HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Clinton News Record, 1918-12-19, Page 13dte t)1 i o"- a:f .�i�\ `V
Sweets for Christmas.
At this time when we are urged and
commanded to be econgmlcel In our
use • of -sugar, it is wail, to prepare,
Christmas sweets which can be made
without any, dr a•vory small amount of
that scarce article, -
The fairly plentiful materials that
are suitable for malting sweets are
Syrup, maple eugar, honey, popcorn,
and all kinds of nuts. Sugary dried
fruits will also help. ChoboIate and
cocoa aro always safe to use, The fol-
lowing are eome tested recipes which
call for only a minimum of sugar:
'Stuffed Dates,—Stuffed dates aro a
most wholesome sweet, and quickly
made, too. The dates must be first
picked apart, washed in warm water
and dried in an old napkin, Remove
the seed from each with a sharp knife,
slip a nut in its place, press together,
and sift over with granulated sugar.
Leave etanding a while on oiled paper
to become firm,
Chocolate Dates,—Prepare dates as
described for stuffed dates. Slit each
date lengthwise, just far enough to al-
low the kernel's being extracted with,
out bruising the fruit. Grate one-
fourth pound of good chocolate, add en
equal quantity of confectioners' sugar,
and two tablespoonfuls of boiling
water. Boil until a soft ball forms in
cold water. Before removing from the
sire, add a few drops of vanilla ex-
tract. Place the pan inside a ,larger
one, half filled with boiling water, to
keep the chocolate fluid while the
dates are being filled. Take up a little
oft
othe mixture onie teaspoon, open the
date and pour it /featly .In. When
Ailed, press the sides gently together.
Place in a cool place to harden.
Stuffed Figs. -Chop Bite anykind of,
nuts. Mix with halt the quantity of
well washed and dried currants, Open
figs at one side, and pack with mix-
ture, rounding the fig to look like a
rroo,os6
pear. Cloee'the opening, thou at Fruit Cheese,—Stone a pound of hardens, Again, puffed riee can be
dates, add t° them a pound of figs,,half
a pound of blanched almonds, half a
Trowel of pecans and half a peptide&
Brazillian nuts. Any nuts at hand may
be shtbetitutod for the ones named, Put
the mixture through a motl„t-chopper,
and pack into tumblers: Keep in cold vinegar, teaspoon baking soda, 1 tea -
place, This may bo tolled into tiny
balls and dipped in chocolate, cut into
blocks and used as a sweetmeat, or cut
into thin altos and put between bread
and butter, or crackers,to servo in the
place of cake.
end of the tlg,atick a clove to look like
blossom end, and at the, other a stick
of cinnamon bark for the stem. Dust
lightly with powdered sugar.
Parletan Sweets,—Pick over and re-
move stems frohu one pound of figs and
stones from one pound of dates. Mix
St1'ith one pound of English Walnut
meats, and force through a. meat chop.
per. Work, using the hands, on a board
dredged with confectioners' sugar, m-
111 well blended. Roll to one-fourth of
an inch thickness, using confectioners'
sugar for dredging board and -min. Cut
with a sharp knife in three-fourths
inch squares. Roll each pieoe in con-
fectioners' sugar, and shake to remove
superfluous sugar, Place in layers In
a tin box, putting paper between each
layer. These confections may be used
, at dinner in place of bonbons.
Sugared Popcorn,—Put two table-
spoons of butter in a sauce pan, and
when melted add two cups of brown
sugar, ansa .one-half cup of water.
• Bring to the boiling point, and let boil
for sixteen minutes. Pour over two
quarts of popped corn, and stir until
every kernel is well coated with sugar.
Taffy.—Dissolve half a cup of sugar
in four tablespoons of cider vinegar,
mix with two cups of molasses, and
cook very slowly in a kettle large
enough to prevent the plass from boil-
ing over until a little dropped in cold
water hardens, then stir in a heaping
teaspoon of butter, and a half teaspoon
of baking soda dissolved in a table-
spoon of hot water. Stir up, remove
from flee, and flavor with a teaspoon of
vanilla, or lemon extracte turn ,into a
greased ,pan, and when Cool enough to
handle pull' until bright with figured or
greased paeds. When light enough,
pull into narrow strips and cut off in
pieces the right site for a' mouthful
with a pair'of greased scissors. Wrap
each of these in a little twist of pane
fin paper.
used if no popcorn is to be had,
P.S.—Instead of nut moats, 11/4 cups
of cornflakes oan bo used on bottom
and on top.
OM-faahloaed Yellow ,Tack. -1 quart
New Orleans molasses, 1 teaspoon
Conservation Dainties.
Maple Popcorn. Bails. -3 cups pepped
B0111, 1 cup maple syrup, 3 teaspoons
vinegar, pinch salt, 1 teaspoon butter
or substitute, pinch of baking soda
Put syrup, vinegar anti butter substi
tuts Into shallow pan; bring to boil
slowly: add salt and soda. Boil slow
ly until the soft ball stage (that is
when a drop will fora: if dropped ,on
cold plate); hrttsli plate with a little
butter substitute, cover with popcorn
that lies been carefully picked over to
be sure all has popped, then pour the
hot syrup over, stirring quickly so
each kernel is covered with syrup. Rub
hands with a little butter substitute;
take a spoonful and roll into balls at
once. If small balls aro desired (the
size of English walnut); the corn mus
bo chopped fine. If popcorn is not ob
tatnable, use puffed rice.
Popcorn, Molasses and Nut Squares.
—3 cups chopped popcorn, 1 cup finely
chopped nut meats of choice, lin cups
syrup or molasses, pinch salt and
pinch of baking' soda, 1 tablespoon
'butter substitute. Boil and test syrup
as foregoing. recipe. Pour over pop-
corn„ Brush' agate or china plate with
butter substitute; cover bottom with
nuts, then spread the popcorn over
nuts; rub spatula or knife with butter
before smoothing; then cover top with
nuts; cut into squares before it
spoon butter substitute, Put the me -
lasses into large saucepan so it will
not boll over, -Bring to boil 'slowly;
stir continually until; it kilns .a thread;
add vinegar and sada; boil a few
moments, then try a little in cold
water.' If it hardens; remove' frons fire
at once: pour into buttered plate, and
as soon as it is cool enough to handle,
rub hands with a little butter substi-
tute and begin to pull it. The longer
, you pull it, the better it will be. Draw
- into long strips and cut into pieces
with buttered knife or scissors,
P.S,—Chopped nut meats can be
, added before it hardens.
Conservation Sandwich.e-el cup fresh
grated cocoanut, 2 cups seeded raisins,
is teaspoon salt, thin slices of brown
bread. To the raisins that have been
washed, dried, and put through food
chopper, add cocoanut and mix well,
If it seems to dry, add a little of the
cocoanut milk so the mixture can be
spread between thin slices of day-old
wheat or brown bread.
t No butter is used with cocoanut.
Rye Flour Gingerbread. -1 cup mo-
lasses, 14, cup shortening, 4 cup sour
milk, 2 cups rye flour, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon
ginger, % teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon
soda, In teaspoon clove, % teaspoon'
cinnamon. Mix the molasses and
elrorteping in a saucepan over the fire
until melted. ' r't, this egg and add' to
the sour milk. vac the seasonings and
soda, add to hot molasses, and when
foaming pour into the egg and milk.
Mix well, 'add gradually the flour and
beat until smooth. Pour into a greased,
'shallow pan and bake in a moderate
oven for 30 minutes,
11 LAST MINUTE
CHRISTMAS GIFTS 11
/
Last Minute Christmas Gifts.
"Do Your Christmas Shopping Ear-
ly: !" Have you heard that before?
Even last summer. But did you? Every
single necessary postcard and gummed
Christmas label? Then react something
else. -
_ "Oh; Well, neither did I, I meant
to, but I keep remembering somebody
that I want to remember, and now but
two weeks remain." -
There are still post -card jingles and
greeting cards. to be bad,. that will
show a friend that he is not forgotten,
but there are also scores of little in-
expensive gifts that may be purchased
or made at the last minute, and that
will fit into someone's Christmas stock-
ing. But be euro that they do fit, for
nobody' must know that they are last
minute gifts.
For the girl who works in a"dusty
office or who travels much, run up a
black sateen bag on the sewing ma-
chine which is large enough to hold
her hat without crushing. • She will
think of you and thank you every
working day.
•- For the girl who should be learning
to do housework, a couple of dish -
mops which cost five cents at the ten -
cent store. Dress these up in tissue
paper and label them the "Helpful
Twins." Make holders of bright scraps
of material for use around the hot
atm -
To the flower lover or gardener send
some of your own choice seeds in
dainty envelopes, or an order on the'
seedsman, or a bouquet of cuttings'
from your window plants, 01' a promise
as follows on a Christman postcard:
"On April first, or thereabout, ,
If you will bring your basket out,
I'll dig tor you a root or so
Of things that, in niygarden grow
And you may plant them in your yard
To 'remind you of my regard,"
For tbe grandmother who sows but
whose oyes are not so good as they
olhce, were, buy a package of self -
threading needles, or two spools of No.
30 cotton, blank and white, and thread
a paper of common noddles onto the
end of the thread on each spool.
Grandmother will fellow how to slide
the needles along and break off a
length of thread with a needle upon it
as she needs.
For the woman who crochets or tats
find one. of the books of samples of
crocheting or tatting. They cost from
10 to 21 cents and 'give dhtections for
doing the work which any needlework-
er Man follow,
What child would not like a box of
c0oities crit Into animals and wonderful
mon, such as' old-fashioned grandmoth.
ors know how to hake without cutter
or pattern. The man who lives In a
boarding-bouso Swill, bo wonderfully
pleased with eatables, 0o—cookies, lit•
t!o mince pies, or big ones, or a fruit
cake. Any woman who depends upon
a city bakery for Thor bread and des-
serts will hall with delight a loaf of
mit, broad wrapped In a holly paper
napkin.
Any child' old enough to sew ,for her
• Ball family will be delighted with 5roll
of serfise of cloth suitable for doll
elothea, A paper 0fneedles and a
.31)001 of thread W111 add to they cola-
ttlotenoss of the.gitt, A quilt maker
Will also like any MIs of silk or cotton
puitalna for Icor itectllework hobby,, -
The folks you know who like to read
will enjoy the same story which has
given you pleasure in your favorite
magazine if you will clip it from the
paper and tie or paste it together into
• a booklet. •
After all, it isnot so much the gift
as the thought that goes into it which
brings joy to donor and recipient. And
the giver who has Christmas in his
heart will find suitable gifts for all
whom he wishes to remember, no mat-
ter whether he loops in the big city
shops, the ten -cent stole, of in his
own back yard or cellar storeroom.
Bethlehem in 1917.
At Bethlehem, at Bethlehem,
Dark forms go to and fro.
Can they be shepherds with their
sheep,
Shepherds that nightly vigils keep,
As shepherds long ago? ,,,
What gleans there iu the hands of
them
At Bethlehem, at Bethlehem?
No shepherds these—ah, no!
For Bethlehem, that Bethlehem
Which saw the angels draw
The veil from heaven's gate aside,
Keeps now the strangest Christmas-
tide
1 That Bethlehem o'er saw.
All night the tramping feet go by,
All night the creaking guns go by,
Grim -faced the weary gunners ride,
Where shepherds knelt the Babe be-
side
And Christ lay in the straw.
Is there no light in Heaven's high face
At Bethlehem, at Bethlehem?
Those men that guard\\the holy pisco,'
Is there no word of joy for them?
The sentries walk their watchful round
'Where shepherds lay upon the ground,
At Bethlehem, at Bethlehem,
Where holy Mary's Child they found,
And angels 'sang, by God's good grace.
Ah; yes! the Wide sky spread above
Still holds the Silent waiting host.
The sentry stands upon ilia post,
And laboring columns forWard move:
But all the mighty ranks on high
Wait, while men strive and blood and
die, .
Fol' Christ's ad emaud of peace to
therm,
At Bethlehem, at Bethlehem.
For his command --oh!, wait not long,
Lord of the lowly and the strong!
Speak thou the word, and Bethlehem
Shall helu'again Ilio angelic song.
Thy healing power, 0 Lord, release—
Good will and peace, good will and
peace—
And fill the amazed sky above
Weill, the triumphant song of novo!
Xmas Thank -You Note.
Tho easiest time to write thank you
shotes for Christmas presents is /mule'
cliately after Christmas. Tho Longer
one neglects this little courtesy the
Harder it is to find time for it. There
is no law of etiquette which says "wait
a little while before acknowledging the
gift." The most perfect good Perm in
this case is to answer as soon as ever
it is possible,
Slue Finally dot Attention,
Little Lydia incl been given a ring
as n. Chi'latina present, but, much to
her disappointment, no one of the
guests at the Cln•letntns dinner had
noticed It, pinally, unable to with,
stand their obtuseness or inditfereece,
gime exclaimed:
"Cl dear, "i'rn so wa1•10 .In Ply new
FOR NEXT CHRISTMAS,
137 Hilda Rielnnond.
Last year I began buying Christmas
,resents as soon as the January sales
stteedded the Christmas sales and
some of my friends laughed at me. The
idea of getting ready, or even begin-
ning to get ready, at that early date,
was very funny to them and many
wore the jokes they made about my
thrift, .But when the end of the year
rolled routed and the presents emerg-
ed casting about one-half what they
wot„d before the holiday is December,
then it was my turn to joke about the
"Dec -it -oil" tribe. So each year, after
Christmas, I shall invest in some pres-
ents and during the few spare =-
meets I have all the year round I shall
work on then:.
For example. a beautiful pair of tow-
els with simple :hemstitching, cost
about two-thirds what they sell for
now, and some pretty bath towels
were less than half price. The bath
towels bare the simple crocheted edge
so cannmon now. A soiled piece of art
linen made a number of cushion cov-
ers after the best parts were out into
dresser scarfs. The scarfs were edged
with a small embroidery design and
were soon finished, The beauty of the
material carne out 4n the wash tub, and
then they were Iaid away. One -such
scarf cost 30 cents, but a similar one
was shown in the store. for a dollar
and a half. Apron material cost less
than one-half because it was soiled,
and odds and ends of trimmings were
on rho remnant counter at a fraction
of their cost when clean. A remnant
of silk at 25 cents macl.e two dolls'
dresses and there was enough left for
a little bag. A '.':]hili likes a silk dress
for a doll better tltan anything else in
the wot;iti. And, by -the -way, dolls sell
very reasonably after Christmas. if
the bodies are soiled from Handling, a
little glove cleaner win make them
nearly oe nice, 115 yaw.
I have a large box into which I
throw the odds and ends I buy, but I
never get anything unless IInsow of a,
definite use to bo made of it, It is
harcl to keep to this stern resolve, but
it pays. Just because a thing loops
cheap Is no reason why I buy it, It,
must prove to ins that I can use it for
something both useful and pretty be-
fore I invest, I have' soen too many
women buy useless things aid fritter -
Ing away money, thinking that perhaps.
the thhig will come handy sometime,
I cannot afford, to buy under _such
vague conditions.
"But as sure as I begin early some
°certaion coulee along and I draw on.
tny. Christmas box for a gift, I hoar
some women saying. Yes, that is true,
but there Is another nide to the quoin
tion,' Last summer I was able to draw
on my box for a gift that would have
coat pre three dollars le the store but
out of the box 1t Cost 78 cents, There
was no time to matte anything then,
so it Was either open the box or go to
the store. You may sure i did not
go to tbe store ,when tut article that
could be replaced email be furnished
at that cost.
So I. am getting rowdy "Per next
Christmas" the whole year through.
It ray purse were overflowing with
niene7 I ennuis Ince very mach to go
shoplift recirlcssly without looking
for bat'gaine, but altos all, Blore Is n
joy in contriving ens Dimming,and
making hmush cut of little that T fancy
rich wom011 hover experience. At
least, It le well to believe that, for it
Helps Mightily in the little ecolhomloa
of everyday life and makes giving all
the sweeter and more blessed at
Christnhas time.
The Origin of the Christmas Tree.
The history of the Christmas -tree is
difficult to trace,' It has been connect -
ad with Ygdrasll, the great tree of
Norse mythology, and Christmas -trees
and May -poles aro known to be relics
of that famous Scandinavian Ash. The
roots and branches of Ygdrasil, the
world -tree, or as it is sometimes called,
the Tree of Time, bound together
heaven, the earth, and :tell, From it
all tribes of nature received nourish-
ment. According to a Scandinavian
legend of great antiquity the Christ-
mas -tree owes its origin to the service
tree which sprang from soil that had
been drenched with the blood of two
lovers who had been foully. murdered.
During the Christmas season flaming
lights that no wind could extinguish
sprang mysteriously from its branches
at night, and the practise of llbunllna-
tIng the Christmas -tree may, perihaps,
be traced to this tradition, which no
doubt was strongly influenced by the
fact that lights were (and still are) a
feature of the Jewish feast of the
Chanuea or Lights (December 10).
Among the Greeks Christmas iS'ealled
the Feast of Lights.
Sir George Birdwood }las traced the
history of the Christmas -tree to the
ancient Egyptian practice of decking
houses at the time of the wintersols-
tico with branches of the date -palm,
the symbol of life triumphant over
death, and therefore of perennial life
in the renewal of each, bounteous year.
------0•
The New Year.
New year, coining on apace,
What have you to give me?
Tering you scathe or bring you grace,
Face Inc With alt honest -face:
You shall not deceive nt°,
—Christine Rossetti
"WIth s'Wt1-iN r)i►rorxy► rr,; CNs-istm*M."!
1iln$ I,
the Sr>!ie of ireelth 'untold, L
1cilg'; x►'.oula °Beek • '•
The world's moat skilful iartlseu4' end
'bid thexu shape, '
With ,jewels and xlletale lino, sone eeeeeeee._:
rich ddetgu,
•S } .'. s It WO. W be thine.
idea I the wit tto write a eennet•pase,
il!g lair,
And Verne it all, In terms of graceful,
flowing rhyme,
Words only for your sight: and.thus
invite
• • • • Your heart's deiigl+t.
Had 1 the'skill torinusic rare compose,
A song that 'birde would envy as they
e'd thejr flight
-The ntayotes all true an'
d clean none
else might hear: -
• " • * ;Ilor but your ear.
However, lacking wealth to purchase
rarest gift
And 'wit to write or skil1 to sing; I
' send
The gift of nature's lavish dower,
from tarry bohvers;
* e a . These wondroun flowers.
And even had 1 wealth, and "wit and
skill with mise,
Andeven oould I well bestow all magic
three,
Still 'would 1 deem them scant to
mete, all incomplete,
And send as well these .Yuletide -bins-
seine sweet. ' -
A Christmas Dolly.
There four of us girls in the faintly;
I(itty;and Maud and Mother and mel
And Motherthe'nieeriest one of all
When wehuig our stockings along the
wareall,
Three of us crept down before 'twas
light,
To see what Santa had left that night:
And each of us found a lovely doll;
Maud's was French, with a parasol,
And a Paris gown and a picture flat,
Kitty's was Dutch, and round and fat;
Mine was a Jap with beady eyes,
Its kimono gaudy with butterflies.
But mother's—oh, Mother's was best
of all!
It wad soft and squirmy and red and
small;
Not French, nor Russian, nor from
Japan,
But just a little Canadian!
One of its fists was doubled up,
The other looked like a rose -leaf cup.
Each tiny toe was a round pink pearl,
And the fuzz on its head we think will
curl.
If you know a child whom a dolt would
' please,
• I'd be glad to give her my Japanese,
For I don't seem tocare for Hop Lee'
Slug, •
(Since Santa brought us this darling
tiling!
Hew to Keep Christmas,
There is a better thing than the ob-
servance of Christmas Day—and that
is, keeping Christmas.
Are you on lining. to forget what you
have- done for other people, and tp re-
member what other people have done
for you?
Are you willing to stoop down and
consider the' needs and the desires of
little children; to remember the weak-
ness and loneliness of people who are -
growing old; to stop asking how much
your friends love you, and ask your-
self whether you love thein enough;
to try to understand what those who
live in the same house with you really
want, without waiting for them to tell
You; to trim your lamp so that it will
give'more light and less smoke, and to
carry it in front so that your shadow
will fall behind you; to slake a grave
for your ugly thoughts and a garden.
for your kindly feelings, with the gate
open—are you willing to d0 these
things even for: a day? 171en you can.
keep Christines.
Are you Willing to believe that love
Is the strongest thing in the world—
stronger than hate, stronger than
evil, stronger than death—and that
the blessed Life whiclh began in Beth-
lehem nineteen hundred years ago is
the image and brightness of the Eter-
nal Love? Then youcan keep Christ
-
mast
And if'you can keep it for a day,
why not always?
But you can never keep it alone.
—Henry van Dyke.
Christmas Maple Creams,
Take two cupfuls of shaved melee)
sugar and one cupful of cream. Bret
to the soft ball stage, or 240 degrees
Fahrenheit. Remove from the :ire,
add one cupful of chopped butternut
meats and beat until it turns seamy.
Pour into Daus and cut into sgneree.
Place a half of a:nut pleat on top of
each sgnar'e. Walnuts may be user] in-
stead of the -butternuts.
LADS DEO!
It is done!
Cliuig of bell and roar of guar,
Send the tidings up and down.,
How the belfries rook and reel!
How the great bells, pull on peal,
Fling the ,joy from town to town 1
For the Lord.
On the whirlwind is abroad;
In the earthquake He has spoken ;
He has smitten with His thunder
The troll walla astincledr,
And the gates of brass are broken!
Did we dare, '
in the agony of pi ayes,
Ask for more than Hellas done?
When Waw ever His right hancl
Over any time or land
Stretched las 11OW beneath . the sun ?
Ring and swing,
Bells a joy'! On morning's wing
Send the song of praise abroad
With a sound of broken ehtiinfl
',Pell the nations that Ha reigns,
Who mole Is Lord and God!
•
i Riabel Itiplt
1Motlt o; us' 1leeoih• (lxgve Neighbor
hood•wonhen,would,:!iave been offgpdsi4
1 y,Allee aoniu11tne's lecture;ou Chrifst'
mas bharity.hed it not been for elle
1 the sCboe]-teacher's interpratat!oib of
'.00t all neighbiirhoo¢s that „Ova to
charity, }leech Grove leads," paid
tip, Young on our may home: "I can't
understand why, Grandma Wheeier
wanted us to hear that
'!'hen our littte seboq!•teaoher, whom
people outside Beech Grove Nelghbor-
hood. call Anne 'Elizabeth':Suttan,:,.pno*
tested,
"She didn't mean to offend us Tin
sure, 11Irs, Yeung, You know charity
is. just a .tlmited name for love and'
every neighborhood needs all the love
that 1t can get,"
Portia looked straight ahead of her,
down the road toward the corner at
which the little teacher would turn
away from us, ;Stliliy she outlined the
plans for theableaux and entertain -
anent our club was to leave on Chat, -
me Eve at the club house.
After the corner had been passed
and she and I were alone, Portia told
me that. Anna and Clarke Anderson,
Wilt) was Portia's best -beloved brother,
were not to marry In the spring.
"They've quarreled again," she euded.
"Meaning Clarke has quarreled," I
thought to myself. I knew Clarke
Anderson, Aloud I said, "Why, it Will
spoil our Christmas!" •
However little Anne, In the way
that aelmol-teachers have of forget-
ting themselves, valiantly tried to for-
get and go on with our Christmas en-
tertainment, A few days later she
called a special meeting of the neigh-
borhood women. Jamie brought me
news of it when he a came home from
school.
"I think she's going to give the
mothers our Christmas letters;" he
said wisely. "She. had us write them
to -day,"
John laugbed. "Far-seeing boy!" he
remarked after Jamie had left the
room "Guess you'd better write one
and give it to the teacher. Or do you
know what you want?"
1 shook my head. I could not tell
him that I was thinking of littte Anne's
romance and that probably she was
the only person in Beech Grove Neigh-
borhood this year who would be lonely
at,Christmas time. 'I thought of it all
tho' way' to :the club house,;
"Before I give'you-mothra your own
cihiidrien's letters; I want to read one
frim Bennie- Newton," Anne told us
after 9rax1 hna Wheeler had called the
meeting"to order. '' •
Thescrawly little letter was handed
from one to the other, Bennie New-
ton had so many brothers and sisters
that his mother seldom could come to
our meetings. This time she was ab-
sent,
"Dear Santy Klouse," he had writ-
ten. "This year I want you to be
square with us Newton children,
There's more of us than in any other
family hi this nayborhood and we al-
ways get the littlest Christmas tree
of all. Now if their aint enough big
trees to go around won't you be square
and, bring everybody a little one?
"Yours Respectably,
"Benjamin Newton-
"P,S.—I doant mind the little tree
myself. It's for the other kids, I doant
want you to hnalce a difference,"
Grandma was wiping the tears from
her eyes before the letter lied gone
around the r000?. Portia Young forgot
the animosity she had seemed to feel
toward the little teacher and siring
to her feet. "Let's see that that young -
star. has the biggest tree in the neigh-
borhood!" she said. "He deserves it"
When Mrs, Harris tried to speak, she
could not for a sob choked her. Little
Anne, dry-eyed and Woefully sad,
talked gently to us. "We couldn't do
that without hurting his mother," she
said,
Portia very kindly asked Anne if she
knew any way to get a big tree for the
Newton children without offending.
Anne nodded her dusky head and stood
tip to talk, her dark oyes still sad but
strangely alive as if with a great pur-
pose.
"Bennie Newton isn't the only child
in this neighborhood who wonders over i
the difference in the size of Christmas
trees," sluo told us. "Lots of littte
hearts ache and are silent over smell,
Or trees than their neighbors have.
The only way for us to bring happiness
to everyone is to have one big tree for
us all at our club house—A, commhhnity.
Christmas tree as some of you have
already mentioned.
"But having it will not be enough.
It must be the only Ciiriatmas tree 111
the neighbol'hood. We'll all have to
give up our individual Christmas trees
in favor of this one, -Don't you see
how it would loop for all to have one '
great tree together and then after go-
ing home for some of us to have ether
Christmas trees? That" ---there was a
little catch in her throat—"that
wouldn't be square either."
Grandma Wheeler's white head nod-
ded approvlul. So did several °thsrs.
A few hesitating ones showed signs of I
PUS TRE
y
agrr;, i"t`het woulSl ``1s real
,•hrhtitexn4nt' said, Gfi'aedxna,
"Lova," .Corrected: Anne gently
move, ,te the word that desonibes What
wo Fleoeh Grove people feel, We Won't
bo lgtving 01 t'eeeivixig but oharinfi'. Un'
the Rrst Clxristxnae ttveryoue nhafwd,
the same G1ft,; . Mb:40"-1't you lliie our
children in Beech Grove Neighborhood
to feel that way about Christmas?"
• The•moriftug after: We had decided to ,
have the community 'tree we awolte
with it lova that before had lust lain
dormant, now chive in our ltearta, It
was' a love'that was the basis Roe uni
versal brotherhood, Without mnen-
ttoning it f9 were aii drawn together
the mysterious way that love leas
of uniting people.
Ilosy our tree grew; The Christmas•
..
tableaux dwarfed beside it, If the hall'
in our Clui1. househad not o;ctondodi
past thee second story up to the very:.
rafters of the building, Iain afraid the
tree would have outgrown 11.
"At fleet I was a little afraid of the ,
idea," !Mrs. Newton told ua as she
helped Portiit Young tie the balls to
the tree's lower branches. <'I was
afraid that Bennie might not be satin
fled with a tree that belonged to every
one, Dennie is hard to understand."
"Caste le forever abolished by a cog*
munity Christmas tree," prophesied
Portia Young's husband. "It makes
you people who have 0!1113lreu all the
year round, share them impartially
with us."
He was helping Lucien Wheeler
fasten the lncandescents to the top
branches' of the tree. They talked all
the time they were working although
they had not been friends since they
quarreled oven a boundary fence five
years ago.
That same night as John and I sat
by our grate, he told nee, "I'm begin.
ning to think your tree is a wonderful
thing after all. It's going to make
the older people as happy as it will the
children."
"All but Anue Sutton," I answered.
"Clarke Anderson hasn't corns near
the tree. If some one could only got
him there so that he could see bow
sad her eyes are then everything would
be all right. No one can even interest
him in it. Portia says it's impossible,.
I've a notion to try myself."
John laid his hand over mine. "No,"
he said firmly. .."Clarke's hot-headed
and stubborn. Besides I don't like to
meddle in such affairs."
After that I tried not to look into
Anne Seitton's' eyes but whenever she
talked I thought I heard a wistful note e
in her voice: One day John too heard
it.
The next afternoon he brought
Clarke home with him to supper,
While I was making my yeast biscuit
they sat in the living room talking.
"The trouble with you and Anne
that you quarrel so much is because
you are too self-centered, Clarke," I
heard John say, "Mother and I used
to have a great many sharp words
; when we thought just of ourselves and
lived for. ourselves. Now, that we are
interested in many otbeic people, we
don't quarrel. When you get to thiilk" `-arta
Ing of your neighbors and grow .in-
terested in their lives, there's a lint•
versal feeling comes into your heart
that takes all of the selfish pettiness
away. Yom won't quarrel then.,',
Clarke laughed scornfully, "I prsfer
a home feeling," ho said. "It would
be more attractive to me."
"You'll conte to the tree?" John sug-
gested.
"No." Clarke was gruff.
Yet he did come although it took all
John's persuasive powers to bring hint.
I dill not see hint until the school
children began singing their carols on
the first night, Christmas Eve. Then
I forgot Mini, for the lights were
flashed on the great tree and, together,
every one 1n Beech Grove saw their
universal gift. Something gripped my
heart that made m0 feel as if I were
in another world, a world in which you
and I did not exist but Suet WE did.
Mrs. Harris, who was standing next
to me, reached out and took my hand.
It was as If we were renewing our
friendship. Slowly hooked around at
my neighbors' faces. They too were
swayed by that understanding.
While the last carol was being sung
I saw John again but Clarice Anderson
was not with him. I turned diy' head
enol there close to my 'shoulder were
the little school teacher and Clarke.
The sad look had left her eyes and in
bis there was more than joy; there
was understanding. He too now knew
the universal feeling that was Invad-
ing Beech Grove Neighborhood, I did
not need to worry any longer about
our rotuance.
While I was looking for our Jamie
so that we could go itonto, little Ben-
nie Newton slipped his hand into urine.
'I know a secret," he whispered
radiantly. "That tree ain't all a whole
tree at all. It's got lots of little ones
all spliced to that biggest one. I
guess Santy Claus made it out of all
the trees he aimed to give us kids in
this neighborhood."
Everyone in Boeeh Grove Neighbor -
mod was happy!
Christmas Mapie Balls.
Three quarts popped corn, ono cup-
ful maple sugar, one-half cupful sugar,
one tablespoonful butter substitute
and one-half teaspoonful salt.
Pop corn and pink over, discarding
kernels that do not pop, and put in a
large kettle, Melt butter substitute in
mace -pan and add syrup and sugar,
Bring to the boiling point and let boil
until mixture will become brittle when
triad itt cold water. '
Pour mixture gradually, while Stir-
rihlg constantly, over corn which has
been sprinkled with salt, Shape into
balls, using as little 1210581tl'e as pos-
sible.
May the Giver of Gifts give unto you
That which is Good rind that which is
Trite; ..
The Will to help and the Conine to
tion
A heart that °all Sing the whole year
tlhrougih
Whether the skies be gray or blue,
May ilio Giver of Gifts give these, to
you, • c, ,•
Tidings of Comfort and Joy
God rest you; merry gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ our Saviour
Was born upon this clay,
To save us all from Satan's power
When wo were gone astray.
0 tidings of comfort and joy!
For Jesus Christ our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day,
Now to the Lord sing praises,
All y0t1 within this pla.e,
And with true love and brotherhood
]thele other now embrace:
This holy title of Christmas
All others cloth efface.
0 tidings, etc.
Glory in the Highest!
When Christ was born of Xiiu'y free,
!n Ilethi°llont that fair citta,
Angels sang there with mirth end giboi
In blxoelsis Gloria!
Tills King is conte to ea''e mankind,
,1s In Scripture tnuthe we rind;
Therefore this son,} wo have in mind,
, Ifx ]dxceleis Gloria!