The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-18
The Red and Green
Of Holly, and the
Pearls Of Mistletoe

December Ia dressed by Nature In
red and green and around her neck
10 hung the pearls or the mstletoe
Each month has It's specials colorg
Dame Nature III skiiful artist and
makes no mistake In her apportior-
nlent. August the brown tracery Of
bare twlgs and limbs tho scarlet OF
December marsh berries Is clearly and
brightly outlined, and lends yividness
and beauty to tho winter landscape.
Tho good brown earth Is cafpcted
with ground pine, soft as velvet, bal
samic as to ddor and graceful as TO
the pattern It waves III embroidery Of
pale green, matching the LEAKAGE OF
mlstlctoe sprays looking down upon
It. The hue OF the holly is darker and
tho glistening leaves end In sharp
points like mimic spears, guarding tho
treasure OF berry clusters which they
enfold.
Sang Dame Nature In their fashion
ing
by The hedge all snow embossed
Bloom itself December carries
and she held up holly berries.
How their scarlet brightness shone
In the mornings airy tracks;
=
She knows what picture lacks.
Winter lost its melancholy
Christmas laughed to sec the holly.
Since that hour. now far away.
Whom Times tired wing was light,
In the path of Christmas Day
Always shine the berries bright"
The association OF Christmas With
trailing forest moss. with the greer
festoone OF cedar, fir and pine. with
the mistletoe that appeals to tho laten,
superstition and mysticism OF even the
beat-baianccd minds, keeps Its romance
fresh has this Kept 1t alive through the
centuries that are behind it. making
In the link that binds present and past
together.
Time cofilns most of Lies romauces
1t mas rover buried the romance tina.
enshrines Christmas in the heart, tina,
mingles Christmas bloom with the mem
Org of Flower Divine, whose heaven
~ fragrance fills the world" during
the feast which December spreads. to
make the whole round earth akin.
The red and green and white ara
symbolic colors. The holly embodies
the real Christmas spirit, for, under its
houghs. old wrongs and stripes are
forgotten and dropped out OF mind,
old injuries cease their hurt, broken
links OF friendship arc mended. and
sweet forgiveness is spoken.
Jacob Rii5. who writes wonderful
Christmas stories about tho approach
of the years gladdest festival IN New
York teEements, gives thus q bit of his
own experience. He says:
1T was Just sprig OF holly with
scarlet berries showing against the
green. Tharo was no reason why II
should havo made me start when
came suddenly upon Il at the turn OF
the stairs; but 1t did Absorbed In the
business OF the Office, / had hardly
thought of Christmas coming on, until
now It was here. And this sprig OF
molly on the wall that had coma TO
remind income nobody knew how
far-did 1t grow yet In the beech.
wood clearings, as 1t did when I gath
cred 1T az boy, tracking through the
Snow?
.'Wo called 1t 'Christ-thorn.' for to
us It was OF holly that tho crown OF
throns was made with which the cruel
soldiers Knocked our Saviour. and the red
berries wero the drops of blood that
fell from his angnished brow. There
fore the holly was sacred tree, and
10 this day the woods In which find
ii seems TO mo Ike the forest where the
Lord was born. different from all other
woods, and better"
slurber Song of the Madonna.
Clcnched little hands. like crumpled
roses,
Dimpled and dear;
Feet like flowers that the dawn uu.
closes
What do | fear?
Little hand. will you ever be clenched
in anguish?
White little limbs, will you droop and
languiah?
Nay. what do hear?
hear shouting. far away.
You shall ride .rl fdngly palm-strewn
way some day!
But, when you arc crowned with a
golden crown,
And throned on q golden throne,
You1l forget the manscr OF Bottle
hem town
And your mother that sits alone,
Wondering whether the mighty King
Remembers song she used to sing,
Long ago.,
Rockaby so,
Kings may have wonderful jewels to
DrlnS,
Mother has only kiss for her King"
But now you are mine. all mine,
And your feet can lie in my hand
80 small,
And your tiny hands in my heart can
Irvine.
And you cannot walk. so you never
shall fall,
Or be pierced by the thorns beside the
door
Or the nails that lie upon Joseph's floor;
Through sun and rain, through
shadow and shine
You arc mine all mine!
Alfred Noyes, in Tho Golden
Hynde."
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A New Glass Tray.
have seea nothing more original
nor attractive than a new glass tray,