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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1888-12-20, Page 6wastententonentssener Ah.h.- • "Yen, aesx,' responded the happy young TIIE Gil mall' as he fnideti the reni4en te heeerna . ( and imprinted a kiss tether otalhd breve ; 1 for the WAS indetiti. 111411 Kittle% m4 it A, Ceseenesses STORY Or mem Noma -WEST, love, whae escape 1" Among the var,,iouttuarratives recotded of 01-1' an alas preeently murmured. "Seed to be rescued by you adventures in the wiklest parte of our emin, inioe, no ever created greater tnterest than the well atitheeticatea one which we are about to present to oar reeders, On a. dark, stormy nigb.t in the wilder- ness of the North-West, hundreds ot miles front eivilnttion, the lurid glare of z camp- fire, by weieh were sittipg two trappers, watt visible far above the eurrounding trees. As the wind rushed up the gorge in which the treppera' camp was situates], it brougiat to their ears the long, wailleg howl of ball - famished wolves. The roxing ef the tdeot pest aeemed have dispelled an deeire for conversetion, ne the trappergazea geietly at the embers, each basy with hie even thouohts And all the More busy to, be ' $ cause this was the eveuipo of the eanistmas Day of 1857, anti they could not help think- ing of the festive scene watch were tehieg place elsewhere. Suddenly, ea a theep got of wind swept by, there wee wetted to the ears ef ores elf the tapper a etrenge cry, reeemblieg human voice supplicating sueeaur. William Kane state, beet his heed irt a listening attitede, and awaited a repetitiou of the myaterious weed, lie wes a well - terrace men, empereatly aleorit tweeend- twenty yeara of nee ; and, the enly drawback to ha phyeleal beauty was a, Settled melao- eholy that derkened his expressive face. acme time before. While 4 reeideet in AP Ontario eiey,he Led fence in love with tee daughter of A we4ItlAY merchant ; bat the letter, oh dog te Will SOOT euAtecount of Ms poverty, had fortiddeu the yotiug ;nee house, 14144 commanded hie lamely detigh- ter to reumence the eremainteuee of the "poor ecepegraee.' Soon after thie nuee- peeted. eveat, Will, almost breleerehearred, eleperted for the far North-Weet, witheut dieelesing bis leteetion te?Ivey oue; and beret by A eAreP•arA ina 11401311M1141Orge OA that, tempergeoue Christmae night, we lied him in corapeny with the lierdy traPhsra Fred Perry, A menteutpewied, and again the wailing crehof diatrese greeted the young Kane; and, epruming te his feet, he turned, aud, ex- claimed in an excited voice to the inperenth- ettle trapper, "Perry, by s11 thee s good, there's AMA eMe Icbt n thie dreadful seorm The veleM I think, wee that of A female, EVPS% UAW the 11119W la falling thick mad fast ; and, unlese she reeeive suceour agora her life will be htmelassly ered, 00r014 eemethieg must he demo l" "Aeoteer fit of yenrs," *mid the drowey trepper,o neema 1412 the eeelted yourig MASI. "2o,Perry, lee a hum= helug in die - trete ; and if yo ri won't lend nne a helping tend, Ige altme," " Better etey where yea axe, It's only some wild ".That I feel peeitive it ie uot," returned the yourig mem "There, liaten, matt Ara I not right ?'• With A wild look, the. youth departed from the firelight, and veuished in the aux"- eoundiog darknees. Ah, lad, yea% run your heei into the ;math of death yet, by eorne of your foolish trieks ; butFred Perry, the catamount of the Nee -West, the etedge.hatinner ot deetrec- tion, and the biggest zoarer west of the Reckice wilt not eee you thawed up for trothing ; The trapper -at ludieroue soliloquy WAS cat short by the ammo wailing cry that drew oung Will Kane into the daagera a the raging ternpeat. ' Bora and huffaloa 1" vociferated the Startled trapper; " the lad WU right. There le eome one lest in the atorm and orying for aatilyexarnining his rifle, to the that it was in, ref:Wilma if need be. the trapper shouldered it, and followed his commie. Will Kane resolutely fought his way timmigh the blinding storm, which increas- ed in fury every moment ; and when he en- deavoured to push forward with greater epeed, he was aura to have hie progre3a flee peded by stumbling over the Unlike of pros treted trees, which, becatuse of the intense Ilarknoss, be was unable to perceive., He 'was about to renounce his aearoh as hopelesa 'when the agonizing cry reached his ears, this time with far more diatinotneee; and the young man's blood froze with horror as he heard the cry answered from the throats of a pack of wolves. At this juncture the lona voioe of Parry, the trapper, reached the young man: and quickly answering the welcome shout, they were in a abort time together. " Hello, boy 1' called the trapper, as he recognised in the gloom the dim form Will; "This seems pretty mud' like a wild-goose chase, and whoever it is nose its loot hut a pack oahungry wolves after her now. So before we go further, let's procure a blazing torch; and to do that we shall have to return to the fire in the gorge, which we ain't very far from yet." " Taen, for pity's sake, let t15 *hasten. Fred 1" eplied the young man, in ardent tones. With difficulty they again reached the camp fire; and each "grasped a flambeau, and darted through the woods with great speed, as the torches enabled them to travel quite rapidly. In a short time they were in sight of howling wolves, that were running round and round a huge bonldereor rock, on the top of which stood a female in the attitude of despair, gazing at the rapacious beasts below. With a loud cry, Will dashed among the famished brutes, waving his torch to and fro; and as the trapper followed his noble example the frightened wolves fled with baffled howls into the deeper mazes of the forest. As Will reached the summit of the boulder, he held his toreover his head; ahd by its brilliant glare he beheld, prostrate at his feet; in a state of unconsoiousness, a young and beautiful girl. The audden appearance of the trappers, at the very mcment when hope had deserted her, was a shock too powerful for her, and she had swooned in the dehriam of joy. The elder trapper was soon on the top of "Re is as stupid as adonkey. He hasn't the huge and massive boulder; and taking got any 'sense'at alt.", el I Will's torch, the young man knelt by the " Stupidity on the part of the hitebe.nd is side of the ineensible maiden, and brushing no good ground for divorce. You must have back the dark brown curls from her marble , known before you married him thet he was brow, he trembled and ganeed forth in am- 1 a fool." , II "No, I didn't know ' that he was such a wretched donkey. " How long were you engemed before you got married." " Three years." , 'en; ! ' • • - , , e "Then you must have known When you married your husband that he was sefool," when all imps was gooe Thauk beaeen, dearest, 1 rrived in time," the young man field fereeotly. ' Wheo her streeeth had felly, returned, the three made their wity back to the campfire and there the melaeloholy and bereaved girl told her store- When the great awl awful crisis 0 1:S57 swept over Canada and the States, Mr., Elmer was among those that were renclereee.bankrept ; and to eacaped the savage eyeeeetid fiteiltirg werds of bie crediteren, who ware aelahe herathiug him by their teereilesaifiSenetela fen payment, he xeaolvecato eneigre,te West, and there commence aenew life,and seek means to altiefy his creditors. After the eme of the ski homestead, the affiacted men managed to reserve aufficieut funds ant of the receipts to carry him to the goldeu lane of the far West, So, makieg immediate prepoations for. the "overland route," the Deeensher arm one morning shone on a train of some thirty waggons; and among the party was, flee bankrupe Elmer. As the foot of the Reeky Metentaine was reached, the weather aet in cold auel eitormay, and en that ever mem- orable Ceristatas night they were attaekesi by a roving baud of Sioux Indians, who mothered or captured. tiff:- mittie party of emigretits, exeeptiog Rose Eimer. To escape the savages, Rese fied- to the nmentabet, and polled Seer way throegh the htoree, antil chathel by wolvve ; and then the took refuge on the huge beulder, where our hero foetid her, The next tuoraleg. broke forth with our. peeing spleadoar; the atorai had, eleered off, and the sea was ;hieing brWiauty, -, Rose, chid the trapper repaired to the wee of the massacre, where a feerfal elglat tuet their eyes. The wolves had com- pletely devoured the dead, sod the trein bed, been plundered of every velueble arti, Iroae atmomp.anied Will to the Vanity land of Celiforma, and, are a long year of mourniog, else gave up her parente AS deed but not instil a mot diligent tharele had been executed by the kind heartei Fred perry. lent it wait fruitless, of course; for ber parents lied been Akin on that fatal Aoother year, dear reader, feemel Will Kent the husband of the agaie happy Rohe Elmer; ad% after he had, aceucauleted a fortuee in the gold toiries, he eetereed with hie homily to Ontario, and there be lived a life ef tranquillity, dyinga few yeare ago eurrounded by. all the comforte of civilize - and eujoyuig the love earl respect of a gra number of frit:zeta. Olerfhteue-, IdelehttY of t e Old Horse,. Teey are eviug a good time In the house day. My master hitched rue np yeeten y and took me to the city, bringiug bok ad of goot thinga for the come/went of very member of the family except e. I elou'e understand why i'm not entitl- e a httle share of the dividend that the m haa tide year declared. What ceuld LvO been done without me, 1le ander? 1 ve plowed the ground, pulverized the aoll, anted the vein, cultivated the corn, reap - the wheat, gathered in the barvett, and one odd chorea around the farm. and what eve I got to show for my work? I don't want any fauoy toggery for my bead, nor any giraeracks about nay body. I'd like good wsetn blanket to keep ire from taking cold after Poo been so over-worked thet I'm reeking with perspiration, bat I take notice I haven't got it. I wish my meatier would pay a little more attention to rny °tali and keep it in better condition. I like to breath swett, fresh air just as well as he doe. Sometimes I get a little too natich,of it, though; Those wide oraeke aud ehat broken window make it n. comfortably cold eometimai, My matter growls octeuse it takes to much corn to keep me in &eh, but how can he expect me to put fleeh on my bones and warm up all out doom beeideei ? Just listen to the uproar and the shouts of merriment over the Cluestrnas cheer to whioh I was the largest oontsibotor. Yet I Arn standing hake suffering for a drink of water. My master allowed one of his young cubs to hitch me to the sleigh this morning, and I was whipped, yanked and yelled at until excitement, over-axertion and labour threw me into a profile° perspiration. But here comes my motor with some water and a good feed of oats, I immose. Another de/apt:Ann:neat, for he is getting the harness down, and I suppose somebody ha a been promised a eleigh-ride. Well, there is noth- ing for me but to =bride, If I therald at- tempt to make any kind of a protest, I should ot the word of it. If I should ven- ture to kick or balk even when goaded to it by hunger, thirst and fatigue, I [should get a beating that would make my bonea ache for many a day. One day the minister was riding with my master and I heard him say "Come unto me all ye that laber and are heavy laden and I will give you ret." I think he said thie was an invitation extended by some great Master. Dew I wish I could find him, or that my mus 5er would adopt some of his me- thods. "Merry Chrietmas 1" shout the boys and girls, and 1 wish I had cause for w hin- flaring a joyful response. frnimneaohable Evidence. A peaeant, Grobmaier by name, took oc- casion to thastise his wife, and she not lik- ing such treatment applied to the local judge j for a divorce. The adge, who knew the parties, had them both cited to appear be- fore him. Addressing the wife, he said: "Mrs. Grobmaier, 11 I were you I would withdrew ray application for divorce, It is true your husband struck you, but, accord. ing to your own admission, you provoked him with your tergne. Home you any other grounds for divorcee" "Yes, I have," replied the wife. "What are they ?' azement, " Rose—Rose Elmer I You here ?" "What, lad, did something sting you ?" said the trapper, as he looked on with tines - earned indifference. Will paid no heed to the eccentric trapper, but continued his efforts to restore the young girl to conscioutteess. She opened her dark, expressive eyes, and gazed bewilderingly "1 am willing to swear that a didn't around her; then closing them again, she know he Was a fool when I married him." shuddered, and placed her heads to her The husband, who had thus far not open face, as if to shut out eome terrible specta- ed his month, stood up and itaid excitedly de. "Your honor, she knew it well enough,' "You're safe, darling 1" exclaimed Will, for she told me so time and again." a familiar tone. As the young girl caught the sound of his i in voice, she started, operied her eyes, and To remove grease from garinents dissolve scrutinized his face minutely; then uttering a tablespoonful of salt in four tablespoonfuls+ a cry of excessive joy, she exclaimed, " of alcohol; shake well and apply with a WilI ! ie it you 7' eponge. MERRY OThafittia. SAIi1TA CLAM Yes, I am coratnn round among you all, dear friends, mace again. I am busy with preperatients now and will be with you very goon, though, in the meautime, my fur coat needs a little patehing, my gloves, too, would keep oilt the cold better if A few way ef emtrnev" The miatletee was regerti- etitohes were put in here and, there between °et:twee:tilt agoreoeitevnegereerwatiuepuonbythteheoaDkrterleciee: tbhee the Augers. Then my cap is becoming quite fevourite tree of their deity Tutanes, wile seedy, and were ie not thet all ruy travel': ling is, done at nielit, and none 0 yoa are : therr 070704-te 4. At e greatththe P410etinvier wagseiletBdAnial, likely' to see roe on that account, I ehould oda ggag bong, at the tiree 01 .agg *jaw cromelaQi nmlye gaoriteawmoyn eRbatter'sowe avne oirsdhear shall minis ktee omottothcee4 Tinh;Qp:4spliejattre forest, eat ht:irandpriweIttl, thin old one do me this season, and perhaps great pomp and rejoicing gathered the by next year—wen, thee° ie no saying what mistletoe bengto, which wee thought to oaa.y take place before that, I may neither cap, nor glovea. nor Inc coat, nu"oa ; Pee4ees PrePerriea of great Table tet. PrePitia en atiog some et the deities during the cold eerecious bac' wherein to eartY the lateaa4— ; weettier. The ceremony was tlaite an to. gladden the heart e of the children, nor reindeer sled, nor any of those things 1212*111. hitra4°411:ttodTrauthwehtireebfurloismwwerheicittathene The cutting of the mistletoe is the one, and the burning of the Yule log is the other. Everybody knows how a pretty girl, May be kissed with impueity if you °etch her wader the mistletoe. This is what makes that plaut popelar, and Many people thiuk it worildn't be Christmas at all, if they couldn't hang up a bunch of this beautiful leaved plane, with some belly berries periums by have made Santa Chine what he is for all mistletoe watt to,he out. Thie was done these yeara. I feel that there are changes with a golden knife by ,e, Druid clad in white going on which may force nee into oblivion. I =dm ic. fell from the tree it WAS caught by ota,ke even the veep youngest children theft' another priest in the folde of his robe wilich at my existence, if indeed they will not I was Bum of the same emblemetio eolor of be too ignorant even to weir. Then ' Thereto. When that was ,dene, the white will never know that there ever was , eeme'eseee seeeifieed,as were also human be - any Sants. Claes, whom little chiliren like lugs at times. The preeieus plant was then tlamoselvea believed in, and for whose eonn melded into mean partnere and, metseenten ingt they looked, forward so eagerly, though , among the people who hung them over thet with a little timidity end uervonane•se mieg- le.edinewriryth.etybeelarxdgemareueenck,ateh esitheiya tfbuorz tic ot efnt. ,' 3d4nuone/s4azisuei*attfoTvirttlimekilaarnally4 tirrotimorairegy.rt i 1 3! Ili Qv 4Weind4a: ht21‘ doWtt the ehieeneY to fill their stock' effect that the Goddess Friga had a lunch alga while they slept. Yes, things are no beloved son, Belner, who dreamed one night lengerwh" theY ellee were' enet 1 fer ' that he eboniel die, and told his mother se it will not be leng befere / 41494 i the moretiem liermetereel love bedewed her A p4 4 have to jeia the compeny of these of „ ta TWO k0 tto cot mat rg cag ht,r, whom the world brie got tired, leeeeuee it ! e„„ e,„ h„,,,,,, and, Ac‘ bfaauseye tletgrf tele; nratebtr 1413abenytepeagrieengta tnoowt4beril:g. "th'717a1.17b—a,t t—be.i7we'ertin—ell":-ShVb—ad 131a—cre ia11:°:4Q4*ttWetatinIn441tVrePb6reblareiwttbl4W:gboat0a4t:t"Iereee'SentaCIaie,orwaleeAofCOrllttiQn " only, tAillOg them not to believe in Any goat 1 the mistletoe, Var a time Belder wise .ite- nomettee thee the obild.ren whoee fathers vtalherableia all hia centhete, bueet lot hie I APCII4ot4ers .11WPW them to th.b4 a $4144. enernYi 14eeke' niegutae4 bignaeU " an .914 calved 944 „eatt, lataelaatinaa loariaam her aele13 eefety ASS of riga. She alim very Claes eh a real beteg, are beteg eedlY de. Wen1A14 Alld PIAPaged to worm the felret of filfente'd!thatTi is fatlier we'd Maher BA atni3b115T tebl bim ef the despised ulrat4etle* other fda4da, wiln ovo them pro4e00, awl i Treetheroue Leake immedletely reel eftend who drives from. Llancl, or 41/MO rater lane/vs and shot abet Peer Ilelder.`leeci' uet atty. silly old fellow covered witli enov,Iseenre"elnernistlete°, with Win° he /Aatle far away land of the orth, on a relo or The growth of the reistletee en the oeic sled, and comets down the chimney to nil tree lawny el' cmanatativelY rate OZenrre4ea* their etooltinge. Well, I do not complain flowever, it flouziehee ingreat photperity en of all this. It is uaavehlehle, I eupp?se, 11 apple trees, an in Rene ealaehe 10 Englated pecple will wily keep alive the remit ef RCM ahlathaesa le dews about tbe Chriatmae relfty, Qf ocerforteee, of kindly feet]StlttQO 10eettiog mietletoe fig the /04r140 ing for APO another, of willizigneth to =triter. ferget QUI grudges,. m . and lice peae0 Tim ale Leg it atm A very emcieutilieth with ene enotleer, In memory Ai tntiO4, It etIntell tP thA BA& fr4114 their Seendinavien forefathenewhe attheir winter eighteen hundred yen* age, and Wal hollor ot tbeir grtat ad nor. teudm good will te men 'I At the earn time cue cannot help leohing beck somewhat regret- fully at peat years, and mat Christ -rues zerwarms, wit= it Was differeut, wiieu Sente Clews wee really loved, and lonyed for by thopeende and reillioue of Wye end girle, wb° em5 t° eart4 as a little °Idid the se'letice feeet need to Wattle great bearers la herl"e4 by 42111e1I4 with 'Qng4 0! pesat "fl times the observance of the Yule.tide log burning was one et the west enjoyable of the whole joynealiieuoo. Itepeseege from the weeds to the baronial belt ente it tri- umphal precession, each wayfarer lilting hi hat to it as it passed. It was not all can who would net for A great deel, lave gone mowed on the out Christmas eve, but e,itlecut the pleasure et expectreney, when charred retanant was always carried over to they hung their etockinge up en the Christ, faze uextYear, with whiell te laud% the meg Eve, and the rapturous enjoyment with new leZ. Tnie Was 'Very linPert3'nty "t,be which they merle exploratiooe the next old loif. ;al? 1101;86 was ,allF,Fa,r(4 to be morning. 1 mot say thet I have alwaye felt a kind Ol ulaarenee agaMbt ire. .4.110 most at home among the German Kinder. hurniog Y, ele log Wee viewed with The little Peteschers cell me Ktlah Kinkle, good goal of sopototitious 6,WQ by your forefathers, aud, It wait thought un- lucky if A squint-eyed person entered the room where it WAS hurtling, or even if la bare- footed person did so, or a ilet-footed women. adainle tho Iog was burning addi- tional light was given to the scene by a roonetroue candle, celled the Yule Cendle or Chrietmes Caudle, This Yule log is repro. mated in some parts of England to -day by what la known aa the Asheon t. T01 whioh Le just altrag-Eanction, er the Infant Chad. Among the Germ= people of Peon sylvenie, ton, 1 have long been very popu- lar, and am yet, for that matter of le. The children hang up their stocklogs at the foot of the bed, auci 1 fill them with good things if the little ownere have been good, kind to their pimp:veto, obedient to their toolt- ern and pmenta, diligent at their taake. polite and attentive, and cleanly .ani. all that ; but if the ohildrea hems been naughty, fagot is composted of a number o ash tree and 1 kuow when that has been the case, oinks bound together by hoops of the sem° then, instead of pretty things in their wood. This ishrought with greatrejoiain stockings, 1 leave a birch rod, PA 14 -Riga that to the, house end deposited on the inert they peed, is Whippiag. Some cull me St. Panel every klod is the order of the hour. Nicholes, though that is not quite cornet, Everebody, muter end servant, for the tame However, 1 have sto lesson to Ond fault, es , bainr, 58 00 terms of equality with every. 81. Nicholes was a very excellent oheraoter. body else. Teem aro aports of verioua Of course I am not no foolish a.s to take kinda, some of them pretty rotigh, enote aa ell the credit to myself for the jolly times jumping in seeks, ducking for apples, and umping fot cakes and tremolo. In the latter game, cakes, plentifullyameared with treacle, are suspendixi from the roof or acme on - 'coolants hook, and the game is for retch per- son, with bends tied behind, to jump tip English people in the old days, end oven yet and try to seize the cake 10 519 mouth. The to a very large extent, get more real jolly fan at Christmas than any other people I know, They throw themselves heart and soul into the work of eajoying themselves, and whether they are feasting or frollioking, they act on the principle that as Christmas oomes but once is year, they aught to make the best of it. They are a little more digni- fied nowadays perhaps than their ancestors were, but they get a good deal of solid fun even yet. Bat what a jolly crowd theee old boys were to be sure. I men't help regretting those days and letting my memory linger on the splendid timea they used to have. Christmas revels then, were far ahead of what they are now, in my estimation. There were the "Mummers,' for example. In Canada you have nothing like them. They, were derived from an ancient heathen cue. tom, I know, but they need to be jolly fun, but notrefinedenongh for these modern daya. People used to mask themselves and go about the atreets indulging in practical jokes and all torts of pranks and pastimes. They would often act farcical plays, and this oun tom, indeed, is kept up in some please; even to the present day. Then there were the "Waite," somewhat similar to the Mum- mers. The Waifs were officially recognized in the cities of London and Westminster as late as 1820. They had the sole right of serenading the people and getting Christmas mas boxes, which. `proved quite a valuable aouroe of income. But now there is no such monopoly, and anyone who likes can try to charm money from the pockets of the Cock- nies. They had their indoor sports too, some of which linger on to this day and are as heartily enjoyed as they were then. There Is the game of Snapdragen, for example, where a quantity of raisins are put; into a large bowl, and some spirit poured otter them. This is then get 'on 'fun, and 'the game is to Pull the raisins from amid the flame. 'This requiree some courage and quickness of °mine and ie great fuze There is a song called "The Song of Snapdragon," whith many of you must have heard. Here is one veree of it people latsve at the Chrbianas season. There is the Christ:ones Tree, for instance, which is a 'very anoient angora in Gernaany, though it is comparatively recent in Groat Britain and Canada. I think the 'Were he comes with flaming bowl, , Don't he mean to take his toll, Snip! Snap! Dragon I Take care you don't take too much, Be not greedy in your cluMh, Snip Snap 1 Dragon! While the sport is going on, it is beat to put out all the lights, and then things look quite lurid. 1VIen Who are skilled in tracing all things to their sources, say that this game has its origin in the ordeal by fire which was one of the institutions of the Middle Ages, or if you push still farther back, a remnant of the ancient fire-vrom hip of the Druids. • Let mejust say a few words about two other old british customs of very great interest. revellers are kept jolly with plenty of aplood cider, the (mann beine that for every crnels a fagot band makes in bursting a froth bowl of liquor has to be provided. There is an - nether very heathenish custom still prac- tised in some pots of Devonshire in which the revellers, after eating hot cakes and oider, prooeed to the orchard, with offerlu of older and oake for the principal app tree. The cake 1* deposited in the fork of the tree, the cider is thrown over it, and the men fire guns and pistols 'while the wo- men and girls in "Bear blue apples, and pears anew, Barnfubs, bagfuls, sackfuls, Hurrah 1 Hurrah 1 Hurrah r What I have said refers more particularly to observances on Christmas' Eve. As to Christmas day itself, there is great doubt, as you all know, whether our Saviour was really born on that day, or on some other day later in the year. But that after all is not matter of very much oonoern. The great thing is that Re was born that He came to earth with good tidings ?roam God His father to einful men, aud that the day ever since has been commemorated as one on which cheerful gaiety is very appropriate. It is altogether certain, however, that many t least of the peculiar observances whioh cluster about the Christmas season are of heathen origin. The early Chrietian teach- ers found it impossible in many cases to wean their converts from some of their an- cestral customs, and so they made corn. promises by engrafting Christian meanings on heathen ceremonials. Among the ancient Romans, there was always a great feetival at the time of the winter solstice. The Saturnalia it was called. The greatest freedom .prevailed. Everybody "went in for fun,' though the freedom very often degenerated into gross lioense. Everyone heated and rejoiced, business was suspend- ed, houses were decked with • laurelo. end evergreens, presents were given, and games of various kinds were carried on with great enthusiasm. -Much the same sort of thing wenton among the .Soandine,visats, though in coarsenways, Christmas festivities there- fore in these modern days are a mixture of heathen superstition aod Christian idealism. I shall just quote a few verses from some of the old Christmas songs and carols, and then stop. Here is one written about the beginning of last century by one George Wither: "So now is come our joyfulest fes,st ; Let every man be jolly; Each room with ivy leaves is eked, And every post with holly, Though some churls at our mirth repine, Rented your foreheads garlands twine, Drown sorrow in a cup of wine, And let as all be merry. Now all our neighbours' chimneys smoke, And Christmas bloke are burning; Their event they with heked meets! choke, 1 flow the Tiger Xilla ahd Bats. Withoet the door let sorrow lie ; And all their spite are turning. I In a paper read before the Bombay Nat - Awl If for cold it haps be die, We'll bury it ia A Cristroa pie And evermore be merry. ural Hustory Society, receetly, and publish - Ied in ita joernal, Mr. Invekarity, A nAtAti skikaoi, diecuseed the habits of the tiger, and especially the modeinwhich it kills and Now every lad, is wond'rous prim, eats its prey_ Some think he aeizes by the And no men minds hie 'shear; I throat, othere by the nape of the neck feom Our lasses have provided them 1 b . A bagpipe and a tabor; 1 Mr. Inverarity has ;examined scores ot Young mea and maids, and gide and boy ,, Blain apituals with special refereece to tat, 1 point, and in, every eme hot PAO the throat Give life to oee enethertt toys; i wee seized from below. The exception was And you anon shall by them neise, t an, old boar who lead beansem' ed by th,e look Patheive that thee' are meren.” ; of the neck frem above. One of a single file And so on fez' severe), vot4" more. 1 of Tx -liners who was oneermised by the name Oae of the beat knewa carola hegiari with ' of the neck by A man.eater, but saved by his 11i19-verse.i companions, nad no ideawhen he reeovered L"eet. regain you dismay 1 ,, aihis thuaes what lied liappeaed, Whether Goa rest you, merry gentlemen, idtocation of the neck takes place ia doaht, For Jeses Chriee our Saviour 1 The tame hunting leoperds always hill ; by pressera on the windpipe, without break- Iegg tae Ain ; ponibly the tiger killer in the_ sathwaectwigaeyrs. MI° kiiell°iPnglY aebYveareeittoclyeeitraloarbtaell' ne vein or artery, earl no blood to tmeak ef flowe from the throat wounde. Very large Another carol, not so well known perhaps, and powerful animals like the ball, buffake nue in this way, and bison, if attached at all. are in the drat I saw three ships came sailing ie. instance attaelsed from the rear, with a view to disable them, 04 Christmas day, on Christmas day; Isar? three ships came sailing in Having killed, the tiger alreoet invariably basins eating A 11414 1111%rter conauming one 04 Christmas day In the meraiog. And What WAS 10 those ;drips all three, , the etomech eted intestinee as they RV; Pr prebehly beth. Somettmee he leaves ApOodal4wertitwtMmainsinciadatFoinso:tsChteliripualesoautrolninsathrgdra, 5:? mairatakeig7gruhoem:x4rel reeiraorivtheetallt,erm At 0 t EIreer a tat tigress together will linisman ordinary sized Dur Seeloar Chriet mid hie Lady, animal at one meal, leaving only the head. In this Oats it le prelfahle thee the wend Chriet °4 Ct4datnlaa day, °a Vlirlatnla* days I begthe at tis; fore querter. Aniniele are Cer SWit411r and hie Lady Oa Chrietinaii day in the meriting. oev%r eaten where they are killed, but are 1 always dreggett a thert dietenee. They are Pray whither eatled those ehipe ell three ' net lutea o car ci Ma greehat httit:egged, Oa Cirietmart day, int Christmas day ? I5aVing g( rged bioael-f* tile tiger gmlago. Pray, whither agMed theo gliips gi lige§ times lies Mee.; by hie pray, bet if it .19 101 On Chrietraas deg in the meritingi weather awl there are Mani the neighbor, 0, they milled let° B5threem, hpq, in will go A IPPg diet4Ace off Info eutieg for the day. Ile prefere to lie ' On °114atni5a day, en ebristrene 4ay, 00 eeve or in a brewer 914 0.111 laSidil t 0, thAV 114011illtP 1$4tbletle114 On Christmee day la the merniug, in the (doze, het jangle, Re retaimeuext night end finiehee what And all the bells 414 earth Shell ries le left, but he 110Yer este A eecond time CM Oa Chrietmee day, ea Christmas day, the eame spot, draggiug the remelea of the And all the belle, 1414 earth ehall ring prey forty or fifty 'Verde oir. SPertereen 04 Cliristmee day in the teeming. cemuag on a half -devoured animal and 4a4 au tha auvela la Eeavert 414 ong desiring to catch the tiger, tie the prey to a 04 chrietmaa day, on chriotom 4air, radv . The. tiger tekee talent two henry eating to fialeti the fere qiiertere of A Aad all the angele in heevea aliall slog b—uTucco-k, - - ()a Chrietmet day la the nieraing. Mr, Inverarity sat over A WW1 Ogren; oho And ell the wade on earth Abell ;dug, aigSt whe ato for ter, miuutee, them Went 04 e401StM41140411 04 Chrietmee day, away ler twenty, probably to drink, end PA AtIti alt the Mita to earth 441 aiiig, bar rataro ate steadily ler two and A ClaAr. Oa Cheletmaii day hi the meralug, ter bunre, Et did uet fire, as lie could met ste Theo let uti all rejoice amain,a'Igers ase . aunibale ; they will make their Oa Chrietmal day, ma Chrieteeev eley,me4 vtt,eacbether. They are euppoeed to Theo let 'mall rejelem amain, i10 dat ar aix days, and no doubt 04 Christmas day In the morning. ISa tiger altor beax feed does net care to heve been knewo SoIneaWtin4lintiaaaltRAleyreaders s. veYre7r,41.1erbrYld whPlanetunve4.t h to. .1, ye ; h111/ a tiger killer frizewell, to kill on fourteen e eeecutive night*. Mr. inverehity believes thee auireels killed by tigers ;suffer little beyond the peal° of a few seconds. The eheek producers a stupor and drearaluees in which there is no eeneit pain or feeliug of terror. The pawertul woke of the fore paw of the tiger la a ne• 1414; be cluteliee with hi* eiSWS AP one reiglie with the flegera, but demi not itrike a blow, Tigers wander immenve dietancee at eight.. and, es they like eaey going, they go on roads and path& They do not like to move during the dray, as the hot ground harm( their peels and reakeit them rew. They can on occasion climb trete. In &Lisette outs climbed later e oartet Panda*, but could not Mich him, toed im tired. Panda°, thinking the oast clear, got down and ran toward home, but on the way wee caught by the tiger and killed. l'he impost, report abated that "Panda* died of ehe tiger enting hint- there wo.a no other cameo of death. Nothing watt left ex- cept some finger°, which probebly belonged to the right or id f 1 hand." Nativea hone a belief tbet the gboats of the manmater's viotims rido in his heed and warn him of danger, or point the way to freah victim& Was born open this day, To save us all from Setae's power. When we were gente astray, 0 tidings of comfort and joy For Jesus Christ our Savieur Was born ea Christmas -day." ie Obnattnaa Gift. like is hundred yam ago, travelled once t rough the drIResi /MOP? To meet roend the Chriettime tree. were a child, with a fair, round face. .Areil you hung ou the tree with a shy, awee grace., Year Chruitines present for me. 'Twee a scarlet beaded pincushiou heart, Brilliant end shiny—a triumph of art— With A bead bird on It --.14 dove. 'Twee bought of a ";squaw" (who spoke with a bregue), And yea Bain in your note—dear litIle row:ul— nae you gave it reee with youilove. Well, thee; little red heart hoiden with too Through distant conntriee far over the ilea, Crossed river, Menntain and lake; Though never A pin have ita tough aides known, For the heart was hard as Pliareoh's owe, Bat I love it for your sake. We're very numb older end wIrsor now, We meet with a formal word and bow, And many more thine we know ; We dou'e hang oar hearta on trees, I believe, Nor wear them either upon our sleeve; Is it bettor, I wonder, so/ The tree is laden with gifts to -night, And the colored tapers aro gleaming bright, And the Christ.Child floats above; But my hoped for gife ian't ou the tree, I want a, hose—will you give it me, As you did before, "with your love f" A Cannibal Mansion. Thera are two largo poste in front, eighty feet high, on wheel rota the largo peaked shade, around which there hangs a graoeful fringe of young sago leaf. The front is about thirty feet wide, and the whole length of the house is one hundred and sixty feet, tapering gradually down to the back, where it is small. One compartment is about twenty feet high and ten feet broad. The front is a common platform, floored with the outer *In of the eago palm, and kept beautifully clean. The whole is divided in- to factures, with divisions of cocoanut leaven, nine feet high, on which hang various figures, not at all good looking. From the top to the cocoanut leaves hang graceful embalms of the young frond of the sago palm. Standing on the platform in front and look- ing down the whole length along the peon- age or hall with the various divisiona and their curtains, it has a wonderful effect. In each of the courts are numerous akulls of men. woman and children, crocodiles and bears, also many breasts of the cassowary. All are carved and many painted. The hu- man skulls are of those who have been kill. ed and eaten. The daintiest dish here is ,man, and it is considered that only fools re - 'fuse and despise it. In the last °milt there are the same kinds of orriaments, and then a screen with curiously formed things of wood and native cloth hanging on it; also, sibis (their own clothing), belts, small bags and other things belonging to those murder- ed, which have been presented to the gods. • It is suggested that the phonograph should be called "she,' for two reasona—first, it talks back; second, it always has the last London is often made the theme by Ameri- number of paupers receiving relief in can journalists of comments anything but flattering to the English reetropolie and of comparisons in favour of American cities. Statistics just published show that the city of New York spent $1,460,484 for the relief and support of the poor lot year, againet $1,032,683 the previews year. The total number ofpaupers received in the poor- houses during the year was 42,064, and the number of inmates now in these institutions Is 9,467. The average yearly cost a head was $152,53, against $106.30 the year be- fore. This appears to be a record which in proportion to the population of New York, should give it hope of rivalling Londen in the extent of its pauperism. aohn Gilpin Again on Doak. An Ansonia, Ct., roan was reeently be - gutted into trying the speed of an nnknowas mustang on the Derby Driving Perk. The animal was bronght out with a blanket and a halter in plaoe of eeddle and bridle. AU being in readiness, he rode up the track maul came down under the wire ma an easy min- ter, -with a sort of see-me•ride look on his placid features. The crowd shouted " Got" and at that moment a change came over that pony. He straightened out and ,com- meneed to net. The rider was astonished, but thought he would quiet down before the quarter wee reaohed. But the pony contid- ued to go, and, when he rounded the upper corner the rider dropped the halter and seieed the mane, clinging on for dear life. The hay was made in 1.10, and as he posed the stand, cheered for his fine work, an agonized -looking face was turned toward ita occupants, and a faint my of "Help" was heard. lip the back stretch flew the pony, the ory of "Stop him 1 Stop bint 1" sounded by the rider only increasing his speed. On the upper turn it seemed as if the rider would be unhorsed, but his arms clasped around the pony's neck held hire feat. As he remitted the homestretch it was only a question of durability of the musoles of the rider's arms whether he would pass under the wire with the pony or not. Ift,„ was a fearful tension as the power to hold on by the lower lin& was gone, and the rider's body was strung oat at each jump, acting as a whip to the pony, who came like a, whirlwind under the wire, making the mile in 2 15, and the last quarter in 30 seconds. The rider's friends stopped the pony. The pony's record was lowered 30 seconds. Sometimes who fortune seents te be marching directly toward you, it wheele suddenly and goes the other way. Then it is that you curse the wheel of fortune. Diner— What kind of chicken do you call this, waiter? Waiter—Dat am Plymouth Rock, sah. Diner—Ah 1 I'm glad it has bin toric interest. I feared it was an ordinary cobbleatone. Householders will appreciate this eery, which cornea from Boston; A charming old lady, worth her million called at a carpent- er shop the other day, bearing in her hand a neat little basket. Have you a comfortable eh ir in the shop ?" she asked of the oar - pouter. "A comfortable chair ?" he repeat-, ed, doubtfully. "Yeo," the sweetly said; "1 have come to stay until you have a man ready to go back to my house with me, and do the work that you have been promising to do for three week& I have brought iny luncheon and a book; and if you haven't a corafortabte their rn have the carriage cushions brought he I'm g.oing to ata eight here until I get that man,' The e pouter hastened to say that he could g tght off just aa veell as not, and the old la carried hina off in triumph.