The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-28

case on the wall under the impression
that 1t is purely decorative and there.
fore. according to his benighted ideas, a
| tidy To most men every thing not
good to eat Is n tidy.
There were new and queer things for
| making the heart of the college men
glad and there were new fripperies to
| make the up-to-date college girl more
| dangerous. There were any number Of
new and idiotic things for which a
mans wife had spent his good money
ana at receiving which he had been
Obliged to smile In ghastly fashion and
| simulate delight.
There were those who received a coll
lection of gifts, which they promptly
proceeded to swap with various MEM
bers of the family to the best possible
| advantage. There were others who
said weaily: Dear me. she gave me
the same sort of an old plate last
year, and there were also those who
began to plan which things they
could choose from those they didn't
want, to give away next year. These
were the people who were very tired
of Christmas. Nothing in the spirit of
the holiday spoke to them.
1T is very sweet and happy occa-
sion. and ! sincerely trust that the
present custom of observing 1t will
never go out of fashion, even If we do
rush ourselves almost to death in pre-
pairing for It, Half the pleasure of the
season consists in just this hurry and
the people who have the last red rib
bon wound around the last white tis-
sue paper parcel two week before
Christmas, lose lot of delightful
thrills in the excitement of guessing
whether in their haste they will not
forget to send something to their dear
est friend There Is all the uncer-
tainty. too. that Christmas eve will
steal on us unaware, when we aren't
nearly ready, and although it really
does just that nearly every year. some
of us foolish ones never profit by past
experience, but keep right on rushing
and hurrying and having far better
time than our more forehanded and
prOvident sisters, whom a wise Provi-
dcncc intended to be done with their
own preparations in order that they
may help US who are forever in ar
rearS.
/ have always thought it would be
nice, just once. to be ready for Christ
mas. but until the days and nights
are longer, that prospect remains bur
a mirage. blissfu | but improbable.
like the vision of Scranton without
strikes.
Is it a good thing that we do not
perform whatever little kind acts which |
come in our ways, for the thanks |
that we may receive. Sometimes we
should be dreadfully disappointed |
Sometimes we should be terribly dis |
couragcd. If every small gracious |
deed, every narrow diversion from Il |
beaten track in order to lend Il helping !
hand to somebody weary, every gift /
of pleasant words and happy smiles |
were to be rcckoned up at 50 much IL
yard or so much Il quart as we measure
merchandise what very tiresome |
world it would be. How tiresome those |
people are who insist that the ma ajority |
of mankind does all good deeds with the |
expectation of IL return in kind on a |
lOaVcs-and- fishes basis.
If there is anything in the world ut
terly eXasperating 1t is, when you are
feeling particularly happy over some !
thing pleasant which has been said to !
you or done for you, to have somebody
near ut hand who remarks in a pes
SiiliStiC tollt, vi, SIe WANTS you 10 |
do something for her." or He is work.
ing for a favor
D." me! I'd a great deal rather
have people smile on me and be pleas
ant even if they have a motive. than
not to have them smile at all. But l
do like to think them entirely unselfsh
in their smiles and it is most irritating
TO be constantly reminded that one is
not loved for ones self alone. Life is
IL reciprocity treaty at best. We pay
for most things in one way or another.
Smiles and kind words are our small
change and it creates a panic when
the imputation is made that they are
counterfeit. We don't expect thanks
for every little pleasant act, but when
the appreciation comes it is valued. /
went around smiling like a full moon
whole day last week because man
whom scarcely knew, but whose judg-
ment and intelligence are superior in
every way. told somebody that he liked
the things I wrote. I felt like sending
him Christmas present for that kind
speech, and it is just this sort of kind
ness which makes the world nice
place to live in, and Christmas Il bliss
flyll llV SDlIrV |