The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-24


is as strong and sweet as in the tire
the martyrs for the churchs nee1- in n
minds OF men there is. however, Fir'
Christmas memory OF different sort.
material recollection Of Kris Kringle. III
Saint, what he did. and how.
In the columns below, follows Lest o
remembrance Of the by-gone days OK fam
Gus personages. on the one theme and sto
ry--"The First Christmas Remember"
No Christmas For Ingalls,.
NV parents belonged TO what was callet
the "Orthodox church" in New England
where was born. and i recall no specia
observance Of Christmas in my childhood
Our great family festival was Thanksgiv'
ing-Day.
The nineteenth century IS listening &c
the Injunction of Jesus-"Suffer Little
Children to Come Unto Me" The infiu-
ence Of HIS teachings upon modern socie-
~ and civilization is remarked nowhere
more than for the growing disposition TO
make home-life attractive and beautiful
for the young. This sentiment eliminates
M Christmas. with its yule log. wassail
and carols, it's gifts and festivities, its
mirth and romance, its traditions and
memories. which grow more consecrated
and patti etic with times memorable flight.
mo marvel Christmas lives so long;
He never knew but merry hours;
His nights were spent with mirth and
song
In pleasant homes and princely bowers;
And greeted both by serf and lord
While seated at the festive board,
Each happy voice cries Welcome here,
old Christmas comes but once year. I"
JOHN JAMES INGALLS,.
Voice From New England.
There are two Christmases. which II
not personal experiences. yet give me
more pleasure 70 think OF than many
others do. One was the first intelligent
Christmas of little girl. not quite four
years old AS she had her father and
mother, and all her grandparents, togeth-
or with a number Of young aInts and
uncles. Of course. her little stocking was
not only loaded with parcels, but over
flowing with long strings attached to
various gifts about the hearth AS II
came her turn TO open her stocking, she
ran TO the toy-piano at its foot, and be-
gan 10 pick out her tune, regardless of
the other things; but being distracted
from that she clasped the various dolls
TO her heart, tore open the picture-books
set the train Of cars to running and the
talking doll 10 talking, wound and wound
the tiny music-box, thrust one hand
into the little muff and the other into
the basket of candies, seated herself upon
the sled caught sight Of the dolls car
riage. and finally stopped appalled,, with
the stocking yet unemptied, and ran and
hid her face i'm her mothers lap. "Oh, i
got too much, got too manys," she sob
he'd cut. And although she Guild have
known nothing about 1t, II 'eemed as II
the little heart had been struck in some
unconscious way with sense of the
great inequalities Of life, and a world
less knowledge Of the children who have
no Christmas. The other Christmas was
the first one Of new home, where all
the family, instead Of buying gifts for
each other that they did not particularly
need at the time nor particularly miss
afterward, had contributed TO common
sum the amount their gifts would have
cost and had given that sum 10 one poor
family, in order TO relieve an urgent dis
tress That seemed TO me the real way
to keep Christmas. and far more con-
sistent with the spirit Of the day, than
where friends and lovers load each other
with gold and precious stones.
HARRIET PRESCOTT SPOFFORD.
The Nestor of Journalism.
I was brought up Puritan of the strict
est sort, and my people in Connecticut
and Northern Vermont held to the faith
for which the soldiers Of Ireton and Crom-
well fought and in behalf OF which they
cut off the head OF King Charles. OF the
long established and sacred festivals OF
the church, they recognized only Sunday,
Fast-Day and Enthusiastically, which
last was n special festival OF their own.
THUS / was man grown before l came
In contact with Christmas and received or
gave Christmas present.
c. A DANA
A Dainty Stage Queen.
NV earliest distinct recollection OF
Day was indelbly impressed
on my memory by a very thrilling incl
dent My parents had prepared a grand
surprise for me in the way of monster
tree, loaded with goodies OF every kind,
dolls of all dimensions and compilations,
each one Of vii ch was labeled ELLA Hall.
Ar nv dolls. no matter how many / had
al a time were called ELLA Hail." that
name alone expressing 10 my childish
all that the world held OF
euphony, distinction, and romance. lnnu-
merable tiny wax lights graced the tree.
My mama had planned to take me TO
thtatre on Christmas Eve In order that
the preparations might continue without
awakening my suspicious. After the thea
tire. was TO be detained at an ice cream |
and candy shop. until, at midnight, l !
should return and view the triumphant !
spcctacle I'm all its glory and splendor. |
And / debut there was far more glory |
and splendor than was intended, for a
small fsmIly OF white mice which my |
mother kept as pets had escaped from |
lheir cage. attracted by the aforesaid |
glory and splendor. had swarmed all over |
ihe tree bent the branches by their /
weight, causing the dry twigs 10 ignite /
and the glory and splendor had commune |
Gated Itself TO the entire house. II was |
very fine spect lclc-frOm a distance-and |
We spent our Christmas with friends
SADIE ALARTiNOT
stockton In a Trundie- Bed.
NY FIRST recollection OF Christmas is
that OF two little boys getting out Of a
lrurdle-bed In the dim gray OF the morn
ng and making their way to the fireplace
where. the night before. they had hung
Iwo long lank stockings. borrowed fiom
female relatives; their subsequent wild
i,ish back to the bed. each loaded with
4 fat. big stocking full Of suggestive pro-
tuberances; the excited delight with which
me treasure after another was drawn out
ma placed on the coverlid; the munchng
and sampling which continued until the
lay was bright and the total absence OF
appetite for breakfast which ensued
FRANK II. STOCKTON.
Good VIII. Good Cheer.
! have no recollection OF any especial
Christmas. l only know that 20 me- the
'r'sy child OF my dear father and mother.
~ Shristmases came laden with good
Will good cheer, ana good gifts.
LOUISE CHANDLER MoULToN.
Kennap's siberian Christnas