Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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?li lira M IIP Mil UVy; uUli=,(Alli=i BY HUBERT NORTHEN Copyright, 1901, by W. L. Vail. tAUJi a ciever dumuii papa ceased to believe in Santa Claus. He bad bought a slate and pencil and figured it out tbat tlie sleigh which would contain the toys that come to all the little boys and girls In the world would have to be as big as a house and that the span of reindeer that could pull it would be forty tons too neavy 10 urn^ it tip tlie walls of the first bouse for tbe trip over tbe roof. Many otber strange things did this wise man find out with tbe belp of his slate and pencil. and then be added them all up and found tbe sum total to be that Santa CJaus is a myth. He joyfully told this to bis little son. who was an advanced student of ancient literature. To his great surprise, bis little son seemed very glad, and when tbe amazed parent asked bim xnhnitafnro ho tilII? PT nljl itlPd ! "My -worthy father, because of certain ocular demonstration afforded by a surreptitious glance or two into our kitchen last Christmas eve I was gravitating rapidly to the opinion that Santa Claus does not exist. The only explanation of the phenomenon observed consistent with his existence seerued to be that Ike could at once take the appearance of yourself, sir. and also of mamma, in your nightrobes and with your arms full of gifts for tne, and this, too. while neither of you was in your, own room. I established the alibi for you by a hurried visit. It is not to be marveled at that my faith in Santa Clans received a severe jostle. "But your conclusion revives my ani cient belief and puts it on a sure foot" ? dUAAruriul t lint SjotttQ illj;. iuu im\c uiavwu-ivii iu.ii .......... Claus is a myth. Hurrah for the real, true Santa Claus. king of myths: Hereafter 1 will believe in him. hope in him. adore him I "You appear astonished, parent, but perhaps that is because you do not understand myths. There is nothing so real as a myth. When I say that Helios rides across the sky iu a goldeu ? "YOU APPEAR ASTONISHED." ebaviot every day, preceded by blushing Aurora, it is as true as if 1 say that the sunrise follows dawn in all the lands of the earth. When I say that Hiawatha wrestled with the corn and threw him and buried him only to see him rise again. I but speak of the familiar industries of reaping and sowing and of the sprouting of the new plant in its time. "A myth is a folk talc describing well through personification the atttibutes or offices of the abstract. Yes, papa, write that down. Let us now appiy the definition to Santa Clans. "Santa Claus' offiee is to bring toys, sweetmeats or more useful gifts at Christmas, llis attributes are generosity, beuovolence. care for dependents. That office is actually filled: those attributes display themselves. Therefore. - ......I. I.,.,. Confo ClotN itCCOruillg U lu.ttu i.ui, U.I1IUI % ... really lives and acts liis useful and popular part. | "With a Iiiut or two as to the manner of doiuj; it. I will now leave you to pursue the study further. You will lind it fascinating. Observe that Santa Claus comes out of the frozen north. That is as if you would say that the impulse of Christmas giving proceeds from the coldest heart at this season. Note that he drives reindeer, pleasing spectacle for the mind's eye. It is as if you should say that he seeks to make his truise or his jrifts unusual, for the better enjoyment thereof. Consider that he comes down the chimney; toward the warm hearth of the home; that is a lesson to the children. Christmas sifts shower on the warm hearted ami loving:. "Father. I have only to add that 1 am war n hearted and loving. You will pardon me if 1 now go into the library and write a chapter of my book 011 the truths of mythology." k MYSTERY SOLVED. Or Why I.tttle Johnny (irrcn Ate HI* < It r iftt lima Dinner SiHiuiini; I'p. rr "| .lohnuy Oreen?Pa. I i SB. Aj know why you always fSfifc1 vj riug the church bells so 1?U<J 0)1 Christmas. ?|5 Mr. Croon (the church yiS 1 sextom?Do you. my son? \ A ! .Johnny < J recti?Yes, pa. & ! It's so the neighbors won't hear ma kickin' about the cheap presents you always give her. mm if j festivities By G. L. Langdon. [Copyright, 1001, by lyimiltcn Mask.] I There are two reasons for Christinas ; fancying aside from the instinct which ; ??._0 j teaches us that the joy of holiday j making is impossible or incomplete ! without good eating and drinking. One I is that Christmas is the survival of one. or both, of two great pagan festi: vals: the other, that the mind of man i in all times and conditions expressed ! rejoicing by the laden board and the i brimming bowl. Victory, good fortune, weddings. ; christenings, are celebrated today by . dinners, as they have been for thouj sands of years, the practice undoubted; ly coming down from tbat prehistoric i time when the victory over the animal was the means of supplying the feast. | We can find trace of it and its concomitant habit, giftmaking. in the book of Esther, where Mordecai says to his people that on the anniversaries < of the days wherein the Jews rested i ? nnrl tlto mnntli [ HUIU lliUll ITUCUIILV, utiu v**v i which was turned unto them from sori row to joy. and from mourning Into a ; good day. they should make them days j of feasting and of joy and of sending i portions one to another and gifts to ! the poor. And what greater cause for rejoicing i and the usual expression thereof could exist for the early Christians than the J fact of the birth of Christ? It Is true that there were differences of opinion in the early church as to the j date, or even the season of the year, j when that all important event occur: red. Clemens Alexandrians tells us : that It was kept by many Christians i in Anril and bv some in Egypt In the month Pac'iou. corresponding to our May. but long before the council of | Nice had fixed the day. separating it i rrom the Epiphany, a curious circumstance had operated to fix forever the j observance of it in the European midwinter. Observing the course of the seasons and their relation to the growing or i lessening length of the days, the Aryans inhabiting Europe bad come to j learn tbat at the winter solstice the decline of nature was over and that as the day lengthened she revived until i a few weeks later she walked abroad gladsomely agaiu in the green garb of spring. It was a fitting time for universal rejoicing. Nothing could be done afield. The bins and butts were still well filled and the cattle fat. It was also a time to remember the goodness of the gods: to make sacrifice as well as to feast. Hence we find at the dawn of Christianity two great midwinter festivals among the two most powerful branches of the Aryans of that period ?the Saturnalia among the Romans on the south and the Thor feast of the Scandinavians. It is a curious fact that they appear to be identical as to time of observance. In Rome and wherever Rome had ruled long enough to have planted her customs the Saturnalia was a season of sacrifice to Saturn of social equality and of riotous license. The slave in many households was permitted to become master for the week of the feasting. and his master executed the ridiculous orders which he gave. Buffoonery in street processions and in the homes was cue of the chief elements of the festivity. Orgies indescribable formed another. Present giving was universal. The sea kings called the season Jttle (whence Yule), and they celebrated it in gorging and drinking, besides making sacrifice to Thor. Around a great blazing log. big enough to buru for lite \vliole week of the gluttonous feasting, they flung the half liare ox hones in rude jest and passed the wassail bowl. The primitive church found these pagan festivals institutions which it could not uproot, so it wisely adopted , them, turning the sacrificial rites thereof into worship for the born Christ, stripping the feasts of their grossest sensuality, but letting much of their jovousuess remain. Besides the two great festivals mentioned. there was another observed at the same time by a large family of the Europeans?the (lauls. (Jaeis or Celts? J which was similarly adopted by the church as she spread her teaching among them, but this had a far less influence than the other two upon the customs which have marked the ceie. bration of Christmas down to the pres; ent time. The reason is that there was more of sacrificial rite and less of . feasting in its celebration. From it. I however, comes the kissing under the IltlSlHMOC. WHICH Willi (iiciii ?>?> i-iublema.ric of the union of man ami \yo! man ami of the union of mankind with Hani. From it also conies the Christmas tree, dear to the little ones, a survival of the bauging of votive gifts on their sacred pines. But out of the other two great pagan j festivals arose the principal form that the feasting took. Fating and drinking of the best, giving to the poor by right of their equality at that season, i as well as the old mummery, practieal! ly abolished since Puritanisrtii tried to suppress the festival utterly in 1G47, are easily and directly traceable to those pagan orgies. t THE PARASITE MISTLETOE. "Oil. lady, (five a h:ek!e?? man A littlp Oliri?:*i.a?? jiift!" Thus spake the wand'rer with the can, M ho knped to pet a lift. The lady was a spinster pay; licr wit v.a> ?i;u*!te<l hf<n. She only pave the tump a spray Of mistletoe so preen. ? "Oil. lady, give a rran a chance!" Bewailed the *n:> w'sht. "I'd rut her have a pair </ pants Than any parasite!" hsR.vr Hooker EATO.T. Ml* OKE HiRMMS j BY RODNBY LINHOLM rCopyrigbt, 1901, by American Press Association.] Tar dirt, and five hundred to the pan. or I'm a liar!" "Oh. Boh. do you uiean it? Seems too ^ood to he true!" "Sure. Tom. Guess I know 'color' when I see it. There's fifty thousand i to i lit hot lemrth when we come to wash out in the aprin;?. Beckon that up. and see if you can make us out worth less than half a million apiece." "Bob Burley, you're off your base. I can't believe it." "Believe it or not. Tom Herriek: but even you can tell what a nugget looks like after it's washed out. eh?" Burley scoopou out a handful of clean, yellow nuggets varying in size from a cucumber seed to a hazelnut from the pan in which he was testing the dirt and held them out for his chum to examine. These two had been two mouths on the El Dorado branch of the Klondike, having come tip here from Circle City on receipt of first news of a "strike" in this region. They had built themselves a hut. staked out a claim of 500 feet each along the creek and then set to work "burning out" the earth. Herriek and Burley had burned and drifted, drifted and burned, until at Inst they had an open shaft sunk quite fifteen feet. and. as Bob had declared, they had at last struck "pay dirt." and had struck it rich. TOlll tOOK tile nanuilll Oi glistening nuggets iruui ins JKIUUVI. imji Oan. not a word. There was no doubt of the fact?at last gold had been found. ' Well, old man," said Bob. "what's the matter with you? Don't you know what those nuggets mean to us?" "Don't I just! Bob, if the claim turns out half as good's you think we can both go home, can't we, at the end of the summer?" "Right you are. Tommy, every time. If you hear me say it. it's so! But there's one thing I feel compelled to say and which you won't lie so happy to "GOODBY. TOM. AND GOOD LUCK!*' hear, and that Is we haven't got five pounds of flour nor an ounce of meat in the shack. And the deuce of it Is this is the day before "Oliristmas, and tomorrow we ought to celebrate." "To be sure. Christinas doesn't seem like Christmas without turkey." "It doesn't, hey? Well, what did we have last Christmas a year ago?" "Bear meat and blubber, and mighty glad to get it too. But. all the same. it didn't seem like Christmas, and I'll stick to it!" "No. Tommy, it didn't. A Christmas dinner always should have a bird in it of some sort." "Well. Bob. you're :t better miner than I am. but you can't beat me at bunting. The thermometer is down to twenty-six below, and the wind is howling great guns, but I don't see any other way than to take my gun and try for a rabbit or a partridge." "That's the talk. Tommy. One of us has got to attend to tlie ttre. and you are the better hunter of the two. I don't envy you the contract, though. It may be down to fifty below before night, so get back before the sun go?. down, won't you?" "I'll try." said Tom as he slid out into the cold, clad from throat to toe j in furs. He carried a double barrel siiotgun iu tne uouow or ins arm aim a | revolver in the belt, the latter in case he should encounter anything larger than i the shotgun could bring down. "I'm going up to the mountain for ptarmigan." wore his last words to Bob. "so have a good pastry ready lor ptarmigan pie some time early in the evening, "tioodby." "(Joodby. Tom. and good luck." chattered Bob as be closed the door. Tom swung sturdily along through the fine, dry snow, which came about i up to his knees, and derived exhilaration from the keen air and the prospeet of sport. lie crossed the creek, climbed the farther bank and came upon the level plateau, where the wind had wider sweep and the cold was more intense than in the sheltered ravine. It was a long stretch, and no object intervened to break the monotony, so lie plodded ahead for over an hour and arrived at the summer snow line, where the ptarmigans dwell. The graceful ptarmigan, though brown of plumage in the summer when the snow is melted and the scant vegetation <-;? 11 protect it. was now pure white and hard to distinguish from the snow itself, into which it dove and from which it darted out like flying lish 021 the surface of the sea. He was ? good hunter. having carried a gun ever since he hail been able to lift one. first practicing at the woodeltucks and squirrels on the old farm, ihen extending his range to the moose and deer down in the woods of Maine. So when, all of a sudden, a white, spirit like thing broke out of the snow and made off straight to windward he threw up his gun aud toppled it over insi a titer. Several got away from Tom's shots, their movements were so erratic, and there was little to distinguish between snow white bird and bird white snow. At last, however, marking down where a flock entered a snowdrift, he made for it and stirred them up with his feet, and when they sailed out dropped three of them on the wing. In litis manner, by pursuing the birds closely and keeping thorn on the move, lie secured fourteen and then thought it about time t?? start for caiup. Bur in all his windings and doublings while in pursuit of the ptarmigans ho had so confused himself that he couldn't And the trail back to the creefi. The sun had long since set. and but a faint twilight remained, while the cold air was getting colder, though the cutting wind had died away. Hours later, tired to exhaustion, tempted to yield to the intolerable drowsi-> A .. ........ .....I . n.u.m.ili 1.. wili.-ll hn tnou* lli>>:iilt . liess 1 a:tl ivas stealing inn uiui. iiiiii in fix i uiui' ... ? only death. lit- was staggering toward the bank of tin* rreek. Rut if was far I away, ami lie was not'sure of his hearings, when lie heard the report of a tire! arm. He answered by discharging his gun. and not long after Bob hove in j sight, dragging after hint a sled thickly pihd with skins. "Zounds, old man. but I got scared for you! Here, tumble on to this sled. J Bundle up in the furs and let me drag you haek home. Not a wof'd. Do as 1 ! tell you. I'm boss of this expedition, my boy. Another hour and you'd have j lain down to sleep, now. wouldn't you';" I'm afraid I should." drowsily muttered Tom. "I'm just about done up. Bob. Hut. say. 1 "got the birds, didn't IV" "Yes. you did: but if you'd- liaje gone to sleep they'd have eome rather high." Bur Toiii heard nothing. He slept until the cabin was readied and long after be had been bundled into his bunk. When he awoke nest morning. refreshed and reenperated. Tlie tirst tiling j:p saw xurougii me em. u* mihim: " PAOKIXO THE FOURTEEN PTAKMHiANS INTO A PIE. I of the pit fire was his industrious partner parking The fourteen jrtanmgnns I into a pie. He had a dish as hig as a milk pan-and twiee as deep well lined ! with dough and garnished witii all the ingredients. As lie dexterously trim rued the i? j> erust and set the dish down for one last admiring look he saw thai the sleeper had awakened. "Hello. Tom. how tr.roti fed? Look ::t that! How's that for a j??<-. eh? H>;r eiiotijjh to last a week, ain't it: Where'd I jret the dish? < >h. Sain i;? \::ol?is and his brother J'avo were here after you left, and they're eominjr j over 1 <t the feed. Hy the way. Tout, wish you merry Christmas! Same to me? i Oh. that's all rijL'ht! I'm a millionaire, you know. and. as for tiiar iiiniter. so j are you! Pretty business for a millionaire, hey?|>:ekinjr ptarmigans and makfnsr a settlliott of himself pen orally*? Hut never mind. There's a *ood time : a-eomiuj: i'.v and l>y. Next year ihis time we'll have our horses and servants, euro's you're horn. Tommy, my son." Thus Hoh ramilled on. tlie while setting the preat pic carefully in a eurner j of 'he pit. which had lioeti heated red hot with stones taken from the creek bed. And there it simmered and sizzled met in the end turned a delirious ! brou it just as Sam and 1 ?a ve came over from their cabin, fart her up the creek. The pie was servetl from a stump wn.en sum. up i:; in?* ciiht ?u hohilt. It was a pronounced success. anil l>eve declared thai it "heat turkey all holler." in which opinion lu- was supported 1 ?v his brother Sam. Koi? was heard in declare- in fai l. Tom said the same tiling that i veil if h went >::! with twin4 a hundred thousand nuiiees tn-xt season he would contrive t<. locale | in a section where he eotihl have ptarmijran pie for h's t'liristmas dinner. ft W PIMNI MIS ^ PHILOSOPHER m B* Seaton Lord. [Copyright. 1W1. by 0. I.. Kilmer.] r- -jL'LKILY deplorinp: the M to come to JI > V | tered llifoltire '{) of Tlu? I):lil-V lPl3\ Is ' "(-'ll,''stIiias nJ enjoyment is ; w\ wealthy," inusU?*? ed I. "Jenkins." said the city editor, "here's five dollars a lady sent us to give a poor old chap up on Tenth street. You see. she wants to know it reached him and doesn't want to register a letter, for he must not know who sends it. So run up with it and get a receipt for it that we tnay send her." I was soon on Teuth street. The number sought was a tumble down old rookery, and the children snowballing -? ' ? b /?.. ( M K/i cf * / */* ot/\rvt\A/l li\Krv lacii IHIIUI in im: aiiCTri aiu|ipiii iuu^ enough to tell me that old Mr. .rones If rod on the top floor. "Come to!" piped a cheery, shrill voice as I knocked oil his door. 1 did. Seated by the window, nightcap on head and spectacles on nose, sat a bright eyed, gray haired, much wrinkled old fellow, clean shaven and very tall and stooped.. "Merry Christmas!" he piped as soon as he saw me and grinned affably, displaying a few large teeth that were still white. I stammered forth the conventional answer. I could do no more than stammer It. for such a salutation in such a place quite staggered me. The -I ! ->? 41.^ 1.4^.... ft,A riCKl'l.V Ut'U. IUI* IlIlll^ULI'U ?HMT, IIJC broken loaf of broad on the bare little table, the absence of carpet, ilie two chairs, told the story of deepest poverty at a glance. I hastily gave him the money and took his receipt. "Sit down on that other chair and gladden my Christmas." said he. "This gift cf money is nothing to yonr company. I deserve it," he added a little pettishly. "I have gladdened others* Christinas today." "You have?" I was impolite enough to say in my bewilderment. "The birds." said be, pointing out the window to where a few sparrows on the fire escape were peeking at a piece of his loaf. "It is this that has made you happy today in spite of"? "It is one of the things. That was my Christmas giving. It was all I con id give until you canic. hut now I ani under the necessity of seeking human objects for my bounty. The alms share of this is too big for the birds." "Can you find any poorer than yourself?'' I Inquired. i "Yes. even in the palaces." he said solemnly. Rising and leaning on the long stick which he had kept beside him. he thus went on: "I began my celebration of Christmas yesterday afternoon by going to the free library and reading Dickens' 'Christmas Carol.' For, years I have read it on Christinas eve?that is. to fill myself with the true Christinas spirit of charity, love, peace and good will. It always succeeds, lias any millionaire in this great city begun i..?i more winviv ."Having finished mv reading. I walked through the crisp, frosty air to the boulevard to enjoy the sleighing. It was very fine. Time was when I used to sit in one of those vehicles and go ski m mi lux over the snow. I lost half the sport. 1 could not see the cutters skim by. the rosy cheeks of the fillers, and I ran risk of a s.pMI. I could hear no bells but those on my own team, but. ah. standing on the roadside?how different! "The skating on the lake next interested me. and I enjoyed it greatly. Home to tea next, witli a kern appetite. Had 1 a full larder and that appetite I would eat enough to ho sluggish, and then, 1 should not go our again. Hut a slice of bread, an onion and a cup of Mack tea?no gluttony iu that, yet enough. "I went out to do my Christmas ' shopping. 0'n. 1 saw everything?all the riches of the earth displayed in windows. Itcmember that tin* great delight in most of them is in looking at them. ami that if they arc personal ornaments you cannot very well see Tbeti> after you put tlieni on. I feasted my eyes fully from the outside of the windows. It was the best Christina* shopping I ever did. and I have done much shopping in my time. 1 can tell you. "Midnight mass ? grand, celestial! Xo. sir: not a Catholic*, but I do not Jet that fact stand between me and epicurean enjovment. "I slept the sleep of the contented [ man. sir. dreaming of the hcatitiftN. | bright skies and green fields and pleasI ant waters of summer that are all ) mine. sir. as much as a king's. "See my Yule log!" He pointed to a piece of runnel coal beside the stove. "I will light that by ami by. I will ! roast a little joint of meat over it and * _:i i i ..? make me a* Utile wass:i:i ?;?>?. i m ) eider with a roast in it?anil I wlion my pipe is lit anil the street lamp shines on tIn* ceiling 1 will recite j for myself s(>ii!C ??f tin* ohl miracle 1 plays of *itristilias or sin;r ::n olden ' carol"? "I'ardon me." said I. starting up. < I must :;o. Von tempt mo to share ! your feast and lose my position. 1 i must ;ro. J wish I knew how ??> he j as happy as you." J "He content," said the strange old i man. 1 [Copyright, 1901, by Willis B. Hawkins.] Her Christmas !s not like the rest. Which last a single day Or possibly a week at best And then are put /way | To be forgotten for a year. , "* Until good will toward men Comes round, as fashions reappear. And is in style again. I ^ f?. ! I All time is grandma's Christmas time. All seasons bers to Ixar I The echo of a Yuletide chime ? Of voices ever dear, Of voices huslied to alt hut her As through a mist of tears She sees child faces as they were In long departed years. r|jg i New, dreaming o'er her needle's flight. She croons a song of joy And weaves a thread of heaven's light ' Into some Christmas toy. Now softly up the attic stair I , Alone she creeps away And o'er the Christmas treasures there i Lives in another day. f ~^ Vet. though mid shadow* of the past h'ond memories may groj>e. She stands in the effulgence east l$y never dimming hope. And, peerirg through the gathering night, 8he views the nairow way | Tliat bridges over to the bright Kterual Chrsstn:a> day. "1 /r^ , All tim- is grandma's Christmas time, All season* hers to hear The thrlling of a chord sublime Of voices cominsj near. Al in simple taith she waits The coming of tlie morn When past the open pearly jiatei She'll greet the Lowly Born. \o I.miirrr h Bottle Rnliy. Santa Clans (thrusting his head through the door) yl^ Jljr ?Sorry for you, kid, hut it's the only present I i ( - :iv - ' ' * ? ' '?--w "': , . .. >.:'