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

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON.
| and State. urging them 10 unite I'm one
! great movement looking toward the en-
| franchisement OF the sex. when I asked
| her how the Christmas Of to-day COM
/ pared with that Of the early part of the
I century, she said: The Christmas Of long
ago, was simple. joyful. exceedingly pic
turesque. quieting and a magnificent :es-
tai tide. Christmas was the time Of all
the home-cOmings, OF loye-makings Of be-
trothals. and OF marriages 1t was
great religious day when pardons were
granted, prayers offered up for those
far away upon the sea or In distant lands.
There was a heroic simplicity about
the way In which the old-tme house
wife prepared for Christmas. II was
not 50 much that she must give and
receive gifts, listen TO and create fat
teries, dance and sing the hours away,
as il was that for the space Of one whole
day everybody belonging 10 her was con-
tent The Christmas Of the past was full
or associations. The Christmas OF the
present Is fun Of expectations.
II do not think the change is for the
better. No one recognizes Improvement
more than ! do. and bearing this I'm mind
I must confess that the celebration Of
Christmas. like that Of marriages ana
funerals. has been run into the ground
"When I was a girl ! lived I'm Johns
town, y. Y We had a great kitchen
so large that IL made a capital playroom
for the children. and where a colorod
man-servant used 10 play the fiddle for
us 10 dance. Christmas-Eve we tidicd
up the room, hung our stockings upon the
mantel and went ID bed I'm the morning
we opened chem with great hufrah and
devou~ed their contents. These were
usually some candles. a few raisins. and
d rosy checked apple
"Often there would be three or four
bright new pennies in the stocking. and
sometimes, but rarely, a polished dime or
a quarter OF dollar. During the morn
ing we would get up li.tle presents Of
food for neighhors who were I'm distressed
circumstances and would take them
round and deliver them In person. Tn
the middle Of the day we had the dinner
which was almost always q great roast
turkey. well stuffed. potatoes, sweet pO-
tatoes and O half dozen other setablcs
pumpkin pies and occasionally mince pies
There was very little special dressing for
the day and there was none OF the pres
ent interminable system OF making
presents. We might give our father and
the family. The idea Of giving anything
to wealthy friends was unheard Of We
went 10 bed early Christmas night. after.
IL might be, games and q little dancing.
and woke mp the next morning with
bright eyes and clear heads.
"The modern method Involves altOgeth-
er too much labor and thought and eX-
pense. 7 spent considerable time last
year I'm a winter sanitarium. and % my
surprise. found that nearly an OF the in-
mates who were there for their health |
were working themselves sick making |
holiday presents. They were embroid- |
ing. crochCung. knitting. tatting. carving /
sketchirg. printing ard only goodness /
knows what not IN the knick-knack and |
bric-a-brac line. 7 spoke to them about |
n and every one assured me that Il had |
TO be done. and that. although tired out /
md exhausted with the labor, they |
wouldn't dare to pass Christmas without |
making some present 10 everybody upon
heir list
'Then ! notice that the cost Of presents
las increased inordnately. When. for
Example. Christmas cards first appeared
hey we're a very pretty and economic
iovelty. They cost n few cents apiece
md enabled person 10 send a seasonable
message 70 score Of friends az no great
outlay. To-day Christmas cards have be-
ome works Of art In themselves and cost
n many cases s. and SO each The
christmas dinner has grown until II IS
neal large enough TO kill an ordinary hui
nan being. II Is 80 bad that almost
Everybody I know the day after Christ
mas is miserable and ailing from an IN
ured stomach.
1.-THE worst OF all IS the extravaganza
which has been growing yearly all over
he land. lust before Christmas. I was
n a large drv-goods store. and right
lear me was n young and handsome mar
led couple They were doing their Christ
mas shopping and apparently had been 10
,ther stores before they had met me.
-ha Young wife said: Here's something
20 must buy" and the husband answered,
Nv dear. we limited ourselves 10 - I'm
oming into this place, and / have al
eady spent twenty myself; really, we
ant afford 10 buy anything else The
wife pouted and responded: We can't
ear 10 look stingy and mean; we are go
,g 10 get so many presents ourselves
ne husband made reply: Yes. the peo-
Ia who give them are very wealthy and
70 can never compete with them IN ex-
enditure.' and the wife, with true fem
nine pertinaclty said: Yes. dear, we'll
nv II and then Wen economic next
month"; The husband yielded and the
asst glimpse had OF him. he was still
uving things under the wife's directions.
'In the olden times such things did not
ccur. III a husband and wife went out
was 10 buy a few things for the chill
ren. which cost but little. and some SIM
lie presents for household servants or
Their members Of the family. What. lei
ure time they would have they would de-
ote 10 arranging for dance, lot or
indoor games. a sleighlng party or straw
de. and all OF these festivities were
marked by great simplicity. There was
sually one musician, a fiddler, who played
Id fashioned dance music. There was no
fashionable costuming and the refresh
nents were simple.
IL view with dislike the way I'm which |
arents who ought TO know better, treat |
heir children nowadays. Candies are /
iuch finer and nicer at the present time
han they were In my youth, but have