The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1902-12-20
,,,sO AND dIylNd cHRIsTfiAs
PRESENTS.

~, King Cyrus gave a cup OF gold
',.basus, - while to Chrysanthis, his
=. he gave only q kiss, Artabazus
ss famed: "Sire, tie cup you gave
yi y s. half SO good golo as the kiss
ave chrysanthis." This was in
q old, but many an Artabazus
oaos for some simple token of love
\. hacked with costly bauble that
~. nothing. With the golden cup in
ana her soul still goes thirsty. II
4, /. any day shut out and place
.slu the heart for better, dearer,
ss,sr things, that day Christmas, and
n arc many people in the world who
!. derive more real happiness on that
ming from simple spray of holly
Is nom glittering spray Of dia-
,.sss Down at the secret well-spring
huusn nature is longing to have
4, trends think of US thoroughly and
nm our tastes, ana ii a Christmas gift
4 carry qualification in this it will be a
smolete success. No other kind can
Il indeed, the gifts that give most
usasure are often the simple work OF
lass own hands, OF some trifle worth
lille except that it is especially eloquent
4 he sentiment it is intended to ex-
sI.ss. The right kind OF Christmas gift
1 Snething that has a direct and es-
reelal meaning from the one to whom
4 i given. The cost should be no con-
adsrston in the the selection. The less
aspresents money the better. But what
rolence to these simple truths
The buying Of Christmas gifts has be-
sone the great financial strain of the
vear. In the jumble and scramble Of
he shops we forget all the real, sweet,
'acred meaning of the season. 1t is the
ommon idea that a Christmas gift, to
apress proper feeling, must be respec-
able, and respectable " is regarded
j synonymous with costly. The ave-
age purchase for Christmas involves an
lpenditure that the giver can we'll af-
nd for the sake of something that the
,cipient does not want. A natural out
Iowth Of this folly is the idea that to
ceive fine present is to become in
abted to the giver for gift in return
about equal expense. 1t is not un-
mmon for us all to find ourselves won
ring in advance what we are going to
ceive, in order that what we give may
i fall short in elegance which means
pense. So Christmas gifts, the ten
rest tokens Of affection saved from
adise, have come to be without mean
!, except as cold barter and exchange,
which both parties lose much and
IN little. To couple with Christmas
thought Of an obligation to repay
kind is not only vulgar, but it robs
courtesy Of all sweetness. To rate
at its cost price is not only more
gar, but it is to insult the giver,
ether the article will bravely stand
test or not. To put a certain sum of
ney in ones pocket and start out to
something that it will buy is even
70 vulgar still, for gift thus select
IAN have no meaning intended. The
friends who regularly exchange gold
les every Christmas as presents, have
me sentiment, without disappoint-
i, OF this silly and sacrilegious GUS
: Like Cyrus, we give the golden
Die, instt ad of the coveted kiss. We
the cup, glittering, but empty, and
9 the longing soul a-thirst. So far
e forget the Christmas meaning that
must make the angels in heaven, on
anniversary OF the gladdest day in
ute time, turn aside to weep.