THE DEPART TOEOP , THE OLD
v' " ' : ' ;
YEAH.
'Twastnear-the time lbyattwo.j earniecl. .
When one \\ith weary , tired feet
Stcalefli awiiyto die. ; " ' : ' ' i
And one , all eagor-for the strife. . , . . , . .
Takes up its fresh and new found life ,
Xor asketh \ \ hence or why.
Tired viith thinking of the past ,
Weary with \\atching for the last'
Breath of the-passing year ,
So sad her dying moments seemed.
I fell asleep , and sleeping dreamed
' '
I saw her blacktdmpedibierJ '
Within she lay , the dead , cold form' . .
f
Of day and hour.s fore\er gone ,
The mourners gathered round !
Such hosts no buiial ever lcnewJ ' * - ' " '
From far and wide- ; the wonder grew * < . ; . " . .
So munycpuld be.Jound , ,
I sto'od among them , gazing 'round.
And strdh a sight and such a Sumf * ' * * " ' J '
I never knew before ! . -.J.I . > ' " '
Such weepingfpr departeif hour * . , , , { ,
Such sighing for Life's vanished tlowers ,
'
The hight'air never bore ! ' *
Beside-the bier an angel brightJ. . -
With varyingjrobes of blackaud wliitc ,
Leaned , lookingtm them -all- ; -
One after one thfeyp * Be.d hnr b'jy , ljt. . \
And
She in each hanjl let fall
' " ' A ' A
ArccoM'Sf thehour.s3no\rde"ad.
Page after j > age each-hiournerread ; > '
JLud some with fallen tears were .stained ,
Some told of struggles , \iclory gained
And-s-ome were white'and-'elean.
When this fair angel-held book
That had a pure and cleanly look ,
She on the wngr smiled , .
A smile so sjveefras ifrHea\eu born. ' t
tSnder the dawn" * ' ' " : °
From eyes as as
Of summer JiiorningSmild. " j' -i.i
But when sheheld in-her white hand .
' ' r JjTf
A book , with pages with a band
All dark. aaclldlhi ati'd stained ,
Her bright eyes dittrwith unshed tears
Pierced through the heart like grievous
fears.j 1 7. : . 4 i , . ,
And : } H the heart-strings pained.
Tremljling , i pasaeiTih'e angel by , '
T dared-not meet/her-steadfast ej-e , ' ' " " ill.
AndTbwjyvbQuf my head ; . j . . ! ? i ,
T felt her hand ipon mine own , . , . 5. .
Then looked fo sec-tue se'ed fd sown
I turned the pages o'er and o'er ,
Ah ! many a stain uul b'fo'l tticyborc ,
And ffew-Hvere cieanJand wliite ! J IM
3Iy heart was weary \\ithrtliejpain - [ '
Of Ih ing o'.er ( the < e hours again , ' .
ThaVonceVad'taken flight' . ' " : ' * *
I speeelile'sklb6d' ; , and tear-drop fpli : oJ 3
ause me ip my csj , d
The angel beckonejl with tier iianu ,
And , looking"HipVr'3awsa bilnU ' 1 "I q oil :
Spirits unnumbered , robed.in white ,
All glownngxvith respleiiuenflngh't ,
XetmviistoB hed'eycs8. ! ' f r-tr
, ; T\ I ' , i * . . ' 'JtM3 / { > ) ' * ' >
Each heUwi pure.and.slunuig scroll , , , . J ( , ,
Which thVbreeze fluttering , didiunroll' ' i" > >
- . , ' ' ' n. rri ft' ' ? r-7' * rv > rOT' > 'U . / <
Anil showed , > twait bIankiUK\cIear5na .
2sow , wbHfe'wo'gaicdavrithondering eyes
At the bright vision in the skies ,
The angel at the bier
Spoke in sad accents , low and s\\eet ,
Some words that I would faiu repeat ,
But cannot now recall ;
The burden of 4hem yet was this ,
The very words my brain did miss
The angel's lips let fill.
' 'The record'of your last gear's life" \
Shows many scenes of bitter strife
And many darksome deeds ;
Few pages arc there clear and white ,
Few pages .show the inner light
That every mortal needs.
Your steps you cannot now retrace.
But ever forward turn your face '
Toward the rising sun ;
The harvest of your sin you reap ,
When tne'soul , lingering siill in sleep , '
Calls not the Heavenly One.
Call on His name.and He will hear , ,
Heyill arrest the falling tear ,
Sustain you , everyone ! '
Whoso confesseth to His name ,
(
.Shall rfhed the garments' of his shame
.j And-don a Heavenly one. ( '
Before we bury tlu > dead j ear ,
Cast all your records on the bier ,
Which I will cover deep ; I
"
Bury them all , beside the dead ' ' ' ' '
All of the moments that hae fled !
Avake then from your sleep ! ' ' ' ' "
"Behold ! these spirits from abpve , , ! '
Types of forgiveness and ' of Jove , it . . .
Mercy to erring ones , .
/Bring unto t-ach a shining scroll' -
Which , as the new year doth unroll , * . ;
Showing the lising > un , .
t j.
'Will hold the record' each day !
Oh- may it still keep white , I pray , T
Through all the year now born ! "
Like snownakes fell the scrolls among
The listening , anxious , eager throng ;
I , reverent , lifted mioe. \ il"
The vision faded from the sky ,
(
/And , 'where the dead year once did He , J '
Appeared old Father Time ; -1
"One glass was empty of its sand , . . [ , . .
Another , held within his hand ,
I aw , on drawing near ,
Was brimming full. Twelve' strokes I
heard , > j
And , starting upward like ajbird ,
Arose the new-born year !
1 op'drWy eyes ! a'nd'lay in thought' * ' ' "
Of all.fhat fancyfs touch hud.wrought '
Within ny busy brain. - . ,
O'C and knelt in earnest prayer ,
Appealing for my Father's eare
And Mercy oncj again.
, And praying that my scroll might be
"Acceptable for Him to see , ? T
When thi yew year should die ; i
( i
And peace and comfort in my breast , ,
' ' ' ' ' " ' " * ' * ' , * ' '
'A feeling of''a fiappyrest ,
i' Trovetll-v\-asheard'on7ligh ? f " ' >
, [ Detroit Free , ]
HER
" se'e here * minute1 ! " '
"Polly , woman , a
Not about ? the mortgage- The old
skinHintj ! . , , _ , . , ( . JlU
. 'Mrs. Andrews turned an anxious'face
from " the bread she"-was-kiiending. :
t" ! " o' ; tain't nothinrojthats"ort.7 Ifsj
a real friendlv letter. . Heyiiuts to"bor- .
row our Patty fof avspeli ! " ' 1U "
"Borrow Patty ! What in the world "
'Well , thc'-e , you see , Polly , " began
her husbtind , advancing with the letter
in his hand : "O ! Aunt Sallv lives
with 'im ; hex for years. An'ther's
her daughter Sarah mc'iried lately. I
s'poso it leaves 'er sorter lonesome.
Anyways he sex he'd like t've Patty
come for w'ilc. It's nat'ral 'nuff.
Shell we let'ergo ? "
"Oh , Araasy , I hate to ! "
"Yes , we'lfmiss 'er ; but 'taint fer
'long. An' there's the mortgage ,
Polly ! "
"I know. Well , let's leave it to
; fatty. "
I Patty herself was not averse to the
visit ; but then she never was to any
plan of her elders.
"I'd jus' as lievcs , " she said , in her
mild little voice ; and George lamented
while he wondered that ne had not
been chosen instead.
So Aunt Polly packed the old-fiish-
ioned carpet-bag , and Unclq Ainasa put
his small niece in the stage-coach , un
der the good-natured driver's carb , one
frosty morning in the late fall.
Pattty never forgot that brisk rolling
overthe * .inty roads , the glimpses of
the ice-bound river , of farm houses
nestled among leafless tree : ? , of now and
then a child at a window who nodded or
' - . lived a hand at her. And then , as
night fell , early and cold , they halted
before a long , low , red house , where a
single light was burning , and an old
'man in a fur cap , with a lantern in his
j hand , came to the gate and called :
I "Aint got a little gal fer me 'ye ye ,
I Silas ? "
I "Here ye be ! " was the answer , and
Patty was handed down * She was so
'nearly asleep that it was like a dream ;
her entrance into the lighted kitchen ,
her supper on kind Aunt Sally's lap ,
and , finally , her tucking into bed at
that good woman's motherly hands.
Butthenext morning , when breakfast
I was over , Patty followed Uncle Joshua
j out of doors. "Kin 1 come with you ? "
i she asked , slipping her little hand into
i his hard , horny palm.
} "I sh'd think ye'd like to stay with
f Aunt Sally , " he replied , looking at her
j from under his cap brim. "She's goin'
I to make some pies , I guess. "
1 "I'd ruther go with you , an' see the
j calves , if I may ? " answered his great
niece timidly.
And so , morning after morning ,
Patty would go to Aunt Sally with her
hood and little shawl , and , while pins
were being fastened and strings tied she
woul'd ask : uYe don't mind ef I go out
wjth * „ Uncle Joshua , , do ye , Aunt
Sally ? "
Always the same question and always
the same answer : "Lord love the dear
children , no ! " While the old woman
muttered , under her hr.eath : 'tMebbe
'twill do some good. Who knows ? "
- Uncle Joshua always stood in , the
doorway during this dialogue , wit'll a
j great show of impatience and "reluct
ance , to be "bothered. ' " . ,
"I .sh'd think a little sal's place was
in th' house , " he would remark , as "he
uibk-her hand. But he likeddt. : JJless
you , Jiow he liked it !
u a
( '
\ Arid soo'n there was not a nook'or
"crannyin the light of Patty's yellow
lTeidand heard the-tender cadence of
tier voice.
One day Aunt Sally accompanied
them to the pen where the great Christ
mas turkey was confined. While she
much about mo d'y ° know ! . * ' with , a
malicious twinkle under hia bu hy eye
brows. ' '
- "Scrutinies. " Patty then , hung her
head. .
"Oh , ' he'does does he ? What does
he call me , child ? "
'Au 01' fhiffer , " said Patty , with her
finger in her mouth.
Uncle. Joshua turned and strode
: v\\'ay , flinging "There , now , Sally ! "
over his shoulder at his dismayed sister
as ho went.
That night he sat before the open
"Franklin" in his great rocking chair ,
while. Aunt Sally knitted in the corner ,
and Patty , on the floor , unlaced her
shoes preparatory to going up stairs.
l4Y.e like us here , don't ye , Patty ? "
asked her uncle , finally , after a long si
lence.
"Yes , sir , o' course I do , " laying her
pink cheek against his knee.
Uncle Joshua's hard hand was very
lighten the yellow head , as he stroked
'
her h'air.
f' "An' would ye like to live with us ? "
, he asked again.
t. "An' not go home ever ? "
> ' ' Why , yes niebby for a visit. But
live here. "
Patty raised her head to stare at him.
"Oh , 1 couldn't , Uncle Joshua ; not to
live , ye know. I think a lot o' you an'
Aunt Sally. But ye know there's all
the rest o' th' folks1 Uncle Amasy and
Aunt Polly and George ; George's my
brother ! "
Uncle Joshua drew away his hand ,
and Aunt Sally , in her corner , frowned
over her knitting.
Innocent Patty went on , presently , in
a musing tone : "This place is awful
nice , but I like Uncle Amasy'ri jus' ex
well , I guess , if it wasn't ler fer th'
moggago. "
"The what ? "
"Th' moggage we've got on our farm
't hpme. Mike said so , an' Geonre an'
me we've hunted for it lots o' times. "
The child's voice had grown low and
fearful , and she knitted her brows as
she spoke. "I'm sca't of it , too ; it's
somethin' awful. George thought
'twas a bear , mebby ; but Mike he said
'twas more like a wolf. Ieever&ee
one , " Uncle Joshua ? "
The old man did not answer , but be
gan raking down the fire with'a great
deal of noise.
"Jos'ua ! " called his sister , winding
the clock.
"Wai ! "he snarled.
" Andrews' man's
"Amasy cz good a
ever trod sole leather. I declare fer it
it's a , hhame. "
"Shet up , Sally ! Will ye ? " Mr.
AndKew's turned upon" her. "Amassy
Andrews's a shiftless creature. I ain't
no use fer'im. "
Patty sprang to her feet , with her
oeff in her hand. "You didn't ousrht-
er to talk so ! " she cried , indignantly.
"Uncle Amasy's so good to me ! " and
then she broke down and cried.
"Sally , take that child to bed ! " com
manded her uncle , and disappeared.
Patty went home soon after this ; and
when the stage stopped at the door ,
Aunt Sally held her last , saying between
her tears : "Ye mus' come air'iu , dar
lin' . Promise us ye will. " While Un
cle Joshua snapped , in his Grossest
tones :
"O' course she'll come ag'in. Don't
be a fool. Here , Putty , come to me.
That's somethin' remember "
to me by ,
thrusting a gold piece into her hand.
"An' this , " holding up a little package ,
ye tell yer Aunt Polly to put in your
.stockin' C'ris'nms. "
And then he took her to the stage.
When Patty showed her gifts to Aunt
Polly at night , that worthy woman took
the money between her thumb and
linger. "Land's sake ! " she cried , "ef
that don't beat all ! It's a five dollar
gold piece , Amasa Andrews , as sure's
ye live ! Who'd a' thought th' ol" man'd
acted so like folks ! "
"He's real good ! " loyal Patty in all
her excitement did not" forget to say.
"I like Uncle Joshua fustrate. Oh , but
Aunt Polly ! won't that buy my new
shoes ? "
The man and woman exchanged
glances , and then Mrs. Andrews
stooped and kissed her niece.
The short winter days passed quick
ly. One night at dusk the two excited
children hung their stockings in the
chimney corner before they went up
stairs to bed. The next morning , in the
dark and cold , two little night-gowned
figures crept down the back stairs ,
shivering and sleepy , but happy beyond
words to describe.
Den't ( ye look ? Don't ye dass to
look 'till J get th' fire agoin ! " com
manded George , as he lighted the
lamp.
"HonestTwon't , Georgy ! " his sis
ter promised , covering her eyes with
lier hands.
"There ; it's agoin' ! I'm glad I fix't
it las' night. Now look , Patty , oh ,
look , quick ! "
"Mittens ! " cried the boy , diving into
liis stocking.
"Leggin'scried ! the girl.
"Oh , Patty ! look 'ere , won't ye" A
sled , a true an' honest sled ? ' "
"Oh , Georgy ? a doll ? A lovely ,
great big doll ! Oh , aint I glad ? "
' 'That's good news , " said Uncle
Amasa , cheerfully , as he and his wife
appeared at the door. "Air ye satis
fied , children ? "
But Patty had , at last , come to Uncie
Joshua's box" . "I'll cut th' . string with
knife " cried. "Now
my new , George ,
lets look ; mebby its a gold watch and
chain-Patty. "
"Taint nothin' but writin' , " said the
child , bewildered.
Uncle Amasa took the sheet with
trembling fingers.'Heaven an" earth , "
ISO *
hcf ejaculated , -letting it fall the next ' .1
moment. "It's tnat moggage inmle
out to Patty. Listen hero :
" 'I send yon'1vhat u'ouTd please v u
most. ehUd , JCelloourJJjaulaAniiuiiLaiHau
In pretty good that ralM-s such a little girl.
So , a .Merry Christmas to yon all. From
* ' 'TjIKOl.D DUKKKK. ' "
"Bless the Lord ! " whispered Aunt
Polly. And "Bless the Lord ! " piped
her small niece.
And I think our Patty was the only
chilli in New England who found that
day a house and lands in thu toe of her
Christinas stocking. [ Ruth Hall in
New York Independent.
.
Fashion ftotos.
Carrickmacross collerettt's und deep
cuffs are very popular garniture for
plain , untrluunud dinner dresses of
dark velvet.
BucKles for trimming , both in mil-
linery and dressmaking ar finding fv-
vor. A pleasant combination 13 steel
sot with false gems.
Real sealsiciM ? . ityed almost black , are
brought out for ladies in mourning , and
for those who prefer an entirely black
costume.
Wool , silk and velvet are all com
bined in one costume , and yet this is so
effectively accomplished that the result
is perfect in Its way.
For elderly and middle-nged ladies
nothing can be more beautiful than the
reception and dinner dresses of gray
satin embroidered with smoked pearls.
Soft silk and surah evening dresses
* 1
for young ladies are trimmed with 1
Moresque lace , the Valenciennes lacerf
being used on the iieavier silks and
light velvets.
English bonnets of this reason are
large , many of them being copies in
chenille of the summer bonnets in straw.
English hat ? are also quite large , and
many of them have the eccentric bruin
of last season.
Double chenille fringes , put down the
front and in plaston below the waist
line on the back of a short wrap , but
not around the garment , has the effect
of narrowing the figure , and should bo
used by short and btout women.
Velvet spotted Ottoman silk Ls .stylish
when combined with plain velvet. A
Pai feian drees for walking or driving
has moss green silk with red and brown
velv * t dots for the basque , with a blouse
vest > of plain brown balm. The skirt is
brown velvet and the panniers of the
spotted silk.
Smoky hue- , are the fashion with
Er.gli.ih ladies ; there are smoke-bine , M
Miioke-green and smof-giMy
that are toned down by a .shimmer
that is shadow-like anil gives a charm
ing effect. Smoke-blue is trimmed
with garnet , and biinuy brown is com
bined with green.
Swiss belts of leather or velvet arc
worn by young ladies with cloth
dresses. They are made with points
in front , the upper one small ami the
lower very long , and the back is a
plain , straight band. Jet belts of line
beads very close together are worn witlt
velvet waists.
A Pofessional Whittler.
St. Lou Post IJi-putch.
William Yoke claims to be the cham
pion jaok-knifc artist of the day , al
though he was born in St. Louis and not
Yankeedom. A Post-Dispatch reporter
heard of this professional lacerator of
pine sticks and sought him out. It was
not until the inside of an unused Meth
odist church at Kirkwood , this county ,
was reached that Mr. Yoke and liu
knife wore cornered. The knife was
slashing cigar boxes to pieces at rail
way speed when the reporter opened up
with. "Are you the man who is making
an automatic world's fair and St. Louis
exposition with a knife ! "
" > 'o , that isn't what I call it. I am
making what I call the Missouri Pacific
and Strasbnrg Automatic Wonder ,
with the Golden Ark of the Covenant.
It will contain over 180,000 pieces and
will have 1,100 moving and working
figures. "
All around the gaunt and dismantled
church were piles of cigar boxes and
laths and myriads of nicely carved lit
tle pieces of wood , apparently portions
tions of models of buildings. The
whittler was a small man , with keen
eyes and a ready tongue , and about %
years of age. In the course of an
an hour's conversation he said in sub
stance : "I didn't know that I was any
thing extra , of a whittler until abut 18GU ,
when in a small way I made some
models. I was in Texas working ti
mill-wrightihg. The first large piece I
ever made was a model of a Bermuda
castle. Afterward I made Balmoral
castle , Bingen castle , Miramar castle ,
the steamer Bristol , Solomon's temple.
and .he Texas state capitol at Austin.
Solomon's temple contained 12iJS (
pieces , and had 1,309 windows. It is
now on exhibition m Texas. The Aus
tin capitol building has 03,04-1 pieces
and .161 moving people. Every. room
and department in the building was
given , with all the oflicers and legisla
tors. ' Everybody was represented ,
down to the man sawing wood in the
basement for the furnaces. All the
figures were moved by a wooden en
gine , -whic'f was run by sand falling on
an overshot wheel. I "made this piece
at odd moments in 1880.
"I have jiiat hired this church and
begun steady work. I shall sleep and
eat in this church until about May 1 ,
next. The material ? Yes , it takes
considerable. I have already used up
967 cigar borvfts and 300 laths. It will
take in all 1 > 00 cigar boxes , 500 lath ; ,
and 500 feet of lumber. The -cio-ar
boxes I got for one cent each. I/ufed
no tool's except my knife. "
A Buenos Ayres dollar is as big as a.
cart-\\ heel and is made of copper and
silver.