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About The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1885)
CHRISTMAS MORNING. Last Christmas Morning golden Of these one of the least "Was glad In the light of heaven As it came from over the East. "How good every one is growing I" Said she ith a loving Kiss ; "How happy , cheery , 103 ous ! Will It always be like this ? " We aided hope with a blessing And strove with a New Year zest ; But frost fell down and the Summer Was covered with leaves like the rest But her wish is theme for a chorus To extend the season of bliss ; Old world 1 whirl on in thy current And be forever like this ! MR. THOMPSON'S CHRISTMAS PARTY. Mr. Thompson sat in his easy-chair be fore his open fire and watched the glow ing embers , and mused. It was the night before Christmas , and Mr. Thompson had been busy all-day down-town buying presents for his friends ; for notwithstanding his peculi arities , , he is a good-hearted old fellow , and besides his many young friends , this year he was obliged to buy a present for Miss Angelina , He had changed his boarding place , when he returned from the country , so as to be near her , and had moved all his goods and chatties from his bachelor's apartments to the big front room under ners. He now had the satisfaction of hearing her footsteps just above. Every time she crossed the room to her writing- desk and then went back , to the window , Mr. Thompson knew that she had taken the paper , pen , and ink from the desk , * got a book from her shelves , and had gone over to the window , after the manner of womankind , to write on her lap.It It always puzzled Mr. Thompson why , with "a p'rettily furnished desk in the room , a woman wiU always prefer to write on her lap. He gazed fondly at a handsome lap tablet which he had pur chased ior her , and murmercd softly , "I would I were a Christmas present ! " "A pretty-looking Christmas present you'd be , " chirped a stuffed sparrow , which sat on an impossible-looking bough just over Mr. Thompson's mantel. Now Mr. Thompson had become quite used to having live animals talk to him , but to be adressed by a stuffed bird was a new sensation so new , in fact , thathe could not refrain from remarking , po litely , "I spoke to a cousin of yours last Bummer , but it is hardly the thing for a etuffed bird to speak ; " and he added to himself , with a shudder at the recollec tion of the usual result of these conversa tions , "I'll be turning into a stuffed bird myself before I know it. " "You. are stuffed enough already , " said the sparrow , pertly , "after all the dinner you ate. " Mr. Thompson sighed as he remem bered the mince-pie and coffee , but said nothing. "Humph ! I should think so , " said a new voice , which seemed to proceed from a case of birds which ornamented one side of the ro'om. He turned , and the case all was activity. The great quack , or the bird with the lantern , who was evidently the speaker , was snapping his bill viciously ; the crow was pulling at the imitation grass , which he mistook for corn ; the gray owl was winking on his perch , and the little prairie owl was skurrying around , vainly looking for a prairie-dog's burrow. Without thinking , Mr. Thompson arose and threw open the glass doors. Such a flutter as ensued ! "So you want to be a Christmas pres ent ! " said the spaarow , jeeringly , as he left his perch and sat familiarly on the arm of Mr. Thompson's chair. "Yes , or a stuffed bird , " replied Mr. Thompson , desperately. "You must have a pretty good time of it ; no one lo bother you , no fear of hawks , or men with "Tins , or anj-thing of that sort. " "Of course , of course , " answered the crow , sarcastically. "But just look at my wing , half-eaten up by moths , and niv feathers covered with dust ! " " "Yes , " chirped the cat-bird ; "and to DC obliged to sit day after day tip-tilled on a bit of twig in a position I could not hold a moment except for the wires. " "Or to stand on one leg from one year's end to the other , and have every body take you for a stork , " grumbled the crane. "But the very worst is to have you tell a different story about each of us every time you have a new visitor , " said the owl , glaring at Thompson reprov ingly. "Your mendacity is something alarming. " "Where did you get the dictionary ? " shouted all the birds in chorus , turning upon the owl. Mr. Thompson was beginning to feel decidedly uncomfortable , and was glad , of any change in the conversation. He was also becoming angry , and he blurted out , 'Til give the whole lot of you ! * ' ' awav. " "To who ? to who ? " asked the owl. "To Miss Angelina , " answered Mr. Thompsondefiantly , turning to his desk , and rapidly penning a note to her to that effect. "Oho ! oho ! " said the owl. "He wanted to be a Christmas present ; now is his chance. Come along. " And be fore he knew what the matter was , he found himself in the glass case. All the rest of the birds had returned , and were regarding him with malicious eyes. He hall time to notice that he was.standing on one leg just opposite to the crane.and he realized that his long nose had grown longer , his neck thinner , and that , in fact , he was a stork , such as one sees on the fancy painted panels. Suddenly the glass doors shut with a click , and he was imprisoned. How long he staid this way he does not know. After a time he heard a knock on the door of his room , and pre sently the chamber-maid entered. "Misther Thompson isn't here at all at all , " "she remarked , as she glanced round the room. "Well , I s'poseho's gone off to tne country agin. * He's a quare one intirely. Phwat's this ? " she added , seeing the note on his desk. "A letther to Miss Angelina. Mebbe that'll ' . " And Mr. tell where he's gone. , to Thompson's vexation , she deliberately opened and read it. "No , " she contin ued , as she held it musingly in her hand. "He only says he'll give her the ould case of stuffed birds ; and that's a funny present. Well , I'll be after taking her the present. " And she left the room , returning shortly with the waitress. The two lifted the case carefully enough , and , after some consultation , bore it be tween them to Miss Angelina's room. "Here's a Cliristmas Mr. Thompson bid me bring to ye , mum , and here's a bifrnote that goes with it , " said the girl."Oh "Oh , how lovely ! " murmured Miss Angelina , who was talking to two ladj boarders when the case was brought in. "Where is Mr. Thompson ? " "Faith , I'm tliinking he's gone to the country ; he's not in his room , mum , " replied the girl , goin ° ; put "Isn't it nice ! " exclaimed Miss Angel ina to her friends , examining the case of birds. The two ladies exchanged glances. "The case seems to bo very cheap black-walnut , " said one. "And you'll find it an awful bother to keep those tilings clean , " added the second. "And they don't seem to be very well stuffed , " said the first. "And that stork is positively hideous , " said the second , pointing to Mr. Thomp son. His blood , or perhaps we should say his stuffiing , fairly seemed to boil. But Miss Angelina set it all right by say ing , brightlythink them very nice , and the stork is perfectly lovely. " The * two ladies exchanged glances again , and left the room. All through that long Christmas-day the boarders came into Miss Angelina's room to display their presents and talk them over , making quite a Christmas party , as Miss Angelina said. Many were the criticisms upon the case ol birds , and much sly fun was poked at the stork. Mr. Thompson noticed , however , that * it was only the grown-up folks who found fault. The children were all pleased , and they seemed to like the poor stork. One bright little girl was the only one who seemed disappointed , and she gazed longingly at a beautiful doll held tightly by one of her compan ions ; and then coining over to the case of birds , which Miss Angelina had open ed that they might see mem the better , she stroked the head of the stork softly , and as she pressed her cheek against his soft feathers , she murmured , "I wish ] had a dolly like that. " Mr. Thompson's heart for despite the stuffing he still felt his heart jumped in his breast , for he remembered that he had just such a doll , which he had bought for her , snugly packed away in his closet down-stairs. He felt that he could stand it no longer. He must gel away from this hateful case. He made a desperate effort , and found himself sit ting in his easy-chair in front of his fire , winch had long since gone out. A child ish voice rung in lus ear and a chubby hand was on his arm. "Merry Christmas , Mr. Thompson. " He turned , and there was the little gin at his side. "You shall have your doll , " he ex claimed , rising and going toward his closet. She looked at lum in bewilder ment , which was soon changed to joy in the'possession of "Just the loveliest dol ly in the world , " as she called it , hug ging it tightly to her bosom. Mr. Thomp son did not give the case of birds to Miss Angelina , but , as the young man who told me the story remarked : "He told her the story , and she com promised by taking the storkwhich she still thinks 'perfectly lovely. ' So some times good results may come of eating mince-pie , " the young man adds , with" a mysterious smile. Mr. Thompson , contrary to his usual custom in such cases , admits thathe may have dreamed , but he too claims that it is sometimes a good thing to be stuffed before you go to a Christmas party. THE LORD OF MISRULE. CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES IN QUEEN ELIZA BETH'S GIRLHOOD. It was Christmas Eve. The great hall of Hatficld House gleamed with the light of many candles that Hashed upon sconce and armor and polished floor. Holly and mistletoe , rosemary and bay , and all the decorations of an old-time English Christmas were tastefully ar ranged. A burst of laughter rang through the hall , as through the ample door-way , and down the broad stair , trooped the motley train of the Lord ol Misrule to open the Christmas revels. A fierce and ferocious looking fellow was he , with his great green mustache and his orge-like face. His dress was a gorgeous parti-colored jerkin and hall hose , trunks , ruff , slouch-boots of Cordo va leather , and high befeathered steeple hat His long stiff , topped with a fool's head , cap and bells , rang loudly on the floor , as , preceded by his diminutive but pompous page , he led his train around and around the great hall , lustily Ging- ing the chorus : "Like Prince and King he leads the ring ; Right merrily we go. Sing hey-trix , trim . go-trix , Under the mistletoe ! " A managerie let loose or the most dyspeptic of after-dinner dreams could not be more bewildering than was this motley train of the Lord of Misrule. Giants and dwarfs , dragons and griffins , hobby-horses and goblins , Robin Hood and the Grand Turk , bears and bores and fantastic animals that never had s name , boys and girls , men and women , in every imaginable costume and device around and around the hall they went , still ringing out the chorus : "Sing hcy-trix , trim-go-trix , Under the mistletoe ! " Then , standing in the center of his court , the Lord of Misrule bade his her ald declare that from Christmas Eve tc Twelfth Night he was Lord Supreme , that , with his magic art , he transformed all there into children , and charged then : on their fealty , to act only as such. " 1 absolve them all from wisdom , " he said : "I bid them be just wise enough to make fools of themselves , and do decree thai none shall sit apart in pride and eke it self-suffciency to laugh at others ; anc then the fun commenced. CHRISTMAS-GIVING. Hapless is the lot of man who , in this Christmas time , has no gift to give or no gift to receive. Melancholy must claim him for her own and life to him must be a condition of utter and unrelieved cheerlessness. Now , when Christmas fires are kindled"on countless hearths , when all mankind is given over to mer and when Kris ry-making well-wishing , .Kringle usurps all other rule , he who has no home is indeed a woful wight ; and he who has a home and yet provides no Christmas tree is a wretch for whose neglect theue is no extenuation. It sometimes goes hard witli those who cling to the notion that Christmas Day should be an occasion of quiet , devout , contemplative religious ceremonials , that the popular observance is marked by feasting , hilarity , good humor , and the giving of gifts. Such persons are not your true philosophers. Christ himself declared that his followers would be known by the fruits of their devotion. And generosity is most assuredly a Christian grace. Because there may ap pear a very long stretch of sequences between the Adoration of the Magi and Mr. PickwicfSs frolic under the mistle toe , they are sequences , nevertheless ; for , while the solemn ceremony of the one was a recognition by indirection in the one case there was kneeling in the presence of the Christ-child ; in the other , a manifestation of that temper of kindli ness which is the sweetest illustration of the Christian spirit. The interchange of tokens of affection ate regard on Christmas Day is quite in accord with the injunction to love our neighbors as ourselves. The fundament al principle of the Christian rdligion is exemplified in the gift. All the forms of the day's celebrations are protesta tions against selfishness. Christ con insisted self-denial self-re stantly upon - , - straint and self-subordination. One's T I the pleasure of its unveiling and long majr he live to defy the image-breaking spirit of the age ! He is the embodiment of good cheer ; the genial instrument of impartial benevolence. He does not ob ject if all his gifts bear the signet of father or mother , uncle or aunr. neigh bor or friend. He is quite above such incongruities. The sentiment of mutual good will remains. Such is his mission ; such was the mission of the angels who sang to the Shepherds of Judea , THE CRADLE OF BETHLEHEM. A CHRISTMAS THOUGHT. There is something peculiarly signifi cant and touching in the picture which the Christmastide makes prominent that of our faith beginning in the cradle of a helpless child. The manger of Bethlehem is the sym bol of a universal faith. Before that symbol we feel that Christianity should never become a vigorous theology , divid ing men into hostile camps ; never be surrounded by pomp and the conditions of selfish , worldly power. Because it came to the world even as the purest blessing and the deepest joy come to the household as a new-born babe ! Is not the common Christmas picture signifi cant ? What is it gives to the word "Home" its solemn and lovely meaning ? What draws to a common center all the discordant elements of the household and changes them to harmony ? What gives dignity to love , deeper meaning to labor , and brings all hearts into a gener ous rivalry of sweet and disinterested love ? The presence of the first-born in the home. Then married affection re veals the divincncss of its life. Then wife and luisband begin to know the beauty and mystery of self-sacrifice. The love that comes with the tiny nest ling is the first faint shadow and sugges tion of the kind of love which God lias for His human children. Believing the CHRISTMAS MOUSING. duty to others is variously enjoined in the scriptures. Therefore the Christ mas gift comprises the essence of the religion He taught a religion which , in stilling charity into the hearts of meu , was to make .all men happier through the cfibrts of each individual to make his fellow happier. The modern method of commemorating the Advent is' entirely fitting , even though we give ourselves over to the Good Genius of the Christ mas-tree , with only incidental regard to the bells that "knoll to church ? ' The most important observance is that be neath the branches pf the gift-bearing evergreen , where all hearts grow young in the atmosphere of good-cheer and loving-kindness. It is there that each one sees the happy results of his own beneficence and finds his full reward in the consciousness of the pervading glad ness. Such is the blessedness of practi cal Christianity ; such the beautiful out come of a religion intended to solace , to ameliorate and compensate a religion of a Master who finds His most grateful worship in the kindly acts of His child ren "one to another. " Here , in America , the sprjtes and elves and genii of ancient lore have not thrived in the popular fancy. Even such superstitions as the Puritans brought over were forgotten or ignored by their children. The occupation of the New World kept their minds too busy with the duties at hand to allow them to pon der upon the supernatural. The Amer ican with each succeeding generation grow more practical-minded , and the Christmas fairies slipped into oblivion along with the faith in the divine right of Kings. Kris Kringle survived be cause he was a convenient appropriation and because , perhaps , he was such an extravagant old fellow whose largess was quite in harmony with the some what prodigal American disposition. But he aloTie has survived. He alone has any sort of actuality to the American * child. Cinderella and Queen Titania and all the rest of them are read of and enjoyed , but without much faith in their existence. They arc contemplated rath er as charming creatures of admitted un reality. But St. Nicholas is still expect ed , ami eyes are shut to his mythical na ture , despite base burners and registers and f urnaces. Force a child to a confes sion of belief or unbelief in his reality , the decision would probably be in the negative ; but the delusion is fondly cher ished , notwithstanding. He is , as re marked , such a delightful convenience. He invests the Christmas tree with just enough mystery tt give exquisiteness to Infinite to be perfect in wisdom and pur ity , we feel when we first look into the face of our new born child , that there is but little in our moral imperfectness and spiritually unfinished condition to com mend us to the divine affection. We feel that there is something in our lives which foreshadows a purer and nobler existence than any the world has yet known. We are conscious of an unful filled promise of spiritual beauty in our souls. Then we think of the tireless pa tience with which the divine law is de veloping humanity. Of how we trample under our passionate feet the blessings of health , happiness , truth and peace which still spring up again in our path. The radiant truth is sent to man and he scouts its warnings , hews down its altars , kills its prophets , crucifies its Christs. And when the first cradle comes to the household we seem to catch a glimpse of the meaning of the mistery that lies in God's slow education of the race. In our love for the tiny , helpless stranger , we seem to see a reflection of God's love to his children. Go back of our mere blind instinct of affection. Analyze our love. What is that bit of unconscious humanity to us ? Not much , indeed , ex cept a creature upon which to hang bright Hope ! Upon what can love be centered ? A speck of human life ; a bit of appetite ; a meaningless wail ! There are no qualities of mind , soul or body upon which the heart can rest. There is nothing but expectation , nothing but a dim prophesy of a future blessing. Why should we waste time and strength , make sacrifices for this mindless morsel of man ? We know , when we rellcct , that the true dignity of that love is not ob ' jective , it is p'urely subjective. We do not think of the worth or worthlessness of the little creature for whom we spend and are spent. Our love is rooted not in what it is but what we are ! In that rich love for our first born child we have the blessed hint of the real truth of that redemption which is the central doctrine of the gospel. The fullness of God's love springs not from what we are , but from what He is. And beside the first cradle we learn the lesson of Christian self-sacrifice. Not the world's lesson of bare , joyless , self-renunciation , but Christ's truth of a love so full and free and joyous that in its heart it finds giv- inf a greater blessing than receiving. Besides , as has just been hinted , the manger of Bethlehem is the true symbol of a universal faith. The poorest , low liest homes know this sovereign blessing of the presence of children. The peas ant and prince alike share the quaint fancies , the fresh joys , the unquestioninS love of children. And so common as this is. our heritage of that faith of which the manger-cradle should be the univer sal symbol. . Its simple truths , its bound less hope , its deep consolations , all fit it to become the commomucalth of the human heirt. Its litany is the world's common wail of sorrow. Its prophetic hope is the spiritual restoration of all the ends of the earth ; its ceaseless pur pose , to change this world into the King dom of God. MEIIRV CHRISTMAS. NEW YEAR BELLS. . Now from every tower and steeple Clan < j the bells w ith a gladsome sound , Showering down on the hearts of the people The tidings glad of a year new found. Ring aw ay sorrow and pain and care , Demons that brood o'er the lives of men. Let not the sound of a world's despair Fill our hearts with a deeper pain. Welcome and greetings ; O ! new born year , With thy fair white page on which to write The manifold changes that greet us here , Which our hearts in sorrow or joy invite. Write them down with a golden pen , Blessings many and jojs a few. Seek thv thoughts from the hearts of men Who have dared to do right and lived to be true. Set thy hand to redress each wrong , And never falter in doing right , If to help a fallen comrade aloqg , Or do each _ duty with all thv might. Duties will come w ith every day , Scorn them not if they seem but small From God no action is hid away , And He a recompense finds for all. So write thy deeds w ith a golden pen , Write them dow n for the book of life Write them down in the heart of men , And be a hero in every strife. Christmas. It was Julius I. who in the fourth cen tury , after a long contest between the Eastern and Western Churches , fixed upon December 25th as the day for cele brating the nativity of our Eedeemer. Down through the centuries that passed since that event no Christmas day has come , in which joyous happiness has not entered the door of every lamily in Chris tendom , so far as the will of its mem bers would permit. As the day ap proaches in which Santa Glaus is to make his annual visit down the chimney to fill the stockings of little children from the bounteous treasures he is credit ed with carrying from home to home , how the hearts of the innocent little ones throb with pleasure ! As the years of their lives advance and they learn that Santa Glaus is after all a synonym for their parents and other of their clearest friends , the fading away of the illusion of childhood takes nothing from their continued interest in the coming of Christmas. Old and young alike on that day prop erly strive to banish care , and be happy during the festival that celebrates the birth of the Saviour of the world. It is on that day especially that the injunc tion "Love thy neighbor as thyself" ought to be remembered , and in loving deeds be put into full practical operation by every man , woman and child in Christendom. On that day the Child was born at Bethlehem who preached a gospel that has brought comfort and sol ace to the hearts of countless millions. Our comfort , solace , joy , happiness are all increased in proportion to our readi ness to obey the injunction of our Mas ter. Christmas Day of 1885 will present peculiar opportunities for the practical application of the Redeemer. Let every man who is not the , to a disastrous , ex tent , victim of the business crisis that is abroad in our land , remember his neigh bor on that day to the extent of causing him to know that Christian benevolence is a reality and not verbal phantom. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as tin- self. " Christinas Past. The Christmas season recalls those who shall hear its cheerful greetings no more. "With trembling fingers did we weave The Jxolly icund the Christmas hearth. " [ t restores , not mournfully- figures of those of its own spirit , lay preachers in their lives and works of its lofty fervor af faith , of its humane and happy gos- icl. With all its social delight they are associated , and at the Christmas feast , if it no other , the old kilo told of the spir- tual Swedenborgians is made true , and a plate is set for the invisible guest. So also Thackeray sings in his Christmas tiyinu to the Mahogany Tree : " Evenings we knew ITappy as this ; Faces we miss , Pleasant to see. Kind hearts and true , Gentle and just , Peace to jour dust ! We sing round tKe tree. " THE EVER-LIVING. rhough , since that morning centuries ago. That dawned upon the advent of the King , Have countless millions lived and loved to sing 3is praises ; yet , all human jov and woe Is ever-blest ; for Christ is born again Anew each 3 ear within the hearts'of men. Set the Joy-Bells Kinging- . He will miss the chief delight of the Christmas season who fails , by word or Iced , to brighten some dark and cheer- ess life. Even the poorest maby a cindly word of hope or encouragement , > et the joy-bells ringing in some heart ying in the eclipse of despair. And hose who have been blessed with apro- 'ttsion of bounties whose lives are al- vays bathed in sunshine how much : aii they do , in these Christmas times , f they will , to make the world a Para- lise for the poor and unfortunate ! Sure- y , it is better at such a time to lure to iur firesides the angels of peace and content , than by cold indifference to the " vants of our "fellows to marshal the ghosts of squandered opportunity all uong our paths. BE1E AND THESE. Albany's bicentennial anniversary comes next July. There has been sleighing in Prince Albert since November 1. Middletown , Pa. , has a dog that rides horseback behind his master. Pennsylvania coal , anthracite , _ is sold in tho City of Mexico at § 2o a ton. Friccaseed lily petals are mentioned the Chinaman a as a dainty ihjit tickles palate. SteinJtz and Zukertort are about to play a came of chess for a stake of § 4,000 Arrangements are making to estab lish in California a colony of 250 fam- . ilies from Alsace. The Sacramento Be& says the Chinese take § 15,000.000 a year out of Califor nia and send it homo. A recent storm on the Pacific coast washed up many sea-shells , some of them of very rare varieties. At Altoona , Fla. , you can dino on fouug "potatoes and green peas that bave grown since September 23. New barracks for the mounted po lice , a court house , and jail will bo built at Battleford in the spring A Mormon who was accidentally killed in Utah the other day left sixty- seven children to mourn his loss. Charlotte Wickliffe ( colored ) died I Tuesday at Louisville , aged 117 years. She leaves a daughter who is nearly : l 100 years old. In Maryland and Pennsylvania eight out of every twelve families have a big jtock ot trade dollars laid away , wait ing for par redemption. A North Carol tea man sent an appli cation for a postofEce to "llis Majesty Grovor Cleveland , president-elect , " but hasn't seen the office yet. An opera-house to bo erected at Long Branch will bo opened before the next fashionable season. It will seat 1,500 people ; and will cost $20- DOO. DOO.A A single ticket from Boston to Den ver and return was recently sold in Boston for $2,481. It carries a party of nine in a special car with stop-over privileges. " > Teamsters who 'hauled water for the Dominion soldiers when in camp at B.ittleford last summer have not been paid a cent for their work from tho [ jovjernmeiit. QThe cruitar has taken tho place of the banjo hi New York society , and it is said to bo a pretty parlor ornament and to match well with the Spanish jackets now fashionable. The New York Ontological society has officially promulgated tho opinion that the excessive use of common salt 's one of the main factors in the de struction of human teeth. Tho petrified skeleton of a whale . over thirty feet long has been discov- red by an ollicer of the coast Mirvoy on a range of mountains in Monterey county , California , over 3,300 feet above sea level. There appears to be an agreement among recent medical writers that water is fattening , or at least favors a fullness and roundness of tho body. It should be drank at its natural tem perature and in considerable quantity. A new hj'pnotic urcthan has made its appearance. Its discoverer behoves that "it agrees with tho patient. " and "produces a sleep closely resembling physiological bluep. " But they say thoio things of all hypnotics "while they are new. It is reported that "Blue Dick , " a Chinauiau ot sportmjr proclivities , has won in the neighborhood of a thousand dollars ckriu < r the past three weeks in Y ; i battle agaiust the t.ger" in Pheuuix , Arizona. His original stake , it is claimed , consisted of about 25 cents. An editor in Kmslor , N. C. , who iloesn't object to good produce m lieu ni cabh subscriptions , give * emphatic iiucl pointed notice that ho will draw Iho line at "S or 10 year-old roosters" which sonic subscribers have been in the hab.t of pass.ng on him for chick ens. ens.Tho Tho comptroller -Tennessee esti mates the receipts for tho year at 51,300,000 , bein sufficient to pay the interest on the state deb't and current jxpenses , consequently tho state will uot have to borrow money to pav in terest on tho bonds as they"aro funded. Informally putting out his shingle n Boston , a genuine Chinese phys in Lielieves he has adopted the descrip tive phrase in yo * uo among ihu most mlighted portion of his coutemporar- es. His reads "Dr. siun ; : Luc Sii > " - SunfiCan euro diseases wheie all others fail. " In tho present dscussion upon tho jhuuis ot different cities to liter.iry pre-emimence , it is refreshing to he ; r : his frank admission from a Phikulel- phian : "Philadelphia has never put n a claim to be a l.terary center , and probably never will. Our lack of cu- : husasni : may be due to Gorman phlegm or Quaker calm , but the result s the same , " The Canadian authorities ars nayino- JonsiderabJe attention to tho work of strengthening Halifax as a military post , and the torpedo service will be J- inlarged by the addition of four first : lass torpedo boats of 1,000 horae lower each. The military force will jo strengthened by the addition of mother regiment , the First battalion > f Berkshire , which did such valuable service during the late campaign in Hard drinkers will bo pleased to : now that their practice is considered iv scientific writers to be , on tho Thole , a benefit to the community n a recent paper on "Tim Ecououiv r ? ) f Vice and Crime , " Dr. Brlgham said" : ; llie alcoholic road to seif-tsxterraina- I ; ion is one of the most spcedv wavs of Ipstroriiijr the weak ami inferior , " and Llllioii < rk sonic who select this road ire bnlliai specimens of mental lower , yet as a whole , they are weak md unworthy of preservation. " Iu. ernperancethougkdon2 : much harm ilsodoes ereatgood. The certaintv ind celerity with which intemperance lestroys the weak and wicked classes ) f society favorablyrecommends it > ver the ordinary methods of to-dav n tho administering of justice. " J 3- *