Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 23, 1908, Page 9

The Story of the Holly Sprig In a little market stall At Yule the sprig lay waiting, For fine folk one and all Passed by that open grating. “I'd be the shiniest green,” Wished once a sprig of holly, “That e’er at Yule was seen, And deck some banquet jolly!” The eve of Christmas day It had been passed by many, When one turned not away And bought it for a penny. “I'd be the cherriest red,” Wished once the holly berry, “That e’er at board rich spread Helped make the feasters mer- ry.” Her’s was a home of care Which was not a wreath made jolly; The only Christmas there Was that sweet sprig of holly. The life within them heard | Down dark and silent courses, For each wish is a word To those far-hidden sources. “Oh, this is better far That banquet!” thought the All summer in the wood, While they were riper growing, leep roots understood, berry; helped without their know- The leaves glowed like a star ing. And made that cottage merry! —Arthur Upson in St. Nicholas. } brit Child and Santa Claus Tnseparable im Foreign Yuletide Lore SES ae See tt Christmas lore of Europe, Claus and the Christ child are ognition of the day entirely to the re- ligious side. Time has softened many of the asperites of the original Puri- tan, but the determination to divide the secular from the religious has sur- vived and wields its influence on Christmas day throughout the length and breadth of the Union. On the continent the simple-minded peasant is abundantly blessed with faith. The symbols and stories, which here have come to be taken-only as beautiful myths, are very real to him. There are a hundred and one beauti- ful local legends in Germany, Italy and Spain telling how the Christ child ler of faith and the jolly n saint of the children are F: y shown together. They are 1 picture, in story, in specta- in legend. e and representation of 1 Claus without the accompany- > of a beautiful child of di- y, oftenest pictured with a r is the is this child who goes with the J ld Chris to see that none of the deserving, no matter how lowly, are { | | | i | | i the middle ages, the Christ child is almost a fairy. Around the head is woven a wreath of green, there is no halo, and from the shoulders go flim- siest. wings, the gossamer texture of a butterfly’s wings. With Santa Claus at his side the Divine Child is attaching to a little Christmas tree magic lights. The German combination of the Christ child and Santa Claus is much more homely, not so fanciful, but none the less entrancing to the youth- ful mind. ARRIVAL OF SANTA AND CHRIST The Russian picture does not differ radically from the Italian except that it gives a little more detail. The Norwegian Santa Claus and Christ child are accompanied through the snow-covered woods by a little reindeer, one of the kind which when grown up is supposed to pull the toy filled sleigh of the old man. The dignitaries of the church see no impropriety in this union of the re- ligious and secular. In fact, they encourage it in the belieg that it brings home the lessons of the holiday a aE THEY LIED TO HIM | “Well, I suppose you are getting ready for Christmas?” he queried of the man beside him in the car after sizing him up as a family man. “No, sir!” was the blunt reply. “TI thought you might have wife and children.” “So I have. I have a wife and seven children.” “And you are not going to play Santa Claus?” “No, sir.” “Well, there are people who think it foolish, but the children have got in a way of expecting something in their stockings.” “Yes, and when I was a kid I did the same. That’s what ails me now. I thought there was a Santa Claus. I thought he came down the chimney. I thought he had reindeers and a sled. My parents lied to me, sir—deliberate- ly lied. They took advantage of my on me.” “But the fiction is a pleasant one,” replied the other in apologetic tones, “It may be to some, sir, but not to me. When I found out that I had been lied to and grossly deceived and made a fool of I turned my back on my home and have never seen it since. I do CHILD AT A RUSSIAN COTTAGE Into the humble home of a poor German family have come the ‘nsepa- rable pair. A door partly opened shows a bit of snowclad, starlit land- scape. On a table, with a white cover, is erected a modest little Christmas tree, overlooked in the distribution of as bounty. The children of ermany, Spain, Italy and would not recognize a . Claus picture unless it included of the angel child whose ) the world is the most cele- of all festivals, and the one ich is universally hailed as having more for the joy of mankind iy event since life began. This union of the two figures is in ) ontrast to the Christmas cus- ( I even Rus § f the new world. Here there is a sharp dividing line drawn between the religious and secu- »servances of the greatest of holi- ericans regard the Santa | ure as pleasure for the chil- a beautiful and charming fea- holday, but they never t with the religious. pictures and paintings, in all representations what- tivity and its scenes are ate and distinct from the e feature. the influence of the stern 1 nd the Quaker have played th part in altering customs in the I world from those which obtained i d NORWAY’S PATRON SAINT OF CH RISTMAS AND THE CHRIST CHILD i Those mighty pioneers who landed t Plymouth Rock on a Christmas day e wielded an influence by no confined to their own New Eng- ie ever watching over the good chil- dren, how he directs Santa Claus in his distribution of gifts, and guards the deserving so that none be over- looked. According to locality child is differently presented. Puritan set himself sternly all the ceremonials, all the all that he named the super- the Christ In Den- siition of the mother country. mark, country of snow and ice, of He barred them all in his observ-| fjords, land of mighty tradition, of heroic tales of nations conquered in ance of the holiday, confining his rec- OLD SANTA AND HIS ANGELIC ASSISTANT IN A GERMAN HOME. all perhaps the master of,the house could afford from his limited funds. In the doorway his lamp at his feet, stands Santa Claus. From his pack he takes dolls, toy horses, candies and a host of toys, which he hands to the child. The latter wears the halo that es- tablishes his divinity. It is in the form of a star directly over his head. But with a child’s simplicity he is placing the things on the tree, and be- fore the tree where in the Christmas morning so soon to come they will greet the eye of the happy worship- pers of the founder of the faith and adorers of his helpers, Gooc Old Santa Claus, The conception is beautiful and touching, and, though it may differ somewhat from modern ideas of the} subject, there is no hint of frrever- ence. In the Italian representation the Christ child is shown leading the way for the dispenser of gifts. Santa Claus, a fine, comfortable old person, with a huge white beard, stout shoes, a great fur-bordered red coat and a fur cap, is carrying the light which points the way. Before him, with clasped hands, ar- rayed in spotless white, with hands folded as if in prayer, and blonde locks flowing over bird-like wings, is the little friend of the children, point- ing the way to the places where dwell thousands of the little ones whose happiness must be secured by gifts on this greatest of days for the ju- venile world. In the background is a lighted church, in which are being made the prayers of the faithful. This is one of the most beautiful of the dual rep- sesentations, and it is suffused with gentleness and the true Christian spirit. more impressively, more personally to the simple-minded, gentle children in their care. In most_of the countries, church and state are one anyway, and there igs nothing unusual in the blending of the religious and secular. Moreover, into the custom is woven this beautiful idea, sometimes over- looked in the new world celebration of the day, that Santa Claus—in fact, every dispenser of beneficience—is but the servant of the Great Giver, from whom comes direct all that is best that mankind knows. not want my seven children to do the same to me. Think what it means to have a father who is an infernal liar! Think what it is to have a mother who aids and abets him! It has cast a blot on my whole life, and not for worlds wou:d I deceive one of my innocent lambs. I shall buy seven peanuts, sir, and put them in the seven stockings and that will end it. No lying—no deceiving. Plain, straight peanuts and the respect of my child- ren, and there you are. I get off here, and I hope you will think things over and be a wretched, contemptible liar Sema ee no longer.” A REMARKABLE GIRL. “Hunker,” said Spatts, “I wish you’d tell me, if it’s no secret, how you be- came sufficiently attracted to Miss Ricketts to fall in love with her and become engaged. “Am I to understand that you do not consider her handsome enough?” asked Hunker. “Well, you know—” “That’s all right, old fellow. Don’t apologize. I know she is not“hand- some.” “Of course she’s good and amiable, and all that, but—” “But she is neither beautiful nor rich.” “Now, Hunker, I didn‘t mean—” “No, Spatts,” interrupted Hunker, “I know you didn’t mean to offend me; neither am I offended. You natur- ally felt some curiosity. to know what drew us together, and I’ve no doubt that a good many of my friends are equally curious.” “Well, Spatts, let me tell you that people do not appreciate Miss Rick- etts. She is absolutely the most wonderful girl I know, or even that I ever heard of, and I never discovered it myself until a week of two ago.” “Then the affair really was very sudden?” “It was. But when I found out what a remarkable girl she was I did- n't wait many hours before I_ proposed. I was afraid someone else would dis- cover it and carry off the prize.” “But you have not gone into details as to what you discovered.” “Why my dear fellow, I discovered that she had done all her Christmas shopping last September.” SAVING THE Firm | ahi « The senior partner had gone over the balance sheets time and time again, but the results were the same. The Trust company had busted, and failure stared the firm in the face. It might possibly wriggle along until the first of February by the strictest econ- omy, but beyond that all was dark- ness. He sat pulling his whiskers and chewing the cud of bitterness when the office boy softly entered and said: “Mr. Blank, may I breathe the same air that you do for a minute?” The Office Boy Softly Entered. “It is a sacrifice of my dignity, but go ahead.” “This firm is in financial straits.” “Yes, on the point of busting.” “T am here to save it.” “You! Why, you are only office boy!” “Yes, sir, but I have a head on me. I was born a financier. When I was only three years old if my sister brought home three sticks of candy and gave me one, it wasn’t half an | hour before I had the three sticks and |} she had none.” “Heavens, if you can but save us!” “Don’t worry—I can, sir. Last Christmas, this old and reliable firm made me a present of fifty cents for my faithful serviees for the year.” “I remember. I thought that thirty cents was enough.” “But it was fifty, sir, and now I return it to help you out of your finan- cial pinch and keep the old firm rvn- ning. Take it and welcome, sir, aad if you were going to give me a quar- ter this year just add that to it and let Dun bring your rating up a few thousand more. That’s all, sir.” “Thomas,” called the senior partner as he stretched forth his arms, but there is no need to go into further particulars. The credit of the firm was saved, and the Christmas was a happy one—so happy that the senior bought him a new steam yacht and planned a trip to Eurove. ITALY’S OLD CHRIS AND HIS DI- VINE HELPER. youth and innocence and put up a job | i oy, it HE TELLS ALL ABOUT IT 2 *“Henry, you may take that wad of paper out of your mouth and stand up and tell the class how you passed last Christmas.” “Yes’m. I’ve got it all wrote out: “Got up early in the morning to look into my stocking. “The old man had been hinting around that Santa Claus might bring me a gold watch. “Felt something in the stocking. “Blessed the old party. “Took it out and found it was a box of ju-jubes. “Blessed the old party some more. “Had something to say before break- fast. “Had nothing to say when I got licked after breakfast. “Wanted to go rabbit hunting. “Wanted to go to the theater. “Wanted to skate and slide down hill. “Took it ou tin wanting. “Hen for dinner. Old hen. hen. “T got a leg and made a kick. Tough Got up early to 100k in my stocking. “Got something else and stopped | kicking. “Threw a few snowballs. “Licked a few boys. “Sassed a few cops. “Same old hen ground over for sup per. “Same kicks on my part, and same performance on the part of the old party. | “Grand finale. Went to bed and | woke up and then it was the day after and everybody was elected and glad of it. S’long to all.” JOE KERR. i HIS GIFT t for weeks and weeks he thought and thought And oft, with wrinkled brow, would say, “Confound it, now, I wonder what Would make her gladdest, anyway? If she would drop a hint or two The matter might be simplified, But that’s a thing she will no do; I'm left unaided to decide. “I would not have her think me small, And yet, upon the other hand, Of course it would not do at all To make my gift too rich or grand. That which I give to her must be What no one else would think about; I wish to give the thing that she, Once having, would not be without.” He struck the very thing at, last; The lady for his wife he took, And forth from Doubt’s dark mazes passed By giving her his pocketbook. Consolation. First Burglar (Christmas eve)— Have we got everything dat was on de Christmas tree? Second Burglar—Everything but de box o’ cigars from de guy’s wife. First Burglar—Go back an’ get dem, too; we ought to do something to console the poor fellow! “af