The record-union., 1896-12-27

Christmas-the last grand festival of
the year before it takes its place in the
ripeness and fullness of its twelve
months aging among the years that
have already become as turned down
pages in the book of life-Christmas,
with it's tender memories, sweet and sor-
rowful alike, it's Ginning bells, its fes-
tive music-iS past, and the world hangs
with bated breath upon the f1eeting mo-
ments so swiftly passing, that are bring
ing the old year, hoary headed and
aweary, to a peaceful ending, and shall
usher in his successor, the impuls1ve,
inexperienced, untried boy, who brings
with him an epoch may be that we wat
not of as yet, and upon whose forehead
is writ 1897.
Since time immemorial Christmas has
exercised a powerful influence upon lit
erature The poet sings of it with a
pathos that touches the heart. The
market is flooded with books, many of
which find their way to our firesides and
which contain the old theme in new
satting maybe. but the same dear old
story of the coming of the Babe of Beth
lehem after alI-the Babe whose tiny in
FAINT hands were destined to WELD
scepter that should revolutioniZe the
whole world with it's mighty power.
The rhymster jingles of it in all the
divers ways possible to press into serv-
ice-and too often among his wares are
to be found many of these self same
jirgles that do duty under protest-for
the celebration of this most poetic of
days. Ever since that far away fourth
century when the Investigations of Pope
julius discovered the twenty fifth of
December to be the day of days, litera-
ture has given of it's highest and best
for the celebration of the coming of the
sacred child of Nazareth.
The carols and canticles of the middle
ages were ancestors of the more refined
but perhaps weaker Christmas litera-
ture of the present century. There is
grandeur in the very ruggedness Of
those ancient songs that is inimitable.
There are few poets of any Importance
in the present day who have not at one
time or another written something upon
the sacred theme, which is set forth in
words characteristic of the writer
SO it is that Scott, lover of congeni-
ality and good living, 1aments in Mar
mion," the loss Of the old time Christ
mas cheer:
England was merrie England when
Old Christmas brought her spoils again.
! Twas Christmas broached the mightiest
ale;
Twas Christmas told the mightiest tale;
A Christmas gambol oft could cheer
The poor mans heart for half a year.
Tennyson with that tendency discern
ible in so much of his writing. TO set
forth the delicate material effects Of
sentiment and events in nature, sings:
The time draws near the birth of Christ;
The moon is hid, the night is still;
The Christmas bells from hill to hill
Answer each other in the mist
Longfellow. with his heartfelt love for
his fellow man, says:
1 heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And Wild and sweet
The words repeat
OF peace on earth, goodwill to men,
Mrs. Browning, poeticaI statesman
and reforrner of the heart, finds in
sunny Italy, which so influenced all her
life and writings, many things TO be rem
edIed. as is evinced in the following
beginning to one of her poems:
The Pope on Christmas Day
Sits in St Peters chair;
But the people murmur ana say
our souls are sick and forlorn,
And who Will show us where
Is the stable where Christ was born?
Milton, whose grandeur of versifica-
ton always If possible, set the celestial
machinery moving, writes:
Ring out ye crystal spheres!
Once bless our human ears,
If ye have power to touch our senses 50 ,
And let your silver chime
Move in ulelod1ouS Ifne,
And let the bass of heavens deep organ
blow;
And with your ninefold harmony
MakN up fun consort TO the angelic sym
phony.
In spite Of the many preparations for
have kepl moving pretty well. on FIJI
day of last week. the 18th inst, the mu-
Christmas the social world seems to
sic pupils Of Miss Amelia Wait and the
elocution pupils Of Mrs. f. ]. Chase,
formerly Miss Z. Janet Burke. gave a
Joint recital at Pioneer Hall. There was
a very large attendance, the hail pelng
filled TO its utmost capacity. and many
late comers also being forced TO stand
in the anteroon. A long programme OF
some twenty numbers was creditably
rendered by the little people, and every
number was enthusiastically encored.
AT the close of the entertainment Mrs.
Chase gave a short and pleasing ad-
dress on the benefits of elocution, phys
tcallv. mentally land morally, TO the
student. which was the finale to very
enjoyable evening.
Monday evening. the 21st inst. the