Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-12-26
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

among the little folks.
Christmas has not the charms for
the old that it has for the young.
Our city has been well papered over
recently with the sign PAY Your
Taxes. 1t attracts about as much
attention as patent medicine adver-
tisement on board fence, fat rock,
or an old tumble-down building. We
have the experience, and know where
of we speak, that collecting money on
the eve of Christmas holidays is a
wonderfully upgrade business, and
your progress is more like that of a
snail than cyclone. Well, every
person should aim to have pleasant
Christmas, as it occurs only once each
year.
Dreadful things slip off ones tongue
when angry; things that spring up at
the moment and come out hot, which
one afterward repents of having said.
How important to think twice before
speaking once. If angry, count ten
before speaking.
Is it not little singular to see the
different dispositions of the multitude
of persons at Christmastide. Some
are disposed to hold too long to the
overlooking bowl, who, at other times,
look upon it with contempt. It's
Christmas, you know. There are
others who like the day because of its
generous supply of roast turkey,
oysters, celery, cakes and tropical
fruits. It's Christmas, see? But
there are others, who look way be-
You'd and by imagination-see afar
off the Star of Bethlehem. They fol-
low the direction of the star and find
what? One born in palace surround
ed with gold and other shining orna-
ments of costly value? No; one Of hum
Bile birth, born in a manger. But he
was the meek and lowly Jesus, the
Saviour of all mankind, our best and
everlasting friend, who suffered death
upon the Cross, that we Might not
perish, but have eternal life" One
who has promised never to leave or
forsake us; one who, though our sins
are as scarlet. can make them white
as wool. Is he not all in all to us?
How thankful we should be for the
health, strength, food and raiment we
possess and the many pleasures we
enjoy on this great Christmas Day.
At the great harvest. when the archan-
gels blast,
Shall winnow, like fan, the chaff and
grain,
Then shall the good Istand in immortal
bloom,
In the fair gardens Of that second birth.
In concluding our correspondence
for the past year we desire to have a
good word to all our friends, our foes
also, if we have such. There are none
of us intallible. We are liable to go
ast1ay. There are none good, no, not
one, yet all hope for the best
To the Herald and its entire force,
we extend our many thanks for their
kindness and urbanity so often and
openly manifested for us, and wish
for them not only happy, but an ex-
tremely prosperous New Year. We
are constrained to believe that those
who take the paper
And pay their debts when due,
Can live in peace, with God and man,
And with the printer, too.
To the numerous correspondents we
make our politest bow with the hope
that in future, if possible, all will try
to exceed theipast; to the patrons of
the Herald, our hope for the future is
that in your homes, you may always
enjoy health, happiness and pros
perity, and not only live for this
world, but for the one which is to
come. Now, with kindness toward
all, and malice toward none, we say,
until the year 1897, adieu. RALF
- -