HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1895-12-20, Page 7TELE 4PENINGWINTEE,
REV. DR. TALMAGE'S SERMON AT
THE METROPOLITAN.
Dewar° of the Sees:eat Anuremeuts of the
Seasou---Farents should make Home At-
tractive—Arm the Young Agabtet teemp.
tations —names Horrors.
Washington, Deo. 8.—To-day, Di. Tab.
Mage those as the subject of his semen
"Tba Opening Winter." Although the
cold comes anther or later, according to
the latitude, this sermon is sooner Qr
later as appropriate eVeryWbOr0 AS it is
in Washington. The text selected will
be found in Titus iii, 12, "I have de-
termined there to w inter."
Paul was not independent ,of the sea-
sons. He sent for his overcoat to Trees
on a memorable occasion. And now in
the text he is making arrangements for
the approaching cold weather and makes
an apointment with Titus to meet him
at Nicopolis, Saying, "I have determin-
ed there to winter." Well, this is the
8th day of December, and the second
Salebath of wl.ster, We have Ind a few
shrill, sharp blasts already, forerunnere
of whole regiments .of storms and
tempests No one here Deeds to be told
that ive are in the opehing gates of the
winter. This season is not only a test
of one's physical endurance, bot in our
great cities is a test e3f moral character.
A vast number of People have by one
winter of dissipationsbeen destroyed, and
forever. Seated hi our honfee on some
stormy night, the swinds 1, ling out:
side, we imagine till shipping helping!?
driven on the coast, but any winter
night, if our ears 4kere good enough, wilt
could hear the gash of a thousand
moral sbipwrechae There are many ,peo-
ple who came 41 tbe cities on the ist of
Septenthee who will be blasted by the lat
of March. At this season of the year
temptations are especially rampant.
Now that the long winter evenings have
come, there aromany who will employ
them in high pursuits. intelligent sodal-
ities, in Christian work, in the slam gth-
ening and ennobling of moral cbaraoser,
and this winter to many of you will be
the brightest and the best of all your
lives, aud in anticipation I congratulate
you. But to others it may, not have
such effect, axid I charge you, my belov-
ed, look out . where you spend your
winter Dif.lits.
In the first place I have to remark that
at this season Of the year the evil allure-
ments are espeoially busy. There is nos
very much tdenptation for a man to
plunge in on,a hot night amid blazing
gaslights and to breathe tho fetid air uf
an assemblage, but in the cold nights
satan gathers a great harvest. At such
times the casinos are in lull biast. .A.t
such thnes the grog shops in one night
make more than in four or live nights
n sLunrnor. At such times the play
bills of low places of entertainmene seem
especially attractive, and the acting is
espeoially impressive and the applause
especially bewitching. Many a man who
has kept right all the rest of the year
will be capsized now, and though last
autumn he came from the country, and
there was luster in the eye, and there
were roses in the cheek and elasticity in
the step, by the tune the spring hour has
come you will pass him in the street and
say to your friend: "What's the matter
with that luau? ;How differently he looks
from what he looked last September!"
Slain of one winter's dissipation. At
this time of the year there are many en-
tertainments. If we rightly employ them
and they:are the right kind, they enlarge
our sodalities, allow us to make import-
ant acquaintance, build us up in our
morals and help us in a thousand ways.
I can -scarcely think of anything better
than good neighborhood. But there are
those ontertanments from which others
will come besoiled in cbaracter. There
are those who by the springtime will be
broken down in health, and, though at
the opening of the season their prospects
were bright, at the close of the SOSS011
they will be In the bands of the swains
or sleeping in the cemetery. 'Ile certifi-
cate of death will be made out, and the,
physician, to save the feelings of the
, family, will call the disease by a Latin
name. But the &aloe knows, and -every-
body else knows, they died of too many
levees. Away with all these wine drink-
ing convivialities. How date you, the
father of a family, tempt the appetites of
the young people? Perhaps at the enter-
tainment, to save the feelings at the min-
ister, or sonae other weak temperance
man, you leave the decanter hi a side
ruom, and only a fear people are invited
there to partake,but it is easy enough to
know when you come out by the glare of
your eye, and the stenchof your breath
Shat, you have been serving the devil.
Men sometimes exam() themselves and
say after late suppers tt is necessary to
take 'scene sort of stimulant to aid diges-
tion. My plain opinion is that if you
have no more self-control than to stuff
yourself until your digestive organs re-
fuse their office, you had 'better not call
yourself a man, but class yourself among
the beasts that perish. At this season of
the year tho Young Mon's phrietiao As-
sociations of the land send out circulars
asking the pastors te speak a word on
this aubtece, anti to T sound in your ear
the Weirdo 'the Lord God Almightva"Woe
unto him that puttoth the bottle to his
neighbor's lips." Rejoice that you have
come to the glad winter snonths that re-
mind you of the times when in your
childhood you were shone on by the face
of father, mother, brothers, sisters,
some of them, etas I no more to meet you
with a "Happy New Year," or a "Merry
Christmas." 13ut again and again have
we seen onIslitw Year's day the sons of
some of the est families drunk, and
young men have excused themselves by
the fact Sleet the wino cup has been
offered by the ladies, and again and
again is has been found out that a lady's
baud hag kindled the young man's thirst
for strong think, and long after all f,tlie
•attractions of the poliday have passed
• that sense woman eremites in her:rags,
• and her desolation, and her woe under
the Uplifted banci of the :drunleen mon-
• ster to whom sho had passed the termites
ting cup on New Year's day. If we want
to go to rain, let tie go alone and not
take others with tte. Can we ncth sacri-
fice Our feelings if need be? When the
good ship London wont down the captain
was told that he might °swipe in one Of
the 111.64:Ms. "No,'' fla replied,
go down vsith the passengers." All the
world Applauded his heroism. And can
We tot sacrifice our tastes and our eerie -
Otos for the ramie of others? Surely it
Is not a very great sacrifice, Oh, snix
not with the intiocent beverage of the
holiday tho poison of adders! Mix not
With the white stigarof the oup the snow
of this awful leprosy Max not the clat-
ter ot the Outlay Of the feetai otseasion
with the clank a a marimats's ohain
Pass down the streat and look into th
pale/throe:ere) window. Elegent watoh
elegant f ars, elegant flute, elegant shwa
elegant scarf, elegant ' booke, elegan
mementoes. You sometimes see poop'
with teemed countenapees looking Int
such a window. When I look into
pawnbroker's window, le seems to me a
if 1 bad looked into the window of hell
To'whom did that watch, belong? To
drunkard. To whom did those furs be
lOng? To a drunkard's vvtfeTo whoM
did those shoes belongt ' To a drunkard'
child. I take the three brazen balls a
the doorway of a pawnbroker's shale an
clank thorn teethes, sounding the isnel
of the drunkard's eoul. A pawnbroker'
shop is only one of the eddies in th
great torrent of municipal drunkenness
"Oh," says some one, "I don't patron
ize such things. I have destroyed n
young man by emit influences. 1 onl
take ale, and it will take a great aneoun
of ale to intoxicate." Yes, but I tell yo
there Is not a drunkard in America tha
d d not begin With ale. Tare° X's—I
not know what they mean. Three X'
on the brewer's dray, three X's on th
door of the gin shop, three X's on th
side of the bottle. Three X's. I aske
a man. He could not tell. I asked an
other what is the meaning of the thre
X's. Be could not tell me. Then
made up my mind that the three X'
were an allegory, and that they mean
30 heart breaks, 30 agonies, 30 brokenen
households, 80 prospects of a drunkard'
grave, 80 ways to perdition. Three X's
If I were aoing to write a story, the firs
chapter I'. would call "Three X's," an
the last chapter 1 would call "Th
Pawnbroker's Shop." 011, beware o
your influence.
The winter season is especially full o
temptation, because of the long evening
allowing snob full swing for evil indul
gences. You epaulet; expout a young man
to go into his room and sit there from
to 11 o'oloole in the evening reading,
Motley's "Dutch Republic," or Joh
Poster's essays. It would be a ver
beautiful thing for him to do, but h
will not do its The most of our youn
men are busy in offices, in factories, in
banking houses, in stores, in shops, an
when evening conies they want the fres
air, and they want sigh t-seping, and they
must have it, they will have it, and they
ought to bave it. Most of the men here
assembled will have three or four even-
ings of leisure on the winter nights.
After tea, the in -an puts on Ois hat and
coat, and he goes out. Ono foam of allure-
ment says, "Come in here." Satan says:
"It is best for you to go in. You ought no
to be so einem By this time you ough
to have seen everything," and the tempta
tions shall be mighty in dull times such
as we have had, but'whieh, I believe, are
gone, for I hoar all over the land the proph-
ecy of great prosperity, and the railroad
men and the manhunts, they a11 tell me
of the days of prosperity they think are
coming, and in many departments they
alreadyhavo , d ' going
come in all departments, but those dull
times through which we have passed have
destroyed a great many -men. The ques-
tion of a livelihood is with a met multi-
tude the great question. There are young
men who expected before this to sot up
their household, but they have been disap-
pointed in the gains they have made.
They cannot support themselves—how can
they support others? And to the oUrse of
modern society the theory is abroad that
a man must not inarry until he has
•aohievecl a fortune, when the twain ought
to start at the foot of the hill and together
climb to the top.
— That is the old, fashioned way and that
will be the new fashioned way if society
is ever redeemed. But during the hard
times, so many men were discouraged, so
Many men had nothing to do—they oould
get nothing to do—a pirate bore down on
the ship when the sails were down and
the vessel was making no headway. Peo-
ple say they want more time to think, but
if our merchants had not had their minds
diverted many of them would long before
this have been within the four walls of an
insane asylum. These long winter even-
ings, be careful where you spend them.
This winter will decide the temporal and
eternal destiny of hundreds of men in this
audience.
Then the winter has espeoial temptat
tions in the fact that many homes are
peculiarly unattractive at this season. In
the summer months the young man can
sit out on the steps, or he ca,n have a bou-
quet in the vase on the mantel, or, the
evenings being so short, soon after gaslide it
be wants to retire anyhow. But there are
many parents who do not understand how
to make the long winter evenings attract-
ive to their children. It is amazing to ane
that so many old people do not understand
young people. To hoar some of these pa-
rents talk you would think they had never
themselves been young and had been born
with specter:ace on. On, it is dolorous for
young people to sit in the house from 7 to
11 o'olook.'at night and to bear parents
groan about their ailments and the noth-
ingness of this world. The nothin.gness of
this world? How dare you talk such blas-
phemy? It took God six days to make this
world, and lie has allowed it 6,000 years so
hang upon his holy heart, and this world
has shone on you and blessed you and car-
essed you for these 50 or 70 years, and yet
you dare talk about the nothingness of
this world! Why, it is a magnificent world.
I do not believe in the whole universe
there is a world equal to it except it be
heaven. You cannot exposit your children
to stay in the house those long winter
evenings to hear you denounce this star
lighted, sun warmed, shower baptized,
dower strewu angel watched, God inhabit-
ed planet. -
e protested and tamed away, He said "Oh,
' OW Perversity of hounni Oature!" Who
•7 would went to kiss rd ins •1 Wee not ear -
ti prised to fioa oil t that his only slanted be-
e ooane a vagabond. You may groan people
o out of decency, but you can never groan
a them Into it, and Deleolore in the presence
5 of these anon and woMen of common sense
1 that it is o most important thing for yod
a to meke your homes bright if you want
- : gear Sons and daughters to turn out well.
1 Aloe, that old people so much misunder-
s stand young folks! There was a great
t Sunday sehool anniversary,end there were
d thoasands of children, present. Indeed all
1 the Sunday schools of the town were in
s the building, and it was very uproarious
e and full of disturbance, and the presiding
. 1 (neer on the occasion eame forward and
- IA et very loud tone shouted, "Silence!"
o and the more noise the preelaing officer
y made the more noise th&ohiltiren made.
t Some one else 'rose on the platform and
u (lame forward and with more stenterian
e voice ehOuted, "Silence!" and the uproar
o rose to greater height,and it did seem as if
s there would be almost a riot and the police
e , have to be called in, when old Dr. Beaman,
e his hair white as the driven snow, said,
d , "Let me try my hand." So he mane for-
- I ward with a slow step to the front of the
es platform, and when the children saw tlee
I venerable man and the white hair they
s thought they would hush up that instant
t i and hear what the old man had be say.
p ! Be seta: "Boys, I want to make a bar-
s ' gain with you. If you will be still now
. 1 while I speak, when you get to be as old
t as I am I will De as still as a mouse."
d 1 There was not another whisper that after -
e' noon. 011, in those approaching holidays
p let us turn back our natures to what they
I were years ago and be bbys again and girls
f ' again and make all our homes happy.
s God will hold you responsible for the in-
- i fluenoe you now exert, and it will be very
1 bright and very pleasant if some winter
7 night when we are sleeping under the
• blankets of snow our children shall ride
along in the merry party, and hushing a
n
min
oent m
in solemnity look off and say,
V •
e i "There sleep the best Sather and mother
• that ever made a happy new year." Arm
g yourself against these temptations of De-
hdcember, January and Pebruary. Tempta-
I tions will oome to you in the form of an
angel of light.
I know that the poets represent satan as
horned and hoofed. If I were a poet and
I were going to picture eaten. I would re-
present hint as a human being, with man-
ners polished to the last perfection, hair
falling in graceful ringlets, eyes a little
bloodshot, but floating in bewitching lan-
guor, band soft and diamonded, foot ex-
t . quisitely shaped, voice inellow as a flute,
5 breath perfumed as though nothing bad
- ever touched the lips but balen of a thous-
and flowers, conversation faelle, carefully
toned and Frenehy. Bus I would have the
heart incased with the shapes of a mon-
ster, and have it stuffed with all pride and
beastliness of desire and hypocrisy and
death, and then I would have it touched
` with the sod of disenchantment until the
eyes became the cold orbs of the adder,
and to the lip should come the foam of rag-
ing intoxication,and to the foot the spring
of the panther, and to the soft hand the
change that would make it the clarity hand
of the wasted skeleton, and then I would
1 suddenly have the heart break out in un -
quenchable dames,and the affected lisp of
the tongue become the hiss of the worm
' that never dies. But until disenchanted
ringleted and diamonded and Bute voiced,
and conversatien facile, carefully toned
and Frenchy. ,
Oh, wbat a beautiful thing it is to see a
young man standing up amid these
temptations of city life incorrupt while
hundreds are falling. I will tell your his-
• tory. You will move in respectable circles
all yetis days, and some day a friend of
your father will meet you and say: "Good
morning. Glad to see you. You seem to
be prospering. Yon look like your father
for all the world. I thought you would
turn out well when I used to hold you on
my knee. If you ever want any help or
any advice, come to me. As long as I re-
member 1 our father I'll remember you,
Good morning." That will be the history
of hundreds of these young men, How do
I know HP I know it by the way you start
• But here's a young man who tekes the
opposite route. Voices of sin charm him
away. He reads bad books, mingles in bad
society. The glow has gime from his
cheek, and the sparkle from his eye and
the purity from his soul. Down he goes,
little by little. The people who saw him
when he came to town while yet hovered
over his head tho blessing of a pure
mother's prayers, a.nd there was on his lips
the dew of a pure sister's kiss, now as they
see hi m pass cry, "What an awful svrock I"
Cheek bruised in grog shop fight. Eye
bleared with dissipation. Lip swollen
with indulgences. Be careful what you
• isaire,to him; for a trifle he would take your
i
Lower down, lower down, until, outoast
of God and man he lies in the asylum, a
blotch of loathsomeness and pain. One
moment be calls for God, and then he calls
for rum. He prays; he curses; he laughs
as a flood laughs, then bites his tails into
the quick, then puts his hands through
the. hair hanging around his head like the
mane of a ,wild beast, then waivers until
the cot shakes with unutterable terror,
then with Ids fists fights back the devils or
clistches for serpents that seem to wind
around him their aWful folds, then asks
for water which is instantly consumed on
his cracked lips. Some morning the sur-
geon going his rounds will find him dead.
1)o nos try to comb out or brush back the
matted locks, Straighten out the limbs,
wrap bim in a sheet, put Mtn in a box
and let two men carry him down to the
wagon at the door. With a piece of chalk
write on top of the box the name of the
destroyer and the destroyed. Who is 151'
It is you, 0 man, it yielding to the
temptations of a dissipated life, you go
out and perish. There is a way that
seemeth bright and fair and beautiful Ma
man, but the end thereof is death. Em-
ploy these long nights of December, Janu-
ary and February in high pursuits, in in-
telligent sodalities, In Ihnocent amuse-
ments, in Christian work. Do not waste
this winter, for soon you will have seen
your lasb snow shower and have gone up
Into the companionship of him whose rai.
ment is whlte as snow, whiter than any
fuller on earth could whiten 15. For all
Christian hearts the winter nights of
earth will end in the June morning of
heaven, The river of life from under the
throne never feeezee over. The foliage of
life's fair tree IS never frost bitten. The
festivities, the hilarities, the family greet
ings at earthly Christmas times will give
way to larger minion and brighter lights
and sweeter garlands and mightier j try
In the great holiday of heaven.
Oh, make your home bright I Bring in
the violin -or the picture. It does not re-
quire a great salary, or a big house' or
chased silver, or gorgeous upholstery to
make O happy home. All that is wanted
Is a father's heart, a mother's heart, in
sympathy with young tolks. I have known
[annul with $700 Salary, and he had no
Other income, but he had a home so happy
and bright that, though the sons have,
gone .out and Won largo fortunes and the
daug,liters haVe gone out into splendid
spheres and become prinoesees of society
theyon never think of that early home
without tears of emotion, It Was to thene
the vestibule of heaven, and all their man-
sions now, and all their palaces now, can-
not niake tlieni forget that early phice.
Make your homes happy. You go aeound
Your hottee growling about your rheus
matisms and acting the lugubrious, and
your tions will go int() the world and
plunge into distipatioin They will have
their own atilt. eatisins After it while. Do
not forestall their tnisfortimee. You were
young once and had your bright and jey-
ous times. Now let the Young folks have
a good time. I stood in front et Is house
and 1 said to the owner of the lionset
"'Phis le a splendid tree." He said in a
'Whining tone,. "Yes, but it vsill fade." I
'walked atetind his gatslon and said, "This
igsi glorionsgarden you have." 0" Yosi
he saw, ''but it will perish." Then • lie
said to my little 01111(11.06m I vvas leading
allitog, "Come and kiss Mos" The child.
•
Additions to tho long lid of victiws At
Monte Carlo coneinue to be made, '- The
other day the Conntess Jorades, tonher
of a well known noble family, and her 16.
year,old daughter were foetid dead in one
of the hotels of the City. They had taken
&leen, ib Was Annul upon investigation
after lesing $60,000 at the tablee,
eally beaming penniless. They had bosh
lis Monte Carlo billy it week,
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS,
Merranent o Molidaye la aU Land,.
'le that lieterty hospitality end taerrie
Meet mid that profusion or stibstautial
good cheer which we all so closely am -
elate with the ' occasion, the Eoglish
Christmas
is perhaps richer than that of
y other country" MO 'speaker was
Robert T, Liueoln, United States Minister,
50 Englited. "Erom the long -gone days
when the lord of misrule and She abbot of
unreason held sway in the feadel 'castles
of old Engleocl, 'from Halle:Weer! (Oct; 81)
to Calidlemae day (Feb.. 2) -'-then the lint.
ite Of the Chriatonis eeason—doven to the
preselitalay Christmas, the king of days,
In4S been moist faithfolly kept, as far as
his means. an d. °hien re etances would elloW,
by every Englislintan ; and the words of
Sir Walter..Scott are as trise to -day as
when he Wrote them ia his poem of 'Mar -
mime' so mauy years ago:
"4England WAS merry England When
Old Christmas lameglit his sports again.'
A TIME OF FersariNo.
"No country in the world. Mee a greater
reverence for old customs and observes
them more generally than England.
The famous Christmas dinnerbf the old
feudal barons, with its tush:of boat's head
borne upon a massive platter in great
state .the whole length et the immense
bancineting hall by the major-domo of tbe
household, attended by a large number of
servants told vessels, finds its connteepart
in the modern rottet turkey which, it Eng-
land as in America, graces the festive
board of :the prospeemia celebrant of
Christmas, who in England reinforces
that toothsome bird with YosItshire.pud-
diog, roast beef and plum pudding.
• BOXING DAY.
"To an American it seems very strange
that in England the aay after Christmas
or 'boxing day,' as it is called, is an occa-
sion of even greater festivities among the
working classes than Christmas day itself.
It .derives its name froin the Christmas
boxes Or donations of Christmas spending
money which are collected on that day by
all working people. Boxing night. is one
of the greatest occasions of the whole
year at the Loudon theaters. They are
then packed to their utmost chpaciby with
patrons anxious to witness the first pro-
dootion of the spectacular Obristheas pan-
tomiue which is always the piece de resist-
ance of the London theaters atothis sea-
son."
• THE dEithiAN currisTmes.
"Germany might not :inaptly be styled
*the home of Christmas,' said William
Walter Phelps; United States MieisteS to
Germany, "It is to the Germans thee we
are indebted for many of our most popu-
lar and universally observed Christmas
oilstones. The andent Germans were ac-
customed to celebrate lona''before the
birth of Christ it great feast 02 the winter
solstice, which continued clueing the
twelve days from December 25 to January
6, and during which they were accustom -
led to light end decorate large yew trees,
to which they also attached gifts for each
other. Thestaold German yew trees`may
be said to blossom amivally on our
heartbstones as the moderu Christmas
tree.
OMGIN Or THE YULE.
"To the great feast the Germans gave
the name Jul or Yul,. a name that the
Saxons carried with them to England,
where it still survives—with one added to
t --as a synonym for Christmas. The
yule -log of old England is derived from
Germany, as are also the yule -cheese, the
yule -cake, the yule -candle, aud many
other things pertaining to yule -tide.
• Santa Claus and 'Kris kringle sere both
natives of Germany. It is to the latter,
whose full, correct name is Christ Kind -
lin, or Christ Child, that we owe the
familiar fable that ibis the infant Jesus
himself who brings presents for the stock-
ings of good children.
"A German household on Christmas
Eve is a very pleasant place to be. The
little ones can scarcely wait for bed -time,
so anxious are they to hang up their
stockings—another custom, by the way,
for which all the rest of the world is in-
debted to Germany. Some of the young-
sters, who can recall instances when they
have been disobedient or otherwise
naughty during the year, are in mortal
terror lest on awakening in the morning
tliey should find in their stocking instead
of toys andbon-bons, only a small birch
rod, which has been placed there by one
'Pelsnichod (literally Nickolas with the
fur or St. Nicholas dressed in fur, as we
should say), who punishes the bad child-
ren at Christmas time, while Kris
Kringle rewards the good. Some German ,
children, instead of hanging up their
stockings, place their shoes outside the
door of their bedroom." I
ITALY'S CHRIST/4AB.
"Italy. as personified by any of its prin-
cipal cities, is never seen to better advan-
tage than at Christmas time." It was Al-
bert G. Porter, United States Minister to
Italy, who spoke. "The streets of Flor.
mice or Naples wear a most carnival -like
appearance at the Christmas season. On
Christmas eve the people keep the vigil of
She Nativity with great joyfulness and de-
votion. Great ;crosvdsthrong all the
principal thoroughfares. In n umerabje
paper lanterns give light to the scene, and
it is the delight of the Italian smalleboy to
hover on the outskirts of the crowdmud
suddenly extinguish one of those same
lanterns with a well aimed stone or other
missile. The Italian street fakir is quite
as antive at Christmas time as his brother
in the States, aaid is busy offering all kinds
of small wares. The cries of these fakirs,
mingled with chants and the playing of
various musical instruments before tem-
porarily -erected, shrines in honor of the
blessedenother whose maternal pangs th i s
music is intended • to assuage ; the shrill
cries of boyish vetoes, the ringing of bells,
the screeching of whistles and the beating,
of drams make up a royal Christmas
chorus that would delight the heart of a
Chinaman or any one else who loves a
no'llse'he dawn of Clinsbmas morning finds
all the churches crowded to the doors with
kneeling woeshippers, the elegantly attired
lady of fashion brushing gartnents with
the half-clad woman of the people. Later
in the day that superb promenade, the
Prado, is throrsged.
"The theaters are crowded and there are
numerous bull fights in Various parts of
the eity."—The Chicago News.
The Inistlethe itisslog; needs no deSettel
Clots Seapdratom consistsof pour/lig a
halapint of lashol or brandy into a pap,
setting ittist tee end thea throwing, in
clepicestubs, raisins and easidles, the sport
being to pull them oat of the hording
fluid. Whether the prizes obtained paY
for the burned "fingers awl thumbe" le a
q ues tors
The game of the "bareing sagetee is ex.
eellent for is Obvielimas party, The pile .or,
fagots must lie beside your • big .open fire-
place. 'Jaw inOense tapers to be bougb t
Japanese baznars make the litiest of fagots
for this purpose, Eaclignest takes A fagot
from the' pile and lights it at the fire.
Now he is to ten a story or sing tt song,
and his entertalument is to lust exactly
as long as the taper baths, and no longer.
It requires some pains for him to adapt
himself to his blazing fagot, throwing it
away at the (MK% , mornetit Ids sows or
story is completed. Then the next boy or
girl takes a fagot, and an opportunity to
amuse the oorupauy.
It is a pretty cestom to make' the wbole
of the Chrismas Eve party a game or play
from the beginniug of the festivities. So
soon as all the compauy have arrived,
begin by selecting a "Lord of Misrule,"
whose business ib shall be to orgaaize and
decide the games aud make as much fun
and misohief as possible. To further this
end all .kinds of oosCumes .and fanny
dressing may be used. Improhiptu cos-
tumes made out of homely and every -day
material are. much the best, The "Lord
of Misrule" should be furnished with a
crown and is scepter, even if they are only
represented by an old hat and the kitchen
poker, and the rest of the company can be
attired' to correspond.
Besides the ordinary Merry games for
large parties, such as "consequences,"
"proverbs," and "stage -coach," there are
"blind man's buff," and the singing games
of "oats, peas, beans," and "I put my
right foot in," for the little children. The
"old bachelor's kitchen" is furnished
again aud again by every generation.
Young and old eau "go to Jerusalem"
and romp and ran to their hearts' content.
The donkey, to whom numberiess tails
can be pinned, will always be an enjoy-
able feature for a lively party of mixed
youag and old folks. For a Christraas
Eve party a comically -drawn picture of
Santa Claus might be substituted for tbe
donkey. It should be drawn and colored
on a large sheet of paper, and this fasten-
ed on a sheet against the wall. Various
portions of the dea.r old saint's body, bin
arms, his legs, his traditional pipe, drawn
ansi cut out of paperecould be trusted to
blindfolded boys and girls to pin on in
what they judged the pruner places. It'
may not be a very respectful way to treat
Santa Claus, but much fun results from
seeing the queer spectacle which the dear
fellow presents when his members are t
pinned on where the blindfolded one is
"sure they ought to go." ,
There are other ways of making fun for
the babies. Huge thin paper begs may be
filled wibh candies, or small presents of
toys tied up in secnee paper parcels.
These bags are suspended between the
folding doors, as being safer thau from
chandeliers. The childreu are blindfolded
in turn, and each one tries with a stick to.
hit the bag. 'When one succeeds there is
a wild scramble for the candy or treasures
which are scattered over the floor. The
hostess is recommended to spread a sheet
over her carpet.
Of the same character is the "Scissors
Present" game. The coveted present is
tied to the chandelier or door by a long
string, which brings it near the .00r. The
blindfolded children are led each in turn
to try with is pair of scissors to cut the
string. The lucky one who succeeds is
allowed to claim the present he has cut
down.
A grab-bag, in which little presents are
put, each tied up closely in many papers,
is a funny style of giving Christmas pres-
ents. Very small and cheap articles snap
be used for these grab-bage. A nominal
fee must always be charged for a "grab."
Ten kisses or "ten pins" must be demand-
ed and obtained betore a "grab" is al-
lowed. -
Very elaborately devised plays or games
take much time and trouble, but can be
made very successful if the right spirit is
pat into them. Those suggested here can
be arranged at short notice.
The English Feast -Day.
Our English ancestors had few fast -days,
but many feast -days. The best day of
them all, however, was Christmas. An
;. old Italian proverb says, "He has more
business than English ovens at Christ.
mas." From an old weekly we quote the
following:
Noblemen and squires kept open house.
All comers were welcomed, and lord and
subject. were that day put on a level by
the grace of hospitality. '
The first of the Chtistmas dishes .served
at the manor -house was a boar's head.
On a dish of gold or silver it was borne
into the banqueb hall, amid the flourish of
trum pe bs and the songs of kuigh ts tend
ladies, who followed in stately procession.
An apple or an orange graced its mouth,
and mustard was its sauce.
The fancy cooks of the day flatter them-
selves that they are artistic and original
when they put roasted ducks and grouse
otitable arrayed hi their natural
feathers.
But three hundred years ago Christmas
dinners in England were ornamented with
a roasted peacock, resplendent in his
feathers, variegated tail and gilded beak;
Sometimes t piece ot cotton, saturated
with spirits, was put in his beak and light-
ed before the carver began his work on
this "food for lovers and meat for lords,"
The celebrated plum -pudding illustrates
the theory of evolution.
At firsb ,it was a plum -porridge, made
from mutton. boiled in broth, thickened
with brown -bread in which half -boiled
raisins, currants, prunes, cloves, mace and
.ginger were mixed.
The whole was thoroughly boiled and
served with meats. Prom this mess °erne
teeth the glory of the table, an English
plum-pt1ddin
The well-known mince -pie, whosein ter-
ference with the digestive organs has
given it the name of the Devil's pie, is au
ancient Christmas dish.
Mince pies were formerly made of neat's
tongue, ,thicken, egg, sugar, currants,
lemon and orange peel, with various
spices. The crust was oblong, in the form
el! a Watt, in imitation of the manger
Where the Holy Child was laid. The in-
gredients were stipposed to refer to the of-
ferings of the wise men. With the eatisiss
of mince -pies there is connected 0 stiper-
Alton which Sounds like a pretty device
of hospitality.
Dosing Christman -time --that is to say,
from the 1.6th of Deeember to the 6tit of
January --you Will find mince -pies is past
of the feast, in Whatever house yeti may
be invited to Aim) ; and the tradition is
Shat the number ofhappy Men the you will
pass in the folloWitig,yette will be as marry
as the Mince -pies yeu taste at Christmas
tide in other people's houtes.
Ohristnote Eve Pun.
To speak of the sports of Christmas Eve
Without a Mention of snapdragon would
be something like the play of Hemiet
with "Hamlet" left out. Snapdragon and
She niistletoe Were specially sacred to
Christmas in old English games. An old
"What sport we shall have when Christmas.
(tomes,
And Snap -Dragon burns our fingers: and
thumbs,
tteeniilklzrigselstletoe o'er our dear little
oou-
1ttu lael them beneath It and Idss them by
ITAIE AND HEARTY kr 70.
WHAT c‘FATIIER" 'MULL viincs
OF A POPULAR RIEMEDIG
---,—
Suffered For Twenty Year From Deere
Troubles—His Doctor Said „life Might'
Drop Dead at An y Monaco t. Hass,'
Be OVS31'041rne 'the 'I'rouble.
Prom the Ingersoll Chronicle.
a sound miod in a sound body lit
me of the boot and greatest glets of a
kind Providence, no one will deny. Man-
kind in all ages have sought to obtain
the elixir ofhife, haVe hunted for some
means of protongieg health, vigor and
vitality—have, in fact, hoped that they
night Med
"Some blithe wine
Or 'bright elixir peerless they could
drink
And so become immortal."
But while man can hardly bope to at -
tans that 'coveted prize this side of the
eternal world, yet it is evident to all who
give the subjeop any consideration, that
modern soience, skill and education in
the treatment of the ills that flesh is heir
to, have worked wonders in restoring the
human body to its original "form
divine," aud in relieving many sufferers
from untold misery, bringing them back
to health and bappiness, and giving
them a feeling that life is indeed worth
living. A case in point, in our own
town, having reached the ears of a re-
porter of the Chronicle, the scribe de-
terminee, to satisfy his curiosity by call-
ing on the party who bad had such a
happy experience and investigate for
fteustsY Al' WORK."
bimself. He called at tbe boot sued shoe
shop of Mr. John Toull, King street
west, and on entering the building the
reporter found "Fauber Total," as he is
familiarly known in town, busily at work
on a pair of shoes for one of his many
customers, at the same time bunamiag
over to himself the tune of a oherished
hymn, for, by the way, in his younger
days Mr. Toull was considered a good
local preacher amone the Methodists of
this section and .frequently filled the pul-
pits of some of our local ()hurdles in the
pastor's absence, and he still loves to
sing, preach or expostulate on, some
scripture theme or favorite hymn. The
reporter was cordially received, and On'
making known his businese, the old
man's countenance brightened and his
eyes sparkled with delight. 15 was in-
teresting to note the fervency with which
he volunteered, as be said, for the sake
of humanity, to tell what he could of
his case, and we will let it be told in his
own words. He said: "For twenty
years I was subject to heart trouble and
could get no relief, although I had tried
almost everything that kind friends re-
commended to me. My family physi-
cian would sometimes give me some
medicine that would help me for a short
time, but without perdianent benefit
He told inc I might drop dead at any
moment, and I tell you I expected to do
so on many Occasions. 1 beard of Dr.
Williams' Pink Pills wben they first
came out, but I had used so many remed-
ies that I just about lost faith in every-
thing of that kind, and had beconee re-
signed to my fate. However, I came in
contact with so many that had , used
Pink Pills, and who assured nse that
they bad been benefited by their use,
that at last I decided to give them a
trial also, and several years ago I com-
menced taking them• 1 continued their
use until I bad taken eight boxes, and
I am now happy to say that I have never
had a symptom of the disease since, and
I ani convinced that by the blessing of
God, Pink Pills cured. me. I miglet also
say that 'last fall I was attacked with
rheumatism, wbich became so bad that
I 0011141 Fcarcely walk from my work to
the house, arid for a long tine I oould
not got out to onurch. I tried a number
of things recommended to me, but re-
ceived no good from their use, so I said
to myself one day, Pink Pills did me so
much good before for my heart trouble,
1'11 try them again, so I gave them an-
other fair trial, with the result that the
rheumatism has all gone out ot my
bones, and I have not been troubeed a
bit with it since. Everyone, sake the,
old man, as be Waxed warm over the
thought of his happy experience, who
knows old Father Toull, knows that
what he tells is tho truth." After thank-
ing Mr. Toull for his kindness and
courtesy, the reporter bet the shop with
the same opinion as to the truth of his
statements, and impressed with the belief
Shat from his rugged, bearty appearance
and cheerful disposition, the old gentle-
man is still good for many years of a ,
healthful, contented life,
Dr. VVillictins' Piok Pills are the
greatest blood builder and oerve restorer
known to medical scionee, and cure
when all other remedies fail. If not
kept by your dealer they will • be Sent
post paid on receipt of 50 cents a boX or
six boxes for $2.50, by addreesints• the Drs
Wulhiatns Medicine Co., Brockville, Ontt,
or Schenectady, N.Y. Got the genuine;
imitations and substitutes are worthless
--pesthaps (tangs,
The Search for a synonym.
"Mother," said the emancipated
Woman's boy, "it isn't proper te say
pants.'
"Certainly not, Theta are mane, sub-
stitutes for the wolid that am far mere ele-
gant "
The boy played on with the dog in Si-
lence for a while, and then looking Up
into her faecesaid:
" Mother. ' '
"What Is it?"
"Don't you think it's dreadful?'
"What, deart"
"The Way :Flan bleon1ers this werM
weather."—Washington (1).00 Star.
Jux 1016.
Brakeworisan--You mtien't go in there,
Passenger.—Why het?
Bralmomemo--That's the Amolting.ear.
•