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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1903-12-17, Page 7'hilstnas ifs Mt • under the knot. Tie up bundles in etaaO SSOIH fl)V.41)0130)1 & white, gathering the paper together at the ends, tying it with ribbon, and then fringing the ands. Little fancy boxes, mado of Whit- !h man Papel' and decorated with gold o • • paint and red water color paint, fill- r;ry ed with home-made candies, make an aetStaPi,t D a.0olob 3rPrs✓ inexpensive and always aecelntahlo gift. toast Goose,—A goose should bo A sot of dishtowels, neatly 1icmmod artfully dressed,for roasting, or it is and marked, Mealy Bono up and ea- !able s!able to hcive a strong flavor which companied with an appropriate sontl- voi•y undesirable. When ready far mot,' is a gift never despised by the opeeatlaq singe the bird, remove housekeeper. n.feathers and wash, Tho gooso \Nash-oloLhs made of squares of nods, 11leudly; ts bath in hot seal,- Turkish towelling with a crocheted uis and a scrubbing, too, with .a, odgo of pale blue or pink zephyr. sell -gamble brush, s:llon draw, witch well at a bazaar, and aro gifts a lit- emoviug the contents of the in- do girl can make herself. lyloat comes oust 9 Wash Thorncr[vor" is always odi- 1 rinse inclear, cold water, then ow,lnovertheless in many rooms it ti re just no dry as possible, Now seems to be a noceos try edjubet of 0 goose is rowdy for the smiling the dressing bureau. A bag made d trussing olid sininkll ng with salt of tucked Persian lawn of India lin- id Fernier. Then put on a rack in on,.fastened at the heel, of the dress- sent and the future, a curious fus- TH@ RUSSIAN CHRISTMAS eafteE]^v liglee9 lifOOPO 8ab>MOIS44if00O(9P31I <Vild wastes of snow-rnttntled steppe, valued by the starry dotno of heaven, mysterious lights flickering before the glittering fano of a little temple and softened by curling clouds of fragrant incense, solemn chants of the cburoh, weird Rip.' dies of anci- ent faith, the merry laughter of rustle maids seeking to pry into fu- turity, and the theory shouts of young and old fioatiug in on tho frosty night air, still linger, says a writer in London Daily Telegraph, among the pleasant memories of my first Christmae in Rosier 1't was a quaint mixture of the sacred and the profane, a blending of the pro- cli ippurg pan and lay FAX thin in bureau "fills the bill" ante1 rtab- inn of rain and pleasure. Christ- 's]] cs of fat salt pork over the ly. The tucks are horizontal, and mos 17 o being tho close of a long hr r.sC. Litt in a very hot oven and the mouth of the bag is left largo and rigorous fast, none but the hard - enough so that it is convenient for use. A whisk broom holder is Hondo of two shield -shaped pieces of cardboard covered with hoily rod linen and bound with green satin ribbon an inch wide, Ornament the front with a monogram embroidered in green. A. young girl will appreciate a pcctty bit of corsage, garniture as a tl o sputtering begins. A 1.0 -pound gooso will take about one hour and three-quarters for the, roasting, and It should bo basted overy 15 minutes with the fat in the pan, removing the port, if you please, tho last hall hour of the cooking. Apple enact should always accorn- paniy roast goose, Then garnish the Christmas goose with stuffed apples en surprise and a few bits of laurel. oncd sinner would darn satisfy his hunger or slake his thirst Were the twinkling twilight of the first star had visibly trembled in tho mysteri- ous oast. I fear I looked upon my- self as a hardened sinner in the 'nat- ter of fasting, but, as the guest of a wealthy and devout peasant pro- prietor, I had, nothing for it but to mortify my body with the rest. Chestnut Stuffing—To make the Chrlstrnas gift. Get a bolt of velvet Between 5 and 6 o'clock in tho dros;ing, cook one-half tablespoon ribbon No, 1 and a spray of small evening wo were all in church, listen - finely chopped shallot with three flowers or fruit, (forget-me-nots aro tug to the Impressive service, part 01 tablespoons butter five minutes; then pretty). Moho the ribbon into loops which is a To Ileum stung in thanks - add one-fourth pound sausage meat.-ivarying from four to nine inches in giving for the scattering of "the Sausage first freed from their out- length, fastening theme with spool dde skin and cook two minutes; add wire and arrange the flowers among 12 finely chopped nnushroams and them. ono cup chestnut puree. Season b•itit five yards of satin ribbon No. 80 salt and pepper and add one-half snake a lovely girdle and sash bow. tablespoon finely chopped parsley. Twenty -live dnohos are allowed for Hent to boiling point, add ono -half the waist. Tho bow has six loops cup fresh bread crumbs and 24 whole arranged in pairs, with two short cooked French chestnut. Thismayupright ends, five inches long. Tho be done a clay in advance, middle of the bow isa knot for needs to bo cold wlron it is put Onto the bird. This is an expensive stuff- ing, but ono wants to Have tho best ou Christmas day. Stuffed Apples en Surprise—Coro and cut in eights eight apples, put n stewpaa with one-half cup maple yrup., ono cup sweet cider, two slices cut fronn a lemon, one-quarter teaspoon salt, ono tablespoon butter .and a few gratings of nun neg; then cook until soft. Cool, and 811 shells uuade by taking a t iolc slice from stem end of bright red apples and scooping out inside. Cover with noriugue made of whites of two eggs beaten still, two tablespoons powder- ed sugar and ono teaspoon lemon jui'•e. Place under gas flame of gas rasioe to brown meringue. Mushroom Sauce.—Molt three table- spoons butter, add a few drops onion juice and cook until slightly browned; then add three and ono - half tablespoons flour, one cup cream the water drained from cooking one- half pound mushroom stems with onough more cream to make one-half cup liquid. Season with salt and paprika and add ono tablespoon meat .extract. Add mushroom caps cut in slices and sauted in butter Ave Minutes. Enefish Plum Pudding.—Por this twelve tongues," as the French army was termed in 1812. A. flood of soothing sounds was sweeping away the bonds that bind ni011 s souls to earth. But before the echoes of the last "amen!" had died away the spacious square before tho place of worship was bleak with forms which the ear, not tho oyo, recognized as human, for they looked like hugo which seven inches of ribbon are al- sacks of corn toddllog about on lowed. The loops aro graduated in feet, the women and men alike being length, the lowest pair boing six wrapped in groat sheepskin coats, and a half inches, the second five which covered their high heavy boots and a quarter, the third pair four and blotted out their natural shapes. Inches. When we entered the warm room of A stock collar is a gift that al- the hospital house, wax tapers, hal- ways delights a girl if it is daintily lowed candles and purple lamps were mado of suitable materials. A poet- lighted, incense was burned, a short ty one seen at thio theatre the other prayer recited, and warm words of night had bins strips of pale blue, welcome were spoken to tho guests. moire at top and bottom, with a Thon the host's children wore sent strip of heavy white cream lace over out. to some of tho neighbors with white between them. To cover the little cakes, on which wore angles of junction of moire and lace was a row kine sheep and birds—symbols of the of narrow black velvet ribbon stud- senders' desire that their friends clod at intervals with tiny turquoise alight bo blessed with abundance buttons. Ends of blue ribbon edged during the coining year. with narrow cream lace made a but- terfly bow in front, 1USOORD CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS. In, the village of Psignton, in Dev- oushiro, England, an old charter pro- vided that on each fiftieth Christmas Day the village should provide a plum pudding large enough to fend all the poor. In accordance with the provisions of that charter, on the first Christ- mas of the nineteenth century, a pudding was made which weighed 000 genuine English plum pudding unix pounds, Tho ingredients included six ounces . flour, six ounces stalo more than a bushel of eggs, 120 lbs. bread crumbs, tluoo-quarters of a pound oath seeded raicius and our- rants, urrants, three-quarters of a pound fine- ly chopped sunt, 10 ounces sugar, ono cup molasses, three ounces can - <lied orange peel, one teaspoon each nutmeg and mace, six eggs well beat- en, and salt to taste. Turn into a thickly floured cloth, do securely and plunge into it kettle of boiling wa- ter. Keep the water boiling around the pudding vigorously for five hours or the result will not bo satisfactory. This pudding must be mixed with the hand, otherwise it is impossible to incorporate the ingredients thor- oughly. It is well to have the pudding , made a day or two in ad- vance, as it can be readily heated fit a stoamor in about an hour or so. Garnish the pudding with sprays of holly well laden with its bright rod berries and ,a:hard sauce ornamented with candied cherries. Poor one- third cep brandy, which must be of good quality, around base of pud- ding and light just before sending to the table. Then serve with hot sauceaswell as tho cold sauce. Cold Hard Sauce.—Cream ono - third of a cup of butter, add gradual- ly ono cup brown sugar and drop by drop two tablespoons broody. ]f the brandy is added too rapidly, the sauce willhave a curdled appearance. Hot Sauce.—Mix ono -]calf Cup su- gar, one level tablespoon arrowroot andi a few grains salt. .Add one cup boiling water, and lot bast live online otos. Remove from faro and add one tablespoon lemon juice and two tablespoons brandy. Color with fruit rod. Arrowroot males a clear sauce, flour or cornsta•cit a cloudy CHHRISTMAS SUGGESTIONS. Valuable. Hints About Making Holiday Gifts. It is always rather dimcult to pre- pare acceptable gifts for the children of a Sunday school—gifts pleasing, attractive and inexpensive. 13uy a quantity . of stick candy of various flavors and colors. Wrap eaoh stick in ono' thickness of transparent white Paper: this is to give it a clean, un- handled, appetizing, look, and also preserve tho dolor effect, Out of blue or rod paper make wrappers about three inches wide, ornamented with the name of the Sunday school or a Christmas sentiment in gold paint, Put seven of the candy sticks together and encircle them with this, wrapper. Littlo boxes which contain. g]fLs may bo wrapped in two papal's, one scarlet, the outer white; make . the paper's lougor 011 0110 011d tinsn' cur the other; seal the folded end, told gather the longer together, do with scarlet ribbon, clip the ends and frill out, Thee propared thoy aro not only easily attached to a tree, ]tut. Ara mado ernamen.tal, Wrap books ilz White tissue Paper and tie With !holly roll baby ribbon, tticlting a .tprlg of cud-bereled holly of suet, a like weight of raisins and 500 pounds of flour. In 1808 tho said village was con- vected with civilization by means of a railroad, and to celebrate the event the people, remembering the old char - tor, thought well to have a monster pudding as part of the festivities. The preparations cost 445, the in« grodients considerably more. These consisted of 600 pounds of flour, 400 pounds of raisins, 190 pounds of currants, 100 pounds of sunt, 191 pounds of breadcrunrbs, 995 pounds of sugar, 800 lemons, 144 nutmegs, and 160 quarts of mita. This pudding weighed nearly && a ton and a ball, and eight horses were employed to take it to the vil- lage green with all bcfltthig core- mony. 'A few years ago there was a mon- ster pudding made in Southwark, then a suburban borough .of London. The pudding was carried through the streets in procession, headed by a band, playing alternately Christmas music and popular tunes. A QUARREL ADJUSTED. .Guys—"What present did your best girl give you ?" Poroy—"'Well; she said she would try getting engaged to mo again." trooping into thio apartment, sat WH15l PAGAN GODS I-I.ELD SWAY Supper was spread at 8 o'clock—a few symbolical and unsubstantial dishes which were in vogue in days of yore when pagan gods still ]Held sway in heaven and upon earth. On a round table, over which a layer of hay was first scattered, a white - bleached cloth was spread. Even in households where linen. is dispensed with all the year round the spotless cloth must be forthcoming at Christ- mas. The table was placed beneath the gorgeous Icon or holy imago, without which no 'Russian dwelling Is habitable and across the glass and gold of which tho soft glow of a purple templet was playing. A med- ley of apples, pears, drled cherries, oranges and. grapes stewed in wa- ter, sweetened. with honey, and served up cold, formed the piecb do resistance. Ill another dish a mass of wheat porridge and honey was of "distilled damnation," more com- monly called vodka. ,Having wished our entertainers and each other joy of the festival, tho host clrew near the table, slipped a large wooden spoon into the por- ridge, and deftly hurled the soft mass against the ceiling—nn old cus- tom, which, in its origin, was a sacrifice to the Frost -God, whose wrath it was intended to appease. All the family and tho guests rushed up to look at tho result, and a mur- mur of "Glory unto God!" burst from their lips, Nearly all the pore ridge had stuck to the ceiling and the window—a sure sign that the coming harvest would bo plentiful. To me all this was pootic and inter- esting, but not very filling: and when the moat was over, and my empty inside was on fire with the vodka, I foht that I could do rough justice to another repast. But tho servants • and farm laborers- crone ti TIM nicalrat T1:Ilt1 1311'•'i'Tlli., .:is"'r 1,11 Aleleegris Ge.11ovapo—My dear, this is one mon 11 Of the year 1011e11 higl liviue don't hurt the turl,oy fanny, down in our places, and wore waited on by thio hosts and their guosts. When they, too, hind cheated their appetites and fired their stontaohs we all drew round the -table, and each, in turn, pulled out a blade of hay, by the length of which the nature of next year's crop is divined. TO WAlial T1IP SIIIVEItING SOULS, Suddenly the blaze of a huge fire, visible through the double windows, alarmed one, for I thought the out- houses were burning. !hut my anxiety was quieted by the host, who ex- plained that ho had a lire lighted in the yard, according to the pious cus- tom, to warm the shivering souls of the dead, who are wont to revisit thole homes at this holy season. While watching the tongues of flame lapping up the groat logs of birch and oak 1 was startled by the jing- ling of bells, thio air;Lias of melan- choly songs, to creaking of cu'lsp snow under the treat] of heavy foot and the rolling of a drum. All at once a douse mass of confused sha- dows darkened the earth's white car- pet and hid some of the snow -blos- somed branches of the leafless cher- ry trees. It was the village lads and lassos singing the Ifolyadi songs handed down from pagan times. The "waits" bolonged to every social class, without distinction, Christmas having levelled them all. Enormous sacks worn carried by the rustic for the perquisites. Into these they stowed awayt bacon, sau- sages, linen, lard, flux and other offerings, with which their efforts worm rewarded at every house they visited. One of these receptacles yawned wide as soon as tho noise I had subsided, and our host dropped 1 in a large piece of bacon and some I bread, besides a silver rouble which he gave to ono of the singers, and 1 a bottle of vodka to another, Then the noise began anew, caused by a freindly struggle for the sacks. Sev- eral lads were tripped up by the lasses, others became targets for snowballs, gladness was coined into rhymes and jokes, and thus, lostlin.;, shouting, frilling and singing, the shadows shifted off In the moonlight from the background of sparkling snow and star -strewn sky, end voic- es and music ,lied slowly away in the wintry air, Plel.':PS INTO THE FUTURE. At Cheistnuts tide in Russia the dead return to visit the quick, and the unseen world is so closely drawn of the veil of futurity, woven by alto hands of pity and love, can, it is believed, be surreptitiously raised. At any rate, the youth of both sexes leave nothing undone to got a peep at the seed -plot of thee. The ,girls are especially eager to discover iwhother the ensuing year will bring them together with the partners of ;their Joys and sorrows, and, it may :be, to be told their names and char- acters, as well, and many a heavy- hearted maiden fancies she descries a faint streak of bettor luck in the darkness of the future horizon the sorrows of the \resent, or learns that when anothet•. Christmas has come round, her own soul, disembod- ied for aye, will bo coming back to visit her home along with the other shivering spirits whose advent she is welcoming to -night. Innumerable are the keys Viiia. aro said to open the gates of futurity at this festive season of the year. Lead or wax is molted, poured through a key into a tub of water, and the molten mass, shaped by the invisible being as it falls,' becomes a symbol of destiny. Two mirrors are placed opposite each other, with a candle burning be- fore cacti; the girl sits between them gaxing intently and silently at the reflected back of her head, until strange fancies chase each other tluough her brain, shadows Hit before her oyes, "airy tongues that syllable wren's names" aro heard, and sho bo - holds the future darkly as in a glass. Throwing a shoe across the threshold of tie house at the dead of night is another way of finding out what tho future has in store. The wicket, or gate, is opened, and the slipper thrown over the threshold into the street. She may expect her bridegroom from the direction in which it points when found, If the too bo turned toward her hone tho onion is inauspicious; marriage dur- ing mg tha corning twelve month is de- nial o-nicd her by the fates, and it may be, life as well. WiTY WE DECORA'T1rl AT CHRIST- MAS. Why do wo decorate et Christmas ? Why the gifts on the Christmas -tree? Why thio holly about the walls, and tho laurel over the pictures ? Why, above all and the rooter of all, those green and living growths, the mistle- toe -boughs 7 Christmas seized upon those things for the celebration of the festival not because they were green, but because of the po1er that held them green, that kept them alive, that preserved in them the beauty of .life, notwith- standing the snow and sleet, the wind and chilling rain and the with- ering blast. It is the spirit of these living growths that appeals to us when all the rest of inanimate Nature appears. to be sleeping under the mantle of winter, Before Christmas was, the' spirits behind the groan wore bohiov- ed in by an imaginative people, and tiro great festival adhpted them. The ancient Druids believed in the Spirits of the holly, of the laurel, of the great green trees that formed the walls and living arches of 1.11011' tont-. pies, To them these things 10010 peopled with sylvan spirits that loved the growths and lcopt them green by protecting theta from win for frosts, '!'boy tools the branches within their dwelling, behoving that. tie spirits would follow, and 11i0o exorcise their lhroteoUng care. A)nong these spit its they behoved hone to .be more powerful or capable of bringing greater blessing than a ho of lila mistletoe, t t o s e oo, Three beliefs have gone.'from the world, bat we 'cling to the olhbiome of them, end i'ejoles child • thorn at the Christniari eolobib1110n, GOODIES GALORE, Sonne Good Recipes for Making Candies. Walnut Wafers,—One-half pound light brown sugar, half lb. broken walnut meats, throe tablespoons flour quarter teaspoon baking powder, a ]cinch of salt and 2 beaten eggs,' Mix the same as for cake, adding the nut moats last. If desired, a little van- ity, or other flavoring play be added. Drop In small spoonfuls on buttered pans and bake until brown!. A ball teaspoon of chocolate or plaiu'whito Ming dropped on each wafer when cold will add to their attractiveness. Peanut Wafers,—Stir to a cream half cup butter and ono cup milk, Acid ono cup swept milk, whites of 2 eggs (unbeaten) and 2+ cups sifted flour, into which has been mixed ono teaspoon baking powder, Beat until light, Flavor to taste and turn the mixture into a flat square pint Lined with buttered paper. Spread with a spoon so as to have it even. Sprin- kle thickly with finely chopped pea- nuts and bake in a moderato oven until brown. Turn out onto a bread board to cool. Whoa quite cold, cut into 14mnl1 squares. Keep them in a stone jar. Peanut Candy.—Put into a sauce- pan two cups -molasses, one cup of brown sugar, one tablespoon butter and ono of vinegar. Boil until it candies. Have the peanuts in but- tered pans and pour the candy over them. Other nuts, such as butter- nuts, hickory nuts, walnuts or pecan nuts may he listed instead of peanuts. Cut into squares while warm, or rather before the candy becomes quite cold. itl'aple - Sugar Candy.—Break into south pieces one lb. maple sugar. Melt in a, saucepan and add half cup sweet milk and half cup thick sweet cream. Boil until it forms a soft ball, when dropped into cold water. Tante from the fire and stir until it begins Co cream. Now pour into buttered plates, mark into squares, and when cold, break apart, 1+"edge.—Put into a saucepan two cups granulated sugar,. two-thirds cup sweet milk and quarter lb. sweet chocolate. Boil together, stirring all the time. When almost clone, add a small piece of butter. Take from fire, stir in half cup grated cocoanut and beat until smooth. Di op in, small spoonfuls on paraffin paper, or pour into buttered plates and cut in squares. This is very good without the cocoanut. Fruit Loaf.—Beat together the whiles of two eggs, four tablespoons thick sweet cream and two oz. bitter chocolate, grated on a fine grater. Now add confectioner's sugar, a lit- tle at a time, until one cup has been used. Have ready half cup each seeded raisins, candied cherries, figs, dates and nut -meats or grated cocoa- nut. Grind the fruits, or chop tine, add to the sugar mixture and work in more sugar es needed. Ifnead with the hands and when stili enough form into a loaf. Let stand for sev- eral -hours. Cut in slices. Canclied Fruit.—Boil together two cups maple sugar, half cup water and a pinch of creast of tartar, until it candies when dropped into cold wa- ter. Remove to back of range and drop thio fruit (such as seedless rais- ins, dates, figs, etc) into the hot mixture, a few at a time. When well coated, lift out and place on oiled paper. GLORIA IN ESCILSIS: A CHRIST- MAS ANTHEM, By tho Vcry Rev. Charles W. Stubbs, D,D., Doan of Ely. O blessed town of Bethlehem Within thy gray-green'shado, Ringed round with terraced vineyard Anil depth of olive glade: There on thy high gretut pastures Tho shepherds watch their sheep, Tho low largo moon shines glimmering O'er all til' upland steep. II. What music of tiro heavens— What magic song of bliss— What vision of the night-tide— What mystic light is this? Tho silly sheop arc blinded, The shepherds in amaze Stand awestruck, all the hillside With glory is ablazo! 111. The Angelo' joyous chorus Rings out into the night. O Gloria til. Exceisisl Sing praises in the height. Sing praises, mon of Bethlehem, Sing praises hero below, For Peace on earth and good -will Ho doth on you bestow. IV. For on this day is born there Within your little town A child who Christ the Lord is Yet wears no earthly crown: FIo briigoth joy aid gladness To you and all mankind, Yea, Peace on earth and good -will To mon of equal mi111L V. O blessed town of Bethlehem, Ilow !happy is thy state! How blest above all palaces The stable at thy gate! For there in manger -cradle (Oh true thio angel word]) As icing enthroned of all tho worlds Reigns Jesus Christ the Lord, —From Tho Outlook. T11G HOLLY DAYS. Tito holly days are now in sight, The gladdest of the year, Whoa homes are wreathed in eve greens, And hearts aglow with cheer; And boys and girls ilnLicipato The time of glad huzeas, When with delight they'll turn the "hose„ On dear old Santa Olaus. The holly Jaye are naw 115 sight, On every side '115 plain, The joyoits tido is rising fast That floods the heart's 0lenut111. Good Wills aro voiced in every look Alotig the troweled way; Ah, nitt what were the World wit11- but A, Saviour's natal day] OHRISTNIA.8 IN THE PAST A OURIOUS PIRAOTICE IN TILID PIB.ITISI•i NAVY, The First Christmas Tree in a Royal I'alaee Woe in the Reign of George IV. The French ward for Clu'istmas is Noel, It means the I)ay of 131 Lh, The original mince -pie was made of mutton and baked in the shupo of a Manger. :The last year In which there was skating on C'hrfstuncs Day in Lon- don was 18150, On Doc. 290 1800, the north wing of Crystal Palace, in Londou, was destroyed by fire. Christmas was fleet celebrated as a. feast of the Christian church about the year 190 A. 1), The Armenian Church observes the Festival of the 'epiphany at the scene date that we observe Christmas. Pan is uses 50,000 Christmas trees each year, of which about 1.2,000 are bought by foreign residents In Paris. Tho worst Christmas Day Paris ever knew was in 1'870. Tho bom- bardment so long threatened began the next day. Chiistma.s in the Greek Church is our Twelfth Night. The Greek church has not yet adopted the mod- ern calendar. ]tniperor William, of Germany, in- dulges emelt year in a Christmas hunt. Last year he killed 300 doer and nearly 200 wild boar, The baron of beef for the royal table usually weighs a full 200 lbs. It is always cut from a beast bred and fed at Windsor. In the Scandinavian island of 'Dago the people have a curious cus- tom of putting flee candles on each branch of the Christmas tree. Tho Gorman Emperor's Christmas presents te his sons in 1897 were three very beautiful swords, each with a motto engraved upon its blade. "Free gangway" is usually 6 spec- ial Chill 1.mas privilege aboard ship in the navy. It means that any or all can go ashore, as they please. The natives of the Philippines, as well as the Chinese, have public holi- days which in date coincide exactly with tho Anglo-Saxon Christmas. At Sandringham there has always been a distribution of Christmas pre- sents in the riding school. Joints of beef and other useful things aro given. The Church of the Nativity. at Bethlehem is divided by screens into three parts, w'hfrh are controlled re- spectively by Creoles, Latins, and Arnteni ans. Mistletoe is common in most parts of the world. It is exeromely plen- tiful' on oak trees in America, and on apple trees in Normandy and Brit- tany. in Germany it is believed that the oxen are endowed with speech on Cluistanas Eve at midnight. But to hear them it is necessary to put fern leaves in one's boots. The first Christmas tree in a Brit- ish Royal palace was in the reign of George IV. Lord J. Russel was present, and speaks of the tree being covered with colored candles. There are three Christmas Islands, all of them ILIUM: possessions. One is in the Pacific; the other 250 miles south-w•ost of Java. A third Christ- mas Island is off Cape Breton. A curious Christmas practice iu the navy is the "carrying round" of cali- coes. Popular officers are shoulder- ed houlder ed and carried round the docks on Christmas morning, preceded by a band. Plmu-pudding seems at one time to have been a breakfast dish, for at a Christmas breakfast at the royal chaplain's iu 1801, tho first course was a dish of rich, luscious plum - porridge, At thio Saturnalia, the heathen pro- totypeCln'istmas it was the Ro- man cli&tom to decorate the houses with evergreens. This was done to give the woodland spirits a refuge from thio d, s A Chribtozcolncustom once cotnanon all over England, but now . rarely seen, and only in tho western coun- ties, is that of the play of "St, George and the Dragon," performed on the evening of December 24th. .Never buy a yellow -flashed turkey It is a sign of poor Yooding. A 'fine. turkey should have firm, white, flesh. Purchasers should also notice that redness and coarseness about the legs are the sign of an old bird. Although the first Christmas card was made in 1316, vey few worn sent till the year 1862, Thon the fashion came in of sending cards the size of visiting cards, inscribed sim- ply with the words "A Merry Chris - teas." 'l'ic'e is a cu1i0us old superstition that nine Holly loaves tied in a hand- kerchief with nine knots, and placed undo• the pillow on Christmas night, will cause the sleeper ;ta dream of his or her future wife or hesband. A cul ions Roumanian Christmas custom is the "blessing of the riven" A service is hold on tho bank of the Danube,and a small wooden cross thrown in through a hole in the ice. A Pantie scramble follows to recover thio t•, In theehicreign of Diocletian, about the yoar 800 A.D., the Emperor was keeping court at Nicomodia, when he learnt that a .number of Christ- ians were keeping the birthday of Jesus. He ordered tate doors of the church to be closed and set Are to the building. UNFULFILLED 11XI'ECTATIOM. Jones --"I had a very disappointing C1irlei :inDO. ,, Brown—"Moor's that 9" Jones -•-„Nobody gave mo n load of teal.” A PAI11 O1 TIfltbi', George "Jack, you gave not the 505110 beak that you gave me last Chu'isiun a5." Jade.. „Shako. old Tran] se did yatl,, HOLIDAY" GAMES tleSi®®C9501lNt ®Ts After the Chtiatmas dinner people are usually not inclined for much ex- ertion, but they wan4 sono )rind of light amusement. Scene of the old-' fasluloned '''divination'' tricks thou come in nicely. Such feats are frequently perform- ed by two persons,' 0110 playing the part of the "professor," or wizard in chief, the other that of "medium= Ono of the simplest tricks of thio kind is the indicating by the medium of some object which has boon agreed upon by the company during her absence from the room, On her re- turn the magician, after placing her under (supposed) mesmeric influence by a few sham "passes," proceeds to interrogate her. "Do you know tate article that has been named)" "Yes," (She doesn't; but strict truthfulness is not expect- ed from conjurers) "Is 1t the Moon?" "No." "Is it the sun?". "No." "Ts it a coin?" "No." And so on, till the right article is named, when she replies:— "Yes." There aro various ways of giving the clue. In ono version of the trick the medium is instructed to say "Yes" to the first article named next after a four -legged object (ani- mate or inanimate). This is a very old form of "key," but not very widely known, and we have often seen it mystify a roomful of people. If, however, the trick is repeated be- fore the same company, it may be as well, on the second occasion to agree on a new kind of key -word, say a flower or bird, In another form of the trick tine performer does not speak at all, but in this ease the object selected must be something in the room. On the return of the medrain, thio performer merely points with his wand (or any convenient substitute, say a ruler, or a lady's fan) to -various objects •in succession. The first half -dozes or so are met with 'a negative, but when ho touches the right one a confident "yes" is the answer. The secret here is equally simple. At the outset the performer grasps the wand, all the fingers encircling it. When he points to the right ob- ject the forefinger is allowed to Bo along it. Unless the secret is known beforehand, it is absolutely safe from detection. On a similar principle, but some- what morn elaborate, is the trick of THE MYSTIC TARGET. Tho apparatus for this feat con- sists of a pasteboard target, having a bull's-oyo and throe concentric rings of different colors; and half a dozen arrows, also of different col- ors. (If the apparatus is home- made, those, too, may be of paste- board). The medium retiring as be- fore, a spectator is invited to select one of the arrows, and with it to touch any one of the rings of the target. On the medium's return she indicates, with more or less make- believe of mental effort, which ar- row was used, and which circle of .. the target was touched with it. Here, again, thesecret cies in an agreed coda of signals. `Pke.ixige of - the target are regarded as numbered; the bull's-eye as one, the ring near- est it to two, and so on. The ar- rows in like manner oath boar an imaginary number, say, blue, -ono; black, two; green, three; red, four; white, five; yellow, six. Call the blue "azure, and the initials will come in alphabetical order, a, b, g, r, w, y; under which conditions the sequence of the colors 'will be recall- ed without difficulty. The number of tbo particular ar- row used is signalled to the medium by the way in which tho wand, or it: substitute, is held. Thus if it be hold by its upper end in the right hand, with one finger lying along it, two; if encircled by all the angors, three; if encircled in like manner, but round the control foer1 if placed ander the arm, five; if laid on the table, six. The ring of the target whicht has boon touched may be indi- cated by the position of the left hand. IF it grasps the lapel of the coat, tho bull's-eye has been touched; if the thumb is tucked into tho vost pookot, ring No. 1. If the hand is placed in the trouser pocket, No. 2; if allowed to hang down by tbo side, No. 8; and if resting on the hip, the white space outside tho Mtgs. TELEGRAMS. This is an excellent game. Each of the players gives a letter in turn, until twelve have been obtained, which aro written in the sane order at the top of each piece Of paper. Ten minutes or e, quarter of an hour are allowed, in which tacit player writes a sentence beginning with the chosen initials. The messages are ' then react aloud. It is an excellent practise for condensing one's ideas.. The results aro often very amusing. Some people merely string words to- getner,,hut others can suggest a whole story In a few words, Sup- posing tho lotto's aro • p, g, t, t, n, g, p, s, 1, w, re, J. Ono player will evolve the following 5011tanee which, though silty, is ceesefutive: "Ploaso give Tommy the new game played spice January with much joy." An- other will formulate the following <vitlt exactly' the same lottorei "I'apa getting too :tiresohie. No genies possible. Soncl John with moat, Jennie," : .(Tho acme of an imagiu- cry sender may bo placed at the chill if the letters allow of it, but it is option.) "nut .if thio professor is so absent- minded that he can't remember his. tum• t 1 a t lilt Write own Milne, why t ae, n i y on a slip of paper rind carry it s1'htit him?" "Ole tried that, but lin found 11e couldn't road itis 'swit Writing."'