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W V K m H i t K 's > A I ^ A. A ^ r A /â-  Origins of Famous Christmas Carbls Since that hrst Christmas wliefl the angels sang "Ulory to God in the Highest." music lias been a vital part of the holiday season; scliools, churches and llomes ring with joyous hymns and songs. The first singing of carols m the streets, we are told, was in the year 1224. When we think of Christmas, we think of the pictures you see on Christmas cards of houses almost buried in snow, candles burning in windows, and carolers grouped around a doorway, singing with all their hearts to the distant peal of church bells. Christmas must have been picturesque in those days, no automobiles whizzing by, just the merry jingle of sleigh bells. "Hark, the Herald -\ngels Sing" was written in 17o0 by Charles Wesley, younger brother of John Wesley, who founded the Methodist denomination, but was not pub- hshed until 18.i6. Inspiration for the poem came to Wesley as he walked to cluirch one Christmas morning. Bishop Philhp Brooks, rector of the Holy Trinity Church in Phila- delphia, was asked by his Sunday school children to write a Christ- mas song, so in 1868, he produced "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem." After writing the hymn, he went to the church organist and asked him to furnish a tune. The organ- ist, Lewis H. Redner, says the air came to him in a Christinas dream, and it was finished for the next day's services. Origin of "Silent Night" But most beloi'ed of all Christ- mas music is "Silent Night. Holy Night," written, we are told, by Father 7°=*' Moiir. who found himself uithout moans of music for the Christmas services because mice had eaten the bellows of the cliurcli organ. Father Josef wa» greatly trou'^Ied over the calamity, aud as he returned from adminis- tering rites to a dying woman, he stood on a hilltop, at midnight, and i' came to him that it must have been just such a silent night that the Christ child was born, so lie Went home and composed the words to our famous Christmas hymn. Then, ot course, it needed music, so he went to his old schoolmaster, Fr.inz Cruber. .\nd so Franz played his guitar and Father Josef sang a Christmas hymn that will never die. I"ew think oi this lovely hymn without remeniberiMj; how we once watched our radio dial at Christmas time for Us rendition by one of the most beloved of singers, Mme. Schumann-Heink. t)h. those were days of simplicity when rectors, casting about for suitable Christmas programs turned poets, and organists turned com- posers to furnish the music, iiuisi.' that goes on forever! They would, indeed, be gratified it they could hear our present-day Christmas programs, pouring out o( a little cabinet in the corner. their labors of love have come a long way from that steel guitar and a gentle voice replacing a nibbled bellows, they'd be surprised to learn their flock now does its Christmas shopping to their in- spirational tunes. "Christ Is Born In Bethlehem" ♦ » • • » " •â- -• - < Christmas â€" When Did. It Begin? Jest 'Fore Christmas i Same Same Same Same Same Same Same Same Same That'; SAME OLD SANTA old Santa, same old joys, old dolls and sleds and toys; old holly, same old tree, old gifts for cherubs wee; old carol, same old light, old stockings hung at night: old words of merry cheer, good wishes for the year, old Christmas I Seems to me the way it ought to be the earliest celebration of the birth of Christ, on December 25 of each year, took place in the fourtii century, and the custom spread from the Western to the Eastern Church. Before that date, the com- memoration of Christ's Nativity an4 Baptism was held on January 5, The first mention of Christmas is found in a Roman document known as the "Phitocalian Calendar," ia the year iS4, aiii-d the' first time the festival was celebrated in Britain was in 598, when St .Augustine baptized 10,000 converts. In the year 567, the Council ot Tours declared a 12-day festival from Christmas to Epip'hany, and laterâ€" 991-1016â€" the laws of Ethel- red ordained that all strife should cease at Christmas. In Germany. Christmas was established in 8H by the Synod of Mainz, and in Nor- way by King Hakoi' the Good, in the vear "."H â-  ,-♦-». > • • Father calls me William, sister calls me Will, Mother calls me Willie, but the fellers call me Bill! Mighty glad 1 ain't a girl â€" ruther be a boy. Without them sashes, curls ,an' things that's worn by Fauntlerofi Love to chawnk green apples an' go swimmin' in the lake â€" Hate to tak^ the castor-ile they give for belly-ache! 'Most all the time, the whole year round, there ain't no flies on m% But jest "fore Christmas I'm as good as t kin be! Got a ycUer dog named Sport, sick him on the cat: First thing she knows she doesn't know where she ie at! Got a clipper sled, an' when us kids goes out to slide, 'Long comes the grocery cart, an' we all hook a ridel But sometimes when the grocery man is worrited an' crosi. He reaches at*^s with his whip, an' larrups up his hoss. An' then I laff an' holler, "Oh, ye never teched mel" But jest 'fore Christinas I'm as good as I kin be! Gran'ma says she hopes that when 1 git to be a man, I'll be a missionarer like her oldest brother, Dan, As was et up by the cannibuls that lives in Ceylon's Isle, Wl ••â- â-  every prospcck pleases, an' only man is vile! Bui i^ran'ma she has never been to see a Wild West show. Nor read the Life of Daniel Boone, or else I guess she'd know That Bufflo Bill and cow-boys is good enough for inel Excep' jest 'afore Christmas, when I'm good as t kin be! .\nd then old Sport he hangs around, so solemn-like an' still. His eyes they keep a-sayin'; "What's the matter, little Bill?" The old cat sneaks down off her perch an' wonders what's become Of thera two enemies of hern that used to make things hum! But I am so parlite an' 'tend so earnestly to biz. That mother says to father: "How improved our Willie is!" But father, havin' been a boy himself, suspicions me When, jest 'fore I'hristtiias. I'm as good as 1 kin bcl For Christmas, with its lots an' lots of candies, cakes, an' toys. Was made, they say, for proper kids an' not for naughty boys: So wash yer face an' bresh yer hair, an' mind yer p's an' q's. An' don't bust out yer pantaloons, an' don't wear out yer sHoes; Say "Yessum" to the ladies, an' "\essur" to the men. An' when they's company, don't pass yer plate for pie again: ^ But, thinkin' of the things yer'd like to see upon that tree. Jest 'fore Chri^t'na< bo a^ sood as ver kin be! Eugene Field 1 1850-1895] â-  •»•»»< g^easott*^^ ^iM'j. ^ THE HOUSE OF CHRISTMAS riiis world is wild as an old wives' tale. .\nd strange the plain things are. The earth is enough and the air is enough For our wonder and our war: But our rest is as far as the firc-drakc swings And our peace is put in impossible things When clashed and thundered ii"tliii\knl>li- wiiif'.» Round an incredible star To an open house in the oveninx Homo shall men come. To an older place than Eden And a taller town than Rome: To the end of the way of the «:iiideiiiig »iav To the tilings tliat cannot be ami that arc. To the place where God was honiol.'ss Vnd .ill men arc al honi. By G. K. CUK^^lEI<lt>\ A Visit From St. Nicholas 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the hou»« Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care. In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all sung in their beds. While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap. Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap. When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window 1 flew like a flasli. Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, Wlien, what to my wondering eyes should appear. But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so Hvely and quick, 1 knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called thorn by name; "Now. Dasher! now. Dancer! now. Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the walll Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!" As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly. When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky. So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As 1 drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot. And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back. And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack, His eyes â€" how they twinkled! his dimples iiow merry I His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snowj The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth. And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, Tliat shook, when he laughed, Uke a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf. And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head. Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work. And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod. up the chimney he rose: He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle. And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight. "Happy Christmae to ail, and to all a good-night." t Clement Clarke Moors Li779-18c>i] The Christmas Story OW when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, (>•• hold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. I vU Saying, Where is He that is bom King LvH of the Jews? for we have seen His star is I \P the east, and are come to worship Him. When Herod the king had heard the»« things ,ie was troubled; and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, h« demanded of them where Christ should be bom. And they said unto him. In Bethlehem of Judea: fo<r thus it is written by the prophet ; And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda. art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule My people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wis* men. enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlethem, and said. Go and search diligently for the young Child : and when ye havs found Him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship Him also. Wheti they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star, whjch they saw in the east, went before them, till it cari" and stood over wliere the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with e.xceed- ing great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Hitn : and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying. Arise, and take the young Child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word : for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him. When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed into Egypt: And was there until the d^ath of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the T ord bv the prophet, saying. Out of Eg3'pt have I called F- Son. Matthew 2:1-15. (