Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-12-20


from woman's pen, are exactly like
those ground out IN 'S4, IA, "a, '5l, ~,
and so ON ad infinitum and ad nauseam.
The lay sermons at the end Of all maga-
zines agree with these entirely in infor-
nation vouchsafed, in mellow reminis-
cences, in rather patronizing greetings to
their large olientelle Encyclopedias are
searched. the same old bits from ia
vorite carols given. Carols arc kindly
explained The ''boar's head'' they all
bring is, at last associated in ageneral
way with the brain that so bores me
that l sympaGtfze just little with that
old tyrant,, Caligula, who 'wished. the
Roman people had but ono neck that; he
might cut it off at blow"
"Gallinbursti" was tho nameaof che
old original bore, not boar. Let uspush
him once for all ''down the back; omsry
of time" and have little rest.
l do not believe that these, fhcts,
many of them doubtful; these QUOTA
tions; these gentle lessons, So many,
many times exhumed and reprinted,
are even read through by anyons.. Why
feel obliged to follow ON in the same old
path? am going to dare to give anoth-
er side of the subject, one that will find
an answering echo in many an honest
heart, for after one has arrived at mid
die, age he or she, married or unmar-
| ried. finds the recurrence of Thanksgiv-
ing and Christmas rather sad occasions,
when one must try to push away the
past, shut the eyes to the dear dead
faces that come up so viHfdly, forget
oneself in making the time pass pleas
antly for those whose lives are still un-
sullied by sin or sorrow or bitter dis
illusions and try to give the children as
good time as possible.
Christmas should bo exclusively a
children's day. Let us give it to them,
who can find glowing, delight in trans
parent myths, a few toys and bags OF
popcorn and bright colored sugar plums.
For US grownups it has degenerated ha-
to laborious farce that to some is ap:
preaching the tragic. Presents must be
exchanged through the entire family cir.
Gle, relatives expect renembrancess amt
especially intimate friends, not forget
ting set of claimants who only sent
you greeting and cheap card, but care
fully estimate the cash value of ySu
enforced remembrance and treat yol
accordingly. The rich waste thousand
in endeavoring to excel each other il
needless trinkets, bric-a- -brae, bonbons
superfuous gems, luxurious nethings
big dinners, costly wines, illustrating
that text so true, yet SO difficult to OK
plain, to those less fortunate, "To hir
that hath shall be jgiven," or, in every
day par1ance, "Tbe Lord gives apples
those who have no teeth" 1t is wit
such simply "a quid pro quo " and thel
is very little honest merriment in til
system.
In big, blessed, unbroken, congenii
families the ideal Christmas is ofte
realized, where the boys and girls retu1
d with families Of their own, never forge
ting the old people, return loaded wit
gifts and goodies, and bringing ii
lively music of happy, satisfied heart
But to the starved out, the represse
who mako brave pretense of being
peace and gladstone, it is hard part
Play In stories written expressly +
r. such people the old lover rot,.,,,i root..ns 1a1t
z full and fond; the generous old bachel
' carries away captive the youngest, pre-
'~ tiast maiden of the lot Alas! in re
IL life the young f1irt captivates the aunt
ne most devoted standby ard laughs at t
n ancient bachelor who t'ies to he gallar
- One old bachelor confessed to me la
year that he was SO fS4lorn at the gli
Ia Yuletide that he wished be- could
made unconscious until it was over.
longed to skip it and escape from its
, pressing horrors. AS he must live rig
through it, however dismal the expel
ence, he would always take the cars t
long trip, or even cross the ocea
. armed with a lot of exciting novels
drive away sad thoughts. He was fl
looking, prosperous, popular fellow, al
I know his generosity to others to ha
been unbounded. He made Christmas
day of feasting and junketing to man
All that does not cure the aching @
heart.
Throw off the conventional shackl
and don't try to be so terribly, SO u
naturally, jovial yourself, and soon t
tu- smiles ON the dear faces, as yet fl
ZEN from lines Of care and sorrow, will
to- reflected way down in each lonely heal
ly Then we shall not have to say, wi
M Longfellow, "How inexpressibly sad q
as all holidaysv' KATE SANBoRN.
ith -~9z
nj
-boi It is estimated that New York sper'