St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-12-18
EARLY CHRISTMASES
Mrs. 5. I. Brooks Tells Of Celebra-
lions Once Held in St. Johns
bury.

Is there a girl in st. Johnsbury
who has lived fourteen or fifteen
years, and hasnever Seems Christina
tree or a Christmas decoration? II
on a cold clear Christmas Eve, such
an one were driven to st. Johnsbury
Center, and on entering the uni
versalist church should see these
novel sights, one can imagine hel
surprise. Just this was the unfor-
gotten experience of the writer. Inc
greater part of the scene is forgot
ten, so constantly were her eyes
fixed on an evergreen cross in the
center of the transverse column OF
which a soft clear light was burn.
| ing-seeming to come from within
How many times, in the course OF
rather long life that beautiful cross
has come back to memory, she VIII
not attempt to say. Those were
times when in this part OF Vernon
Christmas Day had very small recog-
milton. Occasionally one was made
to feel very awkardly by some FRIEND
offering the customary wish. u
| if a child Yentured to hang a stock
| ing in the chimney corner, some
rogue would stuff it with a potato
la doughnut, or perhaps an apple
Santa Claus never drove his reindee-
or jingled his bells on our streets
in those days.
Twenty years few by and thu
writer entered the old North church
which now is known by commonel
name, 1.-The Colonial" bevy O..
little people mingled their surprise
with her own at sight of the simple
yet beautiful decorations about tho
pulpit and it's surroundings. Al
was done with natures own provi-
sions, the lovely green things she
scatters so lavishly. For some rea
son our services were to be conduct
ed that morning by Prof. SanborT
of Dartmouth college, a man o.
great mental resources and sympa-
thetic nature. So impressed was he
by this successful endeavor to honol
the Great Birthday that he put ava.
his manuscript, and the fine sermon
he gave us was suggested by the oc
casion. The Christmas spirit develop
ed rapidly at that time, nor was +
long before / found myself filled
with admiration at the sight Of
a Christmas tree in front of the pull
pit, in the same dear church. Flo
many days the Sunday school teach.
ers had been in frequent councils
with their efficient superintendent,
Col. Fairbanks. Children had mad
great use of the corn pepper anC
needles and strings and were bus,
making chains of the feathery pop
ped corn. The tree was not quite sc
high as the church tower, but wheI
! lighted by dozens or candles and
loaded with gifts peeping through
the lovely decorations, it was in
deed a beautiful sight.
The organ pealed out under the
magic touch of J. H. Paddock, anf
as the ushers went around with
hands loaded with gifts for distri-
button I'm sure the old Saint him
self was grinning somewhere be-
hind the scenes.
The writer recalls another less
notable tree, upon which a small
boy spied a drum which he appro
priated as his probable gift. Sc
when he saw it given to another
boy his sobbing voice cried out
ooh! 1 wanted it." Doubtless many
folks of larger growth have silent
Ily cherished the same grief with NJ
strict limitation of gender.
Can anybody think of another in
terest in st. Johnsbury that from
very small beginnings has grown tt
a power dominating almost ever!
branch of business, finding express
sion in every church and school an6
attesting it's right to recognition in
almost every home. So great is
the pervasive influence of thu
Christmas spirit.
Hasten the dawning
OF that blest morning
When the circling sun,
In his daily run,
Can find no stranger
To the Babe in the manger.
But if on some far away deser'
ground
Another "Old Scrooge''
Should by chance be found
May an answered prayer of "Tin:
Tim"
Speeding its flight, he borne TO MIN
GOD bless us every one"
cyTrurTnN