STEUTHERS' ADVENTURE
Kesult of His Efforts to Save the
Sukia's Daughter.
Stmthcrs was discontented, so was
Bones; the causes were different, but
the effect the same.
Struthers bad knocked about Central
America for almost four months on a
vain quest for adventures which would
make his-college vacation a unique one,
and Gil his room at the "Hall" with
tropnies and the boys' ears with thrill
ing stories.
Hones was beginning to rebel at the
society of native curs, wluse combined
forces did not suffice to give him a
semblance of the delightful scrim
mages he was wont to have in Cam
bridge. Struthers' latest vagary and owing
to his father's liberality he was able to
indulge in many such was the charter
ing of a small native schooner. With
a crew of six black Caribs he was now
skirting the Mosquito shore of Hon
duras on hi way to Cabo Gracios a
Dios, vher he expected to catch a
homeward bound steamer.
lie yearned for the delights of civili
sation and ice, wad felt that, after all,
tht conventional pleasures of tennis,
canoeing and dancing1 at Bar Harbor
were perhaps preferable to tho un
certain joys of mule back and hunting1
in the wilds of Central America.
The outht, or what remained of it,
was rusty and battered, but the bard
ships which had wrought this change
in his "impedimenta" had been vastly
beneficial to the owner in hardening
his muscles and broadening his shoul
ders. With Bone things had not gone so
well; an almu&t Eteady diet of bananas
had made him thin, and between the
chigoes and gi-rapatas very little of
his glossy coai, wus'left, save in shreds
and patches.
"It's too bad, Bones, old fellow; they
haven't left ytm much hair," said
Struthers. "Norer mind, your troubles
will soon be over. I say, Ossorio," turning-
wrathfully upon the Carib captain,
"what is this beastly, old country of
yours good for. anyway? 1 haven't had
a decent adventure or seen anything'
worth telling, in the whole length and
breadth of it!"
"You haven't seen him all, Buckra,"
replied the Carib, a splendid specimen of
that race of semi-civiiized black smug
piers, who dart along the Caribbean
coast in their swift dories.
"Way yonder." he continued, point
ing toward the west, "is de lan' ub de
Waikas; plenty fun dere; but white man
no sabcz him. No white men dere, not
cben Spanish man. only Waikas,
Buckra, only Waikas."
"Perhaps you're right, Ossorio, about
the plenty fun. At any rate, I'll have
another try at amusement before I cut
the country; so put about and make for
some river you think your friends, the
Waikas, may live neir."
Soon they were sailing along the low
saouy coast which lay to the left, and
as they rounded a little cape Struthers
cried out:. "Look, there's the mouth of
the river."
"1 see him," answered the Carib,
"make we put in dere. I tink me,
p'raps, see Waika town soon by."
The Carib's supposition was correct,
for the schooner was soon near enough
for them to perceive the high-peaked
thatcned roofs and bamboo walls of
the native houses nestling among the
waving palms and plumy cocjaaut
trees which lined the river bank.
The schooner was over the bar and
abreast of the villago before tbe na
tives were aware of their presence.
Then they carue running and jump
ing down to the river bank like so
many children, in high glee over the
arrival of strangers and the possibility
of beads, and perhaps a little rum.
The landing was soon ruaxie, and
the Carib. polyglot that he wii,
acted as interpreter in presenticg
Struthers to the old chief, Daina I'isano,
who at once bid the strangers welcome
and conducted them to his watla, or
house.
Installed in a wide hammock within
the semi-darkness of the watla, end
a large gourd of cool pineapple tuishla
at his side, Struthers forgot his discon
tent and asked many questions of
Pisano through the Carib.
lie learned that the music they had
heard was part of the ceremony attend
ant upon the death of an old sukia or
"medicine man," whose funeral was to
be held on the following day.
"To-morrow, at first sun up. de
fun'ral begins. Dama I'isano asku you
if you wan to see him better you do
maybe it "muse you." said the Ca.rib,
with unconscious sarcasm.
At sunrise the next morning1 he was
suddenly aroused by the rattle of mus
ketry, followed by doleful howls and
lamentations.
Rushing out of the watla. where he
had spent the night, he saw a large pit
pan (dugout) coming slowly down the
river, while on tbe bank abreast of it
marched two columns of Waikas, the
men constituting one column, the woat
en the other.
In the pitpan was the dead medicine
man. his three widows and a solitary
paddler.
The pitpan made a landing, and the
coffin, followed by the crowd of silent,
Waikas, was carried along a narrow
trail into the f jresL
The open space of the burial ground
was iik the midst of the great jungle
a smuil circle of light surrounded by
impenetrable darkness
Iioom was made for Struthers, Os
sorio and Hones, and at a signal from
Pisano the crowd fell back, the new
eukia stepped forward and the cere
monies began.
Ilending low over the swathed body,
tbe sukia began in a low, rapid mur
mur to bewail his loss and recount the
pood deeds of the dead man; one by ,
one the women joined in the chant in
creased rapidly in velocity and volume
until it formed a grand swelling chorus
of distress, then slowly died away into
an inarticulate sorrowing.
In a silence broken only by the muf
fled tones of the tom-toms and the sobs
of the crouching women, the new sukia
kneeled down and solemnly stuck little
jes of men with uplifted
1 , uachetes in the ground.
This, (..flamed Ossorio, was to
frighten away any evil spirits who
might attempt to steal the body.
The dead man's entire kit of weap
ons and a bunch of plantains was
placed in the coffin with him, to pro
tect and feed him on his long journey
to the land of everlasting1 felicity.
Again the low-murmured wail began
and continued until it reached a fren
zied pitch. Faster beat tbe drum and
faster whirled the women about the
open grave in a wild ecstatic dance un
til, weak and dizzy, they sank to the
ground, squirming1 and clutching at
the grass about them while the foam
flicked from their mouths as from
rabid animals.
Once more silence fell upon the as
sembled crowd. The sukia stepped to
the grave and with his machete dis
patched three dogs and a cat which were
to bear the dead man company on his
journey.
"I say, Ossorio, this is horrible it's
voodooism let's go," muttered Struth
ers. "Yes, Buckra. obeah an voodoo; d
Waikas long1 time come from Africa;
dey still keep up er r'ligion ob der
faders. But make me wait; he stop
now. see, dey do sometning else," added
the Carib, as the natives swayed back.
The crowd parted and two hideous
ola hags stepped into the open, drag
ging between them a trembling young
native girl, who cast temlied glances
before her.
"'Shame to whip such a nice little
girl," murmured the Carib.
"What do you mean who is going to
whip her, and for what reason?" de
manded Struthers.
"De Waika man tell me de dead
sukia's her fader," answered the Carib.
"Waika always whip de 'lations of de
dead man at de fun'ral; maybe she do
something when he live he no whip her
for dey whip her now for shuah."
Hardly had the Carib spoken, when a
brawny Waika buck stepped forward
with a heavy manatee whip, which
flashed through the air down upon the
girl's shrinking1 shoulders, and left a
long red welt of tortured flesh.
A shriek burst from the girl and she
writhed and twisted vainly to escape
from the clutches of the hag's who held
her.
"Look out, Ossorio, I can't stand
this." gasped Struthers. "I'm going to
stop it:"
But the faithful Bones, who ha
crouched till then at Struthers' feet,
relieved them from all further respon
sibility, for, as the Waika raised his
arm for the second lash. Bones, at a
whimpered word from Struthers, cave a
low growl, and, gathering himself to
gether, made one of his famous jumps
and launched his forty odd pounds of
bone and muscle straight at the execu
ticner's breast
It w as all so sudden that the Waika
was down, with Bones at his throat,
before the assembled crowd realized
what had happened.
Then, with fierc yells, machetes
r. ere drawn and the men made a rush
at Bones.
Struthers and Ossorio were before
them, however, the former vowing1 he
would shoot the first man who touched
the dog.
Bones, obedient to his master's com
mand, released the Waika, who, stag
gering to his feet, rushed to the grave
and. seizing from beside it a loaded
musket, raised it to take aim at Struth
ers. Before he could fire, a knife thrown
by the Carib pierced his right artu,
which fell limp at bis side.
To make a stand against such over
whelming numbers was madness, so
the two men dashed into the trail be
hind them, hot pursued by the shriek
ing, maddened mob of Waikas.
On and on they dashed, till they were
breathless, till their hearts beat against
their breasts, as though they wocid
burst through. With every step their
pursuers seemed to gain, and Struthers
was about to give up in despair when a
glimmer in the heavy shade ahead re
vealed the river.
They crashed cut into the open, and
in an instant had jumped into tbe pit
pan, which had recently borne the
corpse of the sukia, and were well out
into the river when the angTy Waikas
emerged from the forests.
The yells of the disappointed natives
spurred them to swifter paddling, and
they were on the schooner's deck be
fore the Waikas could launch another
dugout.
The Waikas were too cautious to
risk an immediate attack, but soon had
a dozen pitpans manned and armed.
"O, for a breeze," cried Struthers, "to
take us out over the bar and away from
these heathens!"
But no breezs came, though the an
chor was catted and all sail set ready
for the wind.
On came the Waikas, the war drums
beating, the gourds rattling, and the
men yelling1 like demons.
Suddenly, amid the pandemonium
raised by the Waikas, came sounds of
rasping and creaking1 overhead. The
Carib looked anxiously aloft from his
place under the bulwarks and gave a
cry of gladness.
Hardly had he cpoken when a shout
of anger came from the Waiaas. Struth
ers, raising his head above the taff
rail, saw the pitpans slowly falling
behind, while the freshening breeze
carried them faster and faster toward
the open sea.
For a long time he watched the re
ceding canoes until they were but
specks far stern. Finally the Carib
touched his shoulder.
"Bucka," said Ossorio, "we are ont at
sea now. Which way must I head de
dory? You want to make for Cabo
Gmcios an de home steamer, or you
tink you want to hab some more ven
tures?" Struthers turned slowly upon the
questioner; he looked first at the peaoe
f ul Bones, who was slumbering bliss
fully on a coil of rops, then at the fad
ing shore line, and replied with a iittla
catch in his voice:
"la. Ossorio. I thick this adventure
will do me for a time let it be Cabo
Graidos and the steamer.' Stevens
Vail In Boston Globe.
woodei.
TO PREPARE TOUGH MEAT.
Remove the Sinews and the Worst Pieces
Will lie Perceptibly Improved.
There are a great many unpromising-looking
pieces of meat that make
excellent braises and other dishes. But
If anyone imagines that it is as easy
to prepare a tough piece of meat that
oas abundance of fat and .iinews in its
nake-up as a prime roast, she is mis
taken. It requires time and patience
to deal with a sinewy piece of beef. If
the meat is to be a success as a braise
the greater part of the fat and all the
sinews musi be removed. It is not at
ill difficult to do this, but it requires
patience and a keen-edged knife alout
the size of a boning knife. Keep the
knife near the sinew and scrape it
away from the meat on both sides.
Continue until all the sinews are re
n.oved. A tough piece of round is very
much improved by this process.
There are so many sinews in the leg
that it had best be used for soup,
though the patient French cooks very
often take the trouble to prepare this
cheap meat for stews. These stews
they serve with piquant sauces flavored
with tomatoes or mushrooms, so that
the whole dish takes on a grand air
and is really delightful to eat. while
the meat is deliciously tender. A
breast of veal with its surplus fat and
gristle is not a very promising subject
in the hands of an inexperienced cook.
But remove the soft bones very care
fully, so as not to waste a particle of
the meat, and remove a large portion
of the fat. Make a well-flavored stuf
fing. If you wish, use about a pound
of clear, lean veal, chopped fine and
pounded to a paste to the loaf of
bread used for the stuffing, or make
the old-fashioned dressing of bread
crumbs alone. In either case use
small onion and a liberal teaspoonful
of parsley for flavoring and bind the
dressing together with two or three
raw eggs, according to their size.
Economic cooking of a superior order
can not be done in slapdish manner. A
fine roast of beef can be cooked more
quickly than a breast of veal, but It
costs about three times as much. The
veal takes twice as much time to pre
pare. Either disl is equally delicious.
An epicure might prefer the breast of
veal, if it was prepared in perfection.
Even a roast must be attended to while
it is cooking, but probably bears neg
lect letter than almost any other serv
ice of meat, always providing the fire
was right when it was put in the oven.
It is Wcause of her dainty care and
skill in llavoring that the French
housekeepef excels in her ragouts aud
other rechauffes. She seasons a hash
with as great care as if it were a piece
of choice game. The result tells in the
excellence of the diuh. The careless
cook who chops up the debris of meat
from the last meals without stopping
to separate the lean from the fat and
remove all the bones and an3" sinews
is sure to make a failure of her worlc
In all hashes, except corned beef,
where a little fat is allowable, nil fat
should be removed and clear lean used.
Look over the meat vey carefully. If
potatoes are used allow about half the
quantity there is of meat. The care
taken in this matter will pay in the
superior excellence of your dish. N.
Y. Tribune.
M ATTER-OF-FACT.
The Dry Humor of the Firtaresque Peo
ple of Scotland.
Some yeais ago there lived in Perth,
Scotland, a man of weak intellect,
well-known by his Christian name,
Jamie. One dark night an acquaint
ance found Jamie lyin at the foot of
an outside stair. "Is that you. Jamie?"
asked the at quaintance, in a voice of
the greatest astonishment. "Ay, it's
me," replied Jamie, in a tone of com
plete resignation.
'Have you f"en doon the stair?" was
the next question?
"Ay! I fell doon; but I was comin
doon, whether or no."
To illustrate further the matter-of-factness
of the Scottish people. David
Pryde mentions that a company at an
artist's house were talk-ng about their
successes and failures.
"Do you find it difficult to sell your
pictures?" said the lady of the house
to an artist who had been perfectly
silent.
"No." said he, in a slow voice; "it's
no difficult it's impossible."
A country doctor met one day the
son of a patient of his who had been
very ill.
"Well, my lad," said the doetor.
"how is your father this morning? '
"He's deid," replied the boy.
"Dead:" cried the doctor. "Was
there a medical man beside him when
he died?"
"No." auswered the lad; "he jist
deid hissel"." Youth's Companion.
Something w to Skirts.
Among cold-weather garments are
new skirts of fine felt in different
colors, elaborately braided around the
bottom with soutache a shade darker,
or in black. Moreen skirts, flannel
lined, are both neat and serviceable.
For wearing with serge or other wool
gowns of black, brown, gray or green,
a petticoat to match, silk lined and
faced with canvas at the edge to keep
it away from the feet all around, and
trimmed with rows o military braid, is
admirable. Flannel-lined silk skirts
trimmed with one or two flounces sim
ply hem-stitched are very nice for after
noon wear. Striped or shot silks are
the best, and the colors should be sub
jective. A thin flannel lining is requi
site for varmth, especially if capes are
worn instead of the long-skirted coat.
Black silk skirts are always ladylike;
so. too, shepherd's check silk skirts
will ne?er quarrel with the gown; aud
in making a purchase this considera
tion should ever be borne in mind.
tt. Louis Kepublic
"Where je goin'?" said one small
boy to another. "Ter the football
game." "Som I. My big brother's
to take me." "Humph. My big brother
wouldn't go to a football game."
"Wouldn't - go - to- a - football - gamel"
"Xaw. My brother was in the war.
He's seen reg'lar battle he has."'
Washington Star.
HOME HINTS AND HELPS-
Prune Whip: Wnltes of five eggs,
beaten stiff, three tablespoonfuls sugar,
oue-nalf pound soaked prunes, cut fine.
Mix, aud brown in a hot oven. .Make
boiled custard of the yolks and one
pint of milk, and serve together.
Country Gentleman.
To Color Almonds Kose-Colored
Almonds: Blanch and cut sweet al
monds in small pieces, put them on
baking-plate and pour on them a little
of any v;rretable. liquid, of an infusion
of cochineal or carmine; then rub them
in your hands to mix them well with
the color; when all are done, dry them
on a stove or in the oven. Farm, Field
and Fireside.
A plum pudding is quickly made by
crumbling a pound can of pudding
made by a reliable firm, adding two
cups of bread crumbs soaked in milk,
a small cup of minced suet, three eggs
beaten light, half a cup of sugar and a
cup of signed raisins. Turn all these
ingredients', after mixinc. into a but
tered mold and boil three hours.
American Agriculturist.
Our Favorite Pudding: Bake a
plain sponge cake in a layer pan. When
ready for use cut into pieces, and split
and butter each piece; place in a dish.
Make a c ustard of four eggs to a quart
of milk; flavor with vanilla; pour over
the cake, and bake about one-half hour.
A half cup of sherry added to the cus
tard improves it. Sweeten custard to
taste: or.e cup sugar is enough. De
troit Free Press.
To Wash Blankets: Take a pint of
soft soap, put into it a tablespoonful of
powdered borax, pour boiling water
upon it until the soap is dissolved, then
mix it well in a tub of luke-warm
water, enough to cover the blankets
well; let them soak for an hour or
more; occasionally stir but do not rub
them. After they have been in the
water until it looks like the dirt was
out, put them in a tub of clear water
without ringing them, and after soak
ing and stirring awhile, pass them
through the wringer and hang on the
line to dry. Yankee Blade.
German Puffs: One pint of milk,
the yolks of six eg:rs, five tablespoon
fuls of flour, one of melted butter, half
a teaspoonful of salt. Mix the flour in
a little of the milk, then add the re
mainder, the eggs well-beaten, and the
salt and butter. Butter muffin-tins
and half fill them with the batter.
Bake twenty minutes in quick oven.
Serve on a hot platter and pour over
them a sauce made as follows: Beat the
whites of the six eggs to a stiff froth,
gradually beat in a cupful of powdered
sugar and the juice of one large, or
two small, lemons. Boston Budget.
Sewing Campaign. I take my win
ter evenings to read. I have three
children under five years of age, 60 I
plan a campaign of sewing. I do my
washing and ironing, sweeping, a lot
of baking, get ready some cold meat,
and begin niy sewing week. I have
dried corn, canned tomatoes, canned
fruit, pudding and milk, and other
quickly -prepared dishes during the
siege. I use sweet cream instead of
making gravy for potatoes. My hus
band helps to run the machine. I sew
till the floors get pretty dirty, and the
baking is all gone; then I commence
eooking again. Rural New Yorker.
BREAD-MAKING MADE EASY.
A New Method Which Requires Very Little
Exertion.
It is one of the flue arts of life to do
things in some easy and practical fash
ion. Who ever invents or devises a way
to save labor, to do two things with the
same amount of tax and exertion usual
ly required for one. has conferred a
lasting lenefit on mankind. Particu
larly is this the case in household af
fairs. The difficulty of getting compe
tent help and the burden of domestic
cure seems to increase with every year,
and easy va3-s to do things are of un
speakable value, especially to delicate
women who have ever-thing to look
after, and in emergencies must take up
the entire labor of the establishment
A new idea in bread-makinn- is well
I worth the attention of every woman.
whether she be delicate or care-burdened
or not. A semi-invalid makes
bread without weariness by a simple
process. Instead of the usual knead
ing and mixinc she uses a chopping-
knife. Sprinkling on a very little
flour, she chops the sponge for five or
ten minutes two or three times dnrinc
the rising process. No kneading is re
quired except just enough to put it in
to shape when it is ready for the pans.
She never uses a bread-board, but
spreads a large cloth folded over to
several thicknesses on the table,
covers it thick with flour, and shapes
the bread out on that, taking care that
no dough sticks to the cloth. With this
chopping process, it is impossible to
handle the dough in an extremely soft
state. This insures more moisture in
the bread and much longer keeping
qualities. Biscuit and other similar
articles are made in the same way, the
kneading process being almost entire
ly dispensed with, nothing more being
necessary than dexterous handling and
a little care that the dough does not
stick to the cloth. It is a well-understood
fact that biscuits, to be good,
must be very soft when put into the
pans, and in no other way can this be
ltanaged as easily as by the method
just described. X. Y. Ledger.
A f chan Making-.
Uits of worsted always accumulate
in a family where much work is car
ried on. It is a good thing for some
member of it to have always an afghan
iu course of construction, to which
these odds aud ends can go. The mak
ing is a clear pleasure, it is so simple
and satisfactory, and there are several
patterns that call for many shades of
yarn. An afghan is in constant re
quest; not, as once for the carriage, but
to keep at hand when one lies down, to
make a light covering to throw over
one. When all the .materials were
bought outright it mnde about as ex
pensive a piece of work as could be en
gaged upon. But by adopting this
'hitor-miss" plan it ia quickly and
pheapljr obtained. X. Y. World.
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
TURNING OVER NEW LEAVES.
Now what Is that nolsef said tho glad Ni. w
Year.
" Now, what Is that singular sound I hear?
As If all tbe paper la all the world
' Were rattled and shaken an J twisted and
twirled."
"Oh! that." said the Jolly old earth, "Is the
noue
Of all my children, both cirls and boys,
A-turning over their leaves bo new.
And all to do honor. New Year, to you.
WH1I THE LKAVXS 6 AID.
I won't steal Alice's sticks of canJy;
I won't call Robert a Jack-a-dandy;
I won't squeak my pencil on my slate:
I won't lie in bed every day and te lata
I won't make faces at Timothy Mack:
I won't make tun behind anyone's back.
Ru.i: and turn them so and so:
The good shall come and the bad shall go.
I won't tear "barn doors" in all my frocks;
I I won't put my toes through all my socks
j I won't be greedy at dinner table:
j At least I ttink I won't If I'm able!
; I will not pinch nor poke nor tease,
I will not sputter nor cough nor sneeze.
; I will not trrumble nor fret nor scold,
: And I will do exactly whatever I'm told.
Hustle and turn them, ao and so!
i Tbe good shall come and the bad shall go.
j Laura E. K:cbards, in Youth's Companion.
SMART SHEPHERD DOGS.
They Take Entlra Care of a Flock With
out Anyone's Direction.
In South America, in the region of
the great pasture plains, dogs are
trained to be shepherds. I do not
mean that a dog goe6 out with the
herdsmen and helps watch the flock. I
mean that the dog goes out alone and
that he takes the entire care of the
sheep without anj-one's direction. In
South America there are vast plains
where for miles and miles there is lit
tle vegetation save the short grain on
which sheep feed. There are no habi
tations for men.
On these vast pastures there are im
mense flocks which are often left for
several days at a time with only a dog
to take care of them. But well he
knows how to do it, for he has been
trained for the business.
When "Colly" wa6 only a day old he
was taken away from his own mother
and given to a big. motherly sheep. She
let the little blind puppy share the din
ner of her own baby lamb. His little
bed was in a warm, soft nest made of
the sheared fleece of a sheep.
He was never allowed to taste of
meat. lie was not permitted to asso
ciate with other dogs or with children,
lire only associates were sheep. Con
sequently all the 6trong friendship, all
the loyalty, all the protecting instinct
which belongs to a good dog's nature
were turned towards 6heep. The lit
tle dog grew to love sheep, to play with
sheep, and, above all, to watch over
6heep and protect them.
No hungry stranger could approach
one of these big wandering flocks in
the vast and lonely plain and help him-
tors
THE OLDEST AITD STRONGEST BA11 AD
VANCES TO THE DOG'B 61 DE.
self to a lamb without being noticed.
No! At the first sign of a stranger the
dog barks.
Then a remarkable sight is to be
seen. The oldest and strongest ram
of the flock advances to the dog's side.
All the other rams come forward and
take their places near by, facing the
foe. The ewes and the lambs huddle
closely together behind their de
fenders. The dog does the talking for the
whole party and gives all the orders,
acting the part of a commanding gen
eral, but the rams, with their big,
cruel horns and strong heads, do the
fighting.
Sometimes when the owners have
sheds near enough the dog drives the
flock out to pasture and brings them
back in the evening. No matter how
large the flock may be, he knows if
even one iheep is missing and he gets
out and huns for it until found. Chi
cago Inter Ocean.
THE CHRISTMAS SEASON.
flow It la Observed Amou; the People
In Foreign Landa.
The Christmas season finds its ex
pression among us in 9. variety of ways.
The fare of old England the boar's
head spiced and garianded. the pea
cock garnished with its own feathers
has been replaced by the turkey and
the goose.
Hut the evergreen of the season and
the Christmas carol are of older date.
We may trace their aacestry to the
"Saturnalia" of the iloman The
earlj church saw dange:- to their con
verts in these practice-, and prohibited
the green boughs, but later the pro
hibition was withdrawn and the cus
tom was incorporated v,to the canons
of the church. But these acts of nat
ural religion were brought to us by our
Saxon forefathers and are remnants of
the worship to their heathen gods.
In the Italy of to-daj'the celebration
of Christmas . is not unlike our own.
The week preceding is a week of fast
or fish days. Christmas Eve ushers in
the great festival. Then assemble the
children and friends to partake of a
sumptuous supper, after which a cur
tain is withdrawn and shows the table
of gifts wrapped in paper. The "Urn
?f Fate" is brought into uae. Each par-,
son draws in turn, and the present
distributed as determined by the ora
cle. Exchanges of gifts are made un
til each person is satisfied.
In Germany, the Christmas tree im
the special care of the housewife, who
sees that the members of her house
hold are represented, from the least to
the greatest. The 6Ccial gatherings
are held on New Year's Eve. The Ixdls.
of the city ring in the new year, fol
lowed by a burst of congratulation
from all present, with the greeting'
Prosit, Neu Jaur.
Christmas morning in Norway sees
the roads crowded with sledges. A
simple service in the churches is fol
lowed by an early dinner given to rel
atives and friends previously invited.
Tea is served at seven o'clock, after
which strolling pantomimic performers,
are admitted. These are rewarded by
sweet-meats and a little money. Tho
J
-suites
THE GERM A5-a 8TOM.
men smoke while the women talk;
finally the sledges carry the guests
home over the snow it the bright
moonlight.
In England the theaters are turned
into pleasure grounds for the children.
The nursery rhymes and the popular
fairy tales are acted, amidst unre
strained applause from a highly appre
ciative audience. The elders are also
entertained by witty jokes and touches1
on the politics and leading topics of
the day. Children are the principal
actors in these pantomimes and are
often the bread winners at a seasoo
when work is so scarce in England.
Christmas is no longer looked upon
as a time of riot and carousal. It i
now universally recognized as the feast
of all children because of the Holy
Child. In our own country gift giving
is no doubt the prominent feature.
Many regret the custom, saying that
it engenders hypocrisy and selfishness.
Our lives, they think, would be more
spontaneously generous if no day was
set apart for gift giving. Let us there
fore look to it lest we lose the spirit of
Christmas, of which the gift is the
mere expression for: "Peace on earth
End good will towards men."
It tVaa Remarkably Strange.
The Somerville Journal has a story
of little Dorothy, six years old, who,
like all other children, is a bom
egotist. She went out for a horse-car
ride with her aunt. She had her new
purse with her and was very desirous
to pay her own fare, but her aunt
said no.
"You are my guest;". she explained;
to Dorothy, "and so I must pay your
fare; but you may take the ten cents
and hand it to the conductor, if you
like."
So Dorothy took the dime, and when
the conductor came along she handed
it to him in the most dignified manner,
lie gave her a quick look, and esti
mating that she was under the five
year limit he rang in only one fare,
and handed back a five-cent piece,
which Dorothy took without a word.
"Wasn't it strange?" she asked, af
ter 6he got home. "The conductor
took my fare, but he didn't charge.
Aunt Alice any fare at all."
SPIDER SHOWERS.
They Have Iteen Observed by Darwin and
Other Naturalists.
Showers of mud. worms, frogs and
rain of various colors have all hap
pened, but spider showers are worthy
of mention, and may be regarded as
the most beautiful thing in strange -showers.
The spiders are gossamers, and;
White, in his "Natural History of Sel
borne," describes the showers that he
saw, one of which continued a whole
day. The gossamers descended from a.
surprising height, for when one man
climbed to the top of a hill near by,
three hundred feet high, he found that
the spiders were dropping from a re
gion in the atmosphere that was still
beyond his gaze.
Darwin, another observer of spider
showers, describes one which he saw.
in 1SS2, when on board the Beagle, T.'
the mouth of the La Plata river, rvuen
the vessel was some sixty miles from
land, and he seems to have been tha
first to notice that each parachute
of gossamer carried a spider aeronaut,
for he not only observed them arrive
on board the ship, but he also saw
them reproduce a new parachute, and
on this frail bark launch forth again
"on the bosom of the palpitating air.
These gossamer showers are great
mysteries, and, once seen, cannot very
readily be forgotton, for the air on
these occasions becomes literally
crowded with the tiny parachutes men
tioned, which are composed of a few
threads of almost invisible gossamer,
with a small but lively spider attached.
It Rained Lemon Drops.
Little Edgar, aged three, who hap
pened to be very fond of lemon-dropa,
was out on the porch one day when &
sudden and violent hailstorm came up.
"Oh! oh!" the boy screamed with day
light, "it's yaining tandyl"
Slanc Snpprensera. a
"Is Miss Fosdick still president of
your Society for the Suppression of
Slang, Miss Skidds?"
"No; she got too fresh and we
turned her down." Retailer and Job
ber.