Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-22
MARGERY DAw
Tells About How Christmas is Observed In
Different Chimes.

..pn. the star that shone in Bethlehem
Shines still and shall not cease;
And we listen still 20 the tdlngs
OlGlory aud Of Peace.
And what comfort the glad tidings
hiring 10 hearts grown weary OF NE
trials, For one day the whole woriu
npfs aside care, and gives itself up 10
Christmas cheer. All misunderStahu-
mps are forgotten and hearts grow ten
der and forgiving under its magic spell
The sick and suffering are MADE 10 LOT
get their pain, because even TO the still
pess of their lonely chambers there
reaches an echo of the JOY without
prisoners must find in the day some
brightness. for are we not told. ut was
70 Bring sinners TO repentance" that de
came. and remembering this must orlng
the light Of hope to them.
The Second Adventlsts claim that the
celebration of Christmas dates back
$500 years before Christ aud, indeed
strange as 1t may seem, the early ho-
mans did have time given over 10
merry making and gift giving. Ihis
season was called "Saturnalia," ana
came near the beginning OF the new
wear. Servius Tultius, Roman, woulG
at this season put up affairs in each VII
lage, and there the people carried 0llIS
of money and exchanged gifts. we are
even told in history that these pagan
boys and girls looked for trees loadeo
with gifts, and that it was a time OF
joy. ,o...,-
fuI that so long before the coming OF
our Savior this giving Of gifts on GER
tain day foreshadowed the greatest glIt
ever given TO the world-a divine re-
deemer.
Have YOU ever thought how differently
Christmas is observed in different coun-
tres, and indeed in different parts OF out
own? / have had the good fortune 10
note the difference between a Christmas
i'm New England and Florida and 1t Is
more marked than yol would imagine.
The little town OF Windsor, Vermont,
was almost buried in heavy fall OF
snow that Christmas, and on first look
ing out of the window IL seemed quite
impossible that we could go 20 church.
But after breakfast had been
eaten and gifts exchanged around
the most beautiful OF Christmas
trees, big sleigh-big enough TO hold a
family Of eight--drew up to the door,
drawn by two horses, who seemed TO
have caught the spirit Of Christmas
as they fairly flew over the
frozen ground, and soon reached the
pretty little English Church. (ThiS
will be remembered as the church
where Senator Edmunds' family wor-
ship; here his daughter was married
and in the churchyard is the family
burying ground How bright and sweet
il looked as we entered, that day, all
decked in evergreen and holly full OF
berries, while the "village choir" sang
as welcome: "PeaCe on earth, good
will 70 men,"
The service was sweet one, and
when the beuediction fell on the kneel-
ing worshipers | think il carried peace
% each heart.
A delightful drive to the old home
aud then the dinner. Turkey, plumb
padding, doughnutS and the best of
mince pies, with everything else good
that only New England housewives
know how 10 make. In the evening the
children sang carols, and l think this
custom came from their home across the
sea.
-
The day in Florida seemed so much
like the Fourth Of July that 1 could
scarcely realize it was not. Early in the
morning there came small colored in
diyidual bringing me from a friend
an offering Of flowers-but such flow
erS. / wonder if they grow the same
any place but in the sunny South?
Roses, all shades and sizes, cape jasa-
mine and magnOlas, and twined through
them fragrant orange blossoms, but no
Holly, mark you, to make me feel
ChriStmaSy.
The day was sultry and very warm,
(cloSe, like an August day with us), but
[ braved the sun and started for walk.
l was met everywhere by small
boys lighting fire crackers, and saw
preparations going on for the fireworks
at night.
The boats, as they pushed out from
their mooringS, were decked with flow
erS and green's (the beautiful Palmetto
leaves being uSed), but the most notice.
able decoration consisted of flags of all
sizes and long strips Of red, white and
blue bunting draped along the sides OF
the guards. The dinner, too was so
different from ours. Oysters, fish,
quail, fresh tomatoes and lucious straw
berries, fresh from the vines, with
other fruits of all kinds, but yet re-
hinder again of the Fourth of July,
and not Of Christmas.
MARGERY DAw.
Both Want Divorce.