Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-26
EV E N Il

FEW IMPORTANT occuRANcEs IN
WORLDS HISTORY ON
CHRISTMAS DAY
Washington Crossed the Delaware on
Christmas Night-First Telegraph
Message Dispatched from Washing
ton to Baltimore.
Few important events have hap
ened ON Christmas day since the Chris
tan era and yet the festival has been
preceded and followed by decisive bat
ties, transactions of mighty import
and by movements of nations that
have affected the future of millions of
people. From the earliest times it
seems to have been understood that the
wars were to be Temporarily suspended
and a truce was to exist until after
the celebration of the birth Of Christ
There have been exceptions to this, of
course, and the exception has in each
instance been remarkable for various
reasons. The 1900 Christmas will. be
1 remembered and recorded in histories
! for the benefit of those to come as the
day which recorded the restora-
ton of tranquility which gave to the
Filipinos and Porto Ricans, freedom
| they could never have hoped to gain
for themselves.
Going back to the first observance
of Christmas day it is found that De-
cember 25 was not looked upon as the
/ birthday of Christ Until 337 "A D.,
various days were celebrated by vari-
GUS people, but Pope julius l. caused
an investigation of all the authorities
i to be made with the result that De-
cember 25 was decided on The first
observances We're very simple, but as
i the years passed and the Christian
\ people increased in numbers the day
j became of more Importance. In 2SS
while devout Romans were celebrating
Christmas their emperor Marcus Au-
relius Carus, was killed by lightning.
i Beyond the wigris, December 70, 1896,
4 Clovis, the first Christian king of
France, was crowned at Rheims. On
Tie same day of the year 800 Charles,
!. king of France, was crowned by Pope
\, Leo at Rome as emperor of the west
and the people combined the celebra-
ton of Christmas with the festivities
incident to the imperial occasion, and
had "a glorious time. December 25,
$40, Leo, emperor of Constantinople,
was assassinated. He was an Arme-
Man by birth, but for his valor became
general of the roman armies. He
prevailed upon his troops to proclaim
him emperor, but the Christians were
greatly incensed at this and it was
decided that he should die at Christ
mas, which he did.
TumuIt at Coronation.
) December 25, William of Normandy
was crowned at London. There was
!, great tumult. 1t is not definitely
known whether the people were en-
:. ragged because their church festivities
!, had been interrupted or whether they
were dissatisfied with their new ruler
5 but William was a shrewd politician
: and to secure the obedience of his
subjects he gave them charter for a
! Christmas present. December "a
1440, GILES De Retz, the famous Blue,
> beard, was executed at Nantes for his
: horrible crimes Accounts of his ex.
ploits have been written in every writ
j ten language.
! Harsh, as it may seem in this en-
lightened age, with it's lynching Of ne
groes and football pleasantries. there
was wide rejoicing upon December %
: 1476, when an assassin's knife ended
: the life of Guilio Maria Sforza, duke OF
Milan. He had rendered himself I'M
t popular by his ferocity and debauch
: cry. When the puritans came to this
country with their hatred of popery
! they at once cut out from Christmas
: from their days Of rejoicing and sub
stituted Thanksgiving. But, thanks
to Providence, the old spirit which an
mated them Las passed away and IN
: no place in the world is the true Cath
# olic spirit of Christmas so much in ev
G idence as in this country.
= croweII Disperses Congregations.
o On December rs, 1868, Oliver Crom
y we'll was angry Several congrega
s tons met in London to celebrate the
1t birth of the Savior and he dispersed
$ them in no gentle manner. That was
u not very happy Christmas for the
q good people of England, but their dis
if appointment and anger engenderet
5. determination and they observed the
Ii day in their homes, hid from the view
n of the soldiers.
eI James, called the pretender, desig
n mated December %, s1715, as the day tt
:. land at Peterhead, where he forth
IS with established his court. On Christ
IS mas day, 1862, there was big rio
;" at the Drury Lane theater In London
d The people had begun to make the oc
a, casion one of general rejoicing ant
amusement and eney wanted to bt
e., admitted to the performance at hal
n price, but the managers were selfish
:, and knew there would be rush ant
~ insisted upon maintaining the SEIZED
uled rates. The result was that thu
s. theater was nearly torn down and thu
players prevented from acting.
Washington Crosses Delaware.
Christmas night, 1776, Washington
crossed the Delaware and the next da.
d occurred the battle of Trenton. TIL
Hessians were surprised. They took i
for granted that the revolutionar,