The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-20
CHRISTMAS FOR ADULTS.

Only the young really have fun; only
the young, and persons OF whatever age
who have managed to keep youth alive In
satlsfactions. Successes please them.
They like To win; they like TO accomplish
their ends, and 10 make them meet, too,
and IL possible overlap. They like So
ciety and conversation, clothes, books.
horses, and various Qualifications Of
taste. They are capable Of finding "a good
deal Of satisfaction in Christmas gifts
not only because they love the givers, but
because the things given please them. 1t
is not altsgether waste of effort to give
presents TO adult persons. IL pleases them
after fashion. II you have enough
gifts TO 20 sroundket the grown ups have
their share. 80 kind 20 them. 10 be-
come grown.up Is the common lot.
Scarcely any one evades it satisfactorily.
IL has happened 10 you, or If not, 10 will
presently; and FOR your own protection
and in your own interest you should sec
that grown ups have due consideration
shown them. Feed them pretty well on
you may have noticed that. II they have
been hard-worked, make 10 holiday for
them, and induce them 20 70 cut ana
walk about and prattle TO one another.
But don't let thom play too hnrd. That
Is one of the weaknesses OF tho coutein-
porary Rrown-up. 1t is the fashion-a
new fashion-for them to play every
chance they get aud they sre very apt to
overdo it. II YOUR erown-ups play golf,
persuade them that eighteen holes are
plenty enough for Christmas day; If
they 90 out on bicycles, insist that ten
miles and back is iar enough A grown up
discreetly managed Is capable of absorb
ing good deal OF Christmas warmth, and
of radiatIng some of ii out gain.
But Of course the real Christmas fun
must be supplied by the young. Some
observers hold that it has been unduly
upon this generation that its
young people must hav1 a good time.
Ever so good a thing may be overdone,
and excele ent "a the idea Of making
chil1ren happy is. there is the possibility
of excess in IL. But hardly at Christmas.
1t is recognized that Mt that season fun
is indlsrensable and that it Is easier and
more advantageous to groSn-ups tO get
a good part of il yicariously. There is
tire FIR ali things, ana the particular
time for holiday fun is youth. IL is in.
taresting, to he sure, to shift the scenes
and pull the strings that make the pup.
pets move, but it is better sport to be
young enough to sit out on the other side
of the foot-liRhts ana see the show.
That is where the children have the best
of it, They are the audience, ani the
grown. ups are the actors, and tho best re-
ward tine company can hsk is to have the
audience thoroughly pleased with the
show uApnily the auIieHeels not critical
Ii is eRger To bs happy, and ready to make
the most Of every chance. 1t magnifles
every gift, and supplements rudimentary
facts with n splendid bounty of imagina-
tion. Ii hrds bliss in a book joy ia
PAIR OF skates delight I'm dolls, and loves
holiday for its own sake and because it Is
different To be a BOY at boarding school
ind come homo for the holidays-who
that has known that pleasure ever for
gets It? 10 a school girl aud be let out
TO Christmas dances-bless me, the excite
ment of it, the delight OF it! There is
deal Of fun in living before the novelty of
il has worn off, There Ia Christmas fun
TO be had always. but grown-up peoples
fun is like gold In quartz, that is only
come by after hard work, while fer youth
il is like Klondilo nuggets, waiting to
ne picked up out Of the loose gravel. -