The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-20
CHRISTMAS CHIMES.

Caroling bells welcome sweet, holly
crowned Christmas.
Christmas comes, bringing to the old year
his laurel wreath.
Christmas has known poverty, therefore
it remembers the poor
There is glace in receiving as we'll as in
DeStOwing gift.
How our shadow friends gather about us,
in the Christmas gl0amingl
I'VE may decorate hearts with the flowers
OF kindness and evergreens of affection.
The golden sands OF mauy happy Christ
masses lie on the shore of long-ago.
The day is as dear TO age as youth, if for
naught else than its memories.
Bring comfort to some Door emigrant
heart. far away from its Christmas home.
Christmas should be a day of happy
hearts, pleasant thoughts and good deeds.
The cup may be gided or not if the water
in 1t be only pure and fresh.
The lowly violet and stately fir give of
their best at the sweet uletide.
Christmas is the time to forget old feuds
and to remember old friends.
Let not the Christmas fire burn to ashes.
but preserve its warmth from year to year.
The signing winds remind us of the
means Of the Borrowing and suffering.
Practice perfecis; every generous deed
makes each succeeding one easier and better.
1t must be blinded and stony heart that
behoids not the brightness or the Morn
ing Star"
He who wrote SO sweetly of Home"
always associated with Christmas, was a
wanderer, without home.
He is truly noble who would in no wise
injure but readily help the humblest
creatures.
Tenderness to dear ones now will pre-
serve fragrance longer than flowers thick
strewn on costly burs.
Our hearts may be like Christmas, though
at each of its returns a year older, always
remaining young.
Christmas comes as a teacher, making
holiday in our hearts that we may learn
how. in return, to brighten others.
The pleasant tances awakened by the
glow of the tireside should warm and arouse
our hearts to acts Of real kindness.
The winter artist has generously remem-
bered Christmas in making the faded earth
again beautiful with his fairy brush.
Ii our Chrlstnases may not be as bright
as those concentrated by Dickens and
Irving, we may at least make them well
come.
AS civilization advances let us hope it
will not crowd out of the HOLIDAYS all of
their old-time heartiness and good-fellow-
ship.
All the most brilliant culture of high en-
lightenment is yet imperfect without the
simple yet grand lessons learned at Christ
mas Time.
A Tart of the real joy of Christmas con-
sists not in great expenditure so much as
the power to appreciate and impart more
humble pleasures.
The sweet chimes of "Peace on Earth"
seem to ring cut care and trouble and to
hll the soul with its echoes of joy and good
will"
For all the many learned conjectures, the
spot of His nativity is unknown, while.
yearly. the birthday Of the "Prince of
Peace" is celebrated
1t seems strange to think that Christmas
is older than Christianity: that the festival
was adopted. modified and adapted to Chris
tian use, from the old pagan ceremony,
annual course!
Not always, in all countries, has Christ
mas been celebrated with such freedom of
thought, such gladness of peace aud plenty
as comes to us nowadays, of the nineteenth
century, in our own beautiful favored land.
LOUISE SNOW.