The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-11
A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
A Plea for Sentiment.
BY IAN MACLARK Copyright 1904 by the National Press Agency

Has the modern. who regards Christ
 mas as a superstition. so much reason to congratulate himself. and to think so much of himself? Is he any better than his fellows because he would rath- CT go to business and make money on that day, or sit in his club and eat solitary dinner, or shut himself in his room and read a favorite author, or go abroad and spend the day on the Ri- viera-instead of making children hap py, and putting old friendship on state of thorough repair, and showing that he remembers the past acts of kindness, and doing good among poor people. and remembering through the sacrament of kindness the love of God? Is 1t good to stifle and be ashamed of the simple emotions? Does it help a man when the human tide is running full to anchor his ship in some lonely creek instead of going with the other ships into the harbor of Goodwill? If anyone should be ashamed. 1t Is not the old-fashioned man-I think 1t Is this affected. shallow. cynical, modern.
 Really, as a rule, this anti-Christmas man is not so bad as ne appears. If had him in the witness box I could make him do justice to himself. Per haps he Is a lonely man who has no real home, neither wife nor child to bid him welcome on Christmas Eve. One day and not an hour after he had been jihing at the Christmas foolishness with clever, mocking speech. I caught him watching a father going home laden with spoil for the Christmas tree. And. If I can read a human face he vas not regarding that father with contempt. I never saw wistful regret If 1t was not on his face. He did dine in solitary state, but that was beyond his control; but let 1t be put to his credit although he will never take credit for 1t. ne did buy four different gifts, and they were on a generous scale. and sent them without a name to homes that were linked with his past, and where they raised much spec ulation. No one thought of him as the giver, and he would have been indig- nant If his deed had been discovered
 But when a man does good thing with his heart. whatever he says with his mouth he cannot escape the con sequences-and the Angels forgot what he said but they noted what he did. Yes, and on Christmas Eve he opened his desk to count surprise you 10 know this cynic keeps tied with a faded pink ribbon and reads more than once a year. See you how the expression on his face has changed as he reads. No, 1t is not the lamp light that has softened the eyes and given tenderness to the lips, 1t Is the light from the heart, tho light from long ago. Come let us leave the room for we are in holy place. This is another man than we knew, and his gay mockery of Christmas is the cry of a lonely heart.
 Granted that the spirit of Christmas Is only sentiment, what then? Have you laughed 1t out of court when you have said this. and recalled reasonable men from its spell, as if sentiment were a weakness and a futility? What Is the strength of patriotism which has such 0 hold of a mans heart that he springs to his feet at the sound of the National Anthem and the tears come to his eyes when he gets the first glimpse of his native country after long years abroad. that his pulse beats quicker as an English regiment passes, and that he is a bigger man when on distant sea he Sees an English man. ot-war carrying the old flag which gir-