HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1906-12-20, Page 2Chi ~astnias in
.:, n jt' Lands
old 0n[ was cairvcd !p' a frier of the
I ranchsc•an Order in Jerusttleni from a
111ac11 of ,,live Wqua found . neat there.
A .legend bus 11 That when the work was
nearly completed the Mae was very
Much w• ,rI b d oval' the fact that he bad
n, peel l t ith which ea ornament it,
aftel. jai ,a;tog over it in les cell. 1)11
Pall asleep end on aivakening found
4 ih 'image et' child, entiling upon lion
tith Might, blue rasa cheeks and tuldon-btwa hair, hands and feet
' • 1
x!110 ng )vitt lifelike flesh lints, The
Christmas le1ebtotI o1s are draw how
triol teen*niziu' the ntira0le.
from diverse sources and are by no !lowed hi, !tend iu uduib•attunt and I1iss,:d
means of Christian origin, in so fur eta the gruuud before ,11,1 t it la '1'h(s
the ceremonies and festivities are cut nuraculnus iota was brow _ay
corned. - In fact, there is more of page t 01v,rul tluldred yr.urs afro hand mann
Than. Christian in tent and many of uhirucies have Leen are ago l to fma tri
them antedate the religiun of Chas , fluences, and sn cr0ltl has been 11;110
When the Caliiolic Church was bring -
Ing in which! 11 has been held
ing nations to tete knowledge u( tho for maty centuries that it has been made
religion of the Child of Bethlehem she,
in her wisdom, instead of abolishing uld the recipient of gifts Mutt ananunl to
customs anti festival days, adopted °!any ni(11 "11s of francs. 11 is covered
them as her own and gave them a wilt diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sap-
Chh'Istan sibullicnn0e, mares, and pearls of great value, white
In the countries of Boman descents the crown it wears is tine enough fors
the Roma Suturttalia has left d[sliuctlqulen. has its Own servants, who
traces. This great fesllval 111 1101100 oil accoinpnuy11 It whc0000i al roes; its own
the .Boman god of agriculture was cele-
brated in old Home every December.
Children and slaves were overwhelmed.
with presents and merriment reigned in
every form for a week. Southern
Europe and Spanish and Poetuguese
America have retained Christmas a..e an
ecclesiastical [estival, but a joyful one,
n lime of public rejoicing; while in the
northern countries its celebration has
more of a domestic character. It is a
home and family feast. The derivation
of northern customs may be traced to
the gods of the Edda; the greatest
source of northern mythology. Its
. scriptures >ver0 found in Iceland. The
cusione derived from the saturnalia and
those from northern myths were by and
by partly amalgamated through the
mixtures of peoples, but still every
country has its awn peculiar cerenlan-
les of Christmastide.
The customs of Scandinavia and Ice -
laud rely most distinctly on the old
northern myths. The celebration of the
solstice was a great festival in olden
times. For a long time it was believed
that the year stood still at the solstice.
l The celebration of the winter solstice
was a great festival from olden times,
when great bonfires were kindled to the
honor of the great sun god, Thor. The
Yuletide of tate Scandinavians was an
especially merry season. Yule meant
wheel and the Inhabitants Imagined the
sun to be like a wheel. Yule-klnpp still
signifies the way in which presents are
distributed, sitmifying the clapping of
of wheels, the mysterious manner in
which the sun god distributed his pre-
sents of flowers. green grass and
leaves. In a somewhat similar myster-
ious manner the presents are to -day
packed together in a room, no one being
able to guess what the contents are.
From the association of the sun god and
the presents of the green of the spring-
time that color is still retained in cele-
bration and this feature has been taken
up by almost the whole world.
On. the afternoon of the day before
Christmas the Latin patriarch and
numerous monks from the monasteries
in Jerusalem arrive at the market place,
the chief square he the town of Bethle-
hem. They are received with great
slate by the foreign and Turkish offi-
cials, w•ito escort them Into the church.
The whole populace of the surrounding
towns turns out, the native men and
woolen attired in the gayest holiday
costumes. farming a brilliant color
background lo the Oriental pageant as
it passes. L• -very terrace and standing
room is at a premium to any outsider.
Acolytes bear crosses and torches and
swing censers and priests chant, and
when the patriarchs. althed In gorgeous
robes, who is the last to enter the
church, turns at 1110 portals toward the
great throng, he prun0000es a blessing.
and all are on (heir knees in an instant.
Then the C11rh.tma3 ceremonies begin,
t'ow'ard dusk a procession of cowled
monks enln•ying lighted lepers descends
into the Grotto of the Nativity, where
they chant the fust vespers el the feast.
On the eve of the great day the Betlrle-
h0mites assemble in the parish church,
where the Franciscans 0110111 matins,
Outside bonfires blaze and the quaint
square is warm and bright as in the
daytime. At 10 o'clock a prnwession Is
formed, headed by the guardian of [11e
holy crib, who is always n 10011 high in
the ascetic life. Ile carries a wax' image
of the Christ child in his elms.
%juste and the murmuring of voices
in prayer Issue from the sillderre nean
sanctuaries with a soil mimeo. When
the procession arrives at llhe melte eon -
tabling the holy crib 0 deacon receives
the (heist child, The gnspel is then
sung, and when the deacon writhes the
welds, "Isere she brought forth her
r c
first-born Son and wrapped p p d ll(uc in
swaddling clothes and stere laid flim in
a )danger, the act of an ussistali suits
lite words end Iho wax infant is wrap-
ped bo swaddling clothes and laid in the
recess. of the mance. By midnight. the
Church of the Nativity is crowded In its
extreme capacity by Syrlans, Russians,
Germans, and representatives of nearly
every other nation. When the bells of
the �parisli oh110011 sound through the
still night ail', annrnmcing the cOm-
meneentent of the midnight 111085, a
great sound, as Thal of t'ejolcing, issues
from the Ilurong assembled in the deep
• cave, 'rhe ceremony 118 coiidecled with
carnage for horses and liveries, On
Christmas Day, after muss, the bam-
bino is curried 111 a procession by the
priests from its tabernacle, eecompan-
fed hy plonks and prelates, oftentimes
a enrdinai and a out concourse of in-
fluential Roman citizens, clad ft1 grey
cloth robes, everyone carrying lighted
candles; and, after traversing all the
aisles and the nave of the church, it
halts at a chapel. The bambino is taken
in and deposited on a. bed of straw, be-
tween images of Saint Joseph and the
Messed Virgin. At the Basilica is kept
what from immemorial ages leas been
known as the crib in which the Lord
was born.
To obtain a clear idea of genuine
Christmas in From one must eliminate
from the mind all seoularilj. The
French, as well as all Latins, ignore en-
tirely its worldly features and make It
a religious festival entirely. The Paris
Christmas is scarcely reprasoniative of
the country. Paris, with lis cosmopoli-
tanism, reveals but dimly the true char-
acter of the national observance. The
creches are outnumbered now by the
Christmas trees of northern importa-
tion. These line the streets wailing to
bo carried into some fashionable quar-
ter where they have already appeared
on previous occasions; likewise little
stables can no longer compete with
Santa Claus, who smiles upon the
world.
The little French folk, 09 everyurllere,
aro remembered with presents, of
course; they invariably place their little
shoes before the fireplace or stove,
credulous in the expectation that the
petite Jesus will come and fill them
that night, and seldom are they disap-
pointed. Many of them are allowed to
sit up for the occasion. Grownups,
however, neither receive nor give pre-
sents at Christmas. New Years Bay is
to them what Christmas is to Ameri-
cans, and the sending of presents, the
paging of customary compliments and
the exchange of visits—all these take
place on the first of the new year,
I[appy New Year," they will say to
you, but never "%ferry Christmas." ,
Outside of the metropolis, in many of
the larger cities and in neatly all the
villages, children will gallt0r and with
lighted candles in hand line up in 11
procession, carrying about the place
the symbolic crcalura, singing cauls as
they go, 00100 of which are very beauti-
ful.
But it is in Provence, Brittany, and
Francke Comte that these festivals as-
sume the quaintest form. They recall
singularly heathen customs. On that
day In every house the celebrations
commence with a big supper. All fast-
ing and mortification is laid aside. The
table Is set before the fireplace, where
sparkles, bright and cheerful, the cart -
gale, the old trunk of an olive tree,
crowned with Laurels, dried up and care-
fully prepared for the occasion.
,.upper over, the whole family circle
around the fire and sing Chastities
carols till midnight, the time of the first
mass, which everybody scrupulously at-
tends, The night of the 44111 of Decem-
ber is the real fate. The pear are par-
11lited to beg publicly the whole night.
singing hymns to laude the hearts cf
the people, Fom the windows childen
thew them ahus in paper purses, which
they have previously set on fire for
guiding purposes.
Among the peasantry, Still deeply
looted in superstition, it is customary
also Io leave upon the table Christmas
Eve "la part des marls" (the sharp of the
dead), a touching custom which seems
to associate the spirit of the dead with
the pleasure of the living. The Christ-
mas festivals in France hist three days.
A true ace01(111 of the "(freebie" cele-
bration In 1110 neighborhood of Mar-
seilles Will hardly be accredited, ft any-
one should take upon himself to say
that theatrical performances known in
literary history under the term of mys-
teries still- hake place to some part of
the so-called civilized world lo-riny; if
he added that to those same places re-
ligions spoil u'es almost as ridiculous
as that of the "lo fele do 1'Anl" (don-
(cev.s day) are li,e •,vise still given, many
would certainly receive the slalenli'nls
With fncrecttdily. Yet 01050 facts can
be nillrmcd,
Probable nowhere in the world are
field 10510)114 followed s0 religiously in
royal: pomp. VesbernLs fashioned by the rel0liral(on of CIi 1istnes as they are
spleens and empresses of long ego ore in the country houses in l ngbmd,
worn by the patriarch and officiating l'rrpnraBmls for the festivities occupy
priests. About daybreak the ceremonies
are over: and the natives go back to
their ileums to celebrate the day In
genial tnerryrnnking.
From Belltlehem'• one's thoughts
naturaliy turn to Rome, Iho city of tiro
head of C:heisleulnm,. and tine represen-
tative of tine little Child win) was horn
so many, 'many years ego Ill -a poor
alive. The domestic side of Christmas
in Borne is nal so much in evidence as
11 is in the TJnited Stules, One misses
the streams of shoppers that make iha
few weeks before so full of nativity and
life, es well ns Iho myriad of beautiful
getieles so temptingly displayed in the
splendid shops, the equal of which no
country in the world but Curs canshmv,.
But the spathe! feature of the ilonian
f:alitolie celebration are the services at
the Church of .5t, Mary of the Capllot,
Where rests IT Sante Bitnlbino, qt' telly
child.. Tluls is, a tat'go doll nr ininge tree for 1110 juveniles -'the younger
()bent. the sire of a bub)' et sft mouths members of the fatally or the grand -
weeks. !a'i'ry 100111 in the house is
der;ornled wills holly and misletoc, Ilse
latter bung ever doorways, ,suapendcd
from chtmd,lier:s and placed inn11,y
position, ender which the young . girls
of 1110 family lure likely to be enirghl (n
nil im0lrnleelelng moment bled farced to
pay 114' l,r11011y of n kiss for their lack
of that eternal vigilance which, it is
said, Is the price of safely. The celebra-
tion begins on Christmas Eve and Is
ensiled ever, two or three days, 001110 -
times a week, Tim dinner, with Ibe
regIletion 0east beef, turkey end Mum
pudding, Is the great feelnee of Christ-
mas Day, when, so far as possible,
every member of the fanl(ly. nn meter
how 11 lues been scattered in'Ihe permit
01 business or pleasure, : endenvnl's`ln he
present and: neeln1y liral seri( nrnuncl .1110
fnrnit,v beard in which,lhr.. nr`she sin es
it (Mild, Of eouse there is a Chtisimes
A Mo TarrL y
NOW this turkey lived In a wildwood glen,
LV He was fat, and smooth, and sleek;
He had ne'er borne love for the haunts of men,
But he loved the little creek;
Yes, he loved the creek
And its water's play,
And the forest's leafy shade,
He was king of the chase.
And lord of the place,
Where the speckled eggs were laid.
IN the turkey tongue of his elder kin,
He had heard of the day of thanks,
And he hurried away as it wandered in,
To the creek's secluded banks.
And there on the banks
Of the little creek,
He thought with his thinking brain:
" I'm a gobbler now,
And one I trow,
Forever I will remain I "
110 he squat him down on a slippery log
That passed through the waters slow,
And he said, while his wattles were all agog,
It's a risky thing, but all the same, you bat
• your life I go."
And he made a sail.
A tall -spread sail,
That carried him on and on,
To the land of the beat,
And the turkey's weal, o
Where other good turks had gone.
A ND all of the turks that stayed behind,
6 In the leafy wildwood glen,
Were caught by the men who were much inclined
To render thanks, and then
Their heads were cut off, their bodies filled.
Yes, with sage were their bodies filled,
And they helped give thanks
While the bells did peal,
But one gobbler was safe In the land of the teal.
F,'s he'd left the bills creek::: honks.
children, as tho case may be. Con-
trary to the custom in the United States,
the distribution of the presents hung on
it by Santa Claus is tirade usually in
the evening, after a sufficient time has.
elapsed to permit of the proper enjoy-
ment of the illumination produced by
the colored candles attached to the
branches. Following that comes the
dancing and the amusement of the old
folk, which is kept up until the early
hours of the morning,
A Christmas in Mexico is celebrated
1n a way so entirely different from 111e
same season in the United dales that
it is dificult to realize that the birth of
the saute Savior Is being honored.
As the years roll by the festivities aro
less strictly observed in a purely reli-
gious way and with less pomp and
ostentation socially. Law's have been
passed which forbid the beautiful church
processions going beyond 111e doors. To
former days regiments of soldiers, gen-
erals, governors, presidents, and the
highest church dignitaries took part mid
tite entire city suspended all business.
The celebration in Germany and Aus-
tria opens on een'ishnas Eve with the
spreading of tables and the lighting of
candles that the Virgin Mary may find
something to eat as she passes along.
'1'lte Christmas tree is brought into the
house and wells and doors are decked
with evergreen. The eve is the especial
time for the children. They caro for
the tree themselves; after they have
ortolan the presents and lighted the
candles the elders are invited and the
presents are distributed to them. The
parents distribute their presents to Ilse
children of the next afternoon, On
Christmas Eve Knecht Rupert, the ser-
vant ratan, in highbuskins, white robe,
mask and wig, goes from house to
house as the servant of the master. IIe
inquires for the children, Those less
Ilton seven or eight years are ignorant
of the meaning of the great Rupert. and
quake with fear when he asks whether
they have been good. If they have he
notes the name and the children know
that a present will he mode to them.
Stockings are also !lung at tie fool of
the bed or at the fireplace, for Kris
Ktingle—a complier] of Christ kind-
lefn, the infant Christ—is supposed to
descend the chimney with gifts for the
Mlle ones. If the children have been
naughty the sweetmeats give place to a
birch rod, which which the child must
bo whipped. This is supposed to be
given by Pelsnichoi, or Nicholas of the
Fur.
There is a peculiar connection be-
tween the names used for the good saint
of the children at'.tne Christmas time In
all lands. Santa Claus, or Klaus, is a
corrupt contraction of Saint, Nicholas,
sunt, -ni kolaas; that is, Saint Nicholas.
in Austria they have euly weather at
Christmas time, but the festivities are
the sante as in the northern hemisphere,
with the addition, of Open-air picnics and
quantities of flowers.
A
WIIAT A GIRL LIKES.
A fan,
A snuff,
A good picture.
A handsome belt.
A pair of gloves.
One of those lovely antique necklaces.
Opera glasses, if she hasn't any.
Hatpins; she can't stave too many.
One of those long bar pins to fasten
ler veil.
One of those curious little oriental
charms for her chain.
A clock for her deet;, ;or, maybe, the
desk itself, if she hasn't one.
A book rack, a bookshelf, or a book-
case, according to the extent of her`
bookishness.
A little dog of blue blood pedigree
or un Angora cat, if she likes animals.
A handsome parasol, the sun will
shine next summer.
A jewel box of any degree, from
bt.ril wood up to cut glass and gold.
Books, according to her taste, or
jewels if she is gay, or pretty dress
frivolities if she trust economize.
TIME COMPLAINT AND TUE REMEDY,
"I'm gntng to give the neighbors' little
boy a drum and a trumpet for Christ-
mas," said Mr. Nicholas.
"\\•hat, exclaimed his. wife, Why,
you are always complaining about the
noise May make since the daughter be-
gan Inking music-lessons1" -
"1 know, But perhaps the boy will
drown the noise front the piano,"
SANTA CLAUS' AlittlVA%..
e
Chhr tm RS Dinner '
Oysters,
Cltostrntt u.
toast turksoeyp,
Browned potatoes; Mashed squash.
Cranberry suttee, Mixed nuts salted.
Deviled macaroni.
S
Little plumaladp,udding.
Ginger glace Cheese.
Coffee.
Oyster a la Dumas—Serve the eyelet's
either as cocktails or on plates with a.
teaspOOnful of the following sauce over
Quell:
Chop a Mallet, a teaspoonful of cloves,
a teaspoonful of parsley together and
mix in a bowl with a tablespoonful of
olive oil, two drops 0f tubaseo, a tea-
spoonful of Worcestershire, a table-
spoonful of tarragon vinegar, four tab-
lespoonfuls of tomato catsup, and the
juice of half a lemon. Add a teaspoon-
ful of salt and a salispoonful of white
pepper.
Or the shallots may be cut up exces-
sively fine and mired simply with a lit-
tle ground pepper, a tablespoonful or
vinegar, and the juice of three 1010005.
Chestnut Soup—Peel and "skin a half
a prated of large, sound chestnuts, cook
them in broth until soft, and then press
through a sieve. Add to this puree lite
yolks of two eggs beaten and a pint
and a half of cold broth.
Creamed Squash—Peel and divide a
'largo squash into small pieces. Cook
in well salted water and press through
o sieve. Return the pulp to the sauce-
pan, work in two or three ounces et
Mittel, and n !tile warm cream, beat-
ing like mashed potato.
Deviled Macaroni—Boil, blanch, drain
and chop a half package of spaghetti
or macaroni. Thicken one pint of cream
or milk with a roux of flour and butler
in the proportion of two tablespoons of
each, and add to it one sallsoponrul
of Cayenne pepper and half teaspoon-
ful of mustard, Add a tablespoonful of
,onion juice, a halt tablespoon of sell,
pour over the macaroni In ramekins,
sprinkle the top with crumbs and brown
lightly in the oven. This is served as
an entree and is made more atiractive
by substituting a chopped sweet pepper
for the Cayenne. Using cream instead
of milk also makes it enough better to
'PRY-
Salad—Mix
a clad—Mix apples and celery in pro-
portion of one-fourth celery to three-
4aurlhs apples and add one chopped red
sweet pepper. Dress end servo es usual.
Individual Plum Puddings—lf the MI.
ding 15 'lo be steamed use the small
,jars which have held extract of beet
and steam for four hours. Art easier
way is to boil them in small baking
powder cans or in molds procured for
the purpose. Use a shallow iron kettle
and let the water cone within two -
'thirds of the top of the cans, keeping
'the kettle closed tightly. They will only
need to boil an hour and a quarter
avhen made as small as this, and should
be raised on a trivet or a few nails laid
in the bottom of the kettle.
Plum pudding to be at its hest should
be cooked in a cloth pudding bag and
hung from a mail for three or four
weeks in a dark place. An old English
recipe is this: Sank six ounces of stale
breadc'umbs In a cup of hot milk, and
allow it to stand and cool. When cold,
add one-half pound of brown sugar, the
yolks of tree eggs beaten to a cream,
one-half pound of raisins seeded just be-
fore using, one-half pound of currants,
two ounces of citron chopped, one-half
pound of suet chopped fine and salted.
The bruit should be well dredged . in
flour before adding to the bread. Now
mix in two ounces of lemon peel, one-
half a grated nutmeg, juice of one le-
mon, and two ounces of sweet almonds
-chopped fine, Beat well together, and,
the lest (lung, add the whites of the
eggs whipped to a stiff froth. Pour into
a pudding bag which has been previous-
ly scalded and dredged with flour, In
lying the hag alloty for the pudding
swollteg. Boll seven hours.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
Glad Christmas Day is here again, with
loving word and deed,
When all get notch they do not want,
and little that they need.
Tho baby's jacket, cousin sent, we can't
get on al all,
1nd another's slippers tire too large, and
father's are too small.
And sister- Zeno got a hood she'll 1)0
afraid to wear,
Because its color elastics with the color
Of her hair.
And brother Henry got some books from
• pious (Mete Ned,
knd alter he had told him, too, he
hoped he'd send a sled.
Giant Mary, who's so (1 111 she's afraid
to sluntbee nights,
Received an Indian story -book that's so
shook -full of fights
knd lomatewko and scalping -knives 11
makes your blood rim 0olcl—
Sho wouldn't read a word of it for twice
weight in gold!
Our parson, who is single, and Is
thought to '130 a prize,.
Got nineteen. pairs of slippers -every
color, 1111111 aria. size.
And Deacon Cray—who isn't grey, be-
cal1Se his head is (lore,
Received a Spleulid set of combs and
brushes for his hair.
But while eomc gies ere not a 111, the
01105 who gel, then know
'Twas kindly hearts and loving thoughts
Mat prompted them, and 50
Tho spirit that site oundolhem all nukes
Avery one seem dear,
And Christmas Day Shall still be held
Me best of all.,lhe yea't
t)eeama Milks hed Ile most wonder-
ful control of his features 01 fitly num
ever knew." 'lure: "1 understand lir
was ft marvel.' Deeem 1 "Ile wits.
Wiry, live oven seen 111111 Irian 1on1t
p101180d when he stay what 1115 vita had
bought Clio for C111istmas.
"Very sorry," said Santa Claus, "but
that Is really too much for roe."
13ROUCIIT BACK.
The doctor stood alone in
his labora-
tory. By the veriest nodded he had
stumbled upon u mixture of drugs,
which would be of the greatest service
to mankind (at least, an the 1oetor
thought) in battling with the scourge of
1110 age—consumption. After all, the
great cura-all must be done lhroughllhe
medium of drugs. The people have not
to patience to allow Nature to work
In her slow, sure way. They expect a
miracle, and by the greatest gond for-
tune Dr. Anh'obus believed ile had found
the. meats for working this ini011510.
But the -mixture of drugs which was
to kill off the fatal germs which eat
and eat at the lungs of the unfortunate,
had one drowbnek-11 required the e>r0al-
est of possible care in its preparation,
Ono had to be heated to such and
such a temperature, another required
cooling, yet another required weighing
out to Iho veriest fraction of a drachm.
Dr.n r
A t rhos had been setu'eldnf, for
this remedy for years, and to -night,
W11il0 he 1va8 welching et this sick child's
bedside, Ilse exact preparation told enter-
ed his brain like a flash.
Ile had called others to attend to the
child—what was a child, 00en his own,
compared with humanity? The old en-
thusiasm surged in his brain as lie
poured out the various constituents of
the cure. The old dreams" came hack
—he would be great, after all! His mune
would live in the history of medicine;
he would be—
A tap at the door of his laboratory—
it was unpreaodontedl 'rite laboratory
wits ills sacred sanctum.
"Francis!"
IL was his wife's voice, and es she
spoke were came the clang nt bolls,
whldli told that another Ciirlshnas had
cone,
"\Vltet is it?" he said, raising his voice
that it might be heard above the clamor
of Iho s,
e
"Pleasebellcom10 baby! IIe looks—oh,
he 101)148 tltvfull"
The drug which was to do so 11111011
for suffering humanity—for 11100-- was
genchually nppreneht1g the required tern-
p0raluee an the braziers. Degree by de -
gr ea they were rising. it was tate ceowm-
Mg moment of his professiunel life—he
could not leave it now. But his chili --
his little baby boyl IIe noted the cnul-
dition of elicit of the chemicals; another
len minutes would see the miracle work-
ed, he could not leave now!
"ONO 11101 0 dose of the mixture in
Me gene 1)01110," he called; "i will bo
1110110 dh'ecliy."
lir heard lits wife's footsteps retreat-
ing and his heart smote him. lie hod
not e:;pec(ed tho crisis in his 111110 enc's
illness would c0)110 so 50011--a11e1 '01
Ch'Ishnn4 i)ny, fool
'Then lir 1)0001>10 ubsm'Lcll fu its w•ot lit
aucl clmi'y111in his wife, his sick child
—till were forgotten, till eight minutes
et the required ten hod pissed.
Ther there came another hurried
kno
' 011,ck(rrg, lrrnnOisl •Ir1anets l" tailed fits wife,.
And the agony of Iter totes was nn•
Iltlsla.alllC,
Irnr, 1111 1nsfnni hr, hesilatecl.' This
moltent would never come [twill). If ' e
abanchrned 1110 "came" now, he anuli net
ever aspect In bring 11In els needed
pr 1 feel(nn, But Ihe•e lyes his child--
lila
hild--
to . Mlle baby hey, f he did not go In
his aid, he would die.
Ilesohllely he put 111s finger on the lap
which controlled the gas which heated
hiA hen lolrs, and turned It off.
I ant corning, t3 eti'icr., he solcl,
1n the wry down n1 n Chrislnns
morni1111 n little, 011(111 was brought Leel:
I" 11f0 11111 (ho very jlnvs or doom. lbs
Dr Anh'uhue knew that it vas 111• the
cost' of a great boon to humanity!
A\1) ,\ COOD TrtiNG T001.
I;.e I torr 110n1' of us hnle rk'ci11011
Whist would l e apprnprinle Christmas
gifts lite stores will be closed. ,
. M
Chfldrens' Christmas
Stories.
•1
11
Tits COOKED COCK T11 vr CROWED
At the first of all Chti$imaelidos
Masai the King tees sealed at Monet,
when itis Steward saw the star shining
over Iletllrhonl.
'1'11e steward, whose name w118 Ste•
Sle-
ep:: he eft
tet-waicllhebecatne (Ain of
et once that a great -
et, than his master' had. crane On
cunt.
So he said In King Herod, "I will no
longer be lily servant, for now 0 great,
er King is horn."
At this the King Was wroth.
"\\'lett ailcll1 !heed" be eriocl angrily.
"Do you lack pleat or 1101)110 that you
would leave 110?"
"Nay, 1 lack not meet nor drink," an-
swered Stephen, "but henceforward 1
serve only the King horn this night,
that is greater than all of us,"
"Thal is n8 true," cried 1I'rail, greatly
enraged, "as that this cock on my plate
shall craw 1 afore me,"
No loaner had he said Ileso words
than 1110 cock, strclehing nal his 11001c,
crowed 0101,d, llu,ugit It was dead and
0001(0d: "Christ Is Lurid"
Herod, on this, ordered that fit, Ste-
phen should he stoned to death onside
the walls of Jerusalem, so Mat to this
day SL Stephen the Martyr is the pal -
1 on
at,ton saint of stone cutlers.
CHILDREN'S C:ITOISTMAS PRES13N1:S.
On the day when Christ was horn,
n little maid of Bethlehem was tending
her flock of sheep u1 the fields.
\\'hen she heard the glad news and
how the three wise 1110.11 Caine lion the
East with their presents of gold, fran-
kincense, and myrrh, she herself longed
to see the new-born (lube.
"13i1t, alas!" she cried, "1 have no gift
to bring Ilial."
And she began to weep. But presently
when site looked up through her tears,
a glorius angel steed before her.
"Do not weep, little maid,' said the
angel, "but sock, when 1 have gone, nn
the ground and you shall find a gift,"
The angel then vanished, and where
the angel's feel had rested on the ground
flowers blossomed, while among green
leaves, and this little. maiden 1)0,0 them
in her arms 10 the stable as her gift
to the Babe—the !lowers that we call
Christmas rose,.
Another story about children's (thirst -
ems presents le told of little Hermann
Joseph, the rlockmniter of Germany,
It was the custom of the people in the
totem where be lived le bake presents
every Christmas Five to 1110 Cathedral,
and to lay them at the font of an im-
age of the holy Mohler end her Mabe.
Little Ifermann Joseph was very poor,
end one Christmas F.vc he 11(01 not know
how he was to fired a present for the
Babe. But el last he decided to take
the one thing in the world teat was
lets—nn apple. So, with his apple in
his hand, he rent off In the Cathedral.
When he Dane 10 the mage of the
Holy Mother and the 0111,1, he held nut
his apple, and the story goes [het the
Child, though only in image, smiled
upon him, and grasped the apple in hLs
baby hands,
A STORY OF SANTA CLAUS.
Some children may not ' understand
that Santa Claus was not always lite
jolly old Father Chris -trims that they
picture info, who, on Christmas lave,
driven over the roofs of all the houses
In a sleigh drawn by reindeer, his
pockets .toll of presents with whielt Ile
clambers down the chimneys mid pops
in the stockings hanging over 1110 beds.
For Santa Claus is only e child's name
for Ma good Saint Nicholas, who was
once a great Bishop in MIS,
To all the children round about that
part of Asia where S1. Niehnlas lived,
11e was her legit friend, and wherever
he went ho gave them presents, if nal
chocolates and toy guns es nue 'does to-
day, 110rlhep8 fig, and dates and such
Other good things as he could finis.
And many children were .seat by their
parents to visit the good saint.
Once stere were two boys who lived
in Asia who were sent hy their father
to school in Athens, and they were told
that they most slop at Myra, where. the
set ii ltived, told stay the night with
11(111,
13111 instead rd obeying !their father,
the ,boys slopped 111e night nI the Inn,
and for Ihts disohedieueo they were
soot punished, for the landlord killed
thein, ('61)111hepuses, and
111104' Moro 111010 n 11(01'111111ii•(4 fobl.
Fortunately, the gond saint saw all
that had happened in a vision. 110
went In the inn, end there he accused
the wicked len11!ord or the theft nod the
murder; and then he preyed earnestly
that the brays might cane to lite ng0h1,
No sonnet' was his prnyet, ended, than
the boys lentil from Ilse pickling tub
attd fell at his reel,
The good saint refused to 1nk0 111010
thanks, and went. Orf hmn0 0s tlsaagh
110111111g had happened; and this 1s fully
In pictures of Saint Nucholns one some-
t(n11s sees a tub 11011 n he-icle the saint,
tt•(Ib two bad !toy's popping OW, their
heads,
iiislol'y doesn't say se, hilt 110 doubt
they were Beller boys ever niter.
AS 00013 AS A I IFI?111J0,
",Vel tint was t1 terrible, f ubamnsr"
en(1 1Iw' poi.,pnns nminbor n1 the rinh,
recohln.l.(ng nu exciting ndventnre of his
last "Just 1nn1')', 1 was the only limn.
cul of ih(rly-tvo 5110 !epi afloat tit those
icy .Walesa . Most exUnordinery, eh?"
' �Nol in you' case ' ('0)1(0(1 the mem-
her who Dares for nobody,
"Why so, sir?" inquired the pompous
member icily
"Puffed ui1 with your. own coneeit, ,ynq
knots, Couldn't 8(nik if you h9cd," am
steered 1111 careless ono.
1To— "What shall we buy our 1111 le
Willie for Chrislmns? 8110--"1'111 fist id
nothing, will keep hint MI01 but a new
Arum,'' .
There's Clever it smoke with'nd n Bre,
You tan put yetn lChrislmnrt:prese1t
elgars 1n Cho stove It yen want 10,