The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1898-12-23

answer is: "bccausc we have not the
Christmas spirit"
Now in addition to our national
character, other considerations often
combine To render Christmas more
ioyless than it should be. Above all
Others, Christmas Is a day OF memo.
rics. How they speak to us--the
sweet long silent Voices. How they
clasp our own-the dear, long-foldcd
hands! The gentle ghosts come
thronging around the hcarthstone, fll-
ing the empty chairs, then vanishing,
make the emptiness more oppressive
than before. Even when the guardian
angels OF our childhood are still left
to US, many of us have wandered
from them, have gone forth to dwell
beneath our own vine and fs tree; at
Christmas time we miss the old sur
roundngs and there is a sense OF
loneliness, God knows how deep! We're
We to acknowledge it, many OF us
awake on that holest OF mornings
with half suppressed sigh and go
through the day with tears lurking
close behind the smiles. Is there no
help for this? There is; and the Sc
crct Of the help lies in the cultivation
Of the true Christmas spirit. We
have not the holiday spirit, still less
have we the Christmas spirit.
What then is this magic talisman
that can transform regret and weari-
ness and the dependency OF our
hearts into joy, letting in upon the
spirit the radiant sunlight OF l,appi.
ness and peace? Aud we find the an
swer in the second question: WHAT is
Christmass-Christ's day-the birth
OF Chrst-the motive Of the day, the
commnration Of Christ-the motive
Of Christ in the Christmas miracle
Love.
The Christmas spirit is simply
Chrst's spirit, or in other words, the
spirit OF love. And love is charity-is
thought for others. If then we can
forget ourselves long enough to do one
thoroughly unsclilsh act-to think one
,lnscltish thouglt--we will hear from
afar the rustic OF the Christmas
spirits wings. And il we go on in
loving thought and in loving deed; if
we give not only Of our abundance
hut Of those things which concern
our personal comfort to relieve the
greater need Of others at this season.
then will the beautiful Spirit '0f
Christmas brood dovc-likc in our
hearts, and folding his shining pin
ions. abide with us through Yulc-tide.
And to those, who after having
tried every experiment 10 make
themselves enjoy the holidays,
still find thcir appel itc dull and their
spirits flag, l would say, try the ex-
pertinent OF cultivating the Christ
mas spirit-call it but an experiment
like the rest, il you will, but try it.
Others who have done so, say that it
is infallabIc, and Ii after you have
tested it you do not enjoy the Christ
mas of 1898 more than you have done
since you left of believing in Santa
Claus. rest assured that your heart
was not really in :he work and that
instead OF seeking the spirit OF Christ
mas you were, in reality, only seeking
self. Seek it in truth and succeed
you must; then will the Christmas
miracle be renewed, then will Christ
be born within you, then will the
Bethlehem of your hearts be made
glad with a gladncss that will go
forth from you. cheering all with
whom you came in contact. With the
Christmas spirit comes the holiday
spirit, and with the holiday spirit
comes JOY and mirth and laughter.
The experiment is worth trying.
Perhaps some of my readers will say:
"But how shall we begin?"
But short distance back in our own
pine woods where the odors are sweet
est and the sunlight falls solemnly
down tile Catlledra.-like aisles, the
poor little tattercd cabins hnddlcd be.
meath the resinous boughs. There the
pale faced little ones are blightcd by
cruel poverty; the little babes that
ought to be glad and strong like those
around our "Reminiscences; oh! the pity
OF IL! Little arms that never held
doll! Little forms plnched and with.
cred as though with age! The only
sweetness they know Is the breath Of
the pines. They have need OF bread
Their only warmth and brighteness Il
the yellow sunshine, but on these Dc
ccmbcr days, that comes early and
soon departs. They have need Of fire
A hcart-rcnding case was recently dis
covcrcd--a dying mother, a starving
family. Aud even where there y 40
actual starvation, how few Of these
hack woods families will have any
Christmas delicacies, how few u tnem
viii have Anything to make Christmas
day different from any other o. the'r
dreaty lIvcs Of toils There ls . beau
|tIful charity now on it'ot 10 our mldst'
| ! alludc 10 the OhFlstnas tree. which
The ladies' oi the Catholic congrega'
ton afS preparing for the little child
rem of tho Pine woods. II We nave
not ,ct given our contribution, there
~ -. - IN H9s' taT NJ