Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 309, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1914 — CHRISTMAS MILESTONES) in AMERICA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CHRISTMAS MILESTONES) in AMERICA

VEN the poor child of today has more In his Christmas stocking than the prosperous child ■ dreamed of in the first century of white occupation of this country. Blase boys and girls who can hardly think of anything new for which to ask the generous saint can hardly conceive of the bareness of those early Christmas holidays.

> In Massachusetts It was the worst of all, for keeping Christmas was denounced Us a pernicious custom, and any child daring to think ofas much as a plum pudding on that day would make him self liable to reproof by the authorities. All along the stern and rockbound coast the only Christmas trees in the days of the Puritan domination were those that nature had planted there 1 ana had adorned in December with fleecy snow. The fires burned brightly on the open hearths, but there was no invitation to the good saint to descend the chimney when .the embers had burned low. As far as the children knew, Christmas was just like any other day in . the calendar. Even afrer the Puritan reaction against the forms and customs of the old church had spent itself to some extent the children of the seventeenth century still ex* pected no gifts in honor of the birthday of Christ In New Amsterdam the outlook was a little better for the children. The Hollanders had brought with them their St. Nicholas, and his birthday was celebrated joyously by young and old just before Christmas, but this day was kept, too, by the Protestant Dutch as heartily as by any Catholics. Of course, they had not many real toys as we know them today, but in the shoes that the little Hollanders set by the fireplace in the shining kitchen, which was also the living room, were home-made sweets and cakes and home-made gifts. Many of these were of a useful character, such as hand-knit caps and mittens, but now and then* a skillful Hollander would carve a model of a boat such as that which had brought them to New Amsterdam or a miniature chest of drawers, and one can fancy the .recipients showing these with pride to the wondering little Indian boys and girls when they came to be on terms of suf-

flcient amity with them for such conferences. In Virginia, where Church of England was strong and its adherents steadfastly observed the holidays as In the home country, there was always more of the Christmas spirit and abundant cheer and merrymaking than elsewhere at this season. Here the Yule log held its place and here were the games and the feasting that* made it indeed the merry season of the year. Later when New Amsterdam became New York and the English came Into power the character of the Christmas holiday was changed again somewhat, although the Dutch influence continued dominant for many years. Owing to the large number of Germans in Pennsylvania Christmas there partook largely of the nature of the festival in the fatherland. It was largely a family affair. The children for months before the day of the Nativity saved their pennies and bought material from which they fashioned their gifts for their parents and for one another. These were presented on Christmas eve, and the next day the parents in turn spread out their presents for the children on a large table in the best room.* Stockings were hung, too, and the good children had them filled with sweetmeats, pepper cakes and other goodies, but those who had been bad sometimes found a birch rod as a Christmas gift There was one custom that was fraught with great, terror to children. One Knecht Rupert went from house to house inquiring about the children on Christmas eve and recommending rewards or punishments according to the reports that he received of their conduct during the year. The Pennsylvania Santa Claus was popularly Known as Kriss* Kringle, a corruption of Christkindleln, the little Ohfist Throughout the colonies in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries toys were an almost unknown factory 6ut wherever Christmas observances 'Were not frowned upon by religion feasting and good cheer were abundant, and bond and-free, rich and poor, old and young shared in the games, abundant food and genial atmosphere. Not only did the munificence of those who were well supplied with worldly goods extend to their dependents and to all within reach of their charity, but in some places even the animals had an extra, allowance of food to let them know that Christmas had come again. In the eighteenth century toys began to make their appearance in the colonies. Some of them were brought from overseas and had the enchanting quality of novelty. Little girls who had helped to mother their younger brothers and sisters were delighted with dolls that were all their own to dress and undress, to fondle and coddle, punish and reward. Simple and quaint were those early dolls, like the children they belonged to. One can fancy the surprise and terror of the timid when they first , beheld a Jack Jump into the air when an innocent looking box was opened. A toy was a thing to be cherished in those days. It was indeed a wondrous saint who could bring such things in his pack. Some of the gifts were of real intrinsic value, for the shipping and trading were growing to be Important factors in the colonies, and men brought treasures of all kinds from the Far East to the seaports, whence they were distributed to other parts of the colonies. The war for independence interrupted this and the children shared in the self-sacrifices and do-

privations that were undergone by all the families living in the colonies at that time. When soldiers were starving at Valley Forge there was little thought in their homes for Christmas merrymaking and little to do it with. After the war there were still lean years, but by the opening of the nineteenth century peace and plenty smiled upon

the- Land and Santa Claus found it safe to resume his'visits and make the distributions. He still met with a few frowns in New England, but for the most part he was welcomed in homes of varying degrees everywhere. There were no steam pipes or hot-air registers in those days and the chimneys were still hospitable. The saint had to-Jncrease the size of his pack and get a new sleigh to accommodate the increased variety and number of gifts for distribution, and whereas two reindeer had been entirely adequate for draw- , ing his load in the eighteenth century he now had to add- two at a time every few years. * . Another war came along, but this time Santa Claus decided that be did not need to go. out of business; but he found a new kind of toy appropriate to. the time which proved-wonderfully acceptable to the patriotic young Americans. Enter the wooden soldier in his painted uniform. Happy the boy who found a company of these on Christmas morning. Sometimes he might even get a toy cannon or a warship something like those that were used in the stirring engagements of the war. The little girls of the period were so expert with the needle that they could make flags and even little uniforms for the toy soldiers. In the hundred years since that time there has been a mighty development in the toy armaments, and all sorts of figures and implements have been evolved until at the present time a fortunate boy of the twentieth century may have a sufficient military and naval equipment to carry on a real war with another boy whose fighting force is equally impressive. The warships and torpedo boats are'exact models of real ones, and some of them can float upon the water in all the majesty of fighting vessels. Their equipment is perfect, too, even to the wireless apparatus and devices for saving as well as tor destroying life. Ashore there are forts of the latest construction and fighting men of all nationalities. One of the latest achievements in the Christmas toys is in the aerial apparatus. From box kites to real aeroplanes that- will whis through the air there is everything that the boy who has watched real airships and longed to fly one himself can desire to possess. Some of them are almost large enough to accommodate St. Nicholas himself. Even the railways accommodate themselves to the exigencies of warfare. The railways and their equipment are the last word in the up-to-date toys for fortunate children. With the training they furnish there should be developed a race of engineers, managers and presidents of railroads in the future. The most complete sets that Santa Claus brings in 1914 have tracks that can be laid straight away and In curves, going through tunnels, having Improved signals and up-to-date stations. There are electric and steam trains, coaches for several classes, baggage and freight cars—indeed everything inquired for the demands of travel and traffic. If a boy has no taste for the details of railroading he may be interested hi moving pictures, and Santa Claus bril a fine assortment of apparatus of that kind, some of it simple enough for almost anyone to operate and splendid for utilizing picture poet cards or the photographs made with the camera, which Is one of the favorite articles in the Christmds pack. V Some persons say that Santa Claus has discarded Ms reindeer and pack and taken to using

an automobile until the aeroplane, which he expects to have ready soon, is perfected. In any case, he carries automobiles of varying sizes for boys who long to run their own cars. How he ever gets them into the house is a mystery, for some of the delivery wagons and other machines are large enough to accommodate a good-sized boy. \ There are so many things fojr girls nowadays that dolls do not Occupy quite as important a place tn the

Christmas stocking as at one time, yet there is nothing that quite takes their place in the affections of a real girl. And what stunning dolls they are today! Dolls that represent every phase of life, from baby dolls with their complete layettes to perfectly grown-tip dolls with elaborate wardrobes and trunks to pack them away in. , The handsomest and newest'dolls come from a German studio. No two are alike, and they are real portrait dolls of North of Europe children in quaint costume. These lovely dolls cost >l4, but Santa Glaus never counts the cost when he is going some place. An alluring

French doll says, “Take me by the hand and I will walk with you," and she does. For the little children a woolly, sheep used to be a delightful toy in the latter part of the last century, and when dogs and bears that would actually walk were found on Christmas morning there was a hpwl of delighted admiration. Now there are lambs and dogs of life size and ponies as big as the real ones, and all sorts of large animals .with the coats like the natural animal. They all walk and move about and act their parts perfectly. ■ Whatever father and mother have is duplicated for the children besides the thousand and one things, that are devised especially for their amusement All through the year the ingenious folk are working overtime in all the toy shops of the world to turn out the load for Santa Claus to carry to the fortunate children who look for him on Christmas eve, 1914.