The gazette-times., December 25, 1913, Image 6

By EDWIN L. SABIN.
Copyright, 1913. by American Tress Asso
elation.
TTOW sweetly rests this winter night
nl'pon a waiting earth!
L'ntil the lift of Christmas light
Shall spread the Christmas birth
The curtain of the dusk be drawn.
And sleeping hosts afar
Plt.ill wake to read In radiant dawn
The message of the star!
The dawn goes marching from the east
Across a joyous world
To usher in the Christmas feast
'Neath Christinas fronds unfurled.
Now swiftly on the glory spreads.
The miracle fulfilled.
To bless a myriad bended heads
And souls by Christmas thrilled.
Hi hold it sweep a mighty land.
Long leagues of list'ning snow;
From whitened firs to where midst sane"
The pofnsettias glow.
On English thatch and tile it lies.
Chateau and hut forlorn,
And frozen steppes and tropic skies
Acclaim the Christmas morn.
No region too remote for this.
Too difficult no tongue,
The Christmas wreath, the Christmas
kiss.
The Ct.rtstmas music sung.
No hear: with grace so incomplete.
No head with age so gray.
No hearth so poor it does not greet
The dawn of Christmas day.
THE CHRiST CHILD'S MAfJGER
Pretty but Obsolescent Feature of the
-Latin Christmas,
All through the Italian and Ilunga
riau quarters in New York city may be
found traces of the manger at Christ
mas time. The Italians call It the
"presepio." which means manger; the
Hungarians the "Bethlehem."
The manger is an exceedingly old
and interesting devotion in the Catholic
countries of south Europe. St. Francis
of Assisi, who was burn in 11S2. in
troduced it into Italy, aud it is still the
sign of Christmas in south Italy, as
much as holly in the windows is the
sign of it In New York. It is not many
years since a carpenter could not be
had for weeks before Christmas in Na
ples or Rome. They were all busy put
ting up mangers in the houses of the
quality, while the poorer folk were
busy fabricating their own.
Tuis quaint old devotion Is fading
out of the cities of the mainland, but
in conservative Sicily it remains in full
force. Every family there still erects its
presepio some time from the 1st to the
loth of December. It Is not a manger
glone but a whole mountain side, made
of the rough, flexible bark of the cork
tree. Peaks and crags and precipices
abound, with winding trails, houses
and castles of colored cardboards, for
ests of evergreen twigs and sometimes
tiny pipes to furnish brooks and lakes.
In the center is the grotto, witb the
holy family within, surrounded by the
cattle. A sky of blue paper is stretch
ed above, with the star of Bethlehem
upon it. Over the hills come shepherds
tearing gifts to the infant, and. though
they are in Sicilian costume and carry
good Sicilian cheese and wine upon
their donkeys, they are all the more
Interesting for that.
Sometimes the presepio fills only a
corner, sometimes the whole side of a
room, according to the means of the
family. It is kept year after year un
til worn out but It needs to be fresh
ened up each year, always a welcome
task to the mother and daughters of
the house.
J FIRST CHRISTMAS FEAST, f
7 I t I 1 I V '1 I I i I I 'I 'A I 4 1 '4' TTTTT
The Crst feast to be celebrated on
Dec. 2.1 was established by Comiuodus,
emperor of Rome, who reigned about
J So years after the birth of Christ
After that there are many references
In history to meetings of the new sect
called Christians, who fathered on this
day to celebrate the birth of the God
uihu. It is not until a century ufter
the time of Cnmmodns that we find a
particular reference to the persecutions
that the Christians underwent at the
Jj.inds of the patr.m emperors, culminat
ing in a Christmas day massacre.
When Koine was no longer a paan
state the feast bezan to be celebrated
i:i ('htistian style, and those who ob
served the tiiitli of Christ in those days
diil In widely seprsrated countries
nnd fr-pifi tly at widely different pe
rinds of tinie an 1 .vcordins to no set
j:ro'-riim The an -ieuts !ii.T"-ed on one
t'ii:i. bowever-that the festival com
r: i i .-:i t ; ii tr the birth of Christ should
1j t!ie most niairtiiti'-eiit of the yeTir
la some cases it v. as kept up for days
Origin of the Yule Log.
The Yule lo- in Ktigland is a relic of
lldi-iu. Its n.itne is believed to be
o-r'.:;d ioi ,f the wheel I02. a wheel
T r-i :!'-: I symbolism typifying til
b of the sun The lighting of the!
f.re Is reminiscent of the sacred
. kindled bv the.druids at midwin-
In the round towers which yet re- of the resurrection that followed, some
in in muiy p-irN of fjre.tt f.ritaln, thing of personal application, some-
lrelai!J. l-'raa -e ai.U Sp.iiu
j
AN OLD TIME CHRISTMAS.
T
HE damsel donned her klrtle sheen.
The hall was dressed with holly
green.
Forth to the wood did merry men
go
To gather In the mistletoe.
Then opened wide the baron's hall
To vassal, tenant, serf and all.
Power laid his rod of rule aside.
And ceremony doffed his pride.
The heir, with roses in his shoes.
That night might village partner chusej
Tho lord undelegating share
The vulgar game of post and pair.
All hailed with uncontrolled delight
And general voice the happy night
That to the cottage as the crown
Brought tidings of salvation down.
The tire with well dried logs supplied
Went roaring up the chimney wide.
Tho huge hall table s oaken face,
Scrubbed till it shune, the day to grace,
More then upon its massive board
No mark to part the squire and lord.
Then was brought in the lusty brawn
By old blue coated serving man;
Then the grim boar's head frowned on
high.
Crested with bay and rosemary.
Well can the green garbed ranger tell
How, when and where the monster fell;
What dogs before his death he tore
And all the baiting of the boar.
The wassail round in good brown bowls,
Garnished with ribbons, blithely trowls.
There the huge sirloin reeked; hard by
Plum porridge stood nnd Christmas pie.
Nor failed old Scotland to produce
At such high tide her savory goose.
Then came the merry maskers in
And carols roared with blithesome din.
if unmelodions was the song
It was a hearty note and strong.
Who lists may in their mumming see
Traces of ancient mystery.
White shirts supplied the masquerade,
And smutted cheeks tile visors made.
But, oil, what maskers richly dight
Can boast of bosoms half so light?
England was merry England when
Old Christinas brought his sports again.
"1'was Christmas broached the mightiest
ale:
'Twas Christmas told the merriest tale.
A Christmas gambol oft would cheer
The poor man's heart through half tho
year.
Sir Walter Scott.
AN UNORTHODOX CHRISTMAS.
T WENT to spend the day with Rose,
and then
A Christmas greeting passed between us
two.
But 'twas not "Peace on earth, good will
to men."
We only said: "Good morning!" "How
d'ye do?"
A ND then to her I offered smilingly
The present she expected me to bring.
There were no hanging hose, no Christ
mas tree.
The box was tied In paper with a string.
TTE didn't
' blaze.
sit beside the Tule log's
We just turned on the radiator's steam.
And dinner, unlike those of storied days.
Cave no plum pudding, but some bisque
ice cream.
VT7E didn't hear the church bells' solemn
' trill
And when we had our Christmas even
ing lunch
Wre didn't have a steaming wassail bowl.
But just a jug of simple claret punch.
V7E trampled on traditions, I suppose,
' ' Yet nne rit w observed with cure
but, no;
Although I well remember kissing Rose,
It wasn't under the mistletoe.
-Life.
A WONDERFUL TREE.
T
HERE'S a wonderful tree, a won
derful tree.
The happy children rejoice to see.
Spreading Its branches year by
year.
It comes from the forest to flourish here.
Oh, this wonderful tree, with Its branches
wide.
Is always, Is always blooming at Christ-
mastidel
But not for us children did this tree grow.
With its strange, sweet fruit on each
laden bough.
For those we love we have made with
care
Each pretty thing you see hanging there.
.May this wonderful tree, with its branches
wide,
Bring joy to our friends at Christmas-
tide:
For a voice Is telling its boughs among
Of the shepherds' watch and the angels'
song,
Of a holy babe in the manger low
The beautiful story of long ago,
When a radiant star threw its beams so
wide
To herald the blessed first Christmastide.
Then spread thy branches, wonderful tree,
And bring the pleasant thought to me
Of him who came from his home above,
The richest gift of his Father's love.
lie came to show us how to spread far
and wide
The joys of the holy, sweet Christmas
tide. "Songs and Games For Little Ones."
The Universality of Christmas.
Primarily, of course. Christmas is a
religious festival. In the Christian,
with a sincere belief in the Christ, who
is the foundation rock of his religion,
the words of priest and pastor, exhort
ing his flock to observe the day with
ceremonial observances, find a fervent
response. From every pulpit is told
a new each year the story of him with
out whom Christmas had never been.
Hut Christmas appeals also to the
uonbeliever in Christ, to the men and
women who cannot subscribe consci
entiously to the doctrine of his divin
ity. It is trite, perhaps, to say that as
Christmas approaches the Christmas
spirit is "in the air." but it is true
none the less. "Peace and good will"
pervade the air that is breathed alike
by churchgoer and nonattendaut.
In the big cities Christmas is cele
brated by Christian and Jew and Mo
hammedan as well as by those with no
religion. In the outermost corners of
the earth, wherever men of Christian
faith have lrne the standard of civili
zation, the native heathen in intimate
contact with them feel the coming of
the spirit and rejoice.
It is well that this should be so. for
the spirit of Christmas is the spirit of
belief not only in Christ, but in one's
fellow men. Every one may share in,
it if lie will. Every one may Gnd in
the story o" the life that was lived in
Palestine nineteen centuries ago. of the
de::th that was met on the cross and
thing of Uiilift.
Cbc Sisttne JWadonna.
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w 1ladonina with framJ5J
EPRESEXTIXG the Virgin, not
as a mother, but us the all
powerful queen of the ueav
ens, descending from clouds
which are themselves composed of
thousands of cherubs, Raphael's Ma
donna di San Sisto, more commonly
known as the Sistine Madonna, ranks,
by universal consent, as the greatest
painting in the world.
In the Virgin's arms there is the
Christ Child, whose thoughtful eyes
make it appear that he is fully con
scious of his destiny as Saviour of the
world. On either side St. Slxtits" II.
and St. Catherine kneel in adora
tion of the queen of the heavens and
the Christ Child. St. Catherine is
looking down at the two cherubs, which
form the base of the picture and which
are familiar in popular reproductions.
Si.vtus II. was bishop of Rome from
257 to LTiS A. D. and was martyred un
der Valerian.
Raphael Satizio or Santi was born
in and this picture, his master
piece, was completed two years before
bis death in l."2f). Thus the artist was
thirty-five ytars old when the greatest
picture of all times was completed. It
f
BETHLEHEM.
Xo place iu all the world has
greater interest in the Christmas sea
son than Bethlehem. The normal pop.
illation of the town where Christ was
born in less than 5.000. but during
Christmas week it becomes a great
cosmopolitan center of 50,000 or 00.000
souls, all eager to pay homage to the
plce hallowed by the Saviour's birth
In Bethlehem people are brought face
to face with the wonderful scenes
which are but feebly known to the rest
of the world. Here they may see the
place where the three wise meu of the
east halted after their long journey
Here they worship the shrine inclosing
the manger In which Christ was born.
They walk alomr the same road fol
lowed by the Virgin Mary in her jour
ney to tne ancient city. l hey see
buildings and ruins which the eyes of
the infant Christ rested upon. The
tiny city, crescent shaped ami heauti
fill to look upon, teems with the real
ities which the rest of the world cele
brates.
IN FRENCH CHURCHES.
Christmas Mast Always Well Attend
ed Services Are Unique. ,
In Paris Christmas day is kept as a
religious festival, and many who never
dream of j:ing to church on any other
day in the year make it it point of at
tending mass on le .lour de Noel, and
the blaze of the tapers falls on crowd
ed congregations, men. women and
children, kneeling, sitting and stand
ing in the wide area of the Madeleine
and Notre Ihime
Midnight mass is held on Christmas
eve A waxen Image of the infant
Saviour lies upon a little hutch of real
straw in a cave built of miniature
stones The Virgin mother kneels over
the child, nnd to quote .i verse from
one f the quaintest oh! carols:
St. Joseph, too. i m-ar to Kti;ird the child.
To watch hirn and protect his mother
mild
Often the three wise men are adled,
bearing offerings In their bauds.
was his last Madonna, although he
painted others prior to this time. The
Madonna was the favorite theme of
painters in the renaissance era In Italy
starting with Fra Angelico, Fra liar
tolommeo and others of the first paint
ers in this period and reaching its
height with the completion of the
Sistine Madonna by Raphael.
This Madonna was painted as an altar
piece for the church of San Sisto at
I'lacenza. In 1754 it was purchased by
the elector Augustus III. from the
Benedictine monastery and is now the
property of the Royal gallery at Dres
den.
Raphael, the artist, died of a fever at
Rome when but thirty-seven years old,
He was the son of an artist and studied
at one time under I'erugino. In 1504
Raphael went to live In Florence, where
most of his Madonnas were painted
His fame rapidly spread until he was
called to Rome to decorate the Vatican
Toward thu end of his life, about the
time the Sistine Madonna was com
pleted. the artist developed his own
style and did his greatest work. Aside
from his ability to paint. Raphael was
a talented architect.
CHRISTMAS IN
f OTHER LANDS.
Many American children of foreign
parentage know something of Christ
mas customs in at least one European
country, having been told by their
elders, but for the most part our boys
and girls know little of the day except
in their own land.
In Spain it is the custom to let out of
prison many of the short time prison
ers ou Christmas eve, also to permit a
few of the soldiers to go home on fur
lough. Only blood relations eat In the
house on Christmas eve or Christmas
day. It is a general belief that ere
midnight on Christmas eve the Virgin
comes, bearing a blessing. There is a
midnight mass In the churches, and
other masses follow.
A few years ago In England It was
the custom after the Christmas dinner
to pull bonbon crackers and to wear
the grotesque caps and miLsks that
came with them In other ways the
celebration is very much jvs with us.
Good cheer Is the rule in lreJand. nnd
holly and Ivy are seen on every hand
A midnight mass is celebrated, and
masses follow through the night and
morning, all of which are largely at
tended. The religious element predom
inates. Rich and poor alike have goose
for their Christmas dinner. The day
following Christmas is devoted to ath
letics, fun and frolic.
The celebr.it ion of Christmas is not
general Jn Japan, yet the Nipponese
have a Santa Clans of their own. He
is the god Hotel, and he is supposed
to give good things to the children not
on one day alone, but the year around.
Christmas Fortune Telling.
Kachelors and spinsters in Bohcmbl
desirous of seeing the features of their
future matrimonial mate cut a hole in
tlie Ice of a river or pond, nt midnight
of Christmas eve and peer into the
black water beneath. It is the belief
that the face of the one the experi
menter Is to marry will then tiecoine
visible as in a mirror. A combination
of faith and Imagination is necessary
to make the spell work successfully.
THE CHRISTMAS PROB-
LEM SOLVED AT
BORG'S I
The immensity of our new stock
permits the greatest latitude of se
lection, whether it be a simple and
and inexpensive article, or the more
ornate patterns of higher price.
Diamonds, Watches, Jewelry,
Silverware, Cut Glass, Clocks,
Umbrellas, Ivory -Toilet Ware,
China, Novelties, and etc.
Our store will be open evenings for
your convenience; call in and look
at our display.
Engraving Free During Holidays
City Meat Market
KINSMAN & HALL, Proprietors
Beef, Pork, Mutton, Veal,
SUGAR CURED HAMS
1
Try Some of
The Christmas Spirit.
Chtistnias is u good Institution, be It
examined from any angle. The Christ
mas spirit is one to foster and encour
age. ' It means unselfishness, charity,
pence, liberality, good cheer, all desir
able traits iu themselves and all tend
ing to make the world a better place.
mie tne uuristmas Holiday is a
Christian institution in name, no one
religion holds a monopoly of the Christ
mas spirit, it is common to all reli
gions. It means a striving to make
others happier, an effort to better con
ditions for mankind. It means sharing
your good fortune, no matter how
small tlie portions may be. It is the
essence of the (iolden Rule.
While one can do much good to oth
ers by the radiation of the Christinas
spirit, the greatest good is done to one
self. No man can bestow a gift, either
material or spiritual, on another with
out beneliting himself. lie must ele
vate himself by the exercise of the
emotions that Christmas calls forth,
and this elevation must be more or less
permanent. No man can be much dif
ferent one day in the year from what
he is the other :fi!4 days.
So blessed be the spirit of Christ
mas: Exercise It during the closln
days of December and you can't help
but be the better for it, and you can't
help but continue Its benevolent Influ
ences during the months that follow.
A CHRISTMAS DREAM.
DREAMED a dream one Christmas
eve,
The strangest one, you may believe.
'Twas of a world divinely fair
Beyond the blue, far off. somewhere.
I
There grief and tears were all unknown.
And love supreme reigned on the throne.
Ah, such a Joyful, gladsome world.
where sorrow's bolts were never hurledt
Here faces gaunt with poverty
Deride the rich in mockery.
All equal there were each to each.
The best within a pauper's reach.
No surging, crushed, downtrodden nmnno.-
No proud, elite or clan made classes;
rvo seasoned Joys for Just a few
In this fair realm beyond the blue;
No stalking want with piteous voice;
No poor to feed. All had their choice
Of that which seemeth Just and good.
AH things were rightly understood.
No broken hearts or racking pain;
No avaricious, blood bought gain;
No grasping, grinding, selfish greed
That others welfare doth not heed.
All things wie perfect as the love
That ruled this spotless world above.
Were this sad world like to my dream
And love ruled all. Its right supreme.
Ah, where the chance for kindly deeds?
Were there no poor to voice their needs,
Were such a state sublimely true.
Oh. where the good that we might do?
Were there no faces dewed with tears.
Where, then, the solace of the years?
If this world knew no grief, no care.
Could we our brother's burden share?
Ah, love would lose much of Its worth
Were there no charity on earth!
Perhaps 'tis better as it is
Than live In realms of perfect bliss.
for out or evil cometh good
When God is rightly understood.
And since we live mid toil and care
And not In halcyon dreams somewhere
I'plift and help thy fellow man ,
And do the greatest good you can
To make this world like that above.
Controlled and swayed by Chrictly love,
Howard L, Wentworti.
our Sausage.
A GIFT.
w
HAT shall I send you foe
Christmas, dear?
What can a penniless rlmester
send
But tho wish that when skies
are filled with Kloom ...
For you blithe April buds may bloom
And that every throb of the heart of you
May whisper of days when the skies were
blue?
What shall I send you for Christmas,
sweet?
What can a friendless minstrel send
But the prayer thut when days drug drear
and Ion;?
Your heart will sing snatches of sweetest
sons;
And that every tlake of the i'uletide'a
snow
May speak of the dreams of the long ago?
What shall I send you for Christmas, my
own?
What can a lonely bardling send
But tlie wish that when life Brows dark
and chill
The roses of summer may bloom for you
still
And in moo. Is when the fond old dreams
still cling to you .
That the birds may return, my sweet, and
sing to you?
Irving Dillon in Life.
The Day After Christinas.
A graceful finish is one of the most
essential touches of any successful
'venture. The pianist does not drop his
hands abruptly from the keys as soou
as he has played the last note, but
holds them there a moment longer un
tit the music dies away. Diners out
would be indignant If the table were
whisked clean the moment the last
mouthful was swallowed. They find
the lingering on a little while over the
coffee and nuts most delightful.
Christmas is too beautiful and too
solemn a festival to drop In this hasty
fashion the moment the clock strikes
midnight, for any occasion which
needs especial preparation also needs
an adequate closing, and particularly
is this true of thuse thiugs whose val
ue lies in sentiment.
There are many things to be done
after Christmas. There are letters to
be written, houses to be put In order,
gifts to be arranged, and every one of
the countless details may be done ei
ther with grace or without It In the
theater the final curtain falls with fit
ting dignity or appropriate gayety. It
has all been a play; but, even so, the
actors do not walk off after the last
word is said and allow the stage hands
to rush on. That would offend the
mood of the audience. How much
truer this is of something which Is not
a play, but a very real part of life!
The days after Christmas should be
as mystical In their way as were the
days before Christmas. The ornaments
that decked the tree should be put
awny with the same care and pleasure
with which they were brought out, the
greens taken down with the same mer
riment that nccompanled their going up.
The afterglow Is sometimes the most
beautiful part of the sunset, and some
times it Is even more beautiful than,
the sunset Itself. ,