Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-23

Just one more day and the sweet-toned
chimes of the civilized world will ring in
the Christmas of 1906. The most gifted
writers of every age have tried, with ge-
nius-driven pens of gold. to tell of the Yule-
tide season and what 1t means to the peo-
pie of every land and of every cline. But
they perforce have failed. What printed
characters can reproduce the joyous music
from uncounted braZen throats the harmo-
MES from myriad organ pipes. the unsound-
ed sweetness of the seasons generous
charity? What printed page can tell OF
human merriment deeper than the lips;
can simulate the sounds of Christmas morn;
can even hint toward or touch the spirit of
the day?
Christmas day stands aloof and alone
upon the calendar of holidays, Its influence
for good far reaching, it's anticipat ton a
balance upon the minds and morals of men,
its memory a check upon the waning spir-
ituality of the times. There are those who
say-and. tbs not for the layman to deny
them reason-that were it not for this day
of days this potent reminder of the birth
of the Savior, this connecting link between
the material Christianity of the present and
the Christian materialism of the past, this
world and all its humans would twirl far
faster toward ultimate establishment than
even the most pessimistic of our present
day and generation might predict. How
ever this may be, there can be no doubt but
that the Christmas time, in the opportunity
it affords for reversion to the clean and I'M
SCARED days of every life, fulfills a purpose
in the general scheme of things too vast for
instant, ordinary comprehension.
All over the civilized world all over these
fair United States. and in Washington, the
national capital. observance of this Christ
mas day of 1906 will be of even more than
usual significance. 1t will give pause
for backward glance from the present
pinnacle of material prosperity to the very
beginning of the present upward movement
of the world and it's peoples to the light
ing of the rush that now has become the
flaming beacon of civilization that illumt-
mates the globe. The contrast, it may we'll
be said does good in ways undreamt of
and unbelieved but potent to guide the
destiny of nations and to write the history
of the world.
There is no better place than Washing
ton to spend the Christmas season, provid
ing there be no vacant seats about the
board Separation is not sweet around the
Yuletide holiday, and the viands Of the day
are seasoned best by gratifed companion
ship and returned affection.
And for those who have no family board
no home. no relatives and. mayhap, no
friends Of other Christmas days, there are
always those who at this season take fair
est opportunity to prove that of the graces
three one has aged trtf1e over much
even in these busy modern times.
In Washington is this especially true
Not in years-according to the plans that
have been made-shall Christmas day have
been celebrated in such comprehensively
charitable manner as will mark the OBJ
servance OF next Tuesday. And in this in
stance charity" does not mean a question
of giving from sense of duty, but from
pleasure At banquet boards throughout
the city the hungry and the homeless will
sit side by side to enjoy, as best their men,
tai attitudes will permit, the best that
money and the markets may afford.
All the organizations which in the past
have done their part toward making Christ
mas truly day of cheer among those who
know it not of usual, have made elaborate
plans for their Yuletide work. The Saliva
ton Army the American Salvation Army,
the Associated Charities-to name more
would be but to give the list of such or
ganizations-have, by collections and con-
tribution from here and there and every
where mana ged to gather fund which, it
is believed, will be more than sufficient to
take care of all the very poor. Baskets
and bundles of Christmas things-useful
and otherwise, but mostly in the former
class-have been sent to homes around
town. and on Christmas day the doors of
all these organizations Will be wide open
from dawn to dark.
The effort to prove that for every one
who believes in the old story of Santa
Claus there is a Santa Claus, indeed, will
be made even more earnestly this year
than ever before. Those who have done
the work are modest in their claims, but 1t
is not too much to say that it has been
well done. The spirit of the day itself will
prove it,
Extensive preparations have been made for
their observance of Christmas by the Sal
walton Army, and as usual they will enter
into the spirit of the occasion by doing all
they can for others. The poor of the city
have been taken under the especial care
of the Army and for weeks faithful corps
of workers have been on a campaign of
house-to-house solicitation, gathering the
means to buy. food for the Army's Christ
mas offering. Another corps have just as
faithfully sought out deserving poor fam
iles and to those finally selected tickets