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She was the kind of child that peo ple called "just the sweetest thing," and no one doubted that sne would grow up to be a beautiful woman. Silky, golden ringlets covered her head, and large eyes which seemed sonietimes gray and wistful, but oftenest just the tint of the violets, lighted up a round, chubby little face. The. scarlet lips were usually parted In a friendly smile, disclosing a row of snow-white, baby teeth, and the nose confessed to the slightest tilt. Mary Elizabeth, she had been christ ened, but when only a few months old she had been pronounced by her proud nu-rse "simply angelic-just the image of a wee little cherub," and-since then all thought of the real name seemed to have been forgotten; thenceforth this fat, rosy little piece of humanity was known as "Cherub," and only as "Cherub." Everyone loved her, for she had an amiable disposition, and when she laughed and each cheek dimpled pret tily, she was irresistible. But woe to the person who incurred her displeas ure. A frown from her meant trou ble, and during the five years of her life her parents had grown to kncw that when that little face puckered a storm was brewing, and that it would be well to take Miss Cherub in hand at once. This young lady was bubbling over with mischief, and generally when they found her sitting alone with that faraway, saintly expression, they knew that way down beneath those curls a plan of action was being formed which would-surely get some one into trouble-undoubtedly Bob by. Her chief delight was found In making this small brother her accom plice, leading him on to carry out her -:ampaigns and having him receive the punishment. When she was con fronted with the charge, "Cherub, you started that!" she would raise those wide, innocent eyes, look straight at her accuser, and say with the slightest droop to the corners of aer mouth: "Bobby did it." At pres ent, however; she was being "awful good," for to-morrow would be Christmas and sh, 'ad placed many tetters up the chiney. of the fine,. big Fifth avenu. :esidence, asking Santa Clause for all sorts of nice presents, which she was sure not to get unless she was an obedient little girl. Christmas morning, before any one in the house bpt the servants was awake, the two children were excited ly whispering together about what jolly old Saint Nicholas had left for each, for sleep was far distant, and nurse's scolding and attempt at per suasion was of no avail. * Near breakfast time Aunt Glady's Dnpont, their mnother's pretty young -sister, just two years out of board ing school, who had lately arrived to spend the holidays with the family, came to the nursery and with a hearty "Merry Christmas!" kissed each of the children, and told them that they could get dressed and come to the dining room. Immediately on finishing breakfast Mr. Baldwin would unlock the li brary door.here each year the tree and stockings a.waited them; of course, - the children would eat noth ing. At last every one was ready and statidned just outside that enchanted rooin. Impatiently jumping up and down, hardly daring to breathe, the little ones urged father to hurry. * .-'When they burst into the brightly lighted room it was good to see their ~ faces. Their shouts and screams of delight and loud "Ohs!" and "Ahs!" could be heard all over the house, as each discovered his many gifts under the brightly decorated tree. When, an hour after, Cherub and Bobby were "dragged off to church," as they were pleased to express It, they left their hearts as well as dolls and woolly dogs in the library at home. Naturally they squirmed and twisted through the whole ser-en. and occasionally whispered to each other in eager tones. That afternoon they were allowed to invite four of their little friends to a small party. They were all playing under the tree with the Christmas things, and as Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin had gone to walk Gladys proposed having a game of "I spy" with the youngsters. As she announced this Cherub, who was always the leader, yelled, "Hurrah for Aunt Gladys. Now she can be it!" and then whis pered, just as audibly, "No, '.sob, I choose to get under the sofa, stop pushing me! "-as they were hiding. "Coming, ready or not!" called Gladys, as she started off on a hunt that proved fruitless. As she ran into the hall to continue the search * she came face to face with the man to whom she had but recently been engaged. It was the first time she had seen him since the night, three PUZZLE] SAT CLU Sana las s hoin thil /o he hil ron Y. LZAMrTt4130NtY BARRY -weeks before, when she had returned ie ring and refused to listen to the e:xplanation which would have cleared t:ae misunderstanding, and although since then she had been miserable and had admitted to herself that she was in the wrong, she was deter mined that he should never know it. There was the old Dupont pride again! For one moment they looked into each other's eyes, and then with a cold nod she turned away and busled herself with the game, which for the time being she had forgotten. Very li.ttle interest she felt, however, in anything but the man who had so un expectedly appeared on the scene, and wh- at that very moment, before her astonished eyes, was coolly loung ing in a Morris chair, glancing care lessly over a magazine. When the first surprise was over she became embarrassed. As though reading her thoughts Jack Burrows spoke. "When will Fred and Fan be in? You see, I wrote Fred at least two weeks ago that I would come to spend Christmas day if possible, and having never heard anything more from me I suppose he entirely forgot it. How long have you been here?" Cherub, hearing a familiar voice, ran from her hiding place, and was soon comfortably settled on Jack's knee, while the other children, who had followed her, Jumped around and shrieked, no one knew just what for. Jack was a great favorite at the house, and the brnken engagement with Gladys had been a source 6f disappointment to all, especially to THE HOLLY MERCHAI 12 -,6 Mr. Baldwin, with whom Jack had been intimate ever sinc.e the days of Yale together Gladys fled furiously to her room, where all the rest of the afternoon she nursed her woes. Just before dinner time Mrs. Baldwin came to comfort her, and tell her how Fred had never even mentioned Jack's talked-of visit, and how the meeting at the house was a big mistake, which all wished had been avoided. But the injured one would hear noth ing of it. "It was very unkind of you and Fred to bring us here together when yoi know how I hate him. I do hate him,." she sobbed, with a little stamp, and I refuse to have anything to do with him whatsoever. I know that ae was in the plan, too, and you all :hink you can make everything all :ight again, but you can't, you can't. I shall stay in my room this evening after dinner, so don't try to persuade me to entertain him. Take him out with you; I shan't go." With this declaration she dismissed her sister, and when at dinner a lit :le later the four sat in almost abso ute silence through the meal, in spite f the efforts of Fan and her husband o make conversation, it was evident that she meant e.tactly what she said. True to her word, after the ordeal was over Gladys excused herself. She spent about as miserable an evening up stairs as Mr. Jack Burrows spent down stairs alone in the library be iore the blazing wood fire. Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin had gone to a reception to which both their guests had re fused to accompany them. Cherub and Bobby had been put to bed, and were then probably seeing in their dreams sparkling Christmas trees and all kinds of toys. By 10 o'clock Gladys, worn out ICTURE. CIL ADT HIDE ken te rod toSantvil. Where with her own thoughts and tired a her room, decided to go down int< the library and enjoy the fire. Wh: should she punish herself in this way cooping herself up in that gloomy ol< room, and what harm would it do t be simply friends with Jack, were th questions she had been turning ove in her mind. At last down she came, much t the b>ewil'derineint and secret pleasuri of the gentleman musing before. th fire, and cosily settled herself in i huge chair bcside him. Neithe spoke, for neither knew just how ti open the conversation. The silence was becoming- unbear able when a tiny noise heard in th hall caused them to glance towar the door. There on the stairs wit] her night dress -clutched a bit up oi one side, displaying her little bar, feet, and with her eyes wide open a though sleep had never visited then stood Cherub. As she caught sight of her friend her face broke into the most mis chievous of smiles, for did she no know that the place for her at tha hour was up stairs in bed? Gladys who welcomed 4ny interruption t the suspense, ran, caught up th child, and cuddled her warmly in he lap. "Where's mother and father? Cal I get some candy out of my stockin over on that chair? When is you go ing to bed?" came the questions pell mell, never waiting to be answered To Jack's inquiry as to how she hap pened to come down stairs in th, night in that fashion, she replied tha she had waked up and couldn't ge to sleep again. "I thought it would be nice t come down here with the Christma tree and pretty lights and play dolly More fun than lying in bed, 'cause got so hot," was the explanatioi which she seemed to think justifle< T OF YE OLDEN TIME. 4k her advent. At this the young co pie laughed heartily. "Is Mr. Jack your bean, aunty, and do you love him this much?" was her next query, at the same timp~ stretch ing out her arms as far as her chub by shortness permitted. "You love aunty, don't you, Mr. Jack? I love you both, and I love Santa Claus, too, and-mother and father-and Bobby,' doubtfully, "when he's real good." By this time Gl-ady's face was crim son, and angry tears rose in her eyes. The idea of being pnade a laughing stock, even by a child! Then as the little arms stole around her neck all the bitterness melted away and only love and long, ug filled her heart. "Aunty, when isyou and Mr. Jaci going to get maried? I'm going tc be flower girl a.nd have a white dress andi Dink roses. Mother said 'very soon,' when I asked her a long time ago," rattled on the unsuspectina youngster. It was then that Gladys threi pride to the winds, for from the midst of Cherub's tangled curls came a muffled, but very tender, "Yes Cherub, very :oon," which jnst reached Jack's ears. He started joy ously from his chair. "Oh! Cherub, it's so late you inus1 o back to bed. What will mothe: say?" And Gladys picked up the lit te fairy and carried her to the stairs where she kissed her many times. Then with happy, sparkling eyes and a little bright spot on each cheek she went back into the library and stood beside Jack. Together the: watched the child climb the steps. "Good night, little Cherub," the: called after her as Jack took both thi girl's hands in his, and By this time Cherub had disap peared, and was crawling happil: back into bed.-The Pathfinder. *iEPING The. 5CRET. I h&e'a 5se'n" emt b Santa Cauy Antdhe Will net/er tellI; Du; Ordearnwmo/er if:ucodgy But Santa Clauy a7n me. [NyfIouIdte///ou, rnot/rdair -? I) ure you MJoufd /or4' t kn&o~; Can you Witf/ (4rnia.dopwtA The day am So &ry/&i! Ij5t / J?f J dn'J71.0y$ Jd6 name b 4th C! Oh. my, arn't er'/ fun? And/<an he'ept ,<anti..anraa? I ne'-ir g,bu,d WJh,;f/>r oe! Christmas Anxieties. Dolly-"Doesn't it worry you aw fully to think what to buy for Tom? Polly-"Of cou:rse, but it worrie: i-me more to think about what Tom is liha to buy for me.'' - TIIE 'MIDDLE DOY. I'm only just the middle boy, So all last year I wore Deianey's clt*Ies. Most ev'ry toy I had was his before. But 1'm "so hard on ev'rything"' (That's what nw family say,. Right from the shops they have to brin B New clothes for 1Richard Gray. Delan,ey nways says. "Why, Jim, I wouldn't care one bit!" You'd think thevd be just fun for him s Old clothes that <nn't (uite &it. But fa.her talks a 4iff rent way. a"Not ver long ago I was a middle~-boy." he'll qay. t "You hurry up and grow!" -Elizabeth Linicoln Could, in Youth Companion. r A LITTLE AMATEUR CHEMISTR' Alcohol is a very interesting liqui i and many entertaining e7perimen may be made with it. If you try 1 - dissolve various substances in it, f< example, you will find that those i an oily or- gummy nature, which wi - not dissolve at all in water, will ni a only dissolve in the alcohol, but ac t ually disappear. t Take camphor as an illustratio: if dropped into water it will sprep > out and not be soluble in it at al s while in alcohol it will dissolve ar leave the liquid clear. Alcohol has a curious trick whe mixed with water. Put some watt 'into a graduated- measuring tub and after pouring it into a glas measure the same quantity of alc hol. If you mix the two you will fin a shrinkage, as the two liquids wi measure less together than the su: of the two,measured separately. Drop into a glass about a te. spoonful of the raw white of an e; and over it pour a tablespoonful< alcohol. You will be amazed, r doubt, to see the white of the e THE LIQUIDS BEFORI cooked, as if by heat. But you mu~ not try eating it; that you hav cooked It without heat is enough. Now prepare a basin of water, an when it is very still drop some alc< hol on the surface. When it strike the water a little pit will be formec like a dimple it. the smooth surfact This is because the fluid on the sw face is; heavier and stronger than th alcohol, and pulls it away in ever direction, making a slight indents tion. Fill a glass with alcohol, and ge at a drug store some aniline dyei the form of a powder. Drop ever s little of the dye into the gla.ss, andi will reach down through the alcoh< like a thread of color. This will d: vde into two branches, which wi again divide and subdivide, unt your glass looks as If it contained miniature inverted plant, growing he fore your eyes. If you will arrange mirrors t throw the reflection of it on the wal the shadow thrown will be much eI larged, but the process is interestin to watch in either way.-New Yor Mail A FOUR-YEAR-OLD HERO. Clarence Osborne, of Wincheste: Mass., is the youngest person in th whle world to receive the medal< a humane society for bravery. Clarence is only four, and in a his short life he had never been ac dressed as "Mr. Clarence Osborn< No. 5 Nelson street, Wincheste: Mass.," till the Humane Societ called him that on the package whic -th postman left for him one morn ing. a week or two ago. He was S awestruck at his own Importance "Mr. Osborne"-that he stood by a let his mother open the parcel, bring ing to light from its many wrappmni a small black leather, plush-line -case. Inside the case--but heI Clarence decided to take a handi the operation himself--Was a han< some bronze medal. Inscribed on t': back were the words: "To Clarence Osborne. For bra' ery in saving a life in Wincheste January IS, 1906." On the front was engraved: "Presented by the Massachuset Humane Society.' But this is just the end of ti story. The beginning? Oh, th~ was 'way back last January, on oi of those cold, cold days that frees over the ditches and puddles at ponds, bringing out all the boys at girls who haven't got the toothacl or measles to coast or slide. Ar the boys pull their earpieces dos over their ears and the girls g their mothers to tie their heads-ti little girl's heads-up in clonds at i~o~n scarfs, and away the lads at lassies strike across the ice, and e erybody screams and "hollers" at squeals as hard as he and she can. - Clarence knows just how it is, ft his family and relatives, the MullE 3family, live near Black Ball pond,: Winchester. Through the middle the pond is a channel where t4 water is constantly in motion, belt fed by springs, and where in wint< the ice is thinnest. Clarence and his blue-eyed cousi Josephine Mullen, ran down to ti pond one of those snappy wint days. It was frozen over and, aft: Clarence hadI thumped on it with h DEPAZTUMNT "The ice is all right," they crIed "Come on, let's try it." Soon they were sliding merrill back and forth. Every time the took a slide they would go on a lit tle further from the shore and the: a little further, till Crash! Something went throug, the ice with a little, wild piercin crY, and Clarence stopping in hi tracks, was terror-stricken to se Josephine's little face disappear I a dark hole right over the channel. "Hold cn, Josephine," cried th ,four-year-old youngster. 'Tll b there in a minute." o With only a single thought-tha of saving her he ran to the edge o the yawning hole and caught th shoulders of the little girl as she ros terrified to the surface. With the ic ir sagging under him and the wate flowing up over the edges, he clun to her, screaming for help. And that was what his mothei busy in her kitchen, heard. Runnin; out, with a frantic grip of terror a her heart, she rushed out on the ic d and clutched her boy by the fool 1 Then she dragged them both to safe dty. A few days later Clarence founi 'himself being interviewed by a agent of the Humane Society. Suc a modest little hero as he made: "I had to keep hold of her-she' d been drowned if I'd let go," was th 1 way he dismissed the subject. Di a that answer have something to d with bringing the Liedal Perhaps. . Anyway, the medal followed no so very long afterward. For this wa clearly a case where a child's courag 0 and love for his playmate had rise: Z superior to ,ll selfish terror. 44 AND AFTER MIXING. t Heroism has many different de e grees and qualities. But little Clar ence Osborne already ranks amon, i the thirty-third degree heroes of th -country. 3 More than that, he is in a class b: himself, as the yo.ungest recipient 0 .a hero medal in the world.-Tribun .Farmer. -Fame For Friends Only. -Now I wish to say again to you al that in sending me anything whatso t ever you need not be afraid of gettini your name in the paper, if you wi] y do as I requested some timne a'gc t Just put this sign on the package 1 card or whatever else, and you ma: -rest assured your name will not be i: 1 the paper, so far as I am concerned 1 (N). Now ain't that easy to make a and it says, No. There was a lad: -in to-day who said she would be of fended should I write her name > When 1 had been thinking for sey 1, eral days of sending her, among oth -ers, a card with my picture on it, bu I am glad now that I found It out il ; time, for when I know that peopl don't wish to have me write thei names I will not do so under an: I 'ircumstances whatever. Life. death feast or funeral, and from this dat I will say that I will also never writ the name of any person on earth whi f I may have reason to think is not friend to me, as I am writing t 1 please my friends, none others, ani -don't forget it. Now a joke. would give Si to see the paper corn out just one issue with no one's nam n it or on it. I think it would be great kuriosity and kapabole of kaus ing a krasy ktripple to go to Kalifor nia or K~alimazoo. - Middletow: Times-Press. -Railroad's Eucalyptus Grove. s The Santa Fe has begun plantin: trees on its land in San Diego Coun ty, Southern California. The trae n is 8650 acres in extent and is know: 1- as the Rancho San Diegito. Iti e near Del Mar. It will be converte' into a eucalyptus grove. About 70s -acres a year will be planted for , number of years. The wood will b used for ties and piles. F. P. Host who has charge of this class of work sestimates that $3000 worth.of timbe for ties can be raised on one acre .e The red gum will be planted, as thi' t as well as the sugar and iron bar: .e varieties of eucalyptus, has bee: :e shown by experiments in Australia t d last more than twenty-five years ur d derground, while the blue gum WIl .e not last more than three years unde ground.-Railroad Gazette, t Make More Iron. eIt is a fact worth recording i: d p roof of the progress made by th .d German iron industry that the num -br of the workmen has not risen i d proportion to the increase of prc duction. In 18,95 the productio: r amounted to 5,500,000 tons, and th a workmen numbered 24,059; in 190 n the prodluction had risen to 10,000 )f 000 tons, and the. number of worl y men only to 35,284; while in 1S9 .g the quantity produced per head c r workmen employed amounted to 2 tons, the~ quantity had risen in 190 a, to 285 to-is. That is to say, the tc te tal number of workmen increase r duing the decade 1895 to 1904 b rforty-seven per cent., but the quar I tity in.creased by eighty-four pe ce-..-London Engineer. - D Household matters Care of Matting. Mattings never should be subjec to an oversupply of water. C should be ecercised towards keep it unstained. When it beco: soiled, however, use a soft cloth v wrung out in a suds made of bo soap and water, and air thoroug by leaving a window open until 1,ct is dried. Dampness must be moved from matting as speedily possible. Use a pliable, not too s1 broom for matting. Always sw . well first any flooring or floor cov i ing which may be spotted or sol and needs a damp application. Safe Red Coloring Matter. s To a correspondent asking foi e safe red coloring matter for ca i and sweetmeats. The Druggists' ::ular (September) recommends a color from red beets as easily L tained and economical. Says t paper: "It is said that a good way t obtain this coloring in perman form is to heat the beets in an ol until quite soft; macerate w about an equal quantity of vineg express; evaporate the result liquid to one-half Its original N ume and then make up to the ox inal value with alcohol. For extf poraneous use the liquor fr 'pickled beets' as ordinarily prepa: " for the table (that is, boiled in wal t sliced, and then covered with v egar) would presumably give a di enough shade. Canned beets are market and will answer as well the latter case as the fresh articl Care of Flatirons. Many people have been annoyed finding their irons quite rusty af I they have been put away a few da a The way to prevent this happening before you put them away, to rul 3 little warm grease over them 2 then wrap them up in brown pal t When you take them out to use s them into hot water that has hat small piece of soda dissolved in 1 rub dry, and then put them to h in the usual way. When they ready to be used on the ironing bo. have a piece of brown paper wit) little powdered bath brick on it a rub the surface of your iron w this. It seems rather a lengthy p cess, but it really does not take 14 to do, and housewives will be warded for the trouble they h, taken by finding the irons delig fully smooth and easy to use, z when they are like this the iron :an be done twice as quickly.-M sachusetts Ploughman. Home-made Lamp Shades. These lamp shades are easily m; uf.ctured, and add a pretty effect the room, as well as shade the Ii, to the eyes. Cut a piece of stiff paper in a< -cular form and of the depth desir -and glue the two ends together piece should be cut out of the cir Sto make the shade "funnel-form Sthus making a foundation. Co this neatly, Inside and cut, w ~crinkled tissue paper of any desi1 Sshade. Then cut inch-wide str Sand make the shade by looping fastening these upon the foun tion. The loops are graduated length, with the exception of1 1 small ones at the top, which - formed to resemble a ruching. A r i of narrow crystal fringe ses 1 around the bottom of the foundat! -makes a pretty finish, and a I ,sprays of artificial maiden-hair ft i disposed among the loops adds a 1 ishing touch. The shade, if for - lamp, must be placed over an Sbestos foundation; if for a cand Smica should be used. Paper foun< - tion is only for use when the obj - Is ornamentation only.--The Cc - moner. H I1TS FOP, TME~ IOUSE.KEEPER 3 If a bottle of the oil of pennyro )is left open in a room at night nc L mosquito will be found there in ) morning. Mud stains may be removed fr tan leather shoes by rubbing th Swith slices of raw potato. When d Spolish- in usual way. -When selecting fish for the ta choose only those in which the e 1are full and prominent, the flesh fi and thick, the scales bright and sti Teapots that are made of metal unused for some time, will often g a musty flavor to the tea when n used. This may be prevented t placing a lump of sugar in the tea i before putting it away. In washing woolen goods t: 1 should never be rubbed, but clean Sby drawing through the hands I and down. Wring as dry as possil 3 and rinse in a tub of hot water ,which a little soap has been solved. r A practical housewife has disc .ered that empty pasteboard crac , boxes and the clean white wooi r boxes lined with paraffin paper, 1 excellent to bake sponge cake ) They will not burn and the paper 1 - vents the sticking. 1 When frying chicken add a cuj hot water after the chicken is tl oughly brown on all sides. Let water boil down until the pan is most dry again. This makes a chicken very tender. e It is useful to remember in cc ing potatoes that after the water been strained off the pot should -given three or four sharp jerks sc Ito toss the potatoes. This has e effect of making them white floury. Prepare a strong lukewarm sc 5suds. Dip the feather in the s Sand draw it through the hands as Sten as necessary, but don't let it Smain in the soapy water. If it -very dirty it will require two si SRinse in clear, cold water. W 7 thoroughly rinsed draw it thro .the ha,nd repeatedly until about( , then slap it with the hand to br 't ount fluffy. H llIAN ENDEAYODNOTES 12 DECEMBER TWENTY-THIRD. ted How Can We Carry the Christmas are Spirit Through 1907?-Luke 2: ing 8-20. nesI nels Christ's birth seen from afar.-Isa. rax Its cheer foretold.-Ps. 18:1-9. bly "Good tidings."--Isa. 40:,-11. the Out of Bethlehem.-Mic. 5:1-7. re- Son of David.-Ps. S9:20-37. as Sweet story of old.-Matt. 1:18-25. iff, The shepherds "were sore afraid." aep Christ came to bring heaven's glories 'er- near, and take away our fear of them led (.- 9). The Christmas joy would not be a joy to any people if. it were. not "to all people" (r. 10). a First comes "glory to God"; not un es til wa seek that with all our hearts kir- may we expect "peace on earth" (v. ~14). the The shepherds had the true Christ ob- mas idea. What they had seen, they his made a Christmas gift to all that to would listen (v 17). nt Our year will be a success if we ren write on every day: Give! a failure, ith If we write Get! ar; If we can carry the Christmas srir git, it will carry us, over all obstacles ,o1- and to all happy goals. As it Is not what you give at Christmas, so much as how you give m- It, so it is less what you do In life om than how you do it. red The Christmas spirit Is greatly pro :er, moted by the merry% greetings. With -in- changed words, prolong them through ep the year. in - The Christmas tree must have its in roots in the heart, or it will bear no e..sound fruit or. its branches. Christmas centres around the fire place because there the family gather, at and no solitary enjoyment is Christ mas joy. ter If Christmas gifts weighed accord 'y ing to the love in them, some pianos is, would be light as feathers, and some a pen-wipers would weigh tons. .nd "I wish you a merry Christmas!" ier. goes halfway to the goal; "I'll make dip you a merry' Christmas!" touches the I a goal-post. it, ' To Think About. eat Have my past Christmasses been are full of Christ? Lrd Do my Christmas thoughts centre L a about myself? Lnd Is giving the best part of my ith Christmas? ro ong O E ORTH LE6UE LESSONS ht Lnd SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23. ing as- Lessons of the Manger.-Luke 2. 7-20. The Daily Readings. to Teworld's exclusion of Jesus. ht v- 7 The lowly sign of the Christ-child. .ir -v. 12. er- The m- ifestation of the Child e'Cirist.--v. 13. (a The recognition of the wise men cle Matt. 2. 1-12. "), The recognition by two illuminated, j rer lingerin~g souls.-Luke 2. 25-38. ith Heavenly watch-care.-Matt. 2. 12 red 14; 19-21. ps In view of the many precious "les nd sons of the manger," Christmas ought ato be characterized by a kind of sol iemn merriment. Let our "A Merry m:Christmas to You" be charg'~' with he =conceptions of the profound signifi are cance of the day. The early church ow seized upon many a heathen festival, 'ed and stamped it with ecclesIastical lon authority, seeking thus to make easy ew the crossing over from paganism to rn Christianity. So Christmas came to n- have, among our far-back ancestors, the boar's head feast and the drinking a bouts of Scandina.via and Germany. as- Let there be'festivity, but let there le, be- also songs of gratitude, and the Ia- bestowment of gifts 'to the needy, in ect remembrance of God's unspeakcabe n- Gift to us. RAM'S HORNBLSTS HE preaching of a r . *glogous Christ is - often undoneby a gloomy church. - It is often bet yal ter to give aiman t a .. lighxt on his way. the than to lead him in it,. om - Some folks em 'never see Divine y Provldence ex cet in their daily ble provender. yes Things are seen by the eyes only rafter they are appreciated by the heart. The secret of mastering the flesh eis not in ignoring it, but in giving it by a worthy task. pot The mill is sure to be swept away when the church tries to grind its tey grist with the devil's power. sed He loses his intellectual powers who up does not put them out at interest. ale, So long as you despise your fellow in you shut your heart to the spirit of 11s- Christ. Many a preacher loses his power by :o- pointing men the way he has never len one are The object of your worship is not In. that on which you brood. >re- Unnecessary friction with our fel lows takes from life's force, but the p of necessary friction adds to it. the of walking alone is that when the al- boaster falls he does not fall alone. te In time of temptation let the light Oof the Sun of Righteousness shineN ha- and you can see the difference be ha tween gold and tinsel.. >as No architect ever yet designed a the monument heavy enought to hold and down a man's ,guilty past. Many a man will fipd when the. ap- light of Heaven searches out the uds sources of his revenue, it will make of- his righteousness look rather ragged. 1sWHEN HE WANTED HER. ids- Mlother (to convalescing boy)--4 ben Now, Bobbie, in case you should want .igh me, just ring this bell. Iry - Bobbie-But, mamma, I'm not sn trong enough to ring it all the time -The Reader.