Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-12-22
NUMBER 81
THE ORIGIN OF
THE YULE LOG
.HE following story Of the origin
Of the fule log in Virginia Is
told In the Pictorial Review by

l"HE following story Of the origin
of the fule log In Virginia Is
told In the Pictorial Review by
La Sale Corbell Pickett In an
article dealing with Christmas In the
south in wartime:
One time On old black man was sit.
ting in his little cabin on mountain
side on Christmas eve listening to the
cold wind howl over world Of snow
and wishing that he had fire to warm
him when he heard the cry Of a little
child away out In the cold. The old
man hobbled to the door and looked
out across the snow. and the wind
came rushing In and made him shiver
so that bis "onliest two teef' chartered
with cold Again the cry came across
the snow. and he wished with all his
power of longing that he could 90 out
and find the unfortunate little one. for
the plaintive cry of little child always
goes straight to the heart A third
time the cry came. and a miraculous
power seemed to all the old mans
veins. His muscles became tense aud
strong. and be stepped from the thresh.
old into the snow. the crutch falling
back I'm the cabin.
In an instant he was walking over
the expanse Of frozen snow with an
activity he had not possessed since he
used to go to camp meetin" BY and
hr a., c,, ,,n1 fn m lfttjo chtld ruuuhf I'm n
snow bank. He lifted the child. aud as
It's little form touched him new
strength Gallo into him. and the small
burden seemed to give him wings to
the child on the bed. drew the ragged
quilt abound II and looked about to see
II there might be piece Of furniture
VI which he could make fire to warm
his small guest
At that instant lie saw u great iog
roll across the threshold and into the
fireplace The little child was looking
at II with eyes like stars. and they
sent CLEANS Of light that kindled the
log with the most brilliant tre the old
man had ever seen. and the dingy
little room was flied with radiance
and warmth that brought Il glow to
the soul as well as to the body aud
seemed to food the world with li.ht
As the light wrapped the child in
shining glory he laughed II laugi, that
was like q song OF the heart and Ioat.
ed up and away. The old man turned
his eyes to where the tire burned and
watched thp hames leap In opalescrnt
tnts over the log forming the shape
Of cross In fire.
At this point I'll the narrative Brer
Simon usually became greatly exrit.
ed. and his eyes kindled rs he went
on In his rich dialect:
DE flames er de cross spread cn
chase after one ernudder. a-crawiin'
en- a-creepin' In en- out Ell around rn
about. a-skadlin hyer ell a-skadlin
dar; a-llppin up higher and higher;
trs' q Iii blue blaze would come. den
yaller one. den II bright red one
would tiarc up. ell den de blazes would
all mingulate darsefs tergedder-r red
Ell blue en- yallcr en- white would nll
mix wild de kindleation colors er de
rainbow. en- crackle Ell crackle en- lip
higher ell bigger en- bigger. de crackIes
a-getten' louder tn louder. en- de blazes
gittin' bigger en- bigger"
AS the old man watched all this dis
play suddenly and magically appeared
a table covered with Christmas feast
such as had never been spread before
his eyes. and never again was he hum
CRY or cold. and never was there Il
Christmas In old Virginia after that
without the Yue log and the Christ
mas child to give 1t light and warmth.