Evening star., 1915-12-19

great fur coats and shouting greetings
to their friends. 1t Is Christmas eve and
every one must be happy.
In one room stands a giant pine tree,
it's highest branch bending over at the
ceiling, the better to display a gorgeous
creation OF "Kristkindchen,' or Santa
Claus. as We know the patron saint OF
children. Upon all the other limbs of
the tree, Weighing them down almost
to the point of breaking, are good
things of every description--cookies
candles nodded into odd shapes. tightly
Gus contents, etc. Under the tree are
piled many more gifts. carefully wrap
ped to deceive inquisitive eyes while
arousing curiosity.
feast. Guests in evening dress form
stately procession and gather about the
table. quivering under its burden or
boiled turkey. baked game. mountains
of mashed white potatoes, other vege-
tables, costly wines of every descrip-
tion-and a few slices of war bread.
JoktJ are passed and puns exchanged
anent the war bread. which is barely
tasted and passed by for whittier ana
more edible cakes baked attractively.
The host rises and pronounces his
blessing over bowed heads, endinR win
a prayer for the success Of Austrian
arms and the long life of the emperor
Always do they mention the revered
Franz Josef in tones OF love and 10y
atty. The feast is on.
peased ia and the last after-dinner speak
er has expressed the thoughts then
foremost in his mind. the children. who
have eaten their Christmas eve dinner
in the nursery. are called forth and
gather around the great tree for their
songs and dances. while the tallest
man in the assemblage stretches for
the gifts and bestows them with ap-
propriate greetings upon the persons
intended.
Ere the last gift has been removed
from the tree the clock has struck
midnight and sleepy. happy children
are sent to bed with their nurses, to
arise for early mass in Maximilian
Platz The older folks, reaching the
acme of Joy. retire to the largest room
in the home and dance well on into the
rectly from the feast to masses In
progress. Thus is Christmas eve cele
brated among the rich OF Austria
Hungary, even in wartime-a joyous
round Of feasting. drinking, gift dis
pensing and dancing.
-.
It is a long cry from the rich to the
poor. and as the visitor wades through
the snow across stubble fields toward
a faint lamp glow In the home Of q
Hungarian peasant he feels the con-
trast keenly. At crossroads stands Q
wayside shrine. Snow mas fallen upon
the tiny roof, but the shrine is un-
touched. Kneeling in a half circle be-
fore 1t In the snok are dozen or more
peasants. mostly women and children
None OF them are wearing their vari-
colored. gaudy holiday dresses, and in
their faces Is a look Of worry and grief.
They are praying diligently. and now
and then one raises her arms And voice
In an outburst of pleading that strikes
a sympatnetic cnord among the others.
who respond In unison:
''Oh, God, give us peace.'
Finally they rise and leave, singly
and In groups. retiring to their homes
with bowed heads. the children STUN
sober for little ones on Christmas eve
a snowy Christmas eve, when Santa
Claus can travel best.
A mother and two children enter
their home, consisting OF two rooms,
one for cooking and eating. the other
for sleeping In one corner OF the bed
room stands a spruce tree decorated
with cheap bits of dyed rags. home
glass ball. There are some shapeless
cookies, present or two wrapped in
coarse brown paper. and over all hangs
the Madonna Of the Tear.
Of veal. coffee and war bread. of which
the little family partake in silence. At
the conclasion of the meal the mother,
with q slight shruE OF her shoulders
and a cast of her hands, motions the
children to the bedroom, while she
fingers to gaze dry-eyed upon a faded
photograph of her husband In his first
military uniform. At last she rises
and silently removes the presents from
the tree. standing by while her chill
dren Q black eyes sparkle and their tiny
tongues prattle over the cheap gifts.
1T is not yet 10 o'clock when the time
has come for bed. The little family
kneel before the tree in the uncertain
light of the lamp and the mothers
earnest voice pleads softly and clearly
in the silence Of the shabby home:
"Oh, God, we pray you to care for
our father and husband. and protect
him from the bullets of the enemy that
he may return to US again. For We
need him. Amen"