Stedman and Hutchinson, comps. A Library of American Literature:
An Anthology in Eleven Volumes. 1891.
Vols. IX–XI: Literature of the Republic, Part IV., 1861–1889
Christmas-Time
By Kate Neely Festetits (b. 1837)T
Full are the hours of glad expectancy;
Dull cares and common for a while have flown,
And through the household music creeps a tone
Of hushed and hidden glee;
For still the blessed joy-time of the year
Is sacred unto thoughts of all the heart holds dear.
Trying vainly to keep out
The mischievous shining from their eyes
That might reveal the tale—
Full of some wonderful surprise,
Which none must venture even to surmise
Till Christmas lifts the veil.
The spirit of loving industry,
Of happy secrets, and of merry mystery,
Fills all the house, till every guarded room
With hidden flowers of love begins to bloom.
There is so much to do!
They fetch and carry, flutter here and there,
With most important air,
And choose their longest stockings out,
With never a thought of doubt,
The good Kriss Kringle’s bounty to receive.
All things they hope, all things believe;
May God keep whole
The sweet child-trust in each young, innocent soul!
And does not seem to see,
Herself entangled also in the wiles
Of Christmas mystery.
With well-feigned sober mien,
And lip and brow serene,
Her cunningest devices she applies
To slip the scrutiny of eager eyes,
And hides away upon the closet-shelf
Parcels of shape and size
That could have only come from Santa Claus himself.
Kitchen as well as hall,
And dainties hidden from the schoolboy’s raids
Come forth in answer to the Christmas call.
Odors of spice and plum
From the far precincts come;
And sounds suggestive (now the eggs they beat,
Now chop the apples) tempt the little feet,
Brighten the laughing eyes,
And set small mouths a-watering
For Christmas cake and pies.
The ruddy lads come in, their arms piled high
With Christmas boughs of cedar, fir, and pine,
Red-berried holly and green ivy-vine.
The incense-like perfume
Hallows each happy room;
The house is beautiful with Christmas cheer:
It is the gay time of the year!
Long years ago,
While angels sang the chime
For the first Christmas-time,
Of a poor maid wast born,
And laid’st thy kingly head
Beneath the humble shed
Where sad-eyed oxen munch the bruisèd corn,
And milch-kine for their weanlings low,—
O Christ, be pitiful this day!
Let none un-Christmased go;
Let no poor wretch in vain for help implore,
Let none from any door,
Unwarmed, unfed,
No kind word said,
Helpless, be turned away.
For thine own sake, we pray!