The Progress., 1892-12-31

and among the people of all civilized
lands, II is the one season of the year
marked by reign of hospitality, merri-
ment and open heartedness. II recalls
to the old the pleasures of youth. and
transports many an absent one back TO
his own fireside and quiet home.
In the early annals of New York CITY.
when 1t was Nieu Amsterdam and the
sturdy Stuyvesant was commander in
chief; when our now crowded Broadway
was below Wall street and known ONLY
as plain Here STRAIT; when our business
throttled Maiden lane was Tmaagde
paatje-''The Maidens Path'-where
the red checked Dutch girls went TO
hang their clothes; when the meat mar
ket was on Bowling Green, and the pres
ent City Hall park public pasture out
side the city wall, the gath and 25th of
December were dedicated to st. Mich
olas, the patron saint of the colony. 1t
was his image that constituted the fig
urehead OF the ship that brought the
first Dutch emigrants 10 this shore. II
was he who gave his name to the first
church within the walls, and whose ben
hour of trouble by all Dutchmen on land
and sea.
To the Dutch boys and girls st. Mich.
olas was jolly, white bearded. little.
old man, smoking his long stemmed
pipe, and in their fancies driving
through the air over town and country.
oceans and deserts, sending through
space the sharpest of whistles to the
wonderful reindeer team that carried
the wonderful sleigh. These little
knickerbockers have passed away for.
ever, but the children of today still keep
up the devotion Of the children of 1850
for st. Nicholas, only they now call
him Santa Claus. He is the same friend
the same little, low built, chubby.
merry, mysterious ancient who loves
children of all ages and all countries.
The manner in which his coming is
celebrated differs according to the habits
and associations Of the people. In the
great cities and the country towns, for
days and weeks beforehand, the markets
and stores, the streets and avenues pro
claim the approach of the fete. The
whole community abandons itself to for.
aging expeditions. Bundles and baskets
are everywhere-on mems shoulders and
In their hands, in wagons and coaches.
filling the aisles of street cars and trun-
fling through the highways in wheel
barrows. Women and children, hus-
bands, bachelors and sweethearts strug.
gle beneath their weight. There are
gifts for boys and girls, presents fol
on6 ot,1 haa,,o ,Nf q.
for grandfathers and grandmothers
"Old Scrooge" is there, crowding pater-
familias in his endeavor to buy the big.
gest turkey and make amends for his |
meanness 10 his boOkkeeper during the
year, while materfamilias declares to
herself that her Christmas shall be the |
handsomest among all the neighbors.
Now comes Christmas eve-the fairy |
time of the little ones. And who shall |
describe it? The old mantel, with Its |
row Of stockings, large and small; the |
expectant looks of the youngsters as
they linger around the fireplace won
dering what Santa Claus will bring; the |
creeping into bed and listening, while |
the grown folks are making merry over
their eggnog and mulled cider, for any
sign Of the coming of the old gentleman
down the chimney; then, when the
house is still, the mysterious movements
OF the happy parents as they produce
the Christmas gifts from their hiding
places and tie them up in the most pro-
voking knots; the commotion in the
house long before dawn when the chill
dren bounce from their beds to see what
the King has sent them; the chorus OF
chuckles and gable of delight as they
gather around the bedside of the sleepy
father and mother and arouse every one
IN the house to display the lberality of
y sne God OF gifts-who shall, who can
tell the story Of such happy time?
BY and by the bells in the steeples call
the good people all to church and chapel,
ana away they go, focking through the
sirt s m their best clothes and with
tnelr gayest faces. Closed stores aud
general cessation from labor give a Sab
oath sanctity and reserve to the day out
@oe, very different from the Christmas
echoes OF the night before. A little later
"e are seated at the Christmas dinner,
each one neryously impatient to attack
we heaped up viands. The turkeys and
geese aud chickens that caused such a
stui1ng OF baskets ON Christmas eve are
s' op' stuffed in turn upon the tables,
ana soon after lots of little boys and
s'rs are in the same condition.
Inc feast ended, other pleasures fol-
~", The old folks gather around the
oS fireplace to enjoy the outpouring of
tooo teeiing and honest interchange of
eaecuonate attachment which abound
nh season. The young people betake
s.s'ives sstives TO the frolics of sleigh
'as. while the children repair perhaps
~ 'se ne:shbcring hills and ponds to
~ ',ie new sluds and skates. This is
AZ AZ Snf'ssiaas of the average home cir
0's throughout the north and west.
tns christmas of the rich is also a
~ -s yiand IN which for one day at least
save the spirit of Kris Kringle
Xr.fr Il