THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
I
II
f
i
fl
CHILDREN
'HOLDER FOR CHRISTMAS TREE
Handy Contrivance Can Bo Taken
Apart and Occupies But Little
Room When Not In Use.
A handy form of Christmas tree
holder has boon designed by a Penn
sylvania man. It will last as long as
tho celebration of Christmas, and,
when not in use, It can bo stowed
away In a closet or a corner and will
Christmas Tree Holder.
take practically no room. The holder
la made of metal and In two pieces,
each pleco being bent In the middle to
bring tho arms at right angles to each
other. Each piece, too, has slots mid
way through It at a point near the
angle, and, by placing tho one section
over tho other at tho points, tho two
can be locked firmly together. Through
the square apcrturo thus formed In the
center tho bottom o the tree Is thrust
nnd a screw at one corner holds the
tree securely. If the tree Is not too
big and heavy the holder can be mere
ly set on tho floor, the long arms sup
porting it sufficiently. In other cases,
however, tho arms can be screwed
down to some secondary support which
will hold the bottom of tho tree while
tho holder grips the trunk higher up.
EARTH'S MOST SACRED SPOT
Grotto or Manger In the Church of
the Nativity at Bethlehem Site
Where Christ Wao Born.
What may perhaps bo described as
the most sacred spot on earth, says
a writer in the Wide World, Is tho
grotto or manger in the Church of the
Nativity at Hethlehem. This small un
derground chamber, reached from tho
church abyve by a flight of steps, is
said to bo the site of tho actual man
ger where Christ was born, and a sil
ver star, let into tho floor under
neath the altar, is alleged to be the
exacfr spot of tho Nativity. Above tho
star hangs 15 lamps, which have con
tinually Illuminated tho llttlo chapel
for several hundred years. The altar
is adorned with tho most elaborate
embroideries, tho work of royal prin
cesses, while from the celling hang a
number of brass lamps nnd a few
paintings. There has, of course, been
no llttlo controversy as to whether
this Is tho actual site of tho original
manger. To begin with, it is under
ground, and many peoplo wonder how
It could have been used by cattle and
horses. Here, howovor, we have to
remember that In the east donkeys
and mules often dwell In underground
stables, and tho staircaso would pre
sent no (P.fflculty to tho agilo natlvo
cattlo tof Palestine. No less an au
thority than Colonel Conder has de
clared that "the rude grotto with Its
rocky manger may, it seems to me,
be accepted even by the most skepti
cal of modern explorers."
Crowbar.
This is probably from the old Brit
ish word cro, a curve. If so, tho orig
inal form of tho word would bo crocd
bar, that Is a "curved bar," which is
applicable. Tho modern crowbar is
curved to make it more effective as a
lever to raise heavy weights.
The Difference.
What is the difference between a
tube and a foolish Dutchman?
Ono Is a hollow cylinder and tho
other a silly Hollander.
WISE.
Mabel What shall we give mam
uia for Christmas?
Warllo A pair of padded sllppera.
D b
.4, '
VALUE OF CHRISTMAS TOYS
More Than $20,000,000 Provided to'
Make Youngsters Happy Inven
tor Was Greatest Benefactor.
It Is estimated that toys to tho
valuo of moro thnn $20,000,000 have
boon provided to mako n Merry Christ
mas for us this year. If anything,
that Is not enough. Can thero bo too
many toys? Their inventor was a
greator benefactor of his kind thnn
tho ono who gave us tho cotton gin,
or tho telegraph, tho sowing machlnoi
or tho motion picture. It was prob
ably not a man. It might liavo beeiv
a woman. Hut tho Idea, without any
doubt, originated with a child. Have
not children taught ub moro than all
tho great men of science, tho thlnga,
really worth knowing?
Tho government statisticians who
Invito our attention to tho season's
many million-dollar output of toyH
must have had n pleasant sensation
as they set down and added up tho
pretty figures. It Is a now Christmas
record, they announco In jubilation,
Germany, England, Japan, Trance,
Austria-Hungary, Belgium, all contrlb
uto to tho surpaislng stock; $0,000,000
worth Imported, with a home product
of $11,000,000. In a short whllo after
Christmas thero will bo almost $20.
000,000 worth of wreckage. What's
tho odds? It Is hard to feel affection
for tho fellow that contrived tho in
destructible toy. Tho best thing about
It Is that It Is never lndostructlblc
A child that neglected to break Its
plaything would miss something an
acquaintance with Grief worth experi
encing at tho time, and to be cher
lshed in memory over after.
GOOD BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Reading Helps in Innumerable Ways
to Aid Youth to Meet the World
Makes Him Think Quickly.
(IJy KLEANOrt CRAIG. Colorado Agrl
cultural College.)
Whatever thero io in life that makes
a child's llfo happier and bettor, is
worth having. Among tho things that
accomplish this purpose aro good
books not the light trashy kind, but
those that have been worthy enough
to have lasted through years or that
show a basis of good clean thought
bohfnd them. This is tho kind that
should be In the household of every
one, and especially those households
with growing children. In our busy
life of today whatever advantages wo
can give our children at small ex
pense aro worthy of our notice. Al
most any classic can now be bought
for 30 cents.
Heading helps In innumerable ways
to aid a child to meet the world. It
makes him think moro quickly and
more carefully, and It places situa
tions before him that may help him
in an emergency at some future time.
His whole outlook on life is broadened
by reading.
Tho reading is not limited to what
wo call classics. Everyday books are
published that create typos of life
with which a growing child should be
familiar. His ideals cannot help but
be raised when ho reads of a llfo of
noble manhood or gentle womanhood,
even though the character be one of
fiction.
TONGUE HOLDER FOR WAGONS
Accidents White Coasting May Be Pre
vented by Use of Coil Springs
In Holding Tongue Up.
To prevent n"ny mishap when coast
ing in a boy's play wagon, fasten the
tongue with a coil spring so that it
Tongue Holder.
will bo kept In a vertical position.
Tho tonguo Is always out of the way
when It Is not used for drawing the
wagon. Tho spring is only strong
enough to hold tho tonguo, so that
when this Is used for pulling thero
is little or no tendency of tho spring
to drow tho tonguo upward. Tho coll
spring Is fastened with ono scrowoyo
In the tonguo and one In tho front
axle.
Her Getaway.
An evangelist was once conducting
Joint revival meetings In tho two
churches, Methodist and Presbyterian,
of a small town.
Children's meetings wore hold every
day at the cloao of school, first in ono
church and then In the other.
Ono day two girls who attended tho
Presbyteiian church wero discussing
tho meeting which was to bo held In
tho Methodist church that afternoon,
when Mary asked:
"What would you do If they should
ask you to pray?"
"I wouldn't do It," answered Mar
tha. "I'd Just tell them I'm a Presby
torlan." Harper's.
Bedlam. -
The word Medium Is a corruption of
the word Bethlehem, which wan the
name of a religious liouso In London,
converted into an asylum for lunntica
In 1540.
It Ik bolleved by many to be the olt'
oat ascylum for lunntlcs In Europo.
though thero Is ono In Spain which In
said to have Leon founded at an earlier
date.
EXCELLENT DESIGN
THAT PRESERVES
NATURAL FIGURE
NH must conccdo tho real beauty
of this costume, which appears to
-bo built on lines almost Independent
of thoso prominent In tho present
inodo.
Tho skirt Is not broad at tho hips
(In common with many now ones)
tho short train Is not a moro wisp, or
trailing end, and thero Is plenty of
room to walk In. This Is ono of thoso
good designs which doflno tho nntural
flguro with amplo drapery and can af
ford to Ignore or only suggest the fads
of tho season.
Tho skirt is full across tho fronf and
draped at tho left front and ut each
sldo of tho back. The bodlco Is very
low and somewhat too meager to be
worn without a yoko of lino net un
der it. With tho present stylo of low
cut necks "V" shaped and otherwise
very flno nets nro used with gulmps
made either with a high or round neck.
They fit tho skin and aro Immensely
becoming. It Is only tho lady of daz
zling fairness who can afford to sus
pense with them.
Beads, beaded bands and ornaments,
aro used for garniture on tho gown pic
tured. JULIA BOTTOMLEY.
Cretonne Furnishings for the Bedroom
..ii,iui.ij....,i.-iijM-'- iiiiiiMiinir" " '- "!
CRETONNE, because of tho many
beautiful patterns In which it Is
designed, and Its excellent wearing
qualities, Ib made up Into a greator
number of furnishing accessories than
over before. It will stand much laun
dering (If tho washing Is done prop
erly) and It comes In innumerable
(lowered patterns suitable for tho bed
room of man, woman or child. '
Tho best effects aro achieved wh6n
ono starts with plain walls in somo
attractive tint or in a neutral color,
nnd with sheer whlto curtains at tho
windows. Having those, the next
thing to do Is to select a pattern In
crotonno that will harmonize with tho
wall and bo suitable to the person
for whom tho room is to bo prettily
garnished.
Tho windows first aro provided with
curtains of tho cretonne. A box seat
1b covered with It nnd provided with
two or pcrhapa threo cushions with
tho same covering. Then ono pro
ceeds to mako tho small convenient
belongings that aro to bo used on tho
dressing tablo or chlffpnlor.
Thero must bo a pin cushion, a
glove box and a handkerchief box.
Thero may bo other things a llttlo
cabinet for trinkets, u whisk broom
holder, a photograph frame, a can
dlo shado, a work basket, a laundry
bag, otc. Hut ono must not overdo
ovou tho pretty crotonno by making
too many accessories and putting
thorn In evidence In tho room.
TO CHANGE COLOR OF LACE
White May Be Made Over Into Creamy
Hue, Just Now So Much In
Popular Favor.
Havo you over noticed that cream
colorod laco Is usually moro oxponslvo
than whlto laco, oven of tho snmo pat
torn 7
Not being nblo to buy any cronm laco
cheap, It occurred to mo thnt thero
must bo sonio way of hanging whlto
to croam. I asked a friend about this,
and ehe gavo mo tho following advlco,
which I havo slnco put into prnctlco
with flno results:
Buy llvo or ten conts' worth of
Fronch ochro (a powder) at any paint
store. Mix threo parts of ordinary
whlto talcum powdor with ono part of
tho ochro for n light cream color, or,
If a darker shndo of cream Is desired.
U30 moro ochro. Put tho mlxturo in a
bowl and rub tho laco us though wash
ing It in tho powdor, n llttlo at a time.
Tho whlto laco will bocomo a lovoly
cream. But bo sure and do tho work
in a room whoro tho powder can bo
easily dusted awny, as It eottlos over
everything.
White for Winter.
Wo aro to wear a great deal of
whlto this winter: V!ilto sorgo, very
heavy, yet supple, Is to bo used for
coats and skirts, and quito ofton It
will bo trimmed with whlto fur, or
again with dark. White ovonlng cloaks
nnd mnntles In rich Batlns and fur
edged nro nlways lovoly, and whlto
houso dresses In tho now brooches
havo their own appeal to tho artistic.
Grandmother's Collars.
Grandmother's old collars of flno'
nnd sheer embroidery can bo used ns
they nro but tho heavlor ones of old
crocheted laco mny bo rejuvenuted
by going over tho design In color.
Fill In tho principal llguro with'
French knots worked In colors to
match tho gown or In Bulgarlnn
colors. This may bo dono with heavy'
sill; or cotton In wnshablo shades.
Fashion Novelty.
Ono of tho loveliest of tho season's
fashions is tho chiffon scarf that Is
combined with a fur boa. Tho boa 13
attached to one sldo of a long chlffdn.
senrf weighted with long bead tassols.
This scarf Is to ho drawn nbout tho
hair and neck, whllo tho boa falls nr
tlstlcally off tho shoulders.
Jeweled Garter Fasteners.
Jeweled suspended garter fasten
ers nro one of tho modern woman's
oxtrav.irutt1. fancies. Some of thoso,
havo pendant settings dangling from
them tho question Is, do thoy tlcklo?
The fancy, of courso but In addition
to that, do they tickle?
It 1b beat with such furnishings to
dress tho bed In whlto and to use a
white dresser senrf. Or tho bed will
look well with a crotonno covering
having net or laco spread over It, or
ono made or Bhecr fabric so that tho
colorB in tho cretonno will Juat show
through.
Men like strong colorlngB, deep reds
and greens, strong blue, gold and
bronze. For women softer colors and
rich, Intricate patterns are chosen,
and for young peoplo and children
sparsely scattered, familiar field flow
ore, of tho kind they know and lovo.
A ground of the samo color aa that In
tho wall (hut not necessarily In tho
samo shado) graced with a gay pat
tern In flowers, or conventional do
Flgna, will be sure to ho pleasing. Tho
background In cretonnes should bo
rather light, so thnt a room will look
very cheerful evon on a dark, dreary
looking day.
Pasteboard boxes aro used to mako
foundations for toilot tablo accessor
ies. Tho crotonno Ih pasted to them.
It la not at all dllllcult to handle Tho
success and beauty of a room so fur
nished depends upon tho solcctlon of
tho right pattern and on knowing
whon to quit. Although tho cretonne
Ib used in protentiouB houses as a
wall covering, Instead of paper or
frescoing, too much surfaco covered
with gayly colored flowers is tire
some, A bedroom should bo dainty
aud restful,
JULIA BOTTOMLGY,
:"-
ANOTHER FOOL GIRL
By DONALD ALLEN.
"Did you know It?"
"Havo you scon It?"
"Isn't It grent7"
"Thoy say tho town will Jump right
nhoad now."
Miss Cynthia Bnssot, tho old maid,
had opened n millinery store In tho
vlllugo of Hlnkloy with tho $800 loft
hor by tho will of an undo.
Thero wero two dry goods stores, n
grocery, n drug storo nnd a wheat ele
vator at tho dopot, and whllo tho 700
Inhabitants boasted of tho enterprise
of tholr own town all felt that thero
was something lncklng. Hlnkly had
no mllllnory storo. Tho noaroat ono
was over at Brownsville, twclvo miles
nwny.
But the long-felt want had boon tilled
at last, and thero was n rush to tho
now millinery store to pat Mtas Bas
set on tho back.
"I'm n-nsklng Jost $200 moro for my
houso nnd lot than I was yesterday!"
exclaimed Deacon Snydor ns ho stood
at tho door and peered In; nnd half an
hour later real estate wna on tho boom
from tho red schoolhouso to tho whlto
bridge.
Miss Dnasot had to havo an assist
ant, and uho hnd engaged Mlnnlo Long,
the bollo of tho village. Sho was not
only tho bolle, but sho hnd a natural
knack of hat-trlmmlng. Sho could tako
n how, a rooster feather nnd a bucklo
of somo sort, and out of nn old hat
create such a dream of a hcndpleco
that tho minister would atop in Ills ser
mon to guzo nt It and wondor If It
wasn't his duty to wnm hor ngaliiBt
Satan's wilos. Ho could provo thnt
Jaunty hats hnd led moro womon Into
tho downwnrd path than nny other ono
Inlluenco.
Miss Mlnnlo had been engaged to
Roscoo Dnyton for throo months 00
foro tho grent millinery event. Ho was
n young man and had Just stnrtod out
ns a bulldor. They wore to bo married
nt tho end of threo moro months.
Hlnkly was only a qulot village, and
yot It was seldom without Its stran
ger, most of thorn bolng ngonts for
ono thing or nnothor. A good-looking
man, who claimed to represent n lamp
houso In tho city, but who was just
then taking a briof vacntlon, was ono
of thoso nt tho grand opening of tho
millinery emporium. Ho was there to
snillo over tho "enterprlso" of tho
thing. That wns his first sight of
Mlnnlo Long, and ho mado a vow with
in a mlmito.
Roscoo Dayton wns not a "plug" of
a young man. Ho was ambitious nnd
a hustlor, but ho wnsn't up to dato
with a young man from tho city. No
one, not oven Mlnnlo, expected him to
bo. Ho didn't hnvo tho clothcB, tho
cano, tho two watch chalna, tho smlln,
tho how nor tho glib tonguo. Ilo hnd
had no rival thus fnr, aud tlieru had
been no Jculousy on either side.
Mr. Clnudo Bnrrlo, as tho lamp houso
agont gftvo his namo, tarried In tho
millinery store a long ton minutes, and
when ho had dopartod a womnn voiced
tho opinion of a dozen others when
sho whispered:
"If that young fellow stays In town
a week thero's going to bo trouble for
somebody!'
Thero wns tho boglnnlng of troublo
within an hour. A busy-body met Rob
coo Dayton on tho street and cullod out
to him:
"You'd better havo your oyca pooled,
young man!"
"I'm nlways looking," wns tho laugh
ing reply.
"You know that lamp houso agent
from tho city?"
"Saw him on tho street yesterday."
"Ho's a charmor, ain't ho?"
"Maybo."
"Ho was charming Mlnnlo Long
down at tho millinery storo. Sny,
they aro suro stuck on ench other!"
"Nonaenso!" "
Minnie, too, would havo Inughed at
tho Idea, but a week later Roscoo folt
It his duty to say to hor: "I hear that
young Barrio la a callor at your houbo."
, "Why, yes, ho hus called," was tho
roply.
"Haven't you becomo ncqualnted
very rapidly?'
"So you aro Jealous, oh?"
"I don't llko him. Ho Is a ntrangor
to us nil. Ho may bo what ho claims
to bo, but no ono knowB. Is It n lllrta
tlon or what?"
"Cnn't I even look at another mnn
ncross tho street because I am en
gaged to you?"
"You can't hnvo a flirtation with a
stranger without tho whole village
talking nbout It."
"Tho wholo vlllngo had better talk
about some ono else. Mr. Bnrrle has
not only told mo nil nbout himsolf, but
given mo tho highest references."
"But why has lie?"
"Becnuso ho has. That's all I havo
to say about It!"
A day or two later tho ;'oung mun
disappeared nnd did not return for
five dnyii. Tho lovor waa told that
Mlnnlo received a letter supposedly
from him ovnry day, nnd also that
alio mailed a roply. It waa alter tho
young man hnd returned and paid an
ovonlng call that Mr. Dayton nought
an Interview.
"It Is goaslpod that you Intend to
break tho engagement with mo. Ih it
truo or only gossip?"
"I havo mado up my mind to ono
thing auro," wnB tho roply of the girl
"I was born nnd roircd here. 1 havo
never boon fifteen miles from tho vil
lage I havo novo: aeon tho roal
world. 1 havo boon a clodhopper till
my days."
"And you havo iumIo up your mind
to?"
"To go to tho cltr mid soo things and
to somouody."
"It'a this lamp houso fellow that hna
put tho Idea Into your head," quietly
said tho lovor. "What will you do In
tho city?"
"I Bhall bo a stonogrnphor nt $15 per
week. MIsh Basset pays mo $3, nnd
whnt Is llfo hero?"
"Your father nnd mother aro thoy
willing?"
"I I haven't talked It ovor with
them yot. It Is nona of your business
to question mo tho way you havo. I
am not going to marry nnyono In this
poky old vlllngo."
"Vory well! Goodnight!"
Mr. Dnyton could hnvo nrgucd nnd
recriminated nnd ndvlsad nnd threat
ened aulcldo nnd violence, but ho
wnlkod calmly out of tho houso. Ho
could hnvo gono to tho girl's father
and mother nnd had hla any, but ho
didn't nppronch thorn. Ho could havo
gono to MIsb Unssot and begged hor
to advlso tho girl, but he did not go
near hor.
Mlnnlo hnd expected a row ovor tho
parting. Thero hnd nlways been a row
In every lovo story sho hnd over read,
and in her plquo and disappointment at
tho qulot ending alio Bald to horsolf:
"Roscoo alwaya was a poke, and this
proves It!"
Tho gossips had predicted a falling
out, and wero waiting for tho iiowb, but
thoro wns no nows. Roscoo wna plan
ning and Mlnnlo wna keeping vory
quiet. Instead of tho Jilted lovor hang
lug himself to a uour applo tree, ho
dropped Into tho Inn and had a look at
and a tnlk with young Barrio, Ho waa
a poke of a man, Roscoo wns, but'not
withstanding that drawback ho man
aged to alzo up hla rlvnl ns closely aa
If ho had boon n lawyor from tho city.
MIsb Basset wouldn't know thnt Mln
nlo Long contemplated going away.
Her pnrents wouldn't know It. No ono
in tho village would know It It would
bo nn elopement. Tho couplo would
not tako a night train from tho vlllngo
for fear of bolng aeon. Young Barrio
would got a livery rig and drlvo ncross
I ho country, a dlstanco of ton miles to
nnothor rnllrond.
Mlnnlo could not got a trunk out of
tho liouso, but would tako what cloth
ing sho could In a aultcnso. Young
Barrio would havo to sottlo his bill nt
tho Inn boforo ho loft, and thero was
only tho ono livery ntnblo In tho village
to get u rig nt. Thoroforo, taking It nil
around, It wns not a dlfllcult case to
handle, though tho Jilted lovor had n
constablo bosldo him In tho buggy
when ho finally took up tho trail of tho
elopers. Thoy wero pormltted to got
two miles away from tho village whon
thoy wero overtaken.
Tho first net of the girl wna to faint
away.
Tho first act of young Hnrrlo was to
Jump from tho vohlclo and tako to hla
heels.
Ho waa overtaken and brought back,
and ho then discovered that a warrant
nnd u pair of handcuffs awnlted hlra.
Tho girl recovered from hor faint to
hoar him laugh and any:
"Oh, I'm caught right enough! Sho
wna fool enough to olopo with mo, but
I suppose thoy will call It abduction."
"And It probably Isn't tho first enso,"
snid tho constable.
"Not by llvo or six! Thero nro mora
fools among tho glrla thnn In Idiot nay
lums!" "You woro going to got her a placo
In the city na a stonogrnphor nt $15
per week?"
"Sno didn't havo any moro aonso
than to bellevo so! You soo, alio want
ed to got out of tho poky vlllngo of
Hlnkly and seo tho world. Sho'd havo
soon It, too, If you hndn't overtaken
usl"
Tho girl heard ovory word.Vnnd sho
sobbed In her throat. Tho man she
hnd jilted climbed Into tho buggy bo
Bldo hor and drovo slowly back to tho
vlllngo.
"You must got Into your houso nnd
your room without awakonlng your
pnroiita," ho aald. "You must get up
ut tho usual hour and go to your placo.
You must any no word cf thla to nny
ono. You hnvo boon foolish, but It
was not too Into."
It was long weeks nfter this when
sho saw Roscoo ngaln. Then It wna In
responso to a noto In which sho nsked:
"Can a poko of a man find It in his
heart to forglvo n fool of a girl?"
"Of courso ho cun that's what a
poko of a man la for!" waa tho prompt
answer.
And tho gossips of Hlnkly never
henrd a word of tho lncldont!
(Copyright, 1013, by tlio MeCluro Nowa
papor Hyndlcnto.)
Rat Diet Approved.
Now that wo havo threo Chlneso
reatnurants In tho west ond, London
orK ought to bo nblo to onjoy tho
plensuro of feeding off rats, which
form n favorlto dish In China. Split
open, dried, pressed, and powdored
with a finely ground whlto bark, they
look somewhat llko haddocks no thoy
hang in long Btrlngs over butchers'
stalls, says tho London Chronicle.
Dr. Arthur Strndllng, who shared
Frank Buckland's cosmopolitan taston
In food, onco declared that "rata
would bo not only wholesome, but
vory nlco, If proporly prepared not
common aowor rats, but such na I nto,
barn-fed animals snared in a hop-garden.
Tho flesh, though porfectlv
white, was dry nnd tasteless; but
then thoy wero only skinned, cleaned
nnd submitted to tho flro without nny
of tho otcotorna which mako othor
meats savory. Admiral Hcnufort and
othor Arctic oxplorors spoak highly
of rats aa a wolcomo addition to their
supply of food In thoso dreary latl
tudoa." So Thoughtful.
Wlfo What timo did you got home
last night?
Husband Elovon thirty!
Wlfo-1 ant up until 12.
Husband Yob. I sat on tho front
stops until you rotlrod, bo ns uot to
disturb you! KaiiBas City Star.