HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron News-Record, 1894-12-19, Page 10CIII USTM S AT OSBORNE.
HOW THE GREAT FESTIVAL IS OB-
SERVED BY QUEEN VICTORIA.
The Royal 1lenu--Tire Christmas '.I'reo—
Interchange- of Good Cheer Between
the Qgeen and the Prince—Cracker-
rutting—Two "Black" rules,
If we were as wedded to tradition as
the Queen, Yuletide would be much
more joyously celebrated titan it has
been of late years, and Engine(' would
be "Merry England stip" But the
snoboeracy has decreed that it is ''bet-
ter form" to "keep Christmas" quietly,
and the result is that the great Pestival
of Christendom is hardly observed at all
by hundreds of thousands of people,
who regard the occasion rather in the
light of a nuisance, which, as it cannot
be cured, "must be endured."
With Her Majesty it is far otherwise.
Ever since she has been on the throne
she has celebrated Christmas right mer-
rily, save on two occasions, wheu "pale
death" knocked at the palace gates and
would take no denial. Sad Yules in-
deed were those of '62 and '78. There
was like to have been yet another
"black" Christmas a score of years ago
that time the heir to the throne, lay, as
all men thought, a -dying at Sandring-
ham. Biographies and editorial "In
Memoriams" were not only written, but
corrected up to date and in type, and
the whole of the preparations incidental
to putting the papers in mourning were
TOO GOOD TO LIVE,
made. Providence, however wilted it
otherwise, and at the court deep
draughts were. quaffed "to tbe,speedv
recovery" of the illustrious sufferer. in
whose malady the turning -point came
even as the bells were ushering in the
great Feast.
There have been, then, only two dis-
mal Yules in the Royal circle—caused,
it need hardly be said, by the death in
1861 of the Prince Consort, and in 1878
by the decease of the Princess Alice,
that victim of maternal solicitude whose
memory lives in the beautiful verses,
"Half -way upon Life's journey" (after
Dante),written by Miss Letitia Probyn,
who, a few years afterwards, was
drowned while bathing with Lady Se -
bright near Hendave.
Even now Her Majesty enters with
zest into all the arrangements for the
due celebration of Christmas, and from
the highest to the lowest the utmost
possible is done to ensure that every-
body shall have a good time. The
Queen was one of the very first to set up
Christmas Trees, which we in England,
strange as it may seem, knew abso-
lutely nothing about until, early in th6
"Forties," the custom was - introduced
by somebody who had spent more than.
one Christmas in the land of the Teuton.
Yes, snd to confess, the original Christ-
mas Tree was "made in Germany,"
but no sooner had it boon adopted as an
integral part of the Yuletide festivities
at Court than our horticulturists proved
themselves to be fully equal to supply.
"Don't like Christmas, dear. Had twenty
hisses under the mistletoe, but not a single proposal
Mhatne, is it not, dear?"
ing the•demand suddenly sprung upon
them; while to -day every gropngrocer's
and fruiterer's shop, or the curbstone in
front thereof, has its quota of Liliputian,
and eke or Brobdingnagian, "trees,"
varying in price from sixpence up-
*axds.
It is for ber grandchildren that
the Queen now provides a mag-
nificent arbre do Noel, laden with the
finest "fruit" that money can
buy, and good taste select. And Her
Majesty, no matter bow much affairs of
State may occupy her, takes the great-
est pleasure in affixing to the green
branches some of thaniost precious of
the gifts; vrhilo the duty of "lighting
up" is delegated to those adult members
et the Royal house, who may bo eating
their Christmea.dinnerupon the Queen's
inn hogany.
A Gargantuan banquet is that to
which the Queen and her children sit
down on Christmt;a Day, ;after the tiers
d'oeuvres come the oysters "best
nativeit," specially selected for the
occasion, cod le the*it which invark-
ably figures in the Eoyal menu on
this day of days --not forgetting
a good supply of liver, whietF al!
the Royal Family are; specially par-
tial to, The traditional "baron" of beef
adorns the Royal alddboard at Qsborne
but it is cold, and is scarcely touched
until lunch time on the, following day.
The boar's head, "crowned with rose-
mary," is there alien, more forthe looks
of the thing than aught besides ; for,
truth to tell, it is too rich for most peo-
ple, whoprefer to admire It from a dis-
tance. The roast turkay is stuffed with
chestnuts, French fashion, and besides.
the fringe of crisp, nicely -browned sau-
sages (home•madpe these, not imported),
there is the old-fashioned "chine," a
quite unknown—probably unheard-of—
joint to many moderns, unless they are
students of, or past masters in tile art
of gastronomy. But the Royal table on
Christmas Day would not be complete
without the pheasant, the substitute for
the peacock, and even for the swan, of
the old days, "when George the Third
was King,"
Although Her Majesty has' in her
own preserves a sufficiency of phea-
sants to feed half an army corps,
BROWN'S TURKEY;
The Butcher—That's a nlagnitieient
bird, sir!
Tana GnaaT Conan unit ronin y runs
Where all others fail Coughs, Croup poreThroat, Jlosraenesa, Whooping Cough and
Asthma. For Consumption it has no rival.;
has cured thousands, and will coati Icon If
Lakonia time. Bold by Dre gists on a guar-
antee. For a Lamo rabic or Chest, We
aHILOI-I'dBELLADONNA. PI.ASTE ,260.
5N ILO rya1CATARRH
e•ve IRE E BY,
you Catarrh ? This remedy isran-
toed tocure you., Trico, Geeta Injoctoorrfree,
Sold by J. H. COMBE.
" I COULD DO WITII A BIT."—LATEST
VERSION.
it is de rigueur for the Prince
of Wales to despatch a few brace
from Sandringham ; and these, the
good-natured Queen always protests,
have a finer flavor than her own birds.
There is an interchange of other good
things between Sandringham and Os.
borne, as well as huge packages of
Christmas cards, gloves, scarves, hats,
slippers and even more "intimate" arti-
cles of attire ; into these mysteries,
however, let others dive, as they will.
If it happen, as it frequently does. that
some ot the guests have been surfeited
with pheasants, there is a smaller vari-
ety of bird on the table—to wit.
snipe and lark on toast, or woodcock
ditto cooked a point as few but the royal
chef knows how. Other items of the
menu are noble plum -puddings (made
in large moulda)1 mince -pies (as unlike
the ordinary article of commerce as pos-
sible), jellies, creams, bland -manges,
and last, but by no means least, in the
general estimation of the illustrious
convives a grand Stilton cheese into
which a good half-dozen of the finest old
port has been poured, day after day,
with reverent care and discrimination.
There is no removal of the Crown -
embroidered cloth, for that is a proceed-
ing to which the Queen has always had
a rooted aversion ; and it is really un-
necessary, inasmuch as the dessert has
been on the table from the first. The
great fun is the cracker -pulling, and
the reading aloud of the mottoes, which
some anonymous poetaster'of1<tho Royal
entourage has contrived to string te-
gether, after consuming an infinite
quantity of Midnight oil. Her Majesty
pulls a cracker with everybody in
turn, and "from the egg to the apples,"
the Queen's Christmas dinner -party
is about as jovial and mirthful a func-
tion as can be imagined. A word
in conclusion as to the beverages. "A
glass of sherry with the soup" is a bar-
barism not countenanced by Her
Majesty, who, albeit, anything but a
teetotaller, isa strong advocate of tem-
perance both in eating and drinking.
There are hock and champagne, with
yellow and green Chartreuse and
maraschino for those who care to spoil
their coffee by the hideous mixture;
and; the rule as to smoking, ordinarily
Draconian in its severity, is relaxed
"for this night only."
Peace sed Good Will.
Peace? Yes, that is, after all, and
above all, our Christmas gift! To make
joy for others, to behold their joy, to re-
joice in it, is the joy unspeakable. And
why ? Because it is God -like and divine !
Even so the Father joys in our joy, and
the Son perfects his joy in completing
ours. Peace is the product of passing
out of the human into the divine ole-
ment and activity. No man is peaceful
who cannot share, in some faint way at
least in the experiences of his Father
and his God. That is the only real ab-
sorption into the divine, the perfection
of which heathen philosophy has dream-
ed as its highest goal, but which the
gospel alone has brought to light, and
made accessible and attainable,
How much our Christmas Sunday has
in store for us 1 May we all indeed re-
alize its richest treasures and feast our
souls upon them May it be the happi-
est of happy Christmas days that comes
once more to us. As we hear our child-
ren sing, may it be the echo of the
angel's song; and as we united with
them in praising Christ the Lord may
His peace enter into our hearts and
abide there forever more.
"Decorating the church was a failure this year.
Our two curates are laid up with colds, and Conse-
quently not a Bingle girl turned up."
Dark Features of the Case.
"I do not think Binks was entirely to
blamo.but there are some features of the
case which look dark for him."
"What are they ?"
"Mrs. Binks."—Life.
Brown—Here's a magni ficent bird,
Mary !
But fine feathers do not always—
Make fine birds.
ON A CHRISTMAS NIGHT.
An Acensleg Voice vis 1, ch C,,nnot. Be
flushed.
Christmas day had . faded into Christ-
mas night. It had beerr,a bleak, cold
day, with fierce gusts of wind corning
out of the north at times to catch up
the crests of the snowdrifts and scatter
them over street and house roof.
People went hurrying to and fro on the
streets, and those at the fireside felt
their hearts soften at thought of those
who might be without fire or food on
such a night. Who in all the great town
able to rive had not given something?
Even the poor had given to'the very
poor. Hearts and purses closed to
charity all other days in the year had
opened on that blessed day, and the re-
cording angel had smiled as she wrote
the many names in her gold -bound
book,
Night had come, and with it a wind
which had an edge like a knife. The
footfalls of pedestrians gave out a
creaking, complaining sound, and men
and women warmly clad 'shivered as
they faced the night. I stood in a
doorway, beating my arms and waiting
for a belated car, when an old woman
came limping painfully along. I saw
that she was looking at me when yet a
hundred feet away. I knew that she
belonged to those who beg for alms,
and that she would accost me. The
thought vexed me, though I cannot tell
you why. Perhaps I reasoned that tate
dollar I had laid on the church plate
that day should cover alt cases. Per-
haps I had dene my full duty by street
beggars when I invited half a dozen
tramps to lunch at my expense. I de-
termined to refuse her, no matter how
pitiful her story.
"Please, sir, we are without food or
fire and have sickness in the house,"
she said, as she halted before me.
I saw her before me—a woman old
and gray and feeble—a half-starved,
half-clad human being who must bo
chilled to the marrow in that cutting
blast. I had silver in my pocket, but I
turned away from her with :
"No—not a penny ! It has been give,
give, give all day long, and what good
has it done?"
"But no one has given to us, sir, and
my poor old man is sick and cold and
hungry. I wouldn't have dared to come
out, but for fear lie may die to -night."
"Same old story. Why don't you go
to the relief society?"
"Where could anyone be found this
awful night? We'll do without food,
but we must have a bucket of coal' this
bitter night. Please, sir?"
"Not a penny 1 -You probably want
it for drink instead of coal."
"It's Christmas night, sir."
"Yes, I know : but that snakes no
difference."
She stood looking me full in the face.
There was nothinghaggish or dissipat-
ed in her looks. felt hat she was de-
serving, and yet I had refused and
would not give in. As She showed no
sins of moving away I started on. She
raised a hand as to halt me. but did not
speak.
I went slowly away, looking back
now and then, and she stood on tho
same spot looking after me until I turn-
ed the corner,
"A wretched old woman who makes
begging a profession and ought to bo
locked up," I said to myself, but yet I
doubted it. I called her an imposter
and a drunkard, and yet I recalled the
ring of truth in her 'tones and remem-
bered how pale and sad the look of her
face, and knew that I lied. I hurried
forward, no longer waiting for the car,
but when I had traversed three blocks I
halted and turned back. I was con-
science-stricken. Suppose the story
were true ? Suppose that a poor old
couple, one of them sick in bed were
without food or fire on that Christmas
night, while I had dollars which I
might throw away and laugh at the
loss.
I returned to the spot, but she had
disappeared. I went up and down
and across, but she was not to be found.
I asked a policeman at the corner and
he turned his back to the wind and re-
plied ;
"An old woman? Yes, she passed me
but I did not see which way she
turned. Poor old woman! She was cry-
ing and 1 hadn't a penny to give her !
There will be suffering among the poor
tonight, sir,"
I went home with my conscience ac-
cusing me. As I sat at the table I
thought of an old and helpless couple
without even a crust of bread to break
their fast. As I sat by the fire I thought
of the cold wind driving into the 'rooms
of poverty and chilling the blood of the
sick and helpless. In my dreams I
bunted again for the poor old woman
but I could not find her. Once I cried
out in my sleep and frightened myself.
When morning came I determined to
find that old woman, If a beggar, I
would at least give her alms and kind
words. If poor and deserving, I would
make ample amends for my churlish-
ness. My search was not to be. When
I opened my morning paper there was a
story of an old woman found dead at
her own door—a crippled, scantily -clad
old woman who had braved the night in
search of food and fuel and had suc-
cumbed as home was but a step away.
In the house they had found an old man
dying of hunger, cold and fever, but
'they had come too late. A bit of money
from me would have saved one life and
perhaps both. I had not only refused to
give, but my harsh words had brought
tears and heartaches and taken away
hope and endurance.
Christmas has come again and again
since then, but give as I may I cannot
quiet that accusing voice. I had better
far have given to a thousand unworthy
applicants than to have turned that one
away.
CHRISTMAS ON THE FARM.
"I do declare, Joeiar, it sorter seems like hum,
A eittin' here an' waltin' fur the children all to
cum—
An' all thur children with 'em, to bring us every
year
The comforts that pervade the place when Criss -
roues time is here.
Thur'e lots of nuts an' cider an' doughnuts nice an'
brown,
Awaltin' fur the children an' thug children from the
town.
Tbo turkey's fat as butter an' tho puddin' will bo
primo,
Fur they all have royal appetites you know on
Crissmuse time.
"I think I hear 'em jingle, them bells across the
snow ;
An', yes—the hoofs is rattlin' on the river bridge
below.
Quick! Pile the wood on higher an' make the
chimney gleam,
I'll light the lamps an' set 'em in the windows—It
wall seem
As though we both wuz reachin' out our arms to
take 'cm hum, -
Our children an' thur children, for the Crissmuse
time has come.
An' now thur ehoutin' gayly, them boys an' gate—
au' we
Will greet 'cm in the doorway, for thur dear to you
an' me.
"Why 1 Polly Ann an' Liddy Oh 1 Site you hug
me so 1
John, you have shaved yer whiskers; Het, how that
boy duz grow,
3lerlieser an' the baby—come to the are all,
An shuck your wraps, an' pa, you fetch the blg
bench from the hall,
Our man'Il tend the horses—Lem, you have kissed
nae twice,
in course I must divide'om up, yer comin' seems so
nice,
So now we're alt together in jilt the same old
place,
An' God has been so kind to us, I do not miss a
face.
"Yestits supper's nearly ready ; Oh 1 Joe yer appo-
Ilain't lost its former fanoy,an' you've fetched 11 hum
to -night,
I'm glad to Boo you, dearios, an' I'm glad to see you
well
Thur, how yer gettin' thawed out an' most ready,
that's the bell 1
Thank God for all this kindness 1 Pa, you can say
the rest."
And.overy head about the board was bowed upon
the breast;
And so the aged sire's mice grew deep with holy
charm,
A peaceful spirit overspread the Christmas on the
farm.
THREE'HOLIDAY NUMBI R$„
ThejolJustratecl B ffelo Express itn-
nouncele three Holiday .Nulribere for
December 1811, 23d and 00 respectively..
?,'he ubi)e has learned ,that The nitu-
trate Express nearer does a thing by
halves, and it is unnecessary to assure
aur readers that what The ;Express
undertakes in this line is sure to be the
finest of its kind, Each ,issue will be of
extra size, printed. in colors; Several
pages of the Issue of December 16th
Will be devoted to "Child Life in Re-
cent Art," with .reproductions of pic-
tures ofuvenile life from modern
masters. The issue of the 23rd will be
the Christmas Number, with a special
first -page prize design, the result of a
competttion in which 25 leading Buf-
falo artists were invited to enter; add
the winning pictures in the Amateur
Photographers' Cont st, December 30th
will be the New Year's Number.
plER C E A)VIltnit. A CUR
or ?Ione! Tor de orgleap Al[irdlo>1r44
'TYUNn. Covlalt Co., Mau.
Drs 13, Y. Ponca : IJ4a r daughter
has been Molt all her life, and, that Alder she
grew, the worse she waa un-
til
n-
deatl She she phythsio anal oo� d
not do her any good.
I heard of your•"Permit*
aanprescription.'
I rga eoher three bottttles,
and now she is a perfectly
healthy girl.
Maya recommended it to a 4
great amany sufferers from.
it;hags curednthem. an;l.
medtctno in think it is e e world, a�'nd
Miss Lorn. I have hover found any.
thing to compare with it.
YOurs truly, Mas. M. d. LOQ
A SPLENDID COMBINE.
Milburn's Cod Liver Oil Emulsion
with Wild Cherryand Hypophosphitse
is the surest and best cure for coughs,
colds, hoarseness, bronchitis and asth-
ma. Price 50c. and $1.00 per bottle.
Last week Master Lorne Weir, son of
Mr James Weir, of the Royal Hotel,
Seaforth,was skating on the old quarry,
east of the town, when he broke
through the ice and would probably
have been drowned, but his little dog,
which was with him, grabbed hint by
the hair until a young fellow, who
had been watching the skaters, came
to his assistance.
Tao Plan of Bening Medicines
ON TCItIAL, PIERCE IERCE
16 PECULIAR TO
On Monday week at the regular
meeting of branch 23, Catholic Mutual
Benefit Association, Seaforth, the fol-
lowing officers were elected and duly
installed for the year 1895: Spiritual
Adviser, Rev. Joseph Kennedy; Chan-
t'ellor, Joseph Weber; President, Steph-
en Lamb; 1st Vice -President, John
Kale; 2nd Vice President, John Ungar;
Recording Secretary, M. Jordan;
Assistant Secretary, John 3. Darwin;
Finincial Secretary, John McQuade;
Treasurer, Patrick Keating; Marshal,
F. Zigler; Guard, M. Tagney; Trustees
for two years, John McQuade and M.
Jordan ; Trustees' for one year, Joseph
Weber, John Kale and John Killoran.
Oflr!slmas
ISS •
Com!nij
We have a Fine Stock of
FRESH GROCEF?I'ES�
FOR THE
A genuine ghost -story hos yet to be
attested ; but not so a genuine blood -
purifier, Over and above again it has
been proved that Avcr's Sarsaparilla
stands alone among medicines as the
most reliable tonic -alterative in phar-
macy. It stood alone at the World's
Fair.
-� HOLIDAY :TRADE.
Would thank the Public for past patronage
and. wish you the Compliments of the Season.
We ask an inspection of our Stock, which we
think will compare with any other House in
Town for QUALITY AND PRICE. Bead over our list :
J
EINE LAYER RAISINS,
SELECT. VALENCIA RAISINS,
FINE OFF STALK RAISINS,
VOSTEZZAS CURRANTS,
PATRAS CURRANTS,
NEW ELEME FIGS,
FINE NATURAL FIGS,
NEW CANDIED PEELS,
CITRON, ORANGE AND LEMON,
FLORIDA ORA NGES,
FRESH 'LEMONS,
FINE MIXED CANDY,
TARRAGONA ALMONDS,
GRENOBLE WALNUTS,
SICILY FILBERTS,
SHELLED ALMONDS.
FINE TEAS—HYSON,
JAPAN, CELYON, CONGO,
BEN HUR and BEE BRAND.
TEAS TO SUIT EVERYBODY.
FINE CHOCOLATE,
, PEARL COCOA,
LONDON COCOA,
PURE COFFEE IN BEAN,
GROUND TO ORDER.
ICING SUGAR—
CUT LOAF SUGAR
DEMERARA, RAW AND
REDPATH'S GRANULATED
Be sure and see our Stock of
PURE SUGAR SYRUP,
BAKING MOLASSES,
BAKING POWDERS,
SPICES AND ESSENCES,
PURE MALT VINEGAR.
Fancy Biscuits
Toilet Soaps
Crockery, Glassware
Xmas Presents
In Cups, Saucers, c.
0_
George Swallow,
The Hub Grocery, Clinton