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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Signal, 1909-12-16, Page 8lb It r. ir I}� 'SJ Vi '♦ r r'. • Tara/WAY •Dr•ctntssa lar 1008 A THE 7.447 SIGNAL t GODERICII• ONTARIO tisk, si rtrel.na -_ CHRISTMAS '- IN FICTION, • H GEORGE II. PICARD feo,yrlgbt, sew by American e can Press Assn. b OT until the first half of the last century was well spent did the spe- cies ot iiterature which has come to f *� be kpown asChrast- Inas fiction effect a permanent 1 o d g- ment In the hearts of English speak- ing mankind. The ancient parable pIaya and the rhymed holiday n }, legends of the mld- Im1110. die ages are still In ore the continent, but the more trccnia minded Engnsh had only the `rude Ytttetlde jingles and the quaint carols of f Dating antiquity. (Itinerary the prevailing notion, the Inventor of t : e tale with a distinctive- ' ly isttnctive- ly Chrt.Tntla -aver was an American. It I Berle that t would occur to few Americans and t • no Englishman to 4..•.,•nt Ir tt wer asserted In their presence that Cha Dickens or1t i - tinted the Christmas .ry. Itis name 1.1 nn. Inseparably con tel with so oni:h of the holiday teratere, pn- .lirioed in, the popular hen t that 1t Is .t„all wonder the mention f Christ - et - ,iagtesrt him. The •cre. t of the ':literary stud," however-, must giver; h. '11•••her, n man who was at t end nr hi+ thirties when Dlekens was rot, win Irnl Ihrn at Malta when Netso 'S t,•i•1 sailed away to Trafalgar, who ha • rv,•e 1 Sir NV:Alter at Abbotsford and had captivated him and who was aft- i'ru'.rd secretary to the United States 6•g•'tinn in 1:ngland. That, of course, ' tn.-'e. Washington Irving. Uri io^ s first book, "The Sketch -Hook of r:e .Rory ('rayon. Gent-," had pleased ever) body, so much so, indeed, that 1t ops republished by John, Murray In i felon and tranalatoOlInto several con- iinrnf:rl languages. Sloth the publisli- ei, rn,l the public were urging him to .1 . something equally meritorious. No- b.;J;c t.- 1lized more keenly than did the' nnll...r•of the exquisite work the dit11- end t or predocing Its mate. and he was hot a man to he driven into medi- ocrity. Three years later he published •Bracebridge Hall," and the chapter of ,auyt-ai>a ling that masterpiece of literary workman. dentals m. dt Is a master(' whip enttiled "Christmas at Itraecbridge was the pioneer holiday tale of I rush literature and has furnished a model for subsequent tietionisty which has seldom been equaled and never' ,excelled 'its easy grate and felicity nt expression were n revelation to every - boil) in those days, and the wonder end the charts are potent still. Wil4i.hl M-akepeace ThacIeray, mal- let of a realism that Is the wonder and tht• despair of those whn base followed him, needed no model and chose niche. II s+ "firs l'erklns P.a1.' re. sovnbles nothing ever conceived In the. mind of any, other man. The . public was (tedsml with It, hue never ' M. u, u c 11 an was - - Th.a: 11111.altnau. of THE RATIONAL Most amazing •1' all, , the author of the 1 tate professed to betierc that It was "Mrs. Perkins' (tall" that had made he. reputation that, too. in the face of t6.• (ret that "laaity [air" had just (*wen puhlished. This l.erversion of 4,', __ mortal restriction in regard Is (.eoRao- 1 tion that eowe to us when we bid Mem and vanish politely when wsare*rearp of their presence. Bret Herta ewer grade a secret of has adlniratlou for tlse creator of tattle Nell aad Tom Pined hike Peal a1 the feet of Gametic!, be was cosiest to receive kis lemons from the Rana Ds acknowledged t0 be bis master. Not until after Dickens had subbed hda. work dM the young literary light who stood revealed in the far western firma- ment learu that his model bad meta that exquisite elegy "Dickens 1■ Camp" and had been heard to ezpres Ids admiration of It a use meat gen- erous terms. The dying novelist des elated that the work or tate new Amer - lean writer contained each subtle strokes of workmanship an DO other writer In the language had yet ex- hibited. And then he asked, with a humorous gleam in his weary eyes. "Dou't you think that Ws manner b very like my ownT' Like Dickens, ITarte had a genuine fondness for the doings of Yuletide. One who knew him best nays that up to the last day of his life "he thought much of the Christmas season and to the last kept up the fond and fooliab custom of sending generous presents to his friends" Better appreciated in England than in his native country. !Tarte spent the tater years of his life abroad, but his stories were to the last distinctively American. In that ad- mirable performance entitled "How. Santa Clans Came to Simpson's Bar' there is no flavor of the old world Christmas, and Johnny. clothed in the stars and stripes, as a young American of the most unmistakable sort Two of the most strikingly dissimi- lar Christmas stories ever written are Hawthorne's "Christmas Ban- quet" and Hiss Mitt owl's "Cheat- mas Party.'! There is little of Christmas in (1awthorne's grewsome to 1 e. The joyous festi- val la onlf a lit - entry makeshift around which is woven a weird at drives all re; ,•. a season from hosts .s not the so - .d spooks of f rmless .and hey nre tho the frig - ism, and a strong nscen- e con- n Uon ake or DT paychologie ,membranes o the mind. 1b chuble and east Iickens. They creepy and all nerve 'fearsome spectersth id vapors of German they are made icier still TNS stndrt the hi 6 •h are Mg. rise With t c q (option and in treatment—no at all about that—bot it does rye Yu(a tog rime more .lend a better flavor tq the. stea 1nb bowl. MaryRussell Mntford does not d In ghosts. All of her Christmas char. actors are flesh end blood people, and they are oyt of the sort that. -will not stay dead when they di :" Her "Christ- mas Party" L asdain In its work- manship as anything wh h ever came from her careful pen, and hat 1s' say- ing ayIng much. - It 1s as restful and- non- anggectfvc .•ts a pastoral. and is Inlla- encc els ea soothing as the elicate ' sai•or which escapes when the cover of a potpourri Jar 1s lifted:' o the drawer of an old time cabinet is o s- ed—the faint, pervasive odor of erns Ied rose leaves and dried lavender. n •r Or CHRISTMAS, ttterary-- • vain.- of this sare, and his lack of faith In tris masterpiece—be had NO little toebdeu, c w the success of "Vanity Fair" that after It appeared he applied 'or a small gosern,nent position—are .rvt t auOielt:nt that the man who cre- ek-- a masterpiece may bare a dipu- r:ot• eptton of artistic values. 701 The- maters of- groat fiction are mer,- or less under the spell of their imii,edhet, surrehndIngs, but �etv-finve tsiele 11- mores apparent than Charles Del us. 'Phos: who knew the circum- { !deuces s maw• plaluly shut he had put hinoelf and his sad childhood into ur.:uy of Ida pathetic short stories. sere Thk is especially true of -The Ghost In blaster Ire Room,' which 1s an *C- rowd. of things which happened to /11n In his troubled boyhood. As a "3° rho in• was a limn „believer In ghosts. mei a is pr'obante that he nes et ettire- ry abalidoses1 Ittc Yalta to Spectral ap- pr:•rance, Many of his tales are pee- ylr'1 with disembodied spirits, and .they ire like the ghosts of no other writer. 1'1- y ere the spooks that nppesl to one on 1 11i ll.e one bsltere in their genuine - Me -s. -J hey are frequently more ,regi, Role the living characters who cnneort • MA. thein Although they are dead, they conduct theulaelvcs like living en• fv°r lilies• i+f^kena' 4:heistmas ghosts are unique In the realm of literature. Of all tho „ atlent whnpes that , Karg leen sum - S,' moned from the upper and nether •worlds to lend en- s Y:TC chnulment to the Christmas tole els n1 .ne have one neclimat- reT-t sero er an,lhine re- pul:aive *bon leo" i *teem \ The n „ 1"7.•• t tie Inns empan br ' - tv•••eiks Aver inverse & The I IR - : h s-ptite1W b, but are ' ere- gtro ;te.-: rut. They are not the Acro ktlllh awl never to be rob, And phantoms oh, She fairy Mt :nal persona Mies, tJled from erish v• t re "sr• SANTA AND THE LITTLE MOUSE. $r FRANCIS TAYLOR. (Copyright, Iter. by American tress Asso- ciation" Oae Christmass eve when Santa Claus Came to a certain house To fill the children's stockings there He found a little mouse. 1v ELLIS FRANL_- -.__- Ecopyrlght, 11.., by American Press Assts. ci*Uon.1 "Let us sloe in reason this year," she suggested; trl "Not etely for the sake of giving things. It's the invested the money investe Let us, therefore, turn from toots* squandering!. Let the netts we give ba things that mar be needed G _instead of trash soon to be at aside" 'lay darling, your suggestlo shall -be heeded, - For there to wbdom In It," he replied. Shedid her shopping early, being guided By lessons learned from much experi- ence. 010 would show tier Lord and muter. she decided. Bow excellent a thing was common sense. For tbelr baby boy she purchased a French corset And an oriental rag that caught her eye. Mining 'Though this longed- to have a rocking horse, It m• Wasn't sensible," she .murmsd, with a sigh. They promised not to buy things for each other. They would merely get a sew things for the child. Ohs would sacrifice her sister and her mother, And It gladdened her to see the way he smiled Al he paid his penile, too, should be omit- ted. *o the wise and winsome woman, day by day, From shop to shop, with sweet emotion, flitted, Moving dry goods bound up and sent away. "A merry Christmas, little friend," Said Santa, good and kind. "The same to you, sir," said the mouse. "I thought you wouldn't mind "If Ishould stay awake tonight And watch yon for awhile."• "You're very welcome, lit- tle mouse," Said Santa, with a smile. And then he filled the stockings up t' r Before the mouse could wink— From toe to top; from top to toe, There wasn't left a chink. "Now, they won't hold another thing," Said Santa Clans. with pride. A twinkle came in mouse's eyes, Eut humbly he replied: a4,trN,, "It's not polite to contradict. Your pardon I implore. r e But in the fall - e s t stocking there I could put --1 1 one thing tar more." - "Oh, ho," laugh- ed Santa, "sil- ly mouse! Don't I know how to pack? 3y 1 lling stockings all these years I should have learned the knack." And then he took the stocking down From where it hung so high • "New pmt in, nueg more. I give you leave to try." • The mousic chuckled t o imself, An. then he sof stole �h Right t h e stoc' ing's crowded' toe And gnawed a little hole. A "No* if y o please, good Santa Claus. C ' I've rut -in one thing more, Po you will own that li hole \. 's not in them before." okt fie bought a pipe and splendid smtlg Jacket To cryo their darling glee on Christmas morn. With these the child could snake no sura n racket .Aa Intent have train produced with drag• Ile nungot the work*, enezpurkated. torr cod Itnecacctn and Itabelats. On that their little one mtaht he 41.1.0 And, Ion,; have glad reroembranee qt the day. • On Chrtstmu when their -presents wen distil.eyed - They t upon the *ora aide by aids, n AOA whit. thechild looked up at tststa. dl* Bayed, i lie hnd ne a culprit's ar. and NO .., cfjlilirWi?k How �• nta Claus did laugh and lau: , ! And the he -"gayly spoke, "Well. you hall have a Christmas cheese For that nic little joke." THE DEAR 1 1_D TREE By FRANK It. WELT. There''sa dear old tree, . evergreen tree, And iblossoms once a 'Tis loaded with fruit fro top to root, And it brings to all good the . 41 n • rcr its bloi:orns bright are eandlcs whits. f.nd its fruit is dolls and toys, tai bath -you and me If we're good little girls and boys. Th. Chri.tm.s Manger. in France mny be almost milversally *ren rrf.reeentaSIone of the manger Is which Cbrfrt wart burn. wttll enures ot Nary. Joseph and the taNdAlemeo distil Icat�syategr bre I ama- small When the Music Played. A correspondent writes :--I was re- minded of tau Highlanders who vis- ited Edinburgh. The only instru- mental music they had ever beard wart the bagpipes. On the Sab- bath they entered a fashionable church, stook (oseesaion of an aristo- crat's pew, and sat spellbound while the introductory voluntary was being played. The titled lady who rented the pew cense in before the conclusion of the voluntary, and touching one of the Highlanders on the ehouider motioned bow to come out, broking up' be raid quite audibly, 'Ns, na 1 fah' Tonal' : he's a patter dancer than we 1" Smothered laughter w a s beard throughout the sacred edifice, -- Scottish -American. • . A Moving Scene. An Englishman was motoring through a remote part of Ireland, when he caws upon a poor old woman seated with all her humble furniture about her in the middle uC the mad before her little cottage. The Eng- lishman was deeply moved. Here be- fore his eyes an eviction—a genuine Irish eviction—was lreou enacted. He alighted trove his car, and generously prevented the ofd woman with a five pound note. "Tell nue," he said, "what is the 'Avse of alt your trouble, coy poor old creature?" Bowing nearly to the gro i with her grati- tude. the old woruan replied—•'Shure, aur, me ould man's a -whitewashing the inside." 8 \\Tian's bleakness A woman's reproductive organs are in the most bo- tense and continuous s7m• ppsathy with her kidneys. The slightest disorder inthe kidneys brings about a corresponding disease in the reproductive organa. Dodd's Kidney Pills, by re- storing the kidneys to their perfect condition, prevent and cure those fearful die - orders peculiar to women Pale young girls, worn-out mothers, suffering wives and women entering upon the Change of Life, your best friend is Dodd's Kidney Pills f The avi-rage woman oris .M if a 111411 ought to apologize when lie dura hes At favor. TAKE A FLYER! Don't Be 'the Wrong Mr. Wright Holiday Advertising Is the Aeroplane rp', •' ""' / That Gives Business' a Lift. GET • ABOARD! F;}, TAKE A FLYER ! I HOLIDAY FOOTWEAR What better remembrance can you give your friend than a pair of comfortable slip- pers? We have the finest assortment in Felt ur Leather you will find anywhere, as - well se the most reasonable in prior. slur stock of evening dippers • For ladies includes the woes dainty designs of tbe shoemakers art. Al wore acceptable gift at this season cannot be found, it will glve you pleasure to see our footwear for the little tots. i'. Downing 8 MacVicar tarl.Y AURYTK yids Qiit;EN-4,1t'AI4' --UIltiliel iVAt.ICtl�'FR-Iit►F. FOR WOMEN. • "'P 1 i i FOlt MEN. The Signal's Clubbing List for1909-10' "I'he Signal and Toronto Weekly Globe $t 6o The Signal and Toronto Daily Globe . 4 50 The Si,ltal Montreal Family Herald and Weekly Star - 1 85 CHRISTMAS GIFTS Out I ne this y.•ar roust -le of : TOILET SETS in leatlmt cases MANICURE SETS in Iee.nthet' ense.r )i s"w Combination Ttill.l•I' ASI I.IAN[l'1'ille. I:r Ebinv ilAllt 11l0"*ali•:4 E } epi a lr I•:lt,rly 51 I1(111 tit' a •�-. Ehouy BONNET I(1 UNllhiw EItim_v N.tll. Eli I "SI IEN Ebony t'I.00II liltl 5111: Ebony Nail Files and Show Horns: Flyer Sliiitary ••tc. I•`aney Pilus, Cigars. cigar (Cases. Fancy Perfumes, in hulk sn.l Is .1tles. Big range +toil close pricey at BUTLAND'S DRUG STORE - , GODERICH THE STORE THAT PLEASES • 1 0 E sur► AND COar - 7. you seder Syrup emp�1asiI the hams '‘is..WN BRAND" for this name means that you watt the best—the purest— the most wholesome anti reliable table *brats it is possible to proms a and genuinely deli- cious is "Crown Brand Syrup" that'na'll enjoy int flavor about ten tortes more than that of say other make. Tt costs yon no more than ordi- nary ayrnp and yet it is purer, better, and more wholesome in every way. It is the greatest food for growing children, and can be given in any quantity "Clown Brand Syrup" as pat up in a, S. To and 20 lb. airtight tin, with lift -oft lids. When yon bey "Crown Brand" vin obtain a Syrup as clear as (eyelid and of gmtraateed purity and whole smtentsa. The Bdwardsbnrg Starch Co. ESTABLISHED 1858. Verb • Neon 4^, ta1110tl•41• Madan awn 111111411110. Including Un nu :in }u=Kure. "Thr_ nil._ -.teak• •fhe Signal and Weekly -Sun (•1'orontol The Signal and Toronto. Daily Star 1 The Signal and Toronto Daily World •I'ti.• +nat-antTToronto Daily News The Si},riral and Toronto Weekly Mail and Empire 175 220 3 50 2 33 i Co The Signal and Farmer's Advocate 2 The Signal and Canadian Farm . I The Signal and Farm and Dairy I "Die 'Signal and Winnipeg Weekly Free Press 1 6o The Signal and London Daily Advertiser . 2 The Signal and London Weekly Advertiser 1 'the Signal and :London Daily Free Press t orllltlg Edition "l L try' Evening- Edition , •. 35 50 75 90 60 3 50 90 The Signal and London Weekly Free Press 1 85 The Signal and Montreal Daily Witness 1 3 50 The Signal and Montreal Weekly Witness.. 1 85 The Signal and World Wide 2 25 The Signal and Western Home Monthly (Winnipeg) 160 The Signal and Presbyterian ; 2 25 The Signal and Westminster . . , . • _2 25 The Signal, Presbyterian and Westminster 3 25 The Signal and Catholic Register . i< 60 The Signal and Saturday Night (Toronto ts',''' 3 40 The Signal and Busy Man's Magazine y' 2 50 The Signal and Home Journal (Toronto) : '". 1 60 The Signal and Youth's Companion (I t*'.&-- 2 90 Inrtudlug isotagc to. Caiimdiaasulbyerlbci:..-_' ['he Signal arid" Woman's Home Companion (New York) 2 60 { Including postage to Canadian subscriber.. "these prices are for,address'es in.Canada or Greiil Britain. The above publications may be oht cried il)' Sig- nal subscribers in any combination, the price for an! _publication bcijlg the figureiven above Icss SI.0e' representing the price of The Signal. For Instanct . The Signal and The Weekly Globe .ur The Farmer's Advocate ($135 less $too) $i no .; .135 ;2 95 e, —making the price for the three papers2.95• The Signal and The Weekly Sun it 7 set The Toronto Daily Star ($2.2o less $too) . The Weekly Globe ($t.6o less;t.00i z so 60 —the fhur papers for $3.53. Several of these papers, including The Weekly Gbbe. The WOO Mail and Empire, The Weekly San, The Family He rald and Weekly. SW and The Canadian Farm, are sent FREE FOR THE BALANIC C• 190 TO NEW SUBSCRIBERS. - if the publication you want is not in above list, let us know. We can supply almost any hcell:known Canadian publication. - Send subscriptions through local agent or h`• postoffice or express order to t The Signal Printing Company, LIMITED, Goderichr Ont. di (