Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1923-12-14


ina 50 If IS the world over Children in more
tknn sWo-hfths Of the world celebrate Chrlss natal
ass Millions Of them never snow all their
Uv11 Other millions see plenty Of snow, but cele-
hrnfr christmas in the middle of summer so
Christmas day weather ali over the world is of
,nany kinds-it all depends upon where the chill
dren IKE.
What was the weather on that frs, Christmas
day. nearly 1900 years ago when Christ was born
IN Bethlehem OF Judea THAT'S the first question
when one begins to think about Christmas weather
We'll. 1t must have been warm and bright, for the
abenherds feeding their nocks by night and
tho WISE Men of the East the star in the East
and foilowed it. In modern Judea, which is drier
than Of old the temperature IN December by day
q about like that Of a cool summer day in Chi
cag0 Sometimes II gets pretty chilly at night.
but frfezIng weather is rare So that first Christ
innt set a good example to all the ages
Bsfnlelem probably has changed very little
since The first Christmas. The ordinary house has
bnt ono room, the floor of which the occupants
sleep af night on mats. No one thinks of staying
IN Tie house in the daytime. except when II rains
or storms They sit on the ground outside. when
not nj work, and talk with the neighbors In the
re0r of each house is either shed or dugout
Into fhe hillside. There the family and goats
and Sheep and poultry are sheltered 1t was In
s1cf grotto or cave or dug-out in the rear Of
acn.e house that Joseph and Mary found shelter.
4 Vhs In such place that Jesus was born and
His mother wrapped Him in swaddllngs and laid
Him In the manger or trough cut of which the cat
"a we're fed
Why did not God provide a hetter place in this
lifdt OF need7 Would 1t have touched the heart OF
a1afkind so deeply had Jesus been born in pal
St8f 'For our sake He became poor that we
i6i6ngh Him might become rich" The Lord OF
heaven and earth Babe In manger in a stable
a the little town of Bethlehem that He might save
us and all men from sin
n the United States some of the Christmas day
weather is very much like that Of the first Christ
mas In the Holy Land. And some Of il Is just the
opposite. For the United States is a big country
6omething like 5000 miles from coast TO coast
and 1000 miles north and south. 10 say nothing
a Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands and our other
t1t,ying possessions Besides. some of 1t is not
much higher than the sea level and some OF Il
reaches away up nearly three miles into the sky
81 naturally there is great variety OF climate
ana weather-which Is one Of the things that
makes the United States great and rich and good
10 live IN.
In some parts Of Alaska, for example. the chill
fIren sometimes have Christmas day almost as
cold as 1t Is In Sibera--and the artist has drawn
ifking picture Of man In Siberia such
cold Christmas that the mercury is dropping
1hrolgh the bottom Of the thermometer verk-
hoyansk. in central Siberia probably has the cold
tsf Christmas day aDywhere--75 degrees below
zero But Alaska Is a fne country for st. Nick
There Is lots OF snow for his sleigh and there are
thousands and thousands Of reindeer from which
he can pick out fast and strong team every year.