Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

io Tills LKIX^EK: GAFFXEY. S. DECEMIiEU 2^, IS!)8. f * I T •'i ' ■ i til'] ill Hj< • a VC t! I ■ iiii; I 1 ! If [j! jjii I ii.i; 1 t~i\t liin, 2 . it /»- ^.rT _ V .. .;•• ' \% ^ f • *■*» *, 'k- -► fc ^ _ ■ ' AND ALACK; 1 >/ ■. / '}■ 5 'J J V . t k leiiou so sni.ut ^1 cove the cc^sttisii '.j;:::.] II .orf artG a oMr e cove rr,e t: r V . ■:' ' ;/ nVtv'y a V ■ ord rinc: fr>r ? nl * -'A A rOSTro.NKK cmnsTMAs. rr r. m'auti ffopyriFTht. 1^*', t>y i h:. 'uthrr.] HK sl'iry of the c:l (lllfist- !!:••> is ;i tni'lition <.f th<> I'rnston l:»mily; lait, lilcu most, traditions, it n quin s ;i few words of cxpla- nution to nmko it clear liow such an nnaci'ountablo tiling could hup- pfii. Seventy years ago, when Hcnry^I’rcston, the patriarch of tin important (Canadian family, set tled in Kemoka, the strangely directiMl t ut rgy of Colont 1 Talbot was changing the wilderness on the northern shore of Lake Erie intoa fruitful province. Year Ly year shiploads of peasants canto frtnu Great iiritain to take up land in the tt r- ritory where he was almost an absolute monarch, and with them came many younger sons of noble families who were ambitious to make their fortunes in the new world. Amom; the latter came our hero, and it was in the lirst year of his exile that the little iwlven- ture occurred that all who enjoyed his acquaintance often heard him describe. In those days a Canadian winter had many terrors Mint have since become a memory. The autumnal rains changed the level country Into a series of vast swamps, and when these miry reaches were frozen to a depth of several feet the winter had a foundation on which to build. In consequence, from the 1st of December to the middle of .March there was almost, uninterrupted cold weather, when the thermometer remain ed steadily at a point it cannot now reach without the aid of a cold wave from the northwest, hut the swamps are imav drained, the forests that held the snow have been cleared away and a variable climate has taken the place of the earnest weather that was then the rule, liven worse than the cold, how ever, was the almost unimaginable lone liness. When the winti r had fairly set in, the intense frost put a check on all communication, even though it solidified and improved the roads that were usual- the forest and gladden the eye with a view that would give the imagination the s use of fre, loin it cravt d. What v.vnder that in such a situation the pio neers were sometimss known to climb the hliii-r tree's at the risk of their liveso as to gain a wider prospect such as they v.o-ro accustomed to in the civi- li/.t d and pleasingly diversified csuntries from which tic y o mi • Lut this distressing state of affairs is now a thing of the pa*f. Instead of the is'lation that tortured tha pioneers tilde is now a danger of overcrowding, instead of monotony there is overmuch variety, where hum tiering stagecoaches toiled ont'o a weak over corduroy tail- read trains pass every hour, and a Cfanadjan winter is juivr a season of leisure and enjcy!r*Tt.. d he village of Koi.udta, white Pres ton kept store and was the postmaster ftoiu IS'.’U to wan one -of the dteariest spots ou tfeo conttnent during the long winbts tbnt fh ii prevailed. It was deep in that forest that gave a name to tho Longwoods district, and the settlers who pnrvnnm d the store, blaeksniith and i»evit;ti)lo tavern were scattered over a huge territory. In such a place, wince comptuiiouslrip w«is so nuessary, it wus Iscut natnml that a man who hud hwn g 1 ntly nurtured could net find it, and during his first winter young Presd-ou was often on tiio verge of despuir. In his posifiisias post master the poverty of the pioneers was brought liohio to him more keenly than in any other way. At that, time the young (sdony was so misgoverned and every department of tho public aervioe was so sciUK-ilously oonduoted for the benefit of private individuals that the extortionate fets ehargod by officials frequently intMle letters cost from 5 to ? of a woolly fleece the animal voro a kind of overcoat made of hempen canvas sewed roughly with cords of basswood hark. A canlul examination < uvir d him that his assailant was the vemr- ahle leader f a small fit kif sheep, though he could I y n > mi ans gm ss tho meaning' t.f his masquerading appear- an e. Having sati.-Cu d himself that too creature was not supernatural, he jump ed down from the stump intending to proceed to tho house, hut before ho had taken five steps lm was sent headlong into a snowdrift. Ho was blinded and man who was at had a way of m rought r si tie of woman who was t he T with nature and of tiie was a aeci ad aging life. His wife in evt rv wav i i with him, ami wle n Pri. t<ai was usher ed into the ino j j.i of the hut she re turned Ida gr .ting shyly, but still frankly. “This i: tho m w ; tner hud said ‘and Minister, -Tan way of nitrp- wenr*at A ' 4t—* r a5.> r i ' X N.V ? f 'M- TT »' w 'now ' ^ MM V -r-‘ LKTTfclai THAT WKIU£ NOT UKUKl MKU WI.UK I X 1 OM 1) IN a UK WINDOW. ly quite as had us these of Scotland “l>e- fore they were made.” As neigldors in llie early twenties often lived ten niiloA apart visits were infrequent, and during tho *hei»ry winters not a few of tho liurdy pioneers went mad from slu* r loneliness. And to this desolation was added a suilecuting foi ling of being buried alive. Tho dark forests ri»»>.' on every side and travel where they might the pioneers could find no icUetf from tiie inclosing walls. For almost HfO miles in every direction there was no fslevutiou sullicicutly great tv overlook md yph orr im ii Tin? wrassi.k with kiuix:«isisnBoP’ shillings when they reached tlwi ofiice at which they vycro to he delivered. Letters from home were naturally tho greatest source o# plnnsuro to these lonely people, ytt nsuny were so poor that it was iinpoetciblu for them to {my these font. Xmt wern not re deemed were erptweid lb the \j indow of the office, mal t# wus no miusmtl sight to si'e some of ftiermflotfunates to whom tliey were i*dil»miijd ga/jng at them with hungry eyes. Sometimes they rec- ognisud tbe UuM^'Mting as that uf a loved one beyond ttw «tv and tlieu tho di.-iqipointiinili* wu* all Aviiwire hitter. To escape from the tlunight* and feel ings i>n Mtrfi isurruuiidiiig* and social cisidttloB* tho yvsung poetinaster oft* n put on bfa flkoAcs and found relief in tho exhilarufbm he derived from skimming tficwnth ftn forest along tho glassy strnHiiii, Veu4 :m a business man of the iireiKMit tiiao (Mtsipm from his caw** liy rtrtpoafing tu Ws yacht and racing over (he VruT'cr under full sail, (in one of thosu mwaships ni gut tho middle of ffrbuuwf i<f a forgotten year he plungi ,1 fnrtircr into the wiliUrnesH than i \s » before, rfftentpi-iog to trace a Irotfon creek to Its iourcc, and aUmt noon suddenly t'UKrgfff into a little clearing ot whow rxtshVKTi he had not prevlnn.'iy im'ii avvwre. Knowing tho hu.-irtnlJty of tlw pbuicrrs, he decided to visit the lltTh- hut that stood on the edge of tiie tih aHiq/i and get his din ner before nMurtiing tsi Ins otiicc. Alter unstmiqtfng his skiftes hestnrt- cd toward the hoiiw*, from the shine eh Kinney of * cliis rf id smeko was as'ending lUi had ||tuujpdid'tait a fc xv steps when lie u*rs confronted by tui aggressive a]^puriitoN that ntnrtlcd him jiim heudkuqj uiMivily Just in time fo escape w gnerlrd and trvn*.ti d j air of hot us. In* Uif t-qi of., u tdum]). fiencuth htbi stood the Htiungevt creature he had ever roen. The head and Lorub were those of u sheep, but instead “THAT'S TUI' MTTI.K MAN THAT OUT MEL- CTIlSiMlEC INTO TIIOI IILK.” half smothered by the dry snow, and as he partly io<:o to his feet, spluttering j and clawing, ho was howled over again i by his aggressive enemy. Now Preston had heard in his youth | that when attacked by a but'iug ram I one should lie still and wait for tho i brute to go away. He decided t:i try the plan, but he made the mistake of his life. Ho had barely flattened himself | out on tho ground when tho ram landed j on tho small of his back with tho force I of apilodriver. The ram seemed inclin ed to use him as the circus clowns do tho cushion on which they turn fcoijuj?- saults, and he quickly realized that though such a scheme might have been all right*with a bellwether reared in tho lap of luxury, it was a complete failure with this crook pated, cross grained old wretch who had taken to wearing a burlap overcoat and had a pair of horns that would have done credit to a dilemma. As soon as Preston recovered his breath he uttered a ytfll that roused tho echoes fur miles and grappled with his tormentor. He caught him by tho horns and together they rolled through tho drifts', collided with stumps and sent the snow flying in clouds, while Preston’s yells mingled with the frightened bleating of the ram. Tho uproar brought tho farmer ou the scene, and with a few well directed kicks lie made the ram lose interest in the battle and return to his neglected flock, with his coat trailing after him. The farmer helped Preston to his feet and inquired: “How did yeh get iuteh the wrasslo with Melchisedecr” “Beelzebub, you mean, don’t you? I was coming up to your house when tho freak hunted me.” " Wi ll, yeh mustn’t bo too hard on him, if yeh ain’t hurt. Yeh ain’t, tuo I yeh?” I ’ “No.” "Yell see, he’s had a lot to try his SjU'erit this winter. Tho wind jnny be ; tempered to the shorn lamb, as the savin is, but it ain't by a long shot for % ! shorn ram, and 1 kinder guess the fit 01 his overcoat ain’t exactly to his iikii^. But ’souse me fur t dkin so much before wishiu yeh a im rr;* Christmas. ” “A what?” askid Preston ns he Icxik- cd at the farmer with an air of bewil derment. “A merry Christinas. ” “Nonsense, man. This is almost the end of lA bi finry. Christmas was over two months ago. ” “Not by a king shot it ain’t. Today is Christmas, I tell yeh. Yeh must have got twisted when bavin it out with iMelcliisodee. Ho didn’t hit yeh ou the head, did hi ?” "Now, see here, what sort of non sense is this you are talking about Christmas:" asked Preston, with the air of a man who was ready to get angry “None at all. Yeh must come to tho house and have Christmas dinner with us, and maybe that’ll convince yeh.” Prestot^ id what lie could to removo from his clothing the effects of the eu- eountii with Mi lehiscdeo uml followed the farmer to his house. The man was one of those natural pioneers who had moved into Ontario because the settle ments ou the Ht. Lawrence liver were becoming uncomfoitally civilized—a tile diif ti n, "and old Melclii; him as il he'd hem kiepin Lack a registered lettir, and do yeh know,” he added, with a wink that required fully half of his whisk; red face to execute, “h« didn't know that today was Christ mas until I told him.” The woman looked at Ivor husband laughingly and, understanding the fen auing of his w ink, she chinu d in : “That is funny, hut I don't suppose he'll object to bavin his Christmas tiiimiT with us just the same.” “Well,” npliid Preston, looking fylin^rily at a huge wild turkey that Was frowning in a heavy iron pan on the ci’als before the roaring fireplace, “you may he poking fun at me, hut that eld g; bhler is no juke, and ho unell i ap])i ti/ing. ” The bill ot fare, though brief, was of a kind to satisfy an appetite sharpened by vigorous exercise in the open air. The savory turkey was stuffed with chestnuts, and there was a large wooden dish full of steaming potatoes that had been saved for tho occasion. These, with fresh scout's of johnnycake, completed the homely banquet. While they were at tho table there was a sudden stir in the pieces of blan ket that covered a large sup trough in tho corner, and the querulous cry of a baby was heard. The mother hastened to take her child from its primitive crudlo, and while she was hushing him the lirtlier explained to the guest: “That’s the little man that got Mel- <SiisrtJt*c into trouble and made us post pone Christmas. ” “But I don’t understand how,’’said Preston. “Well,” replied his host half humor ously, half defiantlj*, “hardworkin folk* like us never have time^or Christ inas, byt when this little fellow came glflng it didn’t seem just right that he shouldn’t have one. But things wasn’t ready just in time. Yeh know yourself fhere couldn’t' ho no Christmas without baby bavin socks to lie hung up, so we hud to shear old Melcbisedec to git wool, ynd as the socks didn’t get made till this'week we just naturally had to postpone Christmas until we were ready fu- it.” Preston entered into tho spirit of the occasion and added a handful of pennies to tho little doll and string of glass tx'ads_that Santa Claus had left in tho stiff little pair of stockings, and the (Shadows were long before he passed tho guard of Melcbisedec and returned to his lonely ollice. CHRISTMAS IX CHINA. INTCr.LISTiNo HOLIDAY CUSTOMS IN I’Vwtlvffi«*s Over lltc* of flu* S:ifi r i I;::t '•oiriov. ’ill I lit- '.mi.th<* m I f it** of f !i r i.st 4;m —Tilt* AnjLTr! of [f\)pyri lit, IS of Thu ( hrinlEiKiH Spirit. Q ! . i 7 . // i- ' A \ 1 * , V I I \ ..J* 11 - “Peace on earth, ah?” ginwlcd old Crusty to his w ife the day after Clirist- Ll,tS v “Peace on earth, eh? And you bought that hoy a dram !” Snntn ( Inin* \\n> In It. “Thi:so Ainericiins down tin re,’’said Santa Cflaus, as he sat on the h " -ideof an id berg and wait* d for Christmas rve, “seem to think I’m not tip to date. Now 1 wonder,“lie murmured as ho Wipt in and rang up his polar stables, "what they'd think if they saw me at it just at present?'’ Then he pressed a button in tin'side of the iceberg and said: "drizzly, run out that n \v deer- b ss motor sleigh of mine, w hile 1 load her up. And look here, drizzly, tho next time you take out that new elec tric airship of mine and break it just \vl»cn 1 want to use it, I won’t let you play in that toy orchard of mint) for a whole year! '*l|lp to date, eh!” said Santa as ho jn-mpvd into his motor and pulled ou the robes. “Well, just watch mo while 1 moto!” V?t %, Oy th • \ eI'tfTv/ tivities iitipular il at ( li r i s t in a s , time are of gr* at ^S.) antiquity. The Jv A' f< a t of Yule w ,.s M-i held IP;, th* j long before time of King Solomon. To our l iu (iotho -(iermauio ancestors living tlio north of rqpe it was tho festival of tho winter solstice, wdicn the days begin to length! :i and to hint at coming spring. Tho Yulo log, tho drinking bowl or horn, the boar’s h ad, tho holly, mistle toe and evergreen were then symbols of material rather than spiriKial truths. Tho American, Scandinavian, Ger man and Lnglishnian keep up the an cient custom, while the Latin races sesni to know nothing about it. They cele brate Now Year’s day, and do it in tho same fashion as wo at Christmas. Tl*i Chinese and Japanese camo o*n- turiis? ago from Mongolia and Siberia, tin ir early if not original home. Living in a land whoso winter brought snow and ice, they also noticed and rejoiced over tho solstice and the return of tho sun. Their merriment took the form of eating, drinking and generous imspital- ityNwid developed into a great festival like our own. By degrees it was trans ferred to their New Year’s, where it still remains. Yet even today the astrologers notico the solstice in their almanacs, horo scopes and tables, and in tho last week of tho mouth are two festivals, whoso nature is charnyugly poetic. About Dec. 25 is that of tho genius of tho north (who is tho evil spirit of ico and winter’s privation) and about Dec. 29 is that of fho angel of sunlight. In tho sumo week is tho day of Chang Sin, tho tutelary deity of parenthood, to whom young married couples pray for healthy male issue. Tho lirst and second are the equivalents of Yule, tho pre-Christian Yule, 'fiie first contains an element of humor. Tho Mongolian is gladly bid ding goodly to the cruel ice spirit. He does not wish the latti r to see his hilar ity h.-t spiritual vengeance he aroused and a cold spell in March or April ruin tiie crops. ,~o ho puts little cups of fragrant tea, plates of sliced boiled chicken and pieces of roasted spiced pork on a well carved table where the winter ghost can regale himself with comfort. But at tho sumo time, to pre vent Ids invisible visitor playing any pranks, John Chinaman pasti* written talismans on tho wall, burns joss sticks in groups of throe at every point vulner able to malicious guClins and even fas tens a porceiain charm to Ids rooftree. When it comes to the festival of the angel of light, the observant traveler , can see the spirit of Yule shine out in | Chinese colors. In place of the Yulo log, there is a steaming pot of tea; for t+*e hoar’s head there is-a young pig roasted; for tin* punch howl and drink ing horn there is u wiekor covered bottle ora graceful wine pitcher lillod with some strange lurt aromatic stimulant. Tho mistletoe and holly are replaced by bouquets and garlands of artificial flow ers, and here and there are pots of I blooming narcissi or even a rosebush. On the family altar, and nearly every ChiiKtinaiiff no matter how pior, luis Ids own altar, before which he prays and makes silent repentance, are burning incense sticks, a bronzo casket with smoldering saiHlakyood within, a light ed candle and often a flaming votive candlt, gay in scarlet and gold. At tho temple a throng visits the augsl'fc par ticular shrine. Smiu explode fireeraek*- era in her honor. Others ignite packs of joss sticks in gratitude for her favors tlio past year and in Isqx' of their eoii- tiuuuuce dunng the harvest to come. Thin coma those who ask tho angel to be present at the funeral of a pan nt or child, the marriage of a sun, uho si tting out on a journey, tho bedside of a sk'k room. After prayer the poor priests and servitors of tin* tvmple are runeni- bend in a few small cuius. A bundle i of play* papers is horned in the great iron or bronzo urn of the temple stairs, and the religious ceremony is mej for the dtty. The good man or woman goes home content that Use spirit ot tho north is disarmed and the angel of light j placated. William L. S. Falls. Mi iwwmtFl -4 a A a d\/ ft • o IS v'4 t^ir k~» U/ 'x-z <;z y %,W ' .r fo 1 :•* in wit* * *hl t-t-'-'K’* t it* Ax I 'Tta <'liristiiic.u utfx' Yocr v. if,- snal* sv.( > tly as o£ Give you vv^tli la-s'K at ttn floor. At “It .!to‘ nf^hf 1 :t< X'-".s scolds ro more— Chimtraas gift! n /m /s ^ V \^r i _ ■ V Yoe.r youthful heir has grown pa- lit*>. Ho hail* TOM coming svitn delight Ami cons 1;is bag- sons halt tho night— Christmas gift! Your daughter plays the tunes you like, R e f r a i n s f rom t* loo in* rs on tier tiikc. For op: ia tickets do* s;T t sirik*. Ch l ist mas gift! Xu & 1 Xow janitors a*e willing '-tiuips,- Folio ly mail m*u toii':li t hell cups, A;i'1 oil;*') bo.y| lag not JK cl ■'* ps . Cliristmas gift! knows little But pater t H e i r game. Tliis time r-aili yirir 'tis Ju.st the same. It makes him mutter low, “Gosh blame Christmas gifts!'' ('llristinum In Oxford. , England, the land <if the naslimvq^ Yuletide festivities, is the home ot many strange and int* resting (’lirKetaiaw irtiditionw. This isi sjacially true of the town of Oxford, the phvee where f-hti^ea^ peare and his company of fellow actor® were wont to hold down tho boardK at Christinastide three centnrii » agi). T1 day of tiie sttidluig plnrer htos pti away, hut tho old time Ohri^Unal choral singers still go tiirougU streets of Oxford singing from door to dour their quaint old fashioned song®. A strange old custom is kept , Queen’s college, Oxford, wlsero Christmas day a huge hunr's lioad i# carried into the big old dining,, bull, followed by tho choir boys suigin* * Larin hymn of thanksgiving. Th« greens with which the head i» drawed are afterward distiil utcd among thtf guests piohint ut the*fi stival, and tlw liead itself is given to the poor of Ox ford town. The puculiat part of th* ceremony, which has been Ixld out a break fur sovival centuries, is the hoar’s head always appears with Now Testament in its mouth, tion exjdains this ns follows: Lor the sixteenth century a pious ffdlovr Queen’s college was walking on ov> f inll,>ju.«t oiKsido of -QxfCm!, j meudably elrgagtsi in reading atidfittid lug the Now Testament as ho stroll* along. Ho was suddenly attacked byi wiki boar and only saved hmf', da thnuting tfio New Tcskunvtii lie in his Imnd down tli« WusMt uf fierce animal, which, v'hen sirtjduod was conveyed to the college in triumpli