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LANCASTER DAILY INTKI.LMiEKCBR SUPPLEMENT--SATURDAY. DECEMBER 24, Usal.
Lancaster Jntdligencer.
SATURDAY EVENING, DEC. 24. 11881.
CHRISTMAS!
Te-night the world hears again the story
of tbe events which ushered in this
Christian era of its life. Down nearly
nineteen ccntuiics this story has come and
it has net grown old. Ner have the genera
tions of men tired relating it, listening te
it and repeating it. The same joyful song
fills the land te-nigh I as when te fright
ened shepherds angel choirs sang "Glory
te Ged in the highest, and en earth peace,
geed will te men.''
Sucih music, as 'tis said.
Before was never made.
Rut when of old tbe sons of merr.lng sung,
While the Creater great,
His constellations set.
And tnc well balanced world en hlngas hung,
And cast the dark inundations deep.
And bid tbe weltering worlds theiroezy chan
nels keep.
The same stars leek calmly down upon
a troubled world and point the Way, as
shone ahove the precession of the wise
men, who journeying from the East te
Jerusalem, rejoiced with exceeding great
joy when their celestial guide steed ever
where the child Jesus lay. In that manger
were cradled all the hopes and all the de
velopment of this new age ; and the pro pre
cession of all these later centuries, se big
with history, has been led by the Star of
Bethlehem. The light of the world is the
light which flooded Judca's hills.
It would be useless te deny and it is
needless te repeat the proofs of the verity
of the events upon which this celebration
is founded. The civilized world testifies
its acceptance by the general festivities of
Christmas. Iu every land where the tidings
and the blessings of the gospel have
reached the anniversary of the Redeemer's
birth is kept by an outburst of joyeusucss
and by the exercise of these virtues which
make happy homes, and hence strong
nations. The people who believe in Chris
tianity are iu the vanguard of civilization.
We are yet far from the millennium, but the
world is getting better ; and te the birth,
the life and death of Christ it ewes what
makes for its civilization te day. The
Christian era is its golden age. Tho.se
who dispute thin arc a small minority of
the world's thinkers or of the figures in its
great events. Wc cannot step in this
Christmastidc te poll theso who would
gainsay it. They are numerous, te be
sme, but no man who apprehends the
philosophy of history will thus iguore the
logic of events.
Christmas is essentially the holiday for
the commemoration of charity, that cardi
nal virtue of the Christian faith. This is
the holy impulse which it culls out every
where, and this the feeling of these who
keep Chrifitinas as it merits keeping. Its
gracious memories stir this feeling and all
its tender observances have their root in
love. Its feasting and home gathering?,
its gift-giving and the gay trees, .blazing
with lights and toys, are emblematic of
the principle which is the life of Christi
anity. llcncc it is that wherever he gees the
nianbeinin Christendom carries-Christmas
with him in his heart, and, as is eke eko oke
whero forcibly recalled, Dr. Kane at the
North pole, and Dr. Prime en the Equator,
were alike mindful of the holy season.
Our own Christmas, Hke our nationality
is composite. Wc borrow the principal
features of its celebration from theso two
natieus which, sprung from common stock,
have most deeply impressed themselves
upon our social institutions. The feast
ing of the Christmas season, and much
that is bright and joyful, come te us by
inheritance from England. The Christinas
tree and "all that" are transplanted from
German soil. But it grows most luxuri
antly here. The American Christmas is
original iu its entirety if net iu its part?,
and after all the feature of the Christmas
dinner, the Turkey re day we spell it
with a big T is an American bird.
The Intf.MjIAkxcek feels the spirit of
the season. Te all its patrons, its adver
tisers and its readers, with all that the
term implies, it wishes a Mkp.ky Chi'ist
mas. CUIHSTMAS POLITICS.
We propose, for this one occasieif, te
ask our readers te mingle their religion
with their politics. This Christmas time
is the best of all times in which te review
and revive Ire principles wc ought te
maintain iu both the church and the
hfcitc. And these principles, like the
Southern gentleman's newspaper, ought te
" consist." A geed Christian cannot be a
bad citizen. A genuine follower of Him
who came te rescue the lowest fallen and
le preach the largest liberty te all the
earth cannot lend his political power,
whether it be that of seme great oilice or
that only of a single ballet, te the per
petration of any kind of injustice.
In the spiritual commonwealth of Jesus
of Nazareth all men were, free and all
equal king and subject, lord and slave.
It was the great objection of the philose.
phcrs and statesmen of the first century
that the new religion confounded all
orders of society, that it stripped the rich
and the great of their artificial distinc
t ions, and restored the servile and base te
the dignity of nature in spite of allthcde
crccs of the state. It was, therefore, in
their eyes essentially revolutionary and
levelling. Out of this truth grew a cloud
of monstrous lies which encompassed the
church for several centuries, among the
rest the spmc argument the Kuow Kuew Kuow
Nethings urged against our Catholic
brethren, viz.: That the Christians were
establishing an impcrium in imperie, and
would supercede the civil with their ec
clesiastical authority. In vain a
long line of pious and illustrious
apologists pointed te the scripture,
which enjoined obedience, prompt and
implicit, te the civil ruler and made even
the payment of the most onerous and ob
noxious taxes a religieus duty. The mo
nopolists of that day, the owners of
charters and special privileges, theso who
held the power te make ether men labor
that they might riot, refused te be con
vinced. They saw that the spirit of the
Galilean's sweet gospel was full of peril
te their pretensions. That which filled
the heart of the brekcu slave with a new
born hope and robbed fire nnd cress of
their terrors must sooner or later be fatal
te the artificial managements of society,
which enabled a few men te live by the
swr.it and tears of the many. That was
the real danger which the Hern an lord, as
well as the Reman politician and tax- I
eater, apprehended from the strange
teaching of the new sect.
The gospel of Christ was indeed the
first proclamation of pure democracy en
the earth. It was geed will te men te
all men of every grade and condition.
Translated into politics that means that
all men should be equal before the law
as they are equal before Ged ; equal
net merely in their rights te life
and limb, but in their right te
labor as they see fit, and te enjoy the
fruits of their own endeavors; The Ser
mon en the Mount, aud the Declaration of
American Independence contain the same
self-evident truths. But they have had a
hard and a long struggle te get themselves
placed en the human statute book, and te
be kept there after they were enacted.
" Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."
We make a little advance, and then, if we
relax our efforts in the least, wc straight
way lese mero than we had gained. Am
bition, greed, the love of dominion, aud the
lust of money unearned, never sleep. It is
net within the scope of an article like
this te sketch this struggle, or even te al
lude te any of its incidents beyond tbe
limits of our own fortunate country. But
what have wc seen here ?
Themas Jeffersen was the great apestle
of human liberty en this continent, no
proposed te start all men in the race of life
upon a footing of perfect equality ; and te
give no man any legal advautage ever an
ether. In Virginia he broke down the es
tablished church ; repealed the law of
primogeniture and of entails ; reduced
the government te a pure democracy ;
and would, if he could, have abolished
n?gre slavery, concerning the conse
quences of which te his jwn race he
trembled, when he thought of the justice
of Ged. He was also the projector of a
system of popular education, which was
far in advance of the times in which he
lived, but we beg the young reader te re
member the fact when he hears seme
brawling demagogue claiming the credit of
the common school system for a party
which was born yesterday, and was born
tlfcn only te take up the cause of the few
against the many where Themas Jeffer Jeffer
eon's ancient enemies were forced te drop
it.
But Mr. Jeffersen's great work of " geed
will te men," did net step then. Vir
ginia was free free of the hoary abuses
of monarchy aud aristocracy aud, his De
claration of Independence having been
sustained by arms, the colenics were in
dependent states. But new arose an en
emy mero dangerous than the British
erewn beyond seas had ever been. It was
new and pressing, subtle and insidious.
It came in the guise of patriotism and
lured the people by premises of national
power and glory. inc party et wuicu
Alexander Hamilton was then the head
would have extinguished the states, and
set up for a general government a practi
cal meuarchy '" en the British models."
Failing in that, they have ever since
hecn endeavoring te construe away the
constitution which our wise forefathers
gave ns, and te establish what they
call "a strong government," with no
limitations but the pleasure or ,icios ,icies
sitics of the administration. They
wanted dcbts,monepoliesstandiug armies,
class distinction", splendor and profusion.
They assaulted the constitution with their
impudent doctrine of " implied powers ; "
they undermined it by corruption, and
would have overthrown it by fraud and
force had they been able. But Mr. Jeffer Jeffer
eon founded a great party te protect aud
defend the constitution, and he led it with
singular prudence and devotion until the
Federalists were turned out of power,
neck aud heels, iu 1800. His memorable
aud glorious administration, and the ad
ministrations of his Democratic successors,
constituted the golden age of the republic.
The party which Mr. Jeffersen founded
and inspired, and which he trusted would
stand through all the ages like a wall of
lire around the free institutions of Amer
ica, remains te-day what it was then. Its
principles arc unaltered. It says the
federal government must be administered
according te the plain letter of. the
written chatter. Such a government,
as the administrations of Jeffersen aud
his disciples demonstrated, is pure, simple
and inexpensive. It protects all while it
harms none. Its blessings encompass us
Jikc sunshine, its burdens arc unfelt. It
creates no monopoly. The power of taxa
tion is used only te support the govern
ment, and te provide for the " few ob
jects" of federal care, prescribed iu the
written constitution. It cannot he cm.
pleyed te transfer the proceeds of ene
man's labor te another ; or te exact trib
ute from ene class of citizens in order te
enrich another. These arc the be
neficent doctrines of Dcmocraey. The
political philosophy of Jeffersen is but the
morality of the New Testament applied te
the state the golden rule in public affairs
-under its blessed sway the people cat
the bread they have earned ; it cannot be
snatched from the weary hands of labor
te fill the overflowing storehouses of
wealth and monopoly. Riches aud pev
erty stand upon the same plane. Ne man
has a special license te sell dearer or te
charge mero for the same service than
another. The Man rules and the Man
is protected iu all his natural rights
aud dignity, and net the accident of birth
or property. When Democracy professes
te be aught but this, which it was at the
begiauing. and must be forever, it is
spurious an impudent fraud aud hype
critical sha-n, devised, iu nine cases out of
ten, by the devil and the Federalist in
some dark conjunction of their wicked
powers.
Democracy being peace en earth and
geed, will te men, crystallized into apolit
ical system, it is the plain duty of every
one te sustain it with voice and vote.
Te the young reader we say, study the
teachings of the patriots who founded
this blcf-scd Republic, and lett it te your
pious care, te be handed down unimpaired
te the generations which are te come after
us. Commit te memory the inaugural
address of Themas Jeffersen. Cast your
ballet iu the fear of Ged and in remem
brace of your forefathers. Cast it se that
it will count for right and for justice ; and
se that it shall net help te place any ether
man or any ether class of men under the
bee! of the oppressor. Read the Istelli Istelli
c.icneeh. Be geed Christians, antt veu
will be geed Democrats. C. F. B.
Se new la come our jeylullcst feast;
Let every man be jelly;
Kach room with ivy leaves is drcst.
nil every pest with holly.
TUK l'lNK-KNOT.
Fer tbe Christmas Itellieeckk.
The rarcpine-knet from the meur lain brought
Though charred te the outward sight.
Vet what resinous geld did iu heart unfe'.d
When split by the axe's might!
What charmed delights through .the wintcry
nights.
What kindling upel uiiitli,
Isidore the liic, did that knot inspiie
As il blazed en the kitchen hearth :
Ot youngsters met, a merry set,
AH lice from gliel and care.
Hew our plays were advanced and our joys
enhanced
Frem that pine-knot's ruddy glare:
As the kerchief wc sought, new cold, new het.
Hew wc pressed encli ether around.
Soen te flee from the thwacks, bcste.vcd en
our back3,
Fiem the here who had it found :
When mine eyed weic bound 1 could hear the
sound
Of each merry laugh or Jest,
Uut I could net sec Angers, two nor tlnce,
That betore me were held for a te3t.
Frem mine nrms outspread away they fled.
Or when cornered each carefully ivhisht ;
Rut, though dodging, at last did 1 catch her
last
'Twas the very one 1 had wlsht :
Oh, the meny pine-knot : I had almost thought
It shared in our mirth and glce ;
Fer it shed its glow, new high, new low,
J ust te suit our cempanic.
When some active game did our hearts inflame
It reddened en every check,
JItit it tilled the room with a partial gloom
When wc played at hldc-and-seck,
Around as we sat, all hands closed flat,
K:ir-h two whiln one slint hers between.
With what prime delight did I held mine
tight-
Thc button received within :
With such rellicky fun. ns the night sped en.
Did that pine-knot us supply ;
While the nged cook, with her solemn leek,
In the corner sat musing by.
Then what stories she told, all weird and old.
Frem her treasured Irish stere !
While the oozing pitch, lrem the pine knot
rich,
Was receding its flame bclerc ;
They were lraught, en the green, with tairic3
seen,
Willi dceds of unearthly kind.
Till we feared almost wc might see some ghost
It we dared te leek behind.
In my lile's advance I have read lemancc
Frem authors the very best,
I5ut with all their art they could net impart
Te my soul that olden zest;
In the parlor bright I've had high delight,
With the gas-light mellowed o'er,
ISut that pleasure caught from the rich pine
knot Such can I catch no mere : w. m. j.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.
TWO CHK1STMAS KVKS OF TWKMIV
VEAKS AGO.
A Tale of ITenie and til the Army.
UY IlEV. II. 51. KIEFFKIt.
Fer the Intelligekccii.
I.
" Haud me up seme mero greens Mich
ael." Michael was the old sexton of the village
church, and he and the pastor, Mr. Burnett,
were busy decorating the chancel of the
church for the coming festivities, xne
stormy day befere Christmas, new nearly
twenty years age. With coat off and
perched high up ou the ladder, while old
Michael bustled about amongst the coils of
greens en the fleer, there the worthy
pastor satjiutcut en his work, aud yet busy
thinking betimes of ene who was lar away.
As he cast a glance out of the window, he
wondered whether it was se cold and
stormy down there, or whether they had
built their winter quarters, or were lying
out vet in their shelters, or were, may be,
en the move, or perhaps even new, as he
sat there, encased in battle. " Wliicn,
Ged forbid." said he te himself. '"Tis
surclv no time new for men te fight when
the very angels of Ged are chanting their
sweet songs et "I'cace en .harm, uneu
Will toward Men."
Absorbed thus in sad reflection en the
singular spectacle, as the angels must leek
upon it, of half a continent staining its
hands red with fraternal bleed at this glad
season of peace, he had net observed old
Michael, who, with outstretched arms, was
holding the greens up towards him, and
had been obliged te call te him twice be
fore succeeding in arousing him from his
reverie
" Here are the greens, Mr. Burnett."
"O, Michael, excuse inc. I forget all
about the greens."
"What were you thinking about, Mr.
Burnett ? About Geerge ? He was here
last year helping us at this work, I remem
ber ; and I just wonder where he is te-day ?
Such a lively lad as he was, te be sure !
Why, de you knew, sir, it don't seem te
me at all like Chiistmas without that boy.
Ever since he was a baby he's followed me
about the church, the graveyard, the par
sonage and everywhere ; watched me dig.
giug the graves, ringing the bell and light
ing the church, until I de believe I loved
him as much as if he'd been my own child
instead of yours. De you think it's as
it is here'."'
But the pastor made no answer, for Mi
chael's words had only served the purpose
of plunging him iute deeper thought about
his boy ; a tall, -fair-haired, blue eyed
stripling of a lad, whom He loved with all
the unutterable affection of a father for
his first-born son, and whom he had never
theless, strange te say, laid as a sacrifice
en the altar of his country, even as Abra
ham of old had stretched forth his hand
te slay Isaac at the call of the Lord.
At last the greens were all hung, and
the pastor walked ever te his parsonage.
" Papa ! papa!" shouted the children, as
he was heard at the deer stamping the
snow from his shoes, "Papa, te-morrow is
Christmas !"
" Kithmath." lisped little Madge, as she
climbed up ou his knee and nestled back
in his arm, while Reb aud Gcrtie mounted
ou cither side of his chair.
"Yes, children, te-morrow is Christmas.
And you are all glad and hnppy, and that
is right. But papa is a little heavy-hearted
when he thinks of Gcordie se far away
from home, without any geed warm house
and out in the cold, with little onengh te
cat, I fear, Ged help him, peer boy."
"But Gcordie is a soldier," said Reb,
"an' he doesn't mind it; 'cause when
soldiers gets cold au' hungry, they says,
'I don't care!'"
" Papa, will we have a Christmas tree
this year'.''' asked Gertie.
"Well, childicu, you'll have te get te
bed early, r.e Santa Claus may have a
chance te bring it in and put it up."
It was sad work for the pastor and his
wife, that putting up of the Christmas
tree. Neither spoke much while the orna
ments were being tied en, and the gifts
for the children set forth in order beneath
the tree, for both were busy thinking of
their blue-eyed first-born, whose name
they scarce could mention new but with
tears. And when all was done, and to te
gcthcr they knelt down beneath the Christ
mas tree and prayed earnestly and fervently
te Him who had once been a child Himself,
that as the blessed Christ-Child He would
come and abide in the hearts of the chil
dren asleep in the chamber overhead, they
mingled their tears as with brekcu utter
ance they prayed that Ged's especial grace
and mercy might be with him wlie was
afar from home.
And where was Geerge Burnett, or
Gcerdie, as he was known in the family,
this Christmas eve, new nearly twenty
years age ? The scene of our story must
shift new from the quiet Northern village I
te the pine forests of "Virginia. A com- f
pany of cavalry, or what was left of the
company after the Gettysburg campaign,
being en scout duty, had for several days
been reconneitring away te the right
wing of the army of the Potomac, new
safely ledged Jin its winter cantonments,
and halted for the night in a little raviue
surrounded by a dense undergrowth of
scrub-pine and cedar. It was snowing
fast. The pines bendiug beneath their
white ceverinz, afforded a tolerable shelter
for the men and horses, while in the open
space blazed a great camp fire, whose
flickering light added its charm te the
wild and weird scene.
"Say, boys, deu't you thiuk you are
making a little tee bijr a lire, there ? Snow
is a geed reflector, you knew, aud we may ,
have some of 3lesby's men. down- en us
befere morning."
"Well, Cap, that's se. Bui we've get
te keep warm some way, haven't wc?"
"Besides, it's Christmas Eve, you
knew," said Burnett, "and it makes a
fellow feel like hazing a little fire te thiuk
of the jelly times they are having at home
te-night."
"Pile en another leg, Gcerdie," said
Jee Winters, "and let 'cm see us if they
want te ; Mosbyer no Mesby, we've get te
have a fire te toast our shins by and re
mind us that Christmas comes but once in
the year .
" 'O, Christmas comes but once in the year,
Tra.la.la; tra, la, la.
Geed sirs, I wish you all geed cheer,
Tra la la, la la:'"
With no heart for restraining his men
from their hilarity, the captain allowed
them the peer and solitary comfort of
their camp fire, taking geed care, howevcr,
that his pickets en the surrounding hills
should be well posted and wide awake.
Befere settling down by the fire for the
night, he personally inspected every pest
and resolved within himself te sleep with
mero than one cye open. As he returned
from ene of these tours of inspection, en
emerging from the bushes what a picture
his tired troopers looked through the
driving snow and the dancing red light of
the camp lire. Seated en piles el pme
brush, with their horses saddled and
tethered beneath the pines, they were hav
ing a jelly time.
Burnett, the favorite of the cempauy,
was singing a song, the rest joining in en
the chorus, se sweet and melodious that
the very horses pricked up their cars at
the seuud. Then followed stories and
anecdotes, grave and cay, with songs and
glees, till the lire flickered low, and all
hands wrapping themselves up in their
great coats and blankets, lay down before
the iire, Indian fashion, and were seen
sound aslcep.
Bang!
"Helle! What's that, boys?"
Bang bang bang !
" Beets and saddles, boys the devils
are en us for sure !"
Kicking the snow ever the smeuldering
fire, the captain ordered his men, in short
sharp tones, like the suppressed blast of a
bugle, te stand by their horses' heads,
make ready their carbines, loosen their
sabres and mount. Screened from obser
vation by a clump of pines along the edge
of the ravine through which the enemy
would likely dash down en them, they
awaited the charge as their pickets came
galloping in with a body of Mesby's troop
crs at their heels.
"New, my lads, "shouted the captaiu,
"leek te your carbines and sabres, aud let
thorn have it!"
Net anticipating se sudden a check te
their headlong ceursn, and with no sus
picion of the neat little ambuscade await
ing them, Mesby's men were thrown
somewhat into confusion by the sudden
shock, as with ringing carbines and swift
sabre strokes the Union boys dashed out
ou thorn with a chcer. It was short, sharp
work, man te man and herse te horse, the
tfhole affray occupying scarcely mere time
than it takes te rclate it, wlicu in a cloud
of snow at their horses' heels Mesby's
men dashed up the defile and away.
Several men were killed en either side
and seme wounded, tee, whom wc need
net step te mourn ever, for such arc the
chances of war but where was Burnett ?
"Burnett! Burnett!" sang out his
messmate, Winters, as he steed leaning
against his herse. " Any of you fellows
knew where Gcerdie is'."' Tuero was no
answer. He was net among the wounded,
he could net be found among the killed.
"By Jove! said Winters, "they've
taken Geordie prisoner !"
Without a word mero. ami uttterly
heedless of an ugly wound in the shoulder,
Winters mounted his herse anil dashed at
full gallop in the direction Mesby's men
had taken.
"Winters! step!" shouted the captain.
He might as well have shouted te a whirl
wind. Fer Joe Winters a tall, raw-boned
man of great physical strength and fiery
temperj had from the first taken a strange
liking for the slender and rather delicate
lad of light hair aud blue eyes, aud auy
day would have gene through fire and flood
or worse for the love he bore him. And
the suspicieu that Geordie was a prisoner,
and the ccrtaiuty that he would never ro re
turn.alive, aroused in Winters the heroic
determination te ocrtake Mesby's men
and surrender himself instead of Geordie !
Hew he rode hard and Jast mile alter
mile that wintry Christina.'? morning hew
he overtook the Confederate cavalry with
their prisoner riding iu the midst what
scenes there were amongst the boys in
gray, ns dismounting they listened te the
gallant proposal of Winters te ransom
their prisoner with his own body hew
Geordie expostulated, entreated, begged
the wounded Winters te desist, and hew
in spite of all his rcnienstrauccs he was
conveyed back again the next morning te
his own men, I will net step mero particu
larly te relate. Suffice it te say that at
daybreak, as they were preparing te break
camp, Geordie rode into the midst of them
and threw himself en the ground in a
passion of tears.
"Why, Burnett," said the captaiu,
"what's the matter? Are you hurt bad
ly?" "O, no, Cap, but Winters "
"Aye, my boy, Winters can you tell
me what has bcoemo of him ?"
"Yes, sir. They took me prisoner iu
the fight last night aud Winters has gene
and given himself up a prisoner in my
stead !"
II.
Anether year had passed away and a
second Christmas Eve was drawiug near.
Gcerge Burnett's father aud mother, and
old Michael tee, as well as they, anx
iously and impatiently awaited the holi
days ; for when tbe holidays came Gcerdie
would be home en furlough.
Old Michael, having'madc unusual prepa
ration for the decoration of the church,
was ill high glce. Thcre should be a most
bountiful ettering et the laurel, box aud
pine that year in the Lord's house, " for
Gcerdie, my boy, is coming home," said
he te himself.
Fenr weeks, three weeks, two weeks
aye, it was only two weeks yet till Christ
mas, when one morning old Michael,
scarcely able any longer te defer his prepa
rations for the chancel decoration, walked
ever te the parsonage and into the pastor's
study, saying as he entered
"Mr. Burnett, don't you think we'd
better be making seme arrangements abeu t
getting the greens for the church ? It is
only two weeks yet, and then "
The worthy pastor's face had been averted
se that Michael had. net seen the leek of
unspeakable anguish there was upon it,
until the pastor replied, wearily raising
his head and speaking with bloodless lip3,
nnd a countenance en which unutterable
wee was written in every feature :
"Michael, there won't be any decora
tions in the chancel this year."
" Ne decorations this year ! And Geer
die coming home, tee ! Why, sir, I've
been sexton of this church for well nigh
forty year, aud I never yet "
"Michael," interrupted' the pastor,
"that may all well be. But, read that; that;
Ged knows I cannot tell you ; read that."
Taking the letter which the pastor held
out toward him with a trembling hand,
Michael put en his glasses, went ever te
the window and read ; aye read
A letter from the captain commanding
Geerdic's company, which set forth in
brief yet terrible words hew after several
days of almost continual marching and
fighting, aud while holding a very im
pertant pest at the extreme left of the
army in front of Petersburg, his son
Geerdie had been found in the grand
round asleep en his pest, had been at once
ordered under arrest, and was te be forth
with tried by court-martial, the judgment
of which it was feared would be severe.
" Ne effort," said the captain, " will be
spared te save the brave and gallant boy.
Nevertheless use all the influence you can
command with the authorities at home,
and make no delay."
Paralyzed as by a mighty grief, old
Michael steed looking at the letter as if he
did net at. all comprehend what it was all
about, when a second letter was thrust
into his hand, a letter from Geordie him
self, saying in brief yet awful words
" Papa aud mamma, what the captain has
written is only tee true. Ged help me !
Pray for me without ceasing !"
The unutterable grief thcre was in that
quiet country parsonage during theso days
of awful suspense, the reader is left te im im
agine for himself. A gloom as of mid
night settled down en the unfortunate
household. Mr. Burnett, having taken
every measure te bring such influence te
bear ou the authorities as te save
his beloved boy from the extreme
and tcrrible punishment due te his
crime, in spite of the reassuring words of
fricuds, settled down te the firm convic
tion that Geerdic's days were numbered.
Fer hours at a time, there he would sit in
his chair with his head bowed en his study
table, paralyzed, benumbed, deadened,
unable te arouse himself from his sorrow,
tee full of au inexpressible giief te pray or
even te weep Had their beloved one
fallen in the gallant charge, or died of dis
ease, hard as that had been, it could have
been perhaps, endured with fortitude, or,
at least, with resignation ; but this, this
was mere than heart could bear.
Gloomy indeed was that Christmas
time in the household. The peer children,
unable te enter into their parents' grief,
or even fully te appreciate the cause of it,
were yet hushed aud awed into a siience,
which strangely contrasted with their cus
tomary mcrrimcut at that happy season of
the year.
And se the merry, merry Christmas Eve
of 180-1 came en. The sleigh-bells sounded
checrily iu the crisp, sharp air, as people
dreve swiftly by, and all the village was
aglow with joy and glee. At the parson
age, the children had been put te bed
early, with no prospect, alas, of a Christ
mas tree greetiug them in the morning
" because," said Gcrtie as she tucked her
self under the covers, "Yeu see, old Santa
Claus don't like te go te houses where
people are se sorry."
" Yes, he likes peeple te be glad when
he comes," answered Keb.
"Won't Santa Claus come te-night,
papa? " Little Madge had climbed out of
her crib and geno down iu her long night
dress te the study deer, where her father
and mother were sitting in sorrow to
gether, "Ne, my peer child, thcre will be no
Santa Claus for us te-night, I fear."
"Bccause we are all se sorry, papa?
Sauta Claus doesn't like te ceme te houses
where peeple are se sorry. Deu't cry,
papa aud mamma, I will pray tlie gcei
Lord te let our Gcordie live and ceme
home."
It was one o'clock Christmas morning.
Yet there they sat, pastor and wife, talk
ing of the happy times gene by of Geor Geer
dic's babyhood aud his fine premise of a
noble manhood his brave aud gallant be
havior en many a hard fought field aud
again aud again mingling their tears, and
weeping bitterly as they thought of his
danger and the cruel deem that might be
awaiting him.
" Hew terrible te endure this untold an
guish, Martha, en this glad night of our
blessed Lord's birth ! I fear mc the bells,
which should ring out joy te the world en
the morrow, will de naught but tell and
tell for mc."
" Come, Jehn," said she, ' we should
be mere trustful, it may net be se ill. Let
us hepe for the best."
"Hepe? Aye, wife, I have hoped and
prayed, till Ged Himself seems utterly te
have forsaken mc, and left mc crushed
under this mighty jri-ief the Lord forgive
mc my want of faith ! Hark ! Did net
you hear a noise out there, Martha? "
There was a clanking seuud ou, the
perch, followed by a distinct knock thrice
repeated. Taking the lamp in her hand,
the geed wife went out, opened the deer
thcre was a shriek a mean, aud a
heavy fall te the fleer. On rushing out
forthwith, judge of the emotions of the
worthy pastor ou seeing his wife fallen iu
a swoon en the fleer, and bendiug tender
ly ever her a man in a cavalryman's uni
form !
"Geerdie! Gcordie! My Ged, it is
Gcordie ; my son, my son ! "
"Yes, father. But it is tee much for
peer mother, I fear let me carry her in."
New, the sleep of children is proverbi
ally light en Christmas night, aud se it
was no wonder the little ones in the cham
ber above were awakened by the noise be
low. "Keb," said Gertie.
"Well," answered Keb,
"Arc you awake? ''
"Yes."
"Did you hear that neise ? I wonder
whether it wasn't Santa Claus trying te
get in?"
" Oh, no, Gertie. Yeu knew papa said
Santa Clans would net come te our house
te-night."
"I'll net up aud sec," said little Madge.
Climbing out of her crib aud going te
the stairway, there she steed, like a little
fairy in her leug night dress, calling :
"Papa! Papa! Did Santa Claus ceme
for all?"
"Yes !" answered a strange voice.
" Who are you ? " said she. " I deu't
knew you. Are you Santa Ciaus ? "
"Aye, Madgie, my sweet little angel
sister; I am your Santa Claus te-night !"
Then rang out through the house the
glad chorus of the children's' voices sweeter
than the chimes of any merry Christmas
bells "Geerdie! Gcerdie ! It's Gcerdie,
come home te us all ! "'
Ne mere sleep was thcre in the parson parson
age that night. With the children en his
knee or hanging ever his chair, and his
mother lying beside him en the lounge,
faint yet from her tee sudden joy, ueorge
Burnett sat talking with his father as the
dawn of the Hely Day came streaming up
ever the Eastern hills.
"But, Geordie," my boy, "said Mr.
Burnett, " you have net told us yet hew
you came te sleep en your pest."
" Well, father, the way of it was this:
Oue year age last night, in a little fight
we had with Mesby's men, you remember
I was taken prisoner ; you knew, tee, hew,
against my will and without my consent,
I was ransomed by Joe Winters, who gave
himself up te Me3by's men in my stead.
Oh, a truer, braver, nobler fellow than he
never buckled en a sabre ! But after he
came back te us he was never the same
man physically as before. He was broken
down by prison life and his old wound had
reopened ; but his high and gallant soul,
tJiat knew no change. Well, about a month
age we were sent off en a raid, and after
having been aherse continuously for two
days and nights without any sleep, save
what we could get in the saddle, we were
assigned ene night te duty en a dangerous
and important part of the line en the ex
treme left eT the army. As usual Jee was
put en the pest of danger, where I found
him' when the second relief went out, sick,
suffering and utterly exhausted and broken
down, and compelling him te go te the
rear I took bis place. I thought I could
keep awake, but. father, I could net. Ut
terly exhausted, the "grand rounds"
found me sound asleep and the rest you
knew. When the facts came out, in the
course of court-martial, the General said :
" Yeuug man, you have made a narrow
escape. It was only your taking the place
of a sick and wounded comrade that saved
you."
"General," said 1, "Jee Winters once
gave hin life for mine. Should I net will
ingly give my life for his? And se my
furlough; which had been withheld during
the court-martial, was handed mc and
here I am."
"Reb," said the pastor, "run and call
old Michael ever. And, Geordie, you just
step ever into the ether room whcn'Miehaal
comes in, till I call you."
As Michael entered the pastor said :
" Michael, you will ring the bell, aud ring
it right joyfully, tee. There shall he no
telling of bells for me this day.
" Ring the bell !" exclaimed Michael.
"And what for, sir? Did you net say we
were te have no service? Or is it possible
you have heard seme geed news of
Ocer "
Whcrcupeu, te Michael's utter aud most
joyful surprise, in walked the young and
handsome cavalrymau.
"Aye, Michael," said the paster:
" King the bells ! King the bells ! And
ring them full, joyfully, tee for this, my
son. ' was dead and is alive agaiu ; he was
lest and is found !' "
CHRISTMAS!
IN OTHER LANDS.
TIIK HOLIDAY Or CIlKfeTUXimM.
Hew Tliey Used te Keep It, nnd Hew We
Keep it Snir,
"Christmas comes but once a year"
perhaps it is as well. We arc a dyspeptic
people, and if it came mero often our suf
ferings would be fearful ; aud yet hew our
British ancestors enjoyed it, aud hew they
ate ! Fer days tbe fires blazed iu the
great hearths, and the yawning chimney
reared with the blaze of oak legs, and the
cook lest her temper, and the scullions
trembled before her, and the game-kecpers
were en feet night and day, and poachers
prowled in the crisp lerest ; and above, in
the great hall, the maidens and youths
hung the holly, and with mischievous and
arch leeks aud red lips, which pouted
mauy a temptation, the mistletoe bough
was draped in the most convenient place
for unconsciously standing beneath it.
Hew they managed te move about at all
after dinner is a mystery te their degener
ate descendants, for then
'They served up salmon, venison and bears
l!y hundreds and by dozens and by scores ;
Hogsheads of honey, kilderkins of mustard;
Muttons and fatted beeves and bacon swine:
Herens and bitterns, peacocks, swans and
bustard,
Teal, mallard, pigeons, widgeons, and in line
Plum-puddings, pancakes, apple-pica and cus
tard. And therewithal th'-y drank geed liascen
wine.
With mead and ate and cider."
We will add te this the "Labeicrs'
bong," from an old print :
" New thrice welcome Chri-diuaj,
Which brings us geed cheer.
Mince pics and plum porridge,
Geed ale and strong beer.
With pig, geese and capon,
The best that may be.
With holly uud ivy,
Se green ami se gay,
Wc deck up our houses
As ircsh as the day.
With bays and rosemary.
And laurel complete,
Antt everyone new
Is a king In conceit."
They drank in proportion le their eat
ing, geed, wholesome liquor mostly, which
accounts, with aueut of-deer life, for such
excess net killing them, as it would kill
off a modern toper. We de uet nay, how
ever, that catiug aud drinking was all of
Christmas in the olden time in England.
But it is the phase of it most dwelt upon
by old writers. Even a bishop thought it
no derogation te chant of "Jelly geed ale
and old," aud doubtless could drink his
till with the best of them. Wc mean
Jehn Still, bishop of Bath and Wells.
Frem his office, he, if any euc, should
have been a cold-water advocate. But we
find in the eldest comedy in the English
language "Gammer Gurten's Needle, "the
convivial bishop singing :
" I cannot cat but little meat,
My stomach is net geed :
Uut ure I think that! can drink
Willi auy that wears a heed ;
The' I go bare, lake ye no care,
I nothing am a cold ;
l stutl' my skin se lull within
Of jelly geed ale aud old.
Hack and side, go bare, go bale :
ISeth foertoid hand, go cold ;
l"i:t belly, Ced send thee geed ale enough
Whether It be new or old."
Knglisli Festivities.
The geed bishop sung thus in 15GG, but
we fear that aftcrwaids the license of the
times often abandoned the "jelly geed
ale an' old" for stronger liquors. A
writer who very much resembles Charles
Lamb iu his style and quaintucss of ex
pression, says of the men of a later date :
"Put au Englishman, behind a full pet
and he will drink until he cauuet stand.
At first he is silent, but as the liquor gets
towards the bottom he inclines te conver
sation. As he replenishes, his coldness
tiiaws and he is conversational. The
eftcner he calls te "fill again" the mere
talkative he becomes, aud when thorough
ly liquefied his loquacity is deluging. The
business of dinner ou Christmas aud
ether feast days, brings en the greater
business of drinking ; and the potations
are strong aud fiery full-bodied pert, het
sherry and spirits. This occupation con
sumes five or six hours, and perhaps mere
after dining. Wine aud walnuts with a
vengeance. Thcre is no rising from it but
te toss off the glass, and te huzza after
the 4 hip ! hip ! hip !' of the toast
given. A calculation of the number who
celebrate festivals after this fashion might
be usefully illustrated by the reports of
physicians, wives and nurses, and the bills
of apothecaries. By continuing the ' was
sail ' of our ancestors we attempt te use
the body as they did, but we are ether
beings, cultivated in ether ways, with
faculties aud powers of mind which would
have astonished their generations quite as
much as their rebustcr constitutions, if
they were te reappear among us, would
astonish ours. Their employment was in
hunting the forest for feed, or following
iu armor, with risk te life and limb. They
had no ledgers, no commerce, no Christ
inas bills, no letter writing, no printing,
no engraving, no bending ever the desk,
no wasting of the brain, no financiering ;
net a hundredth part of the social rcl
tiens nor of the cares that wc have."
A Christmas i'le.
It takes us back te the old days of Reme
te find Sir Henry Gray having prepared
for his Christmas feast a pie nine lcet iu
circumference at bottom, and se heavy
that it took two men te lift it, aud se
cumbrous that it was neatly fitted in a box
en wheels te roll it around the tabic te
cacii guest. It may interest our house
keepers te knew its contents, in case they
wish te make ene like it for their own
tables. Take two bushels of flour, 20
pounds of butter, 4 geese, 2 turkeys, 2
rabbits, 4 wild ducks, 2 woodcock, G snipe,
1 partridges, 2 ncats tongues, 2 curlews, 7
blackbirds and G pigeons ; build a small
house especially for it for we moderns
have degenerated in the matter of evens
and bake ; serve cold. As the rage is uew
for mcdiaivalism, old furniture, antiques,
stained glass aud cur graiidmether.V
dresses, the pic may be served in old style,
with a bear's head with a lemon in Us
mouth, garnished with herbs, and served
by stalwart yceuicu in green coats and low
shoes with bread buckles, scarlet doublets P
and gray yaru hezen, and be carved by
the official carver, arrayed as described iu
the " Squycr of Lewe Degree."
- There he arrayed 1dm in scarlet red.
And set a cliapltt en hW hedde.
A belte about his sides tee.
With brede banes te ami ire ;
A home about his necke he easU
And fertlie he went at the last
Te de his eltice In the lialte
Among the Lenlcs both great and a mall."
The Mummer.
A jester with cap and boils, or, if pie
ferred, a " lord of misrule," te furnish
riot and amusement, and a cempauy of
musicians with lutes, viols aud citherns
se will the festivity be aucieut and aesthet
ic. But it would have te be held out cf
the way et quiet people with modern
nervcs,and after all it would be incomplete
without the Christmas plays, masques and
spectacles which followed.- Imagiue a res
urrected ancestor, accustomed te the
mummeries of old times, introduced te a
modern pantomime "Hunipty Duuipty,"
for instance. It is interesting te netu the
change -in Christmas plays. First, in
l.'51S, we have the muiumciv,'' prob
ably without dialogue men disguised iu
ma.ks of heads of animals aud grotesque
hoeus, relics of the "moirice d.ineeis."
We find dresses ordered for the mum
mcrs befere King Edward III ; eighty
tunics of buckram, forty-two visors, four
teen faces of women, fourteen heads of
aniiels, and mantles embroidered with
dragons' heads, tunics with the heads
aud eyes of peacocks, with stars and vari
eus devices. A step further, in the time
of Henry VIII., we find masques and pa
geants; and later still "Punch and Judy,"
the lather aud mother of thn pantomime ;
the next the pantomime, which keeps the
stage te-day as peculiar te Christ mar.
week.
Christmas Superstition.
As te the superstitious connected with f
the day, have auy conic down te us? De
sonic still say?
" Ever lien that season come.-.
Wherein our buvieurV- birth i- ccU-h-itrd.
The bird et dawning Miiirtlt all night len0-.
Ami then no spirit stir abroad.
The night are wholesome; then no plaiicU
strike:
Xe fairy talks, nerwiteh hath power te eltarir :
Se hallowed anil se gracious is the time."
In old prints of thcNativity an ex aud an
ass arc represented as in the stalls, meekly
regarding the Virgin and the Child iu the
manger. The tradition was that en "Old
Christmas Day " all oxen in stall went
down ou their knees at midnight, and as
late as 17G0 many country people iu Eng
Isud professed te have watched and seen
the exeu get down en their knee:; "with a
mean like Christian creatures,' exactly
as the clock was ou the stroke of twelve.
A Jlinleiii i;n;;li-ili Christmas.
Let us conic down te the bugiuuiiig of
our own century and sec hew Christ
mas, though the same iu spirit, i-"
changed in manner of observ
ance. We go back te a magazine of the
time, where we happeu te find just what
wc want. Says the writer in hi:; graphic
sketch the scene is iu England, it is
scarcly necessary te say : "On the north
side el the church arc a great many heliy
trcS. It is from these that our dining
and bedrooms are furiiisliel with boughs.
Families hcic take it by turns te enter
tain their friends. They meet early. The
beef and pudding arc noble, aud se are
the miuce pics. The nuts, half playthings
and half eatable ; the eraugesaru cold and
acid, as they ought te be; the wassail
bowls, gcucietis old English, huge, dt:
mauding lad'c-, thicatcning ovuifiewa:.
they come iu, solid with i ousted apples
when set down. Tewaids bedtime yeir
hcar of elder wine, aud net teldein efy
punch. At the manor heu.se it is pietty
much the bame as elscwharc gills, al
though ladies, are kissing under the
mistletoe. If auy family among u:j
happens le have hit upon an excellent
brewing they send.it round about, the
.'.quire's heiu.e included, aud he docs the
same by the rest. Riddles, het uucklct.,
forfeits, music, dances, sudden and net te
be :-upptcsscd, prevail among great and
small, and from two o'clock te midnight
the village leeks like a deserted place out
of deer::, but is full of life and merriment,
within. Wc had a discussion as te what
was the great point and crowning glory el
Christmas. Many wjte l'r mince- pies,
some for the beef and plum pudding, morn
for the wassail bowl. A maiden lady
timidly said the mistletoe, but we agreed
at last that although these wn-j prodigious,
and some of them exclusively belonging le
the season, the fhs wa-; the gieat indis
pensable ; upon which wc all turned our
faces tw wards it r.nd began warming nu
hands. A great blazing fire is t'n; visible
heart and soul of Chriitaias ; a huge,
heaped up, ever heaped up, all attiMctin-r
fiie, with a semicircle of faces, is net te le
denied us."
Clirlxtinas i:i Amcrit-t.
But alas it is denied it; and what have
we in i's place? The turkey fe. our crown
ing blessing at this season. Let us lien :
our national bird ! It would be uiqat iuti-
net te de se. When he came in as appre
priatJ especially te the season wc knew
net, but he is a worthy usurper ever bear'.;
head and beef a monarch who icigus by
gastronomic right. After all, however, he
is net the ciewning blcstiig of the .sea
son, i le is common te Thanks-giving and
ether days. It is net even that most, mod
ern of customs breaking in upon the
character of the day and meic" honored in
the breach thau the observance." "Christ
mas visits from house te house. Ne ! wa
get our great joy of the day, our modern
crowning blessing, from abroad. Wc arr TjpL
net children any longer, nor de wc knew
hew te play as children, as our aifec:.tei'
did. Fer us there arc no mere "cakes and
ale." We are tee big, tee wise, tee digni
fied, tee self-conscious, tee careworn. Wc
have no children among us ever ten years
of age. But te all under that age wc offer
the " Christmas Tree." It is easy te find
out where the custom of a Christmas tiec
for the children and of Christmas gifts
comes from. It from Germany aud Den
mark. Se late as the time when Coleridge
wrote " The Friend " it was little known
if known at all in England or
America, for Coleridge writes in Lis thin!
essay of Part II : " Thcic is a Christinas
custom here at Ratzeburg which plvased
and interested mc. The children make
little presents te their p.vrcnts and te each
ether, and the parents te their children.
On the evening before Christmas day ene
of the parlors is lighted up by the cm!
drcn, iute which the parents must net g.
A great yew bough is fastened te the
table at a little distance from the wall ; a
multitude of tapers aic fastened en the
heugh, and "cplercd papers hang and Hat
ter from the twigs. Under this bough the
children lay out iu great order the pre
sents they mean for their parent?, till
concealing in their pockets what they
mean for each ether. Then the parents
are introduced, and each presents his
little gift, and then bring out the rest, one
by one, from their pockets ami present
them with kisses and embrace.;. On the
next day the parents lay out the presents
for the children." The custom of giving
Christmas boxes ti children had long ex
isted in England, as we find in Grr.y's
" Trivia."
"Heme boys are rich by birth beyond all
wants,
Jlcleved by uncles and kind, geed old aunts.
When thu time comes round a Christina- box
they bear.
And one day make them rich ler all the
year."
The Christmas Tree. i
But the universal making of presents
only came later with the Christmas ticc.
Earlier it was confined te pr. tents of
game, Christmas boxes as above, etc. It
is probable that in America the Christm: s
tree was and is mere popular than in E. in
land, our large Gcrmati population sett mi'
us the example in se many het:ehGids.
Christmas is, with us, the children's day,