Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-07
ANTE-XMAS THOUGHTS

While we mortals have been f1dgeting
about, each in his own contracted circle.
trying to keep warm in winter. cool in
summer and fed at all seasons, the earth,
on whose surface we live and move and
have our being, and below whose surface
we are finally tucked away out of sight
and memory, has kept its dignifed, silent
course around the sun, and Christmas
merry Christmas-is again at hand.
But is IT merry" Christmas to most
of us? And If not, why not? Because of
cares and sorrows, and misfortunes, you
say. But did not those ANCESTORS of ours
VINO invented Merry Christmas"-did not
they, too. have their cares, and SORROWS
and misfortunes? Assuredly they did. be-
ing human; but perhaps those unlettered
early Christians whom we pity ard deride
because they lacked soap. and newspapers
and knew nothing about sanitary drainage
and applied electricity and some other
things that we think we know great deal
about, perhaps. l say they had something
We moderns plentifully lack, and that IS
a robust, unquestioning faith that mace
religion a something to rejoice in with ex-
ceeding great joy; to live for, to fight for
to die for. if need be. but always to rejoice.
Christmas of Old.
They might roister and revel. and quarrel,
even on Christmas day, but unless old chron-
icers lie. the spirit of gladness and charity
and brotherly love animated and pervaded
everything. The poor were not gathered
into public halls and Toasted at arms length,
as is the modern way. but on that blessed
day which commentaries the birth of the
Savior. the lowest kind might warm himself
by the rich mans fire and fill his shriveed
veins with hot spiced ale and the juices
Of costly meats. Feuds were reconciled
prisoners set free. mercy. charity, brotherly
rlr-a LODI md only for dow
ly 1t was sonnet thing worth while
Fancy our forefathers and foremothers
gong about just before Christmas with
puckered brows and anxious scheming
every side: "Oh. dear; here's Christmas
again. Or when 1t is past. breathing signs
OF relief and exclaiming frankly: Thank
heaven; it's Overt" Strange, that no sooner
Go human beings get hold of a good thing
than they go straight to work to spoil and
pervert it. Strange. that the pretty, custom
of exchanging little tokens of affection
among friends and relieving the miseries of
the poor and suffering. in Christs name.
should have been made to become the bur
Gen that it Is today. On the one hand, a
multitude wondering what they going
to get. on the other. a multitude wondering
how they are going to get it!
The Head of the Family.
Pater familias is the worst sufferer. If
one Of these patient. willing martyrs could
be induced to confess what Christmas, as it
now Is, brings upon him in the way Of an
xiety and distress, what a tale of woe it
would be! There is the wife and mother
something handsome in the way of furs, or
Jewelry. or silver. to her. There are the
grow up sons and daughters. no less exact
ing lelr desires Then come the children
and the grandchildren. and the modern child
is not to be put off with Nuremberg toys
and dolls. and bags of candy. If Tommy's
bicycle and BRIDES watch are not forth
a a mr. OF o0Sf1Hy niplrs.
and Nells who live next door. there Is weep
ing and wailing and gnashing of teeth. And
there are the servants and the office en-
ployes. and the public charities, and the
church-poor Old pater familiaS!
The Mothers Cares.
And mater familias is just as much to
be pitied. Demands upon her time,
strength and means are beyond all reason.
And her conscience is troubled, too. She
does not want her husband to spend more
than he can afford. and last year she made
some very good resolutions concerning the
future. but they a"e gone, with the SHOWS
of last winter, with the roses of last sum-
mer Custom and precedent have got her
in their grip and she goes on doing and
letting others do what reason and prudence
condemn. Rich gifts will be sent to rich
friends (offset by skimpy gifts to poor
be satisfied. outside demands literally met,
and after that, the deluge!
The Needed Change.
This is all wrong and everybody knows
it. Then why not, each of US, help bring
about the needed change? Let the fathers
and mothers say to their children: We can
not crafty all your wishes without bring
ing ourselves into debt and trouble Would
you be the happier for receiving some
costly trinkets If you knew that your
father must struggle for half a year after
Husbands, trust your wives with the
true state of your business affairs! Faith
ers and mothers, take your children into
your confidence! Not one wife in a thou
sand. and but few children, who would
not be reasonable and considerable If they
knew the true state Of things The man
who let's his wife spend lavishly rather
than tell her that he is financially embar-
raised thereby, the parents who indulge
the extravagant wishes of their children
rather than disappoint Them commit a
great wrong-a wrong that works both
ways.
Advice to Young Women.
And now word to young girls who are
engaged" or expecting to be so. VIII
you not reflect that very few young men
have large incomes. and are yet expected
to spend money In social ways as freely as
if they possessed fortunes? Think of the
temptations thus presented to them. Pride,
affection, dread of being called mean and
selfish all appeal strongly to them, often
drowning the voice of conscience. Prob
ably AS many young men are led on to ruin
by desire to please the mice girls OF
their acquaintance as by Indulgence in
coarse designations.
My dear girls, you know to dime what
those gorgeous roses cost that Charlie or
Harry sends You weekly. You know per-
fectly we'll what the best seats at the play
or opera and the carriage going and com
ing cost. You know it has taken a weeks
salary to give you an evenings pleasure
yet you go on accepting ana encouraging
these attentions. At least, most of you do
did hear of one Young woman who not
only refused an invitation to the opera
from a young fellow who could i'll AFFORD
it. but frankly told him the reason why!
OF course he was terribly hurt and offended
at first, but he got over it, and how he adj
mired that girl afterward!
To Prevent Evils.
Now will you not, dear girls, who mean
TO evil. but merely want "a good time" will
you not ponder over these things and not
permit the young men you know and like to
run themselves into debt to procure you a
pleasure? Thousands of men, old and
young. are just now on the brink of doing
something ruinously extravagant, if not dis