Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1892-12-27

comnensation for ab.eneo from hon,a
ON this brightest and best Of npniyersa-
ries In finding oneself in tho streets of
London ON the eve OF Christmas. n spee-
tator and a part OF the great Christmas
tide OF expeetant. hannv smiling hu.
manity flowing In counter currents
through Bond street, Holborn. the
Strand. and eddying md whirlinq
around Charing Cross; and when. with
heart warmed with the glow reflected
from thousands OF sparkling faces. To
see this CITY of n million homes and n
thousand churches blaze forth with
Christmas lights from basement 60 roof.
from chancel 10 belfry. the mystic smell
OF the Anniversary becomes yondrous.
overwhelming. complete.
But when Christmas dawns. one
should leave the bewilderiup maze of
this yast city for some old English viii
iage whore the beauty and traditions OF
the day possess cnmeo-iixe unity and
relief; and the farther this shrine is re-
moved from the rush and roar of the
nineteenth century the sweeter will be
the favor of the anniversary and the
more redolent of its old-time incense.
The village green. buttressed by the
ivicd church and manse at one end, and
.he old hostelry and smithy forge at
the other, the noble hall half visible In
its park, and ancient farmhouses
neighboring near. make up a nais On
scene for a charming Christmas that
cannot be surpassed. Watching the as
semsling worshipers Aecldng park and
green, you follow on, pause la Gods
Acre for look Mt the old yew trees
and the billowy sod where the rude
forefathers OF the hamlet sleep, and
enter the rough stone temple 10 whose
plain interior tender and sympathetic
hands have lent u grace and freshness
with clusters and festoons of holly and
mistletoe, and whore Christmas has
been sacredly celebrated for centuries
save when Cromwelrs soldiers put
down the ''papistical" worship or dur
ing the pitiable War OF the Roses. Your
mind dwells mainly In the misty past
during the service. for Cclts, Britons.
Saxons, Danes and Normaus have lsnclt
before you on this spot, many of them
symbols gathered from the remnanis OF
old Druidicel groves blend the credo of
the Christian with the worship of Rel?
As the day declines and Won have
your choice between the hospitality Of
Norman hall and tho festivities at some
old farmhouse where. the Saxon dvells,
hlo then 10 the latter, for Christmas Is
but a play under the puuonizinR smiles
of rank and fashion. while In the soil.
imbedded home Of the descendant of
Cclt or Saxon Won shall see the greatest
Of Christian anniversaries eelebrntinU
at the same hearth with the frat OF
pagan festivals las YOU saw them com.
al the same morning altar
and each claiming the dav In honor of
Ms nativity. In the midst of the fets
where hospitality reign. with Qladness
the carols are heard without and the
door swings wide open for the singers.
In they troop, and as they chant OF a
Saviour born this dav In the cave of
and Of peace on Garth. rood
will 20 man. the blazing yule log OF
the sun worshipers illumines the room
with tidinQs of scarce less import. tell.
ing that on this day the source OF all
light and life has emerged from the
grave of the winter solstice to break
the lev bands Of death and restore TO
man the fructifyipg spring. the ripen-
ing summer ana golden autumn.
| have chosen Enolnnd for tho loci Of my
Christmas scenes, for there one IS
brought into closer sympathy with the