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fends LL around the season of the Coming of Love aa a little Child there have sprung legends and be liefs, like blossoms in icious clime, which testify with pety to the depth of the appeal of )irth of Christ Here divinely rd symbolism and there sweet tenderness and pathos appear, jlended, they evidence the world' that this was both Son of Man >n of God. Irish legend tells that on Christ 3ve. the Christ-Child wanders out ?ie darkness and cold, and the its still put lighted candles in windows to guide the sacred lit ?t that they may not stumble on way to their homes. And in try the people go yet further in tenderness for the Child. they ?d feasts and leave their doors that He may enter at His will throughout Christendom there ls [lief that no evil can touch any who is born on Christmas eve. Le legend which tells how the very Which lined the manger In which Holy Babe was laid put forth liv |ed olossoms at midwinter at tho of the Babe's body could only (arisen from belief In the renewal p through the Lord of Life. 0i0Ho!y Thorn |T is not so many centuries ago since there was that holy thorn at Glastonbury which med every Christmas, and, so te legend, had done ever since seph of Arteiathea, having come istle to Britain, and, landing at nbury, had stuck his staff of dry >rn into the soil, commanding lt forth leaves and blossoms. This ff straightway did, and thereby ne king converted to the Chris [lth, the faith which ^reached m death. loly thorn of Glastonbury flour luring the centuries until the irs. During those it waa up but several persons had had [owing from cuttings from the" tree, and those continued to |,t the Christ-seaBon, just as rent, which had grown from )h's staff, had bloomed. And e middle of the 18th century :orded in the Gentleman's how the famous holy thorn deign to recognize the new ;ndar, which had then come but would persist In blos: LS of old on old Christmas days the anniversary of the lt the Babe had certainly, lore to the common people [rely a time for feasting and [for giving and receiving; lt rh also a seat a for holy ohr ts, for they refused to go to on New Christmas day, the |rn not being then in blossom, pis became the trouble that the found it prudent to announce [ Christmas day should also sacred as before. Only an lory of men's weak, superstl nds? True, perhaps; but they pr who evidence some spiritual ls than these who wallow In Hy material, and when we I be careful of the cup and the Ive become not over careful of Lents. tnt?fChris?mas Rose. NOTHER of those . spiritual parables ls the legend of the Christmas rose, and lt ' good things, flt for giving, jp ready to the hand which desires to give to the Child. d that a certain maiden^ of tn was so poor that she had 0 give to the Babe to whom jugbt wealth from afar, and, tood, longing and mourning, il appeared to her, saying: thy feet, beneath the snow," >n obeying the maiden found ew flower had miraculously p and blossomed at her needs, ice then, runs this story, this ] flower, with its snowy p?tala ped by suggestions of pinkish to be found at this season; bed, its half-opened cups are Ices of love, and its fully jetais are like a happy Inno? symbols for the gifts for.the spotless innocence, whose 1 the vessel of love. Wnas Eoe Legends. [HERE are several exceeding ly touching legends concern ing bells, which are heard tm burled cities and villages son. One belongs to a vii Raleigh, in Nottingham Id the story runs that once, ?re is now but a valley, there "age which, with every trace d habitation, had been swal an earthquake; but ever Christmas, the bells of the arch are heard to ring as of ar legend ls told of Preston, hire, and yet another and ring one comes from tho ds. It is said that the city was notorious for its-black leless sins, as well as re or its beauty and magnifl o the Sodom of the' middle e our Savior on one anni f his birth, and went, as a >m door to dCor,'but natone fat Christmas keeping city Master of the abondance. Sin inpact os srexy si4& fr^Mf a trace of Christmas bounty and good will, and he called to the sea, which, as of old, obeyed bis voice, and Been, the city of ain, was buried deep, clean out of sight, beneath the waves. But ever at Christmas up from beneath the covering waters comes th* sweet call ing of church bei'3 buried in Been. It is a legend which appears to tell in parable that nothing which ever be longed to the Christ, and was dedi cated to his service, ls ever wholly lost from him and alienated from service; that ever and again something of their Inherent beauty and compelling sweet ness rises from the depths through all seeming ruin. of wood, and that the stone cradle in the Chapel of the Nativity is, indeed, the outer manger. Splendid is that humble stone trough now with white marble, softly rich with costly dra peries, and radiant with a silver star, which ls surrounded by 16 lamps, ever a-lir. But yet more glorious is the wooden manger at Rome, held to be the veritable manger in which the Christ-child lay. It was removed to Rome in the seventh century, during the Mohammedan invasion of the Holy Land, and there it is preserved in a Strong brazen chest, from which it is brought forth on ' Christmas days, when lt is placed on the Grand Altar. It ls mounted upon a stand of sil . er, which ia Inlaid with gold and gems, and the shrine in which it rests is of purest rock crystal. In the days in .which this waa accomplished men, whatsoever max have been their shortcomings in other directions, gave magnificently to the Church Visible. and legend adds that from then until dawn cocks crow. In Ireland it is held that whoso looks Into a mirror on this eve will see the devil or Judas Iscariot looking over his shoulder, surely thought sufficient to drive the hardiest soul to a thought of the inno cent Babe. Another legend tells that, on Christ mas eve, Judas Iscariot ls released from that hell-"his own place"-and ls allowed to return to earth that he may cool himself in icy waters. Wild and improbable although such and such legends appear on their faces, they bear study and repay lt, for we then see that they are full of subtle spiritual expression, as it were; that they are parables of certain spir itual facts, and it will be ill for us should the Christmas day ever dawn on which Buch flowers of tender faith and wonder shall appear to us no more than dry curious specimens from the dead roots of superstition. QPbat Cbrfctnai means. Christmas means hope and | ijfiSs Its realization. The child I JC^\ grows eagerly expectant as | H$ O the time approaches for the . Y M visit of Santa Claus. While 1 J this fiction remains unques Y \ tioned, the imagination K^+^y opens new and wider worlds, and ideals become so much a part ot the mind that the prosaic and commonplace can never crush them. Until the youth reaches man hood and independence, Christmas ls the happiest day of the year. Its gifts and hearty good cheer impress family affection, parental thoughtfulness and brotherly love. The dullest and most Irresponsive of fathers and mothers are uplifted to a vision of higher life by the Interchanges of souvenirs and the merry meeting with children and grandchildren at the table and fire side. Few can escape and all enjoy the meaning* of the festival, the les THE E PHONOG RADITION declares that within the stone manger there "was another one 'stmas Bells. RADITION says that the hour of the Babe's birth was the hour of midnight, x A CHRISTMAS SOLD 5. H. M J TRENTOl Terms to Suit. Corres] sons it conveys ' and"*th?^nl3li?rat?oh It gives, and we enter upon a brighter future and a fuller appreciation of the beneficence of the practice of faith, hope and char#y. The loved ones who have crossed to the other side, the loved near and far who are still with us, the old homestead with its precious memories, the old . church whose sacred associations tie togeth er childhood, maturity and age, love, marriage and death; the schoolhouse where the beginnings of education were so painful, and the ever-increas ing pleasures of the pursuit of learn ing through the high school, academy and college are recalled and recited, and there is exquisite delight in these oft-told tales, and new experiences en liven this blessed anniversary.-Les lie's Weekly. first Christmas Observance. Christmas gets its name from the mass celebrated in the early days of the Christian church in honor of the birth of Christ, its first solemnization having been ordered by Pope Telesphorus. This was in or before the year 138, for in that year Pope Teles phorus died. At first Christmas was what. ls known as a movable feast, just as Eas ter is now, and owing to misunder standings was celebrated as late as April or May. In the fourth century an ecclesiastical investigation was or dered, and upon the authority of the tables of the censors in the Roman archives December 25 was agreed up on as the date of the Savior's nativ ity. Tradition fixed the hour of birth at about midnight, and this led to the celebration of a midnight mass in ali the churches, a second at dawn and a third in the later morning. CHRISTMAS IS A PROPHECY lt Forecasts the Perfect Social Con ditions Which Will Fulfill the Promises of Christ. Christmas is not only a fact com memorating the one sacred festival in the world's calendar, but the glor ious prophecy of a coming day, sur passing all the brightest social dreams that have ever visited the most ad vanced human mind. He sprang, on His human nature side, from kings and peasants, from saints and sinners. He is yet to lift every peasant to the kingliest throne of character and trans form the chief of sinners into the holiest of saints. He allied Himself with poverty and the common people He is yet to banish poverty with all its ills, from the world, and to give to common humanity their rightful sovereignty. He worked with His hands for His daily bread. He is yet to dignify and glorify in the thought of mankind all honest toll. He hon ored woman with His sympathetic and appreciative regard. He is yet to re lieve her from every form of serfdom created by the past ages. He took little children in His arms and blessed them. He is yet to make blessed the child life in every welcoming home. He gave His peace to His distracted disciples. He ls yet to make wars cease unto the end of the earth. He united Hi? brethren with Himself and His Father in one unbroken oneness. He is yet to make every man a broth er to his fellow-man and at one witl his Father in Heaven. _- a The fellow with red hair should have no hesitancy in telling a girl he would dye for her. The most humble can sometimes make an opening for others. Take the grave digger, for instance. A woman is apt to take a man for what he is worth, and the more he ls worin the quicker she'll take bim, DISON rRAPH. SUGGESTION. BY iNGET, V, s. C. pondence Solicited. FW* rasa mm . s m V'S Company The holiday season is almost upon us and everybody is more or lesspuzzled as to where they will make their purchases. Come and let us help you to decide. We have a superb line of furniture suits, china closets, wardrobes, dining tables, dining chairs, rockers, library tables, hat racks, rugs, art squares, etc. Any of these articles would brighten the home for the Christmas season. Our Wagon and Vehicle Department Was Never Better Stocked Let us sell you a new farm wagon or a new buggy or carriage. We sell the best and are very reasonable. See our Large Assortment of Cut Glass and Silverware. OUR Prices are Very Lon. ?wi tl Lott-Walker Co. JOHNSTON SOUTH CAROLINA ww wsw Cir . . ^? *i: . ^? ^ * I PIANOS! PIANOS! rai Are you thinking of buying apiano? If so no doubt you want a good instrument: one that will last a life time and give satisfaction. If you buy an Strich & Zeidler piano or an Adam Schaaf piano you will have no cause to regret it. They are made for service. If inter ested let us hear from you We always keep on hand a nice stock of the celebrated FAR RAND ORGANS. Your pat ronage solicited. Holland Brothers Greenwood, S. C.