The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, December 21, 1887, Image 8
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.
|