PAGE EIGHT
THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 19x2.
The First Christmas
Day In America
THE flret Amcrlcim olwcrvnncn
of Clirlatmns day wns fur
from n merry 0110. It was
spent by Columbus and bin
thlp'H company nmoiiK hcciics of peril,
disorder nnd cxcltomcnt cotiHcquenl
upon tlio Krentest dlsastor whlcli
bad befallen the expedition. On
Christmas eve the admiral's llnpslilp,
tile Santa Maria, which had so stout
ly plowed unknown seas since that dis
tant September day when she dropped
nRtcrn tho outermost Canary Island,
laid her clumsy Spanish bones to rest
off tho coast of what is now Haiti.
Her crew spent the following day,
Christmas, partly on the Haitian shoro
and partly on her consort, the tiny
caravel Nina.
Tho story of the disaster and the
day may be told In this wise:
Stilling from tho TortURan roadstead,
the flagship squared nway for the coast
of Ilnltl and entered upon her closing
days.
In tho morning watch of the 21th,
tho day following their return, Colum
bus gave orders that the expedition
should start for (Suacanngari's capi
tal. Tho yards of the two craft were
triced away, and a start wns made in
n light wlnu that blow almost dead
ahead.
A strong current was swooping the
ship quickly along. Directly In her
path was a sand bank, on which the
breakers swept with a roar which open
cars could have heard half a mile
away, but which now sounded no
warning to any on board. Suddenly
the Santa Marin's keel grnted heavily
for some moments 011 the submerged
sand, nnd then she struck violently
nnd lurched to one side with n strain
which sprung her masts.
All was confusion. Tho watch rush
ed to the Ikiws and then jumped to
the ropes. Columbus, rushing out from
the cabin, took in the situation at first
glance.
".lesu Maria!" ho exclaimed. "We
have grounded!"
Christinas morning dawned on n
Fccne of singular Interest Our fancy
tub? ka:sed X CROSS.
Ukcs to range back through four shad
owy centuries to the new world's first
Christinas nnd that remote and other
wise lnslgnlllcnnt sand spit In the
Caribbean, to that forgotten picture in
which the devout children of holy
mother church nnd tho loyal subjects
)f their most Catholic mnjesties of
Castile, Aragon and Leon tolled in
thankful fellowship with the generous
savages whom they had regarded us
beathen. To seaward of tho stranded
ressel lay the caravel Nina nnd n small
flotilla of canoes. Around llonted
pars, casks, coops and general wreck
ige. It had for some hours been ovl
Jont that the ship wns doomed to lay
or bones to rest in Davy Jones' lock
;r, and the admiral, wit tho coining
it daylight, began to transfer to the
fllna what was left of her provisions.
In tills work tho cacique and Ills
counger brother directly assisted him.
Toward noon tho Spaniards discon
tinued work. For almost eighteen
lours they had labored with scarcely
in intermission nnd nature could stand
10 more. Their Immediate prospects
ivere ns bright as they could reason
ibly hope for, ns tho more portable
provisions and stores had been trans
ported to tho Santa Maria's consort.
They now determined to rest until the
:ool of tho day, when they should re
nunc work. On coming to this deci
sion they rowed to the shoro nnd, In
iccordanco with their custom, erected
1 cross on tho highest point within
ronvenlent distance. Tills done, the
fellow banner of the Spanish king
loins, with Its castles and lions, was
lisplaycd, and mass was celebrated In
Donor of tho anniversary. Toward
nightfall tho work of transferring was
taken up, but bo great had been the
moral nnd physical strain on tho crows
that It was coon Judged best to await
the ensuing morning, nnd after n ves
per chant nil hands, savo a small
watch, turned in, some on tho shore
ind some aboard the Nina. Thus ended
Columbus' Christmas In tho year of
Uscovery, 1402. Bt. Loula Qlobo-Dem-
CHRISTMAS EVE
IN POVERTY ROW
T
WAS tho night before Chrlstmnu,
nnd nil through tho street
Swrpt the cold wintry blunt nnd
tho fast falling Moot.
No voice of kind erecting the grim
silence broke.
From rooftop nnd chimney there Issued
no smoke.
No window wns roil with tho fire's worm
Klnro;
No odor of garlnnds wan borno on tho nlr;
No shop where tho splendor nnd blozo of
the IlKht
Shone out on tho doom of that chill win
ter's night.
Thcro was darkness nbove, there was
darkness below,
On the night before Christmas In Poverty
row.
For warmth, light nnd comfort, nlas, thcra
wns not
In tho shelterless homes of that desolate
spot,
Whore the storm nnd the wind might en
ter nnd roar
Through broken down window or half
fallen doorl
No children who lived In that poor,
wretched place
Could you And with n bright nnd n sun
shiny fnco.
No stockings were hung there; no glad
ness or mirth
Could bo found on the eve of the good
Saviour's birth.
No carols wero sung In that region of woe
On tho night before Christmas In Poverty
row.
"NO STOCKINGS WERE HUNG THKHK."
In tho fancy of childhood what image to
bright
As fur trimmed St. Nick, tho good genius
of night.
With his broad, ruddy face nnd kind, lov
ing eye,
As bright as tho sunshine of midsummer's
sky;
With his jolly red cap and tho big lnden
pack.
Which he merrily bears on his broad,
sturdy back!
Can It be that St. Nick has forgotten the
poor
Or tho homes that are barren and drear
as the moor?
Has he gifts for young Croesus and none
for poor Joe
On tho night before Christmas In Poverty
row?
Ah, St. Nick, there's a sptrlt-tho spirit of
sleep
That comes to the child who but wakens
to weep
When In dreams ho beholdB a great tree
all bcdlght.
And from its fir boughs seems to come a
great light!
Then the voice of tho Master is heard to
decree,
"Thou shalt suffer the children to come
unto me."
Ah, If we but follow his precept, I woon.
We would all bo St Nicks and send well
laden teams
With presents and gifts that would banlijh
all woe
And mako happy the Christmas In Pov
erty row.
John Ilevat.
ROYALTY AND CHRISTMAS.
The Emperor and Empress of Germany
Bestow Raro Gifts.
In tho German royal household each
member has his or her own Individual
Chrlstmns tree. Tho gift of the em
press to her Imperial spouse Is usually
some souvenir from n famous battle.
Throughout the yenr she has her agents
scouring tho earth for rare trophies
and spares no expenso in procuring the
one that strikes her fancy. Tills is
placed at tho foot of tho emperor's
tree. In tills way nnd by other means
ho has gathered a flno musouin of wnr
relics. One Christmas the present ho
received wns a pistol used by General
Jackson nt tho battle of New Orleans.
The empress also makes presents to
Indigent clergymen. Tho package to
each of tlieso consists of an outfit of
clothing, n Christmas card and a cake
baked by her own hands. Tho kaiser's
gift to his wife is usually n fine Jewel
or some article mado by his own hands.
In England the celebration of Christ
inns lapsed nfter tho time of Crom
well and the Puritans, who regarded it
as too much of n pagan festival. Its
rovivnl came nbout through tho writ
ings of Churlcs Dickens nnd the royal
observance of tho day by tho prince con
sort and Queen VIctorln. After Prince
Albert's death tho queen modified her
observance of tho day for n few years.
Santa's Gifts.
Tha niwi that Santa,
had left (wo gift
Inspired Ms broarfosC
jlrini,
But hia grinning
stoppad
And he nearly drop
ped Whan ha learnt d tha
(wo ware (wins I
Preparing For Christmas.
"There was a man sent from Ood."
riio English of it could not 1k more
ilmplc or direct.
One sees ns In 11 vision the man of
the wilderness, clothed In a garment
of camel's hair, faco that of nn nscetic,
spnro of frame tho mnn who fed on
locusts and wild honey.
And then wo stop there. "There wns
a man sent from God" that Is all.
Some of us perhaps who know his
story follow him n little further In our
mental vision as he went nbout pro
clnlmlng his tidings. Some of us per
haps wonder what tho next picture
will bo. Some of us 'say over, "There
was n man sent from God," with eon
ildernblc accent on the smallest word,
and mcutnlly remark, "What of it?"
But does it not occur to you that
moro than 0110 has been "sent" thnt
for some reason or other every living
soul has a mission here nnd therefore
that you nnd 1 have one, too, nnd, If wo
were sent, why?
Not for the mere sending, ns we like
to believe.
If we were sent there wns 11 purpose
in it.
Thcro nro "tidings" for our spread
ing, Just 11s there were in those dnys of
long ago, and a work for us to do.
Are wo doing It, or are we so occu
pied witli our own lives nnd hopes nnd
.imbltlons and pleasures thnt we have
lulto forgotten life was given us for
something besides eating nnd drinking,
sleeping nnd working and genernl en
joyment? If this is what we have been doing
there Is 110 better season In all the year
(or starting nfresh on a right basis to
Jo the work and carry the messages of
happiness to others, for which we were
sent.
Somehow Christ mas, with all its po-
jtry, lias n most practical side. There
Is so much work to bo done.
Are we preparing our Christmas gifts
selfishly, giving only to those from
whom we expect gifts In return, or
are wo planning to do n bit of the
work for which we were sent plan
ning to make Christmas a happy time
for some of the less favored ones of
sarth?
And nro you doing your utmost? Are
we giving what wo can in our Christ
mas gifts, or are wo giving for the
Christ's sake whatever happens to bo
loft over after we have bought expen
sive gifts for our friends which they
Jo not need, luxuries for ourselves
that we could do without, leaving for
him tlio leftover nickels nnd pennies?
No matter what Christmas has been
to us in past years, let us this year
irfvo for tlio sake of tho giving, for the
sake of those who need it, for the sake
of the reason for which we wero
sent."
No matter how small the offering If
It bo our best.
No matter how poor It seems nor
how Insignificant, It Is yours to tell
your Christmas tidings, yours to bring
Christmas happlnoss to some one.
Lot us prcparo our gifts in tho right
spirit a spirit to prove that we wnnt
to do our pnrt and enjoy doing It, In
spreading far nnd wide tho joy and tho
happiness which Christmas day typi
fies Joy nnd hnppiness which we have
been sent to make real to some heart
that perhaps knows, but does not feel
becauso of its suffering or bitterness
sr poverty. Boston Traveler.
Christmas Bella.
Ring the glad tidings, the Saviour Is born!
Ring It, ye bells, on this glorious morn!
And perched on tho branch of my Christ
mas tree
A motley assemblage of maidens see.
Know you what tale to ttwlr ear Were
tells.
four loud merry clanging, ye Christmas
bells?
rhen list I To proud Maud looking ten
derly down
On Jewels that flash on her silken gown,
ro long braided Gretchen, content with
her share
Df chains, though not gold, yet of sau
sages rare.
Four chiming woaves sweetest and fairest
of spells.
Bears whispers prophetic of "wedding
bells."
Ml BWiftly as out rings your warning
tonguo
ills sweetheart gets ready the tea for Ah
Lung,
And ebony Chloo of Fifth nvenuo-Bouth
tn welcoming smiles spreads her generous
mouth.
far different to them Is the trcnt It foro
tells four meaning, prosaic. Just "dinner bells."
Dlanca in tune shakes her gay tambou
rine. and lightly to church trips demuro Angc
llne, Bestowing no look to the left nor tha
right.
rtiough noting full woll tho admirer In
sight.
Out soon n sweet smile all his doubting
dispels,
Knt gayly your chiming betokens "sleigh
bells."
The children run out longed for gifts to
receive,
kni nil tho world full is of Joy, I bellove.
For northward and southward, to east
nnd to west,
Tho bells peal out plainly what each one
likes best.
riien ring yo and swing ye, ye gay Christ
mag bells.
four chiming tho fairest of messages tells,
Etelka Fashion Album.
A Chriitmaa' Song.
Walts' Carol.
Jo resto ye welle, kynde gentlemen;
So rcBte yo welle tonight,
fe moon shynea In an azuro sky;
l'e eastern star has rls'n on high;
So rests ye wello tonight.
io sleepe yo swoete, fayro gentle maids;
So Blecpo ye sweete tonight,
re snowe lies whyte, ye wynds doe moane.
Fe nlghto fiyes on, ye candle's blown,
So sleepo ye sweete tonight.
So resto ye alle, kynde gentle folk;
So reste yo alio tonight.
Hay In your hearts the Christ Child's faoa
Pynde love for alio and give you grace.
80 rests ye welle tonight.
TtAAhMl W"tnn nntlar
THE FARMERS AND
MECHANICS RANK
Gorner of Main and Tenth Streets, Wishes All its Patrons a
"Merry Christmas"
"Happy
We desire to thank
it possible tor
We desire particularly to call your attention to this bank's com
parative growth of its deposits :
June 1st, 1907
May 1st, 1908 -May
1st, 1909
at k J aBaaaaMlj af
May 1st, 1911
Mav 3d. 1912
Nov. 2d,
OFFICERS: M. E. Simons, Pres. J. E. Tiffany, V, Pres. C. A, Emery, Cashier.
(j!) DIRECTORS:
(fQ M. B. Allen, W. H. Fowler, John Weaver, AVI
gv Qeorgo C. Abraham, W. B. Guinnlp, U. Wm. Sell,
J. Sam Brown, M. J. Hanlan, M. E. Simons, BHH
Oscar E. Bunnell. John E. ICrantz, Fred Stephens, H
rS$ Wm. H. Dunn, Fred W. Kreltner, George W. TIsdell, JH
J. E. Tiffany.
ss 0pi3nsAiixiiniiEiniAYis sssB
Built By
MARTIN CAUPIELD. VH
1
and a
New Year."
you for your liberal patronage, which has made 0
the bank's rapid and conservative growth.
1912 -
Globe of Polished Quincy Granite, 40 inches in Diameter, fliflfl
Rrf in "Rrnnlr RJr?f fVmtpn Pnrhnnrlnlp .Pn. HbSHbSbBH
c
a
C
c,
a
$ 24,398.54
$ 109,896.20
$ 161,077.58
$ 241,843.67
$ 272,500.68
$ 304,915.97
$ 339,958.04
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