THOUGHTS FOR THE TIMES

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1927, Page 2

THOUGHTS FOR THE TIMES

The Festival Of Kindness. “To 1)0 honest, to be kind; to earn a little and to spend a little less; to make, on the whole, a family happier for his presence—here is a task for all a man has of fortitude and delicacy.” —R. L. Stevenson, in—“A Christmas Sermon.’’ There can be no burking the fact that Christmas has given us a kindlier world. And when we speak of Christmas we mean more than the season set down on the calendar. AYe include, rightly, the great divine fact that lies behind the season and that has given it to us. To ignore it is to bo crude, ignorant, unfair. A r ot there is a growing tendency in that direction, in regal'd to many things. AA’e are apt, ns the Americans say, to allow the sideshow to liecome the circus. Life .suffers from continued emphasis. Secondary issues are given first place in our thought and estimation, while the prime sources of our blessings are permitted to pass with little notice or regard. The tendency needs careful watching in respect of Christmas and its claims.

Happily, the thought of kindliness in connection with Christmas is widespread and non-decadent. The Scrooges of to-dnv are few in number and liHle in evidence; and what degree of the spirit of Scrooge may have been induced within us by the more sordid influences of the year, yields place liefore the oncoming of the kindlier time. Exchange.

A Rome cable states the engagement of the Crown Prince of Italy to Princess Marie Jose of Belgium, will lie officially announced in the spring, and tho wedding will take place at Turin, considerable later.

The wedding took place yesterday at St. Patrick’s Church, Greymoutli, of Mr Daniel J. Costigan. son of Air and Mrs 1,. Costigan, of Greymoutli, to Alias Elizabeth Douglas, second daughter of Mr I). Douglas, of Waitahu, Inangaluia. the ceremony being performed by the Rev. Father Long.

Inchbunnie was the scene ol a disastrous lire at an early hour on Thursday morning, when the homestead ot Mr .Michael Khaffrcy. dairy farmer, was completely destroyed. The structure cost over £I2OO. and although there is seme insurance, the owner will he a heavy loser. About 3 a.m. Air Slinffrev noticed a glare, and when a door was opened by .Miss Shaffrey. the house was found to he ablaze inside. The inmates had ju t time to make their escape, without saving anything except some bed clothing, while the children saved none of their clothes. The loss will be the more serious coining in the middle of the milking season.