THE 8EMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEDRASKA.
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IMSTMAS A
CIENCE
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N THE8E latter days, when every
branch of human activity has been
systematized and wo are brought,
whether wo llko It or not, under tho
spell of scientific management of tho
smallest business, what Is moro natu
ral than that wo should now be ob
liged to accept tho scientific manage
ment of Christmas?
Christmas as a science' How our
grandfathers would have gasped at
tho ideal In their time Christmas
was a spontaneous holiday. Christ
mas cvo they hung their stockings on the mantel
pleco in full confidence that Santa Clans could
And his way through a six-Inch stovepipe Then
Ihoro wns tho Christmas tree, with a grandfather
to distributo tho gifts and a strong forco of uncles
nnd nuntii to maintain peace among tho cousins.
.And there was skating in tho nftomoon with tho
choicest Bort of melco to glvo the finishing touch
to tho day
Thero was no need of scloncc there; it would,
lln fact, havo spoiled tho wholo thing. Hut now
'tho spirit of Christmas has changed. Wo still
havo our Christmas trees, subject to tho regula
tions of tho flro department, but wo aro really
Hlaves of our Christmas shopping list. From
Thanksgiving to Christmas most of us live In nn
atmosphoro of deepening gloom. Wo havo con
tinually hanging over us that dreadful problom
of what would bo tho best thing to glvo So-and-so,
and when wo havo mndo a selection our hearts
sink at the awful thought that, perhnps, What's
his name may glvo tho satno thing.
It in to relievo this situation as much as possi
ble Hint science has been called In to our nld. Of
courao, oven science has not yet been nblo to
provont two people from sending tho same gift
to ono person. Dut it has been nblo to display
unusual gifts nnd a larger numbor of them for
our consideration, so that It will bo easier to so
led a present which wo may be quite sure anoth
er person would not think of. And tho greatest
advantage of scientific Christmas shopplrg Is tho
Increased speed with which tho ordeal mny bo
gono through.
There aro two things which have brought about
UiIb result. Tho first Is tho establishment of ex
hibits of gifts for children In tho schools of tho
largo cities of tho country. And tho second Is
tho scientific arrangement of gifts for salo In tho
"hops nnd department stores. On ono floor wo
linvo a department dovoted entirely to toys nnd
othor gifts for children; in nnother placo presents
t artlcularly miltod to men; nnd elsowhero sec
tions for women and boys nnd girls. It is all tho
direct rosult of tho card Indox nnd tho filing cabi
net. You look under tho particular heading you
wish and you find displayed before you a vast
limutlty of suitable gifts to chooso from.
Tho object of tho school exhibits is not so much
to save mothors labor, worthy object though that
might bo. Nor Is It to display tho latest and
most ingenious products of the toy market. Child
wolfaro Is tho primary purpose, nnd thero wo
havo another sldo of tho scientific Chrlstmns. It
Is to save tho children from being deluged at
tho Christmas season with Inartistic, unhygienic
nnd usnloss gifts. Esthetic and hygienic arc
words that loom up largor In tho vocabulury of
the present thnn thnt of tho past.
And so, although Noah's ark will remain Noah's
nrk to tho end of tho world, no twentieth century
youngster whoso fnmlly attends ono of theso ex
hibits will fool constrained to suck tho pnint off
Shorn, Ham or Japhot. For, lo and behold, thoy
aro ontlroly Innocont of tho fnmlllnr rod and
;rcon and bluo of that unsnnltary contury wo
havo loft behind. Tho sons of tho patriarch and
nil tho nnlmnls that "wont In two by two" nro of
reasonably hygienic whlto wood.
Ily tho same token, dolls will bo dolls. For hero
again tho sclontillc Christmas has produced a
'hango to a more csthotlc and hygienic product.
Instead of tho big rag doll, whoso features havo
boon kissed Into obliteration by sovoral genera
Itlons of children, thoro Is n stockinet successor,
equally unbreakable far moro beautiful, and ab
solutely Impervious to washing.
For older children ono finds marvolous nil
wood dolls, again ombodylng tho threo Important
virtues' Thoy aro unbreakable, wnshablo and ar
tistic. Their naturalness la evident nt a glnnco,
and tho visitor Is not surprised to lenm that thoy
nro reproductions of American children modolod
by American artists.
And yet, the thought rises, will modorn "Dorothys
and Nancys love theso charming creations ono
whit moro than their mothers and grandmothers
loved tho china nnd wax dollies who prccedod
them? Thero was Ilenrlotta, a gorgeous Parisian,
you may remember, whoso pink nnd whlto lovoll
iicm In still a happy momory. Poor Henrietta!
Sho died tho victim of a bad small brother who
tried tho effect of midsummer heat upon her
waxen complexion. Then thoro was Jullot, sho
or nml brown hair that combod nnd a warm
.brunette complexion, and n host of others who
(may huro had untold attractions. Hut you must
iput them out of your mind In this scientific ngo.
IHcal hair harbors horrible microbes nnd complox
jlonn do not digest well in small stomachs.
Then thero nro oilier suggestions which nro tho
iresult of tho practicality of our time, ilousekoop
ring furnishings, for example, Btich as tea sots In
jjiowtor, cooking utensils In granlto and motnl, an
Ironing board and Iron which can really bo used,
nnd an Iron cookstovo upon which things can bo
cookod. In tho mattor of musical toys, sclenco
lias gono oven further. The pianos for tho child
of today are marvelous Instruments Alas for
the prestige of tho tlnkly toy of n generation gono
by! Theso liav from two to threo octavos of tho
chromatic scale and nro accurately tuned "to
i omen pitch."
Hut all such marvels cost money and nro not
likely to avail much for tho household whore
five or six must live on a small Income So It la
rood to discover u ensa containing n number of
toy? at a minimum price. Not ono oxceods ton
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prising how many attrac
tive things mny bo had
for this money, and tho
hard-pressed, busy moth
er, doting grandma, con
scientious aunt or Inex
perienced big cousin is
very likely to find thero
tho vory thing to buy for
Tommy or Ruth.
Tho scientific Christ
mas has only begun nnd
before long wc will havo
exhibits for peoplo of all
ages and both soxes. As
it Is, tho dopnrtment
stores, by tholr scientific
nrrnngoment nnd the catalogues and lists of suit
able gifts, classified according to nges, have done
much toward making even shopping for men a
slmplo mattor.
This, however, Is a very recent institution. In
tho old days, a woniun wont to tho largo shop,
without tho slightest Idea of what sho wantod to
buy, and after ten minutes In tho crowded, heat
ed aisles, surrounded by thousands of elaborate,
alluring, gayly colored possibilities with no ap
parent ordor or nrrangoment, bewilderment nnd
not decision was her portion. Under such condi
tions, even tho most conscientious of them seized
the nrtlclo nenrest. Sho wns at tho mercy of the
saleswoman becnuso sho did not know whnt sho
hnd better got or whoro she could get it.
Hut tho woman's bewilderment wns nothing to
tho man's. Ho didn't cvon make an attempt to
shop; ho simply bought.
Hut nil theso things nro different now. You get
a list of things which such-and-such a store has
to offer for man, woman and child of nny given
ago, with tho floor on which it may bo found indi
cated, and you havo only to walk In calmly and
deliberately and purchaso it It Is literally an in
dex of tho pcaco and good will which you may
wish to dlspcnso. You do all your thinking be
forehand nnd have an opportunity to remombor
thnt Mrs. Sonnd-So's library Is furnished In red,
nnd that a Kaiser Sinn vnso would bo moro ac
ceptable than n lnmp. ,
Then when you hnvo made your selection you
may mnko your way to the storo with a fairly
calm and tranquil mind. Of course, It Is crowded
with a density which makes progress almost Im
possible, blazing hot with multitudinous lights
and noisy with many clamoring voices, but all
that can havo no effect on you. You nro a sci
entific shopper and know Just what you are going
to got nnd where you nro going to get It. Sclenco
saves time, monoy and nerves.
Thoro is nnother way in which Chrlstmns has
become n sclenco nnd thnt Is In tho methodn
which tho big shopkeeper employs to attract tho
crowds or holiday shoppors. Go Into one of their
establishments nnd you ennnnt fnll to sea it.
They nro nglow with light, bright with tho colors
of unuumborcd fnbrlcs nnd you henr far and near
tho clash of music from many Instruments. That
Is simply to luro you In nnd once you nro thero
you boo nt first nothing but n spectacle of con
fusion nnd a conflict of sounds that would mnko
nnbol loso ensto as a synonym. Rut if you start
to buy whnt you have como for you will find a
romnrkablo state of ordor so far as tho things
offered for anlo nro concorned. It is not really
a storo; It's nn exposition.
Thoro Isn't n man In tho world who has a
koenor undorstnndlng of tho humnn mnkoup thnn
tho big shopkeeper. Ho knows ovory string of
tho Instrument nnd plnys diligently upon thorn
nil. llo lures peoplo with udvnrtlsemonts which
nro wondor stories. Ilo halts tho pnsslng crowd
In tho streets with a wlndowful of Christmas wax
works, nnd onco thoy hnvo como insldo, whether
with a purposo or out of moro curiosity, tho ma
chinery Is thero to hold thorn fast.
For weeks tho designers, decorators, sccno
pnlnters, dumniymnkers havo been at work dovls
Ing nnd constructing somo sort of living pictures
fraught with tho spirit of tho Christmas talo.
Thero is tho papler-mncho church, Btlll nnd beau
tiful, with snow-covcrcd trees nbout it, light shin
ing from tho tnll windows, men, women nnd chil
dren mounting to tho portnl, nnd from nwny in
tho Insldo snnctunry Bomowhero como tho music
of n mighty organ and voices singing Christmas
carols.
It Is expensive but it iniprossos tho peoplo who
' ontor tho storo. It Is tho Idea of It all that tho
hearts of the shoppers bo mellowed and tho spirit
be moved to buy moro nnd still moro for tho
holiday giving. Thnt may seem n Httlo "far
fotched" as you sit at homo wltjl. a "grouch on"
becnuso something went wrong yostorday, or a
man you thought wns your frlond wont back on
you, but get Into oie of those etoros, whero "you
can't hoar yoursolf think" of your troubles for tlw
nolHo, nnd you will ronllzo that It is roally a very
clovur conception.
Up there beforo tho eyes Is an Inspiring pre
sentment of the great Unselfishness. And here
beforo you, behind you and on cither hand aro
tho goods, Just tho things for all your kith and
kin. It Is the shopkeeper's plan that you shall
buy while the spell is still on you, while tho dim
religious light beams out and tho Christmas carols
burden tho air And you do. You would bo less
than human If you didn't. You may not think
that bus anything to do with it, but It hns. The
shopkeeper would not go to all that expense, you
may bo sure, If ho did not know what results it
would bring him
Even the small street fakers use their wits to
sell nil they can during the holidays. It Is their
harvest time of tho wholo year. And thoy select
tho spotB on tho sidewalks which will bo most
advantageous for sale of their particular wares
They invent Innumerable little devices for tho
purposo of attracting crowds. They, too, nro sci
entific. Tho toyman chooses a spot where tho greatest
numbor of children will pass, and spends the day
showing tho work
Ings of his clock
work vehicles with
metallic horses and
drivers, his fighting
roosters nnd climb
ing monkeys, and
his automatic ani
mals full of plain
tlvo voice. About the
corners whero most
people pass are sta
tioned the familiar
men and women
with baby rabbits
and berlbboned pup
pies of divers
breeds. They know
Just how to mako a
woman Imbued with
tho Christmas spirit
take pity on tho lit
tie animals on a
cold day and buj
thorn in order thnt
thoy may have a
comfortable homo.
Tho Christinas
greens man with his huge boxes of holly and mis
tlctoe, and moro power and less glucose to him
the candy man nnd something like ten thousand
others display their wares from all sides, entlc?
the passing throngs with a hundred little devices
appeal to their sympathy and turn peace and good
will Into hard cash. To both buyer and seller,
from tho biggest to tho smallest, Christmas has
become a science.
CHRISTMAS TREES
From ancient days Christmas trees, lighted with
caudles, were used In tho chancels of English
churches. Dut It has been put on record that the
Introduction of tho modern Christmas trees lntc
England was duo to tho late duchess of Kent
grandmother to King Edward VII, who wns crcd
ltod with having brought the custom from Ger
many for tho nmusement of Queen Victoria when
a little girl at Kensington palace.
Tho Christinas tree by 1840 was undoubtedly es
tabllshed at Windsor; indeed, at that period a per
feet plantation appears to havo sprung up In the
drawing room of the castle. In the nowspnpers of
tho time It is recorded that after dinner, at which
the principal dish was a noblo baron of beef weigh
lug 200 pounds, that occupied many hours In roast
ing, nnd nt which the band of tho Scots Fusiliers
discoursed such popular nlrs as Aubor's "Bronze
Horse" and selections from "Norma." the queer
nnd tho prince, with tho royal suite, retired to the
drawing room, whoro, on tables, wero gracefully
displayed "several Imitation fir trees upwards ol
six feet in height, from tho branches of which
wero suspended a variety of French bonbons and
numerous elegant presents for tho royal visitors
and suites" The tree3, wo further learn, wore
brilliantly illuminated with wax tapers Judiciously
placed among tho leaves.
It Is not certain, however, that tho custom had
not been in uso for centuries In rural parts of
Great Hrltain.
WHEN CATTLE KNELT IN ADORATION.
Many an awe-stricken group has waited In the
chill nlr to see tho cattlo fall upon tholr knes In
adoration nt twolvo o'clock, the hour when Christ
was wrapped in swnddllng clothes. An honest old
Cornwall. England, man. who lived at St. Stephen's
Downs, near I.aunceston, said, towards tho closo of
1110 iMgHieenin century, tnnt ho onre, with some
others, made a trial of tho superstition. Wntchlng
several oxen In their stalls at twelve o'clock at
night on tho 21th of Doccmbor, thoy observed the
two oldest oxen only to fnll down upon their knees
"nnd mako a cruel moan, llko Christian creatures "
There Is an old print in tho British museum in
which tho oxen in tho stablo near tho Virgin and
Child aro represented upon tholr knees ns If in
suppliant posture. This graphic representation Is
perhaps, the origin of tho foregoing superstitious
notion.
Hut more curious than all is nn addition to this,
superstition, to the effect that tho hruto creation
unanimously rofuscd to ncknowledgo tho change
of stylo, from old to new. under tho cnlondar.
though on old Christmns day not onlv would the
bees blng their wolcomo song but tho oxen nnd
asses would kneol In their stalls In token of horn
ngo. It was alBO snld that to spin on Chrlstnv.
dny caused cattlo to go mad and lame
MOSBY ON THE WAR
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"If I was thoro with 10,000 Cos
sacks and somo of my old officers
who served under mo in our war, I'd
break up all communication between
tho Gorman army and Herlin, and I
woid run William back to his capital
in a hurry."
This was tho statement mado by
Col. John S. Mosby, Info of tho Con
federate army nnd leader or Mosby's
men, who caused so much troublo fot
the Union nrmy during tho Civil war
Tho venerable warrior lives lit Wash
ington, nnd Is eighty-one years of age
Although his hair is whlto as snow
nnd ho is a little deaf, ho is by no
means feeble. Ilo Is now engaged in
writing his memoirs nnd hopes to com
pleto tho volume in about six months
"Tho communication of an nrni
is its vulnerable point," ho contlnuod.
"If I was over there in Europo I would
do on n largo scalo what I nccom
pllshed on a smaller scalo In the
Shenandoah valley, when I cut oft Gen-
I had only threo hundred men with mo at that
It Is Bii ch n
eral Sheridan's communication
time
"I don't look to see tho war Inst moro than six months,
tremendous affair that it will break down of its own weight."
"What do you think of the war as compared with our Civil war?" Colonel
Mosby was asked.
"They are making no progress in Europe. Wo mndo progress every day
on one side or tho other. As near as I can detormine they nro simply kill
ing. The tide does not ebb nnd flow a single bit. Wo advanced or retreated
nnd wero not in tho struggle simply to kill. And with how much Immunity
on both sides our war was conducted! It presents tho greatest contrast."
TUMULTY IS NEUTRAL
Serious international difficulties
were barely avoided at tho White
House tho other day. Gus Karger,
Oswald Schuette and Louis Garthe,
representing the right wing of the
Gorman forces in Washington, boro
down on tho executivo offices, and,
with glaring countenances, shoved at
Secretary Tumulty a story, reprinted
In various newspapers, that he has
been singing "It's a Long Way to
Tlpperary," tho popular song the
English soldiers are singing in tho
trenches confronting tho Germans in
France.
Hastily reading tho article, Mr.
Tumulty's real Irish went high in tho
air for a few minutes. The outcomo
of it was that ho had never even
heard tho "Tippernry" song; that ho
wouldn't havo sung it if ho had, be
cause he has tried hard to promote
President Wilson's request that every
American take a neutral stand in tho
present war. Ilo admitted that ho
did know "Has Anybody Hero Seen Kelly?" and at rare intervals hummed
It, hut his favorite song is "Wo Take Our Hats Off to You, Mr. Wilson."
TaaSkW$j&a
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MASTER OF SALONS IN TRENCHES
Paul Poiret, the master of salons,
as ho is distinguished in his beloved
Paris, and commander in chlo'f of fash
ion, as he is known to the world at
large, has thrown aside the silken
subtleties of smart modo creation nnd
taken up tho rlflo nnd tho pick in tho
defense of his country. Ho is no sol
dier by moro courtesy holding a
clerical Job, for instance, at tho safe
dlstanco of official headquartrs but
a grimy Infantryman, whoso hands,
Bhnped to the deft designing of things
of beauty to drapo tho form of woman,
nro now devoted to digging trenches,
throwing up fortifications, when they
nro not pulling a trigger on tho firing
line In tho meanwhile his costly
establishment, the paradise of fashion
for millionaire maid and matron, is
given over to the making of military
wear. Tho entire celebrated Martlno
Salon is possessed by tho grim spirit
of war.
"Tho great establishment of
Polrct, ' writes a recent visitor, ' except for tho gallant work It Is doing
for the soldiers, might ns well be closed. The purple and pink stripes, tho
flaunting Hakst motifs, tho rose-hued carpets, tho green walls, tho mural
decorations of riotous colors nnd forms, tho dull folds of curtains, which cut
off fitting spaces, nre not obscured from your leisurely study by tho Intrusion
of nny other visitor."
LUCKY MR. WADSW0RTH
SOME PEOPLE DO.
Did I understand you to say that Wlllougho
enjoys ennned prunes?" asked the man who vns
slightly deaf.
"No," nnswered tho frlond; "1 said 'ennne!
tunes. Thoro's no accounting for taste:.
DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW,
"Whun wo wero first married you ur.efi w ud
mlro my clothos, hut you only frown at thru
no w."
"Hut, my dtnr, your fnthor paid for tho olotho3
you woro when wo wero first married."
The first week in November sliow
erod honors on James Wolcott Wads
worth. Jr., with prolllgato hand. On
Tuesday tho electors of New York
state, bya plurality of 47,000, mado
him n senator of the United States.
On Thursday Father Stork brought
him n bouncing boy. Ho wns "raised"
to bo a senntor Not a singlo educa
tional detail was overlooked. Sena
tor "J!nini's" grandfather followed
states-manning until a Confederate
shell ended his glorious career at
Chnncellorevillo. So did his grand
father's son, who now wears tho
laurels ns Senator "Jimmy's" fathor.
Thlrt -seven years ago Jimmy was
ushered, an Innocent nnd lusty infant,
Into tho nnciont homestead In tho
Gonosce Vnlley. When "Young Jim
my" went nwny to Yale collego after
finishing off at "tho little red school
houso on tho hill," ho had tho funda
montals. Then tho future senator
was sont a soldiering to Puerto Hito
during tho Spanish-Amorlcan vnr In ISOb, and later was given six months
exercise against the krls artists in tho Philippines.
While studying national politics at Washlngtou ho married the daughtor
Ul l"u "llu JU" ". ""'i uiorouy nocamo tho brother-in-law ol Payne Whit
noy and a nephow-ln-law of Oliver Payne, tho Ohio oil magnate, la 1001 he
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