Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1912-12-19


sea, or to the south.
where the blast Is not tempered. For
Christmas Island lies straight In the
way OF the honest mariner, and the
stream which runs as a river through
the sea hath warmth and fragrance,
whereof the shores of the island give
pleasant evidence. Now, the gales that
sweep the island sweep westward
upon the approaching pilgrims, and
eastward upon the departing sails, so
that the stay within the gracious port
is but a part of the Joy of that sea.
And as the shores came out of the
horizon, little child called, Christ
mas Isle! Christmas Isle!"-so clear
f. the air Of these parts to infant
eyes. And the older folk aboard were
Joyful, too, for off the west coast of
the island, which those who have
.charted these seas call the Shore Of
Memory, a fragrant breeze began that
minute to blow; though of these
names l cannot be sure, for the child
had a book of his own wherein this
shore was named Anticipation. And
now the journey meant few more
dawns and sunsets ere a landing could
be made, hut with each league onward
the mellow fragrance was more mark
ed. So there vSas great dispute among
the elder folk to say just what made
up the pleasant assault upon our
senses, some saying it was composed
mostly of this, and others of that
at is lavender" said an old lady.
Lavender and spruce and burning
candles. l remember the night the
new dress was taken from the chest,
and we danced beneath the candles,
and there was mistletoe, my dear,
that was how | met your grand
father. Yes, the breeze from off the
shore of the isle is lavender and
spruce and burning candles"
"Ho! to mel" cried a bluff and
hearty man. ut is the good smell of
well-warmed horses on the snow,
with the moon making a double team
of them. And it is the good dry smell
of popping corn and cooking apples.
oh, yes, and l will be saying there's
the brown turkey In it, too. And the
smell of lantern in the barn when
We go out to get the horses after the
dance"
All" said another-and as / looked
l saw he was habited as priest. 1T
is the incense, the Christmas incense,
which goes in ghostly columns to the
darkened roof of the great church
as the Three Wise Men go in process
sion up the aisle attended by acolytes
and hooded nuns to do homage to the
Babe at the altar Easter l know by
the lilies which smother the incense,
but Christmas is incense and music.
1t is that which makes the breeze so
delightful to you, my good people"
NO" said another, mo, no. All
now l know what 1t is. 1t is back
in the hill kirk that we are, where
the foot-warmers keep us alive
through the Christmas, and it's the
faint scorching of honest leather and
the faint singing of homespun that
the breeze is bringing you"
Its candy! It's varnish on sleds!
It's perfume on dolls! It's oranges.
and evergreens, and the smell of the
wood fire in the fireplace, and the
smell of the cold on mothers furs!"
cried the child.
And know not to what lengths the
talk might have gone, but the sailors
were calling "Shore," and there was
great motion among the pilgrims.
Now, the island is ruled by saint
o. n n
tongues and races they have one
meaning, which is GOOD WILL. And
his name is the law OF the isle. For
he holdeth that if man hath Good
Will he fulfilleth all law; and if he
have not Good VIII no law can put
it within him. but if he have it he
cannot but give proof of il. So that
there is great giving of gifts in the
island called Christmas, for Good
Will is itself gift which forever
branches and bios SONS ard sets to
fruit OF its kind. And it is the Gus
tom of the saint to meet the pilgrim
ships and give those who call upon
him the choicest gifts, and when a
man hath received any one of them
he Is forever a citizen of the island
called Christmas, with all the rights
thereof.
Now, the gifts are hung upon tree
which is called the Tree of Life and
they shine with wonderful light and
give off a sweetness which in good
time will sweeten the world. Indeed,
as all pilgrims know, the reason that
shores far distant from the Christmas
Isle are habitable at all is that pill
grims have come back bearing their
gifts of sweetness and light.
And the first gift is the Gift of the
Good Thought, whereby one may
break the hold OF narrow veracity
which chains him, truthfully enough
but all too unwisely. to the faults of
his fellows. There ore neither riches
ror power comparable to the Good
T.HIyht, which comes OF the Good