HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1906-12-21, Page 6.f•
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— By Senator Shane —
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disconsolate on anti wiggled the flag
which waled over her back --a flag like
tate rest of the turks carried so they could
be located in the tall grass.
„lever mind, my boy,"" said she. "I
have seen five winters and summers and
many other things. Worst things can
Happen you than being thin. it's
near C'hiistmas now, and before every
Christmas in my career. 1 have seen the
biggest and finest. looking turkeys in
the flock eat down in the midst of -their
pride and glory, 1 would advise Goble
Gobbler to start in and fast from this
out if I did not know I would be wast-
ing my breath to advise him. Goble
knows it ail, you know."
Goble paid no attention to the advice
of the oltl Oman and finished the crust,
without offering a crumb to the fair
ladies present. He shook his rad wattles
and gobbled so loudly that all the fem-
inine turkeys put their silly heads to-
gether and declared: "What a. lovely
loan Goble -Gobbler is. don't you know!"
No one made any further reference to
Christmas and it bad no significance so
far as the young members of the flock
were concerned.
Now. 1 don't want to make any of
Goble's friends feel badly-, but the truth
is the day before Christmas there was
no Goble Gobbler
to interfere ere yill
Kid
Cobbler, 'ilio got all that was coming
to him a:.erw•ards and he grew sleek and
stout.
The foolish lady turkeys soon forget
all about Goble and they turned their
attention to Kid, who was soon recog-
nized the leader of their set.
That was last Christmas. 1 don't
know- what will happen ibis Christmas.
Prosperity has divers ways of leading
turkeys as well as people to destruc-
tion. Rut for Kid Gobble's sake let us
hope that he has been dieting himselt
Of late and hes not been following in
the footsteps of his late brother,
There was a mean mann and his name
was FIood—Noah FIood. Ile Was one
of those men that hated to see other peo-
ple prosper. He lived aat Mountainville
and "riz" turkeys like nearly everybody
else around. He made money, because
he fattened the turkeys well. The Ullly
time he was generous was when he was
feeding his flock before Christmas. He
begrudged the grub he gave himself and
his wife. Deacon Candle said once that
he would walk three miles to borrow a
-match to light the Kitchen fire.
Flood did'nt like Deacon Candle. When
Deceinber came and he saw the deacon's
turkeys were fat and big like his own
he became jealous.
Now the deacon's success couldn't hurt
him, because his own turkeys were Imo
and much in demand, so he was sure to
get a good price. But just the same
when he saw 300 fine birds on the dea-
con's place he was sore, and quite for-
got he had 400 fine ones Of his own.
• A few days before Christmas he went
to a poor pian in the village and said:
"You know we all have to ship our
turkeys to the city to -morrow. Now you
have only (10 and if you did get a big
of
,.
price you will be hard up for the fist
the winter. I know how to make prices
higher. You conte with me to Deaeon
Candle's to -night and cut holes in his
turkey houses and let the turkeys all fly
to the woods, He will not be able to
catch then in time to ship them to -mor-
row and the people will have to pay
high prices for yours.
The poor roan, whose name was 1301
Cute, pretended. to agree with the meal
man. But really he didn't agree with
him at all, but like most men be was
honest, so he devised a cunning plan.
That night lie went to Flood's place.
He said they had better go eeveral tuilc•>
around to the deacon's place --go through
the woods so they wouldn't be seen.
Flood said the precaution was good.
but did not know the way through the
weodr,
"P11 guide you," said the poor, honest
Cute." Hear, however, we hadn't best
carry a lantern for we may be seen." So
he took Noah's warm and the two went
up and down over hill and swamp. Flood
was nearly dead, twisting and turning
in the thickets, and only his great mean -
nes kept him going. At last they reach-
ed an underbrush and through it they
could sec a. black mass.
"There's the barns," said. Bill Cute.
CHRISTMAS
POSTAGE STAMP.
How They Kept.
Santa Claus
Margy was crying and the Boy looked very
serious and dismal Indeed.
"She said—she said," Margy sobbed, "that
there wasn't any Santy Chum at all, and that
our fathers and mothers got all our presents
for us, and that Santy was all humbug, just
a sort of make-believe, to fool the little
tads. And she said, Sara Pickett did, that
you and me was too old to b'lieve is such
nonsense."
The Boy grew soberer and soberer. "Mar-
gv." he said, after a long time of thinn-
ing. "if we getter We him up, we just
gutter. But first 1eitis ask Father. Rots
coming up the lane ,how, with a load of
pumpkins." ,
Father came in fr
the steps like a bo
--took off his jumper,
London Idea That is Hardly Likely of I Hey, whistled istle, as he
Realization. two solemn faces at
ting -room, one of `
A London correspondent makes anin- stained, 'he stopped
teresting Christmas suggestion. "hullo, youngster
i„ ea gges` Margy, You'll never
In view of the enormous pressure up- Father picked h
strongt arms, and
on the post office system et Christmas- aheart felt be
tide," says this ingenious gentleman, I "Sara Pickett
Sas, and
"when everybody, not unnaturally, is I think so.Clauonly
impressed with the importance of -punt The smile diet
tuality in the delivery of their cards He said:
of cella and seasonable gifts, which '1So Sara P'
under the present system ,is impossible,'
Poor Sara Plcr
P and talk it c,1
1 suggest that the post -office should is- With Margy
sue a "Christmas stamp," tastefully de- holding to' his
signed .and acquaint the public that any gree toss sntapin
parcels or leters bearing this stamp may flames were lea'
be posted at any time during, say, the shadows in the set
month of December, it being understood desk had begun ,t..
that all such letters and parcels would inaeg3e see, arm
be forwarded, at the convenience of the either side. "Let'
postal authorities, to their destination, Ing about Santa Cl
but would not be delivered to the ad -
"Here take the saw and saw holes in the
walls and 1'll go round to the other side
and scare the turkeys out.
Flood was toad and mean and worked
hard making big holes out of which the
turkeys flew. Soon the whole flock had
vanished and then Bill seized. Noah and
said thy must hurry back over the way
they had come. "Oh, my, oh me," said.
Nosh as he was dragged through holes
and creeks, over rocks and stumps and
shinned his shins.
Finaly they emerged on the road near
Noah's front gate and the mean man hur-
ried to bed—but not to sleep.
Next morning Noah crawled out sore
and tired to feed Itis flock, in preparation
to taking them to the city with their
crops full. But lo, there was not a soli-
tary turkey in the buildings, and he saw
great holes in the walls,
"I see it all now," said Noah, " that
villain led me through the woods to my
own turkey barns."
Billy Cute carted his turkeys to town
and got the same price as Deacon Candle
,did for his. But the mean man stay-
ed. at home and got nothing.
"Me own brother, hatched in the same
neat." said Kid Gobbler. who kicked
against giving up an old crest that he
had found in the barnyard by accident,
"It's wrong and P11 see who's boss,"
With a. loud and long giggle he jump-
ed for the crust, but his little brother,
Goble Gobbler, tried to make off with
ft. But Goble was the bigger and gained
the crust; wrenching the morsel from the
"rightful owner.
There would have been a fight right
off but.for the presence of the lady tucks
, of the flock, and the fact that he was
the smaller and weaker of the two.
"It waa always thus. Me brother
Gabler gets everything, and is getting
big and fat, and look at me! I am thin
find scrawny, and am half starved, Ev-
ery day he grabs half of my share be-
tides eating all his own. Why wasn't I
*Ode as stronas him?"
, Mother Turkey hopped over to her
story?"
dresses until Christmas Da or its eve. ;;we yl' Fatten,'
y welt, long, long
It seems to me that any temporary in- Good bishop, and it
convenience experienced by local post- and he lived in a
masters under this scheme would be loved children with
more than counterbalanced by he fm- little girlson hana isw
boy
mense relief felt in the great postal cen-
tres." •
CHRISTMAS SPIRITS.
"Who's there?" shouted the occupant
of an hotel bedroom, as he heard a noise
in the corner of his room.
There was no answer, and the queer
noise stopped.
"Anybody there?"
No answer.
"It must have been a spirit," he said
to himself. "I must be a medium. 1 will
try." (Aloud..) "If there is a spirit in
the room it will signify the same by
saying nye—no, that's not what I mean.
If there is a spirit in the room it will
please rap three tunes"
Three very distinct raps were given
in the direction of the bureau.
"Is it the spirit of my sister?"
No answer,
"Is it the spirit of my mother-in-
law?"
Three very distinct raps.
"Aro you happy?"
Nine raps.
"Do you want anything?"
A succession of very loud raps.
"Will you give me any communication
if I get up?'
No answer.
"Shall I hear from you to -morrow?"
Raps are very loud in the direction
of the door.
"Shall I ever see you?"
He waited for an answer, but none
came, and he turned over and fell asleep.
Next morning he found the "spirit"
of his mother-in-law had carried off his
watch and purse, his trousers and his
great -coat.
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.
Out of the past's dark night
There shines one star,
Whose light
Is more than countless constellations
are.
High in the East it gleams— t `
This radiant star,
Whose beams
Are more to man than all the plan -
• the barn, and up
Ile whistled as he
d put on his coat.
me down the hall -
aught sight of the
le door of the sit -
swollen and tear -
whistle.
-hat's up? Margy,
man if you cry.'
'p tenderly in his
t away the ache
there wasn't any
s just foolish to
lfeved in him."
,he Father's face.
at, did she:
in by the fire
nd the . Boy
hey wen tanto
here the wood
crackling and the
and making jolly
where the winter
P.
ther, as he settled
r, with a child on
e. We were talk -
Shall I tell you a
go there was a
name was Nicholas,
r -away country. He
1 his heart, and the
ed to follow where
s through the town,
and the littlest one, he would carry, and
the largest ones would hold onto the skirts
of his gown in a ring around him, and he
would talk with them, and laugh' with
them and teach them songs to sing.
"Then sometimes he would find a
sunny corner in the square, and the
youngsters would clutter all about him,
and he would tell them wonderful stbries.
The children would poke• around in his
pockets and find candy and things.
"Always on Christmas day hie would
put on a special coat, very big and long
and full of pockets, and every pocket
would be full to the brim with all the
things that children love.'
"Dolls?" said Margy.
"Skates and rifles?" asked the Boy.
"All the things," said Father. "Maybe
no rifles, because that 'was before they
were invented, But, anyway, he was
funny -looking, all knobby and bunchy.
He wouldn't say a word, but just walk
around to the sunny corner of the square.
All the poor children who had no Christ-
mas at home, and would come running and
call;
'Father Nicholas! Have you a gift
for me? And he always had.
"Ono Christmas a little girl who was
SO poor she had to go barefoot in the
winter, found a pair of beautiful shoes < 131
one of his pockets. She slipped them on,
and then looked up with a shining face,
and said:
" 'I think you must • be a saint, Father
Nicholas.'
"When the grown people asked why
he spent his money in such a foolish
way. he would say, very grave and sober:
'I do it in the name of the Christ
Child.'
"Well, at last good old St. Nicholas
died, and all the children cried, and all
the fathers and mothers cried, too. Be-
fore the next Christmas came around the
grown-ups put their beads together and
sale:
'The body of St. Niebolas is gone, but
we must not let his soul go from us. Let
his spirit in our hearts
us keep p , each of
us. Then he can never die."
"So from that time, every Christmas
the spirit of St. Nicholas comes rouuo,
and knocks at the doors of the hearts of
all the people, and says:
" 'Remember St. Nicholas, and let his
soul live through yours."
"Now Santa Claus is just the Dutch
name for St. Nicholas—a kind of pet
name, because they loved him so. And,
so you see, although the body of St. Nich-
olas died, his soul lived en and on always.
In the hearts of the fathers and mothers,
and Aunts and uncles and cousins, and even
brothers and sisters. And you can tell that
to Sara Pickett."
Margy and the Boy looked up with
hapny eyes. The story made things so
rise
♦ ♦ill
The Christmas
Story.
Bethlehem was. crowded with guests.
All day its narrow streets had been
thronged with people; every house was
taxed to its 'utmost capacity to meet.
the unusual need.
The ostensible reason for this great
gathering was the decree of an earthly
king, Caesar Augustus, for all of the
line of David to come to the city and
enroll their names for the census; the
hidden reason was the decree of a
heavenly king, who had said that His
Son should be born in Bethlehem of
Judea, and the time was ripe for the
fulfillment of prophecy.
At the close of the short winter day, a
man, past middle age, and a young
woman riding a donkey, slowly climbed
the Judean hill to David's city, Ex-
hausted with the long, rough journey,
and longing for seclusion and rest, they
sought the only inn of the town, to find
it already full to overflowing. The only
accommodations for these late comers
was the rude cave, which served as the
inn stable, and the acceptance of this
humble shelter ]las made it a pivotal
point in all time.
Gradually the coarse noises of the day
ceased, and the little city, bathed in
the moon's silvery light, lay white and
still beneath the soft -eyed stars; the
same silvery light flooded the Judean
plain below, where faithful shepherds
watched their huddled flocks. As the
night grew chilly, the men gathered
about the flickering fire, and talked in
low tones—of what? 1)id they know this
was the holy night? The night for
which the cycling years had longed? It
was very still. The tinkle of a bell as a
sheep turned in its sleep, the whirr of a
night bird's wings, even the murmur of
the wind in the distant olive trees had
ceased and a. thrill of expectancy filled
the air. The men about the fire, con -
ions of the ,subtle bush of natural
unds and tinkling with a presentiment
something unusual, furtively watch
ith anxious eyes the shadows of the
ght. How very still it is!
And as they sat, wrapped in the pecu-
r calm of this holy night, suddenly
wondrous vision appeared in their
idst—a being whose radiant light trail -
front earth to heaven, whose eounten-
ce outshone the ruoon and stars; and
the men, in bewildering, blinding fear,
11 on their faces, the sweetest voice
is world had ever heard breathed in
Crest music•
Still be thy light displayed,
Oh, Bethlehem star!
Nor fade
Until the circling systems no more are.
Sennett Stephens.
SORRY Hit SPOKE.
Loving Husband—A
thoughts.
Wife—They will cost you more than that.
I was thinking how I should like diamond
earrings for my Christmas present.
Welcome, Christmas.
Welcome, Chrisstmahs, e welcome here,
Happy thee to greet,
are blazing,
Families together meet.
Brothers, sisters, circle round,
Loudest laughter, joyous sound
For Canadians like to see
All her children welcome thee.
WCaelllcs omupe,oCusst oa rejoice, voice
Not with foolish, idle mirth,
Born and perishing on earth;
Far be the ungrateful thought,
"Ours are blessings dearly bought."
Dearly bought, but freely given,
By the Lord of earth and heaven.
Fix we, then, on Christ our eyes,
Mawe feel the Saviour May we meet around the board,,
All rejoicing in the Lord.
Be the Babe of Bethlehem near,
Ae we smile the season's cheer;
oins the angels' CChristmas song.
tongue
J
AT THE CHURCH FAIR,
Miss Sweet—We are taking up a collection to buy the soprano a Christmas pre-
molar.
)limners --here's a gold niece, 7Buy het tb muzzier. , i ill ).:I ...i t:4723140611111
"Fear not, for I bring you good tid-
gs of great joy. In the .little town of
thlehem is born to you this night a
vioure which is Christ the Lord. And
is shall be a sign upto you: ye shall
d the babe wrapped rn swadding
othes and lying in a manger."
Then heaven could obtain the angelic,
est no longer, for they burst the mid-
ight sky, thrilling the hearts of men
ith a song neer heard before, a song
f peace and good will from heaven's
11 -gracious King. 'When the song had
eased and the celestial radiance had
lowly followed the angel choir into the
flue of the night, the shepherds looked
t each other with wondering eyes.
"It is true."
"God be praised"
"Let us seek the child"
And they hurried toward the town.
With eager feet they climbed the hill
and hastened through the quiet, deserted
streets. How unconscious was the
sleeping multitude of the heavenly
guest! How sceptical and angry or even
abusive they would have been if aroused
and compelled to hear the story of the
wondrous night.
With hearts beating hard with ex-
pectancy, the shepherds made their way
to the inn. For a moment they paused
before the rude rave.
"Can He be here?"
"There must be soine mistake."
"Well, let us go in and see."
Then they entered to find themselves
in the presence of the baby king. The
Icing who to -day rules in love the hearts
of men.
In kneeling adoration they told the
mother of the angel's visit, of his mes-
sage to them, and of the singing host,
and she, cuddling the babe to her pure
and innocent heart, graciously received
their homage, acknowledging this to
be tl(e Holy Child, whose birth the angel
choirs announced.
Oh, the wondrous dreams of that
mother's heart as she hissed the dimpled
hands and feet and uurehipped the babe
who had come to sway the world with
His gentle, mysterious power. Well for
her if she could not see the many weary
miles those baby fet must tread;
well, if slie cotid not know of the tired!
body, exhausted in bestowing the heal-
ing power of that tender 'hand; well
'that she could not foresee his childhood
playmates seeking His life, One fleet-
ing glimpse of these thisgs, of the.
hatred His gentle life would arouse, of
the pieced side and agonizing cross
and her heart must have broken. But
we know it all, and for these things,
alone we love and adore Him.
Thirza Richmond.
v.a
ONLY ONCE A YEAR.
Let us bury old grudges and forgive
as we are forgiven; scatter good wishes
and thought far and wide; make . the
poor glad; cheer the aged;; comfort the
nick; do everything we can for every—
body, and—God bless us, every one!.
Christmas conies but Howe a year, yet it*
blessings may last a lifetime.