The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1908-12-17

signed to conceal its shape and size
as completely as possible, and the
name and address of the recipient Is
clearly marked upon It; then the box
is Entrusted to some fantastically dis
guised messenger, who ruShes to the
house, gives resounding rap on door
or window, and as it is opened filings
the box in and swiftly disappears. IL
by any chance a door or window is
open when the messenger arrives. so
much the better; for then, without
any preliminary warning, the box is
tossed into the house apparently by
unseen hands. The streets are
thronged on Christmas Eve with
motley crowd. Dwarfs and giants,
angels and devils, fairies and gnomes,
beggars and princes, cripples on
crutches, cavaliers on horseback, rush
helterskeltcr, pellmell, jostling one
another, joking and laughing, each
one bent upon delivering his Christ
mas box in the most mysterious man
ner possible. A very pretty custom
is taught the children of these North
ern countries which it would be we'll
for you little ones to remember-that
is the old one OF feeding all birds and
animals at this great holiday time.
The children hang sheaves of wheat
on the fence and caves of the building
that the birds of the air may share
the Christmas feast with them, and
all the animals are given special feast
at this season.
In France, the Jesus Dambin is the
children's Christmas saint. The
French children, as we'll as the Dutch,
range their little shoes in front OF the
fireplace and find them well filled in
the morning. In the country places
of France, Jesus Bambin often comes
In the guise of young girl attended
by angels. On her head she wears q
crown of gold paper, set around with
tapers, and she carries in one hand
a silver bell, and a basket of sweet
meats and toys in the other.
In Austria, the coming of the
Christ Child is told by some one who
takes the part of the angel Gabriel.
The greeting of the angel to the peo-
pie who have come to meet the Christ
Child is as follows: my name is
Gabriel; from heaven l come to greet
you, and to tell you of the approach
of the Christ Child. In my hands I
bear the sceptre He has given me; on
my head l wear the crown" AS the
angel ceases to speak a chime of, sill
yer bells announces that the Christ
Child is near, and a moment later a
little figure, white clad and wearing
golden crown, enters the room, car
rying a basket filled with nuts, cakes
and fruit.
Down from high heaven come
Into your hearts to dwell"
chants the Christ Child, and then,
while the little ones stand in awed
silence, the Christ Child mingles
among them. He asks each one If he
attends church faithfully, says his
prayers, and is good, obedient child.
If the answer is yes, gifts accom-
panied by loving words of praise are
the reward from the Christ Child;
but If the little one confesses to bad
year, then the angel Gabriel steps for
ward, and the unlucky child gets from
his hands only switch, while the
Christ Child pleads with him to be a
better child during the coming year.
Though Christmas is celebrated,
you see, in many ways in these old
lands SO far away from us, still in
the Old World, beyond the sea, as
we'll as in our own, the same message,
peace on earth, good will to men,
is in every heart.-Newark Sunday
Call.