Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1890-12-28
YuLETIDE MUSINGS
ARE We ALL HlPPr lsS IEaRIl
A. fstsississ r.ss ne nysssssss 81 .
h<ax oass-~A xsss-sa<y Asisa4s
~ . Thss<ss- The Jsi~s
rhsss 1sia.

ttst<hfe Oh lfony AE01t TIE salataton
"A Merry Christmas, Mere you msr-
~ on that day Mas everybody mesryf
vii answer and say, no! Yet sne
chimes from the numerous churches IN
uFand Rapids peaied clearly and loud
iy IA the frosty December air. TIE
stars were brlght. and the star ia the
east was ia "a expected place. Mother
earth, however contFsd eted the de-
seriptions Of this holiday period we
read OF ia The lsgends-lt Mas barren
apd sfey and snowless. Thsrsfors il
sas strain 70 the Imagination to think
of = kFis krIngle" descending the chm
ney ia his furry robes. The musical
sleigh-beli was silent. n fact mother Ma
ture failed 10 provide the necessary
scenery and props" for the realization
OF Christmas deals and fsneies. All Of
the-traditional customs were observed,
and The conventional bill of fare served
many happy gathering. There were
family reunions, Jolly meetings, mar
rlages and al that, but were We al
happy, No! answer. What kaleiio-
scope reye lations there vas IN the scefes
represented ID Monroe-st. on Christmas
eve. | wandered among that busy
throng of shoppers. GA, what pic
ture 4 was. There was every element
and condition OF lfe. The elite, the
aastere, the blue blood. the plebian. the
tradesman, the mechanic. the day Ia
borer and the poverty stricken, all ell
bowed each other in the crowded shops.
saw happiness here. and
a glance in another direction
brought 10 my view faces. with the lines
OF hardship and distress. jostled against
them were the expeetant, joyful and
ruddy faces of innocent little tots.
whose happiness was boundless in the
possession OF the toy miniature of some
grest and useful thing that is propelled
and moved with thousands OF mighty
dollars From shop to shop / wan
dered, studying scenes and beings that
would take volumes OF words to de-
scribe. Yet the thought beset me,
were all happy Ding-dongl Ding
dong, No, II was not the fire engine.
II was the patrol wagon. In il, sup
ported by two stalwart bluecoats, was a
poor, maudIin unfortunate. Rapidly
IL rushed by and the bells rang out
seemingly to inspire the thought from
their sacred edIfices: .sGlory to God in
highest. peace on earth, good will
towards men," .'Merry Christmas"
shouts crowd of young revelers, while
Tire anxious heats of mothers, OF SIS
tcrs, aye. of sweethearts, beat with in
creased puisations at homo. The at
nosphere - full of rejoicing, yet amid
this merriment there are cad hearts,
for the passing throng IS halted that
the little black wagon may cross with
ia freight, the ghastly. long. white,
psne box. AZ the same time old ac-
auaintances meet, greet and exchange
Merry Christmas" On through the
streets the mass of humanity moves
with It's bundles and packages, tokens
OF fondness for some cherished
little one, sweetheart or friend.
"Eve'n paper shoats the ire
pressjbIe newsboy. On the first
page IN flaming headlines, "suicide ut
lis Mothers Grave" and while you
read. the sombrous-toned organ in the
distant church gives forth the familiar
"kseste Fuieies." That mysterious
force, electricity. asserts Its uightiness
ia tho glow OF countless brilliant lights.
yet the dreary cells few blocks away
ere dark and cherries, while in gar
rets IN some dingy tencment watchrul
hearts are breaking ever the van face
of half-famishsd and dsath-doomed
bare. "HerSld the joyful news, re
has come, gladly sings tie choir IN It's
rehearsal for tie morrow. sal the
numbCrless faces pass and pass, and
the gay fellows, without care. burden
or hone, chuk Rssssss merriiy in the
club, and the poor widow with 2 charge
of little ones. nouns pit.tslIv, aud
hepes foF the blessed sunshine OF for
tune. Gsiety predominstes. we be
come thoughtiess and intoxicated with
good cheer; We give and spend reckless
". and yield 10 sentiment which Gus
tom has established little thinking of the
contrasts IN life. Never IN our Joyous
feeling do We think Of shifting the con-
dshons of humanity which surround IA.
ant with excessive GOOD cheer We shout
Merry Christmas" But does the
memory Of the birth Of The babe in the
stable. With the oxen, at Bethlehem
bring any happiness or sclscs u the
unfortunate or deprsveds Make il
merry with the changing of bells, With
the conn ngiiag OF voices in sntneus,
with the ustersnce of eli the combined
Instruments ef uusc-vet 20 the dee
pondent and unfortunate, il emphaezes
the contrast and ~idsns The gulf be-
tween sorrow and hsppizess.
~ss allowed - inspect the navsteri-
nr.s interior of hox office the other
dav. vas possessed With thas ssu,e
ave. regarding the place where man
seers. agents and newspaper men con
grsxssp. that I hsd sf an editors
s.uettsyn bsfo-= became Inflated.