UNDER THE MISTLETOE! TO THEIR CHEEKS THE WARM BLOOD FLIES AS INTO HER EYES LOOK HIS. DU T—THERE ARE OTHER EYES. listmas ^ i Christmas In the country forty years ago was a different affair from what it is now. I never think of Christmas in Ibose days without thinking of a lovely winter day, bright with sun shine, and snow everywhere: large drifts, through which the horses floun dered as they drew the stout sled, on which was the wagon-bed filled with hay, and covered with blankets and buffalo-robes, where we cuddled down, as we rode merrily away to spend Christmas at grandpa's. We could hardly wait till the horses stopped, so eager were we to wish grandpa a mer ry Christmas; but he was generally ahead of us with his greeting' of "Christmas gift.” That entitled him to a present instead of us; but a kiss ail around was usually the way we paid off our indebtedness, while some strip ed sticks of peppermint candy,, laid up for the occasion, were given us. Our aunts, uncles and cousins came next for their share of good wishes and merry Jokes. A bright lire burned In the fireplace, and there, suspended by a stout string from the celling, was a great turkey packed full of dressing, and sending forth a most delicious odor as it turned round and round, gradually browning before the Are, the Juice dripping Into a great pan on the brick hearth; and from this pan grandma occasionally dipped the Juice with a huge iron spoon and poured it over the crisp sldos of the turkey. Other preparations were going on meanwhile in the kitchen, where a cooking stove held the place Of honor, as cooking-stoves were very rare in those days. The neighbors had come !*»lies to see it, and express their fears as to the probability of its "blow ing up." This cook-stove, however, was not equal to cooking such a large turkey In its small oven. A coffee boiler sent out an odor of eoffee strong f | A BRIGHT FIRE BURNED, and fragraut, while a long table cover ed with enowy linen (the work of grandma's own hands) Btood at the far ther end of the long kitchen. 1 as soon as the turkey was pro nounced done and the gravy made In the dripping-pan, the chairs were plac ed near the table and we were called to dinner. No one wa3 left to wait, and such a merry time! After grandpa had asked a blessing on the food, ho jearved the turkey and supplied our ■waiting plates bountifully with any piece we wished, together with all manner of good things In the way of vegetables. A rice pudding with plen ty of raisins, pumpkin pies and rosy cheeked apples served for dessert, and our pnly sorrow was that we could eat eo little. After dinner we children played games in the kitchen, around the fireplace that was used when there was no fire in the cook stove. Here we popped corn, cracked nuts, told fairy stories and played blind-man's buff while the older ones “visited” in the “keepln’-room” until the time MWf |to return home. BIzaley—“You must dislike Newcomb Very much.” Grizzly—"I hate him as ■fiercely as a barber hates a bald headed with a full beard.”—Truth, The Childlike Mind. Christmas is not only the mile mark of another year moving us to thought of self-examination, it is a season, from all its associations, whether domestic of religious, suggesting thoughts of joy. A man dissatisfied with his en deavors is a man tempted to sadness. And in the midst of the winter, when his life runs lowest and ho is remind ed of the empty chairs of his beloved, it is well he should be condemned to this fashion of the smiling face. Noble disappointment, noble self-denial are not to be admired, not even to be par doned, if they bring bitterness. It is one thing to enter the Kingdom of Heaven maim; another to maim your self and stay without. And the King dom of Heaven is like the child-like, of those who are easy to please, who love and who give pleasure. Mighty men of their hands, the smiters and the builders and the judges, have lived long and done sternly, and yet pre served this lovely character; and among our carpet interests and two penny concerns, the shame were in delible if wo should lose it.—From a Christmas Sermon by Robert Louis Stevenson. Prom every spire on Christmas eve, The Christmas bells ring clearly out Their message of good will and peace, With many a call and silver shout. For faithful hearts, the angels' song Still echoes In the frosty air, And by the altar low they bow In adbratlon and in prayer. A thousand blessed mem'rles throng, The stars are holy signs to them. And from the eyes of every child Looks forth the Babe of Bethlehem. But there are others, not like these. Whose brows are sad, whose hopes are crossed, To whom the season brings no cheer, And life's most gracious charm is lost. To whom that story, old and sweet. Is but a fable at the best; The Christmas music mocks their ears, And life has naught of joy or rest. Oh! for an angel’s voice to pierce The clouds of grief that o’er them rise, The mists of doubt and unbelief That veil the blue of Christmas skies. That they, at last, may see the light Which shines from Bethlehem and unfolds * For Christ the treasures of their hearts Richer than splcery or gold. Hope of the ages, draw Thou near, Till all the earth shall own Thy sway, And when Thou reign’st in every heart, It will indeed be Christmas day. —Eleanor A. Hunter. The King Smiled. King Rooster—"Uedcomb!” Redcomb—"Yes, sire." K. R.—“What is the cause of this un usual excitement in the court?” R.—“ 'Tis the preparations for the usual Christmas feast, sire.”* K. R.—“The annual feast?” R.—“Yes. sire.” K. R. (anxiously)—“Are wo In any immediate danger?” R.—"No, dire. It is only the females and young males.” K. R.—“And those 'up-to-date' hens who have been the pest of the court lately with their attempts to imitate me, ate they included?" IL—“All. sire.” K. R.—"Excellent! Perhaps this may serve to teach them that they only deceive themselves by their egotism; that no matter how loud they crow, the world still regards them as hens.”—Q. A. C. Bailable Data About California. An American geography printed 1l 1812 contains this interesting informa tion: "California is a wfld and almost unknown land, covered throughout the year by dense fogs, as damp as they are unhealthy. On the northern shores live anthropophagi and in the interior are active volcanoes and vast plains of shifting ssow, which sometimes shoot up columns to Inconceivable heights.” The book adds that some of these statements would seem Incredible were they not so well authenticated by trust worthy travelers. OLD TIME CUSTOMS. By Winona Butler. There is no brighter fact in history than Christmas. The golden thread of its influence can be traced through nearly nineteen centuries. On the first Christmas morning the angels sang: “Peace on earth, good will to men.” The glad refrain has been repeated each Christmas season in every Chris tian land, though the character of the music varies greatly. Our ancestors were In the habit of forming companies which went from house to house, singing Christmas carols in the streets. These beautiful carols would break the stillness of the winter night or.early Christmas morn ing, making a most delightful begin ning to the merry day. But these holy jubilees had as rivals the mingling Instruments of those wandering spirits of harmony—the “Waits.” One author writes: "Many and many a time have we been awakened by the melody of. the Waits, and have lain and listened to their wild music, its solemn swells and ‘dy ing falls,’ kept musical by the distance and made holy by the time, till we could have fancied that the morning stars were again singing as of old they ‘sang together for joy,’ and that the sounds of their far anthem came float ing to the earth.” The German children probably be lieve more firmly in ICriss Kringle, or Santa Claus, than do the children of any other nation. Germany is the birth place of Kriss Kringle, and the won derland of fable and poetry. German children are taught to love the Christ-child. In many parts of the country It is the custom, on the morn ing before Christmas, to let a figure representing the Christ-child wave past the window of the room where the little ones sleep. Half awake only, in the gray of the morning they see this little child-figure flit dimly past, and they go to sleep again in the blissful consciousness that the Christ-child has not forgotten them, and that they will have an abundance of presents around the tree in the evening. A beautiful custom in Norway and Sweden is the Christmas feeding of birds. Bunches of oats are placed on the roofs of houses, on fences and I It went cut, It was considered a sign of ill-luck. The Christinas dinner was the cen Ci»al feature of all the gay festivities. The table was literally loaded with good cheer. The boar’s head held the, place of honor and was a lordly affair,' brought in by the butler, attended by! a servant on either side with a large; wax light. The head was carried on a; silver dish, the tusks piercing bright-) red apples, while between them an’ orange was laid, the whole graced with; an abundance of sauce. When this,; "the rarest dish in all the land,” was placed at the head of the table, one ol! tiie company sang a carol suited to the great occasion. The Christmas peacocks were also, gorgeous, the bird being flayed, roast ed and then sewed up again in all the splendor of its brilliant feathers, a' piece of cotton saturated with spirits: being' placed within the gilded beak to burn while the carver was at work. Still more curious was the ancient peacock pie, the bird being covered by the crust, save that on one side appear ed his plumed crest, while from tha other side protruded the gorgeous, spreading tail. Mince pies were called Christmas or. December pies, as the old rhyme went— “Treason’s in a December pie And death within the pot.” They date back to 1596. ^ The classical plum pudding niust be added to the list of good things, though, sad to relate, it was really plum porridge, and not pudding, as we have always believed. An old poem says— "And those that hardly all the year Had bread to eat or clothes to wear, Will have both clothes and dainty fare. And all the day be merry.” The leader of all the merry-making was called the Lord of Misrule or Ab bott of Unreason. The wardrobes at halls and manor houses were often lafd under contribution to furnish fantas tic disguises. Snap Dragon was one of the favorite sports. Raisins were placed in a large shallow dish and brandy poured over the fruit and ignited. The lights in. the room were extinguished, and in the weird glare the players attempted to pick the raisins out of the flaming dish: W¥a % Bell? Were Ringing BY SHIRLEY WYNNE. Alone, alone in the crowded street, Alone on New Year’s night, Barefoot and wet with the blind ing sleet, Pale ’neath the red lamplight, A little match girl through the crowd Halses a feeble cry While the New Year bells are chiming loud, "Matches! Oh, will you buy?” Gay, bright-eyed, smiling children pass; They laugh and sing and dance and run— • They all have happy homes; alas! But this heroine has none! Alone, alone in the busy street She cowers on a doorstep nigh While the New Year bells are chiming sweet, Still pleading, “Will you buy?” Hungry and ragged and blue with o®ld— The wind blows keen and loud— Her frozen fingers can scarely hold The matches to the crowd. And still, as faster falls the sleet, More piteous grows the cry While the New Year bells are chiming sweet, "Oh, will you—will you buy?” No more alone in the moonrise gray, With face so wan and white; The little match girl has gone away To a happy home tonight; For an angel came through the crowded street, Hushing the tempest wild, While the'New Year bells chimed loud and sweet. And bore away the child! trees. Cartloads ol sheaves are brought Into town tor this purpose, and both rich and poor buy and place them everywhere. The sentiment is that a man must be very poor indeed If he cannot spare a farthing to feed the lit tle birds on Christmas day. In many of the valleys and mountain dales of the countries watch is Kept during the whole of the night, and all are merry; candles are kept burning at the win dows, and the people flock to church at four o’clock In the morning, each car rying a torch. In somo districts. Immediately after the service, everyone hurries from church, either on foot or In sleighs, for there Is an old saying that he who gct3 home first will have his crop first har vested. At this holiday season the peasants dance on straw, and the peas ant girls throw straws at the timbered roof of the hall, and for every one that sticks In a crack a lover will come courting during the year. In old English times, at the close of the church services It was customary for the clerk in loud and emphatic tones to wish all the congregation a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. In those good old times an Eng lish gentleman would throw open his hall at daybreak to all his tenants and neighbors. Beer, blackjacks, toast and cheese were plentiful. The great sau sage must be boiled by sunrise, or else two young men must take the cook by the arms and run her around the mar ket place till she is ashamed of her laziness. The “Yule log” is a great log of wood, sometimes the root of a tree, brought into the house with great ceremony on Christmas Eve, laid in the fireplace and lighted with the brand of last year’s log. While it lasted there was great drinking, singing and telling of tales. Sometimes it was ac companied by Christmas candles, but in the cottages the only light was from the ruddy blaze of the great wood fire. The Yule log was to burn all night; if “Here he comes with flaming bowl— Doesn’t he mean to take his toll? Snip, snap dragon. Take care* you don’t take too much, Be not greedy in youi; clutch, Snip, snap dragon." But in 1652, the question of Christ mas was brought up in parliament. They decided it was not in harmony with the scriptures; pronounced it “anti-Christmasso” and abolished it. So the jolly Lord of Misrule became an outlaw, and the old picturesque Christ mas faded away with the severity of the Puritan atmosphere; but with the nineteenth century came a revival. The new Christmas was merry, but quieter. What it lost In noise and frolic, it made up in cheerfulness and good will; and now, remembering the message of that first Christmas morn ing, we hail the merry Christmus day with— “Peace on earth. Good will to men.” Gift* for Women and Men, “Women’s wants, if measured by their belongings, would seem to be almost innumerable, and of a kind which require constant renewing and replacing,” writes Frances E. Lanigan telling of appropriate Christmas gifts for women and for men. “Woman’s interests and occupations require a greater number of small things for their equipment than do those of men, and Christmas gifts for them are, therefore, more easily prepared. Wo men’s belongings have the further ad vantage of being useful as well as beautiful. Men are always pleased with simple gifts, and are usually em barrassed when presented with expen sive articles of any sort. The value to them of a gift is, as It should be with all persons, in proportion to Its simplicity and usefulness and out of proportion to its cost.” Life’s fi short summer; man a flower. —Dr. Johnson. ( HRISTMAS bells are ringing, Ringing glad and gay. Voices sweet are singing Songs of Christ mas Day. Heart, what joyous music. For thy part dost bring? — w t**^,i* uucu suu piacca With love’s carolling? Christinas hells are ringing. Heart, what gift of thine Marks the day’s sweet meaning Purposes divine? How dost tell the story Of the heavenly birth With its streaming glory Filling all the earth? Christmas bells are ringing. Ringing joyfully, , Heart, a holy helper Thou thyself must be; Thou must follow, follow Him who is the way— , Be love’s advent angel Bringing Christmas Day. LEGEND OF THE MAGI The legend of the Wise Men of the East, or as they are styled in the ori ginal Greek, “the three Magi,’’ became, under monkish influence, one of the most popular during the middle ages. The Scripture nowhere informs us that these Individuals were kings, or their number restricted to three. The legend converts the magi into kings,gives their names and a minute account of their stature and the nature of their gifts. Melchior, we are thus told, was king of Nubie, the smallest man of the triad, and he gave the Savior a gift ,of gold. Balthazar was king of Chal dea, and' he offered incense; he was a man of ordinary stature. But the third, Jasper, king of Tarshish, was of high stature, “a black Ethiope,” and he gave myrrh. All came with "many rich or* naments belonging to king’s array, and with a multitude of people to do hom age to the Savior, then a little child 13 days old.” The barbaric pomp involved, in this legend made it a favorite with artists during the middle ages. The picture of “The Offering of the Magi,” which we publish, is from a circular plate of sil ver chased In high relief and partly gilt, which is supposed to have formed the center of a morse or large brooch, used to fasten the decorated cope of an ecclesiastic in the latter part of the fourteenth century. The Empress Helena, mother of Con stantine the Great, found what she con sidered the burial place "Of the three kings, and their remains were removed to Constantinople and interred in the church of St. Sophia. Later they were removed to the Cathedral of Milan, and in the twelfth century to Cologne,where they still lie, in a magnificent reliquary, enriched with gems and enamels. These relics are enveloped in velvet and dec OFFERING OF THE MAGIS.' orated with embroidery and jewels, so that only the upper part of each skull la seen. THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT. One of the greatest blessings that Christmastide brings to us is the Christmas spirit—the fulfilment to the letter of the Christian law embodied in the Golden Rule. This is hot invariably the case, but it is fortunately the rule in a great number of cases. For a little while— a month—during the Christmas season, we are turned away from all spirit of avarice and selfishness. From the tiny toddler, who has for the first time be gun to realize her responsibilities as a member of the family, to the grand mother in her snowy kerchief and cap, we are all plotting and planning ior others. Going to the greatest pains to conceal all our doings in order that our gifts may be genuine surprises. If we are members of Christian churches, we have the poor with us at this season, as at no other. We think out their needs. It has been the rule in Christian churches of late years to de vote the offerings of the Christmas fee to the mission school. Loving bands of King's Daughters go about and gather all manner of gifts for those who are less fortunate, for those to whom Christmas otherwise brings only empty larders and threadbare clothing. The most sordid among us, like Old Scrooge, is sure finally to have an awakening cf his better nature, to find a drawing at his heart strings more powerful than the tight drawn strings of the money bag* In her “Abandoning an Adopted Farm," Miss Kate Sanborn tells of her annoyance at being besieged by agents, reporters, and curiosity seekers. Sho says: “I was so perpetually harrassc.l'' , that I dreaded to see a stranger ap-v proach with an air of business. TheW other day I was just starting out fcPft, drive when I noticed the usual strang-^^ er hurrying on. Putting my head out of / the carriage I said, in a petulant and weary tone: