Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-12-24
FRIDAY EVENING DEC. q, 1897
CHRISTMAS AT a.

Christmas IS nearly as old as time
itself and it is indeed a difficult matter
for the newspaper man of to-day, par
ticularly in eventful New Mexico, to
get his thoughts off Of the events Of to
day long enough to pen anything fresh,
or interesting on the subj act. Yes, il
10 an old subject-not quite so old as
the world, but as old as He whose
divine nature and t~ranscendental work
makes him hailed as the Saviour OF the
world. There are things older than
Christmas. which have the grace of
youth and freshness OF first experience
In them. The morning, which breaks
In light and wakes a world with i'm
palpable touch, IS older than Christ.
mas; yet its beauty is fresh. The sum.
mer sho wers are now as fresh as when
Aower or grass FIRST Frightened at .hsir
touch. That wondrous and iuimitable
artist, Frost, who covers in a few hours
whole landscapes with a tracery more
delicate and a flash more perfect than
che tiny brush Of artist dare try to en-
nlate; he he is older than the hills hp
crowns with snow or the brooks whose
babbllng voices he stills.
No, Christmas is not so very old
after all. 1t seemed to be an after
thought Of time--one Of the improve
mentS Of these latter progressive days.
No. the story is new aud ever will ba.
for it is in the very essence OF ali
things noble and loving and pure that
they laugh at time, and wear the
coronal of youth forever. Add what ~
80 noble as the life whose beginning
Christmas commemorate.p What so
loving as that spirit which has mel
lowed the asperltjes OF life aud made
n birthday an universal festivale
What SO pure as the doctrine OF the
great teacher, who gathered into one
grand sheaf all the worthy maxims of
morality and rules Of religion which
had been taught by saint or sage before
Him, and glorifed them with
new splendor aud infused
into them a breadth, a power, hereto
fore unapproachable and unknownP
1t IS fitting that Christmas should be
q day Of GIFTS holiday indeed. II
should be the worlds vacation from
care its festival of hope and 10y. We
are taught that divine beneiceuce
found its highest expression 10 the
gift to the world OF Him whose birth
Christmas commentaries. So let the
Christmas trees bloom with esuty !;
let Christmas carols break with
melody. and let happy children u
riot In Q Joy whose meaning and ex.
preston shall come to them ia ripper
years.
Christmas fills our hearts with glad
ness for it Is a day of gladness, j "
and fruita ye. The blessings which
the year has borne, the good that it
has wrought, find expire ssion in Christi
mas gifts; and the ,hankfulness which
accepts them, IS more to be valued than
the gifts themselves. As the year which
stores her warmth and light, her favor
and lustrous beauty into the ripening
fruit and drops it 10 autumn, mellow,
sweet and golden, into waiting hands,
90 love garners its fruits until Christ
mas ushers 10 the time OF joy and
shank fulness and then proudly places
them IN exp Giant hands and reads its
rewards 10 eyes sparkling with pleas.
ure or dimmed with a happiness that
forces tears. : Live is to the soul what
electricity is to the world Of matter,
an unseen, all-pervadIng and almos,
almighty power. With it, lie bios
SONS into beauty, is fragrant with mys-
sis meanings and rich ! n noble uses.