Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-11-18

/" lie Following story Of the origin
Of the Yule log in Virginia Is
tod in the Pictorial Review by
la Sale Corbell Pickett In an
article dealing With Christmas In the
south in wartime:
One time an old black man was sit
ting In his little cabin on mountain
side on Christmas eve listening to the
cold wind howl over a world of snow
and wishing that he had fire to warm
him when he heard the cry Of little
child away out in the cold The old
man hobbIed to the door and looked
out across the snow. and the wind
came rushing in and made him shiver
so that his contest two teef" chartered
with cold Again the cry came across
the snow. and ne wished with all his
power of longing that he could go 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 fill 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.
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
by he came to little child caught In
snow bank. He lifted the child, and as
its little form touched him a 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
quilt around 1t and looked about to see
If there might be piece Of furniture
Of which he could make a fire to warm
his small guest
At that instant he saw a great log
roll across the threshold and into the
fireplace. The little child was looking
sent CLEANS Of light that Hndled the
log with the most brilliant fire the old
man had eyer seen. and the dfngy
little room was filed with radiance
and warmth that brought 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 a. song of the heart and float
ed up-and away. The old man turned
his eyes to where the fire burned and
watched the flames leap in opalescent
i~,fo Nhn 1onp .ch N
of cross in fire. ''
At this point In the narrative Br'er
Simon usually became greatly excit-
ed, and his eyes kindled as he went
on In his rich dialect:
DE flames er de cross spread en-
chase after one ernudder, a-crawlin'
en- a-creepin' in en- out--en around en-
about. a<skadlin hyer en- a-skadlin'
dar; a-ifppin up higher and higher;
frs ILL., blue blaze would come, den
a yalleR one, den bright red one
would fare up~en den de blazes would
all mingulate> daxsefs 'tergedder red
en- bue en- yaAer zen white would all
mix wild de kindleation colors er de
rainbow. en- crackle en-, crackle en- lip
higher EN- bigger en bigger, de crackles
a-getten'. louder en- Louder. en- de. blazes
'gittins bigger IN bigger"
As the old man watched all this dis
play. suddenly and magic:llly appeared
n table COVERED with a Christmas feast
such ~ had never been spread before
his eyes. and never again was be hun
CRY or cold, and never was there a
Christmas in old Virginia after that
without the Yule log and the Christ.
mas child to give It light and warmth