THE GUILFORDIAN
VOLUME I.
HOW CHRISTMAS IS OBSERVED
IN SOME OTHER LANDS.
Since the celebration of (lie first
Christmas more than nineteen
hundred years ago, various myths
and ceremonies have arisen among
different nations. This article will
relate the usual customs of some
of the European countries in times
of peace, when the real Christmas
spirit of "Peace, Good Will to
Men" is uppermost in the mind.
The Germans, whose land is the
historic home of the Christinas
tree, remembering that Yule-tide
is in commemoration of tin* Child,
for His sake make it a happy sea
son for the children. On Christ
mas Eve the Christ-child and
Knave Kuprecht visit the homes
and inquire of the parents if the
children have been good through
out the year, if they have, Knave
Kuprecht scatters apples and nuts
on the floor from the bag which he
carries on his shoulder, otherwise
switches are presented. They
sometimes leave the latter any
way, in case they should be need
ed before they call again. Then
while the children are scrambling
after the apples and nuts they
leave. The little ones hang up
their stockings in the belief that
Kris Kringle will fill them with
toys and good things to eat, or
else they will be filled with
switches by St. Nicholas. The
fear that the latter may occur oft
en prompts a child to be good the
entire year. It is a German cus
tom to make nearly all the pres
ents with their own hands and
also the decorations for the tree.
Every home is brightened with
evergreen and has a Christmas
tree decorated with colored balls,
lighted candles, and tinsel. The
old and young play games togeth
er, eat, drink, and are merry the
entire day. It is from them that
the Americans have learned to
make this more of a glad day for
the children.
In Holland the (>th of Decem
ber is observed as St. Nicholas
Day. The Dutch, instead of hang
ing up their stockings as the
American and German children,
place their shoes outside the door
for Santa Clans to fill. It was in
Holland that that old Christmas
saint originated.
Christmas in France is not a
time of general merry-making as
in many other countries, but is
rather a religious festival which
is celebrated in the churches. On
Christmas Eve the children place
LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
GUILFORD COLLEGE, N. C., DECEMBER 21, 1914.
On the second of December,
11)14, there was dedicated in the
city of Raleigh a tablet in mem
ory of William Sidney Porter, the
one man who more than any other
has rehabilitated the American
short story. This brief sketch of
his life and works is not written
in appraisal of his contribution to
our literature, but rather that
those of us who are living almost
in sight of his birth-place may at
least, by having him brought be
fore ns, read and appreciate him
for ourselves.
William Sidney Porter, better
known as (). Henry, was born on
West Market street, Greensboro,
in 1X(7, and died in New York
City in 1910. He must have in
herited both from his father and
his mother much of his sympathy
for humanity and much of his
cleverness in expressing it. His
mother was something of an art
ist. while his father a physician
and the gentlest of men dreamed
away many of his later years upcn
fruitless inventions as churns and
perpetual motion wheels. O. Hen
ry was given over at the age of
three, when his mother died, to the
care of his maiden aunt, Miss Lina
Porter, to whom he owes most of
his love for good books and his
inspiration to write.
The year 1902 marks the crea
tive period of this writer's life
when he moved to New York City
and began to interpret the life of
the "Four Million" as opposed to
their shoes before the fireplace
and lc petit Noel fills them with
gifts. The grown people, how
ever, wait until New Year's Day
to exchange gifts, although they
may do so at any time between the
two dates.
England has departed from her
old customs of observing Christ
mas, and instead of the old time
Yule-log, which must be lighted
by last year's fire and with which
were associated many supersti
tions, is substituted, over almost
all of England, the Christmas
tree. They ring out the chimes
on Christinas morning and ob
serve religions service as a part
of the day. Merriment reigns, al
though not to such an extent as in
former days. It was from Eng
land that we got the old greeting
"A Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year." L. K.
0. HENRY
the "Four Hundred." Living in
this great city for the express pur
pose of seeing the panorama of un
denoted faces, gifted with a Hash
ing wit and a keen sense of hu
mor, it is surprising that he can
always put a certain pathos into
his stories. He says himself that
life is made up of sobs, smiles,
ami sniffles, snilHes predomina
ting. Just as Dickens gives to his
deformed characters something
beautiful to make you love them,
O. Henry takes his miserable vag
abond and by mixing a dash of
wit, a bit of slang, and an insight
into the common sufferings of hu
manity, suddenly wins your sym
pathy for his unfortunate subject.
For instance, in the "Municipal
Report," when Azalea Adair is
found in a most embarrassing sit
uation financially, her husband a
hopeless sot, and her only means-"
of support a faithful family serv
ant, Uncle Cjesar, we feel that
this poor wretch is almost justi
fied in committing the murder he
does for the sake of getting a lit
tle money for his mistress. We
sigh with relief when an old
brown button, the only clue to
the murder, is casually tossed
from a train'window into therriver\ v
er below and Uncle Cjesar is left
alone with his secret.
Again see in what a compas
sionate manner he deals with
these "Poor Shuttlecocks of Fate."
Poor Soapy has become weary of
sleeping in barrels and shivering
with cold, so he determines to get
arrested and be sent to the work
house. He steals umbrellas a.d
confesses his crime, goes into res
taurants and orders a heavy meal
without paying, and does nume*-
ous other bold deeds, but no one
arrests him. Finally one day lie
stops in front of a church, is xlir
red by the sweet music from with
in and resolves to mend his ways.
As he leans against a lamp-po-t
lost in his thoughts a policeman
taps him on the arm and poor
Soapy is taken up for vagrancy
just as the only time in his life
perhaps when he has resolved w.
be a man.
O. Henry deals with the rich
the poor, the jester, the merry
maker, all of whom under h : .s
magic touch do the most humane
and yet the most unexpected
thing. Jimmy, a bank robber
whose heart has been won by a
NUMBER 10
THE COMING OF NIGHT.
The day begins to die away
When sinks the sun behind the
hill;
Now earth begins to fall to rest,
And soon will ;ill again be still.
The shadows creep up one by one
And shade the earth with
gloom;
The dancing sunbeams of the day
Have crept off to their tomb.
Now twilight gray steals on
And veils the wood and plain,
To hold them silently in her sway
Until the morn shall come
again.
The darkness downs upon the
earth.
The world is hushed in sleep.
For darkness reigns supreme;
The world of night drinks deep.
C. P.
fail* maid, the daughter of a bank
ev lie had meant to rob, reforms,
changes his name to Mr. Spencer
and becomes a respectable citizen.
One day just before Jimmy and
Annabel arc to he married. Pen
Price, a detective on Jimmy's
trail, comes to town and goes into
the hank 1o wait for his prev.
Soon Jimmy, Annabel and her
family come in. Annabel's b.-'v
sister through play is shut up i i
the'vault, which cannot be opened.
Vvhen Annabel turns to her lover
and pleads with him to do some
thing, he deliberately opens his
suit case in which are the tools he
means to dispose of that day an-l
at the risk of losing every thin jr.
he opens the vault. Then he In - >
at the door to the detective lo give
himself over. "(Jot around last,
have you? Well, let's go. I don't
know that it makes much differ
ence now," and then Ken Price
said. ''Guess you're mistaken Mr.
Spencer; don't believe 1 knoi\
you. and passed out from the
bank down the street.
All humanity is (). Henry's do
main, and he does not fear to
write on any subject. He can put
into "rag-time" the tragedy of
grand opera. To those of ns who
care for a clever combination of
the commonplace in life wiili
whimsical, sparkling humor and
ready wit he offers delightful com
pnnionship. There is in his stories
an originality which gives to this
master of the unexpected end
ing" his just claim to a very high
place in the American short storv.
A. T E.