The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1933-12-21

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kvkO 1t Is piece OF writing or picture
associated with Christmas OF which
my people are fond that they never
1Rov grow tired of reading 1t or seeing Ii
~ again and again, matter how many
INV times before they have read 1t or
~ seen It.
The birth of Christ. the event which
Lis the reason for the celebration of Christmas
has been the inspiration for some OF our great
= est painters. But among all the paintings of
the Nativity, there Is one which probably has a
greater appeal than any of the others and liz
therefore a true Christmas classic That is
Correggio's 'sHoly Night"
Several years ago Dr. W. n. Valentiner, d.
rector of the Detroit Institute of Arts and a
widely known authority on painting compiled
for the New York Times Magazine a list of the
five greatest Christmas pictures.' OF these
i've he ranked Botticelll's Mystical Alteration
of the Child first but OF CorreggIos Holy
Night" he said: ut Is undoubtedly the most
popular OF the representations Of the theme
among the old masters. 1t Is, for the most part,
the optimism, the radiating serenity OF Cor
reggie which makes his portrayal SO charming.
what charm emanates from the youthful
form OF Mary, what magic from the Child, from
whom here, for perhaps the first time In italian
art the light streams out and envelopes the
scene! Like a Christmas hymn, jubiant and
glowing, with the ecstasy of the new message,
1t radIates from the beaming faces OF the shep-
herds and the women from the dancing ges-
lures of the angels"
Just as the Nativity has been the inspiration
for painters, so have various phases OF Christ
mas been an inspiration for the poets.
But OF all the Christmas POEMS the one which
Is par excellence a Christmas classic, In that
1t la most often reprinted and is most familiar
to the greatest number OF people, Is that old,
old fayorite, "a Visit From St Nicholas"
The remarkable thing about this Christmas
classic is that 1t was written quite by chance
and quite by chance 1t was started on Its road
to fame. In 1922 DR.. Clement Clarke Moore,
professor of Oriental literature In the General
Theological seminary In New York city, wrote
1t az Christmas poem for his two daughters
1t so happened that his niece was spending
that Christmas In the Moore home. She copied
the poem In her album, from which a copy was
made by friend of hers who lived In Troy, N. Y.
On December %, 1928, the poem was printed
In the Troy Sentinel with this note from the
editor:
I'VE do not know to whom we indebted
for the following description OF that unwearied
patron OF chIldren--that homely but delightful
personfcation of parental kindness, Santa
Claus, his costume and his eQuipage N he
goes about visiting the iresides Of this happy
land laden with Christmas bounties; but, from
whomsoever II may have come, we give thanks
for It. There Is, to our apprehension, 4 spirit
Of cordial goodness In 1t; a playfnlness OF fancy
and \ benevolent alacrity to enter into the feel
ings and promote the simple pleasures OF chill
dren, which altogether charming. We hope
our little patrons, both lads and lassies, win &C
cept 1t as proof OF our unfeigned good will
toward them-as a token of our warmest wish
that they may have many Merry Christmas,