l mean to get those
vases for Aunt Carroll and Cousin Fanny.
But" with sigh; ave must get them
something, 1 suppose"
Yes, | suppose we must. What a
bother, is MT?
Or take an instance of different kind,
like the following:
A young man, clerk, perhaps, with
limited means, receives an invitation
from his paternal uncle to spend Christ
mas at his house, where he will meet
host of cousins and friends. He knows
that they will remember him in some
way, and yet it is impossible for him to
make each of them present without
going far beyong his means.
He is forced either to refuse the invita-
ton and to spend the day in some poorer
amusement, or to accept, and to be NOR
titled at his inability to give presents
equal in money value to those which he
expects to receive.
Many persons at Christmas time are
perplexed with such thoughts as these:
- - oil
my friends, though would like to? They
will think am mean if do not remem-
Der them"
The time, which of all times should be
blessed with peaceful, loving thoughts,
bustles with anxious seheming as to how
a pint may be made to appear as large as
a quart.
Could we read the hearts of many per-
sons the day after Christmas we should
be more grieved than surprised to read
there: I'm glad another Christmas is
gonel Now shall not have to make any
more presents for year at leastp'
Is Christmas to be observed simply as
day of give and take? Shall our best
thoughts concerning it be the thought
that the presents we give out were equal
in value to those we receive? Shall not
noble souls try to make the day memOra-
Bile not by the exchange OF gifts, Out Dy
the expression of love?
Our loved master gave the world Him
self as His best Christmas gift.
SHE REMEMBERED HIM.
Press.
Hello, Maggie, how 'er you?" said
PolkberryYiIle beau, easily and gracefully
TO one of the bellies of the town. "Can't
[ come round and see you to singin'
school, Friday night?"
"No, you can t, Bob Plumen," was the
freezing reply. 81 m up to your tricks,
'ir. You can be mighty friendly when
IS coming Christmas time, can t you?
Oh, know youi Mebbe you think 1 II
Knit you three more pairs of wristlers and
/ red and green and yeller and blue scarf
line feet long, and then have you give
ne nothing but little old 10-eent candy
u Z L. I