The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-12-10
The Shadow of Christmas.
George william Curtis, in Harper's Magazine.

In the very prime OF the year appears
the hectic of its decay Sitting upon some
happy June lawn, or strolling in some
wood whose branches "high overarch and
embower," while still the roses are blow
ing and the dog-days are far away one
little yellow leaf forecasts autumn, frost,
and winter Shall we say because of the
startling hue, as of that bright spirit, "far
off his coming shonc, or as in Lochiel' S
warning, "and coming events cast their
shadows before ?" This will depend upon
the mood of the mind If it be pensive
or minor mood anticipating decay or sor-
row, the coming event will cast shadow.
If, on the contrary, it be a ma jor mood,
feeling of cheerful anticipation, then far
off the coming event will shine.
Coleridge speaks of Il melancholy both
in the spring and in the autumn. But he
discriminatcs between them. One is soft,
buoyant, evanescent, the mist of the morn
ing. The other is a gathering shroud Of
storm. Every pleasant anniversary is an
ticipated with pleasure until, as time
passes, it comes to record inexorablc the
loss of time, and the heart begins to ask
itself, GLOW many more shall behold ??
One of Hawthorne's grewsomc tales is the
s'Christmas Banquet, whose company is
never to be enlarged With the inexora
bic years the guests dwindlc and dwindlc
until only one remains. and the happiest
of festivals becomes CHASTITY feast. The
reader is ready to chide the story-teller
who can find it in his heart to cast a
shadow upon that day of happiness, and
turns to Irving and Dickens and Thacke
ray for the Christmas of good cheer and
general joy.
Irving's christmas, We are told, is his
most delightful paper. There is peace
fulness, freshness, Il simplicity, domes-
tcity in his treatment, which breathe the
very spirit of the day. 1t is very Christ
mas that he describes, whether in the
Skctch-Book, or in Bracebridge Hall. 1t
is a soft, idyllic picture, blended of the
spirit of Christmas and of England.
But what is the substance of the pic
ture? Is it vast and ostentatiOus expense,
lavish display, toilsome and exhaust
ing endeavor to give something to all your
acquaintance, a wearisome anticipation,
and painful suspicion that somebody has
been omitted? Thackeray describes lit
tie dinner at Timmins'. A modest couple
make themselves miserable and spend all
their little earnings in order to give din
ner to people for whom they do not care
and who do not care for them. 1t is Il
series of notifications, and the young pair
make themselves needlesSly miserable and
at most damaging cost. They know it,
Their good sense accuses them of it, But
other people do so, and they cannot do
otherwise. What would Mrs Grundy say?
Awful Thought She might tell the
truth and say that they could not afford
it. They cannot afford it. Timmins and
his wife cannot live as the Duke of West
minister lives, nor even as the water-tax
collector. But instead of living pleasantly
as they can live they must needs pretend
to do as their richer neighbors do and III
dierously fail in the pretence.
Christmas is made miserable TO the Tim
minses, because they feel that they must
spend lavishly to buy gifts like their richer
neighbors They thank God with warmth
that Christmas comes but once year. 1t
is becoming a vulgar day, day not of do
nestle pleasure, but of ruinoqs rivalry in
extravaganza, day To be deprecated
rather than welcomed. Are not the Tim
mnses legion? Is there not reason in
their dread of Christmas because of the
sordid and mercenary standards by which
it is measured
The same good sense that sees the folly
of Timmins little dinner and avoids ii
can stay the abuse and regenerate Christ
mas. 1t is essentially day Of human
goodwill. 1t commentaries the spirit of
the brotherhood of men. You cannot buy
Christmas at the shops, and sign of
friendly sympathy costs little. If the ex-
travagance of funerals is such that great
society is organized to Withstand it, should
not the extravaganza of Christmas cause
every honest man and woman practically
to protest by refusing to yield to the ey.
travnoonce