Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-09
Christmas Reading
For Young and Old

AOS 4 OSAJSy ASSSA Wy
An attractive bulletin with Ats, list q
books at the public library, reminds II
of the nearby Christmas season. Blu
is old, old, good old Christmas gone
Not Din England, I'VE realize by re-read
ing Washington Irving's description G
the holiday customs at Bracebridg
Hail. There we shall find the COO
thwacking the dresser with the rollin
pin. to summon the servants to carr
in the different dinner meats; find how
the banquet. for it was nothing less
began with the sound OF minstrelsy.
and how after dispensing the 900,
things from the enormous pigs heat
decorated with rosemary--a lemon II
its mouth" and ushered in with ;
carol, in memory OF the boars head
down thru the turkeys, game and pas
tries to the Wassail Bowl--the da,
finally ended with a masque or mum
merry causing the greatest uproar ane
merriment.
1t is the busiest Of seasons, but sure.
~ we can take an hour, II not during
the day, in the evening or on the day
of rest. when the hurry OF making Oh
buying gifts must cease. to read some
of these delightful tales or sketches sc
Especially appealing just now
The Christmas season lacks some
thing unless we read once more
Charles Dickens, than whom there was
never a stauncher defender Of this fes-
tival. trinity of eating. drinking and
praying" How dubious would Dickens
have been over the present day Fletch-
would our moderns be at the uncon-
scionable amount of plum pudding
which Dickens character could so
easily stow away.
But after all it was only the ideal of
comfort that Dickens was emphasizing,
the spirits OF good cheer, even tho it
entailed unwonted extravaganza, as
belonging peculiarly to Christmas.
We must read the christmas Carol"
to get this Christmas atmosphere,
which stands out stronger than
Scrooge or the ghosts or any incident
Of the story; and who can resist "The
Cricket on the Hearth?"
Passing from these old friends there
utS etANoSs AOW ollCS W Ut WelCOIllGu.
VanDykes spirit OF Christmas" in
which he says, among other good
things: "The custom of exchanging
fine or a foolish thing
as the case may bean outgoing of
generosity or a disguise of greed, a
cheerful old custom or a futile old
farce, according to the spirit and the
form which it takes" and he goes on
to explain how to grow this right
spirit.
Lew Wallace has made an exquisite
drawing of the first Christmas, telling
the story with splendid imagery and
as much art as had the great. painters
whose wonderful conceptions are used
to illustrate.
Coming to the practical, there are
suggestions Of every kind as to enter
tanning. The list is as follows:
MISCELLANEOUS
Brooks-A Christmas Sermon.
neutrality-suspicious. Eve.
Observation-Disclosures and Christmas.
Cummings-Christm in Other
Lands.
Davis-Christmas Masque OF st.
Roch
1rving--Christmas Eve, Christmas
Day. Christmas Dinner.
demonstrating Poems.
neutrality-suspicious. at Bethlehem.
Novelties and How to Make Them.
FICTION.
Notwithstanding Fantasy.
Couch, CUTLER - Shakespeare's
Christmas
Dfckens-Christmas Stories.
Fox-Christmas Eve on Lonesome.
Observation-Disclosures in French Cam
ada
Gorky-Christmas Phantom.
Hale-Christmas Eve and Christ.
mas Day.
Harte-Christmas Gift That Came
20 Rupert.
Observation-Disclosures Banquet.
Notwithstanding Every Day.
VanDyke-The First Christmas Tree.
Wallace-The First Christmas.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Jenny.
FOR THE CHILDREN.
Entertainments
Beard-Christmas Festivities and
Christmas Gifts.
Linscott - Children's Christmas
Party, Christmas Costume Party,
Christmas Tableaux, Christmas UNI
'rella Game, Menu and Table Decor
ltion.
shedd-How to Celebrate Christ
mas.
Plays and Dialogs.
A Sixteenth Century Christmas.
Christmas Eve at Mother Hubbard's
The False Sir Santa Claus
Nell's Christmas Stocking.
Stories
Alcott-A Country Christmas.
Alden-Christie's Christmas.
observation-disclosures Tree.
klingensmith-Firs Christmas Tree
Miller-Kristy's Queer Christmas.
Mitchell-Mr. Kris Kringle.
Anon-The Nativity.
Riggs-Birds' Christmas Carol.
Riis-Is There a Santa Claus?
Scannell-Christmas in France Ger
many and Italy.
Smith-First Christmas.
Taylor-Cup of Loving Service.