Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-01-03
a MERRY CHRIsTMAs no ALL.

Let every man be jolly.
Each room with ynle lie, leaves o,s5 is drest'
And every post with hoily.
Now all our neighbors' chimneys smoke
And Christmas blocks are burning;
Their ovens they with baked meats cnoke'
And all their spits are turning.
Without the door let sorrow lie,
And If for cold ii hap to die
Wen bury L in a Christmas pye,
And evermore be merry
a merry one. celebrated by 1easting ano
giving. The Christmas dinner has been,
and. we hope, will always be yearly feast
of joy.
The old English Christmas.
This was more elaborate than ours of to-
day, lasting from the 9Th of December TO the
9Th of ia 2uary, in the churcn calendar, az
least, ana called Yuletide. Then the waits
sang carols on Chri tmas eve, great logs
burned in huge fireplaces, Christmas greens
e circ1lat ed' m %nT around our Puritan
ancestors ddsdained the celebration OF Yule-
i eSe Of % make
the English Christmas PIE Gaining II
minced to avoid the popish term CHRIST
brated though never with the reckless
feasting and drinking OF the ola Enghsn
days
The Typical Yule Dish.
In olden times, was the boar's head, gar
nished with rosemary with lemon IN lts
served. Our substitute is the turkey, max
ing. perhaps, quite as noble a dish as the
of oea old ENGLAND Td TO be properly served. it
should be large and round, with sprig OF
holly stuck in the top; Just before neln 1;
carried to the table, pour branoy over II
and set it afire.
The American Christmas.
Is essentially a home celebration, mer-
some acquaintance away from home anc
friends invite him to share your christ
}Is dnd ya ner hds and be
have touches of bright red, such as hoLy
berries, to give an air of warmth ana cneer.
plain fragrant cedar, which will impart
spicy odor to the warm atmosphere that
is very pleasing TO the senses: ExeryInlng
of "a Christmas nature that Will appear
to the senses adds greatly TO the ENJOY
''Merrie, merrie Christmas, everywhere,
Cheerily 1t rfngeth through the arr
Christmas bells, Christmas trees
Christmas doors on the breeze.
Table Decoration.
For your table, use your prettiest china,
linen, silver and glass. Candies with red
shades give an attractive appearance. IN
the center of your ia BILE have low, round
decoration of miStletoe, surrounded by mol
". These may be placed in wide, shall
on the tablecloth, run strand of ground
pine about two inches wide, forming "a
green circle. Cranberry jelly, nodded In
small cups, and placed at each cover, gives
more of real color.
Various Christmas Customs.
In all countries where Christmas is
feature seems to be most in evidence. Bo-
hernia alone, among all the Christian ma
tionS, makes this day a season for rigorous
fasting. Children of this country do not,
probably, look forward to the celebration
with any great pleasure, as they are eX-
pected to practice the same self-denial as
their eldsrs. Only the working classes de-
rive any ma terial pleasure or benefit from
the days customs. To this class, whatever
his craft or trade, the master is expected to
personate Santa Claus and render substan-
tial tribute for the avalanche of MERRY
Christmas" greetings showered upon him
by these people who throng his house,
without protest or denial, all day. As a COM
pensation, however, for self-denial and en-
forced generosity, he looks forward to the
great Christmas feast that is served on
Christmas night.
All day long the mother, daughters and
maids are busy preparing for this meal.
and the appetizing doors which issue from
the kitchen must be tantalizing to the
fasters. The meal is simple, as to viands.
but ample. At sunset, when the last guest
has departed, the angelus rings out its wei
is at end. All deck themselves in their
finest holiday attire and gather round the
festive board; first asking, while all re-
main standing, blessing on the food
The menu that is usually served, with
very little variation, consists Of
Fish Soup.
Dried Mushrooms, boiled in Cruel.
Butter Cakes. Prune Marmalade.
Pancakes with Poppyseed Honey.
Hot Carp, fried or baked.
Cold Carp, in black sauce.
Cakes. Coffee.
Sweetmeats.