The Brussels Post, 1916-12-21, Page 3The Christmas Card That Travelled
Half the boys of Miss Hathaway's anybody poorer than I ami" he woulc
mutter to himself sometimes; and
then almost always he would remem
ber Mrs, Murphy,the little old woman
on the floor below who took in wash-
ing.
For some time after the Christmas
card came Jack sat looking at it,
Ile picked it up and tilted it from
side to side that he might catch the
glint of the diamond dust.
"'Tis kind of pretty," he said aloud,
almost grudgingly. "Humph! I won-
der what Mrs. Murphy would say to
this? Guess she'd think 'twas a
little bit ahead of that old postal card
picture she came toting home last
week; and she thought that was fine
even if it was all torn!"
After a time he arose and limped
stealthily down stairs. He paused at
Mrs. Murphy's door and was just tak-
ing something from under his coat
when the door opened and Mrs.
It was the beginning of a general Murphy herself appeared.
breaking -up; and by twos and threes "Bless you, boy, how 'you startled
the rest went their various ways, me!" cried the little old woman.
laughing, and calling merrily back to
their edlnrades. There was one, how-
ever, that did not laugh, chatter or
call back. It wps Carrie Ausbin,
walking all alone down a side street.
Carrie was puzzled, and not quite
happy. What was there, indeed, that
she could 'give? Anything new was
out of the question—she had no money ing for you," called a boy's voice; and
to pay for it; and as for old things— again Jack thrust something hastily
one headless doll, a few torn books, a out of sight.
brooken hoop; surely noneeeI these "W -were you?" he stammered.
could she give for a present. Yet ib Jack seemed to be doing a good deal
had' seemed ,so easy that afternoon of stammering that afternoon.
while the teacher was talking—so "Well, here I am." And he limped
easy to make some one happy that was boldly along without so much as..,.a
poorer than she.
All through the week before Christ-
mas, Carrie puzzled over the question;
school were gathered in an eager
group at the foot of the steps; Miss
Hathaway had been giving them a lit-
tle talk on Christmas presents that af-
ternoon.
"I've got fifty cents, and I'm going
to spend it all," announced one.
"I've got a bank, and I shall take
all there is in it," cried another.
"I shall give my dolls and half my
bean-bags; I'm tired of dolls anyhow,
chimed the third.
i shall give something I'm fond
of:," said a black-eyed girl, With a toes
of her head."` "I sha'nt give any old
cast-off things!"
"Well, I shall," retorbed a boy on
the edge of the group. "It'e all I've
got to give someone that didn't have
so much as wee did; and I'm sure folks
like that won't mind it if things aren't
brand new!" And he turned and
went whistling down the street,
"D -did I?" stammered Jack, hasti-
ly thrusting something under his coat 3
and stumbling on down the stairs.
Ten minutes later, after walking
once around the square, Jack slowly
climbed the stairsand a d stopped once
!
more at the washerwoman's door,
"Hi there, Jack! I was jusb loo
glance toward the washerwoman
door.
Long after dark that night, how-
but not even so much as a bib of rib- ever, when the house was quiet, Jack
bon could she find that was fresh crept downstairs and tied something
enough to give away. to Mrs. Murphy's door -knob.
On the twenty-third of December It was on Christmas day that Carrie
the postman brought her a letter, and Austin's mother answered a timid
in the letter was a bright new Christ-
mas card with a sparkling, snow-cov-
ered house in the corner.
"0i" cried Carrie. "Isn't that love-
ly!"
Then she propped the card up on
the -mantelpiece and stood off to ad-
mire it.
:'Mother, just see how it ,shines!"
she exclaimed exultingly, as a stray things for ire—potatoes and tea, and
sun -beam came through the window a bit of warm flannel—and never a
and lighted up the diamond -dust on thing could,I do for you. But now,
the card. ma'am, I've got something you'd like
"But your letter, dear—you hav'nt —something I'm sure you'd like. I
read your letter," reminded Mrs. Aug. found it hanging on my door -knob this
tin with a smile.
"Sure enough!" laughed Carrie,
picking up the letter which bore the
postmark of a neighboring town; and
this is what she read:
Dear Pussykins: I saw this card in
a window to -day and thought of you
—you do so love things that sparkle.
Keep it or give, ib away—just which
you like. t
Love and merry Christmas from
Brother Will.
Carrie laughed gleefully.
"That's just like Will," she cried
"The minute he's got a spare cent in
his pocket off it goes for something
for us! 'Give it away,' indeed!" she
knock at her side door.
"Why, good morning, Mrs. Mur-
phy," she said pleasantly to the bent
old woman on the doorstep. "A
merry Christmas to you!"
"And it's just that, ma'am, that I've
come to say to you," returned Mrs.
Murphy, in an eager, quavering voice.
"It's always ,you who have beeflydoing
morning, and I hadn't more than set
my two eyes on it before I said,
'Sally Ann Murphy, you've got it now;
that's just the thing to give good, kind
Mrs. Austin and Miss Carrie.' And
here 'tis, ma'am, and a merry Christ-
mas bo you!" she finished, handing out
a flat, brown paper parcel.
"Thank you, thank you," called Mrs.
Austin, as the little old woman hob-
bled joyfully down the walk.
"Why Mother!" cried Carrie in
amazement a little later, as the wrap-
pings fell away from Mrs. Murphy's
gift and disclosed a bright new Christ-
mas card with a sparkling snow cov-
ered house in the corner. "Why
added scornfully- •then stopped short. Mother that's my very own card that
She suddenlly remembered that for a I sent to Nellie. I remember that lit -
whole week she had longed for some- tle black mark on the back."
thing to give away. It was some days before Carrie un -
Carrie did nob speak again for some derstood the mystery; then she over -
tithe. She wandered restlessly from heard Nellie Randall say:
room to room only to active back every "0, yes, I sent something. It was a
few minutes and look at the Christmas Christmas card that some one sent to
card on the mantelpiece.
"It 'isn't enough to give away., any-
hotv," she told herself; then - some-
thing seemed to answer:
You know better, Carrie Austin
It is big enough foe you to like, and if
you like it some one else would!"
At night she put the Christmas card
int
.an envelope and sent it to Nellie to Nellie Randall and she sent it to
Randall, the girl who sat two seats in Jack Talbot. And what did Jack do
front of her in school, and who never but take it down to old Mrs. Murphy's
brought touch for luncheon except dry and tie ib on ber door -knob, and then
crackers and bread without butter. Mrs. Murphy brought it to us, My!
how that Christmas card has travel-
ed!" she finished, as she hurried over
to the mantelpiece to examine with
new interesb the wonderful card with
its sparkling, snow-covered house in
the corner..
me—such a pretty card, .all snow and
sparkles! I sent it to Jack Talbot."
"And Jack Talbot lives just over
Mrs. Murphy!" cried Carrie under her
breath, as she hurried home. "Moth-
er!" sheecried', bursting into the house,
"only think! First Will sent that
Christmas card to me, then I sent it
It was the next morning that Nellie
Randall rushed hreathless into her
mother's rooms
"Mother, mother, see!" she panted.
"Some one has sent me the loveliest
Christmas card! Now I can do what
the teacher said; now I can send
something to ome one poorers than I.
am! But who shall have it, Mother?
Mary, Tom, Henry or Jack?"
It was a weighby question. Nellie
and her mother could not decide it at
once, Mary was poor, certainly, but
Tont Henry had a sick mother and no
father; while Jack—poor Jack—was
crippled himself and could not run
and play like the other lads.
At last it Was decided; and, with
shining eyes Nellie hurried away for
an envelope and a stamp.
That afternoon on the firab mail,
Jack Talbot received a bright new
Christmas card with a sparkling,
snow covered house in the corner.
"Bumph " grunted,Jack. 'Then he
scowled and tried to look as if lie were
not please .
Jask was not it favorite at school.
At first the scholars had tried to show
Where the Card Came From. -..
The stingy young man approached
the flame of his passion.
"Did you receive many Christmas-
cards, Miss Buzzer?" he, asked, by
way of a beginning.
"Oh, yes! And there was one—tie-
signed—that S thought particularly
dainty and artistic. I'm sure it came
from you!"
"Indeed!" exclaimed the delighted'
gentleman', "And *hat makes you
imagine so?"
"Why," replied the maiden sweetly,
"because I sent it to you lest Christ-
mas!"
At An Armory.
The head of a great gun and arm-
orsmakihg establishment said to the
how sorry they were_that he could not agent of a foreign Government:
join hi their games; but he had met "Then, sir, I am to understand that
their, advances with milieu looks and you want us to make you an armor
abort words, so that gradually bit plate that no projectile can pierce?
We are producing arino• plate like
that daily,"
"No," replied the military agent,
"you Mistake Inc. I want to know
schoolmates had come to leave him
pretty hutch to himself.
Jecjc Was not able to be at school
every day, butt he hacl been there on
the afternoon that Miss Hathaway you cart make 0 gun that will pierce
had givefl het little' talk an Christmas any armer plate manefactured 1'
presents and many times since then "Certainly, sir, certainly," was the
he had thetight of it. prompt nnsWer; "we do that sort of
' "HOMO! :MIS as if therm. could be thing every day,"
a
•
ekst
•
L.r• •
When Christmas time comes round Il aeema
As though the long, long years
Roll bank and take away our cares
And dry up all our tears:
1 don't know why it is, but when
The great day comes along
1 gal to feaiin' young again,
And kind of turn to song,
And whistle and go on just like
A boy would. 1'11 be bound,
The old world seems to brighten up •
When Christmas time comes round.
I'm tinkled at the Jumpin' Jack
And all them hind of things;
I like to watch the toys that play •
By windin' up the springs,
And somehow—don't know why it 11.0
Love seems to fill the air,
And 1 forget I've enemies
• Or troubles anywhere;
And every little while I sort
Of listen for the sound
Of voloes that have long been still,
When Christmas time comes round.
l wish that l was Santa Claus
And hada maglo sleigh,
To visit all the children who
Look forward to the day—
The orphans and the cripples and
The poor folks everywheres—
All children that are good and kind
And don't forget their prayers;
1'11 bet you that they'd all be glad
When they got up and found
Their stockin'e fairly bustin' out,
When Christmas time come round.
Oh, happy time of jtnglin'bells
And hills all white with snow;
Oh, joyful day that takes us back
To care -free long ago'
1 wonder if up there above
Where happy angels roam
They do pot get to thlnkin' of
The happy times at home,
And turn, in fanny, bank once mourn
To listen to the sound
Of voices that have long been still,
When Christmas time comes rounds
MAKING CHRISTMAS A BURDEN.
A Worried Mother Writes the Follow-
ing Protest.
"With the approaching Christmas
season cannot a word of protest be
uttered against the custom of ex-
changing gifts, between pupils and
teachers? The writer was present at
the closing of a school term last year,
and saw a teacher 'open gift after
gift piled up on ter desk. It was
easy to single out those who had not
brought presents by their distressed
and unhappy faces, their sensitive lit-
tle hearts feeling as if they were un-
der a ban for not being able to do so
as the others. A sorry beginning for
so joyous a season, Even if the gifbs
are not brought to the school, but
sent direct to the teachers' or schol-
ars' homes, would it not he better
simply to have the good wishes of the
season exchanged, without the ex-
pense and formality of a present?
"I know of one family where the
three children expcet to take a gift to
each of their different teachers. They
are asked allso each year to bring
something for a donation from the
class as a whole. The same thing
is repeated in the Sunday school, each
child giving to each teacher, and each
one also expected in addition to con-
tribute to some special charitable ob-
.
ChristmasGiving and Christmas Living
It was Annis Crosby, in het' paths -i three of us clubbed together and
tic black dress, advertising the recent bought her a hemp—and Mother rare -
loss of her mother, who startled them l ly had a chance to use it at all be-
all- by coining to the first meeting of cause we usually monopolized its
the Christmas sewing -club with a light, The traveling -bag Don gave
large darning -bag,, We had ,hardly her he used himself, and we all walk -
expected her to have the courage even ed over the new rug—Mother simply
to think of Christmas this year. ! kept it clean, This year we're going
"It isn't only that we don't feel very to put our savings into a few sub-
Christmassy at our house this year," stantial things the house needs. It's
she said, drawing a boy's thiels, ugly our home now, and even when she was
ribbed st,;ocking over the darning -egg, here, it wasn't just Mother's exclusive -
"but I've been doing a lot of thinking ly. We'll have councils over the p.tr-
�
Home.11iade
ChristmasGifts
i
A "traveler's friend" is a pin case
that can be tucked inn corner of the
suit ease or traveling bag, and that
carries all sizes and colors of pins.
A strip of cretonne twevle incites long
and eight wide, has .one end rounded
like the lap of a pocketbook. The
strip is then bound with narrow rib-
bon or silk tape. Eight leaves of
white flannel three inches and, a half
wide and not quite two inches wide are
lately, especially about Christmas. For chases, and committees, and the kind pinked on one side and the two ends,
one thing I've come to the realization of celebration Mother would have liked Two are bound together with the tape
that we-ve all grown fanatical over over the installation. Any Otle who or ribbon, and the four groups Stitched
giving instead of living—and maybe still. wants to cultivate the individual he center of the cretonne strip,
over getting, too—but with most of feeling can do so in a separate small one above the other, with equal in -
as here, present -making bas become gift to the house—an egg -beater ora tervals between; the sides of the strip
a regular vice." new book or a sofa pillow or anything are then folded over the ]eaves, quid
"Why, Annis," expostulated Marion, else we can all get some satisfaction the fold stitched to hold it flat. After
the most ardent and elaborate giver out of. the leaves are stocked with pins the
of all "giving things is the very es -1 "Then for our friends, letters and case is folded up like a pocketbook,
some and spirit of Christmas!" 'greeting -cards and 'service -promises' and a cretonne covered button and
"Giving, yes --but not altogether 1 will be all. We don't—" loop of the tape added for fastening.
giving things, Marion," replied Annis,! "Please, Annis," interrupted Marion,For this use a pretty striped ere -
quietly. "I don't know quite how to "what do you moan by `service -pro- t tonne is bast.
express what I mean 'without seeming mises?' " Pretty curtains for a boy's room can
to lecbure—but don't you think there "Why," smiled Annis, "if Dorothy be made of a very light weight un-
are gifts more important than the ma- should hand her another a note saying bleached domestic cotton, 'finishing
tenial ones, and, too, better selections that her Christmas present was a them about a foot from the top with
to be made when it comes to the ac- contract to darn stockings or do mend- a six-inch band of cretonne which re-
to
gifts themselves? None of us ing for two hours once a week, that posts the colors of the wallpaper and ,
ever count the cost of all our Christ- would be a 'service -promise.' The carpet. Such curtains are .pretty,
mas preparations. I thoroughly be- Dorothy's mother could have the fun not easily torn or injured, and can be
lieve, for instance, that we could of embroidering centerpieces instead laundered easily. Nor is it much
choose a few more 'boughten' presents of doing the less interesting work. If trouble to renew the cretonne.
and use thetimeand effort we expend Marion should decide to give Myra: For a young housekeeper a couple
on Christmas sewing to better ad- Conway all the time she is putting into of big checked gingham aprons, nicely
vantage. If' I'm not mistaken, Mar- that baby -jacket, taking care of, the made off, folded neatly, tied with red
ion spent her Christmas holidays in other children, for instance, while ribbons and with a sprig of holly
thrust through the knot look quite
bed with the grippe last year," she Myra rests or gets out for a change
added with a faint smile, "just because withoat the children, that would be a Christmassy.
she was tired out and her resistance ! ! service -promise. And without want -!Stocks and collars of silk braid, the
was low when the grippe germ roam-ing to criticize, it's been the experi-' kind that draws up on a thread and
ed in her vicinity that's one kind of 1 ence of most of my friends with forms charming curves, are easily
unreckoned cost, but not exactly what , babies that the practical 'boughten' made from the patterns, which cost
I mean, either." things, like hot-water bottles and about 25 cents each. Very little work
She stopped, hesitating. (diapers and rubber bath -tubs, are far is necessary—just joining the braid
"Go on, go on!" urged several of the imore needed than the francy garments.; and putting in a few filling-in stitches.
The greatest trouble the Christmas
girls. The group of eight busy teach - 'I've thought of lobs of 'service -pro -1
ers had formed a little club which , seises' for my own fancily—helping giver has is to think of suitable gifts
met once a week from the first of,Roy with his mathematics, taking one for her men friends. Almost any
October for the laudable purpose of of Edna's settlement classes off her man will like a pretty and serviceable
working on their Christmas gifts. 0f I hand. Thesre aro really lots of uses box for his handkerchiefs—not some -
course nobody accomplished all her I for time if you count up how much thing all lace and frills, but one that
Christmas sewing to the accempani-I there is and what you can do with it," is practical. A sweet grass basket
ment of tea and little cakes and much "Do you believe in giving people in box form, or one on rafia, with the
talk; in fact, each, of the eight had ; clothes for presents, Annis?" demand- inside wadded and lined with thin silk
- somehow to manage seven presents ed Dorothy. "I don't. Every year and a cover that lifts with a ring
Jed.. The father and mother of these for the other members entirely outside
three children each have sunday of the club meetings, to say nothing of
school classes, one of seven scholars, gifts too cumbersome to carry about.
the other of, five. If they pursue the But the club furnished the impetus
same method in their own classes and for a vast amount of energetic Christ -
give a remembrance to each pupil, and_mas labor, so that eight pairs of eyes,
also contribute to the special object already tired by the close work of cor-
chosetn by each class, the grand total ,recting papers and writing reports
of the presents given by this ono fam.e and plan -books, were taxed after the
ily would reach tthe extraordinaryschool day for many a long hour;
number of twenty-six, aside from the nerves, taut and tense from the class -
immediate relatives and friends. [ room noises, were put to final strain
"Is is any 'wonder, therefore, that by bhe confinement of sewing; eight
Christmas becomes a great flnancial intelligent brains centered frantically
and nerve -exhausting strain? This
is especially the case when the bur-;
den falls upon the tired mothers, who'
have to select the gifts. An overdo-
ing of anything, however good of it-
self, ceases to be desirable. In the'
needless multiplication of Christmas
gifts have not many of us lost the'
spirit of joyousness and true thankful-
ness? In our absorption in "much
giving" do we not often forget to'
thank our Heavenly Father for the
Gift of gifts, whose advent we are
Supposed to be celebrating?"
"A Mother."
To this we would like to add a word
for the teacher, longing to remember
each little one, and without time or•
money to stare for such a purpose.;
Let love and loving wishes take the
i
place of all this strain.
ls
' rw� s a "pangs new Yonder whl iper is th e. nlghc wind,
} There's a song of feu hal. on Hee 1 pt of mom:
Oh, can youhear ham7w ngutg, he who seta the cards a singu+g,
Who hulas Mt wonder of the wort° In tun pale arms, new• born.1
Sing tow,`s:nqq tow, oh you tune Ret Isla preautot,.
nor great andgood and glorious u ht;
He ML+ dee awesome eawn1n9 of rbc only unmet- znorturui
wren sus mut hart ane sorrow w'e lose to atonal,
He tart make dee sinllfr sainrfy for a. rndlnent,
.1 -Ie Can ntake the Sordid splenia. fora say.
Then whoa yes his spelt is o'er us. he wall march along tietbre usr
Right out Into int sUence of the stwdowa 0.i away.
Oh Cynics, rule Arum Ou•istnws unto audennoo,
Due then glue plate to barer nten 11110 wage.
Though you preach your sorry stay, salt we llnow that tae Ls gtens.
For 1 slunk we see the seat worth through the Chnwdnas versa nits,
THE
SPIRIT
OP
CHRISTMAS
J>Y
D MACE
LDOI N'TON
.�+°°�'or�fw fYwcier
or weeks on producing tea -aprons,
ornamental traveling -cases, embroi-
dered shirtwaists, fancy pincushions
and coat -hangers, hemstitched table -
linen, tatting, crocheting, and sheer
and fragile dross -accessories dear to
the feminine heart.
Annis cleared her throat. "After
Mother died I gradually began to not-
ice how everything fell on me—how
the younger ones were off about their
owneaffairs all the time, and nobody
had time to help. Right there I sat
down and asked myself how much
time I, personally, had been giving
Mother when she was with us. I
counted up the hours and minutes, and
bhe sum total was, oh, so pitifully lit-
tle! I used to think it was fine of me
to work hard and let Mother use otos
of my money; but I know now the
money isn'teverything, and that ther
were lots of little matters I migh
Ted gives Jack a necktie and mea of oo nstea o a t on ow, w
pair of gloves, and Jack gives Ted suit the average man "real first -
silk socks and me silk stockings -1 rate."
'and secretly nobody likes what the(( Find out the color of your friend's
other has ebosen. And if I want to room, and—unless she has one, make
invest in a new party -dress in October, her a pretty pincushion in that color,
Mother says, 'Wait and see what Choose the desired size, cover with the
Santa Clause does for you'—most like- color, and stretch all over lace over
ly forgetting and giving me underwear the top. Make a ruffle of the silk—
when the time comes! I can't see China silk is best, pinking one edge
much present about something you and gather and sew the ruffle all
have to have anyway!" round the cushion. Take lace edge
"In families where there aro children I just a trifle narrower then the' ruffle,
your can't banish gifts—they always gather and sew neatly around over
e the latter. Finish the corners with
youngest member. bows or rosettes of narrow ribbon..
"Yes, they do," Annis agreed, "but A pincushion recently seen at the
usually they get too many and very Woman's Exchange was made of pale
few well-chosen rotes. As long as chi(- blue satin in the exact style of a
dren are at the expectant age, give; mattress. It was "boxed" in proper
them playthings with which they can form, and tufted as mattresses are by
brake or do something. Good tools, baby ribbon run through and tied in
building-blocks, the various kinds of the tiniest of loops. Very small
wood and metal building -toys,
eels.
wood buttons might be used instead
sors, knives, paints, electric motors, I of the ribbon. Men like such a pin -
sewing -outfits, crayons, raffia—thingsI cushion; it it simple, and there is "no
like that. After a while they will nonsense about it."
(sura to make things for others, and A college man always likes things
finally come to the household -gift' connected with his college or unl-
idea, outgrowing personal anticipa- versity. Cushions in college colors
Hons."' are always appreciated. So are pic-
tures for his room, scenes from the
campus, the portraits of the faculty
properly grouped, the football team or
boat crew, views of the buildings,
prettily framed in passepartout,
Christmas Musings.
The joyous bells are ringing f
The message from above,
And worshippers are singing
Of God's unfathomed lover
expect toys, protested Anna, the
"We've always devoted the day be-
fore Christmas to making our own
t candy," Clara said. "We've done it
t for years, and everybody helps. Be-
e foreheand we make or buy pretty
t boxes and the children fill them to
have attended to, but mostly there give to their friends. When the
was so much time I might have spent. candy's put in cornucopias on the tree,
with her that I can never have now. j they eat too much, and get at it sur -
"Take this Christmas sewing-club—.1 reptitiously.
we've had it for six yearns. If it was; Our Christmas plum pudding is
just the one afternoon a week, I'd made a month beforehand," remarked
say it was a fine thing—bringi:tg ns Millicent. "It's another family in -
all together, having a good, jolly time stitution. We all seed raisins and
and forgetting other work. But that's cut citron till our arms ache. Then
the smallest part of Christmas. After it's boiled and hung in a bag in the
we leave here we all spend every spare attic to season. It comes on the
minute sewing on a lot of unnecessary, Christmas table blazing all around."
things that don't do the people who, "Wouldn't it be a fine thing," Annis
get them any good, and all that pre -said, "11 families could get bogether
cions time night be spent being' with once a year and talk over their income
people we love, doing things for them, and expense -budget frankly? Decide
malting life easier. There is a little how much each ought to spend for
tinge of selfish indulgence in the clothing, for example, and let each
way some of us concentrate on the spend it whenever he or she wished
pleasureof malcitig Christmas thine; —take birthdays for the really indi-
"But what," asked Clara in bewild vidual gifts, the little luxuries, and
erment, "are we going to do about the turn Christmas into a clay of broader
presents? I think it's all true about thought, good will to all? Have the
too much giving, and over in our, whole family smite hi whatever fun or
school we all joined the 'Spugs' to celebration there is—such as install-.
prevent collections for the principal ing a new phonograph or a big chair
end Officers, but home giving and your or an elect'tic light or a beautiful set
friends are different—you wouldut'b of 'best' linen—and then try to bevel
feel right, not to remember thein." I the day one of 'peace oh earth' instead'
"We could begin right here in this of confusion and commotion? The
meeting by pledging ourselves to, big Christmas dinner's all right—the
omit all gifts to each other, couldn't" family feast belongs to the traditions
we?" suggested practical Elsie. that ought be be kept alive—but tine
"Or limit it to a card of greeting or work of it shouldn't fall on one mem-
" letter or camera picture," put in ber of the family."
Millicent, "We can't give up our 'Christmas
tree," said Clara, "but we could cer-
tainly adopt some of these other sug-
gestions that make Christmas a day
for all the family to think about loving
and serving each other better and do-
ing things in unison,"
Featherstone: "I wonder if your sis-
ter realises, Willie, that during the
lust two months I have given her ten
dollars' worth of sweets and flowers?"
Willie: "O1 course she dose, That's
why she is keeping her engagement
"I suppose," said Dorothy, slowly,
"my mother would have more actual
satisfaction if I brought her darning-
bag to these meetings instead of malt-
ing her this centerpiece I've started.
t believe 1'11 do it, Annis, I just love
to embroider and I hate to earn—but
what shall I do for a C'lu•istmas.pre-
sent for ler, something ghee! really
like?"
Annis considered. "We've been
thinking at (tome that our se -called
Christmas presents to Mother weren't
really personal gifts at all. One year with. Jim Burling a secret."
Of love in sending Jesus
From glory bright and high,
Down to Bethlehem's manger,
For rebel mean tb diel
Lova! Higher than the heavens,
And deeper than the sea,
Broader than a world of sin
So gloriously to free!
Such love transforms the rebel;
His Spirit and His Word
Implant the love undying,
Make sinners "Sons oe Godl"
In turn, God asks the homage
0f loyal hearts to -day,
Who prize the loving Saviour
And labor, watch and pray,
Oh; swell the anthem ever;
Throughout the circling years.
For love unbounded never
Should pall on ransomed ears.
In Need of Repair.
"When I bought this automobile
from you a few weeks ago," cried the
irate purchase', "you said you would
be willing to supply a new part if
it broke anything!"
"Certainly, sir!" agreed bhe mtutu-
facturer. "What can I have the pleas
sure of providing you with ?"
replied the pun'chasor, "I
want a pair of new ankles, a left eyes
three yards of cuticle, a box of assort-,
ed finger -nails, four front teeth, and 'a
funny -bone("
The observation of Christmas be.
gen in the second century, in different
otoliths---Jammey, April, of MON