Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-25
THE GRACIOUS DAY.

in common with the Christmas OF old
England or of the eastern states. In
vain do we affect an interest in the
typical Christmas of regions where the
snow, sleet and ice abound, whether it
be with old England or New E ngland.
The same conditions do not exist here
that exist there. In England and in
the Atlantic states green Christmas
makes fat churchyard. In California,
and especially in Southern California, it
is just the reverse. The drenching rains
assure health as well as prosperity. We
can take no real interest in the scenes
depicted by the poet, where
The mistetoe hung in the castle hall.
The holly branch shone on the old oak wall,
Not because we have not in our semi
tropic land both the mistletoe and
the holly, for we have both, but because
we have things go immeasurably more
attractive than either or both. These
gracious gifts of nature are for those
who do not know what it is to have at
Christmas tide heliotropes, in full bloom,
trained over the third story of ones
house, and tube-roses vieing with
oil ange blossoms in exhaling delicious
odors, as to which the south wind play
ing on a bank of violets is as nothing.
But the inhabitant of the land of snow
and ice is not without his cunning. He
is philosopher OF the sour grapes kind.
What he can't get he don't want, in
horn, as witness the following from
'Love's Labor LOST"
At Christmas no moro desire rose,
Than wish a snow in Mays neT-fangled mirtn'
That Shakespeare would needs have
been hypocrite to have written the
foregoing if he had ever spent winter in
Los Angeles county goes without saying.
This was an expression of his insular
patriotism. The only regions he knew
of where men could smell rose in mid
winter were in favored portions of South
ern Italy and Southern France, and
protestant England was too highly
heated up with bigotry and patriotism
at that time to admit of any loyal sub.
ject of "Gcod Queen Bess" seeing any
good in such popish lands. Gould Eng
lands Sweet Will revisit the glimpses
of the moon, and take an outing in q
Los Angeles orange grove, bordered by
hedges of pomegranate, he would only
too gladly surrender his affected fond
ness for mistletoe, holly, snow and ice,
and settle down to be one of US. We in
Southern California will gladly sur
render to the people of England and of
the Atlantic states their snow followed
by slush and their ice accompanied by
sleet, and bless the good God that our
lot has been cast go happily. We can
even accept with great good humor an
occasional wet Christmas, because we
know that the plenteous rains will be
followed by a jocund vegetation which
means floral and arboral beauty that
suggests the Eden bounded by the four
famous rivers. Let the rains come and
stay as long as they like; and as for the
snow, let it hug old Don Antonio, and
not on any account presume to intrude
itself into our verdure clad valleys.
There is one aspect of old Christmas
in all lands that the poets have pre-.
sented in a shape that admits of no dis
pute, and it s embodied in the lines
At Christmas plav and make good cheer,
Fer Christmas comes bat once year.
Here is ground upon which we can
all meet. Whether our lot be cast in
semi-tropic California or in the snow
clad east or England or on the continent
of Europe, it behooves all to play and be
merry. Begone dull care should be the
inspiration with all of US. We should
drive it from our own hearts and hearths
and do our best to drive it from those of
our neighbors. 1t is a far more genial
festival than the Thanksgiving day
given us by the Puritans who landed
from the Mayfow at Plymouth Rock,
although that itself ie good. Christmas
is an audacious proclamation OF the fact
that joy has some right 10 exist. The
Christian can rejoice because his Saviour
was born on that day, and the non.
Christian, who is good fellow, can
take heap of pleasure out of the fact
that 60 large portion of his fellow be-
ings are having such royal good time.
So, without ill-humor, let every An
geleiio congratulate himself that he is
living in a blessed land in which existence
alone ia great pleasure, and in which
ordinary joys are sublimated to the
beatifc point. While the yule log will
blaze in the chimneys of old and New
England the sun will ride high in these
Southern California heavens--providing
it quits raining within an hour or so of
this writing. Those who celebrate this
gracious festival in all lands can grasp
the significance OF the gracious message ::
"On earth peace, to men good will"
The wassail cup will 90 round in all
climes today, and the dominant portion
of the human race, even in their rev.
elry, will bear tenderly in mind Him
who had not whereon to lay His head.
and who came from the Father to
loosen mankind from the bond of the
primeval Gu Sc. So merry Christmas
to all readers of the HERALD, and
Here's looking at you."