The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1902-12-26

the "Myth" the "imposter' the "living
fisr etc. etc. And about the same season
aud ume. we begin 20 think the fool.
killer bao not heea attending TO his job.
What II Santa Claus is "Myih." a
''symb0i." "custum" !" When did ho
ever lie9 Ho always delivers bis gUuds.
Who. where and what Was bis orr giaY
Jssas Christ, he Of Bethlcham, " whuse
very life was symbol, the most beauli-
tul ~ them all.
No, "Doar old Santa has smoothed
Too many rough places, cleared the
thorns aud thistles iron too many dss-
olato paths fur us 10 turn our backs up
on him now. Ia all II his mythical life
he has been a bright spot. one to which
4he little child, the bright, the pure aud
spolless, has looked fr0m year 10 year,
Oao wno has brought cheer 10
hearts prehaps the one time during the
year that thOse hearts fe!t chesred, aud
We wlll do our par to make the uear DID
"uiy part aud parcel ot every childs
life 81 lyug Is we can.
What could appeal more strongly to
mans better ustufe, or come nearer hll-
ing his nsart to overhowing with
heaven. born tenderness than the tows-
led d.headsd. barefoot, half.asleep child,
coming in at break Of day holding Que
corner OF It's gown half way up its
Ruklts pespi 9g and peeriug into its
stocking aud every corner OF the
FOum 10 see what Sauta Claus has
brought. Who eau look on the radieut
light Ia that face and not bless Santa
Claus the dear old myth. Ellis Mere
dith says: ali the Sauta Claus my th is
10 be taken from us the rest Of lhe Chris.
tmas ny tbs ought to ~, too, for there
Is as much foundation Tor Santa Claus
as for any Of them, prehapa mOre. Ii
we take good old ST. Nicholas 40 one
will deny bis identity, aud he poses for
the oiigiual klaus Or there is
"Knecht Rupert" OF Germany, who
dressed and looked much rs our good
Saint does, save that he was unusually
tall, and not 50 stout; be came on hors-
back aud left gitts Tor the good children
and a switch for the naughty ones. aud
the naughty ones must have been more
numerous than they slo now, for II
seems that the children were mortaily
afraid Of him, whereas the tweutie ia
century youngster would give all the
expected presents Tor one visit with
Santa Claus, Or suppose We tuse Kriss
Kringle, and look up the stynoloky Of
sac sord, ~ hlu lhst IL al4o Las g
German origin, and is a corruption OF
the beautiful "Chrst kindlsln," the
Christ child who was supposed Ia come
down the chimney, never soling his
spotless ralment, ufinging gUod gif's
and cheer wherever he went.
Christianity is full Of beautiful SYM
bolisms that are essential evon il they
are not really the thing Itself. A tree is
stilI tree in win tor, " hen stripped Of
its leaves. but the tree that is a thing OF
beauty to the human eye, Of security
aud peace for Uirds. and Of shade aud
refuge for the tlocks and herds is the
tree that is covered with foliage. Flow
ers and fruit do not render il less as
traetive.
Children have heard Of the tnsgi as
three kiLgs, bringing gifts; there are
plenty Of legends about these wise men,
and they are very beautiful legends to 0.
but 50 far HIS the Bible narrative goes
thete isn'L q y liable to show that they |
we're kings, OF that there we're three o.
them; there may have been two or fifty. |
1t is a good plan to deal gently with
these things. II there isn't any Santa
CiHus. there is, nevertheless, the spirit |
Vt Christmas, Of which he is typical
There isu auy Father Time or auy
''U,d Year" VI any gladstone New |
Year" There never was any "S:roOgs"
cr any "Tiny I'm" aud yet there will |
De, just So lolg as Euglish is read or
spoken. IL may be siaug, but we need |
all these things IN our business. Life is
hard enough and practical enough in all
conscience. Let us cherish few Of it's
illusions, eYel il they are delusions"
What man or woman ever felt. in his in
most soul his mother had "liSd" to him
or deceived him by telling OF Santa
Claus when he was a child; Years after
when he has grown 10 manhood. when
Times hard Lessons have silVered his
hair and dimmod his eye. he locks back
recalls some incident OF Santa Claus in
bis own life and a sweet memory Of ths
dear mother. who has gone before, alls
bis heart with love and his eYes with
tears, but nsver the thought OF mother
as d "deceiver" he knows il was just
one more token OF mother-loYe. some
ihniig mors 10 make his life brighter Rld
happier.
II We aee going 70 do away with myths
slens Aud s, nbqla then We have atta,-
ksd the Bible at lie most vital point and
knocked sermons assundsr, Tor when
WAS there q sermon preached that was
noi Illustrated by symholsi No dear
old Santa Claus, you are here 70 stay
for when the others desert you, the
'kids" and / will be with you.
Mr ADD Mrs. Geo. Rathisu received
ioysly Christmas present this, Friday,
morning 10 tho shape Of a bright baby
sid
a. !