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KIDD’S OWN JOURNAL. 

“A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU,—S1R!” 
BY “ OUR EDITOR.” 

Any one may do a casual act of good nature; but let a 
continuation of them show that it is A PART OF OUR TEM- 
PERATURE. STERNE. 
WE SHOULD REALLY FEEL “ WANTING,” 
if we allowed the year of Our Lord,—one 
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, to 
pass away without a word of comment from 
us; and as this is our “last appearance” in 
{| print this year, we must say what we have to 
\| say (it shall be brief)—in this very place. 
- “A Merry Christmas to you, Sir!” will 
soon be ringing merrily in all. our ears. It 
is a delightful greeting,—savoring of good- 
temper, good-will, mirth, jollity,—happiness. 
We shall see, anon, all the good things of 
this world gathered together from the four 
quarters of the world in unlimited abundance. 
Our railways will be blocked up with 
hampers, boxes, baskets, crates, &c.,—all well 
filled with the choicest delicacies of the 
season. Carts, wagons, vans, and trucks; all 
will be full. We shall see turkeys by the 
thousand passing to and fro. ‘“ Game,” too, 
of all sorts. These will be changing hands 
with the rapidity of lightning. A vast mul- 
titude of other seasonable delectabilities will 
also be seen in never-ending supply ; pouring 
in from one end of the country to the other. 
And what are all these good things for? 
“Why” are they sent in such lavish abun- 
dance at this particular season? They are 
‘‘presents,” good people,—remembrances of 
love and affection from one friend to another. 
CHRISTMAS is the recognised time for uni- 
versal rejoicing,—the time when young and 
old re-assemble; the latter to rub off the 
rust of the past year, and the former to assist 
in th. operation. Shyness now must be ex- 
changed for a hearty grasp of the hand (no 
“two fingers’’ now!); suspicion for frank- 
ness; jealousy for love unfeigned; cold- 
heartedness for true charity (which “ envieth 
not”); and the love of gold for the love of 
one another. Such are the proper elements 
for the enjoyment of Christmas festivities. 
And then—our parlors, our drawing- 
rooms, our studio, and sundry other snug 
“little rooms, ’’—will they not all shine again, 
—decked in the glories of Holly and Missel- 
toe! And what about the Christmas log, and 
the bright fire on the hearth; and all the 
winter games, &c., improvised and performed 
by our merry boys, and laughing, rosy-faced, 
innocent, giggling girls! Call we that 
nothing! Hide your ugly features, oh, ye 
cold-blooded, dried-up prudes, who would 
forbid our darling mother,—Nature, to pre- 
side at the season of Christmas. In spite of 
ye,— God willing, “a Merry Christmas” will 
we have,—aye, and a “ Happy New Year.” 
It would be late in the day for us now to 

be questioned touching our “profession of 
Faith.” Purely orthodox are we in every- 
thing that concerns morality, the love of 
God, and the true welfare of mankind. We 
have lived many years in the world, associated 
with the best company, and seen such pro- 
fessions of goodness as have positively made 
us tremble. People professing to hate the 
world—and yet livingas if they seemed to care 
for nothing else! This is the case with one 
half the polite world at least,whilst we are now 
writing. And on Sunday, they go to church 
—to cleanse away the sins of the week ! 
It is this deception that we hate. Demure 
looks, and faces two feet long, do no manner 
of good—either to their possessors or to those 
who are associated with them. Our Creator 
abhors such shallow artifices. With Him it 
must be all the heart, or none. ‘Therefore is 
it that we so advocate cheerfulness, honesty, 
and an obedience to the sweet laws of Nature. 
Playfulness is not wickedness. People 
may be merry, and wise withal. We dety 
any one to say that a single word from our 
pen has ever had an evil tendency. We love 
society.:too well for that, as OUR JOURNAL 
proves; and yet are we perpetually cheerful 
and merry,—trying to make others so also. 
Honi soit qui mal y pense! say we. So come 
on, young and old; and let us set a lesson 
worthy of imitation all overthe world. ‘“ Let 
us kiss and be friends.” In, boys,—in with 
the Christmas bough; and let it hang aloft in 
the centre of every room in our dwellings ! 
But now, friends,—listen. Having drawn 
the picture of ouR happy Christmas, we must 
look a leetle further. Whilst WE all hope to 
be “ jolly,” —feasting, playing, and keeping 
up “good old customs,” within; let us not 
forget the immense amount of sorrow and 
“want” that awaits the eye without. We 
see much of it; but real worth often hides its 
sorrows in its own breast. lt pines in secret ; 
and tells its piteous tale to ONE “who seeth 
in secret.”” Let us, one and all, be the happy 
instruments in the hand of that Great “ One,” 
in trying to make “some” heart happy,— 
‘“some”’ sorrows less. A certain widow gave 
“two mites.” We hear it recorded to her 
honor. It is left as an example for us. We 
are not indulging in cant ; but we speak the 
pleasing feelings that now animate our breast. 
Let not any heart “break” that WE can 
“bind up.” Oh—no! 
We would sit “happy” at the festive 
board on Christmas-day. To feel “ happy,” 
one must have a clear conscience. Let us 
then vie with each other, and see wHo will 
feel most happy. So, Hurrah for Christmas! 
—and three cheers for the delights of loving, 
and being loved!! 
“A Merry CHRISTMAS TO YOU,—SIR; 
AND SUCCESS TO ‘ Kipp’s JOURNAL!!’” 
“ THANK YOU,—THANK you !!” 

