The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-01-22
CHRISTMAS NOISES
To the Editor Record:

To the Editor Record:
The St. Augustine Record, in behalf
Of the citizens of "Ye Ancient City"
calls attention to "the desirability of
the city council passing an ordinance,
restricting the use of fire crackers,
cannon crackers, toy pistols and ordi-
nary firearms, both revolvers and
shOtguns," at Christmas tide.
This IS a move in the right direc-
ton. I've been waiting for an oppOr-
tunity to air my sentiments on this
subject for 10, these many years"
I'm a Methodist, so let me first say
amen" to the sentiment of the good
St. Augustine people.
I am a firm believer in Gods holy
word, which says, And suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host, praising God and
saying: Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward
men!'"
Were the blessed tidings heralded
with boom of cannon and patriotic
gusto? Were not the angels accom-
panied by a glory, light more beau
tiful than any other Illumination re-
corded in history? The coming Of the
Christ-child brought peace and JOY
and gladness-nOt a clustering sound,
I am a woman, too. and know that
this custom. on account Of its incon-
gruity, is doubiy narrowing, not only
TO our nerves. but to those of the
sterner sex also, TO say nothing Of the
comfort of the sick, the aged. the in
firm and the sorrowing. Children
have been intimidated. frightened
horses have injured many and de-
moralized things in general Our
peaceful 90 slumber has been dis
rurbed to an alarming degree, because
Of an uproar which permeates the
whole Christmas atmosphere
am a mother also. Last Christ
mas eve night, just as the town clock
pealed the midnight hour, I was
aroused from pleasant dreams by the
loud report Of a cannon firecracker. /
Some mothers boy" was on the ]
street at that unearthly hour when T,
he should have been safely asleep at /
home, away from the evil influences
which Turk in darkness rather than in 1
light. "Oh, but the children must /
have fun" hear you say. Then why /
not entertain them. teaching them
the true meaning of Christmas-that
feeling Of love and good will /
to all mankind? Allow them to have |
all the enjoyment possible if it be
in harmony with the best impulse of /
this occasion. Gather them about /
you in your home and take time to |
enjoy their pleasures with them. Only /
last month | heard several mothers |
say Il am not going to have a Christ
mas tree; it is too much trouble" Is
not this a mistake? Did not the great
Child Benefactor say, Come, let us
live with our children?' Let us be-
gin at once to collect the choicest
verse, dialogue, tableau. etc, for this
occasion They will enjoy a Christ
mas such as YOU used to enjoy when
a child Allow them to have their
parties, visitors and plays, acting the
part Of Santa Claus to their entire
1t may be a task, but
it viii not be loves labor lost, and
when another Christmas rolls around
the children Will not long for the
'fesE-pots of Egypt" viz: The afore-
said treacherOus fireworks. which
make for us a noisy Christmas" so
that we long for "a lodge in some vast
instead.
The St. Augustine people have the
idea: others, if they pause to think.
viii doubtless arrive at the same con
clusiOn and then, very soon, we shall
have a reform along this line.
Ocala has had its quota OF Christ
mas accidents and racket galore, and
when that petition is circulated. /.
for one. ask for the privilege of sign
ing it; that is, if they viii allow me
to, being a WOMAN.
Ocala, Fla, January, 1909.