Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Pll ' . " _ ' , q ' Section Two ^es 9 to 16 I Dollar and a Half a Tear. BAMBERG, S. C. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16,1815. ' Established 1891. Jj . .- - ??. ? i | (Christmas (Sim? S fe: j HRISTMAS T1ME1 That man g I g ^ must be a misanthrope indeed ? k g in whose breast something like a jovial gj [ 32 feeling is not roused?in whose mind ? f ] H some pleasant associations are not jg L SPf awakened?by the recurrence or js h - g| Christmas; There are people who HI P :'M g will tell you that Christmas is not to jf|| sg them what it used to be; that each .. t S succeeding Christmas has found some jig g cherished hope or happy prospect of 8g S the year before; dimmed or passed g ? away; that'the present only 9erves to S v remind them of reduced circumstan- |j| ?: 'jg ces and straitened incomes?of the ^ ? feast they once bestowed on hollow g g friend* and of the cold looks that || g meet them now in adversity and ^ ? Never heed such dismal reminiS' ? ! ccncca There are few men who have pS k*td long enough in the world who jgjl 3? cannot call up such thoughts any day 2g in the year Then do not select the f|| S merriest ofthe three hundred and sixty- jg five for your doleful recollections; (jut ( ? Bdraw your chair nearer the biasing Cg Pre . fffl the glass and send round the jg song?and if your room be smaller than it was a dozen years age or if jg your glass be filled with reeking punch j instead of spariding wine; put a good ?| face on the matter . , S Look on the merry faces of your P children (if you have any) as they sit S round the fire One litde seat may be g empty; one slight form that gladdened g the father's heart and roused the mother's pride to look upon, may not Kg be there Dwell not upon the past; jjjl think not that one short year age the |g fair child now resolving into dust sat Eg before you, with the bloom of health ? upon its cheefc and the gayety of iiv S fancy in its joyous eye Reflect upon I g your present blessings ?of which S|g every man has many?not on your SB past misfortunes of which all men g have some Pill your glass again, ^ - ? ' ?* MW4 mntwilwi lEig v" ^ ^ life on but your Christ' g ,;g mas shall be merry and your New ^ f :' ?| Year a happy one; g ^ . ittWWUMHHUUwJ As two little girls were hurrying to !- V ' school, one of them saw/a discarded Christmas tree in an ash barrel. "Lizzie," said she, "do you think Santst Clans is a myth?" i i * "Certainly not," retorted her com> panion, glancing sharply at her. "Santa Clans is a mister. What makes you uspsu: WHOLE WEEK'S CELEBRATION Descendants of Old Spanish Settlers Observed Christmas With,Dinners and Parties. I Among the descendants of the old ? !^&|^S^ish settlers we find that they ob- c 1*^}.;..; v serve a week in the celebration of r Christmas. This begins one week be- . fore Christmas. In the daytime they have dinners at each other's homes, 1 and in the evenings they give a series of parties at the different houses. In c the evdning the young folk go to the 1 home of one of their number and t knock, and then all begin to sing. 5 Those within the house ask, ''Who is \ fhfre?" and the answer is, "The Vir- \ > gtn Mary anfl St. Joseph seek lodging i ] in your house.'' To carry out the Bi- ^ ; * > t hie story they are at first refused ad- , rf' . , .. , , ' nuttance, ana tnen tne aoor is openea j ^ ; ? ^' v; wide and they are ail given a hearty 1 welcome. ' 1 On Christmas eve the old and j M- young all join together and nave a , V.o big celebration. In a large hall they; J fix up one, side to represent the man-1 j '** V* ger, and here they very solemnly give ( ( a little play in which many take part, ^ the characters-Hieing Mary and Joseph, the wise men, the shepherds 1 ; ; and the angels. This play is very real ^enij and they all play their parts 1 with a reverent spirit. '/; ? What He Gave Brother. Little six-year-old Harry was asked A V by his Sunday school teacher: "And Harry, what are you going to give your darling little brother for: " t W " Christmas this year?'* "I dunno," said Harry. "I gave him the measles last year." , ' , Real Luck. ? v - "Tommy," said his mother, at dinner on Christmas day, "do stop eat> t tog. How can you possibly eat so much?" "Dm": know," said Tommy beT-arppn hitpff* *'1 ciiPRS it'a 1iiat ennri Santa Clans in Monies i 1 ?? g By GENE MORGAN V frm MOtJR information is -ILj TI part correct," said Si w 3 claus? receiving 1 ||9 V I interviewer in the JL | brary of his ice pala "It is true that I hfi received several flatt ing offers to star moving picture prod ^A|F tions. But it is i true that I have* ?BSB[ jy cepted any one of th< propositions. I am s vW Jrw in doubt as to whetl it would be the proper thing. "I have my duty to the children this world, and I must not impair i health or my power of service to th< by the strenuous work demanded the movies. No dorbt I would pre a very popular star at the childre: matinees. But I wonder if the cl _ \ * / < \ m ' """V /x ' * % * " J ' \ v * >v. ? V y i . \ / J \ \ ^ ??? ?W????^????CM Iren who see me m their dreams tot get a better and more flatten dea of me than they would in t Picture. "You see, my dear, the came loes not lie. I am sure it would r ie for me when it will not1 tell fab toids about the appearance of kin iiid potentates. Every chiia in t wrorld thinks of me as a very hai some old gentleman, ^ome of the may have an idea that I am inclin to be a little stout?but a good ma Jthers imagine I have as graceful form as that of a young soldier.. Th think I curl my whiskers and have beautiful wave in my long, silky loci "They are not aware tnat your un: Santa is getting so fat that there isi room in the sleigh for himself and t larger toys. Nor that my noble ma: 5f hair isn't what it used to be. people ever sent me presents?whic of course, does not occur to thtmshould like to murmur a little wish 1 a bottle of hair tonic. "One moving picture firm wants put me into a play. The plot is son thing like this: I am driving my re deer over the treetops, when 1 am j upon by a band of aeroplane pirafr The pirates make me hold up i hands and then divest me of my sto of toys. Just when the banditpia is about to fly away, leaving me distress, the chief of the robbc makes a discovery. "Amid the pack of toys he finds rag doll. By the tag around its ne he sees that it has been addressed his little daughter. My thoughtfuine in remembering his little girl, desp: fofVior'c nrnfpccinn fnnHhftS t U^l lUCUVl U WW ?.W?v bandit's heart. He weeps, and th to the astonishment of his palsl orders them to lift me into the ae: . M4 ' ' B Hi' ,j| I ^ ''Your Uncle Santa Is Getting Fat." U. D lilHat Santa Clat J , f < } / % > \ / 9 do I plane. . ng j " 'Now, Mr. Claus,' he says, accordhe ! ing to the subtitle, *we are going to j deliver your toys for you all over the Ta j world tonight. Give us directions and we will fly wherever you command/ "So at my direction, the bandit's 3G" aeroplane starts delivering the toys, l?s making much better time, let me tell he you, than my poor reindeers who were id-' left behind. Things are going along >m fine. Our aeroplane toy conveyance ed has covered Canada, the United States, ny Australia and South Africa, when sud< a denly, to our dismay, we find that we ey are being pursued. ! a "'More pirates?' I ask in alarm. "No, the aero-police!' shouts my pide rate friend. a't "The police had found my empty be sleigh and motionless reindeer. They np wA + tiw>,11n nnn r>l ti r? orl fhat I had hfteil uatui axij wuviuuvu vu??v * . ? If robbed and kidnaped. Now they are on the trail of my captors. The pi_1 rates are very much afraid- that if ?or arrested, they will be hanged at once. The police craft is gaining upon us. to In order that the pirates may escape, ie. they decide they must throw all of my in- toys overboard. The vicious crew dejet mands that your old friend St. Nick es be thrown overboard too? as I am pretny ty heavy, besides being the cause of ck all the trouble. ne "The race continues through the in sky;rg "I want to raise the white flag as a token of surrender. I pledge myseM a to the captain of the pirate aeroplane that I will plead the cause of htmself to and his crew and secure their release !Se from the police. I tell them that tba lte police will do them no harm, after I ?0 I have explained their kindness in caren | rying my toys all over the world. I "The police craft is now so ciose | that^escape seems impossible. ( \ t V - . -.t. . . v. | We spend too much time w onder<! nig what the new year will bring us. <! it is better to ask ourselves what !| we are going to make of it. Life i| does not come in sealed packages, Ij ready for use when opened. Time l[ is only its raw material, and from ! j it we can make very much what we \\ choose. Instead of waiting for some /j J| prize to drop into our hands, let us i j; seize the days as they pass and j I; mold them into forms of usefulness j $ and beauty J AN EXPENSIVE INSTITUTION But Cost of Christmas Pays Big Re turns in Joy and Happiness of Children. Christmas is a very costly institu tton. It makes deep holes in millioni : ot well-filled pockets. Father's ham I reaches into his pocket more oftei I in the few weeks before ~ Christmai i than during any other period of equa ! extent in the whole year. And lots o j money goes for presents that, in th< hands of happy children, last a ver: , short time. Nightfall of Christmai | day sees many toys 4n mangled heapi | that bright and shining and new greet ed the little folks as they hopped ou j of bed Christmas morning. And mil ! lions and millions of things are bough ! that never would be, if it were not fo] = Christmas. But does all this, mean tha r is Brough ?? WBBS&mimI \ / j / { \ ' i i__ ; __ ! Christmas is not worth the- money i I costs, that it would be better if th< world did not observe the anniversary of Christ's birth in the way it does Nobody in the whole wide Christiai part of the world will say that Christ ! mas does not pay for itself, that it ii not worth all it costs, and that it is not a bargain at any price. Where car be found a father and mother whc feel ^hat. they have been cheated b] Christmas, after they hear the gur gling laughter of their children, ir ecstasy among their new toys, even il there had to be skimping and saving ol jennies to buy the little presents?? Savannah News. " 'Give me a white flag,' I cry. "'There isn't a white flag on boan ?nothing but black flags.' says the pi rate. 'Hurry up and do something You have no time to lose. If you don' surrender they will shell us. And ir that case, we will have to throw yot overboard, St. Nick.' ' "My mind works quickly. I have n< ^ V lllr* Willie iictg. j\iy iiouuaci out those of the pirate's is a red bandanna What am I to do? Whiz!, Anothei shell rips past our airship. "Ah! I have it. It is the schemi that saves the day." The interviewer at this point leaped to his feet and shouted in excite ment: "Well, what do you do to have youi life?" "I wave my white whiskers at 'em,' replied Santa Claus, proudly. "It is the signal of truce. Our lives and oui nro/iinno rcrr? r?f tfiVS flrfi Soared. pi VU.1 ? ? t What do you think of that idea for a play? They want to name it, 'Santa Claus in High Life.' Do you think 3 would make a hit as the star? Well, | I'm glad you think so." < I THE GIFTS FOR MOTHER > I i ! The gladdest hour of Christmas day, J The time the hearts are lightest > An' every care is chased away I An' all the smiles are brightest, > Is when the family, young an' old, i From dad to little brother, | i With all the love that hearts can hold > Come bringing gifts to mother. > We keep her presents till the last [ An' then when she sits rocking, ( An' all the other gifts are passed, > We go an' get her stocking. I We gather round her easy chair, > j First one an' then the other 5 Steps up an' says: "W^ll, I declare! Here's something else for mother!" j An' with each present goes a kiss, 1 An' all is still an' quiet When mother murmurs: "What is this7" >- An' hastens to ur^ie it. Then everybody wildly cheers An' shouts for perfect gladness, An' mother's eyes are moist with tears, But not the tears of sadness. I3 Oh, here's a scene that gold can't buy, j Or stage in imitation: The smiling: face, the glistening eye 3 Of love's own celebration. 3 And with each jolly Christmas day 1 We pray to kknow another ? When we shall meet the self-same way And bring our gifts to mother.3 ?Detroit Free Pres. \ More Blessed to Give. t Bfeci *.Le you give a five-dollar \W1l r3 no reason why you should expect j, t;. * t / t t \ hem ' *? \ ' N ? t EARLY ROMAN CHRISTMASES 1 , { No Special Ceremonies for Christ Figured More a a Historic Being 1 Than World Savior. The early Roman Christmas, says J. 3 A Symonds, probably kept Christmas 1 with no special ceremonies. Christ } was as yet too close to them. He had 7 not become the glorious creature of * ; their fancy, but was partly a historic \ ! being, partly confused in their imagi1 nation with reminiscences of pagan deities. As the Good Shepherd, and as Orpheus, we find him painted in the ,Catacombs: and those who thought of him as God loved to dwell upon his risen greatness more than on the idyl * of his birth. To them his entry upon "1 earth seemed less a subject of rejoic' ing than his opening of the heavens. V They suffered and looked forward to a 1 future nappiness. They would not 1 seem to make this world permanent by sharing its gladness with the heathen. } Theirs, in truth, was a religion of hope : and patience, not of triumphant recol* lection or of present happiness. : j Love Essential. Because this old world is hungry for love, "the simple art of being kind' is needed to carry Christmas i through the year. We may get along comfortably without apy further wisdom or guile or sophistication; but, an, sorely do we need the gentle ; offices of love as we meet one another by the way. # i Kiss tor Every Berry. i in olden times a berry was pulled ; i for' every Kiss under the mistletoe, and when they were all gone, no berry, no Kisa! ' 1 ^' v . ^ _ | : SHJj^jJ^ COLD winter night the i ralM snow was gently falling on the pine trees of the for Www est. These tall, stately trees stood very straight v and still on this cold night. By and by the tallest and the oldest of them said: "How happy I shall be when at last I am strong enough and tall enough to be cut down by the wood cutters. 1 hope when they do cut me down that v ^ I may be good enough that they will want me for some great ship, and then / I shall have a chance to sail the seas." "What do you know about ships and j the seas?" asked a little pine tree who . vjll stood at the foot of the tall one. The stately tree bent his branches a very little and looked down at the small tree, at his feet "I have heard many stories of the anna artrl +Via ohina that sail nn thom PVUdf CUiU Ul? UA1A |/W ?UHV ?o*.. vu ) '.33* for the birds sit in my branches and sing to me all the time of the beauties , and wonders of the world. Then, too, the starbeams, who are much older than the birds, haVe some truly wonderful tales to tell of things that they have seen in their trips around the world. There is the Starbeam of the Brightest Star, just peeping over the hilltop. He can tell some truly wonderful tales." The little pine tree trembled for #1 very joy. 'This was his first winter in --0M the forest, and these things were all new to him, just as was the show that was covering his roots, and making them all warm with its white blanket. : 'Wm "Won't you please ask the Starbeam to tell us a story?" asked the little "Let us ask him to tell us again the / Christmas story," said another of the older pines, "the one he told us last year." , < So, when the Starbeam came over and rested gently on the tallest pine, f he asked it to tell again the Story of ' '- ' M the First Christmas. ^ "I love to tell this story best of all stories that I know," said the little. Starbeam. / "Once upon a time a long time ago, ji long before even the oldest pine trees here began to grow, a beautiful wornan, named Mary, and her husband, Jo- vM seph, went on a journey to a little city called Bethlehem. All the people in that country went to this same city, to v Al?* ? A ? ? -3 MAI?7 on/1 pay meir uucb, ?uiu yvucu iuai j ?*uu Joseph got there, they found so many people, that there was no room left for them at the inn. The only place where they could find shelter was in a stable, and here they went. That night jji a little babe was born, and its mother, Mary, laid him in a manger on so^ne nice clean straw. "Away off in the East, the Brightest Star .peareQ. He had never been seen before, and some wise men who knew that this was.the time for4he babe to be^born, saw the Brightest ~r4?| Star as they started out to find the babe. All their long journey the Bright- '% est Star kept just in front of them to jM show them the way to go, and when /'ll they rested at night, the Brightest Star would rest too, and wait for them. >!|S At last they reached the city of Bethlehem, and found the little babe in the manger with his mother by his side. ? ".These wise men had brought some very costly gifts to this babe, and it is the birthday of this babe that is celebrated every Christmas; and it is in his memory that gifts are given to the poor. timi?a ? -11 .a ai a J a . ''''sSS . mat is an ui cue saury, auu 11 m - ^ time for me to be going," and the Starbeam went gayly on, dancing over the ,tops of the trees. The Russian St. Nicholas. In Russia the children put their shoes filled with hay outside the door for the horses of St. Nicholas; and | it is believed in most sections that St. Nicholas com?s first on a preparatory visit ten days before Christmas to learn which cnildren have been good. He leaves nuts and candy in the shoes of those v ho have been good, but nothing for those who have been bad, who thus unow that they may expect no presents on the real Christmas day.