The Washington herald., 1907-12-22
THE SYLVAN YULETIDE
BOYHOOD DAYS RECALLED TO LOVERS
OF NATURE.

OF the holly. laurels and cedars against
the snowy background IS like the well
coming glow OF a lamp placed in the
window Of a home 10 show the traveller
the way, and give him a foretaste OF the
welcome that awaits him there.
Nor is there lack Of good-fellowship
among the dwelIers in the woods.
Nature in her inscrutable wisdom has
well arranged so that By instinct one
should help the other
The gray squirrels who go scurying 20
the tops OF the oak trees 10 shake down
the acorns. do so for their own pleasure.
but the result is just as grateful TO the
wnite-fOoted mice. rabbits. quails. and
partridges below as II the SQUIRRELS were
walters commissioned 10 see 10 II that
good cheer did not lack for denizens OF
the forest not possessed OF the gift Of
tree scaling.
silence Il impressive.
IN the silence OF the Christmas IN the
woods man can forget all that is evil
in the great world OF men beyond. Here
Is possible a better estimate OF the vital
lessons Of the most important event IN
the worlds history, than where artihce
and strife trick the mind away from the
simple path OF sincerity.
The stream frozen over, what II calls
20 mind. especially 70 the boy from the
country,
Its surface is smooth and polished by
the frost kings hand as though a glass
blower had modelled il. What an invita-
ton 20 skate
On turning back 10 sumner. when the
water ran free. what memories OF swim
ming end fishing. OF a cooling dip on a
day when the suns bite made life almost
Unbearable
4 man might go through the same
woods in the winter time on any other
0ay but Christmas, and not 0ne-half the
train Of memories and dreams would
come 70 him. but the tender influence OF
the Huietide frames his mood Alright He
m2rvels 20 md what possibilities Of ten
der "reminiscences still survive in what he
had deemed a hardened, practical life.
ne makes a SNOWFALL and throws i
5ohingly at q squirrel. whose gray head
had Just flashed around the side Of the
tree. only 10 dodge Ike lightning at the
sight % the white missile.
Laughing TO see how poor his aim. he
recalls his bOyhOod day when his nus
cles. trained 10 hardness and accuracy
by his ball-playing habits. would have
enabled him 70 hit the mark nine times
out % ten he threw another SNOWFALL,
half a dozen Of them. at anv target or
no target, just for the abandon OF con-
Quoting himself ike a youngster again.
Return OF Youth.
Il IS good fun til sharp twings in
the shoulder tells him that the muscles
no longer respond. Too long inactive.
they have lost that snap which the throw
er must have
But even this discovery brings no pangs.
He cannot throw q ball. but he is not past
the power Of getting more out Of Christ
mas than ever before, and merely be-
cause he went 20 the woods. the righr
place 10 experience 10 the full the holi-
day joy
This has been a daytime picture, a 1T
tie sketch OF the Impressions evoked in
any bit OF snow-cIad woodland, be il
amid the towering trees OF Maine or
among the low pines Of Jersey
Even more beautiful is the night scene
Of Christmas in the woods
IL is less personal less jolly. because
so much more IS veiIed IN the shadow.
Bat the mystery IS filed with a charm.
the silence Is eloquent
The long. white carpet stretched over
the earth by Jack Frost shines sDotiess
IN the beams. Partridges. rabbits. coon,
'possum, birds. content with their feast,
have gone 10 their rest. No sound breaks
the stiffness.
A benediction IS in the very air. a
Christmas blessing on the earth, as though
in this open cathedral of nature a world
knelt 20 express in silent thanksgiving
joys too deep 70 be voiced IN words.