The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-24

Drain them to give. and, Withal, to give
themselves. II 10 the secret of happiness. I
never saw any one who lived self-centered
who did not End in a total collapse. A good
giver does mot feel poverty when 1t comes,
because she sees others miseries more than
her own. She always gets at her W posi-
tion by contrast. But the person who lives
to got has also this great disadvantage
that she cannot enjoy other peoples joys.
A great life il never 30 very great in itself,
but in it's ability TO live in others-"to re-
joice with those who rejoice, and mourn
with those who MOURN"
I wish I could give a present to every child
in the world this very Christmas eve. II
Santa Claus were a veritable fact, how hap
py he would be. Whom at last the feelings
Of humanity felt out the RreatthouRht Our
father which art in heaven; give us this day
our daily bread" did they teach also the
thought what infinitely intense joy was
buried in that thought? wonder how the
craven s%elnshness of some men has been
able to make out that that father exists
only for his own pleasure.
This world would be intolerable, at least
to us mothers, but for children. The bless
ednesa Of giving ourselves way to the small
ones surpasses all other possible joys. 1t is
not our own children alone, but all children
that are beautiful. And how much can be
accomplished with even the worst endowed
# only We can get at them in time. The
kindergarten is a stride in the right direc-
ton; but one must 90 lower down. l have
faith the babes of thieves and prostitutes
can, il taken when sucklings, be saved from
the worst Of their heredity.
Home giving is easily made a heartless
nEc;s A NtALo rurn WV In mt rivo tnn lnruo1x,
too unstintedly. I see many children
made mean by having selfish desires graft
fed. II is easy to make the distinction.
Crafty all fair desires, all that are whole
some and upward looking. II q boy wants
tools or books Or useful things. he should,
But he may have too many Of even these;
and so never feel the worth OF them. A girl
will surely be born with q taste for fine
dresses, and personal adornment. This is
not vanity, nor evil-ifnot in excess. But the
first duty Of a mother is to see that the outer
show does not get the advantage of inner
beauty. A girl has no worse enemy than a
vain mother. Let the child never hear of
that accursed thing called Society let
her instead learn to think of honor, purity,
duty, as making the beautiful. Our most
shocking penny shows are our girls on ex-
hibition.
A giving week may be a great blessing to
all sorts OF people. The best part of the
holidays is, however, the good nature and
jollity of it. Coming in our dark days, it
is all the better, as it puts in a great deal
of sunshine whom the sunny hours are few.
Fun is a legitimate part ct human nature.
All the animals play; children are born to
play. Older people are old only when they
are deprived of play. In many ways we can
turn study and work into play. and l be.
lieve the world will yet see q time when all
work of all sorts will be SO wholesome that
: I'LL I.-ua So - khn nV,1rsA ~ c,ort Thn1n
is a deal of amusement in shopping. Our
male friends do not understand US. The
hunt for appropriate presents is full half
the pleasure. But, in giving comes the
other half. III pleasure of getting grows
neager, and after awhile fails nearly al
for are obliged to lose the pleasure of wish
ing. There are some pleasures of poverty.
All, but our little ones will not always
have us with them. We must do what we
can for them while We are together. At
any rate, they will not long remain in the
shall wish them back that we may plan
more lovely hours for them. This is the
one inevitable and terrible fact, that we
build nothing that is permanent. But it is
Il grand fact if we know how to use IL; for
we may build finer every day. No one can
better I might have done" But we are
fools to mourn over tit is the lot of in
experience. Let us look ahead for
thing better to be done.
Christmas at it's origin had in it no per-
sonality. 1t represented the return of the
nobly put a new spirit into old customs.
Now we have the sweetest human person.
nifty, the very idea of manly grace at the
heart of our holidays. l know the words
''for Jesus sake are purely ugly as often
spoken, and only mean in some prayers
ton of all that is beautiful. But if
one do not think of human nature
at it's best, with every grace of honor
and truth and beauty, and then say "for the
sake'' of creating more of this in the world
/ will always live and act. there can be no
finer resolution: Shall we make the little
ones happy, and thus make them good? To
be sure, If we have the strong purpose. No
right aim ever failed in this world. nor ever
will fail, whatever for a time we fear.
What was the ~pleasantest gift yol, ever re-
ceived? l have had many choice and costly
ones; but in all this nothing was, or ever
will be, so soul-thrilling AZ my first-born.
All, the gift of a child! The father could
have conceived nothing so wonderful. 1t is
one-half ones own soul. l old it lies
wholly in ourselves whether this gift shall
be a glorious and lasting Joy, or only the
gratifying Of an instinct for something to
love. We must either give our vital over
flow, or, if morbid and feeble, must crave it
of others. II ia more blessed to give than
to receive. The finest thing in the world
Is n large capacity to love. / am not sorry
that l have loved some unworthy people.
But when it comes to ones own children,
then the first duty ia not to love. but to
have that which is lovable. IL we are noble
ourselves we shall have noble children.
Ihe power of trifles ia vast. Only we
have always to consider that what to us is a
triAs ia not 80 to others. TIL important
duty OF holiday week ia to make Just the
largest possible number of people feel that
they are not forgotten. IL is unwise to be
carried away with the excitement of the
week, to buy expensive presents not needed
by the recipients. There are few we'll -to-do
persons who cannot lind ten families where
a small present, like a basket Of grapes, or
of oranges, or a bushel Of apples, or a
ham, or a turkey, will not be of real value.
This ia better than gold watches or costly
articles of dress to well-off friends.
10 teach the art Of giving wisely is part
of good parental obligation. l find that
my children enjoy moro the secret plotting
to prepare gifts for others than they
do the presents their receive them
selves. Phil says: well, l wouldn't
just like to he overlooked. but after
all there isn't much fun in getting
things" THAT'S just what I say, too"
Bert. You look en- over and tuck
'em away, and there they are. I'd M soon
soc 'em in a store, IL faint something you
~xawx ..A ALL