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I CHRISTMAS CAROL. j There's a story olden, golden, > t Laden with the sweetest peace, i Of a stranger in a manger, -fSjr Couched on autumn's rich increase i Robed not in sable, for a stable, y 565211 With its rude end dust clad walls, ) Formed a shelter, where did swelter Cattle in their stifled stalls. 1 Then from heaven's azure riven, , Blazed a star of radiance bright; Glorious, victorious, I It paled the other stars of night. Then it glimmered, gleamed and shimmered. O'er the town of Bethlehem; And brighter, nearer, richer, clearer, Burned the star of glory then. | Above the stable's pointed pables Did that star of heaven stand; While adorinp, wealth outpouring, Knelt the men from Judah's land. Softly saying, 'mid their praying, While their eyes with tears were dim, Prom ufar we've seen bis star, ! And have come to worship him 1 ' Then came winging, sweetly singing, ! Hosts on hosts or cheruoim, "Glory, glory, hear the story! Peace oa earth, good will to men!" -O. H. [ MOTHER'S MENAGERIE. BY OLIVE HARPER. Somo sixty years ago Madison street in New York was one of tho most aristocratic streets in me cny, ana on docu siaes ic was built with stately stono mansions, with wide halls, immense parlors and largo handsomo rooms, and each had a garden in the rear. Now the wealthy old Quaker families who once inhabited them are gono and the whole street has degenerated until it is laiown as a "tenement house district," and these old houses are full of ragged, half starved children; pale, wretched women, and a generally honest but rough class of men. Every house has a family in every room, where they eat, work and sleep, and even where thpre is the most sobrietv there is still enough of noiso, unhcalthiness and misery. In most of them men's drunken curses and women and children's slirill screams aro heard almost hourly. In the attic room of one of the handsomest of these old houses thero lived a widow with her two children, Ruth and Robert. No words can picture the bure desolation of that room, but in spite of the bitter poverty so apparent it was neat and clean. The young aother was born in this house, as had been her father, and though she now owned nothing cn earth but the wretched furniture about her, and she could barely pay the rent of this cheerless attic, her heart clung to the old house and hero she staid. Her father had died suddenly, as had his father before him, and Abby, his only child, had married a man who was unworthy his trust and in a short time ho had dissipated every dollar they possessed and then had died, mercifully for his wife and little children. Abby Hicks, had tried to earn a living since then, but with delicate health and two helpless babies she could not do much. Like the great majority of women, she had no resource but her needle, and she found employ in a shirt factory, and by slaving night and day as long as ber poor little hands could hold the work, she managed to keep her children and herself alivo. Their clothes were the last of thoso of better days, and were almost falling off them from sheer ago. though the patient little fingers had patched and darned them over and over, and her heart sank as she wondered where she could get more. .tier granuiatnci nau Decn a inruty oui man, and even-body had supposed him rich; but when he die*'. it was found that this houso and a few thousand dollars, which was at interest, was all he had, und it was never quite Knf. nn nf in C411 Utl OIWU ^ UUV 1*V U4UUUMV V* r^vu* u> j papers or banks brought to light anything more and the search was finally dropped, though the question was often discussed. It grew too dark to sew and not quite dark enough to light the lamp, and this hour the little mother usually took to run out and do her marketing for the next day; and so telling the children to lie still iu bed, for it was j bitterly cold up there eo near the l-oof, she i took her threadbare shawl, and throwing it i around her started out. iv 4 / y' I jifKRii ^ Jillffel ' l SITE LENT E>:?OnE TITE v. !\n. The snow was falling i:i grc;.; s >fL jiit':-* and lay thick upon the pavcinc;.!. :r:ul she ; bent iK't'oro the wind as sim made what hasto j she could. As f!io walked aiong she wondered j for u moment at the holiday aspect of iha i street, and then she suddenly remembered. j with a great pang, that it was Christmas Kvt, and two sudden teal's rolled from her eyes ur.d trickled shn; Jy d< >v.n her cold checks, i Everybody she met, even in that poor locution, seemed to lutv<> wMjplbinj; in their htindl i ?toys, cheap and tawdry, it i.; true, hut stiii something to briuj; joy to a child's heart?but \ * this poor Iittlo woman could buy nothing, no4 even so much ns a bit of candy, for stern necessity had laid too strong a hand upon this desolate little family for the spending even of one penny on anything but food, fuel and rent. Choking back tho unruly sobs that would mount up the Iittlo woman at last reached the butcher's shop where she dealt, when sho had anything to buy with, and here slio boueht a soud bone for ten cents, a car rot, n turnip and two potatoes for five cents, 1 and then as the fat butcher's fatter wife put them in a paper bag she slyly added two rosy apples from a barrel and two big rod onions, and the butcher being busy just then selling a fine turkey to the proprietor of a boarding house did not see it "For the babbies, ma'am, with my lovo," said the jolly woman, "and I wish it was more." Abb}- Hicks stood a moment irresolute, with the red spots of shame burning in her checks, for never before had she accepted a gift, and yet her heart was glad, for her children and lighter for tho womanly sympathy which she felt had actuated this meager1 giit. "Thank yon," was all she could trust herself to say, and she hurried away, and from there she went to the little corner grocery where her wants were supplied when accompanied by cash. Here she bought a five cent loaf and a pail of coal. "Nothing else?'' asked the grocer's clerk. "Wo have some fine turkej_s and cranberries: chickens, too, first rate Philadelphia dry picked; raisins, apples, jellies, celery?nothing at alii" j "No, thank you," said Abby, hurrying away. The coal had taken her last cent. She got ) out again into tho street on her way back and hurried onward, only anxious to get back to where sho could weep her heart out in her woe, for where is an agony keener for a mother than to deprivo ber children of the joy that is rightfully theirs on Christmas day? Dear little Robbie! He .would hear j tho other children blowing their lin trum- J pets and beating their drums, and liis sturdy [ little heart had always desired one and the other by turns. And good, gentle Ruthiel How her motherly soul had longed for a real doll! Not the old rag doll, but a real one, with fair hair and blue eyes. And this mother had promised long ago that she would write a long letter to Santa Claus and tell him what good little children they were, and now they would grieve over his neglect. What should she do? She had nothing to bcll tnat tney cuuju uy auy yvszuumuj ojxuo. Everything had been sold long ago that could bring anything at all; and now, to add to her despair, a huckster's wagon, loaded with cheap toys, stopped just m front of her, and the strong lunged hucksters began crying out their wares. Again she quickened her pace, and went on blindly up the stairs to her miserable home, all the while her heart nearly bursting with its agony as memory pictured this home aa it had been only ten short years ago. Yes, on this very anniversary, and she dressed in white satin, with pearls and beantiful laces, was the enviod Lsvwtnt- Koll KAra nnw tv^rA I UCUUtJ VI tuu gicav UU.1U > uvtv uv. ..MV I all those brilliant lights, the flowers, the servants, her swoet faced mother and noble 1 father? ' ^ ^ ' THX MENAGERIE. All were gone, and she loft alone to battle with such a hard world. Had it not been for those two little children up stairs the icy river would have soon closed her book of sorrow. She reached her room. The children were fast asleep, and she lighted the lamp and sat down by the little stove. "If we starve," she said, "I cannot work to-night." By and l?y mechanically she wont about and put the little room to rights, and hung the children's worn clothing over the chairback, and took tho meat for the next day's dinner and suppeafrom its bag. The vege tables lay upon the table, witu the apples. These she wiped softly and then sat down again, looking at them in a dream. Suddenly slio gave a nervous little laugh, saying: "I wi!L It will amuse them at any rate." Then she took a knife and piece of kindling and in a littlo while cut it in small j sticks, and these sho counted until sho had : the number she needed, and set to work. She found the two potatoes adapted to her j _i? 1? 1 1v?T I JJltUl, WUIUU Wild bu JIIOA.U UVAOVO Vi. IUVUI K/J sticking four legs, a tail and two ears into them. Treated the sam6 way the two rod onions mado rather awkward but pretty colored cows, and tL$s turnips became a tiger and tho carrot an alligator. Th^c made quite a little menagerie when set upon the table in a position to attract tho children's attention the first thing in tho morning, and a red apple was thrust into each well darned stocking and they were hung upon the board which served for a mantelpiece. Thus out of nothing mother lovo devised a bit of Christmas for her little ones, and when this was done, somehow her heart was lighter and she blessed liod tor the inspira-, tion and that she had her children and health, and thanked him while she lay down beside the two pretty if pale children. Tko noise of drums, trumpets and children's shouts in streets und hall waked the children almost before daylight, and they began to ask each other and their mother what it was all about, and she told them that it was Christmas, and lying then for once idlo during t he daylight hours she tuld them . all the sv. cct story mid then they began to ; wonder if Santa Clans had been to them, and 1 they botjne-.-d out of bed to see. The ::'!':les ;.cre verv r.:ro and beautiful to them, but l!:o im!ia;;c'riu of wonderful animals sarp:ir;v<l any* 1'inp; thry over dreamed of, and u.s '.!: mothtv m!d them: "Von .si*e, dtur \2>c;, arts nicer llian any wooden tr?y animals eo.;!d le.r, f<>r we can j play that they are lvaJ, truly animals and | v.o can kiil them and dress theui and cut' t!x,,n all ii] into lit (!<> I>iis :;i: l conk Ihcni by 1 and !>y just as the I r.f' hcis <io.*' "Oli, yes!" said lluthio in castas}*. "I don't want my ollum^uter cut up," do* r?lnroil llr.hliif* mill tlio children i>ltty**?l contcntodly ;iil the morn. j i:ig it!i their animals, thcti;;]i it required the constant M i'vieo 01 ina::i2!ia to replace broken leg:, hi.ru-; and (aiis, and the ehiidmi did Kiiiil ralh-r stro:;- of .-nions; bill) ?!:r-y .vera lnT<[iy and her h<Mp.htefiwl. Tint '.vhej thy time e::;nc for tuy limil part of their play, > Robbie would not 'allow a single one of his precious "ammuls" to be sacrificed, and at last be became so obstreperous that hi* mother was obliged to punish him by shutting him into a good sized closet which had always stood between the chimney and tha gable window. Robbie did not enjoy his imprisonment and kicked and cried until be made the very rafters ring, but suddenly after a rather more violent outbreak than usual there was a silence, and his mother wnited a while, surnrised at this new freak. and then she opened the door and looked in. There on the floor sat Robbie, with a piece of tlio baseboard lying flat, and disclosing a hole within which was a tin box. This he was trying to pull out, but it seemed too heavy for him to move, and soon Mrs. Hicks had it out and was examining it. When she had wiped off tho dust the found painted upon it in white letters "Owen Hardcastle." It needed no riiore to take every bit of strength she had and make her sink white and suffocating on tbo chair. This was lier grandfather's name! What if this box contained tho money he was supposed to have hidden somewhere? It was heavy enough. A moment's reflection convinced her that, as she was the only living member of all the family, this box and its contents were hers, and so with a knife and piece of wood she pried it opeu and found even as she had hoped. The box was full of gold, and also contained several valuable diamonds, so that this woman, who had the night before been rvn t.lm vnrrn rtf rlr?mnip from DOVCrtV. and who had had to make a travesty of her meager dinner to give her fatherless babies a little of tho joy that Christmas brings, was lifted above want again. But, though she had found this treasure, md sho knew it was her own in all right, she was too sensible a little woman to bruit the news about, and so they sat down to their Christmas dinner of soup made out of a whole menagerio, and up to this day, though she lives in a different way now, the lawyers never got wind of her inheritance nor share in it. Robbio and Ruthio have pretty toys, but probably none of them have ever been juite as dear to their little hearts as the itrange animals their mother's breaking heart wrought out for their pleasure. A CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS, 1852. BT KATE VAN NORMA GIBSON. We reached California late in the fall of 1852, and before we knew it could be winter in a country where the grass was freshly sprouting and the trees bright and green, Christmas was upon us, and no turkey in the state. The children held a solemn conclave and concluded that Santa Claus could never i e 1 - J t>io j geil SO LcLl , ueaiuea lucio n?o liW ouwn uu iJoigh to travel on. A3 I said, there was probably not one turkey In the whole state, and though there were a few chickens, no one would have consented for a moment to kill them when eggs were worth $1 apiece. So our hopes for an Did fashioned Christmas fell far below zero, ind in spite of our best endeavors we felt a little blue and homesick. There was plenty of the poor Spanish beef to be obtained, and also veal, but a sucking pig would have beeu an impossibility, and there was absolutely no fruit in tho country ?- ????"? wm'1/1 nn/1 r\f nnnrca CAAJUpl* DUCU (U ^iun ITHU, uuu, v*. vviu ^v, there was none at this season, but the genius of women lor making something out of nothing is proverbial, and tho men of tho family thought the women would pull through somehow, though how was that to be without fruit, aggs, milk or cream, or, indeed, anything except bayou beans, Spanish beef and a very few potatoes, and no onions to season anything with, nor knives? This was in what is OoJ.-lnTj/l r\ntu hut. at. flint timfithnrft TVPrn hut three wooden houses Rnd a few teats there. Tho two women put their heads together and finally decided that they could at least make a plum pudding, but in tho little "store" there were no raisins, nothing but dried apples. They bought six eggs, paying $8 for them, considering tho season, aud took some dried apples. These wero put to soak over night and on Christmas morning they were chopped into small bits, and with the eimnlr r\f mnlncc/vj flmir UUU a V*, *WV?MW?W) >??.. | ud suet, a big pudding was put into a bag I and over the tiro to boil. This success etimulated the women to try an apple pie or bo. In tho rueantimo a big rib of beof was duly [salted and peppered and surrounded with potatoes, and was made ready to put in the | oven when Uncle Charlie, who was a mighty hunter, suddenly made his appearance with a big fat goose in one hand and a fine big turkey, as wo thought, in the other, both plucked and dressed, ready for the oven. [ Some one was sent to buy an onion, as the grandmother said the goose really must have I onion in tho stuffing, and for that one little onion, no larger than an egg, wo paid $1 and were glad to get it at that price. Grandmother brought out her wonderful bag of herbs and a little of very precious sage, and summer savory was sifted into the dressing and the two line birds wero put down to cook, and wo all began to rejoice that even in far off California Christinas was not quite lost. The two birds now cooking had been shot early that morning. One was a honker goose and the othor was an enormous sand hill crane, or, as they were then called, California turkey. These immense birds grow very fat and are really delicious eatiug, as we found at dinner time. And when the table was laid out with the finest linen and choice dishes that had followod tho family fortunes "around tho Horn," that dinner was voted a success, but tho pudding, covered wim Diuznig oranuy, luuiteu just us viu iair mas like as if it had been a real pluni one, though it had a sprig of "livo oak" instead of holly in it, and although it did not take quite as good. After dinner wo had games, and though the children inissod tho hanging up of tho stockings, they went to bed happy in tho hope, afterward fulfilled, that Santa Claus might cot there by Now Year's, seeing that tliov lived too far awav for liim to reach them on Christmas. THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING. From tho shelf I Imp, suspended In the firelight.':; ;;lo\v, distended Till my sides arc almost split with everything tbat'n Kood; Fm so full that it's a question If I don't have indigestion? Never yet was I so stuffed with such peculiar food. In ray too goodness gracious! I dce'are it i:i vr::ati?i:!;) Sojne on:*'.s j ut a biv potato jirid it makes nie f.'cl so Kt'.r.n^c: 1 v.'oniitT, ?.o\.\ what made tlicm do it. i?oyon Itih.w that rijclst in-:;t to it Tliey liavo [ lit a I"1', of Andy?something sweeter IV. r a Then a bank to sava up money. And a man that sots no fr.nny When vim j)idl I:; 1:1 sharply by liisstrin^'j- kcmi)cu tail; A picture boo!:, sor.ii; small tin f.shes And a set of little Pair (if Jiiitt?.u.i. ntiin;cr:i and a little wooden rr.il. Thru "ti top a pL-co of jc.jvr, t this a fi:uuy irs r: Pcrliups tli'-y \va::t to Lurduu mc v.itii Fonse now fnu;:leJ ilisti. 1/1 ntc try my lii-st to con It. Y.'iiy, this is wiiat Llipy'v.; urit'm on it: u37ny yiii haw a merry Christmas is rnv lior.rlj M Hi." ? To.'.l X.lioOU. _ A DIFFICULT PROBLEM. ^ ~* "Santa Claus would bo puzzled to get anything into my stocking; 'cause why I haven't got any." OS THE RAPPAHANNOCK. CHRISTMAS DAT, 1SG2. By John R. Paxton, Private, Company G, liOtb Pennsylvania Volunteers. There was my old comrade, Sergt. Nelson, who had gathered somewhat of evil in tho army, whoso Christian virtues were not highly polished, and who, on occasion, dropped into profanity as Wegg did into poetry. Now I wonder which Nelson God will keep, and which Nelson he will throw rwrv?tho rourrh soldier, or tho man at Cold Harbor who said, "Boys, do you hear Bebout and Stono calling our names and begging for water?" We left them at the foot of the hill wounded that afternoon when wo charged and were repulsed. "Boys, its mighty risky. There is no truce to-night, and them rebs shoot about as fine by starlight as by day. But I'm going out to them. You see, if you and I were lying over there with a hole through us and wo called for water and no one come, though you heard us, we would curse you alL Who will go with me?" "I, sergeant." "And I." They went, and two of them were killed. I wonder which Nelson God will keep, which throw away?the Nelson who was no saint, or the Nelson who died for man, like Jesus Christ? I wonder which man is me and which will come to the front and be on top at judgment: this me in the study here, with an open Bible before him, who flatly contradicts the other me, who shivered with cold on the Rappa DannocK twenty-nve years ago. It is such a funny world I You and I load our friends down with our aches and misfortunes and troubles, but when a rich old uncle dies and leaves us half a million, wo do not load that on them. Oh, no. But hero am I preaching, so strong is habit Yet which 16 me?this gentle, meek, apologetic clergyman, or that other me of a quarter of a century ago? that other mo who wore that faded blue roundabout hanging on my study wall, with a lieutenant's shoulder straps on it, who wore that sword and belt thero beforo my eyes? Which is me?this man acquainted with meekness and piety and alms and grief, or that me of the sword and brass buttoned jacket on the wall, who was acquainted with war, deviltries, death, rcckless daring, love's young dream ? Here a happy thought strikes me: to try on that soldier's jacket and buckle on again that sword. I am going to get into that jacket, so faded, so small for me now; 1 am going to buckle on that sword, if it does compel crowding, bad language, rebellion, pains, and being carried off the field swooning, as some ladies are betimes, because of the uproar and rage of the incommoded guests within. Well, it happened on this wise that I found myself shivering on the banks of the Rappahannock on Christmas Day, 1862, enlisted for three years or during the war. food for villainous saltpeter. ?= "a happy thought strikes me." I started foi Richmond in July, 1802, a lad 18 years old, a junior in college, and chafing to 1x3 at it?to double quick it after John ; Brown's soul, which, since it did not rcquiro a knapsnek, or three day's rations, or a cantecn, or a halt during the uight for deep, was always marching on. On the night bei fore Chrisimnn, 5802,1 wdfe a dejected young i patriot, wishing I hadn't done it, shivering ; in the open weather a mile back o? the Rapj pahannoek, on the reserve picket, and cx' posed to a wet snowstorm. Thero vras not a TvtU/tc r\f lie nil /?ilf UL "Ovni nuuui tx?w hiuw vUv down, even the roots of trees du;s up and ' bunxKl. Yvo Icy down on our nibbcr blankets, pulled oi:r woolen blankets over us, spooned I it a.s close as we could get, to steal warmth j from our comrades, and tried not to crj'. i Nest morning the snow lay heavy and deep, and the men. when I waked and looked about mc, reminded me of a church graveyard in winter. The snow covered us all, and my comrades seemed as if a small ccmetcrv?iust like a .graveyard and its mounds. "Fall iii for picket duty! There, come, Monro, Miliums, Paxton, Tcrrinc, Pollock; full in!" AVe fell in, of courso. No breakfast; chUIcd to the nKirro'.v; r.:io;v n foot deep. We tightened our lieits on our empty stomach*, s"izi".l our rifles, u!id mr.rchcd to the river to tub.* our six hours c,:> duly. IL v.t.; .Iilay, I' i'.J. "Ami so this is vr ... ; i i;;e said to hhti.s.U". v. hilo ho paced in 1 ;. > ^ snow his tv.n hoars; on tho river's brie':. "And 1 urn out here to i-lioot llmf- ! '.ti Jink. cciui'hiii:-. cadi'vclvus look i:ig buttirr.ut l'ellow over the river. 80 I hi.; 1 is war; till.: is bein^a soldier; this is thegenu ino article: this is JI. (iiwley".; *U:i to liic-hraoiid.' Well, I wish In: won.- only horn in my plaeo, numinj; to kc?p warm; poundin;; bin a fins mill i iivast to mako tho chilled hlood circulate. :So this is war, lramp.'a..c up and down tliis riv< r my lifty yard. with v.vl feet, ' empty i.:o:(iac!i. swollen use." i Aia'i! v. hcn lyhi^ under lit.- i ;vr -. i.i i foi lego cum^ius la-.i Juiit'j war uiw.u: i-? meiuup I tlal mtrsi'c; gorgeous Brigadiers in Slue and gold; tall youDg men in line, shining in brass. War meant to me tumultuous memories ol Bunker Hill, Caesar's Tenth legion, the charge of the Six Hundred?anything but this. Pshaw! I wish I were home. Let me see. Home? God's country. A tear??yes, it is a tear. What are they doing at home? This ii Christmas Day, 1S02. Home? Well, stockings on the wall, candy, turkey, fun, merry Christmas, and the face of the girl I left behind. Another tear? Yes, I couldn't help it; I was only 18, and there was such a contrast between Christmas, 1803, on the Rappahannock, and other Christmases. Yes, there wn a girl, too?such sweet eyes; such long lashes; I such a low, tender voice! "uome, move quicker! Who goes there!" Shift tho rifle from one aching shoulder to the other. "Hello, Johnny, what are you up to?' The river was narrow, but deep and swift. It was a wet cold, not a freezing cold. There was no ice?too swift for that. "Hello, Johnny, what you coughing so for?" "Yank, with 110 overcoat, shoes full of holes, nothing to eat but parched corn and j tobacco, and with the dernod Yankeo snow a ! foot deep there is nothin' left?nothin' but to get up a cough by way of protestin' against this infernal treatment of the body. We uns, x anK, nil nnvo a cougn over acre, ana lueros ! no sayin' which will ran us to hole first, tho j cough or your bullets." | The snow still fell; tho keen wind, raw and fierce, cut to the bone. It was God's worst J weather in God's forlornest, bleakest spot of ground, that Christmas day of '02 ou the Rappahannock, a half mile below the town j of Fredericksburg. But come, pick up your 1 prostrate pluck, you shivering private, j Surely there is enough dampness around i wifUftiif Aslsltnrr fn if. rnur fnnra "Let's laugh, boys." "Hello, Johnny!" "Hello yourself, Yank!" "Merry Christmas, Johnnyl" "Same to you, Yank!" "Say, Johnny, got anything to trade?" "Parchcd corn and tobacco?the sue of our Christmas, Yank." - "TANK, NO OVEBCOAT." "All right; you shall have some of our coffee and sugar and pork. Boys, find the boats." Such boats! I see the children sailing them on the small lakes in our Central Park. Some cr?i j *-l~ u..?J?_ x turner, ueapi;! uttrijr uuu^i j iui iuuuw.u, *nvented them for trading with the Johnnies. They were hid away under tbo banfcj o? the river for successive relays of pickets. We got out the boats. An old handkerchief answered for a saiL Wo loaded them with coffee, sugar, pork, and set the sail, and watched them slowly creep t# the other shore. And tho Johnnies? To see them crowd the bank, and push and scramble to be first to seize the boats, going into tho water, and stretching out their long arms! Then when they pulled the boats ashore, and stood in a group over the cargo, and to hear their exclamations: "Hurrah for hogP "Say, that's not roasted ryo, but genuine coffee. 8mell it. von uns." "And suear. too." Then they divided tho consignment. They laughed and shouted, "Reckon you uns been good to we uns this Christmas Day, Yanks." Then they put parched corn, tobacco, ripe persimmons, into the boats, and sent them back to us. And we chewed the parched corn, amoked real Virginia leaf, ate persimmons, which, if they weren't very filling, at least contracted our stomachs to tho size of our Christmas dinner. And so the day passed. Wo shouted, "Merry Christmas, Johnny." They shouted, "Same to you, Yank." And we forgot the biting wind, the chilling cold; we forgot thoso men over there were our enemies, Wllom 16 IIllgUL LHJ UUI UUtjr IV OIIUUI uuvmc evening. Wo lrnd bridged tlso river?spanned tho bloody chasm. We were brothers, not foes, waving salutations of good will in tho name of the Babo of Bethlehem, on Christmas Day, in '02. At the very front of tho opposing armies the Christ Child struck n truce for us ?broko down the wall of partition, bccame our peace. We exchanged gifts. We shouted greetings back and forth. Wo kept Christmas, and our hearts were lighter for it and our sliiverinir bodies were not quite so cold. j Go thou and do likewise; push no poor debtor, prosecute no quarrel, bear no grudge, at ! Christmas time; forgive your enemies, re| member your mercies and do not brood over j your misfortunes, at Christmas time. If the times are bard do not let the children know ! it, or Lazarus on your doorstop become i aware of it, at Christmas time, to his deeper ij ,.i .>,,^1 hravo I ut^jpuii . UUtlUOU JUU ?/V VUVV1 iUi ?UJU U1UIV by your firesides, as we soldiers were ou the I Rappahannock on Christinas Day in "(52, shouting good wills to rebels on the opposite ; shore? Let us rJl shake hands on Christmas 40 "WE HAD BRIDGED TJ!E IUVEU."' ! Daj. Let us all touch elbows and share with our ucigSilior who needs us Then malm a truce with en<:!::ie::, wi:h care, with fears, I with tears ?r.:l sorrow, ami !e!. jov In- unionI lined on Ciiris^iias Day. I.et.j.:tf'v soften ! into mercy. J,ct not iiaie !>iin!r:i info wroii.cr, tut bu i'^riu-cl ituo lyvc. Lei. ease, let wrath be forgotten, let quarrels b? Reconciled. Let charity dispense bounty. Let the rich man love the poor. Let the lap of childhood be filled with plenty. Let all Rappahannocks of estrangement, separation, bittei* ness, unequal lots, opposing interests, b* bridged by the Babe of Bethlehem on Christmas Day of 'ST. And "be ye kind one to an| other, tender hearted, forgiving one anoth? ' even as God for Christ's sake hath forgived you." There, I am preaching again, in a secular journal of civilization. Yet I cant help it. This Christ born me has thrown oflt and left behind the other me, the old me, who followed Grant and Hancock to Richmond in the wild, mad days of turbulent youth. I have taken off that faded blue jacket, and can stretch my arms; I have uh bucklcd that worn belt, and can breathe freely. Come, ja^et; come, sword?hang again on the wall. You are my old me; but) tho present-, real me is a man of peace and acquainted with grief; not so happy as a saiut as ho was a3 a soldier, but still trying to do his work, since God didn't send for liim at Gettysburg.?Harper's Weekly. IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. How Clirititmaa Day la Celebrated in Those States. Christmas day is not only the most widely orwl nnivancnllv hnli/lnv it* fVio Christian calendar, but it. is also susceptible of a greater variety of observance than perhaps any other holiday. Santa Claus and tlio Christmas tree are known and loved of all children. In Kentucky and other southern states the day is ushered in with a gunpowder accompaniment. In the north the ; Fourth of July is made horrible by the boom! ing of cannon and the rattle of firecrackers. ! In the south these ore reserved for ChristI mas morning. Among the country and village population Christmas is the occasion of a general turnout w ueiag ana wouaa witu guns and dogs. On that day of all days do the rabbits, squirrels and quail find themselves pursued by about every man and boy, both white and colored, who ov.ns or can borrow an old shctgun, blunderbuss or shoot ing iron of any kind, and the .fields and woods resound from morn till night with the echoes of exploding gunpowder as the huntera stalk up the hapless game. The dogs lend their quota to the day's noise and excitement, baying on the trail of frightened foxes and rabbits. In Tennessee the wise men who made the 'aws in the early days of the state's existence recognized the merit of markmanship, and to encouragethis accomplishment enacted a law exempting wagers on marksmanship f|*om the general penalties against other species of gambling. So that the men of a village or farm community may congregate and put up money, a quarter of beef or a turkey, as the prize to be carried off by the be6t shot The target is often the top of ;a paper cap box about as large in diameter as a silver quarter, and the distance ranges from twenty-five to 100 steps. The guns used are long single barrel muzzle loadihg rifles. If the match is . to. be 6hot off hand (resting the gun against the shoulder without a rest) the distance is seldom greater than twenty-five paces, and even at that distance the ballets are often bunched from a dozen rifles into a space which can be covered with a silver dollar. These rifle shooting matches are now I largely reserved for the Christmas day, and are looked forward to all the year round On these occasions all the young men who boast of their ability to "cut the bull's eye three times out of five" gather to banter and take the conceit out of such as think themselves crack sh&ts. onnstmas nigoi is jargeiy givea up uu "flddlin' and dancin' " in the homes of the hospitable backwoods southrons, and even in | the towns and villages it is a very common custom to have a dance on Christmas night. Bhe Spoke Not for Herself B \h//JL "Is you 'faid of Santa Claus, mamma? If you is I will come in your bed." CHEISTMAS IN OLDEN TIME. j Heap on more wood, the wind is cUill; But let it whistle as it will; WVU keep our Christmas merry still. And well our Christian sires of old Loved, when the year its course had rolled. And brought blithe Christmas back again, With all its hospitable train. Domestic and religious rite Gave honor to the holy night. On Christmas Eve the bells were rung; On Christmas Eve the mass was sung; That only night in nl! the year Saw the .stolid priest the chalice rear. The damsel donned her kirtle sheen; The hall was dressed with holly green; Forth to the wood did merry men go To gather in the mistletoe. Then opcnr'l wide the baron's hall To vassal, truant, sert and all: Power laid liis rod of rule cslde. And Ceremony doffpd his pride; The heir, with roses in his shoes. That night might village partner choose; The lord underogating share The vulgar game of "post and pair." All hail with uncontrolled delight Atid general voice the happy night That to the cottar, ns the crown, Brought tidings of salvation down. ?Sir Walter Scott. | CHRISTMAS THE HAPPiEST. j Among all our l:oli?'?!ys is the ' bnppirst. Other iii:o t'se Fourth of July ::r!'l Por>r.!r.fic:i i).:y. Isr.vo a patriotic i as?X'i.o ion v;l:ii!i i ; r ar.'l iNcvr I Year's i;.;V !::! ? ai'.:a w.'tory si,*!:fii!amn J which is p::l!:c'iv. Imu tlir tr. (lition of Cbri>:t:;?:: i. v.i.iv ivr.! a::<i hV ."1 then that ??f ?>tii'T holidays. hc.VM*** i!" i " iho least of fraternity. <>r' hnuiau s; mpathy und helpi fulness. .M.t only is its f cntimiMit glory to ! (foil, but its distinctive jjcsprl is jraoo on earth and ;jood will to man. It. is Jlio ono I day in the* year on which sclfishr<c*s is tho ! most odious sin. Its p:i-;i!ir?i* <il;:iv; v;;'ico is {oovions, palnaiii.'. active thought <>f olhers. V?Vnll I i vi' nndi r l!so sviK-ral In v. of c'.iarity und of doiir* v.hmI. Hut lliis is (lio day on which v.v niii *nl:o sure ?i:.-* li^ht .Jiiiir,; jmi !i::t L".l! sec ow ! v. . :,ks1? liaip.'r's V?'cekly. |