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T 1 Vol. XVI t. Alliance Departmc nt. CHRI5TMAS AGAIN. A'ioptiMl ai the County Organ by the Coun- y Alliance Julv nth, 18>W. M. J. PATK. Associate Editor^ To whom all Communioutious oh Alliance Matters shouhl be addr'nssCd , Offlrern of Ur Caanty AltUarr. H. H. (’rum, President. J. C.. .Miller, Vice President. VV. s. Uiimitenr, tsoorvtary.' A. F. Free, Treasurer. G. Jl. Klnardj ClmpUln. T. 8. Weeks, County lA-ctnrer. W. A. All, Steward or Assistant Lecturer. W. T. Harley, Uisir Keeper. j K. K. Harley, Assistant Door Krs'per. I>. W. Hodiford, Scr«eant-at Arms. F. II. Creech, Business Agent. Executive Committee—C. B. Free, W. W. /atriek, W. A. Faust. Trade Committee—O. M. Hunter. K. II. Dowling,.!. M. L’lmcr, W. A. All. Committee oh (5oml of the Onler—J. C. Me- Mlllan, C. V{. Edcnlicld, W. T. Cavy, J. K BncUtng, E. B. Guess. TT' 1 1 1 -■'■■i-■ ' ■» ■ Make' the Children Happy at TSrrsT” * mas Time. Mother don’t forget Mmt you were young unce, but encourage the keeping of holiday* and enter into the joy* of Outside the shad ows are colder— ’tis snowing. Soft (lakes whirl downward and drift on the pane. • , ■ Round the warm hearth, where the (Ire la “ glowing. __ c Old folks draw closer at Christmas agnlnl The head of the house, in the glow oft ha em bers, Stands straight as an arrow, smiling, tut grand. Thc.rc is his wife, and some fifty Dceemliers \ Leave her as lightly as waves on the sand. Site is to him still as fair as lie thought her When In her teens his allegiance he swore., Maoy n soriT now, aiid blossom irireeted daugh ter ' Gather about them for Christmas once morel were right in sight. It seemed doubly hard for Tom to be bowled over just nt tbii time and hardflCftttt to know that the chances were all against him. The only hope I had was that his robust con stitution would pull him through this mysterious illness, but- as be lost Christ mas indoors j strength and grew weaker day by day is remarkably , even this hope died away. The •'chinook" lasted nine days. It seemed as if summer had come back. I nursed Tom, gathered a. lot more wood. H ROW away cares, ; and all lire in the present; Voungsters a rs f Hr ting with - laugh ter and noise; pleasant- Daneesand games for the girls and Then there are neighbors and cousins and lov ers; Berne, from college, nnd stroke of his crew; Sportsmen who come with an eye on the cov- attd make . uYomote family airectiou* p’eai*ant memoriPR for the boy* and gifts to look back upon, when the old 7 h >mc circle I* no more. You Aik}' have u deep heart trouble but throw it olf, keep it from your little one* at least and let them be happy. Let your cltil- ^dre‘t say, when they look back to their childhood day*, after ihey have reaclt- cri the height* of Toiling manhood -and suffering womanhood: “Wedld hate such hapiHvtime* vvLctt ue were <jhi'- dren.” No after trouhleean cloud such ^ Tuem«trie«; and they will recatll with lu- expressihle tendernes* the many sacri fices made to give them pleasure. !)<> not say “you cannot afford. thi*, ,T , it takes tmre time and patience than m - ney, to make children jhj p •. In buy ing yonr children' present*, don’t buy to suit yoni own age, but gratify the wi-h of each child's heart if possible; buy them something they will appreci ate; iti* *o easy now to surround child, n n)with every implement of happim »*; t'ne lovely (lolls that^open aniLshut —" their eyes, the box of toot* so inteiv-l— ing to the boy*, and the book* by il.c b-st w riter*, full of pict ires andstoi i* s i and arcade light to all children. happy clrlldren some of we older ones w^uld have been, if we had received such tilings instead of the shoe* and clothing, that w ould liavs been bought. If tlier* had been no Christmas. Let | their toys hr substantial ones that wiuj bear itandliiig. It U too provdVifig to give the children present* (bat must ' a Y )tK cwny and kept nic . Xot o ityf MaiUeitfiof bentity whose elm rmsnre not few. Dainty Dianas of favors ciuito chary; Reginald, fresh from the ranch on-the plain; 1-enrned girl graduates, Snllie anil Mary. Meeting and greeting at Christmas Again. j --r - Stilt, to my fancy, the fairest of faces Yonder is shining in silvery curls. Framed In soft wrappers and delicate laces. Grandmother sits in » cluster o{ girls. Watching the dancers with o^Cs growing ten-, der. Clearer and dearer for long ngo pain; Holding the loving hands near to defend her, Hafc with her children at Chi i&Unns again. ■ I ran rememl>er when beaux by the dozen" Toasted her twauty in wit and In wine; I, too. adored her—though l.wns a cousin—' Many a sword tried Its mettle with mine. Ah, gallant company, vanished to hades! Swept with the years fill we only remain. She is for me still the sweetest of ladles— 1, her old Aullor, at Christmas againl Madam, your hand! Thotish the dancers be jdeffty. I-et us, too. stand —not in waltz or In reel. This was “the ni<xle," eighteen hundred and twenty. When It was voted as “mfghty genteel." . Ah. that was dancing. Then “steps" y\ ere “de "rigueur’’ j (Not a wild scramble, absurd and Insane). ^ Apu wil} rememlsT tiiat I'legant tigure— made the shanty more comfortable and dng a grave for Tom on a knoll 80 feet_ back of the cabin. If ito pulled through, he would never know it; if he died, 1 could not leave his body above ground to be eaten by the wild beasts. He had hardly spoken since his illness, his men tal faculties seeming To be^ benumbed, and I was therefore greatly surprised when I came in from my grave digging to find him .looking better than for days before. I took it as a sign that lie had passed the crisis and would now mend, and Lwas trythg tercteeT him up when ho said; . “Sam, I heard yon at work. Yon have done right. Yon know yot$ could have depended on me to do the same.” “Why, Tom, old man, yon are much . better today! You are surely going to pull through! I was digging u bit to run the water off if it came .pit to rain.” ^ But he was not deceived. .After a bit ho told me of his old mother and a sister in the east and asked that his share of the find might lie sent them jn ease things turned out right. Tlthf Wight the I “chinook" vanished ns swiftly as a shad- low, moves, and winter came howling ; down onus. It was the 20th of Decent-. ! her. Before morning it was far below 4 sere, and a beavy sno\vstor;n was raging, and Tom had relapsed into liis Fortner lethargic state. I was in for It now for sure—snowed npon the mountains with a dying man for companion. Front the morning of the ,20th to the afternoon of the 24th the man never uttered a word; sometimes he would open his eyes as I It was about a week before Christmas when Colonel Smith was wandering homeward npon the main thoroughfare of ths city of his adoption. The colonel Was as foil of the spirit of the merry sea son as was the very air itself. He thought : of the presents he was about to make rand of those which he expected to receive as he cast Iti* eyes about him and saw the Shop windows full of the latest nov- i cities in toys. I When he was lost in such a pleasant ! Christman reverie ns lie hadn’t had since j he was a small lioy. he happened to pass along in front of a great marble hotel, •hffrtturttme-he wtut passing it- was engaged in the act of retoning some of the inside blinds at an open window. It is not likely Jhnt it will ever be known just how it happened, but the painter, while probably preoccupied with dreams enter the house bedaubed with red paint and heard that tie had been gibed »t hf boys as he posted along the street *t»e was completely undone and baa stoea been confined to her lied. Her feelinga have got to be paid for too. _ The colonel is really more dfatresaed arer his a nut's feelings than anything else connected’ with this unfortunate affair, and be pro* poses to fight it ont on the basis of usir feeling* and wnnnde-1 pride." , ‘ “See here,” said tlte hotel’s attorney, •TU tell vim wlmt well da Well settle the thing For 7ft, ami not a cent moru. If this doesn’t meet your views of a fair compromise, you mn*t ucck-yonr remedy in the law. .and then you will find what your client’s feelinga are worth.” that tha best yon will duf”-& — U s It h," replied the hotel’a attorney. On Christmas morning, when thebellr were ringing merrily In the frosty air, Colonel Smith apiieared in a new unit of clothes to celebrate the occasion, for hs of the approaching holiday, toppled the {.Jutd accepted the hotel’a tctuia uf fM-TS - —$80 for hi* ruined clothing and $8.73 • for his feelings and thorn of Ris dear old aunty. . ; ' — - CHRISTMAS GHOSTS. l*jt tla walk throiii;lt it at l.'lirihtnuiis atrainl Yea, tiiat i* well! Strike n statelier measure. Fitting The snows ami tlie honor, of vear*. ■ SajU.docs It bring Lo yo j vlsfons o( |i|pitxnr^. Or lias tlie music a tremor of tears? Hero let ttsstay. Why this laughter, young - - misses? moistened his lips or forced a little soup down his throat, hut ho neither knew nor saw me. I knew by the look of his eyes that he was stone blind. About 3 o’clock on the afternoon of the date giv en, atj I returned from the spring with a kettle of water, Tom quietly asked: 4 "Sam. 4* it near Christmas day?” “Within a few hours.” “And yon have got the grave ready?" 4 “Why. man, you won’t need v a grave ; for~yearti to come. Come, now, I want try you with a* bite to eat, aq^, ITI warrant yen’ll feel better 4,^^ CmU r tit© mistletoe!" Zounds! then. Tis l £>ut before I could get around to it he had again become i;l»in, Ckjtndmother, binsliing, musp bring out tliose kjs-rs Site has bocn keepiag for Christmas ncairtl — l.iHtncc Lee. u DEAD MAN’S FIND." again become unconscious, pnd tho next and hid voice was late that night; 1 don’t know but it was 'Christmas morn, for it was mid night or after when he moved an arm and broke my sleep. By this time I had of course given up all hope and realized BY SI. QCAD. your own chihliwi remember, Imt the „ , ' one* whose homo* arc bare, and where ,Copyr,sht ’ by J“ e p can rrc ” AF1,oci *- want i*a daily visitor. Gl> wiBmakr j |f was along In November that Tom itnese children happy, and, wiH make! and I discovered “indications” nt a sinit j r ou better. Dot;’t former tlib «ick cjiib ^UbihAPinyon mountains of Nevada and djen; what joy an (-range or picture ' started adrift. We didn't intend to put book will be to tlie=e linle su (ferecs, it more than a week s work—just enough t-ike.* *0 little; don’t, neglect them. I>11 to develop the •"'find and load np with your children .that, the first Chn«tni*« specimens for assay—but hfter four or gift* were laid at the feet of a child, who' five days Toni was taken sick. Winter came on earth so many year* ago,'■that lie might bring to it light and joyv This touch of solemnity willOnly >-(iit* on and sweeten the tuirth of the <):i\s w ord and work* —'Vonl and Work*.. A bon' Corn. • - * f - . A *ttb*criber living down- Saltkc* hatch ie cal led recentlj^ainl a»ked 11* to find out. and publish something reliable aiMHit early corn. He made * short crop attiHs wisely, thinking about next year now. Nfeetfhg Capf. W. A. All. Sr., of er " ,sc Seiglingvtlle. a sucer-sfttl farmer, wt a«ked him to give us his experience load for assay—but after fiVe days Tout was taken sick. was already at hand, with a foot of snow on the grottnd. If yon have never been among the western mountains, I may tell yon that at about tlie middle of Decent beT^aftor winter lias seemingly shut down, there comes what is called a i’chinook”—a warm win (Loir the Pacific—wltjch melts the snow and stands the season off for a weelt. as it were. We had calculated to take advantage of this break to get out of the mountains, but fate willed it oth- Tom was a New Englander, rongk nnd rugged. He hadn't been sick a day since lie could retnemlter, and bis Dent for early sudden breakdown was a complete sur- »>*<’.» U does not make iy» much show, 1 prise to both of us. He was attacked a* the yellow, hut produce* i»*tftt.gr*m, 4 late ip the afternoon with a violent Hepjatit* the White Tt does not “You will a ref v.t.ll.’’ that it was only a questioh of a few hours more. His long fast had reduced him to a mcre.pkeloton, and during the last two diys 1 could hardly get thel>eat- ing of his pulse or heart. By the time I Was - awake, he said: “Sain, where are you? I cannot seer I took his hands in mine and bent over him as 1 said: •• : in.'iturs* as quickly and make* a very twitching of his muscles, and by mid- palatable bread corn. He gets the n ^ t waa in a profollll(1 stnpori which „ wd from .) H. Alexander, ot Aueav-i i , . 1 . .,, t... fresh every year, a* weeviUget us It f ted , ivlth but few interimssions until If kept here all through the tall stul , , * n<1- winter. It ("oststO cents a peck, less it knew that he was .in a dangerous bought in larger quahtity. r- • ■> condition, bnt I could not leave him, Bottom land doe* not suit for nn car- helpless as he was. nnd make my way ly Vrop. a* it is hard to get a soon stand down into the valley for help, nor could on stteh -soil He prepares hi* laud well nud plant* ^ the first of March. He mixes lut, cow, - stable manure and eottm seiol iti equ-il proportion and ha* a handful of tni* compo-t (Implied at planting time »* near the. corn-a* possHile, witho it tou-hlng the grain. He" aNo gives about a hundred pound* of conimeicial fertilizer to the acre. The vrop is worked rapidly, plowed every two weeks and|)iu*MC,(J all the time. This ycarwm' dry enough P> grind in J ulr. We will be glad to Itoar from other! * farmer friend* a* to corn and other ear-! . ly crop* that will liejp to meet tl c short , yield of this unfortunate ytar. The Ashland Correspondent of thf II irtsvillc Messenger writes; T'lwi fvmp.rs of ^his section have a union club in which they pledge them- *elve* to share equally (a •cording to tlie ainouut of stock they own) the loss of their.neighbor every time thev lose a luir*e or mitle This club i* controlled by officers and each member is honor- bound to iihare hi* part of every lo*s in the club, if he fail* to satisfy the loser within :10 days after bid g notified of I take him down, in his weak and hell* less state tlieitp was but one thing to do. and tiiat was to get a shelter ready and, take the Itest care of him jatssible. 1 found a sheltered spot and in a day and such Ip**, the bf-law* require that his nayne be dropped. *—— AtEOgcneifl tftgrt. —— Say, Mack, have you beam about how the Judge got awav with our hlietifl ? You see, cousin William wa«a walking down street h smoking of hi* com colt •^Jdpe, and smoko a rolling out like a *ar 1 Ntiln, when he tiiet hi* Honor a cuniing “Well, Judge,” said the .Siteriff; I MOISTENED HIS UPS. a half had knocked together a pretty comfortable shanty. Then I gathered a great heap of fireyood and Was as ready aa I could he for a change of wnatW For some days Tom neither, grew better nor w^rso. When I IhiRisted on it, he would take a bit of rabbit sonp, bnt his appetite was gone, and he lay fdr the most part in a deep stupor, aeither •{Making nor moving. For three years we had knocked about ] “Here Tam, old fellow. E)o yon feel better?" .« 1 “I'm most gone, Sami And it's , Christmas day, ain't it?" . , “Yes," I answered, greatly surprised < that he had kept the njn of time so ac curately. “But yon are not going, Tom; you are bettert" . . “Christmas -day in the old Home, Sam!" he went on. , ‘IHs years since 1 was there.. They'll, remember me and speak of me, though—father and me! -Father’s grave is there, near the' old ,botne. Mine they will, never see!” "But Tom, Tom. you are better. You will get welH" 1 cried, n* 1 lighted a candle and bent over him to lift his hoad.V ~—; , “No, Sam. I’ve been dreatning, dreaming of my motlier and sister—of father—of the old home—of— Uood- by, Sami I know you dug tho grave days ago! Mark it. Sam. Mark it so that mother may know it if she ever— Mol her! Moth" And it was all over with poor Tom 1 sat beside him till the day came, the day of prayer and feasting and rejoic ing among millions, and then I wrapjted him in his blankets and carried him ont nnd gave him burial nnd ntteml the prayer which 1 knew was on his moth er’s lips, and sited the tears which 1 felt were welling np as *he thonght of the absent one. He asked me to marlt his grave: I did so, and then I waited for weeks before I could get down into the valley. The next summer when the snow had melted away from the moun tains I went kick to the lonely shanty with laborers enough to develop the Jftinfl -Wliieh ira enlle<1 -rwH Man * FT'twixt the moon llKht and tlie tire , In w interevcnlmoi 1 lone ntpi, \Ylial chost* I rnls- I ed at your do- , sire -— | To m a k o y oitr lea pint; hlnod run slow! How old- how Rfa ve, li o w wise, ‘ wo growl « What Christmas chost can make ns chilY Eave these that troop in mournful row*- The gliosts tvo ali can false at will? The beasts can talk In barn and hrye On (’hrlstmas eve, bid legends know. As one by one the years retire, Wc men fall silent then, I trow— Sv.eh siglits has memory to show, Huch voices from thediMance thrill. Ah, me! they come with CUrDtinasauow- Tk;,alu>*t* we all ran raise at will. Oh. rirtlil?eror the rilltSti^holr, ‘ Your carols on tlie midnight throw! Oh. bright across the mist and mire, , ■ Ve rndHyi hearts of Christmas glow! ' Beat back tlie shades, brat down the woe. Renew the strength of moral will; Be welcome, all. to rome or go— Tlie ghosts we all ran raise at wilL Friend, surstim rorda. soon or slow. Wo part, like guests who’ve joyed their dll; Forget them not, nor mourn them *o- The ghosts w« atiran raise nt wttt! —Andrew laing. 3s CHRISTMAS IN GERMANY. Week Of Sureesslve Feasfk nnd RolRek- lug Festivities. Christmas in Germany is not limited to one day, bnt extend* over n week of! successive feasts and festivities. The family gatherings are usually very large i and the merriment correipondhtgly i ‘fVi" t -*" • 4 ’ and the clerk. learning the great. The observances are usually in-1 angurated on Christmas evo with a sup-, per. The tree, which is comparatively small, is placed in tlie center of the ta ble, whore it stands until after tho Now Year, retaining its tinsel decorations. The gifts are not suspended from tho tree, bnt are placed in parcels about it and under the table. Tlie presents uro distributed amid great hilarity by an ol der abn or Im4her, wbn makes up ,.as a jovial 8t: Nicholas. Tho childrep, Jiko childjen everywhere, enjoy their toys, which are less expensive ayd more prac tical than ours, .and Lhcir elders rejoico in additions to their jicrsonal wardrobes and household belongings. The supper is a eoinparativrly ^plnin one. Tito tabic is set forth with backvret, meat or sausage, herring salad, French cake or German tart and light l* er or wine. After healths Ijave l*een drunk and songs nnd choruses sultg, tlie final ceremony is to lad every one “Frocltliche Weilinacht," and the (tarty disperses. The Christmas dinner is ou a morb elab orate scale. Tin* piece de resistance con-- sists of roast goose, the national dish, it is stuffed with apples or chestnuts and preceded by a soup and accompauied by pot of paint off the window sill, from, which- point it whirled through the chilly ashen air - KBd deposited about three- quarters of its contents npon the colo nel. The latter was as red with rage as he was with (taint when he flew hito and through the main entrance of that hotel and presented himself at the office. “Sir!" exclaimed the colonel in a tow ering rage. “What kind of treatment do yon call this, sir?" “Pretty rough,” replied the clerk, not knowing exactly what to say, because he I was ignorant of the accident that had , just happened. } “I nm gb«d,” rdnred the colonel, with ! beautiful irony, "tiiat yon are at least , kind enough to assume an attitude of • sympathy, but J am here, sir, to demand satisfaction for (lainages. As I was pass ! ing, sir, 9110 '-pf your (winters, sir. upset a pot of ’ml paint upon me, sir!" Here the colonel pan Hod for breath, cause of Li* trouble, became very profuse in his, apologies. “I tun sorry it hap(>onod, sir, very sorry. But you should not be so unrea • rnniTY norc 11 treatment. sonablens to blame tlie establishment for what was the fault of‘a painter cm- ploved by it." “You should employ only painters u bo understand their btisipes*; nir!” roared Trade in Christmas trees. We now require a million or two of yonng evergreens for Christmas trees, and these, too, are cut and stored away in good time, tlie chiqqters often going into the woods soon alter the 1st of No vember. A fall of snow in November or fteeembor greatly increases the difficulty, because the.snow is apt to melt and rceze, rend, lug the branches too bnt- L< l n y mayconsistof two dishes beside fruit, we will liny you a new suit if necessary, tie for transportation. .The woodmen a pawing and a(.fel kmpfen. This will ! “Ynu cannot get mtt of it m, any *nch (>e*4vaps l>e (if rice stowed until tender-in basis ns that. sir. I am gbing to make milk, amC then blended while hot with an example of yon, sir, and inside of 24 firm chopped an(jjWrfred beef suet,-raisins hoars, too, sir!" And having made this nnd eggs, -.•bites and yolks Itoth well threat the colonel. bustled out of th® kartoffel (potatoes), blutnenkbli] (enuli- jhe colonel in u fine freuzji, “and I will flower?or rusenkrant (Brussels sprouts) teach you that (taint cannot bo poured and saucrknmt.tbq latter C(K>tieil and sett- upon 1119 with impunity, sir!" eoned, and n cfvnjtote of (tltiths or other “We are willhig." s;tid the clerk, "to fruit cooked with vincgiir,, sugar and do'what is right in the matter. We will s;>iees. The dessert H(*tu so inijHtrtaiit a pay for having your clottnng cleaned, or therefore like to get their work forward and pile thc ; r trees in the woods along side the road, where they will keep fresh and given for six weeks. The large... market for Christmas trees is Philadelphia, whence they are dis tributed to rll (tarts of the country with in 1,WO miles. The woodmen get from fC to $8 a hundred for their trees, which sell in the cities at prices ranging from 00 cents to As for Christmas presents, they give employment to many inqiorhint trades, the work upon Which is coutimions from the first of January to the last of De cember. Some knowing grandmothers and ingenions aunts, to say nothing of pncles and grandfathers, are on the look out all the yearifpr Christmas surprises, which they hide away in unfathomable recesses, sometimes forgotten by them selves. WHEN MEN OPEN THEIR HEARTS. There is nothing more effective or oft quoted than those lines from the “Chris’!;,, mas Carol" of Charles Dickens; "There! are many things from winch > f might ! have derived good, by which 1 have not profited, J dare say." returned Scrooge’s nephew, “Christmas among the rest j But 1 am sure I have always thought of ! Christinas when it has come round— | apart from tlte veneration-due tails sa- 1 cred name and origip, if anything lie- 1 longing to it can De apart from that—as a good time; a kind, forgiving, eharita- . ble. pleasant time; tlte onTy tiihe I know' 1 of in the long calendar of tlie vear when beaten. This is a sort of German plain padding, for it is boiled in a cloth or mold and served with hot and sweet wine sane®. These feasts are renewed everyday until the inception of the New Year, and then whoev er yon meet, wherever yon are. the grectili 4 ? i* passed, "Prosit Ncn- jahr" (Illtppy New Year), and thcChrlst- mas season comes to nn end. * SUITABLE GIFTS, i building and np the street. U(*>n Hie following day the colonel sent his legal representativu to talk the matter over and see if It could not lx; ad justed to t<is satisfaction without the worry and expense of a legal contest. It hapi>ened that the hotel s attorney was present when tlie colonel’s legal fltorur amvcd, and theTWtfier said: a, “We are perfectly willing to do the fair thing by Colonel Smith. We admit that the cojonel’n clothing was mined through the negligence of one of our em ployees, and we are willing to pay fpr^t. We will give him a sufficient sum to *T0 CWTUSTMA9 OtVEWS. 1 liiEgettlvn* M to Appmprlato dolldaf ' “q 1’1-mom to. The gift which harmonizes with it* fn- ture surroundings ntMl just fits in a va cant *(>ot is the one which is most rai ned. The same rule applies to article* of dress. To the yonng brunette, who®® evening gowns are generally pink or crimson, tlie pale bine fan, although lovely In itself, would not be a* service able as a plainer one which slteconld n*e with her existing wardrobe. Before you embroider the deities or centerpiece® for the housewife’* table consider the color of In r china and tty to bring yonr wurle into affinity with iter possessions. The friend* in mourning nnd the in valid appr ciate the thoughtfulness which adapts the gift to their saddened lire*. The liook. with it* coin fori ing message; the potted palm to brighten thedarkened room, tlie soft knitted shawl or slipper® —in faci. anythingtbatwidmee*eonsid- cralioti for their feelings, and does not jar by incongruity, is priceless. It is astonishing to note how much, i* frittered away on |teriahal>le trifle* when the Christum* gift, of all others, should be something enduring,. The elaborate C.lfd and beriliboned booklet are prac tically- useless, aside from the remem brance which prompts their giving. Al most every one has a collection of satin hand painted vanities, lovely to look at, bnt the care of which is the despair of both mistress and maid. But some say: “Other tiling* are beyond my means. 1 Cannot afford to give snlwtantial pres ents.” It in a fact that the shop*, espe cially during the hot months, arc filled with at least three articles which delight tlie heart* of liomemokcrs the world over, and which inany Young girl* lor® to collect against the wedding day. What are they, pray? Dainty individual coff<*> cups, harlequin spoon* and single platen, suitable for the serving of frnits, cream or naiad. Co-oi>erntii)ii in a l»oon to the average purse. If tholiiH-mbcrs of the family or a set of friends accustomed to exchang® gifts unite theit; finances, they can give “ one liandsome article in the (dace of sev eral makeshifts. Good taste discriminates between the needs of country and town and doe* not send an ojtera glass or party bag to th* farmhoubc. Neither does it give the boy a book which lie ought to like, but tries to select one to complete bis favorite ee rie*. Children’* stockings are sometime* filled from the standpoint of maturity. Utility nnd not suitability govern* the choice of their content*. There has been many n disappointed, sorrowful heart on Christman morning because the power* that be, forgetting their own childhood, had entered to the tastes of those of 40 instead of to those of 4. • 1 » I Don’Cbe too .particular about giving^p nrchase , limw i f a nt}W f(rtit of ''straitened one l.an si^ln useful t linstmas (.resents, riotwitli.stnnd- How does |:i<) strike vou - ' /' Tensive gift. “If 1 only mg that hosts of practical indfvidtial*, j .. Sn( . h u |)r0 M W jtioii xvonld tmt^strifce this gift c(^t!" No field itust I go back and. get my swordiq 5 . • TliY Silver State together in hopes of a 'No hi* Honor replied “we wi 1 tli»- pe.n«c with the *wr.rd,” and after look.- ing at cousin William for a while bo said, “and Sheriff, we will dispense With that pipe, Km.” “YVell,” said thg Sheriff, a* ha hit hi* pipe a swlpebm hi* find." It had been a hard life and a rough one. We were more often hun gry than not. and- up to the time of Tom'* illness we had found nothing of any eohsequenco, but now—well, if in dications amounted to anything, we had hoot heel, “alt right. Judge, 'backer is “ u ‘ T V . tey ’ 1 ’bout out, any way.”—Monitor. i * k 1 8nd our tens of t ^ 0U8a “‘ i « ! (ready Find," and Jtcfore another Christmas day Itis mother nat by bis grave while I told her the-story of his illness and how | her name .had been tlte last on his lips on that dark Christmas morning when his sool went out into the great unknown f, 7. Mr*. Brown—Tbnt’s a nice turkey, bnt I expected yon’d have brought some thing to wash it Mown with. Brown—My dear, that's a-raffle tur key, and *bo'» been washed down al- men and women seeni by one consent to open their slint np hearts freely and to think of people below them, as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of crAfiturea bound on other journeys.. And there fore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver. in my pocket. I believe that it has done mo good and will do me good, and I any, God bless ill" ' QRI&1N- OF CAROLS. especially those of a philanthropic turn of mind, are forever advising ju.t.to the contrary. Of course where extreme poverty is in question, wlsen the very necessities of life are lacking, a ton of coal or a basket of provisions is doubt less a more agitable gift thanjvonld be a sftken table cover or an embroidered scarf; but, barring such extreme cases, the greatest degree of benefit and happi ness experienced, by the exchau, gifts at the season of "good will to. does not, as a rule, result from those of a strictly useful nature. After all, men and women are only hoys and gi is grown tall; and, pray. Avhat healthy 1 y or girl would prefer a i»air of boots to a Toy pistol or a^pair of skates. a doll or a box of candy, as his or her annual, con tribution from Santa Claus? proposition wonld not' the colonel at all." replied Jlrt- friend r.f- the ex-warrior. ‘"It i* notthe amount of money involved m fLis tiling rh.it is J! making biin n;i4crabfe." “Then what is it?" asked the hotel’s at torney. /-< * “It’s hts feelings." replied tlie other lawyer; "Ip* fecliiigs. You kt<Aw lie l«- Ipngs 49 out of tDcuftKarirawd pTtVtidriif • ■ of all the old Virginiii fnmilie*. and lie ge of jg ^ haughty and hy(ieraensitirtf ns any men \ On the principle Of like attracting like, the most valuable gift too often finds it* way "to the otto who needs it least, lu some cases good judgment dictates the giving of money a* the kindest thing to dm done. How often some poverty sighed over the ex ited the money affords a wider opimriujiity for the exercise of coimnon .setfso Mian Christmas giving. Women, by exercising judgment, not only lienefik tbemHelves, but arc a positive blessing in tie ir example to tlie entire sex. and yulctide of 11*98 will be a happy one in deed if common sense is more employed in Christmas gifts.—A. L. Fleming. -4S 7! I The singit.g of carols on Christmas eye and Christmas day is of mediteval origin. A carol sltould be simple and melodious. There are many fine speci mens of them, bnt most of them age not fine. Here is the first verse of a favorite and ancient and famons one; God rest you. merry gentlemen; <«t nothing; yottdismay, . For Jesus Christ, our Saviour, Was horn upon this day To savs Us all front satao’s power, s v When m * had rone astray. Oh, tidlngr* <>f comfort and Joy, For Jesu* Christ, our Saviour, Was burn onCbristmos day. AV BELIEF IN SANTA CLAUS. “The belief in Santa Claus gave me years of unqualified satisfaction." says Mrs. Burton Harrison. “Whether it was actnally swallows in the chimney top or flying squirrels gamboling n(*)n our eaves. I bel.eved sundry tioises of the night to be the pawing .of tiny chargers on the roof. When recently I asked a sitiall person of 8 whetli(-FTe 'st7n' l>e- lieved in dfeiita (Tans and he answered mein witheringgood English. ‘I never be lieved in Sant® LTans:.lji)wars tliougl it was (>arents.' 1 felt quenched and de jected beyond reason." “May good digestion wait on appetite.- and health on both." i* a good motto for your Christmas dinner. In this connec tion it should be remembered tiiat noth ing so promotes digestion as a cheerful iaart soul a clear conscience. ON CHRISTMAS MOANING. , other l»earcr of his name. His foel-_ ings have liocn deeply wounded, and they can ne ver be healed by the (trice of a suit of doth«s." “It is pretty hard to ask ns to pay Mr his feelings,” said the hotel’s |f4(>rney. with a smile, "because I do not see how we can appraise them in order to reach an inte.lhgent idea of their monetary value.” “ And then.” broke in the other lawyer, “hs i* living tviu » matatm aunt • auo a CHRISTMAS TOYS. ; ' In no respect is the extravagance of modem t;i*te nud the progrew of me chanical genius better exemplified than in the children’s toys of the present. The skill of inventor* and manufacturer* has been exr-rt( d to the utmost to bring out novelties iti Christmas plaything*, and the result this year is more attract ive than ever liefore. Many of thee® toy* are of considerable practical value, and some of them sell for from $8 to $100. . At the same time toys tiiat far surpass tho playthings of other day* may l>e purchased for comparatively in significant price*. Tlte industry of toy- making began at Nuremberg in the fif teenth century. At tirosent P*riA ia the headquarters foj the manufacture of toy*, although TSermany divides the honors with the French metropoUaia amny-TCSpH-t*. Ill Mii* cnnntry many large factories are devoted to this in dustry in New York, Philadelphia and Boston. — - Bark to iBothrr’ii pumpkin pies, Apple Miner ami wfMrr Mew*. From the city <-«um lUe W>y» Ami feruvt ail Kreac-k 1 Speeches st Christmas be at ufffcd v, ;th chestnut / ■snal