Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-13


1t was time for the society to adjourn,
then, and we stayed to tie up our parcels,
and then walked along together.
Il was in hopes you'd have had said
your say, too, Hannah, she began
There WASN'T any need, Betsey, said /.
HIM! Well, say it now" she urged.
Welt said /, II don't give all my
Christmas presents at Christmas time.
I've noticed that sometimes kindness or
a remembrance will go a good deal farther
on some ore of the other 36i days in the
year. 50 now / just leave little OF what
I've saved for Christmas and put it away !;
and when I see an extra good chance, or a
special need, / draw on it, Mamie Per-
kris had her Christmas gift two months
ago, when | took her with me on that eX-
cursion to the mountains. didn t think
| could afford it, but kept saying Christ
mas Gift! Christmas Gift over to my
self when went to buy the tickets; and
shall send her handkerchief, Wednesday.
1t cost only the price OF a Christmas card
TO take Mrs Carter to the concert with ne
last week, and she wouldn't have gone,
herself"
- have Il little change tucked away in
corner of my portemonnaie, now, l
said,-for I can talk to Bctsey, and she
knows 1t. "Only little, but enough to
buy two tickets for the lyceum course,
instead OF one, though it won't be the
same person who will go with me every
time. Enough to send flowers on Nalen-
tines day to two or three sick people,
who don't expect them, and to buy new
magazine now and then to leave with
he
quarter from her own purse. Yes, in
deed / give Christmas presents, too, all
| can. Not always to the same people,
nor just what they are expecting, nor
what would like to give, always, though
| don't think it's what we give that makes
the happiness of it. -
We had come to the corner, by that
time, and as Betsey couldn't stop to come
in, left her to go home alone.
1t is so strange it seems to me- that the
very things which would make it really q
HAPPY Christmas, " to everybody, which
would suit the day best, and help us to
realize what it means, we have no time to
do! We are too busy keeping Christ
mas" in our own poor way, to read over
again the christmas Carol, or to sing
the Christmas songs, by our own fire
sides Too busy to tell the children the
story of Bethlehem, or even to read it for
ourselves. We have no time to look al
the "holy family" in the art store, or tc
drop in where the choir boys are chanting
the familiar sentences.
We have left ourselves no time to stop
and think of all that the Christ has
brought into the world; no time to re
member what this year or this decade has
been bringing in, of justice and equity, of
freedom, and juster opportunity, and
clearer hope, and brotherhood. No time,
either. to look forward to see what it may
be bringing.
Yes, there are many Cbristmases,
though the most of us have only sixty or
seventy Of them at host Thcr" is the
Christmas Of little children who have, o :
all of us, the clearest ri Ano ~ 81 it ,.l4ka;
1.-THE Christmas Of the boys and girls, and
they will make sure too that it is a merry
one; the lovers Christmas, which is some
times a wedding day as well; the fathers
and mothers Christmas, which is, per
haps, the happicst of all; the old folks
Christmas, so good to see and to enjoy
while they wait together to see the tree
unburdcncd or the stockings filled; the
Christmas of tOiling and lonely folk; the
Christmas sad hearts keep for the very
sccming's sake; the Christmas Of those
who but a friendly deed would make
happy.
There is the Christmas of memory, | am
rot sure that is not the surcSt and dcarcs.
Of all; the Christmas Of hope. and always,
the Christmas that is.
What was ii Scroogc promised, as the
last of the phantoms vanished?
Il will honor Christmas in my heart
and try to Keep it al! the year. / will live
in the past the present, and the futnlc,
HANNAH HAZARD.