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CHRISTMAS 195 
one thoughtful, — to make one thankful, too, for 
home and friends and country, and a future that 
could be earned, where the white folds of useful- 
ness and purity would cover man’s inheritance 
of selfishness and passion. 
For an hour I watched the big flakes fall; 
and, as I watched, I dreamed the dream of peace 
for all the world. The brazen trumpet of war 
was a thing of the past. The white dove of 
peace had built her nest in the cannon’s mouth 
and stopped its awful roar. The federation of 
the world was secured by universal intelligence 
and community of interest. Envy and selfish- 
ness and hypocrisy, and evil doing and evil 
speaking, were deeply covered by the snowy 
mantle that brought “peace on earth and good 
will to men.” 
My dream was not dispelled by any rude 
awakening. As the house threw off the fetters 
of the night and gradually struggled into activity, 
it was in such a fresh and loving manner and 
with such thoughtful solicitude for each member 
of our world, that I walked in my dream all 
day. 
The snow fell rapidly till noon, and then the 
sun came forth from the veil of clouds and cast 
its southern rays across the white expanse with 
an effect that drew exclamations of delight from 
all who had eyes to see. No wind stirred the 
air, but ever and anon a bright avalanche would 
slide from bough or bush, sparkle and gleam as 
