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T-fis s our i EN mother-love makes all t"linS bright, When joy comes with the morn ing light. .- When children gath er round their tree. Thou Christmas Babe, We sing to Thee! Whe'n manhood's brows are bent in thought To learn what men of old have taught, When eager hands seek Wisdom's key. Wise Temple Child. W. learn of Thee! When doubts assail. and perils fright. Whe-n, groping blindly in the night, We strive to read life's mystery, Man of the Mount, We turn to Thee! When shadows of the valley fall. When sin and death the soul appall, One light we through the darkness see Christ on the cross. We cry to Thee! And when the world shall pass away. And dawns at length the perfect day. In g:ory shall our souls made free. Thou God enthroned, Then worship Thee! -Tudor Jenks. in Outlook. T WAS not long a f t er ridnight. T h e wee small hours of Christmas day were just be gnigto arrive, and down in .*e: library. where the tree was sheltering a profuse array of toys, stood an unex pected guest. He was ill clad, unshaven. and his hair looked as though it had never known a comb. Inhisright hand lie carried a dark-lantern, and slung over his left arm was a sack, a com hon .jate bag, and he had er.tered by The nindow that looked out upon the stree. The family had all retired, and for the most part were asleep. That is why the unexpected guest chose this tine to -trrive. -SteaWoilv he crossed the-room. and drawn the portieres siiently across the broad doorway that opened into the hall he slid back the front of his lanterr. and. lighting a match in its ilame. he turned on the Das and lit it, so th.n he might better see the exact character of his surroundings. "Humiph! he said, as he observed the tree. "Quite a fine lay-out. I don't know but. v:hat, after all, it's a good thing that, parents give their children expenrsive things these days. It's a grera ihelp :o our profession. You can't ra.:se mut> money' on candy balls and tuppeny d. 'lis, but these silver-plated1 engines am:. purses with ten-dollar bills in 'em c'ome in handy. Gold siceeve-but tons. too," he added, as his eytes took in a few further deta ls ofthe scene before him. "an' a gold watch as well. This is luck." And then, 's heo bent~ over the g"rup of t.oy- 'ndl p)reents of a more expen sive it::u're intended for TRobb e, hi eyegtrn v't joy ti theprospe'ctive' -va;m.' i l tha heart of ih nex m -au 1'-'r was arriin soumnv a "E~l:" aid .1 ' Eot1ttle v'ie Crora' 1'l'.:' :he portier-es, an atIit thle same' moct; *.-:h en rrains were ;art ed and ther" nrcod Rohbbie, clad in his night gowi:. "Is that vou, santa Claus?" he atddedi. peering curiously at the unex pected guest. The man gave a short laugh. Tha e the first time I'':e been taken . 1TA YOU SAT CLAS? for anyon that 's l det"? esi f-r rxcwh at sa 1 Robie.D,"h s -:Not sa hand,. my boy-you'll w: .' :>e family; and if you did ii:at, Ird '; 'an like the mist," said the man. "I said I was only Santa C;ans assistant. You see. ny lad. there's s;o manv more children nowadays than there used to be that the b - had to get outside help Christmas cc. or hc'd never be able to finilh iup his work in time. So he senids for ie an' a few othe'rs like ne-lieven help us-and we d~ his distributing for him. 1'd just laid these things out. here when you surprised me." Bobbie ipproahed the tree. "Oh, isn'tit beautifu!"heeried. "All these things for me! A watch, to just the very thing I wvanted." The man drew back as the boyv spe and, with a queer light. in his eve, sat down in one of the chairs sudderly1'. "Are you tired?" asked Pobbie, leav ing the tree and crossing to Santa Claus' assistatat. II Mil 4.t It *d d 1 *Eit "Yssi the ma. "er. "Yes-dndota," said the man, huskily. "It's not-not clean." "I shouldn't think it wvouild be," laughed Bobbie; "climnbing in by sooty chimnevs can't be very clean work. Do you know, I always wonder why~ there's never any~ soot left on the toy s.;' "Oh, we take ('are of that, said ie assistant. "You see, this bag'~ k eepj he sot off. But I dida't come" by the e.'im ney' this time." he added. hai tdi- oh serving that there was no soot 'in the bag~ either. "I thoug'ht the winvd6w was easier." "You're all through. aren't 3 ou?" said Bobbie. looking at the bna' "How do yo knwtat " asked the man. 'Your bag is empty. I .n't there any mo .n-ne elsnn o to take t to?> The. unexpected guest buried his face in his iands, and a great lump rose up in his throat. "There was one other," said the as sistant. -hut there's nothing for himi and-and 's al m nly fault. I negletcd to look aft him." "Anid otl. he get anything?" asked Bol bio'. 'No," said the assitant. roughly, rising and iaking a siep 1 owa rd the tree. 1can have one of mine." cried DoLhie. I"Here. take hu i t his. I've trot plenty, thanks to yoi." Ie it:mded him one of 1h" treasures bieneath the tree. Tihe 'inexpected guest looke( at the hoy for a mninute, and then he slowly reached out his hand and took the prof fered toy. "I'll see thatl he gets it," he said, "and God will bless you for it! Good-by, lit j.,,. T... .... .. . .. ...... ri itt -- ; .1., . . , e I m f w T.~ 119' "Tha I ilt"sai theothr, ad h betoe,tn kin th hid.fe trecipte.'y ut though orhe wandow, and bdisappaeinthedaknssofth "elmo." toan rd thee docte wus he olw-rn amori. a he holdhed hts - own ljle-faceid: litte youtpak . ahs fhr fiant Clarist m::r reset" ' eveThknowni"thatsai the hrund hi thip-itt1 w ot. thog ir idw and iae-red i(tthe dasrels ofive .n hades4 beorte I~ asie hiwtat.he hIt:s arc ktaul. bt ha wasin ! gertia d enter joh--at New Ye'ar's."'-Johnt Keu drick lhrgs in Unrn'er's Magazine. THE FESTIVAL OF CHILDHOOD. The True Christnas keeling Must Bn from ,th Heart amd Iios.om 1=o Acts. Christmas W the festiva of child hood. Whoi1cso would enjioy it t:-uiy musit be in heart, even s u little child. Its be t temI en of ot izers. I-s hig cele .ralnon is imi helpinoun to Ue happ a' z:d thus -:-arig t-he hapi ness with temt. Th-re ,Iso hpne conparab]zl to love, and the hZppinwss -rXwS III-ters the- lowv emracs mo1 !0 of our fellowbin'W. That is the he h rism~s timl"e in -which one fels -os aculcl the actua.11lt of k inship with all t.( vord. It -i the child that is the rcal d nnora!t for. as Enerson has it. he makes ehildren of ad the adults t.hat -'7-ther around him. levels them to 1;;!;j .1 - . 1 [ r II, plp the hil heat i th manwhos ~i _4 r t i e . g i r f i l c u fl his the objlct. Tipon whhn s besthi. hat man who se Ciest mnphiriel i moe eats aboudto wiM4 indi u tlrtaig rm te to Nr own, for hilllost unknowung. 1 lo htntera havoefeltb .swet andshm wa( .rth h u muainel thuaeem This wrin tis vryftir ofn thehaitnaes of althe faire iswhenly inowyremindu od "the n: obetuong nihht ieth shll hist. Ch1ritmasli h fealns mtke h mons ofri the her t ao hin aftert delg ortelt dar. t rem ie ton Iive ii hutmn for a(l weei. 'h lie mos ofth nw.mntate o tv n :itr-h (~ileorte rzl.1'i0-z Pif't ie fhu o e-.i n~ometi, fl ~~l S'tfliih if . ie with our fellows. If we can make :>thers forget the past we may forget :nr own. If we can but give to others a lit tle of the antidote of kindliness for thme poison of the present we shall find :ur own to-iday less hopeless. And the future is formed of the spirit that ani mates to-day. The real feeling *7 Irist-na.s ni:st blossom into acts. T -nn iS I fraud in whom the Christms eeling is a theory and not a conlition. :;od help hini!-St. Louis Mirrer. His Second Thought. A lively youngster in Newvport had a zreat desire to become t.hc owner of a -(ot. so one day short'y; before Christ mias eli called up the chimney register o annrise Santa Claus of his wish. Haiing the old --ntlen-il supposed to inh:abit these regions, he told his stor'y in these words: "Santa Claus, I want a iq. ot St foris ow,~~~~04! it hapndtahebysfte 1%1 NIL aea. setbc h nwrdw h 4. W' yimnev: "You can't have a goat." The little fellow, not at all frightened att.this ue(xp~ected reply. was equal to t.he situation, and he sent back to Santa Claus this defiant response: "Well, then. keep your old coat! 1 don't want Lt, any'how."-Golden Days. Christmas Che'er. Fa'l on. cold snow, fromr wintry skies. The houstop's po':--r. leck the trees: On windO om' rc horn-. with mournful sighs. Aidyou:tat '-r drifting seas. co ..anot chI our ardor here. T . - w "r'I hv love of Christons chear. -yrS.Tibbals, in New Biohemian. rp to Date. Goodnes gracious! What is that ter rible sound of smashing china7" I suppose the folding-bed is turning -e e lettf"...h1,eawo Record. HIREil E minutes a twelmve, and V.HUS only thre ,n ute-s to 1i1 Ah!'. h2 t would wc give, -1c If the tear That prings to oury As he dies/ Could recall us the life. loved so dear. Two minutes to twelve! H-ow the past W% i its la-ughter. its sizhs amtd its Pain, Crowds rejst through the brainl, St /I Stay your flight! Hearken, year, to our prayer Of ddspair, 'Ere your last jeath fade out onthe night. One minute to twelve! To my heart Cling closer, my seiet. Let the year On the threshrcld that's niar F rnd us true, While togtethe ! we stand. Hand in hand, And ,1 watch by the window with you. Twelve o'clock! Kiiss me, sweet, for the Past, And again for the rime. that shall be. What it brIngs you and me, Who can say? Little matter, so lo:g As no wrong Steal our love from each other away. -O1ver Grey, In Bltick and White. MOUSE AND MidTLETOE. How a Bad Boy Spolicdi All a Young Womnn's Wel-Laid\ Pians. "I shall take the mist N dow n," said the girl with the blue\Cyes; "it'sa delusion and a snare." "What on earth is the m tter? Did that ugly Mr. Sappie catch y u under it and kiss you?" "No; worse yet:. nobody did. I put it up yesterday, a great big buich of it. All day long I was wonderin what to do with Harvey while Ned is he e from Kansas City. But after I pu up an idea struck me." "Do you want me to go ove d let him kiss me under it, so you uar rel?" asked the girl with th ek eyes. "Don't trouble yourself, my d ly idea was a great deal better th a - I decided to let him kiss me, ai - ware, and then get mad over it." "Good enough. Did it work?" "It would have. but for an ace' Iecame in the evening with my pre -an:]. oh. girls it is p-ereetla love you must come over' and see it. It is. "Yes. yes; we will. But about t. mistle toe?" "Well, there vns my ehanc thanked him as pretnily as I c drew off the wrapper withsre delight and ran rig-ht under the chia. lier to look at it." "Oh, Nell, you sly thing!" "I heard him ereeping up slowly be hind me while I was apparently ab sorbed in my admiration of his present. But just as he was about to catch me a horrid mouse rmn across the floor al most at my feet!" "You poor dear! Did yqi scream. "I did. More, I ran out ino the din ing-room and climbed on the table. Hareywa so disappointed, and so was I. And don't. you think, after all, it was not a real mouse!" I"Not a real mouse?" "No; it was a horrid mehanical toy that some one had given my little brother. And, oh. girls. other callers came in then and I hadn't a moment alone wit-h Harvey to get up a quarrel. Ned arrives at six o'clock this evening: he is coming for the holidays, and whvlat I am to do withl both of them on my hads ITam sure Idon'tlkow"-Cica go Tribune. A rFalm Sairnt. Oh. saeta Clav~a. yc:: orilsi. I Invr- you: i: rmy chi"or d' da: Dt no'.' I have no r:' y, Yoi:'ve solen i: a-.:a: To .give to one who wrun: irt Wh'ile >2rs, is not in i. - 'a' Lyn I..e. Bef'ore anl Afir Now t ie mrry t ire re 3n :, When the lass, so iek ndi hv Will appreciate her l:pa ' v:eckst joke; And with skillful flattery She will laugh with wildest glee After Christmas he will lind that he is broke. -Philadelphia Record. IT PHASED HI. Santa Claus-Hitees a fine piece of buines! The'se children wear Dr. Jan'oley's comb)Iined undergarments, and itey have huin..in the entire out fit-Brooklyn I feC.o!*. Though some ' .is reso'.tions rail As steps tat lead us to a fall, 'Tis better to re-soire and fail Than never to resolve at all. .-Plntenn Courier.