The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-12-24
THE ORIGIN or
THE YULE LOG
AHE following story OF the origin
Of the Yule log in Virgiaia Is
told In the Pictorial Review by

T Of the Yule log in Virgislia Is
i told In the Pictorial Review by
La Sale Corbell Pickett IN an
article dealing with Christmas In the
south in wartime: ag
One time an old black man was sit
ting in his little cabin on a mountain
side on Christmas eve listening to the
cold wind howl over a world of snow
and wishing that he had a 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 shiyef
so that his "ohliest two teef'' chartered
with cold. Again the cry came across
the snow, and he wished with all his
power Of longing that he could 60 out
and find the unfortunate little one, for
the plaintive cry OF a little child always
goes straight to the heart. A third
time the cry came, and a miraculous
power seemed to I'LL the old mans
veins. His muscles became tense and
strong, and he stepped from the thresh-
old into the snow, the crutch falling
back in the cabin. d. a.. ..-.,'
In an instant he was walking over
the expanse Of frozen snow with an
activity he had not possessed since ne
used to ''go to camp meetin'." By and
by be came to little child caught in a
snow bank. He lifted the child, and as
Its little form touched him new
strength came into him, and the small
burden seemed to give him wings to
speed back to the little cabin. He put
the child on the bed. drew the ragged
guilt around 1t and looked about to see
IL there might be piece of furniture
Of which he could make a fire to warm
bis small guest .." -.~.
At that instant he saw a great log
roll across the threshold and into the
fireplace. The little child was looking
at it with eyes like stars. and they
sent CLEANS of hight that kindled the
log with the most brilliant fire the old
man had ever seen, and the dingy
little room Swas filed with radiance
and warmth that brought a glow to |
the soul as well as to the body and |
seemed to food the world with light.
As the light wrapped the child in a
shining glory he laughed laugh that
was like song Of the heart and float
ed up and away. The old man turned
his eyes to where the FIRE burned and
the flames leap in opalescent 4
dnts over the log forming the shape
Of cross in fire. i
At this point in the narrative Brer
Simon usually became greatly excit-
ed, and his eyes kindIea as be vent
on In his rich dialect:
de flames er de cross spread en-
chase after one ernudder, a-crawIln'
en- a-creepin' in en- out en- around en- ,
about a-skadin' hyer en- a-skadlIn' !
1ar; a-lippin' up higher and higher;
1rs' lii blue blaze would come, den
4 yaller one, den a bright red one
would fare up, en- den de blazes would
Ill mingulate darsefs tergedder-red
IN blue en- yaller en- white would all
nix wild de kindleation colors err de
en- crackle en- crackle en- lip
higher en- bigger en- bigger, de crackles
I-getten' louder en- louder. en- de blazes
yittin' bigger en- bigger"
AS the old man watched all this dis
'lay suddenly and magically appeared !,
table covered with a Christmas feast I
'uch as had never been spread before :,
lis eyes, and never again was he hun. 4
ny or cold. and never was there a T.,
Christmas in old Virginia after that
the Yule log and the Christ
mas child to give it light and warmth. (