The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-12-13

many of its themes-as the |
ivy winds its rich foliage
\ about the Gothic arch and
n fondness about the rural |
mouldering tower, CRATE
fully repaying their support, by
clasping together their tottering re-
mains, and, as it were, embalming !
them in verdure.
OF all the old festivals, however,
that of Christmas awakens the |
strongest and most heartfelt associa-
tions. There is a tone of solemn
and sacred feeling that blends with |
our conviviality, and lifts the spirit
to a state of hallowed and elevated !
enjoyment. The services of the
church about this season are eX-
tremely tender and inspiring; they |
dwell on the beautiful story of the /
origin of our faith, and the pas
toral scenes that accompanied it's an
nouncement; they gradually increase |
in fervor and pathos during the sea-
son of Advent, until they break |
forth in full jubilee on the morning !
that brought peace and goodwill to
men. / do not know grander ef-
feet of music on the moral feelings |
than to hear the full choir and the |
pealing organ performing a Christ |
mas anthem in a cathedral and fill |
ing every part of the vast pile with |
triumphant harmony.
1t is a beautiful arrangement, |
also, derived from days of yore, that
this festival, which commentaries |
the announcement of the religion of
peace and love, has been made the !
season for gathering together of
family connections, and drawing |
closer again those bands OF kindred |
hearts, which the cares and pleas |
ures and sorrows of the world are
continually operating to cast loose; |
of calling back the children of a |
family, who have launched forth in
life, and wandered widely asunder, |
once more to assemble about the
paternal hearth, that rallying-place
of the affections, there to grow
young and loving again among the
endearing mementos Of childhood.
There is something in the very
season of the year, that gives a
charm to the festivity of Christmas.
At other times, We derive a great
portion of our pleasures from the
mere beauties of Nature. Our feel
ings sally forth and dissipate them
selves over the sunny landscape, and
we live abroad and everywhere"
The song of the bird, the murmur
of the stream, the breathing frag-
rance of spring, the soft voluptuous-
ness of summer, the golden pomp of
autumn; earth with it's mantle of re-
freshing green, and heaven with its
deep delicious blue and its cloudy
magnifcence-all fill us with mute
exquisite delight, and we revel in
the luxury of mere sensation. But
in the depth of winter, when Nature
% .1n,
wrapped in her shroud of sheeted
snow, We turn for our qualifications
to moral sources. The dreariness and
desolation of the landscape, the
short gloomy days and darksome
nights, while they circumscribe our
wanderings, shut in our feelings also
from rambling abroad, and make us
more keenly disposed for the pleas
ures of the social circle. Our
thoughts are more concentrated; our
friendly sympathies more aroused.
We feel more sensibly the charm of
each others society, and are brought
more closely together by dependence
on each other for enjoyment. Heart
calleth unto heart, and we draw our
pleasures from the deep wells of liv-
ing-kindness which lie in the quiet
recesses of our bosom; and which,
when resorted to, furnish forth the
pure element of domestic felicity.
The pitchy gloom without makes
the heart dilate on entering the
room filled with the glow and
warmth OF the evening fire. The
n ruddy blaze diffuses an artificial sum
1 mer and sunshine through the room,
and lights up each countenance into
a kindlier welcome. Where does
the honest face of hospitality expand
into a broader and more cordial
smile-where is the shy glance of
love more sweetly eloquent-than
by the winter fireside? and as the
hollow blast of wintry wind rushes
through the hall claps the distant
door, whistles about the easement,
and rumbles down the chimney,
what can be more grateful than that
feeling of sober and sheltered Sc
curity, with which we look round
upon the comfortable chamber, and
the scenes OF domestic hilarity?
The English, from the great pre-
valence of rural habits throughout
every class of society, have always
been fond of those festivals and hol-
idays which agreeably interrupt the
stiffness of country life; and they
were in former days particularly OBJ
servant of the religious and social
rights of Christmas. II is inspiring
IN read even the dry details which