The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-22
BY JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

Il wish il were over" said the Lonely
Woman to me with catch in her voice
that was perilOusly near a sob.
And that il would never come again,
she added. looking ahead into the years
that are TO come when Christmas Will
be to her as now-the gladest time of all
the year to others, the sadest, the lonleSt,
and most dreary time to her, for she has
none Of the precious home times which
make you and / feel so happy and Secure
this wonderful Yuletide season.
Christmas is the one time when every
one has someone TO think of and plan
for. and someone to think and plan for
them"
1 reminded her OF the friends to whom
! know she has already sent gifts.
They will each send me little gift
to show that | am remembered, but
how will these trinkets help me next
Wednesday when I eat my Christmas
dinner in A CheerleSs boarding house
with not one ConEeniaI soul? -
I confess the question staggered me a
little. for there seemed nothing l could
say in eXtenuation of a selfIshness so
supreme rs that which shuts the doors
Of the real Christmas TO the Lonely
Woman.
Muckery 10 Her.
Christmas is coming on swift fleeing
wings; coming with its Oft-reiterated
song of Good VIII to Mem" coming
with its love-gifts; coming with its MEM
cries of the greatest of all gifts which
God gave unto us; coming to you and
coming to me with our full lives; our
happy lives: our busy lives. and il is
also coming to the Lonely Woman who
told me yesterday that she wished it
was over and that it would never come
again." and to her land her kind the
peace and happiness of home, and
Of loved ones there for the Yuletide
will be all a mOCkery unless you and !
remember her loneliness.
With the commencement of the holt
day season but three days away every
woman who is not exceedingly foolish
has already completed her Christmas
plans for those within the immediate
circle OF her own family, and is now
somewhat free 10 give just a wee bit
of thought TO the Lonely Woman who
wishes the time was over" because
she is usually forgotten on this day of
days
II there is some one you know whose
loneliness will be intensified by the null
titudinOus display of the happiness of
others this week make a little place for
him, or her, in your plans of celebrating
Christ's birthday.
Remember the Lonely Woman has not
always been shut out of the intimacies
Of home Christmas. She has her mem
cries of other Yuletides that were asl
filled perhaps with brightness as every
one might wish. but 0, what sad things
memories are at such a time as this.
The Better Plan.
Some one has suggested that it would
he a general blessing if celebrating
Christmas could be abolished because
il accentUtes the sufferings Of the poor:
the grief Of those whose homes have
heen stricken by death, the dreariness of
those who are alone and lonely at all
times but more alone and lonely at
Christmas time than al any other in the
year.
a wiser suggestion, it seems to me.
would BE- that those who are not poor
in worldly goods give something of their
store to make the sufferings of the
destitute less intense: that those whose
homes the hand of death has not touched
remember those who are stricken, and
forget not to make a little, circle of
Christmas light around the lives of the
lonely and cherries.
/ know just one man Il hope there are
many otherSI who makes no gifts at
this season save in his own Family. but