HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1920-12-30, Page 7t
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Th Uninvttcd Guest
- l'IY VIRGINIA STANARD.
When the long, lighted train pulled
into Fairwood on Christmas Eve,
Dederick IJale was there to meet the
]ittfta 4uests who were coming to
spend the holidays with Rini.
Mr, 'Dale swung the children to the
platform "Five—six—seven—eight,"
he counted. Then he hurried them
out to a big sleigh and tucked all of
them in under furry robes. The driver
stroke to the horses, and away they
went, shaking music from their silver
bolls a:c:ross the snow.
When the sleigh reached the house
ten minutes later the children swarm-
ed up the bi o td steps.
Mrs. Dale met them at the top.
"All eight of you here?" she asked.
"All but Rick Payson!" they cried.
"He eouldh't come!"
it t1erick's father stopped short.
"But T oouutEd eight," he decl'ar•ecl.
The children slid not know how that
weld be; they had thought he was
counting Roderick in, they said,
•" i'11 count them again!" cried Rod -
from the hall .he counted his guests
carefully. Three Prestons, two Tor -
revs, a Morton and a Ray—that made
seven, Then he stopped short in front
of a dark, silent little figure that
stood apart from the rest.
"'Who is this boy?" he asked.
Sure enough, • who was he? They
hurried into the lighted hall, and all
eyes were turned on the stranger. He
was very small and was bundled up
in a hig overcoat. Between his coat
collar axed his funny peaked cap a
pair cif large black eyes stared sol-
emnly alit.
"What as your ]terns?" asked Mrs.
Dale;
The little boy replied briefly that
it was Timothy.
"Timothy what V
"Baxter. And 1 was going alone
to visit my grandfather at Haywood.
Where is in`;raiidfather?"
Mrs. Dale turned to her husband.
"0 William, how did you get hold
of this chide? His people must be
Anxious "
Mr. Dale looked worried. "The boy
must have thought the. conductor
called. 'Heywood,'" he said. "And
then I s ooped him up with the rest
and didn't notice."
He berried Away to telephone to
the ether station, while the children
took off their wraps and began to
laugh and talk again, still casting
curious glances at the odd little'
stranger.
• "I've talked to his grandfather,"
Roderi•ek's father said, 'earning back.
:It's ell right. There's no other train
to -night, and so Timothy will stay
here with us."
'Timothy ate his supper slowly and
afterwards withdrew to a corner,
where: he watched the other children's
genus with wondering eyes,
"We shouldn't dare play with him,"
they said. "Ho looks so solemn."
When it was nearly bedtime Rod -
deride wandered into the sitting -
ramie The -re was a frown on his face,
"1 wish -that stupid little old Tim-
othy didn't have to be here!" he com-
plained. "He is so funny and big-
eyed—like an owl. And mother nays
he's to sleep in inv room. Nobody
asked him here, and there's no place
for him to stay."
Rodeeriek':s grandfather las' down
his book.
"This little Timothy's having the
sane trouble another child had," he
said, "Only in a . whole town He
couldn't find anywhere to stay."
"Wh'a't 'chRd?" Roderick inquired,
interested. "And what town? It
must have been a pretty poor sort of
place, 1 should think. Where did the
boy deep, grandfather?"
The old man picked up his book
again. "In a stable, so the story
runs," he said. "The name of the
town was Bethlehem"-
Hoderick's cheeks grew scarlet. He
Walked over to the -window and press-
ed his hot face to the frosty giiass,
A' big gold star was shining just
above the sky line. After a while he
turned away without a word.
A few minute's later the househo.id
was startled to hear peals of .laughter
from the, playroom. Timothy, wander-
ing round alone! had found Roderiek's
feobbyhorse behind the door. It was
plain that he bad never seen such a
,,e'hing in all his life. He stood in
dont, of it and shouted with delight,
When some one put hen an the horses
laaelt, and he gathered up the reins,
mill shouting, and began to title. Ho
rode hard and fast until it was thele
to go to bell.
Early the next morning the chil-
dren cavae ereepi'ng downstairs to get
their stockings. They gathered in a
o3fial oirele round the bright fire in
the living roolti.
Suddenly the door opened softly.
Timothy Baxter stood on the thres-
hold. He As dressed in a suit of
;o.1a rick's eight, clothes, end hie hair
been overlooked. They eyed one an-
other in dismay.
"Perhaps shine fell on the floor/'
Timothy suggested gently,
At that Roderick scrambled to his
feet. "See here, Timothy," be said. -
"You run back to bed for just five
stood up all-over his head; he gazed
with pleasure at the half -emptied
stockings.
"Which is my stocking, please?"
he asked in a clear, high little voice.
No one answered, and so he spoke
again. "If you please," he repeated
quietly but firmly.
The children looked uncoin'fortable.
This was too bad. They realized
What had happened:: in the bustle and
confusion the unexpected guest had
minutes, and then cone down and get
your stocking."
As the door closed, he turned quick-
ly to the others: "We'll have to
make up a stocking for him," lie said.
"And there's no time to lose."
When Timothy appeared, five min-
erick. So in the light that s'tream'ed' ret later, he hate his share with the
Right after breakfast a big shabby
sleigh drew up in the yard—Tim-
othy'•s griuvlparents had cone to get
hisn,
The fancily went to look for. Tina=
eel]y and found him riding* the hobby-
horse. He was .decked slut in all 'his
Christmas presents --A red toboggan
cep, a drum, and a horn slung over
his shoulders. When he heard that
his grandfather was ready for him he
dismounted briskly and pulled a.pair
of eolored ficins ---another Christmas
gift—front his pocket. Ile fastened
the reins on the horse's shaggy Aleck.
"Come along, Recer! he cried..
Poor Timothy, he had made a ter-
rible mistake! He had understood
that the hobbyhorse, too, was to be
his, to take home, and he believed
that if he only pulled herd mougir it
would move forward as well as up end
down. He had even given it a name.
When he found out the truth, he bow-
ed his he'a'd with its gay toboggan
cap and hid his face in Racer's inane.
He did not cry; he only stood in dumb
despair. A bigger boy would not
have made such a mistake, hut Tim-
othy was only five years old.'
"Mother," wire Roderick, "let him
haye the horse. 'Tee must have it.
Don't you see?"
"Do you mean that;_ Roddy?" asked
Mrs. Dale.
Roderick nodded. "I don't want it,
so very .much," he said.
So they lifted the horse into the
back of the big sleigh, while old Mr.
and Mrs. Baxter looked on, smiling;
r.J:r:l h;a•071)
aed the Teaks and ;all the little guests
stood by to watch.
Timothy would not stir. until the
horse was firmly tied in with lis bead
toward the real horses'• heads. Then,
when Mr. Dale started to lift him
into place between the old people, he
squirmed out of his hawk and
',scrambled over the side.'
"I will ride Reber," he said in posi-
tive tones.'
No one could stop him. He 'ikimbed
to the hobbyhorse's back and eat there,
clutching the reins.
As the sleigh drove slowly out of
the gate, the hobbyhorse bounced up.
and dowii. Timothy sat erect, drum,
horn and all. It was a strange sight;
all the way down the road people turn-
ed round and looked. Roderick stood
on the j,t.reb laughing. The last thing
be SIM, as the team turned a bend,
was a spot of bright red bobbing gay-
ly in the Christmas sunshine,
Christmas was abolished by Aet of -
Parliament in the reign of Cromwell.
As many mince pees as you taste
at .Christmas, so many happy months
will you have. --..Old English Saying.
And the angel said unto
them, Fear not; for, behold, I
bring you good tidings of great
joy, which shall be to all peo-
ple.—St. Luke, ii„ 10.
.
aye.,,,,,.
Suggestions ort e
Christmas Dinner
1, Y 1L'1'lit.i. ., t'lA 't'1'.
•
Although I (le,n't believe in having
my Christmas table laden with sev-
eral kinds of. dei sects niri an out-
rageous variety of vegetables., Ido
try to have something a little unusual,
I -like to decorate my table prettily,
and plan cunning favors, so that the
eye as well as the appetite will he
appealed to. Carrying out some color
scheme ]hakes the Christmas dinner
so xnueh more attractive, and 'will
cause very little extra trouble. Tied
and white, it semis to moa, is the most
appropx4ate color teehrina� for the holi-
day season, •
I serve my saalaci es an extra course.
It is ranch nicer and scarcely any
more trouble. There .ire many salads
that are inexpensive to make and yet
After a heavy dinner, such as the
Christmas feast always is, we like a
light dessert, and Dake, or a pudding
rather than a rich pastry. A chilled
dessert is easily prepared, and noth-
ing is nicer. We finish up, of e;erurse
on raisins, nuts, and candy.
lemsualiy plan my dinner so I won't
to prepare it all in one day. I
ieake tae :":simile di'ecsing and cake,
and prepare as many of the vegetables
t the c'.ay before as possible, for 'I do
.,. •
. . Must of us who 'de our OwnnOt i'ke to be berried With this din-
'.vork e1mo:v that this prep•arednees
•makes makes things easier.
Here are a few eocipes I hate
C found especially popular with my
family:
Duehe;as- Potatoes.
t. Two cope cold mashed potatoes, 1
egg, ala cup hot milk. Mix the mash.
ed potatoes with the beaten egg; stir
in the hot milk, season, and Mix thor-
oughly. . Place in a buttered balking
di9h, and brown in the oven.
Escalloped Corn.
One can corn, 3 teaspoons butter,
xM cup milk, 3i: chopped green pop-
pers, 1 egg, salt, y;i cup crumbs. To
the corn adcl the beaten egg and milk;
add butter, season, and mix in the
chopped green pepper. Cover with
crumbs, and hake in a buttered bak-
ing C1ish.
Stuffed Celery Hearts.
'rake small celery hearts, clean and
let stand in cold water. Mix up
cream cheese with chopped pimento,
and add enough. cream to make oft
cheese. Soason the cheese, and stuff
it in centre of celery stock. Chili
veld serve when firm.
Pear Salad.
Drain and chill canned pears, Place
on a lettuce leaf, garnish with nuts
and eherries, and serve with whipped
cream dressing. A small portion of
cream cheese inay he added to salad
if desired.
Red Apple Salad.
Six apples, 2 cups sugar, 3e cup
chopped eefiery, 14 cup chopped nuts,
1 cup water. Wash, pare, and e"eite
the apples, Make a syrup of sugar
and water, and add enough coloring
to make a deep red color. When the
syrup collies to a boil, drop in the
apples. • Tura apples over and over,
and let cook until tender and soft.
Take out of syrup and chill. Pipet)
the apples on a lettuce leaf, and stud
with celery. Serve with whipped
cream dressing, and garnish with
rait
s.
so deliciou
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A Country C'. rod
Where the patient oxen were, by the ass's stall,
Watching my Lord's manger knelt the waking
cattle All;
'Twas a little country maid vigil by Hixu kept --
.All among the country things my good Lord slept.
Fair was Rome the city on that early Christmas
morn,
Yet among the country folk was my Lord bornI
'Country lads that followed Ilim, blithe they were
and kind, -
It was only city folk were hard on Him and blind:
yZ, Ay, he told of lilies, and of grain and grass that
grew,
Fair things ofxthe summer fields my good Lord
. knew,
By the hedgerows flowering there He laid His
head --
It was in the country that my Lord was bred.
•
Ole
When the cross weighed clown on Him, on the
grievous road,
'Twas a kindly countryman raised my good Lord's
load;
Peasant girls of Galilee, folk of Nazareth,
These were fain to follow Him down the ways
of death—
Yea, beyond a city wall, underneath the sky,
Out. in open country did my good Lord die.
When he rose to Heaven on that white Ascension
day,
Last from open country clid may good Lord pass
away;
Rows of golden seraphim watched where He
should dwell,
Yet it was the country folk had my Lord's
farewell;
Out above the flowered hill, from the mossy grass,
Up from open country did my good Lord pass.
Where the jewelled minsters are, where the censers sway,
There they kneel to Christ the Lord in this bearing -day:
But I shall stay to greet Him where the bonny fields begin,
. Like the fields that once my good Lord wandered in,
Where His thorn -tree flowered once, where His sparrows soared,
In the open country -land of my good Lord!
ti
Christmas Queer C
q ' ° Customs of Other Lands.
Throughout the Christian world the
Christnios season is celebrated in
]nucii the samo spirit; though cus-
toms dif''ei� greatly, and in some lands
church -going ia more general than in
C 1
Canada In Italy, particularly, there
is much church -going, and the Miele:
utas tree is little known, though gifts`
are exchanged. and each family has al
great dinner, the feature of which is
a capon, 'which takes the same rank!
as the Canadian goose.
'.Cite Russian working people 9.4,741
always seized upon Christmas ns an!
excuse for ceasing all work for al
sollaewhet lengthy period-esoanetfines
for a month. Before the recent revo-
lutioit "IColenda" was the cel.eb]•ation?
en Christmas ] ve,swhen the ,peasants
gathered about the houses of the
nobles, sang enrols and scrambled for
the coins tossed to thein from the win -
dew' . "Then came a great masquer-
ade, when peasants of all ages dress-
ed themselves to represent animals,
the idea being to perpetuate the
memory of the lowliness of the Sa-
viour'e birth in the stable.
In Melanie, it is the custom to
bless the Danube on Christinas, and
a procession of priests and' people
dressed. to represent bib]ieal charac-
ters ]doves though the streets sing-
ing chants and so to the *x11,1: of the
river, The to is broken, anda Mail'
wooden cross is thrown ,into the water. •
Any ono who can recover this cress
is regarded as extremely fortunate'
and sure of good luck for the year to
come.
A quaint ceremonial is observed in
Holland. on Christmas Eve. At mid-
night the igen of the towns and vil-
lages, dressed in varied eestun]es,
meet in the public square.,. One is
selected and into his charge is giver]
a large illuminated star mounted
upon a pole, and with this star is a
gu'ide•-•as the Wise igen were guided
to Bethlehem• --a procession winds
through the streets, the hien chant-
ing the "Gloria in l ie elsis." A fter
.
the parade to .greats supper], •s
seerr•ed,
a the Christi -eras Day hoe begun.
i v ] ay they ia
ve it. pretty
cl
es-
tom.
Above every ridge pole is hour;i
a. sheaf of wheat, a Christmas tenet;
for 'the birds. -
The Mexican Chriettette is a
strangely mixed week ef. Laporte,
aevuls and religious observances. The,
"Passion Play" never fails to attract
great crowds, icor do the bn11 fights.
in the Philippines grand ivasses are
held in the churches in the mere -
Mg, the • buildings being elahorut.erly:
decorated with palms and feowere.
!..Greet chains of flowers are carried
to the churches by the children, who
parade through the streets singing.
Christmas songs, bands preceding
them. In the afternoon there is dant.'
ing and nierryntaking. In Spain the
religious note is predominant at
Christmas and there are curious per.]
forni:antes of mystery plays. In •
Prance the Christmas celebration
laste three days, and .is the oceaeion
for much charity. In the south of
t -
'Prate.* • . t is a. quaint cuttnni of
blessing the tile to e net nnlike that:
e*f I:ngbttui, and 00 Dec'eniltier
there is a. great family slipper,
itT alt good tutotr.cla f» t
.cttt'j eLl'tvtottims
l tut a
api:1Y c�Clit +L`ii3.
Cherry Sponge.
One tablesjoon gelatin, 1 cup boil-
ing water, s cup lemon and orange
juice, ria cup cold water, 34 cup
cherry juice, 3a cup sugar, 3 egg
w311teo. Swell *:lir gelatin in cold•
water end dissolve the sugar in fruit
juices and remaining water. Star in
mixture, cool until it thickens, beat
thoroughly, and add beaten .egg
whites. Pia,e in wet molds. Servet
with whipped cream, and garnish
top with cherries,
Steamed Suet Pudding.
•Ha'tf cup suet, ?4, cup molasses,
salt, 14. teaspoon cinnamon, i;;i, tea-
5I9oon a ares, % teaspoon soda, 3I
cup raisins, ?i eup sour milk, 1 cup
flour, 1e. cup currants. Chop suet
fine. Wash and dry the raisins and
currants. Cut the raisins; sprinkle
suet, raisins, and currants with flour
to keep them from settling. Thor-
oughly mix the molasses and hulk,
then -add fruit and suet. Sift the
Men. and spices and add to shills.
Pour into buttered molds, and steam
for three hours. Serve hot with
hard or cream sattco.
Date Pudding.
Hail pound dates, 3 egg whites, 1
cup sugar, 1 pound nuts, 3 teaspoon%
baking powder. Stone and chop
dates. Shell a'nd chop nuts. Beat
the egg whites until Stiff and dry.
Mix the baking powder with the egg
whites, end add the sugar. Fold the
chopped dates and Lusts into the mix -
thee, Pour the xnixtture intoe shal-
low baking tin, and bake for twenty
rr thirty minutes.
r _
\\'hat eimetitutes the happi-
ness of Christmas? The fact
that for one day in the year at
least, a larger proportion of
mankind e(ritrires to forget
self, and give a thought to "the
other fellow" than upon any
other d zy. In other words, on
moose day of the yeas we con-
sciously allow the pl e '4nj les and
rules of Chcistiae altruism to
sway our ,<oeduct; for one slaty
in the year 'sn leek o;; the world
s:; the «Tater el! ('hiissntas
ed nisolr it. with compassion,
lithe", and lo?ee. We: say: "it's
Cbristis'ns, and we make a
1+,'C tush.. efi'o; t to .'oilr,'r n to ti;e
e eiit .,'F e h isl;nee,
.<i. sial v tia•t is hent eine.? It
a ibo spirit of pezternn :ii3'th,
Whicia is the luecitalrle otevon:e
cf ;. o ii-v'till mi;'..,5 g lu6•u,
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