The National tribune., 1894-12-13
SDIToE'S CHAT.

jDIToE'S CHAT.
Tho Good Ola Christmas or Long Ago, and
Holiday GIFTS OF Beautiful Meaning.
Is i. true that we Americans do not know
how 10 keep holiday in the holiday spirit?
Sometimes it seems So when we think how
the meaning Of Thanksgiving has been changed
from n scdatr Christian festival to season OF
cable stu!l'us and games and plays and care
less dancing.
In our land Of Astounding plenty, with the
fruits of every cline upon our tables and
bouudless stores of tho meats and sweets from
which 10 draw eur daily diet. it is natural that
we should losc Che sweet simplicity Of palmer
living.
In other countries the one great meal of the
year is the Christmas dinner; in oar cwn coun-
try the Christmas dinner is multiplied by
every month every week, often every day, in
tho year. We lose the delights of expectancy;
there is 10 rarity in the feast We regularly
enjoy.
The old.rashioned Christmas had ifs novel
ties in the cakes aud pies that were baked ut
no other time; cakes made intO shapes of birds
aud beasts and stars aud flowers; cakes with
curraiits and sai,ins aud frosted ia curious
ways that Eade The children dance with joy.
Now we have our everyday layer cakes and
angel food aud all the infinite variety OF cakes
that our children least upon daily and grow
more pale and nervous. And they mnce and
push away their plates, and turn 10 their gorg-
ing of sailed almonds and French coGfec-
tionery.
The old-fashioned Christmas had its stock
inrs lung in he chimney. with some hickory
nuts and miHt-stick in each, and sometimes
doll pecping oyer The top. And the children
1 L III. IL. l. -
peeping from heir white night-gowns, looking
for the tracks of Santa Claus marked in the
scot OF the chimney; shouting screaming, wild
with inuorent JOY over homely uothiugs.
Now box must have a bicycle and girl a
family OF dolls and FUN set of furniture TO make
their little hearts beat with 1.-THE of the
childish delight.
Christmas gifts have been so elaborate and
costly OF late wears that many have become
almost discouraged in giving. Former simple
love tokens 10 members Of ones household
have macnfed themselves into expensive gifts
OF silver and gold aud parlor ornaments for
casual acquantances until ali the sweet,
tender meaning OF the holy holiday season has
been lost sight Of.
Whole furniture SETS as at vulgar weddings,
are sometimes given. as well as horses and bug
cies and deeds Of real estate. Dry-gaods stores
are empticd Of their contents and made M
into bundles Tor friends who il is known, are
10 send something in exchange; and cases OF
beer and wine and mijohns Of stronger
drink arc often freely exchanged.
China stores arc ransacacd aud sometimes
sets Of two and three hundred pieces arc or
dcrcd a Christmas gift to wife, or daughter.
o. friend. Robes and rugs and stuffed chairs,
aud even sach unpoctic necessities as boots,
shoes and horse blankets arc bought aud pre-
scented as gnoaiy CUTS, aud to those usually who
need them not.
fp- lan-r
embrCideries al le expense Of health. strength
ard sweetness og temper 20 prepare iheis Christ
mas gifts Souie even begin their wUri; when
one Christmas is over in order 20 be ready Tor
another.
Debts are contracted which take the coming
gear 10 pay. il they are ever paid at all aud
headache ANA heartache ulster in the happy
Christmas morn.
As Tor thg children. ;hey are loaded down
wlih toys ANA giGcrHcss aHd expensive books
and ornaments aaa candies, until their little
Gtomachs are TUNED into Iermentiug watts OF
vinegar aud gall.
Dear friends. 40 not do it. Keep the Christ
mas spirit in your hearts. Let your gifts be
love, jog. tie sweet outpouFing OF human SYM
7atiy. when you give presents to your friends
select them fer iieir kindly sentiment There
are days and 10 spare for the purely useful and
1iilitariau
Pcrfunc;GTy giving is never goodly giving |
hHi 10 if"iHie 81 Elit because you tIlnR some 1
bO1y else Wlil 1--WE you one and you want 10 be |
ready 30 hand out ono in return, is the most 1
s0rcid Eind Ci barter and sale.
know G. e. girls who have made arrange |
mcnts for Just ibis sort Of giving. They have |
selected some bits of china which are to be /
given 70 COMPANIONS who may happen to give |
something 70 thcm. Aud they have been care |
iu 10 select something that will he Of use 10 |
them should tuere De 30 call for exchange /
What 5ort!4, H!e:cenary Christmas giving is |
This.
Bot there is . time when gross gifts Of cloth |
ing and shoes and household furn iture DO take 1
on beautiful Christmas meaning. Ia is when |
they are bought Tor distribution among those 1
who have th-n not Then the honest aud /
plaIncst aud coa.est article takes on the gid /
ing Of light. and "a voice sings in the heart OF |
b IN Who gives aud him who gets:
Peace On EARN. good w!li toward men"
sHeEE AID CROW SMALL
record i,ep; ~ Yale lor eight years shows /
that non-saoi,css arc % per cent. taller, % per
cent heavier, and have 60 per cert. more lung |
capacity than smokers An Amherst graduating
eass recently showed a still greater difference
the ncn-smni.rrs having gaiEed - per cont in |
weight and = Ier cent. ia hight over the |
smokers ard also exceeding them in lang
capacity.