The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-12-25
SERIOUS ASPECT OF
CHRISTMAS.
MARION IIARLAND ITTERS SOME VIEWS
WHICH MAY MEET WITH RE-
SPONSlN f. ANSWERS.


WHICH MAY MEET WITH RE-
SPuNSINE ANSWERS.
1t lies over there rs | write. SAYS
/ Marion Harland. \ list of tortV-Sevcl
people. Young and old-men, Women
and children, some Of the last uncon
ciouS babies, to whom Christmas pre-
SentS. great and small. must he mad,
at the nearing holiday season.
\ fair young face bends above the
fatal paper 4 pair Of sOrrowtul brown
eyes 90 dowu one column and up til.
other, hopeless and perpleXed.
''Screen them,'' | suggest. '';,s they
treat coal in mining regions. There
must be some that you could leave ou
without doing serious mischief
Not one!" she answers hollowlv
IL began sitting them as early as th'
first week in October. and have bec1
over the list almost daily since. Il
crows instead Of decreasing. Some
body has been forgotten or some
body else never thought otbefore start:
up suddenly like Il threatening ghost
Only yesterday | was told, in conf
dence. of course, that Il woman wh'
nursed me when a baby was piccing I
bed quilt against christmas rs Il pleas
ant surprise. | know it will be hid
rou>, and | have lost sight of hcl
for twelve years. One has just be
thought herself that | was the sweet
est baby she ever nursed. | have nc
doubt she has pieced calico spreads tol
Il dozen others in rs many Years Oh
the pretext: but that doesn't alter tho
matter | must have something ready
for her.
NOTHING LIKE MONEY.
My vivacious girl friend touches but
does not probe the soar frrttcd into
our social and domestic system by the
pervcrsiOn of what was once a sweet
and holy custom. Her ieremiad is not
an eNaggeration in any detail. There
are groaning souls who. in reading it
will complain that it lacks color
1t was for years my habit to give to
each of my maids on Christmas day
material for neat all-wool gown. i'll
Guiding Innings and trimming. Other
members of the family added umbrcl
las. stockings. gloves, collars and cuffs
handkerchiets, etc. all of better quail
! ty than the servants were likely tC
buy for themselves. Happening tc
overlear part of 4 conversation toe
| loudly earnest not to escape through
an open door and up the back stairs
one holiday morning, when the pres,
cnts had been carried down by the
seemingly satisfied trio, | learned Il
lasting lesson in human nature and
gained new light upon the RESPONSE
bilities Of employers.
From the animated interchange OF
views in the kitchen cabuet it trans
pired that the Equality nowadays
mostly gives money to gurrels out at
service, and neverless nor s. apiece gin
orally in gowld. You see, thin, sic
can't get the best Of us by putting of
chape things, she's loikely got at Il
bargain, or may be ut Il oction, upon
up poor people, an gurrel can choose
her own colors, or, if she loikes. jewel
ry, if she doesn't care to put the mon.
oy in the bank There's noshin' sc
downright gintale SIS money
TIE REAL CHRISTMAS GIFT
Taxes are levied upon school child
rem ''to buy something for principals
and superintendent. upon alumni tC
get up testimonials to former precep.
tors, upon clerks to make propitiatory
offerings to important heads of depart
ments. Popular pastors are taught by
experience to expect tributes which
must be handsome or cast discredit up,
on church and parish. The rich may
filme inwardly and the poor vince at
| the stated and remorSeleSS levy. but
we all march with tolcrable grace, al
belt the pocket nerve be raw and oul
ideas of justice be raw and our ideas
Of justice he outraged, to the oriolc :
whistle. Backward or forward. it
m ans the one thing. We are expect
ed. or We eNrcct others, ito pay for
it." 1t may he added that We also
pay, in the sense Of suffering. when we
de cline to recognize the necessity of
conforming to the general rule. and
will not give except of our own free
Will and for loves sake.
In these three last words is the cs-
S,nce of the real Christmas gift-the
reflection of the glory Of the great Gift
the anniversary is supposed to ccle-
bratc Or if. Is some legends have it.
tbs custom commentaries the offerings
poured into the mangrr by the Magi.
the anology again fails us. The vo
tive gold, frankinccnSo and myrrh
were not rendered in purchase Of bar
ter.
RoNham-"W hat did You give your
wife for Christmas!'' Hartltlint-''I
gave her half dollar and told her to
90 and have that tooth pulled that :
a. 1.,.,t h..