North Carolina Newspapers

4 t THE Advertising hedixthJ f VHf Mt4l flrffon nf Waehinfrf fin Rnnftfv FIRST OE ALLTHE HEWS. Circulates xlenslvely In the Counlfss ef V. Wishiniton, Martin, Tjfrreli sod Bsiofcit Job Printing In ItsVarious Branches! Z5AW F-Z2(SS.W : AW ' - rPb : a.n excellent i 1.00 A YEAR IN" ADVANCE. "TOR OOD, FOR COUXTKY, AND FOR TRUTH." ' SISTGLE COPY, 5 CENTS. VOL X. PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1898. NO. 14. I? ) ( t The IiOK They Cnt. This is the yule of the long ago, The log they cut In the woods, ho! hoi The yule log old that gave Its glow At the Christmas hearth in the olden time "When the bells rang mad with their golden chime. 003000000C30000000000000COO llN HOLDATWOODj 8 How Old Father Christmas Was 8 Born The German Legend a of Crist Krlngle. O RT ESTHER SINGLETON. goooqooooooqooqoooooooogoo HRISTOPHEB was greatly dissat isfied with hia home. He was an imaginative lad, entirely out of tun6 with his surround ings. He lived in a little wooden cottage, curiously carved, that gave him some delight ' - when the shadows -oi night deepened and drew dark ( iorms and shapes under the long roof . which sloped nearly to the ground. It was not pleasant to return from a land of dreams to the hard facts of life and to the plait and weave the long, green willow wands into baskets at his uncle's command and to hear the scolding tongue of his aunt busy with her household duties. Finally he determined that he would run away and seek a life for himself; but the day never came until he had completed his fifteenth birthday, which was uncelebrated. It was upon a Christmas Eve that he decided to break away. His aunt had been un usually ill-tempered and as his mind was sure the proper time had arrived for his step into the world, not even the cold of approaching night- dis couraged him. n. Kriss was not altogether free of blame, for he had been a discordant note in the household. He was neither cheerful nor amiable, nor un selfish, but then he had never been shown the way towards a loving and grateful disposition. . He had become sullen and hardened. As he crept stealthily into the street the twilight was throwing her gray draperies around the little German village. Down the deserted road he passed, on, and up the hill, where he turned to bid farewell to the only home he had ever known, and betook his wav into the dark forest that seemed to call him into its depths. How many voices were there sweet ones, too, unlike any he had ever heard! The wind blew off his CP.p by way of a joke, and, touching him with icy fingers, said, "Come! Come! Come, Kriss! There is much warmth in the forest and joy. Come!" The pine-bow, hummed huskily, yet softly: "Come, Kriss, come! It is true; the wind knows. Come! Come!" in. As Kriss passed into the forest he felt, although he could not see, the mysterious spirits. Kriss stood still wondering what would occur next, when a young tree about his own height, vain of her beauty and patron izing in her manner, said: "Sit by me, Kriss," and he obeyed, still watching and listening to the voices of the mys terious spirits of the winter night, "COJfEl come! and see the wind- SFIBITS DANCE WITH THE SNOW!" which had gradually become visible, busily preparing for the celebration of their Christmas feast. IV. i! (V M?fe4-av V Strega to eay, he was notceld rueetrie.taiU, flow? wyIcr tellv 1 e&cerei evVtruN .Hell rna.K'tNo Nokc He lUtjje. jj05t o rvLdt though resting on the velvety snow; nor was he homesick. A gay proces sion entertained him, issuing out of the black hollow of a great oak, that glittered in its armor of ice. First came the children of the "Winter-Wind, all fierce-eyed and sharp of feature, dressed in tunics of white and gray flowing mantles. Then followed the Snow-Children in their glistening gar ments of white and flower-shaped crystal crowns; and after them Holda herself, Queen of Earth and "Woods, Queen of Snow and of Christmastide. How lovely she was in her gown of emerald velvet with a big bunch of snowdrops at her breast, and a crown of oak leaves like a Dryad. Her flaxen hair was bound with a strand of pearls, her eyes were blue as summer rivers, her lips as pomegranates, her arms and neck as white as the falling flakes, that, touching her, turned into showers of creamy roses. v. "Why have you come hither?" she asked. As he was speechless the Trees and Snowflakes said in their soft chorous: "The Wind brought him, and we bade him join the joy of Christmastide and cried 'Come! Come! Come!'" "Unless you come selfishly," she asked, "what have you brought to us? The birds giv,e their voices, the flowers their perfume, the Trees their shelter, the Wind his music, the Snow-children their service, the Sea sons their beauties and. their boun ties, and I, to grant all wishes. What do you bring to the Christmas Revels?" Christopher hung his head. He fell to her feet and kissing her dress with emotion, exclaimed: "I have brought nothing but myself. Do with me as you will." "So be it," replied Holda, "you ehall give yourself. You shall be one of the greatest Spirits of the hal lowed season." The Queen of Christmastide clapped her hands and bade the Revels be gin. When all the enjoyment was at its height, Queen Holda clapped her white hands and four and twenty Wish-Maidens bowed before her and, then facing the strange multitude, promised to bring to every one in Holda'a realm his and her desire. Bowing low to Holda they took their leave, soon returning. Each on.e now i f 1 mvVlhiNothaLT; A I I .U.W7l VT. 1 l ; 1 . llll I s tm mm 1 x T .B.CHFWSTRL..., il't' 5, amt.toic&vtjj the Ufcut KiVik WJjTte tjjellclYeN 5rutetlytNo , eavtriodod til to rrN vouv puft tolcth r liSl 11111 lakkevow djrutv o held a rosy ribbon attached to a sil ver car, which they drew along and upon which what appeared to Chris topher the most wonderful thing he had ever beheld--a glittering tree. Queen Holda gave to each one pres ent gifts from the. Wishing-Tree, and then she said impressively': "We have one more gift. Kriss has given him self. He is to go out into the world and carry the blessings of our Revels." Then she called . her Snow-Children and, speaking to them in her snow language, which none but herself and her .little people can understand, or even hear so low, so soft, so melodi ous is it bade them prepare-Christo-pher for his long journey. First they murmured into his ear until he grew drowsy and fell asleep, and when he slumbered they foiled around him rich, red robes and a man tle bordered with ermine, and placing on his head a tall peaked cap, bound around it a wreath of holly. They powdered his long hair with snow, they fastened a long white beard to his chin and above his lips a gentle curling mustache. Then they called the Wind and all the other Snow-Children, and they took-hands and danced and sung, and hailed him "Old Kriss Kringle, Father Christmas." - Awaking at the merry peals of laugh ter and jollity, Christopher stood amazed. Queen Holda explained it. "Father Christmas," she said, "you have slept a hundred years in my enchanted wood. You came into my forest a hard and selfish youth. You have seen our Revels and our gifts each to each, and you gave yourself to us. While you slept my Snow-Children robed you, and now I send you as my representa tive subject out into the world where I cannot go, for I must ever dwell within the limits and haunts of Elf land. You shall travel far and wide at the happy season of the year. Your Wishing-Trees shall never fail when you carry Christmas, greetings to the children with the message of 'Peace on earth, good will to men.' " Understood, did you kiss "Well, her?" asked Spykes. "Yes," replied Spokes, toed the mark."- Judge. 'I mistle- O long ago as nearly three-quarters of a century .the verses begin ning, Twas the night be fore Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." first saw the light of print, appearing in the Troy Sentinel of December 23, 1823. As published then it was anonymous, but it was prophetical of its ooming popularity that even in that day, unfavorable as it was for newspaper illustration, it was accom panied by a picture of Santa Claus on his rounds. In the time intervening it has become known to practically every man, woman and child in America, has spread hence to the widest limits of the English-speaking race, has been translated into the language of every nation that has a Santa Claus, and is little, if any, short of being the most popular poem in the world. For years it was an annual feature of all American newspapers. Then, in 1844, it was acknowledged by its learned author, being included in a little volume of his poems pub lished in New York. Thence its in clusion in school readers and all kinds of declamation books was only a matter of a 6hort time. In 1859 the edition that first attained wide distribution was issued, with the pleasant illus trations made by Felix O. C. Darley, which was remembered gratefully by any number of persons now crawling reluctantly into middle life. " It will be a surprise to many to learn that "The Night Before Christ mas" was written by the erudite doc tor of laws who prepared the first He--brew dictionary ever published in America. He was Clement C. Moore, a descendant of a famous family in the history of the Episcopal Church, and himself one of its most notable benefactors. Clement Clarke Moore was born on July 15, 1781, in New York City, and died at his summer home in Newport on July 10, 1863. The poem which has given him greater fame than all his learning and benefactions was written as a pastime and given his children as a Christmas present just seventy-five years ago. He thought little of it at the time, or later. Indeed, it is possible it would never have become known to the world at all had not the eldest daugh ter of the Rev. David Butler, D. D., rector of St. Paul's in Troy. N. Y., seen the lines during a visit to New York the year after they were com posed, and published them in the pa per mentioned without their author's consent. It is said that nothing but the speedy popularity the verses at tained procured Miss Butler's for giveness. Christmas For the Old People. Give grandpa a big, cozy arm chair, with sides projecting at right angles from the back, to shield him Horn draught and cold. Or, give him a soft, warm, many colored rug, which he may always find :p) hand when he retires to take his bternoon nap. . Give grandma a knitting bag, if she affects that industry made of rich brocade and delicately lined and per fumed. gjOr, give her a big wicker arm chair, cushioned and padded, and fitted with pockets at the side to hold her. spec-, tacles or needlework. Or, give her the daintiest and whitest of lace caps, ornamented with a box of violet, or lavender ribbon, which will go well with her white hair. A Young Doubter. Father "Why, Tom, what are you doing on the roof this time of night?" Tom "Well, I've got my doubts about that Santa Claus etory, and I came here to watch the chimneys and find out if there is such a person.' I DE. TALMAGFS SERMON. SUNDAY'S DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED DIVINE. Subject: "Life's Minor Chord" Trials and Tribulations Are Necessary For the Proper Development of Character Man's Compensation For Snfiering. Text: "I will open my dark saying upon the harp." Psalm xlix., 4. The world In full of the inexplicable, the impassable, the unfathomable, the insur mountable. We cannot go three steps in any direction without coming up against a hard wall of mystery, riddles, paradoxes, profundities, labyrinths; problems that we cannot solve, hieroglyphics that we cp.nnot decipher, anagrams we cannot spell out, sphinxes that will not speak. For that reason David in my text proposed to take up some of these somber and dark things and try to set them to sweet musio. "1 will open my dark sayings on a harp." So I look off upon society and find people in unhappy conjunction of circumstances, and they do not know what it means, and they have a right to ask. Why is this? Why is that? and I think I will be doing a good work by trying to explain some of these strange things and make you more content with your iot, and I shall only be answer ing questions that have often been asked me. or that we have all asked ourselves, while I try to set these mysteries to music and open mv dark savings on a harp. Interrogation the first: Why does God take out ot this world those who are use ful and whom we cannot spare and leave alive and in good health so many who are only a nuisance to the world? I thought I would begin with the very toughest of all the seeming inscratables. Many of the most useful men and women die at thirty or forty years of age, while you often And useless people alive at sixty and seventy and eighty. John Careless wrote to Brad ford, who was soon to be put to death, saying: "Why doth God suffer me and such other caterpilllars to live, that cau do nothing but consume the alms of the church, and take away so many worthy workmen in the Lord's vine yard?" Similar questions are often asked. Here are two men. The one is a noble character and a Christian man. He chooses for a lifetime companion one who has been tenderly reared, and she Is worthy of him and he is worthy of her. As merchant or farmer or professional man or mechanic or artist he toils to educate and rear his children. He is succeeding, but be has not vet established for his family a full competency. He seems indispensable to that household; but one day, before he has paid off the mortgage on his house, he Is coming home through a strong north east wind and a chilt strikes through him, and four days ot pneumonia end his earthly career, and the wife and children go into a struggle for shelter and food. His next door neighbor is a man who though strong and well, lets his wife support him. He is around at the grocery store or some general loafing place in the evenings while his wife sews. His boys are Imitating his example, and lounge and swagger and swear. All the use that man is in that house is to rave because the coffee is cold when he comes to a late breakfast, or to say cutting things about his wife's looks, when he furnishes nothing for her wardrobe. The best thing that could happen to that family would be that man's funeral, but he declines to die. He lives on and on and on. So we have all noticed that many of the useful are early out off, while the parasites have great vital tenacity. I take up this dark saying on my harp and give three or four thrums on the string in the way of surmising and hopeiul guess. Perhaps the useful man was taken out of the world because he and his family were bo constructed that they could not have endured some great prosperity that might have been just ahead, and they altogether' might have gone down in the vortex of worldliness which every year swallows up 10,000 households. And so he went while he was humble and consecrated, and they were by the severities of life kept close to Christ and fitted for usefulness here and high seats in heaven, and when they meet at last before the throne they will ac knowledge that, though the furnace was hot, it purified them and pre pared them for an eternal, career of glory and reward for which no other kind of life could have fitted them. On the other hand, the useless man lived on to fifty or sixty or seventy 3-oar3 because all the ease he ever can have he must have in this world, and you ought not. therefore. begrudge him his earthly longevity. In all the age there has not a single loafer ever entered heaven. There is no place for him there to hang around; not even in the temple3, for they are full of vigorous, alert and rapturous worship. If the good and useful go eatly, rejoice for them that they have so soon got through with human life, which at best is a struggle. And if the useless and the bad stay, rejoice that they may bo out in the world's fre3U air a good many years before their final incar ceration. Interrogation the second: Why do good Eeople have so much trouble, sickness, ankruptcy, persecution, the three black vultures sometimes putting their fleree beaks into one set of jangled nerves? I think now of a good friend I once had. He was a consecrated Christian man, an elder in the church, and as polished a Christian gentleman as ever walked Broadway. First his general health gave out and he hobbled around on a cane, an old man at forty. After awhile paralysis struck him. Having by poor neaitu Doen compelled suddenly to quit business, he lost what property he had. Then his beautiful daughter died; then a son became hopelessly demeuted. Another son, splendid of mind and com manding of presence, resolved that he would take care of his father's household, but under the swoop of yellow fever at Fernandina, Fla., he suddenly expired. So you know good men and women who have had enough troubles, you think, to crush fifty people. No worldly philosophy could take such a trouble and sot it to music, or play it on violin or flute, but I dare to open that dark saying on a gospel harp. You wonder that very consecrated people have trouble? Did you ever know any very consecrated mau or woman who had not had great . trouble? Neverl It was through their troubles sanctified that tuy were made very good. If you find any where ia this city a man who has now, and always has had. perfect health, and never lost a child, and has always been populnr and never had business struggle or misfor tune, who is distinguished for goodness, pull your wire for a telegraph messenger boy aud send me word, and I will drop everything and go right away to look at him. There never has been a man like that and never will b. Who are those arro gant, self conceited creatures who move about without sympathy for others-, and who think more ot a St. Bernard dog or an AMerney cow or a SouthdowD sheep or a Berkshire pig than of a mau? They never had any trouble, or the trouble was never sanctified. Who are those men who listen with moist eye as you tell them of suffering and who have a pathos Id their vtJce and a kindness in their niannej ana an excuse or an auovmuuu iui gone astray? Thev are the men who have graduated at the Boyal Academy of Trou ble, and they have the diploma written in wrinkles on their own countenances. My, my! What heartaches they had! What tears they have wept! What injustice they have suffered! The mightiest influ ence for purification and salvation 1 trouble. , There are only three thlng3 that can break off a chain a hammer, a file or a flr and trouble is all three of them. Tht greatest writers, orators and reformers gel much of their force from trouble. What gave to Washington Irving that exquisite tenderness and pathos which will make his books;favorite3 while the English language continues to be written and spoken? Ai early nearthreat, that he - never once mentioned, and when thirty years after the death of Matilda Hoffman, who was to have been his bride, her father picked up a piece of embroidery and said, "That is a piece of poor Matilda's workmanship." Washington Irving sank from hilarity into silence and walked away. Out ot that lifetime grief tha great author dipped his pen's mightiest re enforcement. Calvin's "Institutes ot Re ligion," than which a more wonderful book was never written by human hand, was begun by the author at twenty-nve years of age, because of the persecution by Francis, king of France. Faraday toiled for all time on a salary of 80 a year and candles. As every brick of the wall of Babylon was stamped with the letter N, Btandinc for Nebuchadnezzar, so venr part of the temple ot Christian achieve ment is stamped with the letter T, stand ing for trouble. . When In England a man is honored with knighthood, he is struck with the flat ot the sword. Bat those who have come to knighthood in the kingdom of God were first struck, not with the flat of the sword, but with the keen edge otthe scimeter. To build his magnificence of character Paul could not have spared one lash, one prison, one stoning, one anathema, one poisonous viper from the hand, one shipwreck. What is true of individuals is true of nations. The horrors of the American Revolution gave this country this side of the Mississ ippi River to independence and France gave the most of this country west of the Miss issippi to the United States. Franca owned it, but Napoleon, fearing that England ould take it, practically made a present to the United States for he received only $15,000,000 for Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, Dakota, Mon tana, Wyoming and the Indian Territory. Out of the Are of the American Revolution came this country east of the Mississippi, out of the European war came that west of the Mississippi River. The British em pire rose to its present overtoweriig grandeur through gunpowder plot and Guy Fawkes conspiracy and Northampton in surrection and Walter Raleigh's beheading and Bacon's bribery and Cromwell's disso lution of parliament and the battles of Edge Hill and the vicissitudes of centuriss. So the earth itself, before it could become an appropriate and beautiful residence for the human family, had, according to geol ogy, to be washed byuniversal deluge-and scorched and made incandescent oy uni versal fires, and pounded by sledge hammer of leeDerga and wrenehed by earthquakes that split continents, and shaken by vol canoes that tossed mountains and passed through the catastrophes of thousands of years before paradise became possible and the groves could shake out their green ban ners and the first garden pour Its carnage of color between theGihon and the Hidde kel. Trouble a good thing for the rooks, a good thing for nations, as well as a good thing for Individuals. So when you push, against me with a sharp interrogation point, Why do the good suffer? I open the dark saying on a harp, and, though I can neither play an organ or cornet or hautboy kii uuiu or cittnuet, i nave laKtn some lessons on the gospel harp, and if you would like to hear me I will play you these: "All things work together for good to those who love God." Interrogation third: Whv did the cood God let sin or trouble come into the world when He might have kept them out? My reply is, He nad a good reason. He hail reasons that He has never given us. He had reasons which lie could no more make us understand in our flnito state than the father, starting out on some great and elaborate enterprise, could make the two-year-old child in its armed chair compre hendit. Onewa3to demonstrate what gran deur of character may be achieved on earth by conquering evil. Had there been n evil to conquer and no trouble to console, then this universe would never have known an Abraham or a Moses or a Joshua or an Ezekiel or a Paul or a Christ or a Washington or a John Milton or a John Howard, and a million victories which have been gained by the consecrated spirits of all ages would never have been gained. Had there been no battle, there would have been no victory. Xlne-tenths of the an thems of heaven would never have been sung. Heaven could never have been a thousandth part of the heaven that it is. t will not say thatl am glad that sin and sorrow did enter, but I do say that I am. glad that after God has given all Hi reasons to an assembled universe He will be more honored than if sin and sorrow had never entered and that the unfallen celestials will be outdone and will put down their trumpets to listen and it will be in heaven when those who have con quered sin and sorrow shall enter as it would be in a small singing school on earth. If Thalberg and Gottschalk and Wagner and Beethoven and Rhelnberger and Schumann should all at ouco enter. The immortals, that have been chanting 10,000 years before the throne will say, as they close their librettos, "Oh, it we eould only 9jng like that!" -But God will say to those who have never failen and consequently have not been redeemed, "You must be silent now; you have not the qualification for this an them." So they sit with closed lips and folded hands, and sinners saved by grace take up the harmony, for the Bible says "no man could learn that song but thehun dred and forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth." A great prima donna, who can now do anytning with her voice, told me that when she first started in music her teacher ia Berlin told her she eould be a good singer, bat a certain noto she could never reach. "And then," she said, " I went to work and studied and practiced for years until I dil reach it." But the song of the singer re deemed, the Bible says, the exalted har nouists who have never sinned could not reach and never will reach. Would you like to hear n:e in a very poor way play a snatch of that tune? I can give you only one bar of the music on thl3 gospel harp, "Unto Him that hath loved js and washed us from our sins ia His own blood aud hath made xis "kiDgs and priests unto God and the Lamb, to Him be glory and dominion "forever and ever, amen." But before leaving this interrogatory, why God let sin come into the world, let me say that great batties sesm to be nothing but suffering and outrage at the time of their occurrence, yet after they have been a long while past we can see that It was better for them to have been fought, namely, Sal amis, Internum, Toulouse, :Arbela, Aglu court. Trafalgar, Blenheim, Lexington, Sedan. But hire I must slow up lost in trying to Coi.tluueu uu itfuHU i . 0-.