^';ii.j^#ii-  ."nvrt _ NEW  YORK  CITY,  hm^n  1876. _ 
fKutered  accordlnx  to  Aot  of  ConKreas,  lu  the  year  187ti.  by  the  Kural  Fubllahlnn  Oompany.  In  the  ofHoe  of  the  Librarian  of  Confrroas  at  Washlngton.j 
A  Turrp-RV  nTTRTClTMAS  bead  ami  looks  “  bow-wow”  at  tbe  children,  as  the  ooutents  of  the  stocking,  which,  by  the  way,  children  passed  with 
A  iVlljJAlXt  X  UHJIlXO  X  lu.Jlk.1  .  ,  .  ..  ,  rn,  -  - I...  I.IlJ  4-/^^  tl ,  if  Wil  U  4 1 1  All*  I'll  Ofl  U11 
I'RICK  SI3C  CKNTH 
»‘2.30  PER  YEAR. 
CnuisTMAs  morning  dawned  bright  and  bean- 
tiful.  It  snowed  during  the  night,  bnt  now  the 
sun  Is  shining  brightly,  making  the  idcles  and 
snoft’-llakes  glisten  like  diatnnuds.  Jack  Frost 
has  been  at  work,  too,  tracing  delicate  pictures 
upon  the  window-panes.  I  low  many  tbonsaiid 
children  have  been  looking  forward  with  eager 
and  Joyful  anticipation  to  this  morning  which, 
of  all  the  days  in  tho  year,  is  pre-eminently 
Childrou’s  Day ! 
Among  this  mimber  are  our  little  friends  in 
the  picture  —  ha/.ol-oyed  Eorrn,  golden-haired 
Alick.  and  roguish  little  Harby,  who  is  free 
year  old  bi-day.”  They  have  talked  of  nothing 
but  Christmas  and 
tt.vNTA  C/..vrH  for 
wcidiH,  and  now  the 
long-winhed-for  day 
has  arrived. 
Those  cluldren  live 
ill  an  elegant  house, 
Iho  sight  of  which 
would  seem  almost 
like  fairy  -  land  to 
many  a  poor  little 
beggar -child  whom 
Santa  Cuaus,  in  all 
his  wanderings, 
sometimes  seems  to 
forgot. 
Edjtti  was  up  and 
drossed  bright  and 
early,  and  then  ran 
to  Hce  if  lier  little 
brother  and  sister 
had  tlioir  •‘peepers” 
open.  \V  h  e  ii  she 
opened  the  door  tliey 
s]iraug  out  of  tlieir 
warm  little  bods, 
shouting,  “Merry 
Cltristmas!"  whioh 
was  returned  by  tlio 
elder  sister.  With- 
oul  waiting  to  be 
dressed,  tliey  I'an, 
barefooted,  into  the 
nursery,  where  they 
had  butig  their  stuck- 
iiigs  the  night  be¬ 
fore,  right  beside  tho 
iireplaec,  Wliore 
Santa  Ci  auh  will  be 
sure  to  tinil  tliem.” 
Now  let  us  peep  in 
before  them  ami  see 
what  they  will  Ihul 
in  tho  plump  little 
stonkings.  As  Editu 
is  oldest,  let  us  look 
into  hers  lir.st.  Here 
we  find  story-books 
and  paper  dolls,  a  sot 
of  furs  to  keep  her 
dolly  warm,  and  a 
pretty  little  fan.  En- 
derueath,  on  the 
lloor,  is  a  perfect  lit¬ 
tle  trunk,  containing 
a  complete  wardrobo 
made  in  tbe  latest 
style  for  dolls  and 
also  a  nice  carriage 
for  “  Lady  Clai'a”  to 
ride  in. 
What  will  Alick 
find  in  Lers  ?  Tbe 
first  thing  we  see  is 
a  little  woolly  dog 
with  a  blue  ribbon 
tied  about  his  neck, 
who  sticks  out  his 
head  and  looks  “  bow-wow”  at  the  children,  as 
they  stand  there  at  the  door.  There  is  a  set  of 
blocks  with  which  sire  can  build  houses  ;  a  tiny 
little  baby-doll  and  a  picture-book,  which  Eiu  ru 
will  road  to  her  ;  and  on  the  lloor  is  a  little  table, 
tablecloth  on,  set  completely,  and  even  napkins 
at  eiuJj  plate.  Aj.ick  will  pi-obably  have  some 
of  her  little  friends  to  take  tea  with  her  to-night, 
if  mamma  is  willing. 
And  now  wo  come  to  little  Harry's  stocking. 
Santa  Cuaoh  has  dealt  bountifully  with  these 
children,  for  here  we  find  a  largo  jumping-jack 
and  a  tiu  horn,  on  whioh  he  will  try  to  make 
music  for  tho  family.  A  largo  Noalr’s  Ark,  a 
whole  rogimont  of  tiu  soldiers,  and  a  farm-yard 
full  of  chickens,  ducks  and  turkeys,  complete 
tho  contents  of  tho  stocking,  which,  by  tho  way, 
was  one  of  mamma’s,  as  ho  thoaght  his  was  too 
small.  Hut  on  tiro  floor  is  a  presorrt  which  will 
please  him  boat  of  all— a  bountiful  sled,  paiiitod 
red,  with  the  tratno  “  Comet "  in  gold  letters. 
How  delighted  ho  will  bo  to  think  that  ho  can 
try  It  this  morning !  and  ho  will  probably  not 
stop  to  eat  much  broakfasl,  so  anxious  will  ho 
bo  to  go  out  before  tho  snow  rirelts.  Besides  all 
theso  prosorrts,  there  arc  throe  largo  boxes  of 
candies,  mrts  and  raisirrs,  as  well  as  oranges  and 
figs  in  ahartdance.  After  examining  their  gifts 
tho  childretr  went  back  to  ho  dressed  arrd  then 
to  mamma's  room,  waking  hor  by  calling  “  Merry 
Christmas”  in  her  ears. 
You  can  imagine  what  a  pleasant  day  these 
A.  MIEKRY  CllRISTMA-S. 
children  passed  with  thoir  urany  now  playthings 
nor  was  their  pleasure  tmirrod  by  pwtty  tprarrols 
or  disputes,  as  is  too  oftorr  tho  case  among  chil¬ 
dren  ;  hut  they  wont  to  bod  that  night  tkod  and 
happy  as  they  well  could  bo. 
But  this  is  only  ono  kiud  of  a  Christnras  cele¬ 
bration,  There  are  many  diflforout  sorts  of 
pooplu  in  the  world,  arrd  almost  every  one  lias  a 
particular  way  of  sironding  holidays ;  hut  giving 
arrd  receiving  gif ts  is  a  custom  almost  uitivcrsally 
observed  among  tlroae  who  aro  able.  Some,  of 
course,  can  allord  to  give  only  littlo  tokens, 
while  others  H|)eud  huudruds  of  dollars  in  mak¬ 
ing  costly  gifts  whioh,  oftentimes,  aro  not  ap¬ 
preciated  by  tho  reerpierrts  so  well  as  sonrothiug 
more  simple,  but  still  useful  or  beautiful. 
And  yet  there  aro 
many,  marry  poor 
children  who  scarcely 
know  what  Christ¬ 
mas  rneaiiH ;  it  being 
to  them  uo  ditTorerit 
from  any  other  day. 
In  England  Christ¬ 
mas  is,  if  ixiHsible, 
mofo  generally  ob¬ 
served  thau  in  this 
country,  and  ono  of 
tiro  chief  features  of 
tlu)  celebration  is  tbe 
Christmas  1‘anto- 
ndme,  in  whioh  tire 
childi'on  participate. 
On  Christmas  Day 
poor  children  go 
about  the  streets, 
Iroping  to  earn  a  few 
jjonnios  by  singing 
Christmas  carols, 
csiiuiHisetl  expressly 
for  the  occasion. 
Then,  loo,  it  is  ens- 
tnmary  to  give  a 
party  or  ball  uu  that 
ovmiiiig,  when  the 
mistletoe  bough  fig¬ 
ures  oonspicuonsly 
in  tho  docurations. 
From  Germany  wo 
borrow  oiir  Idea  of 
the  Christmas  tree, 
which  is  a  uover-fail- 
iiig  source  of  ainuso- 
meiit  to  the  children, 
and  it  is  a  beautiful 
sight  to  see  a  party 
of  them  viewuig  a 
heavily  •  laih-ii  tree, 
bright  with  myriads 
of  littlo  wax  caudles 
of  various  colors, 
wliose  lights  aro  ro- 
llected  In  tlie  glass 
balls  with  wliich  the 
tree  is  uniaiaented. 
A  littlo  “  CnuiHT- 
child”  in  tlie  topmost 
branches  is  a  great 
addition. 
Would  it  not  bo 
well  for  our  littlo 
readers  of  the  Bubal 
to  look  up  HOtrro  of 
their  toys  or  books, 
of  wliich  they  aro 
tired,  and  send  them 
to  any  poor  children 
of  wliorii  they  may 
hoar  ?  and  by  so  do¬ 
ing  they  would  aid 
others  as  well  as 
themselves  to  have  a 
Merry  Christmas  and 
a  Happy  New  Year  ? 
'^1*  I 
— 1  _ ■  ■■■  I  r:i 
