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! ? ?? j > lewis m:. grist, proprietor. J 2U fnirtjpkitf Jfantiljj ffctospptr: jfor % promotion of fjje political, JJotial, ^gritnlteral anir Commercial Interests of fjre J?out{). |terms?$2.50 a year, in ADYANCE. VOL. 33. YOEKYILLE, S. C.. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1887. ISTO. 51. Me festal J$eam. THE CHILDREN'S FRIEND. "A BUNDLE OF TOYS HE IIAD FLUXG OX HIS BACK, .. AXD HE LOOKED LIKE A PEDDLER JUST OPENING HIS SACK." BRIGHTEST AND BEST. Brightest and best of the Sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid; Star of the east, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. Colcl on his cradle the dewdrops are shining, Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall, Angels adore him in slumber reclining, Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all. Say, shall ye yield him in costly devotion. Odors from Edom or offerings divine, Gems from the mountain or pearls from the ocean. Myrrh from the forest or gold from the mine? Vainly we offer each ampler oblation. Vainly with gifts would his favor secure. Hicher by for is the heart's adoration, Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor. ?Old Hymn. ONE CHRISTMAS. BY OLIVE HARPER. "That there Mar thy Avery is the foolishest critter that ever lived, I swan to man! Here's her father dead, and she left with all that brood of her stepmother's young ones; and instead of sendin' 'em to their grandfather she ups and says she is goin' to .support 'em herself. She won't get my Jabez if that's her idee, for I'll just put my foot down." "Martha is a likely girl." "There's three gals and a boy baby, and they hain't no call nor claim on her. There's them as would make her a good, forehanded provider, but no man won't take a hull family on his hands to onct. It's bad enough marrying widders, but nobody wants a lot of sickly young ones a-eating up all the substance of a farm. No, indeed!" "Wall, you know, Mrs. Hemphill, Marthy feels as if the children hes as good a right as herself to the farm; they was her father's." "Yes; but he didn't make no will, and the farm and the settin' out was all Marthy's own mother's, so nobody can't dispute her claim. Besides, what does a slip of a girl like that know 'bout carryin' on a farm, I'd like to know?" "It's too bad; but, as you say, she'll find how hard it is to manage a farm. I am greatly exercised for her, and I'll ask the sisterhood to make her a subject of an address to the throne of grace," said Mrs. Pringle as she gave a little sigh, and folded up her kitting to take her seat at Mrs. Hemphill's well filled tea table, for Bhe had ridden over to spend the afternoon and have a good visit. Jabez, Mrs. Hemphill's only son, and his father came in and took their accus tomed places, and the father asked a very long blessing, and reached his hand out 1* 4 -1 ~ uuu cupiurcu ? au mo oauiu iuument that he delivered his "amen." Jabez was a handsome, frank young fellow, who worked very hard and had no vices, hut who possessed a fair share of manly virtues. lie found time, somehow, after the multifarious duties on a farm were done, to study, and to slip over to the Avery farm very often. Being a steady and handsome young fellow, his mother naturally looked on him with pride, and now she felt that she was doing her duty as a wise mother in discountenancing such a foolish action on Martha's part as adopting her three little half sisters and baby brother. Meanwhile, Martha was working, as if her life depended upon it, over a refrac- 1 tory churning, and her pretty face was wrinkled into a frown and her cheeks flamed crimson, and little sparks of anger i seemed to shoot from her eyes that had yet a suspicion of tears not far off. She jerked the dasher with vindictive little movements, as if she wished she had some particular person under the dasher, and withal it did seem as if that butter i was bewitched. ] "I don't wonder it won't come," said Martha, at last. "Hateful old thing! As < if I depended upon her, or as if I wanted 1 her 'Jabez.' I guess I can manage a farm; at any rate, I must try, for with I God's help I will take caro of these poor little children. Addie can help take care of the others?and I think she is crnel Oh!" This exclamation was brought forth by the sudden sight oi! Jabez, as he sprung over the fence and walked into the well kept kitchen without a word of warning or invitation. He walked directly up to Martha and clasped both of his hands around hers as she held the "dasher," and said cheerily: "Well, Martie, how are you? Here, you sit down and let me do this, and I can . look at you all the while, and that will pay me for my work." "it's too bad." 1 Martha had intended to be very digni- I i fled and cold, and to show that she did not need 'lie advice, assistance nor the i love of any of the Hemphill family, after i the visit that Mrs. Hemphill had made, and remembering all that she had said; but in the presence of Jabezall this heroic resolution passed away like mist before : the sunshine, and instead of her dignified j reserve she put her two plump little hands before her face and began to sob and cry. i Of course Jabez was instantly distressed to such an extent that he dropped the dasher into the churn and sprang to Martha's side; and there be knelt, and 1 ! wiped away her tears, and smoothed the curly tendrils of her hair; arid before she knew it his strong arm was around her waist and he had kissed her. In a few minutes she recovered her calm, but her dignity had flown. She was only a weak woman after all, who was striving to do her plain duty; and she tried to free herself from the strong young arms that held her iii so close and so comforting a clasp; for, poor child, her father was only a week dead! "Don't, Jabez," was all she could say. "And why not, Martie? Why shall I not love and comfort my dear litlle wife that is to be!1" "Oh, dear!" said Martha, despairingly. "Oh, dear! Oh, Jabez, please don't, for this is not possible." "And why not, Martie? Ever since we were able to talk I have known you and loved you; aDd all my life I have been trying to deserve you. You have loved me, too, haven't you? Well, then, why isn't it possible, please tell me?" "Haven't you heard? Don't you know? Jabez, I feel as if it is my solemn duty to take care of these poor little children, and not let them suffer. Father left nothing but the farm; but there was always enough for us all, and I must try to do the best I can for them. And your?you ?I think wc had better not see each other anymore, for" "There, that's just enough. You are willing to throw me off for the sake of those children who have no earthly claim upon you. You could send them to their poor old grandfather, but you prefer to shoulder the burden yourself, and destroy all your dreams of happiness, and devote all your life to them, and forget the life long love I've had for you?" "It is my duty, Jabez." "And you are willing to sacrifice all to them, and they may turn out ungrateful or wicked; and you know me, and that I love you dearly, little Martie, and always will." "I can't help it, Jabez. I can't see it in tlic same Jignt. l ieei as it tne nana ot the dead lay upon me, and I must obey. Besides, I do it because I feel it is right. Don't make it harder for me than it is, Jabez." "Martie, my little wife." "I would be very happy so, Jabez; but I know your mother never would consent, and I couldn't bear to cause a disagreement in your family." "I can manage tha., Martie, if you will agree to be my wife next Monday. We will go over to Wilkesbarre to get married there quietly, and return and settle down at once into a new edition of Darby and Joan. What do you say?" Poor little Martha hung her head, and reflected as well as she could. Mother and father were both dead, and she had no one to advise or counsel her; all she could do was to let him have one swift glance from her downcast eyes, which was all the answer he needed. "I?I THOUGHT YOU LIKED MARTHY!" One long embrace, and one shy, sweet kiss ratified this silent promise. "Put on that pretty lilac dress, Martie, Monday morning, and meet me at 8 o'clock just beyond the Swayle brook, and in one hour we will be one, and say nothing to anybody. Oh, yes; one other thing. Will you trust the children to me to bring up? Will you give them into my guardianship completely? Answer yes, without question." "Why certainly. Since we" "All right. Now I must really go, for there's a thousand things to do. You will be There?" and as she answered yes, he caucht her ulumn little form to his heart again, and kissed her again for goodby; and he leaped the fence at a bound, and in a few minutes was at home about his "chores," with alight heart, for he loved Martie truly and well, and he now saw his way to happiness with the one girl he loved. Sunday he went away in the morning, and was gone all day, and only returned in time for supper. After the table was cleared, and Mrs. Hemphill sat down to rest, with a clean pocket handkerchief folded over her knees, to save her black silk dress, and her Bible in her liunds, for she always held her Bible thus every Sunday evening, though no one could remember ever seeing her read in it, Jabez arose from his seat and walked up and down the room in silence. His mother watched him uneasily. At last he spoke: "Mother, I am thinking of getting married." It was out at last! Her fear was well placed, and the shock was great. "Mother, how would you like Lucinda Rosencrants for a daughter?" In all her imaginings she had never let her fancy run riot to an extent that could have permitted Lucinda Rosencrants to enter her head as the possible choice of her son. Pretty enough, but coarse and ignorant; daughter of two idle, dissolute parents; lazy and slovenly herself, and fond of dancing and party going, and all the very th'iigs that Mrs. Hemphill abhorred, it is no wonder that she sat pale and shocked and speechless. Of nil the girls that she knew, or had j ever heard of, Lucinda was the last ono I that she would have chosen, and she could ! not bear it. "I?I tlioi ;htyou liked Marthy," she said, tremulously. "I do like Martha; but you said so much" "I rather you'd a picked her out" "She refused me." "Refused you! I guess you're as good as she any time. Any gal ought to be pro id to get you." "She did not think-so, and her refusal did uot hurt me long. "What do you think of Lucinda?" # "Oh, Jabez, don't usk. I never can give in to your marrying into that awful family. Just think of what a set they are, and Lucinda'll be just the same. There ain't another girl that can hold a candle to Marthy if it wasn't for them there children." "She gave them all away yesterday, I heard, to a guardian." "Jabez, don't you think you could change her resolution? Ye ain't bound to Lucindy, be ye?" "You know, mother, I never break my word." Mrs. Hemphill groaned. "I'd rutlier you had a took Marthy with ten young uns to feed and raise than Lucindy," and she began to cry, whereupon Jabez hurried off. The next morning Jabez was gone, no one knew where, and the whole farm seemed to want him hack; though it was noonday, there was no work done, and Mi-, and Mrs. Hemphill sat dejectly in the "best room." "Father" said at last, knocking the j ashes out of his pipe: "I knowed Saturday that sumpin was 1 up, but I never guessed what, and I'm blamed if I ain't sorry for him to go and take up with that shiftless Lucindy, when he might a' had Marthy, only for your bein' so sot agin' them poor little youngsters; and I tiiink Marthy was a-doin' her duty. I'm blamed sorry." "Mr. Hemphill, don't swear, and don't say I broke off the match. I never done nutliin', only Friday I told Marthy my opinion about it, and she got mad, and I s'pose said something that maddened Jabez. for the next dav ho went off, and I s'pose he asked Luciwiy. "Oh, what on earth shall I do? lie is such a pood boy, and to throw himself away so!" "Well, if you told her your mind in the same way you tell it to me I don't blame Marthy a bit for gittin' mad." At this juncture Mrs. Hemphill gave way to tears, until the noise of wheels on the pravel outside aroused them both, and they looked out to seeJahez and Martha both looking very happy in the buggy, and Martha was not in mourning, and something glittered on her wedding Anger. "Mother, father, let me introduce to you Mrs. Martha Hemphill. I hope you will be pleased to form her acquaintance." "Pleased ain't no word, Jabez," said his mother, who caught happy little Martha in her rather long arms, and the father shook Jabez's hands like pump handles, while he tried hard to speak without tears. After a while everything was explained, and it was a merry Christmas dinner to which they all sat down the next day. Mrs. Hemphill, Sr., said she was thankful above everything that Martha had upheld her principle, and she added sotto voce, and saved her from that awful "fambly." PETER PERKINS' DREAM. BY EMILY ARTHUR. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, my children, ye have done It unto me. "There Is that ham, it Is too old to sell, and this barrel of wormy dried apples, and a barrel of meal and one of flour, which are both a little moldy, but still good enough to give to the poor, and that half barrel of sugar that the kerosene was spilt in, and those two sacks of rice that has weevils, and you might add all that stale bread. They will make a good showing, and I guess my name will head the list, for nobody else would give so much. These things you can set aside, Mark, and to-morrow I want them carried round to the society's rooms with my compliments. Aha! This will help many a poor family to enjoy a good Christmas dinner, and will help me with my customers. Everybody likes a generous man, but few of the brethren will make as good a display as I shall to-morrow. I guess I'll go homo now, Mark, and, ah, here are $2 for your Christmas. I can't afford more. You know business is slack. Well, good night." "IT IS TOO OLD TO SELL." And wizened old Peter Perkins got into his old overcoat and went home through the streets where the snow lay thick and heavy until he reached his comfortablo looking three story house. After he rang the bell he muttered to himself: "I might just as well have only given Mark $1 instead of $2. He'd n'been just as thankful, and I'd a'saved that much. And all those things there?why, I could have sold them at a discount, but then, after it all, I was losing ground in church custom by what they call my stinginess, and now, well, I guess after all I'm glacl I give them. The poor who get them can't complain. Oh, here she comes at hist! And she will expect a present, too! It seems as if everybody was beset Christmas time! I'msickofit. Ha!" At this instant Mrs. Warner, who was servant and housekeeper both, opened the door, her rather long face wreathed in smiles and her form dressed in her best black silk. gown. Peter Perkins was astonished and surprised as 9he led the way to the dining room, where the old man's dinner was laid, for on the table smoked a splendid turkey, while several other dainty and toothsome dishes stood about, among them a noble mince pie that gave out a mellow, luscious odor that mortal could not withstand, and yet he turned, saying fiercely: ."Mary Warner! Who gave you author. ity to do this? Why, here is dinner enough for twenty, and 6uch extravagance! I told you this morning I didn't believe in holiday nonsense, and I told you to cook half a mackerel and a potato, didn't I?" "You did, sir, and I was going to do it; only this morning my sister in the country sent me a Christmas box, and theso were in it, and as I couldn't eat them all myself I made bold to offer you half, sir, and no offense, I hope." "Oh, well, that alters the case. Well, yes, I don't care if I do," and he allows himself to fall in the chair she pushed forward, and he fell to and in a short time uau caa*u u uiuau fAtcnuib uiuuui, he finished with a great golden doughnut and piece of cheese. He took these as in a dream, one in each hand, and mado alternate bites of doughnut and cheese in a reflective and even retrospective manner as he thought: "Why don't city folks learn to mako crullers like this? For love nor money you couldn't buy anything like this in all this great city. They taste just as mother used to make them. Her tin cruller box was never empty and how good they were; the older they were the mellower and better they were. I remember she used to mako me a boy and'a mouse every time she fried crullers, and always two P's for my letters. And Christmas and New Year's she put caraway seed candies all over mine. I wonder how she did it. That mince pie was good. I think I will take another piece. It hain't cost anything and it maJtes me think of old times." And so the miserly old man sat and ate until his usual bedtime came, when he lit his candle, for he never would have gas, and went to bed. Scarcely had he got warm and comfortable when he saw standing by his bedside a stranger whose face was carefully turned away, and who wore a long, loose garment of some unknown fashion, and instinctively Peter Perkins put his hand under his pillow after his revolver, thinking of robbers, but the stranger said in a low voice, which yet had such authority in it that the wretched man dared not disobey: "Arise, dress yourself and follow me." As in a dream the little miser followed, but they went so swiftly that he could not see where they were going until at last the stranger said: "Open your eyes and tell me what you See." Peter Perkins stood and ga zed with his Wizened face pale and frigh tened. lie seemed to be in a vast place, so vast that it appeared to be visible illimitable space. Thprr> wns Tin hp<rmnin<? nor *>nd to illlV where, ami yet he was there in the midst of this infinity of distance, and before him upon nothing stood great tables upon which was piled a heterogeneous collection of everything imaginable, and while he was trying to understand tSiis confusion, he noticed that there had appeared, rank on rank and file on file, limit kvs, countless numbers of cherubim tend seraphim, and in the midst of this throng sat upon a crystal throne Christ, the benign, the loving, the pitiful, and his features seemed to exude sweetness and mercy from every lineament, and his smile was ineffably tender. The cherubim and seraphim sang "Glorv, glory to God in the highest and in earth peace and good will to men," and as l'etcr Perkins watched this beauty ful countenance he saw its expressions change. Sometimes it became that of a little child, sweet and infantine, again it was tender and pitiful, then it looked as it must have done when he said, "Corno to me, all ye weary juid heavy laden," then it was filled full ot sorrow and merciful goodness, uud then it grew stern and awful. Then Peter Perkins noticed that then was a throng ever increasing and reach ing far below them so that the end o them was far out of sight, and thes< people came singly to the foot of th< Saviour and there laid a gift which was in stantly taken by the angels and laid upor a pair of scales, which did not measure b] the weight of the gift itself, but th< motive which lay like a living heart in side it. Then Peter Perkins saw that all whc had not yet offered their gift had a bur den to carry, large or small, and he sud denly becnmo aware that the burden fast ened upon his own back was enormous and wus very heavy. But he turned tc the stranger and said: "When will it be my turn!" "When all of these shall have passed.'1 And ho had to stand there with the great unknown weight upon his shoulders for long hours, or days, or years, he did not know which, while all these people came by. He noticed a man who staggered by and laid a heavy weight of gold chalices and church candlesticks and other emblems at his feet, and Peter Perkins saw with surprise that they flew up in the balance as if of air. Another offered c church, which was tis so much paper, and then a poor old woman in rags staggered along with a cup of cold water as her only offering. This sent the scales down, down, as if it weighed a ton, and then a pale, thin man came and offered only a tear. This, too, weighed heavier than gold, Sometimes an old broken toy, or sonic old, worn garments, or even a crust oi bread was laid at his feet, and these, too, were very heftvy on those wonderful scales. Peter Perkins noticed, too, that those whose gifts were light disappeared from view, and he watched until he saw them fall into space and fade away in distance, while the angels sent pitying glances ni'tei them. . Suddenly the Saviour said: ' Now, Peter Perkins, what gift have you brought to the Lord on this his birthday?" "Oh! I am willing to give you all 1 have, but this bundle upon my back was not intended for you, but for the poor. If you will let me go back I will return with something more worthy of you." "But what have you in that bundle?" "Only some flour, and meal, and sugar, and ham, and rice, which are not quite fresh and good, but I thought they would do for the poor" "And have you never heard of my words, when I said: 'Inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these, my children, ye do it unto me?' Look, that cup of watei was given by a sick and suffering woman to one who suffered worse. That holy tear was given from a pure heart that had nothing else to offer, but you, out of youi ftVvnr?/1 nnnft nfFny tlwtf ia unflf for food, and in offering that to the unfortunate poor yoti have offered it to me." "I did not know! Oh, please let me gc back and I will do differently" "Alas! you have lived youi life, and you must, like all that throng you have seen, take your deeds with you to plead for or against you. You can return nc more than they. All men bring their passports of good or evil actions with them here, and once they have come naught can change. They must bear their fate. Some of them did not know but you had a mother who taught you aright, but you forgot her words of wisdom or put them aside. So, now, go your way." And with these words Peter Perkins felt himself falling into perdition, weighted down by the moldy flour and spoiled bread and sugar. Down, down he went, faster than many others who were on the way, and he cried out in his agony ol fear, when suddenly with that cry he twoke and sat up in bed. This then had been a dream! But it had opened his eyes, and he began to see things as he never had done before. He remembered his mother's teachings, and he slept nc more that night. But as soon as daylight dawned he dressed and went to the store where poor, faithful Mark, who had slaved ten years for him, was packing those wretched things into the wagon. PETER PERKINS' DREAM. "Mark," said he, "throw all that stuff uway anil take double the amount of the best, and take poultry and fruit and tea and coffee and bread and sugar and butter, yes. and anything else you fancy, and make them up into separate parcels and give one good, generous basketful to every poor family you know. Yes, Mark, and then, if your mother is able to bear it, take her in a carriage and come down to my house this evening to dinner, and we will discuss our new sign with Perkins and Haneock on it. Yes, God bless us! Oh, no, I'm not crazy! I've just come to my senses," and he hurried home and astonished Mrs. Warner by a handsome crisp note for $50 and ordered a dinner which would have staggered her if she had not had so good a beginning from her sister's farm. Ten years have passed since that time. Peter Perkins is a round, happy man. To see his jolly, benign face glow at you from over his counter makes you involuntarily look round for the other Cheeryblo brother; and now if he was called ho would not go empty handed before his Lord and Saviour. CHfMSTMAS MORNING. Keen blew the wind across the naked wold, Glimmered the snow fields white. Aweary with longing, doubt and pain, I watched the silent night. Ah, me! Joy conies and goes, but grief remains: My days shall comfort bring; But hark: Upon the frosty winter nir The Christmas ehimings ring. And, like a guilty ghost at breath of dawn, My coward moanings fly; Echoes again th' adoring song that woke Beneath Judea's sky. And sweeter, clearer, louder, chime on chime. Ring out, O, happy bells! For every peal with jubilant refrain. The wondrous tidings tells. ?Louise Both-Heudrikson. Tho Mummers of Scotland. The mummers, guisers or guizurds occupied a prominent place in nil Christmas observances in the early history of Scotland, and this form of Christmas amusement was evidently a survival from the Iioman Saturnalia. In 11377 there were mummers on Christmas Eve in London. Later masking, or "mumming," was forbidden by royal edict. An old piece of verse anent the mummers reads: To shorten winter's sajlness, ? See where the folks with gladness Disguised are all a-coming. Bight wantonly a-mumming, ^ " Fa la. " Whilst youthful sports are lasting. To feasting turn out fasting. With revels and with wassails, Make grief and care our vassals, . Fa la. I For youth it well l>eseemetb, Tnut pleasure he esteemetb, A And sullen age is hated. That mirth would have abated, Fa la. ;? #" "Is you afraid of.Santa Claus, mam ma? If you is I will come in your bed." f THE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS. Th? 25tli of December Was Originally the Roman Saturnalia. The celebration of Christmas as tho birthday of Jesus is universal among Christians of every sect, and as sucli it is regarded throughout Christendom as the sweetest, holiest of all holidays. And with the long mooted question, Is Dec. 25 1 the anniversary of Christ's birth? we have l nothing to do. For it matters nothing > whether it was on this particular i date that the Christ Child first t lay in Bethlehem's lowly manger, j. This is the day that has been ac- ( cepted and will be celebrated to tiie end i of time. It will be of interest to most j readers, however, to note that it was not . until the Third or Fourth century that ' the. present date was agreed upon, and that Jan. 1, Jan. 0, March 29 and Sept. 1 1 29 were variously observed during the 1 > earlier centuries by various bodies of t Phrtoflrtna HMin flvinrr nf tlin rlnfn enhnte T r to have been accomplished by Julias I, i > who presided ns pope or bishop of Home \ from 337 to 852 A. D. J Christinas is not alone nmong Chris- f tian. holidays in being the follower of ft c L spfffoyhflt similar holiday among the pa- j L gSnsT In Rome it was called the Saturl nalia. And the observance of the winter , feast, now Christmas, was not confined to > the Romans. The holiday appears to have been kept by the Scandinavians, the t Persians and the Phoenicians, and perhaps by many other people. All these na- 8 ? tions worshiped the sun, under one form or ? - other, as the giver of all life. Each gave c the deity a different name. At Rome lie a L was worshiped under one of the characters g attributed to Saturn, the father of the ( ' gods; among the Scandinavians as Odin, or * i Woden, the father of Thor; with the Peri sians as Mithras, probably the same as the Irish Mithr, and with the Phoenicians his ? name was Baal or Bel. All these nations chose nbout the same P I date for this fenst. This is supposed to t > have been caused by the feelings of de- t light experienced shortly after Dec. 21, be- \ cause the days then begin to lengtlieu. \ - Then the snn begins his upward course, i and spring and summer are approaching. For somewhat similar reasons the pagans l of old held a great midsummer feast at or about Juno 21. The midwinter festival of the Satur, nalia wus observed for several days in ^ f the most unrestrained manner; every- J L body feasted and work was quite sua- f pended. Even the slaves were allowed i r complete liberty for the time being, a Laurels and evergreens were everywhere t displayed, the same as now, and gifts were j exchanged, and there were especial greet- * i ings for the season. In the north these . r rejoicings were carried on in some1 what ruder fashion, but were entered into with not less heartv ? > enthusiasm. Fires were everywhere kin- c died, both indoors and out, in honor of F 1 Odin and Thor; the Druids gathered the C > sacred mistletoe, and both men and cattle C were sacrificed to the savage divinities, c I The ancient Persians also burned immense i - bonfires at this seuson, and between them I i and the Druids of western Europe some c > sort of relationship existed. a In the later days of the Roman empire r l the feast of the Saturnalia deteriorated ^ > into a gross debauch?so gross, indeed, that few historians have cared to defile ? l their pages with its details. ' ' It was for the purpose of counteracting c > the evil inilucuces of the Saturnalia, to e the celebration of which the young of both e i sexes were very prono, that the early l Christian teachers in Rome sought to \ L adapt the rites of lieathen rejoiciug and s render them subservient, instead of an- a tagonistic, to the cause of religion. Certain forms of amusement were forbidden and others not so gross were substituted, but it was a long time before the people t and the clergy were of one mind regard> ing the observances of Christmas. In Britain there were other inodifiea- a tions. To the modified Saturnalia were v added first some of the Druidical rites and F superstitions, and, after the arrival of the e Saxons, some of the ceremonies of the ancient Germans and Scandinavians. Of o these were the burning of the Yule log q and the superstitions regarding the mis- s tletoo bough. e In England the burning of the Yule log r takes place Christmas eve. In feudal times the bringing in of the ponderous block and burning it on the wide hearth r of the great chimney of the baronial hall a was observed with the greatest rejoicings, t The dragging of the Yule from the forest JJ to the castle was an elaborate ceremony p of itself, and as it passed, every wayfarer i: raised his hat, for well he knew that its r Dame would light up scenes of feasting j and forgiveness of old wrongs, and that all would be welcome. p The following quaint ditty, apropos r! * the Yule, is supposed to have been written during the reign of Henry VI: ' Wplpnmn hp thnn hpnvpnlv Tvinf** Welcome, born on this morning; ft Welcome, for whom we shall sing; b Welcome Yule. Welcome be ye, Stephen and John; , Welcome, Innocents every one; u Welcome, Thomas, martyr one; J1 Welcome Yule. 0 Welcome be ye. good New Year; 0 Welcome Twelfth day, both in fere;* . Welcome, saints loved and dear; 0 Welcome Yule. g Welcome be ye, Candlemas; , tl Welcome be ye, queen of bliss; :, Welcome both to more and less; Welcome Yule. tl Welcome be ye that are here; tl Welcome all, and make good cheer; f< Welcome all. another year; Welcome Yule. ft In company. tl Among the English the mistletoe bough p is always hung over the center of tho ti room on Christmas Eve, and any damsel a who, either by chance or on purpose, g< places herself beneath it lias to pay the Cl penalty of being kissed by all the men who are present. Of course none of the fair sex ever places herself under the mistletoe with ^ malice aforethought. d , tl llobes do Xuit In Germany. Before I went abroad I was of the opin- b ion that the use of robes de nuit was y nearly universal in all civilized communities, but an incident that happened while u" I was in Germany taught me that my sup- ^ position was a fulse one. I lived for some ., months in a house where about twenty German students had their rooms, and found them a very gentlemauly set of fel- " lows and apparently quite sufficiently v civilized. For some time I had noticed T that my supply of night shirts seemed b to he smaller than it should he, p and finally took my washerwoman to tl task. She declared that she had returned a every garment that had come into her v hands. I said that a number of mine it were missing, and suggested that she ? ; might have by mistake sent my night . shirts to some of the hoarders. "Oh no, !sir," she replied. "That cannot he, for J1 you are the only gentleman in the house that ever wears them." I could scarcely ^ believe this statement, hut was convinced el of its truth next day, when I found that k scarcely a shop in the city kept this article il for sale, the reason given being that the it demand was very slight. I have come to t! the conclusion that either night shirts are not necessary to civilization or that tho a Germans cannot yet he regarded as en- ^ tirely effete.?S. T. lluwley in Globe- ? Democrat. ni.Hl.in..... 1 /' As commemorating the hirth of tho founder of the Christian religion, it is a , i religious feast. But in the popular np- * i prehension its religious character has ^ been superseded by its social and char- ^ itable significance. It has become the ei feast of good fellowship in the highest t( sense?good fellowship with a religious a sanction. Nominally it is the birthday of I1 the founder of Christianity. Practically tl it is the day of St. Nicholas, the feast of h Santa Clans, the patron of all children.? jt Harper's Weekly u rr A Point in I>rilliiiK. St A workman at the Carson mint has dis- v covered that drill points heated to a clicr- it ry red and tempered l?y being driven into 0! a bar of lead will bore through the hardest ai steel or plate glass without perceptibly ^ blunting.?Chicago Herald. jc A ton of mica a month is mined in North ., Carolina. It is all used by the stove man- ? ufneturers in the north. n w ?ttisfcUa?mts grading. For the Yorkville Enquirer. THE GRADED SCHOOL QUESTION. ' Editor of the Enquirer: I tave read the articles from "Taxpayer" and "Education" with much nterest. I hope the school question .vi 11 be agitated until every man and votnan will be alive to the tmporance of a high grade of public schools. I have been greatly surpris>d to hear men of inteligence say: 1 4I have no children to educate and [ am unwilling to pay for the educa,ion of other peoples' children." Why, what would we think of a nan refusing to work the public oads because he had no vehicles o run over them? When the war i 1 aged between the States, how ! nany of cur South Carolina soldiers ! vere forced to leave their quiet, lumble homes and go to the tented ield, and when there had to get 1 >ther hands to write the dear ones at 1 wrae. Many were required.to pour >ut their hearts' blood tor their coun- 1 ,ry which had never educated them 1 lufliciently to read its own constituion. North and South Carolina are imong the most illiterate of all the 1 States. How far, how very far, in tducation, wealth and prosperity are i ill the States who have long had a j 1 ystem of public schools, in advance j )f those who have not, can be ascer- i ained by referring to our statistics, j Public schools are a crying neces- I : iity to any nation. Let us not with- j lold our hands from this all im- \ ( )ortant-work. We have a compe- ! ent and conscientious School Com- | nissioner in York county, and if we j ! vill aid him In his work all will be i ' veil. "Let us then be up and doing." i ! x. y. ; Foiit Mill, S. C. CHURCH HOSPITALITY. j < The statement of the Rev. Dr. j 1 strong, says the St. Louis Globe- ! Democrat, that of the 60,000,000 peo- | >le in this country, 30,000,000 rarely, j ' f ever, enter a Church, is a startling 1 J tnd impressive one, and it certainly j , >ehooves the religious element of j he population to devise measures for j ' he improvement of such a condition ; ?f things. There are various reasons j vhy the general attendance at places ] if public worship is not larger; and j j hief among them isthe want of hos- | , ?itality on the part of Church offi- j ( ers and members. The stranger j ' annot be expected to go more than j mce where he is received with chill- ! ng formality and indifference. He j . las a right to assume, under such j ircumstances, that he is not wanted, i i i . xt t_ i i i r 1 no rie cannot oe marneu ir nissen- ; espect keeps him at home when he mows that treatment of that kind ; ' .waits him in the sanctuary. In j ; heory, all classes of people are wel- i ome wherever the Gospel is preach- i d; but, in fact, most of our Church- j s are governed by the same phi- ! osophy of selection or exclusiveness ! vhich prevails in society, and the j tranger within the gates is slighted j ,nd humiliated accordingly. The j ight of complaint in such a case is -alueless, because no worthy person ; ' vill consent to exercise it; and the j 1 esult is that a great many people : < vho would be glad to go to Church < re in a certain sense actually pre- J 1 ented from doing so by those whose \ ileasure it should be to assist and j } ncouragethem in that respect. \ We are not speaking particularly i ^ f the poor and ill-dressed. The dis- j < rimination does not pertain exclu- | 1 ively to such persons, it includes j ( verybody who is unable for any i 1 eason to present social credentials of j 1 n approved sort. The fact is noto- j ( ious that the fashionable Church? 1 nd all Churches of this day and 1 iine are more or less fashionable? 1 radically shuts its doors against the ? ublic as rigidly as that same public j 1 i excluded from private drawing- j ooms; and the comforts and bless- j ( rigs of religious services are thus ! 1 nade to take on the aspect of special | * rivileges. It is idle to look for in- | ^ reased attendance so long as this 1 olicy stands uncorrected. If there j * i any one place in the world above i 11 others where hospitality should [ s e practiced as an incessant and sur- j ? assing duty, it is in the house of 1 iod; and the multitude cannot be ; t ersuaded to go therein the absence i ' f that inducement. The work of j nlarging the congregations must ! 1 egin and be mainly carried on in- J 1 ide of the Churches. That is where ? he worst ol the difficulty lies. The c ndifference of those who remain on he outside is due not half so much s [) choice upon their part as to the ' jrbidding atmosphere which they f re sure to encounter if they venture c penter; and the situation can beim- 1 roved only by making people hear- ( ily welcome on religious grounds ? lone, instead of dealing with them j trictly according to social rules and ' considerations. , The Fatal Tree.?In 1S3G, Fort ^ laines was a little more than an In- ! ian fort. Early in the spring of I hat memorable year, while hostile 1 ndians thronged this section, and t efore they were removed by Uncle ^ am across the river above us, a par- j a y of the treacherous wretches stole p me men aenseiy wooaeu nne 01 , lie Town Branch, and passed out to , tie BufTton settlement, where they < * ?ere met by soldier.-} and thrashed 13 ack to their reservation. Just c die re the Eufaula road crosses the 53 'own Branch, a beautiful spring ! ubbled from the ground, and peole in the vicinity did their washing T acre. On the day referred to above, 1 lady was at the spring washing, a 'hen the red miscreants passed, j [ 'hey brutally murdered her, and j 1 fter removing her scalp left her body | j3 dng by the spring, her bleeding ? ead pi lowed on the roots of a stately eech. Time has done its work. ^ he Indians are gone, scenes have J hanged and the towering beech has , ing since gone to decay, and only ? :s worm-eaten stump remains to }: lark the spot where long years ago i 5 lis sad tragedy of death occurred. J l friend pointed us to the fatal spot , nd gave us the above facts. They . 'ere new and interesting to us, and j [' 'ill doubtless prove so to our read- . rs. Truly, times have changed.? j j3 brt Gained, Ga., Star. A Lawyer to re Hanged for . ii'rder.?The most sensational n ial which has ever taken place in i lea u fort county, X. C., was conclud- e J on the l()th instant at Washing- t in, and the gallows will soon claim p nother victim. On that day W. A. v otts was convicted of murder in t le first degree and sentenced to be I anged on January 2(>, 1888. His al- a >ged accessory, Susan Lincke, the e 'ifeof Paul Lincke, the murdered t< lan, was acquitted, there not being I) ifticient evidence to justify a con- n iction. The case has excited great , ft iterest throughout that State, both b n account of the prominence of Potts tl ad the circumstances attending the v mrder. Potts is a lawyer and en- e tyed a good social position. ; ii X'uns uuwuiuu uici.v ue nutru iu : u le excesssve use of'liquor. After i tl e returned from the law school in [ tl hichhegot his degree he quickly I e took to habits of dissipation. Frequently he was so much under the influence of liquor that his acts and appearance were those of a maniac. It was after his character was gone and his money spent, when his people were so exasperated that they would have nothing to do with him, that Paul Lincke, an intelligent and respected farmer living near Aurora, in Beaufort county, oft'ered him the hospitality of his house. Potts gladly accepted the kindness, hut repaid it with an abuse of hospitality, gross and unpardonable, lie alienated from his benefactor the love of his wife and destroyed the purity of his home. His association with the faithless wi/e of his friend culminated in the murder of Mr. Lincke, who was killed by Potts on the night of June 7th last. THE FRENCH PRESIDENCY. The President of the French liepublic is elected for a full term of seven years, by a joint convention or Congress of the Senate and Cham ber of Deputies. There are no stated dates for the beginning and-eading of the term of office, as in this country, and when a vacancy occurs by death or resignation, the new incumbent is elected for the full term of seven years. Marshal MacMahon was originally elected president by the old Assembly on May 24, 1873, after the overthrow of M. Theirs. His election was for an indefinite term, but on November 19, 1873, he was again elected for the definite period of seven years. This was before the adoption of the present Constitution, which provides for the division of the assembly into a I Senate and Chamber of Deputies, and the election of a President by a Congress of these two bodies. Mar- j shal McMahon's term would not have j expired until November 19, 1880, but he was. compelled to resign | January, 1879, as an alternative to j consenting to govern the dountry | through a Republican Ministry, and | M. Grevy was elected his successor on ttie 30th of that month. In December, 1885, just before theexpiraration of his first term, M. Grevy was re-elected, and his present term would not expire by limitation until January 30, 1893. Grevy resigned a few days ago, in consequence of complications arising from the accepting of bribes by his son-in-law, M. Wilson, and M. Sadi ; D'arnot has been elected to fill out a whole term of seven years if he can i steer the ship safely through the j narrow channel between Monarchy ; uid Republicanism. This, in brief, is an explanation of j the "French crisis" to which the : Jaily papers have so frequently re- ; Ferred recently. The President of the French Re- i public is well paid for his services. I He receives a salary of 600,000 francs j ?120,000) a free residence in the Ely- j ;pp ntilnr-p nnrl an nllmvancp of 800.- I 100 francs (?60,000) for household expenses. His powers are large, although circumscribed by the requirement that every official act must be countersigned by a minister. WHERE VIOLINS ARE MADE. It is truly astonishing how many violins there are imported into this country annually,* especially if we consider that there is really but one place in the world where violins are made extensively. That place is Markneukirchen, with itssurroundng villages, Klingenthal, Fleissen, Ltohrback and Graslitz, in Saxony, jermany. There are altogether ibout 15,000 people living there who Jo nothing else day after day but make violins, and to go there, and .vatoh them is one of the most interesting sights I ever enjoyed in all my life. The inhabitants, from the ittle urchin to the old gray headed nan, the small girl and the old grandmother, are all engaged in naking some parts of a fiddle. A good one consists of sixty-two lifferent pieces. They are cut, jlaned, smoothed and measured, everything being accurate and precise rvith the model. The older men make the finger board from ebony, ind the string holder and the screws. L'he small boys have to make themielves useful by looking after the flue pot on the fire and bringing heir elders things as they may want hem. A man with strong, steady lands and a clear eye puts the different pieces together, and this is the nost difficult task of all. Most vioins are made of maple wood that frows in that part of the country >r over the frontier in Bohemia. The women generally occupy themelves as polishers. This requires ong practice, and a family that has i daughter who is a good polisher is lonsidered fortunate. Even a young nan, when he goes a-wooing, injuires whether the young girl is a food polisher, and if she is, it cerainly will increase his affection for ler at least twofold. The polishing akes a good deal of time, some of he best violins being twenty and i ;ven thirty times polished. Every i amily has its peculiar styll of polish- i ng, and they never vary from that. | fhere is one that makes nothing but | l deep wine color, another a citron i olor, yet another an orange color, ; n f\ dr\ An 11114 &\/ VII* . Pay no Attention.?Pay no at- j ention to slander gossip-mongers. j ' veep straight ahead on your course ; tnd let the back-biting die the death if neglect. What is the use of lying ; .wake nights brooding over the renark of some false friend, that runs j ' hrough your brain like forked light- i ling? What is the use of getting nto a worry and fret over gossip set .float at your disadvantage by some | ! neddlesome busy-body who has more j 1 ime than character? Always re- j nember that when they are talking bout you they are letting some- I mdy else rest. These things cannot I ?ossibly injure you, unless you take lotice of them, and in combating : ( hem you give them character and tanding. If what is said about you I s true set yourself right at once; if 1 ulse, let it go for what it will fetch, j f a bee stings you, would you go to he hive and destroy it? It is wis- ' !om to say little respecting the in- : uries you receive. We are losers in 1 he end if we stop to refute all the ] aekbi tings and gossiping we may j ' iear by the way. Benefits of the Moon.?The ! ( noon ministers to the human wants . n several ways that are not so apparnt as its light-giving function, al- i ' hough some of them are more im- i . mrtant. Itis by observing the moon , vith reference to the fixed stars that lie navigator determines longitude, i ; *pon the revolution of the moon J , bout the earth, is based a conveni- j . nt division of time, the month, in- j . ?rmediate between that furnished y the earth's daily rotation and its evolution through its orbit. Doubt- ' jl points in ancient chronology have een frequently settled by means of lie eclipses of the moon, the dates of j diich could be accurately deterinin- I ' d. The intervention of the moon ! ! i eclipsing the sun gave astrono- 1 lers the opportunities for obtaining I heir first knowledge in regard to ; he solar envelope. But the largest j * ffectson human welfare are produe- 1 * ed by the moon through the agency of the tides. Twice a day the decomposing organic matter brought down to the seashore by rivers, or depoisted along the water's edge by human agency, is swept away by the tidal wave in its course around the globe. This sanitary service which the moon performs is of inconceivable value. In many harbors large ships and heavily loaded rafts and barges are moved from the entrance to their wharves, miles above, by that slow but powerful tug, the flood tide. An amount of work is thus done which if it had to be provided for by artificial means, would cost, for such a port as London, thousands, per naps minions, 01 pounas yeariy.? Popular Science Monthly. Birds op Paradise.?These birds are the most beautiful in all the world, with their splendid plumes, that have every rich color in them, just like precious stones. In old times these plumes were worn on ladies' bonnets. The natives of the East Indies; where they are mostly found, prepare the skins, with the feathers all on and then sell them for a pood deal of money. Birds of Paradise were once called "God's birds." Do you wonder? There are a great many varieties, more than eight thousand; and they all have the same popular scream. Every morning before you were up, if you could be in the forest where they live, you would hear their "Wank, Wank, Wok, Wok," as if they were calling all the other feathered tribes to be up and doing! The "Ki Paradise" is the largest of them all. Seventeen feet from the bill to the tip of the tail. Think of that for a bird ! Almost as long as three men put together. Its breast is covered with the richest shades of purple and violet, with soft strawcolored feathers all over its head and neck. In the early spring, when these birds are fully dressed, they get together before the sun is up and have their "dancing parties," as the natives call them. Choosing a tree with very wide branches and large leaves, they lift-their wings, stretch out their necks, and raise those gorgeous plumes, keeping them all the time in motion. As they move from branch to branch the whole tree seems alive with these changing colors.? Mrs. G. Hall. A Famous Buffalo Range.? From the Red buttes onward vou see where the millions havegone. This was once a famous buffalo range, and now the bleaching skeletons lie scattered thickly along all the trail. Like ghastly monuments of slaughter, these ugly excrescences stand out in bold relief on the smooth, hard surface of the prairie, from the huge # bull skeletons lying close beside the wagon trail, to those far back in.the bad lands, where they are merely dark specks in the distance. They lie to-day precisely as they fell four years ago, except that the flesh is no longer upon them. The head stretches far forward, as if for its last gasp, and the legs lie helplessly upon the turf with precisely the same curves as when they moved for the last time. Now and then you come to a place where the hunter got a "stand" on a "bunch," and from his hiding place in the head of a gully or among the rocks, fired leisurely with his 40-120 Sharp's rifle, at the rate of a shot every two or three minutes until every buffalo of the bunch had fallen. Here you can count seventeen skeletons on little more than an acre, and near by are four more that evidently fell at the same time. The powerful effect of the strong, parching winds and the intense dry heat of summer has literally stripped the flesh from the bones, but the skeletons lie precisely as they fell. The bones are still held together by a few dried up ligaments, but are bleached as white as snow.?Cosmopolitan. The Touch of a Mother's Hand.?Why is a mother's hand on the head of a sick child so soothing? Because her love supplies electricity, which is a curative force and a tonic. Animal electricity is an agency not so well understood as it should be by women, though they use it continually. It is erroneously confounded with the massage treatment, which is nothing more or less than merely rubbing the entire body. Animal electricity is imparted by careful manipulation of the muscles, performed by gently stretching them with both hands. This produces an elasticity of action which causes them to rise, thereby increasing their power to act. Women, whose fingers are supple and yet strong, can best impart electricity to their children. The treatment should be applied mainly with the fingers. When the nerves are prostrated they can be invigorated in the same way. They should be gently pressed in one direction and another, which tends to increase their vitality. The general circulation can be increased by lightly moving the hands over the surface of the blood vessels, not rubbing them briskly, but using enough force to quicken the circulation. Women can become thorough animal electricians if they will but devote themselves to a careful study of anatomy. The world is full of half invalid women, who should be restored to health by this natural method.? Woman's Argosy. How Women Rest.?How differently men and women indulge themselves in what is called a resting spell. "I guess I'll sit down and mend these stockings and rest awhile," says the wife, but her husband throws himself upon the easy lounge or sits back in his armchair, with hands at rest and feet plaped horizontally upon another chair. The result is that his whole body i^ains full benefit of the half-hour he allows himself from work, and the wife only receives that indirect help which come3 from a change of occupation. A physician would tell her that taking even ten minutes' rest in a horizontal position, as a change from standing or sitting at work, would prove more beneficial to her than any of her makeshifts at resting. Busy women have a habit of keeping on their feet just as long as they can, in spite of backaches and warning pains. As they grow older they see the folly of permitting such J rafts upon their strength, and learn to take things easier, let what will Knnnpn. Thev sav: "I used to think [ must do thus and so, but I've grown wiser and learned to slight things." Ihe first years of housekeeping are truly the hardest, for untried and unfamiliar cares are almost daily thrust jpon the mother and home maker. New England Farmer. BST* Do not be afraid to part with inything for Christ. It is unbelief ;hat persuades you there i3 more pleasure, satisfaction and happiness n anything than in Him. BS7* God appreciates aud rewards ill we do for others; even if those we seek to benefit forget to thank us. A