The Wingham Advance, 1907-12-19, Page 3Mrs. Lester's Christmas Eve.
ert.' leannIates nitleasetreT SPOVVORP, U Wien! YORKRAW,
Mrs. Lester, walking in her little gas
den in the twilight, breathed the frag
ranee Of her flowers with a eatisfyin
eause oi the sweetness of the world. He
neighbor,' Captain Burnside, had lat
tesee in his garden across the fence, let
she did not look it t them enviously
they were out of season. '.1:o dream o
frust mit of seatiou, the dream bool
mild, was to have trouble out a reason
and it might be the same if you lenge
for flowers out of tieation. She kept he
eyrie religiously on her own side el th
fence,
If she lifted her eyes she could, not
help seeing Captain Burnside's gaze of
respectful adniiration, and, She Itsiew
very well what would come next. It
almost hindered her walkiug its the gar-
den at all. If you had, asked her she
probably eould not have told you why
she did not wish to give Captstin Burn-
side his opportunity.
It was nearly ten years since Harry
I.ester had gone to BOA, mate of the ship
Seabird, and uothing einee lia.d been
heard of him or of the ship, except a
rumor that what ms.y have ben its fig-
tirehead hail been wstshed up somewhere
on the Paeifie coast. There was no rea-
son why a widow, even if her owe means
were comforteble, in the narrow way of
life of the seaboard hamlet, of the cove
should not receive the advances of a
man good looking and well to do, kiedly
and resected, and take down the sepal.-
atieg fence and snake one large garden
of the two and have some one to man-
age what. was really quite a farm all
run to doek end whitesveed. But there
wee unconsehrtes inetinct of emo-
tion that kept hlre. Lester frozn ma.king
a deeision in the matter even oo hereelf.
Perhaps she could. not euite bring her
auind to seeing anothee form walking be-
side her in the garden and in Harry's
place. She was lonesome to he /sure, and
it. Was a g. eat deal to have somebody
to Veneta but heving married a sailor
once ..Nrid /lever known what peace Was
when a storm blew sip the coast, wily
should she marry a sailor again, grow
fond of him, meeshe, and have the old
trouble over again? For a man so glory-
ing in the see as Captain Burnside would
never stay aehbre in smite of his lame -
nese.
_However, Captain Burnside had pro-
posed nothing of the sort yet. and she
did not mean that he should till she
knew her own listed better; and that
mind being quite untrained, feelings had
to do Re work. She wasn't so lonesome,
as she might have been but for the olo
dog.
' She never went out in her gardeu after
zundown without remembering as if it
were yesterday the evening she had
walked hem in the purple shadows with
great white moths littering about and
bad heard frarry Lester's step come
zinging up the flags of the short path,
and she had hidden herself then, as she
evotild toaley, behind the syringe bush;
hold he had founa. here there and taken
her by the t wo hands and drawn her
out, and then suddenly had kisied her
lips again and again. "There's only one
way to get a thing you want," he said,
"and that's to take it!"
She remembered, too, the evenings she
had walked here by herself, happy in a
way, and sad as well; happy that she
was Ifaery's wife, but sad with wonder -
big where he was out on the high seas,
and if it were possible the gulfs. had
washed bins down. She remembered, too,
loitering there, night after night, and
!Waning with strained ears for the
sound of .his step agaie, when the Sea-
bird was due and a. trifle overdue. And
then one night the glad free ring of it
when after the delay he caught her
there by the great white lilac.
And it was all but ten years ago. That
ems a terrible winter, that first one. The
enow piled about the house; she did not
tare enough to have a path made
through it; it hung snow wreaths on
trees and shrubs; it drifted up and down
the garden walks. Bitter as the storm
snight be, Harry had been in a bitterer
one. It flitted by the window at night
like a flying ghost when she peered cut.
The spring brought her no cher; the
minister came, and advised her to plant
bee garden beds again that something
might take her mind off her trouble.
ont the reason she really dia. it was that
If by bleseed possibility Harry should
-come home he would find it sweet and
bright as ever.
When Captain Burnide had left the
sea and come to live in the little cove
he had made his garden with all the de-
light with which the sailor delves in
the earth. And Mrs. Lester, happening to
be his near neighbor. had given bins
rooter and seeds, and spare shrubs and
advice, till, having so nitic.h of her kind-
ness he wanted mom, and began to feel
himself quite on the wrong side of the
world if she evere not in her garden or
did not respond to his knock and call.
Be would go back and smoke Ids pipe
and grumble about the leg that had
'compelled him to leave the sea, and feel
intolerably lonesome, and wonder why
there was no other woman in the Cove
aa attractive as the widow Lested
It is erne that since Mary Whitman
had eoine back front nursing her grand-
mother, having been away ever since
Captain Burnside came to the cove, he
had once or twice bestowed a glance
'upon the pleasant girl, wondering if
Tanny Lester were never to give him
tide chance, whether any one else might
!take her place and make him. less lone-
ly.
Mary Whitman had .run across the
road in the Morin to it with Emmy,
her bosom friend of years, giving her
her little Christmas gift of a shawl
knit in pink wool, which on Ernmy's
shoulders made her look more like a
flower than ever, and incidentally to t
see the fine goose which f_laptain Burn- n
a side had broue.eit in, inviting himself
- a Christmas dinner with Emmy on
g the morrow.
r "I was jest a-goin' to bang out the
e red hatigkedlief ter you to eonie over,"
t said Emmy. "You've got rubber boots
; and I ain't, Now, you take them off an'
I git a good toaetinh it up, Bose. 1
t want you should come osier to Christ-
mas dinner to -morrow, I ain't legoin
d eat it alone Wth no Cap'n Burnside
r livin,' hly goodness, Maly, 0 only you
e and me could live tergether alters" -
"Well, you see, there's gran -sir, en'
mother" -
"They'd let you off 0 you was wan.
tin' ter marry.• Bose, you're alters in
the way." • .
"There ain't mach danget of that,
theugh. Here, Bose, good dog!"
The storm was growing wilder all the.
time, Wowing round the eaves end 'ab.
es and 'meshing a mighty shoulder
there. "It's no wonder Cap'n lhumeide
likes you," said Mary. "TI I was as pret-
ty ars you be, he might" -
"There, there, Mary! Pretty'6 I be:
"You WW1 ellen romantie, Em-
my."
"I do' know's it's that to like pretty
thins,"
"I dont suppose you'd a merrid."
said Mary, putting the red wale under
the stick, "if Harry hadn't a ben so
good looltind"
"He was 4 'beauty, wasn't he, Mary.
Once he took nie down to town and
800 a figger there in marble -they side
'twas stabile folks useter worship -and
Harry looked fee' like it w'on he was
ueleop. Deer knows, I worshipped hen.
Oh, mel oh, met e'pose he looked. jes'
like it wen lie Was drownded!" And
the firelight glittered on the unelted.
tears in Enimy's eyes.
"I shouldn't think you'd be a-lookin"
at Capin Burnside, teethe you do still
tteseut Harry:"
"1 del adookini."
"Emmy Lester youve had one hus-
band!"
And then Emmy laseelted like' the rola-
tile little ereature she was.
"A minute agb you was ()teen', an'
now you're a-laughite"-
"Well, it's better to laugh these to ery.
Dear knows I've cried enough!"
"Then don't see how you can be
thinkin' of Cap'n Burnside."
"1 aint a-thinkin of him, I tell you.
It's he a-thinkhe of me. An' he won't
let me alone."
"Do you want him to?"
"I do' know. I'm expeetin' anybody t
elated do as well fee him. But it's awfle
lonesome, An' then I look at Harry's
pieter an' can"t. An', besides., I do' a
know w'at Harry 'd say to me in Hea-
ven. I do' know -Mary, you take him!" e
"He ain't never ast, mo," said. Mary r
sadly. "He's a very personable man,"
and she took up her knittiug with a a
sigh.
Toe had beea cleared, away anathey
were sitting in the rosy fire light when h
there was a loud rap on the door, made a
by the head of a etouts stick.
"It's me!" roved a. big voice above a
Ile gale and the yelp Bose gave.
"It's Capei Burneidel" exclaimed h
Mary, -and she ran to let him in.
• The Captain •put his stick in the cor-
ner of the little entry wile he shook the e
allow from his short blue reefer, and
thee came in with the stick's aid and o
took his seat in Harry's chair, where a
Emmy couldn't bear to see him. "This a
is (your chair, Cape'," she said.
"All right, ma'am," he said, as he
changed. "Thouaitt. you'd be loneeome le
to -night. I was. An' they say poor lo
company is better 'it none. So I hauled
up in the mud an' come along."
"I'm glad you did, Cap'n," said Em-
my, demurely. a
"Pretty stiff Wog dowse the coast to- th
night," he said, as a great gust rattled in
the !windows again. "Hard for them poor w
fellers that's on a lee shore." sl
"1 alters feel to pity sem," said Mary,
whose eyes held always a little compose it
don in their depths. sp
"Oh, you needn't," said the Captain,
hands to the blaze, "They like the life, or
they wouldn't :toiler it. There's a good I
deal of setiefectioh, ma'am in defyhe a
gale. I like it here. .But I 'liked it there to
in my (lay, I'd never 'a left 't exeeptin' 55
for this genie leg o' mine. There's a ,de
soder:tattoo when you've conquered a re
mighty blow with your stick an' your
string an' got into safe water an' gone go
he
below for a dry jacket that you don't
git out of anything eke in the world, 1 an
guese." - ha
"Sometimes,"said Emmy, gently, "you 80
do
don't conquer."
malanneiv'at comas to us all we ,Se
may as welt meet in the way of our d°
duty. An' drowedin' ain't bad aster the (T_
fust plunge, I've heern tell. Kind of a a"
quick shock, apoplexy -like, I've ben told.
Come, come, this ain't tee night for a 11
talk like this, an' Cheistmass eve to boot. Fa
I fetched some nuts over to roast by SUP
your fire. Well ece Vat they say about el
thin's w'en they bust. open in the coals. -to
Fine red` coals."
he
"I shouldn't think ou'd enjoy a
storm ashore, Capes Burnside,. jes' for sto
the safe feelin' of it," said Mary. • br
"Any way, it stems a little dull, th
ma'am, eifes nothine doin'; nothin' on
your part, that is. Naturks pretty busy; eh
but you ai't a-talkild back. Ivy, ing
come inter port all heavy by the head
ith sheeted ice, an' had ter put ithout wh
an' git out inter the Gulf Stream an' po
melt her down, an' enryed it!" th
"Oli, my!" said: Mary, feeling a share lit
of Des*denionaSs thrills. "An' you warns. ter
never scairt?"
fee
"Not to apeak of A seafarin" nme,
ma'am, has ter lean upon the Lord, so
o ea, Ion can't look out on them
sighty waves 1th foamin 'tops feather-
. .
es' your mesthead; you tan't look out
or stars to the horizon 'About
fetched butt up ag'in the thought
ef the Almighty. That is. if you're a.
dollen' under cameos, I do' no' how
•f so be yours: under steam. deuces mein
'se, by the way 801110 O' them ante, yea
feel as 0 you wasemighte, yourself an
could mister most thie'seetill the ellen
ereaks or the wine turns loose."
"1 ehould thought you'd 'a' felt Hutt
tuft Way,", .saki Mary.
"You're. 4 very knowledgeable woman,
ma'am," roolied the Centeno busy plek,
Ing out the fattest of the nuts, but one
•Ag her is emnprehensive stare.
"It's so much less dangerous on shore,"
sighed Mary.
'Less dangerouse, ma'am. Why, there's
no place safer's). sny own deck as n gin -
cal thin. ,An I was never able to stay
long aehore, ma'am, but the devil got
inter me, beggin' your pardon, to be at
sea again. And 0 it warn't fer this game
'eg-sand-one or two other thin's of ino
portanee I'd be treadle my own deck to.
eay, ont'in blue water, a-rannin' between
hem au' the Windward Islands, an' a.
4steldn' home pineapples, and oranges,
an' lemons, an' guava jelly, an' tanun
rin's and red rum"—
"dhl Did you alleys fetch them?"
"Most ginerdy."
"But you don't have &leis fine thin's to
eca for sailors? An' don't you git &dile
'tired o' the Seine sort o' food you do
have all the time?"
"Afebbe you elo. Mebbe. I never 414,
iuyself, One time, coedit' from Chiny in
the clipper Sally Ann, that Was. With
head winds, an' stOrMS, an' calms, we
was overdue out o' Provisions giv'
out, an' the water wits ruther ropy, am'
the beef -salt junk, you know, warn't
(mite alive -no; it had been dead long
while! an' we went on short rations at
that for twenty-one days. An' we'en WO
made port to the last, an' set all sail for
an eatin' house, welt d'ye think every
nian's son of us ordered for his dinner?
Corn beef, sir, corn beef an' cabbage."
"Pis good," said Miry.
Bat Emmy Was saying nothing. She
sat quite still, with an air as 0 she
were listening to something the others
could net hear, at every fresh shudder
and shouldering of the storm giving a
startled glance at the window.
in,
u,
he
on
oh
Iso
is
"There, Miss Lester," said the eapta
'There's three chestnuts, one's for yo
on the right, and one's for me, in t
middle, and one's for our friend here
he left. If I. pop fust, we'll see whi
one pops next and answers me," and
aid the nuts among the glowing coo.
n the hot bricks.
There was a =meat or two
ilence then, through which the sweepi
ry of the storm outside came like
veil. "Ain't it dretfle for Christm
vet" said Emily.
"Pm sure I think it hi," said Mar
'Only I don't see how I tan ever to g
one. I hadn't orter stayed. But y
eemed so loneeome, Emmy." •
"So I was," said Emmy. "But yo
eedn't go home. Sta.y here."
"Oh, no; Grant:tied worry. s'po
e's a-worryin' now, and I'd lifter*"
"You're a considerate person, ma'am
aid the Captain, looking at her Ugai
ach time a little longer and. more car
sally. "There!" he cried, ns the inidd
ne of the nuts with a loud repo
prang out upoe the hearth, burst ope
nd fragrant. 'There, I've popped. No
et's see who ses yea!"
In another moment the nut upon th
ft gave a start and a jump and fo
wed the captain's.
"Well, if it ain't youl" said the cap
ain, turning round and. again surveyin
Tary, who was laughing and blushin
nd. hiding her face with her hands. An
en helooked at Emmy. There was tint
her eyes that spoke for him. Wa
hat he wiehed impossible? But Bonn
look her head.
"I guess than other nut had a svorm
, and. it won't do Ionian' but sizzle a
utter," she said.
"We'll tris again," said the captain.
"Oh, no," said Emmy. "That will do
guess the nut known west it's about.'
And he could have understood by he
no that there was nothing more to b
id. 'Emily's decision Was made; bette
iy ioneliness than another man i
arry's place.
"Pm real glad Mary's nut was sech a
od one," said Emmy. elt was jes lik
r. She's a real good companion fo
ybody. I do' no' Vat I'd done 0 she
dn't come over afore the storm mowed
keen. Nights like these somehow I
n't feel to play. They're solenm like,
ems as 0 strange tidiest was abroad,
u kinder think of Psalms and. Ecelesia
tea Oh there's Sabin' dretfle creepy
out a Storni t"
"Not for zee," said the captain, with
s roaring laugh. "Gimme as hard a
le as ever hlowed and I'm in my ole.
ut,"
"It's great to 'be a sea captain," said
ary. And again the Captain turned
her, and wondered he hadn't found
r so much to his mnind before'.
Suddenly the dug gave a bark and
ad up with the hair on his ha&
letting, and Emily stood up, too. And
en the outer door opened and shut
th a bang, and. some one, whose tall
ape was covered with snow, was cry -
loudly: "Where's iny wife?"
Mary sprang \Alit the hearth brush,
ich at first she had seized for pur-
ses of defence, and ran to sweep off
e snow, and the old dog that had been
tle more than it puppy when his mas,.
went away, Was standing on his hind
t to lick the cold face of the new-
rstr.Emmy was stone stili -atone still
with fear of what she holf believed to
be a spirit, with fear that her eyes de-
ceived her, wild, wonder, with awe.
"Don't you know me, Emmy?" cried the
stranger. And then tunny Was wrap.
p0 'about in his great elms and eise-
itt0g like. the melting snow on his 1.'A.. 4'
O sid
•
the
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1-
40041100004140000000044,000004110
Don't neglect your cough.
Statistics show that in New York City
alone over 200 people die every week from
consumption.
And most of these consumptives might
be living now if they had not neglected the
warning cough.
You know how quickly Scotea
Ernatsion enablet you to throw off a
cough or cold.
ALL DRUCC1STSz 110e. AND $1.00.
00:40446**0•0000 000
NI ell, shipmate," said Captain Burn.
e, when things were a little more dims
ed, "t gorse Mee lletry Whitman aid
11 1)0 gobs," She needs it pilot through
gale. But I'll be round to-morer,
d and weather permitthe, to hear
at you getter say for yereelf "
Iwo shipwrecks and a desert Wand.
11 tell the story, mate, Aeil I didn't
write for fent another man might have
stepped in --in which rase. I meant to git
out uttbektiownst. Arid I want to fet-
id: ell, hail Harry Lester, ."I'vo got
haele to spend the balftnee of nsy da
ys
nshore with my wife, aml X want to
fergit I've ever bon ter seal The best
verso in tin' Bible far me is; the one
that Rea there is no more eeit!"
Captain Burnside looked at him round -
eyed and inflated. Then hee shook his
head sadly as over a degenerate. "rd
ben hoping," he said wistfully. And
the the visions of long evenings, with
long pipes, Imo long stories, when he and
Tinny teeter ehould .fight over -again
their battles with wied and wave, vis•
ions that had just taken shape, went
vanishing free thin air as his decant of
marrying the widow tester lied done,
°Yen Want ter fergit the sea?" he bald.
Veil, you tin% $1.0 itt"
0
gle
.er
lkirev•
BEFORE
-
' AND AFTER.
CHRISTMAS.
_
Long after the Captaia had lifted
Mary in his stout :trine and carried her
through the storm and drift to her own
door, leavieg her' with the information
that he had something to say to her
and should call on the swat, day and say
it, Hussey and her husband sat togehter
in thebig chair by the fire, .Every onee
in a sehile they clasped each other again
us if to make sure they were not dream-
ing, "Oh(" sighed Emmy, can't help
feelin"s if it was a sort of vision. Seems
as 0 I must wake up in the morning and
find it all a dream. nil 80 glad it came
at Christmas. It makes me feel as if
God remembered alt my widths', an' he
wanted to give me the best thin' He
had."
."God pity all the poor fellers out up-
on the water flee night!" said Harry,
standing up. "When I remember them
black shuddering seas, stooping and lift-
ing her and holding her closer still, "it
seems a good thing, now I tell you, to
have a wife and home to eOnle to, Christ-
mas or no Christmas."
4 • •
I Christmas oa the
Bills of Bethlehem
(By the Rev. Jemes Johneton, in New
York Observer.) •
The greatest of Yrenelt historians has
declared that every important event in
the history of the world has sprung from
the cradle of some new birth, and hence
over every cradle the. star of love
watches and the star of hope shinee.
On Christmas day one name is on et ery
lip and in every heart -Jesus -and
throughout all lands, multitude. will re-
member Bethlehem., beneath the Syrian
ski.es, where the Saviour of mankind was
boxn.
Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of
King David, the ho -me of Bliraelech and
Boaz, and the Ephratah in the history of
demob, is scarcely more than a village in
our own times, unwallede with svhite
stone house.% sib/atoll in a pleasant and
inviting country, six miece south of Jeru-
salem. Its ,pouplation of 3,00 souls emu -
prises Latins, '-reekand Armenians, in
whose little town is built the Church of
the Nativity, dear to millioes of the
Christian faith, covening the supposed
site of Christ's birth.
If you were in Jerusalem, five miles
from Bethlebene, svhen the stsn's rays
had sunk over western Judean Me, you
would see on Christmas eve countless
lights gleam from the solidi !windows of
the house in Jerusalem's narrow, wind-
ing streets. Within these bootee you
would find women malo'ng earnest prepa-
rations for the Feast of the Nativity, be-
fore joining other pilgrims the sante
everting, on their way to the 'hill city..
Much as Eastern women delight in new-
el -17, yet on this special evening they lay
aside armlets, bracelets, nocklitees, and
every kind of adornment, and clothe
themselves hi a simple white veil, in
place of trinkets and highly colored
Marvelous ease of tea Corrigan
which shows that skin diseases here-
tofore considered hopeless can be cured.
Since: childhood, Leo Corrigan had
been tortured with the burning agony
and itching of Illezezne. His parents
had spent a great deal of money itt con-
sulting physicians aud buying medicines
-but all to no purpose.
As he grew olds: he sought other
doctors -some of them specialists. He
was eleven weeks in a "a•oron to hospital -
eight weeks iis bed. At times the irri-
tation aud pain caussal by the EcZ01116
were so severe, life was a burden. He
would get so‘ bad he weld not Walk.
Several winters he could do no wosie.
He Wrote, on rebruary 20, I?)06 :
"In Ntwember, mo5, I hod a
t:ether tadei
and was advisto ed use Mite Otatnna.t., (
thought this would be like the Muer remedies
11150 tried, and of no use to me), but, to my
great delight, a few bourn arter thafIrit
application, / felt great relief.
I have 'used it, now, two nud e-hait months,
end unhesitatingly setae that it is the beet
remedy I ever used. It has worked wonders
for me. Since using Mira Ointment I have
heels Able to week every day--witlsout irritation
or pata-no stiffness of the limbs or sr:terms!.
*teal a hear tbDrson,
"Prem. state of great irritation and some-
times elcetutisting 'mins to freedom front all
Sueh, being tapable of doing hard work abets?
day, is a marvelous change. Mira Ointment
has effected it.
"I strongly retortuttend tiny person afflicted
tvith this terrible coniplaint-nesenta--to SSG
Mire ointment."
What this wonderfully effective Oint•
tnent halo done in thie extreme chronic
MSC, it can do in other Sieetaingly incur-
able eonditions, If vent suffer from any
form Of skireelisener. don't delay.
Certain relief and cure le eeeiting you in
Mire: Ointment, Oct it box to-elices. yoe.
-6 for $2,5e. At dritg-storee-or from
The Cherniste' Co. of Canada, Ltd.,
Hamilton -Toronto, le
ilresises. Long ere midnight comes .they
join the throngi from their own and dis-
tant lands approaching the hallueved soil
Cirri,it's berth,
Nineteen kenburiee earlier wtio
from the Fast travelled a part uf the
very sante Tout (roads seldom ohanging
their course in Haetera eountrieo), fol-
lowing the bright star to Betilleltent:
manger. On their route thither, says a
legend, ,after being interviewed by Herod
in Jerusalem, they lint the guiding star
where they paused to water their one
male. They were greatly troubled, but
to their surprise and joy one of them
noticed the image alt larger etar in the
water, and, looking Ji eavenwerd, sa w
the star itself, which 'went before them
till it ram e and. stood OM where th •
young ehild was."
Oa climbing the pelneel, stony hit
and entering °Bethlehem, poor mei de -
eyed in appearance, not very clean or
sweet smelling, there is descried on the
eolith side the done of the Church of
the 'Nativity, one of the &Meet Christian
edifices in the world. The Church of
the Nativity, MOM the lenge square
building of the Convent of the Nativity,
is subdivided among the Latin, Greek
and Armenian worshippers, to prevent
rivalry, or conflict, on what should be
earth's most peaceable ground. To.
wards this structure., the pilgrims from
all quarten of the globe eagerly Jour-
ney.
Travellers make their passage through
the historic church and descend into the
crypt :where Christ's birth is reputed
to have takee place. Here the wells are
hung with bright, gaudy drapery and
other hangings, amid whieh glistens a
silver star inscribed. 'Ilk! de virgine Ma-
ria Jesus Christi's natns est' (Here of
the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ was
horn). The manager is in a low recess
cut in the rock, reputed to have been
an object of veneratioe and pilgrimage
since the se.cond centery, A. D. Hither
have toiled pilgrims for nigh on 2.000
years, who find it bard indeed to real-
ize that they are gazing 'on ChriestAd
birthplace. Yearly, tons of thousands
in number, the pilgrims prostrate them-
selvs kis 6 the very stones again and
agaili and shed tears in the. world's
most precious ehrine of adoration. Many
itre the pathetic scenes witnessed. At
the midnight hour of Christmas eve,
when 'crowds have gathered in Bethle-
hem, the Latins celdbrate the anniver-
ary of the august event with a pomp
and ceremony which never fails to im-
roes the westerns who may differ from
heir beliefs and mode of worship.
The view of the landscape also from
13etitelehends hill in tit morning hours
s one of unimaginable charm and at -
motion. 'Far away,' writes a traveller,
on the left we see the hazy outline of
Ise blue mountains of 'Moab, stretebing
way. on the other side of the Jot -
an. Occasionaely we catch a brief
litnpse of theeDead Sea, lying far be -
ow the ridge of rugged hills, its placid
eaters shimmering in the sunlight with
beauty that surprises the traveller,
vim aesoelates the salt sea with gloom
nd death.","
Remarkable to add, Bethlehem is the
nly place in all the world which cele -
rates Christmas three time each year.
Ito Latins, or Romans, keep it on Dee.
5; the Greeks, twelve days later, and
se Armenians observe the Feast of the
piphany instead of Christmas; and,
onsequently, the pilgrims in Bethlehem
n Dee. 25 are mostly of the Latin
Much. In Bethlehem, the Bible eity,
se true home of: Christmase the celelira-
ons aro always picturesque and note
ti recalling the promise-lailer.
olds, "And thou, Bethlehem, in the
nd of Jude, are not the least among
e princes el Jude, for out of thee
e a G
all comovernor, that shall rule
y people Israel,' and wonderfully hag
e word been verified that "the batten
!
eern upon the top of the mountains
all cause the fruit thereof to shake
te Lebanon.
The Nativity in Bethlehem has been
preseneed by a hos,t of great painters,
d 'is the inspiring theme of a large
rt of Handel's noblest triuenple the
distal,' The very title of Christmas
ars a 110010 whieh is above evety name
ile the years of the eenturies are not
ted fret). Calvary. but from the eave
Bethlehem. The Cd Jesushilnot only
Ices a place in Listery, hut alr ehis-
ry takes piece in him.
m.
1
a
a
2
tl
ti
ti
la
th
a
111
an
pa
tvh
be
d11.
of
trt
to
When Mary Kissed the Child,
(Ily Charles G, D. Roberts.
Men Mary the Mother kiesed the Child,
And night on the wintry hills grew mild,
And the strange star taunts from the
eourts of air
To serve et It manger with kings in
Then did the day of the simple kin
And the unregarded folk bogie.
When Mary the Mother forgot the palm
In the stable of rock began love's reign.
When that new light on weir grave eyes
broke,
The oxen were glad and forgot their
yoke;
..A.tel the huddled sheep its the far hill
fold
Stirred in their sleep and felt no cold.
When Mary the Mother wive of her
;breaet
To the poor irtn's latest end loveliest
guest --
The God born out of the wootan's side -
The Babe of heaven by earth
Then 414 did the hurt one Mtge to Moen,
And the lorigesupp/anteil came to their
owe.
Whet: Veen tile Mother felt feint hands
Beat at tee? +bosom evith lite)* demancle,
And nought to her weri the kneeling
kings,
The einving Afar end the halteieen wings,
Then wrts the little of earth made great,
And the man tame haek to the God's
sedate,
•
Christmas Chronology.
Certain lege-tele end steriee hued.
ebout Citrietiats cetentottiee ent ces.
tense min the Citristeuas seaeon its so
involved. in fable, that it is cliffietilt to
soparete the farts from treilition, but
it is intereetieg to ;read of the outiquity
of most o f u r e ustoms, w rites Cath-
erine Louise Smith, in the Pittsburg
slazette, Christneei books, for in-
stance, ere so einninen we thine we
l'are tliWayi had 11.em, yet not mail
I1150 was th., first Christ:nes book ieetted
from a publishing leituee Lansion.
Though New Year's creole ars ancient,
4-811553 ineek to the tine' of the Itearane,
when poets wrote eouplets and motteeti
for New Yea bonbons, the Hod Chalet -
wee earn was tot lestwa until 1811, Joel .
eeplre wes onesidered 4 lerge :
eulation. On the other band, the giving
of Citrietinite presents ilatiee back to an-
tiquity, add is undoubtedly of pagan ori-
gin, thouga the priests inslitlitese tho
custom of geeing Chadetinas !same, a eere-
mossy from Minh Boxing Day in Eng-
land takes it name,
Among the footle peestlior to Chalet -
IMO 11000 .18 SO common est plum pad-
ding. The date of the introduction ,of
this favorite dieli • is relegated to the
aim pest,- bet it is prolialee it is not .
older than the eighteente estitery, ss tid,
it appears to have besei "the dans of :
Hanover." Searchers for Um symbolic!
saythat on account of the richness of
the ingredients the plum pudding 48
tyle -al uf tho gifts of the vise men,
bat at eny rate, it is in lenge:nut that
elle dish meet It;t411 the
VrenCli cannot excel the English item,
and the stery is that when Henry IV,
wielvel to entertain n dietingaished
ambassador, he obtained -eeltli intioh
trouble the recipe fur a plum pudding,
The king pee eninnte direetione to the
000k, an4 only forgot one thing -the
cloth. As a nonselowisce, the pudding
turned out it failure of the eonsieteecy
ef sonp, and the disgueted ambassador
wae obliged to partake of it with every
indication of enjoyment, Maltose the
king ordered it. ,
Even the origin of the liaughty mince
pie IS itiVo/Ved in fable. It so oupposed
to he of hastern engin, but it Was the:
eitStOtli to snake mime Ise wen as other
pies oblong in eletpe, representing in
that manner the manger in which the
infant Jes-us was found, Againot this
the Puritans made a vigorous outcry.
but the attempt to prohibit it only
made people more desirous to coneume
it. Good John Bunyan even went so
far as to refuse it when he Was starv-
ing, but in the struggle for supremaey
nenee me conquered, and tte delieeous
dieh has come down to us dripped of
any mystic meaning save that afforded
by the aeute attacks of indigestion fon
!owing its use.
ON THE TOP FLOOR
A STORr Fon al AS
(Clara Marshall.)
"No, me, son," said Mrs. Stanton, with
decision, "1 am sorry to disappilint you,
but when 1 :mid 1 thought Santa Claus
would bring you a copy of erhe Arabian
Nigitts' this year, 1 didn't know that
should be called upon to pay for my type -
Writer befose.
Santa Claus will bring baby a rag doll,
which will do her quite as -muds good as
the bisque doll that I thought she would
get, but you and I will have to go with-
out any presents this Christmas, except
the barrel of apples that grandma sent us
ast week. And that renund$ me, did
you earry Net Staples his apples to-
day?"
"Yes, I dived down into the barrel
and picked out the two biggest and red-
dest ones I could find, jest as you said I
must always do. Baby could, hardly hold
the oae she carried, but she said 'apper'
real plain when she handed it to him, or
when she dropped it on him, I'd better
say, for I had to hold- lier up so she
could see him on his bed. You know his
rheumatism is so bad now that he can-
not get out of bed -but his old grandma
jest won't send for tho doctor. Ned
says she wants him to die."
"011, what a naughty boy to say such
a tiling!"
"Well, mamma, I beend her say 000
day that Ned lived just out of spite.
You see, she is only his etep-grandma,
and that makes a difference. If my
grandma in the country had to take me
to live with her I know she'd never say
such a thing, poor as she is. Ned's
grandpa used to be sort of geed to him
when he was Alive, en Ned says, but h
died a long time ago."
"And are Ned's father and mother both
dead?"
"Yes;- Ned can't remember them a
bit. First, his mother died, and then his
grandpa. When Ned can firet remember
they lived in a 'little house close by
tho sea, but after the rest of them got
through dying, his grandma sold their
house and came to the city to live. I
guess elle didn't get much tor it, or site
wouldn't be living in the top floor like
us. Mamma, when do you think papa
will make that fortune that he Said he
would make out west?"
"I think it will be a very long tinsli
indeed, before -he makes a fortune 'hsj•
belling goods • on commieelon," replied
Mrs. Stanton, sighieg.
•
oatmeal amd baked apples when there
was a knock at the door, followed by
the sound of retreating footsteps, and
when Hugh opened the door, there, be!
fore Wm, was 14 brand-new tricycle. piled
upon which were "The Arabian Nights"
gotten sip georgeously and a blue-eyed
doll with real hair. Hugh dragged them
in without delay but before baby had
given her doll its first hug, Ise rushed
e out again at the sound of a. footstep in
the hall and the need thing Mrs, Stan-
ton heard was, "Avast there. Let go my
rigging, or we'll both go headformost
down the companion way."
Hastening out into the hall.she saw
a seafaring man with it SS;de 48 dark
as mahogany trying to make his way
down the stairs, while Hugh clung to
his coattail.
"Mamma, I've got Santa Claus this
time," exclaimed the boy. "Now, make
him tell just how he happened to know
just what we waisted and where he got
'em. I didn't see any pack when: ho came
in last night."
"Come in Mr. Santis Claus, and tell
us all about
19,'
us Mrs!. Stanton,
smiling, SS she held her door wide open.
Rather reluctantly the seaman came
rolling in (for Hugh was rieht in des-
cribing his gait as "waddling"), and
after settling himself in the chair Mrs.
Stanton dreet up to the stove, and told
the story which be given here in a
few words.
Sesen years before, while ill of yellow
fever in Jamaica, he had been given a
letter informing him of his wife's death,
but not mentionino tho fact that else had
left an infant. This news made ;him so
much worse that, when the shin of whioh
hh
e ad been second mate salted for home
be was reported to he dying. He didn't
die, however; and, when he recovered,
shipped aboard a British sehoond trad-
ing between Liverpool and the West
Indiee, He was English born, and his
American wife being dead, there was
nothing to bring him back to the United
States until, seven years later, having
made a little ile of money by trading en
his own amount, he concluded to invese
m American railway stock. Then visit-
ing his old home, in order to place a
tombestene on his wife's grave, he first -
earned that he had it son, after which
te lost no time in finding him'an easier
natter than might be supposed, as his
on's step -grandma, though elle ehoee to
ive on the top floor of a tenement
souse, and do her own cooking and
wishing, had ten thousand dollars iu the
ank, besides owning several houses In
he little town where she had form.erly
ived.
"Hurray!" burst out Hugh, eueldenly,
fter listening gravely to what Captain
taples had to tell. "And so Santa
Claus brought Ned a, father! Ainft that
olly?"
'Ned thinks, so," replied the captain.
I ned a doctor to see him last night
lid Isis rheumatism has taken a turn
or the better already. I hope to have
15» 025 Ids legs in a day or two."
"A,nd I bet it was Ned who told you
vista we waneen."
. 6
. t
a
ell, mesh he would, for then we a
might have a house of our own, without
any old Mrs. Bennett in it, and Insight 15
have a tricycle; and baby -well, baby is
so easy to satisfy that I don't believe s
s led case to be rich, Sise's awful good
natured, Sometimes, when Ned's shoe].
der and knee -are hurting him awful bad,
he'll speak real cross to her, and she
loesn't get mad as bigger people would
do. Yesterday, when she Was sitting on
the besi by him, and broke one of his
jack -straws, he called her a meddlesome
little bother, and all site 411 svas to grin
at him with her three little teeth; and
then he was sorry and said she was the
best baby alive. Hello! What's that?"
"Go and open the door," said :Mrs.
Stanton. "It may be the postman."
"Yes, so it may," returned Hugh, as
110 san across the room. "lie Sara he
loses so 11111011 breath climbing up the
stain that his whistle gives out before
he gets to this floor."
"Yes; when asked him ;what he'd ,
take is the way of 'Christmas presents, o
he answeeed right meaty, 'A trieyele, the be
Arabian Nights, and it blue-eyed doll.'
eseassesseeeeses-
CHRIST/HAS- GIVING- AND CUM*
The great Malf4t8LolItTIMG.to the work ' 4
was lie with and
men. He kept bitek nothlal. 151 e're5r"-10
particular anti conerete gift (het ipit
20551.4 tle)1t.tin lert,on4 titer- ivit, sce0-
h19g 1 f 1i:•0ee'.1 that :a- N it precOol.lis„,
g,tve r•ometiving ever,)
_it, nil trne giving .ought
1;!.01 455,
• 1-110 tinV4 4.5.4146i ilt4 Ill; L a 31
one that cots the most :lit Ito
one that :merles the most love, 1 t..ty
gift is the tokeo of a per e1fltsltto lore I,
a friendly feeling, 5,4 illti,•ifieh Int ere<
10 the joy ot otheesthen he 11biligbt.
the feeling, Vali intcr_.5t, remun
t' tIse gift is;riiiVt
amlny penpie in the
world Wh011t WO er lose, but
to whom far various 1:1 8.1518 we- satinet
sexy well. eeml Chrietseas gift' -s, Het
its1tilitr neSs:v(ildiltattinlgiteutea 11t.!?ill!tetw.ltlit;111("1‘111•7,st1;1111A:.;
is hardly (nue in ail the levies. of
In the outer eirele, eaeerful wiggings,
,elootstr, tise7,(1
).1,:el.i.kilis,t ti:It
iitis,11;„ein11
i4, t 11,;.:3;11..er elr.
eris
gra telatione, lione 81 ellen setagemen 21
the inmost: enesradeship, Wotan
5I
.1ti:;;tItltistillidtv1111117risti7hip tried by SUP aud
kind of Chrleteme --Henry Van
Dyke, wind,
After Chrietsuas livieg is the hest
Durable frem the daily duet of life.”
• •
How to Cook the Turkey,
ites easier to tell a good turkey than
other lade.. Press the end of the breast
bone and if it gives readily the bird is
apt to be tender. If the bone is sharp
and stiff tilts bird is Leigh, The breast
should also be soft and yielding 0 tte.
bird has beett property fed. If a very
large bird is required a mate turkey ts
the beet to buy, but if it ten or eleven
pottuder 14 enough a hea tui -key is tens
derer and fatter. Two ten -pound hens
are 4 better (home than one of twenty
pounds as the latter could not possibly
beT311.°0ufnagslorite way to cook the Christ -
Mad turkey ss to toast it after it has
been stuffed with bread and mace and
thyme or other spicy things.
A good stuffing is made of equal pole
dons of veal and ham chopped fine. Add
half the amount of chopped suet, the
Berne amount of crakes' crumbs, two tea-
spoonfuls of grated onion and one. of
grated lemon rind, one of salt and pep-
per mixed, and bind all together with
two beaten eggs.
Celery and oyster stufting is one of
the most appetizing when nutde well. .A
pint of celery should be chopped fine
and allowed to simmer for fifteen min.. .
utes in slightly Batten water. Chop small
one cup fulf of •oysters, add a teespoon-
ful of onion juice, a teaspoonful of minc-
ed parsley,. and a teaspoOnfill of sett, •
one-faurth of a teaspoonful of pepper,
the juice of a lemon, end half a cup of '
melted butt en Sometime tide-stuffinre
is made with celery and emahroorns in-
steadarryj
°YsteeltslY
t'ranor apple jelly (the
tart crab apple kind) are the most ap-
propriate sauces to serve with turkey,
and if servel in individual moulds it
saves thee and trouble. If one wishes
to give the turkey a gay and festive
air etiek little cored red apples on the
drumstieloi and lay him ..on a bed of
cross or parsley. The Creole oaks, Who
pride themselves on the tenderness mut
flavor of their tnekeys, always place
'Maree Gobbler' on his breast instead
of on his back, thus allowing -the juice
to rim forward. Frequent basting is e
the secret of malty a tender bird that
would have been it 'toilet proposition'
without ovrr 011 itt:e]s epkrefeortruatiefsinai,bWrohleniin. tgife
bird is alm t n
1
They shoulsl know hOW to__make per,
feet cranberry jelly in New England, 0
any -where, therefore, this reeipe from
the Boston Cooking School Magazine„. '
ought to be standard: Boil -one quart
of eraitherries with a cupfulof water
five minetes, after the boiling point has
been reached. Let the dish be covers,
ed, but lift the cover °mete/laity to
avoid the denger of boiling over. Pass
the berries through a sieve, and add
two cups of sugar. Stir until well mix -
and turn into an earthen or granite
re mould. The mixture will not jelly
snoulded in tins or it tugar is added
fore the boiling ceases, 's• ,se ewe, asee.
Id a mind to seold, him for eventing a
doll, but when he asked me to pile up
the things in front of your door, I was
glad r didn't."
Captain Staples soon moved his son
into more comfortable quarters, but
neither father nor sonforgot those who
had been kind to the latter when, he
needed friends. Mrs. Stanton had to
rauell work given her that her typewriter
went in a gallop all day long, and tus sho
was well paid she was soon able to rent
better rooms and put money in the bank
besides. Mrs. Bennett renedee-1 ' e•
p floor with no company but her eat,
lie Wouldn't het,i, ..a
Captain Staples, "if it dislidt catch its
own !nest, and help out Iler thin ,blankets
on odd nights by sleeping on top of her."
-1 sitelligeneer.
It was not the postman, however, hut as
etrangewho askif tr edhat were 11
13 •
"Noe' eeplied Hugh. "Mrs. Bennet
lives in the hack room. Hold on a min-
ute and bring out a lamp so you can
see, your way and uot stumble over her
tubs,"
"The old woman ought either to clear
her deek or rig up it lantern," said the
stranger; "bitt she was always ai cranky
ohl craft."
"Mists!" exelainved Thigh. "If she
hettrs you, she will blow up Ned when
you go away."
"Oh, if there's to he squalls .1 guess
the and Ned can weather them," replied
the stranger as he began to rap on Mrs.
Bonnet t's door,
"He's got on it big blue overcoat and
ho weblike about just as baby does
when she tries to walk," reported Hugh
to his mother.
“r say mamma, maybe it is Santa
Claus. Don't he ever got himself up to
look like a sailor?"
"Not that ever 1 heard of,"
But that Mrs. Steliton hod not heard
Of everything wee proved by her neet
day's experienee. She mid her children
bad hardly finished their breakfast of
. ON t AIZTII PEACE.
Christ came to bring peace to the
earth, Ile would make peace between
man and male The influence of His life
is softening ell life. The world yields
very slowly to the gentle infleence of
love, but it is yielding nevertheless.
Chrietian civilization, with its institu-
tions of philanthropy and charity, all its
refinement of feeling and all it -s gentle
Inunamities, is the trait of Christ's- life,
teaching end redemption.
Peace is one of the great key -words of
the Bible. It hoe many shades of mean-
ing. There is peace with God, whieth
comee to all who reeeive forgiveness,
'There is the plate with God, width
posseses the heart of him tvho has
learned to entrust his life. with ell It.
perplexities and cares, in the handl of
Oath Christ left tes a bequest to His
disciples flis own peace. and we know
wh-at wonderful peace Ille was. Ho
never worried. Nothing, ever disturbed
for a moment the nmet of his helot.
Even on the cross Hie vette was, not
broken. This peace Ile gives to Itis
friends, if they will reeeive it.
Then there is prate among men, width
woe part of the moaning of the erigele'
song. Whevever the love Of Christ -goes,
it binds hearts together in unity. It
should be ours at this Christmeatide to '
listen again to the angels' song, "On
eerth ,peate," and to let its holy strain
enter deep into our bents. 'Ilde tent be
the true.st and beet Christmas keeping.
It were a sad pity if the glad day Mould
brine to us tely a few presents from /
frierele, the 0152810 of gime joyous carele,
and in air of &einem, and 141105111 not ,
Ileave in our hestris a new gift of petted
and e t a holy uplift of life sward things
Ott are mote tem:divots. -I. II. Miller, „
.D.1).
THE NEW SANTA CLAUS.
My pys a sa'at when he's a boy he never
had no toys
Like Idea old Santa brings 'around to
all as little Wye;
Pe never had an engine that you wound
up with a key,
Nor cars it pulled around the ack, nor
buildineoblooke, 'n' ger -
Pm glad I wasn't him liack
long time ago,
When all he'd- get for Christmas '0d. eost
tweety centre or so.
Pa says old Santa m
never brought a agic,
lantern there,
When he was it just little boy, eor sol-
dier things to wear;
He neves' lind a nelephunt that when
_yens(' pull its trunk,
Wouldi scary noise AA thalle,11 11
to ,8110W.its spunk;
Tht a
hook and ladder trucks; nor
long ago,
the sleds they got were what
their fathers made, you know.
The things pit got for 'Christmas gifts
were mostly things he'd need,
Like 01s,'8 'n' books for sehool instead of
pleasant things to read,
13nt geel guess no wonder Santa Clete
does better new,
'(!515290he's more sensahuller, and he's
praetieed to learn hew.
Pm glad I waen't pa, back there n bog
long time ago,
When all 1514 teye easily •eost,
, twenty cents or ere
I•IKIt SANTA CLAUS ISTTKR,
She wrote it note to Sante Claus,
The queerest note that ever was;
'Twee naught imt eerawle and dote and
rings,
Ihtt, oh
, it meant so misty things!
For little girls, etrimge to believe.
Want many things on tThripUttme eve.
a long,
1
811e asked for chills all dreeried bine,
nil
Ared end pink 48114 purple too;
se asked for dogs, ana eats and toys,
And iestruntente that make
She asked for candies. takes end thing.,
And pop corn strung in lengthy strings.
She sent her note to Santa Clatie
The queereAt note that ever wee,
lee papa, mailesl it early, so
1.'would surely off to Santa go.
TWaS naught but eerawle and dots mut
riegs, •
But oh, 11 meant to many thIngls!
-Joe Cone in Wornen'A Home Compen-
ion tor Demnber.