Evening star., 1924-12-25
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEwELL.

In the old days children were salts
fed with a popcorn ball for a Christ
mas present. Now they want electric
trains and elaborate mamma dolls
and thoy get them. too, bless theil
little souls.
What a picture the old folks paint
for us of the Christmas Of past days
They had no electric lights then, oil
modern bathrooms, or monographs
or radio, or any of the hundred and
one things we take as a matter oi
course today.
Yet they had the spirit Of Christ
mas, to hear them tell about 1t, the
genuine spirit of Christmas, the kinC
many OF us miss, in our up-to-datt
and considerably smaller houses oi
today.
Little Johnny then was essentially
the same as little Johnny today. He
warmed himself In front of a wide
fireplace, or a big drum stove, in
stead Of by steam or hot-watel
radiator. but the underlying spirit OF
the one Johnny was exactly the same
as our John today.
The former did not have, however
such large and expensive tastes. The
toys were few and far between ir
those days. and the money to buy
/
Gus. For there had to be a soli6
stratum of lucre to oil old Santa then
just as there has to be today.
Little Johnny of old was easily
satisfied--at least to hear him tel
about II now, when his hair Is white
and his whiskers are whittier. and the
years have placed around him thai
hedge of seniority which made the
Roman senate a venerable institu-
ton. and makes the Japanese vener-
ate their ancestors.
In the old Christmas Johnny hardly
slept a wink, determined to catch
Santa Claus in his benevolent task OF
sneaking down the chimney. Chin
big form of Kris Krinkle to slide
down easily. They were SO large, ir
fact, that no child has any doub,
about the saints ability to make the
descent.
In the morning Johnny ran out
to the parlor or dining room-prob
ably the latter-to find a huge ant
resplendent popcorn ball waiting him
as the gift OF dear old Santa Claus.
Rapture mantied the shining face
Of little Johnny. A good old pop.
corn ball was just what he had beer
wanting. Santa Claus brought me 6
big popcorn ball!' cried Johnny to
his parents. Every one was happy
as could be.
Santa Claus brought me a good ole
popcorn BALI" Johnny told his play
mates, later in the day. and each com
rade replied in kind. that Santa Clau,
had brought each of them a gooc
old popcorn ball, too.
The popcorn ball must have done
heavy duty-to listen to the old folk.
tell about 1t. 1t did It's stun In sugar
In molasses, now white, now ligh
brown, now glistening like snow
now taking on the hue of the ginger
bread man.
X +
But how many children of today
would be satisfied with a popcorn
ball?
Remember, the spirit of CHILDHOOD
Is essentially the same. Johnny to-
day is much the Johnny Of old. But
somehow times have changed. Wha
would have sufficed once goes ne
longer.
New days. new desires. Better ane
better standards of living. more ant
more wants. The desire for Christ
mas presents Is in inverse ratio tt
the width OF chimneys.
When the fireplace was big enough
to let a real-for-sure Santa, no mat.
ter what his girth. slide down without
getting a bit of SCOT on his red ant
white outfit, the kids were perfectly
satisfied with a popcorn ball, or some