The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-12-23

4 this DAY 80 deeply In the heart OF the world
the fact that 1t Is peculiarly children's day
| is probably the most fetching in its magic
| The young people everywhere among
Christian peoples constitute the factor
which dominates the social observance OF
| the season Rich wassail at the dinner
board, seraphio music and pomp of church
service, even the giving Of rich gifts
among the elders, were these ALL would
leave Christmas but little different from
other holidays, notably so In the case OF
Easter, when present giving among the
rich has become 80 common The Bambino,
or infant Christ, as the idol of the occasion,
would then have but little significance,
but when the Juvenile world declares that
1t rules the jubilee the keynote is struck
which sends its thrilling music ringing
throughout humanity How Charles Dick.
ems, the prose poet of YulGtide in fiction,
has spun this pregnant fact into exquisite
episodes is probably the highest measure
of his success in Imaginative work The
images he has created will live forever in
the Christmas procession far more than
puppets to the warm hearts of countless
readers And it is not among the children
Of the rich that Christmas most diffuses
its felicity In real life any more than
among the offspring of the great Christmas
romancer
1t is among the poor and the lower mid
die classes that Christmas joy reigns with
most potency The triae spent to secure a
Christmas tree with its burden of cheap
toys and sweets in the tenement house rep
resents vastly more than the correspond.
ing splendid show among the nffluent
The story Of the little cripple, "Tiny
Tim, " sets Its canticle to more resound-
ing strains Of harp and cymbal than can
ever attend the festival music of palace
The true "Chrissom child" was found In
the humble manger.
The feeling that Christmas day Is pecul-
iarly consecrated to the poor as well as to
the children has always been quite char.
acteristic of the usages Of the day The
lowest classes In medieval times were
made to share fully with their superiors in
feasting and merrymaking AT the pres
ent period we see an ever increasing bene.
faction in the way of helping the poor to
enjoy Christmas more generously-the
turkey or goose for the home table, toys
and clothing for the youngsters, and public
dinners, often supplemented by substan.
tial presents for the homeless waits On
this special occasion such philanthropy
shows its most sweeping and liberal FORM
and the human heart Is softened to the
thought that in spite Of earthly distinc.
I tions all men are equal before him whose
natal day as man is thus observed. The
democratic influence of Christmas thus
stands out great social factor
When classes are driven by SO many 9th.
or influences to become hostile, 1t is preg-
nant thought that more and moro should
be done to intensity the spirit and tenden,
cies Of the Christmas season as an object
lesson in kindly sympathy between rich
and poor What wealth does for poverty
Is sometimes turned from blessing to bane
by naughty and patronizing air in the
giver The Christmas spirit is that of the
fortunate man, who cordially helps his
unlucky brother the spirit of the good
Samaritan The habitual exercise of this
feeling on one day when all tradition and
religious sentiment turn toward 1t helps
to extend it to other days, and that Is the
true function Of Christ's natal festivity
GEORGR Il FERRIS