THE MEDICINAL MISTLETOE.
An “All-heal*" of the Ancients—Myth
Concerning the Parasite.
“A monster in botany, a dryad in
mythology, a panacea in therapeutics
and a perennial Yuletide symbol” is
the traditional character assigned to
the viseum album, “all-heale,” or mis
tletoe, by Dr. John Knott in the New
York Medical Journal. The mistletoe
at (JhriKtmnstide Is hailed by doctors
us an old acquaintance, the legend of
whose healing virtues is still potent in
the practice of some of that respecta
ble profession. For at least twenty
centuries its air lodged rootlets have
penetrated with the mystery of their
origin the pages alike of folklore and
of botanical and medical literature.
Suspended green in wintry branches,
the parasite wus by its strange con
trast of environment invested with
awe and religious dignity by the Celtic
Druids and outrivaled in fame ;wnong
the western nations the lotus of the
Egyptians. Vergil compared its mys
terious leafage and fruitage to tile Si
byl's “golden bough.” The Sibyl of
Scandinavia was wakened from I.oki's
iron sleep to prophesy the death by
the mistleti>e of the bright sun god
Balder. Its flourishing amid the dead
.starkuess of winter may account for
the fatul qualities assigned to the ever
green by the northern nations, but also
its wondrous vitality made it a symbol
of resurrection, peace and healing.
Pliny in Philemon Holland's quaint
translation thus' describes the herb in
t be quaint and ancient ceremony of the
1 quids:
* * * “They call it in their lan
guage Ali-IIeale (for they haue an opin
iou of it that it cureth all maladies
v. hatsoeuer), and wheu they are about
to gather it, after they haue well &
duly prepared their sacrifices and fes
tiual cbeere vnder the said tree, they
bring thither two yong bullocks milk
white, such ns neuer drew in yoke at
plow or wain, and whose heads were
then and not before bound by the horn,
which done, the priest, araied in a
surplesse or white vesture, climbeth
vp into the tree and with a golden
liooke or bill cutteth it off, and they
beneath receiue It in a white soldiers
cassock or coat of arms. Then they
fall to kil the beasts aforesaid for sac
riflee, mumbling many oraisons &
praying deuoutly; that it would please
Cod to blesse this gift of his to the
good and benefit of all those to whom
he had vouchsafed to giue it. Now
this persuasion they haue of Misselto
thus gnthered, That what Uuing crea
tures soeuer (otherwise barren! do
(lrinlC of It, will presently become fruit
full thereupon; also, that it is a soil
eraign countrepoison or singular retne
die against all vermftie. So vain and
superstitious are many nations in the
world and oftentimes in such friuolous
and foolish things as these.”
Sir Thomas Browne was a bit skep
tical of its qualities as a panacea, and
modern medical authorities almost uni
versally scout Its therapeutical preten
sions. Strangely enough, the survival
of its medicinal use in England is “as
a popular remedy in cases of cardiac
trouble.” Affections of the heart, we
doubt not. have been successfully
treated by means of the mistletoe. But
we venture a lay opinion (bat the pa
tients were young, the plant was sus
pended above their heads and was effi
cacious only In the joyous Christmas
season.
A TINY CHRISTMAS TREE.
One Mother Made Her Little Girl Very
Happy With Miniature Plant.
A tiny fir tree, not over two and a
half feet high, and of symmetrical
shape, was chosen for my little girl's
doll's Christmas tree, says n writer in
the Woman’s Home Companion. This
was easily planted in a flowerpot and
established upon a large table in tlie
living room. Tiny candies were fasten
ed upon the branches, a ten cent bunch
of tinsel was sufficient for draping and
a further outlay for the small colored
glass ornaments added to the gorgeous
ness.
The main idea is to keep everything
on a miniature scale while duplicating
for the beloved doll children the gifts
that usually fall to the small mother.
So it was that tiny dolls were dressed;
tiny fancy boxes were filled with tiny
candies, others contained wee handker
chiefs embroidered with smallest of
initials; here hung a hand mirror, there
a nursing bottle, tiny fans, a lovely set
of cups for the tea table, a small bird
in a gilt cage, a new pet kitty, and so
on. Ten cent stores yielded most of
the treasures.
On the morning of Christmas my
eight-year-old was shown her old dol
lies. each radiantly dressed, and was
told that their tree was ready below
stairs. The joy and delight at the
sight were charming to behold and the
blissful apportionment of gifts began.
As each arriving playmate rolled in her
new dolly ‘-To show what I've got.”
envy and pride reflected uiwn the faces
of the visitor and visited, only to be
dispelled by “there is something on the
tree for your dolly.”
The First Christmas Tree.
St. Winfred, who was in the eighth
century a missionary to the Scandi
navians, is said to have set lip the first
Christmas tree in the home. He tried
to show the people that the Druid
priests had made them worshipers of
trees only and not of a living God. and
on Christmas eve he cut down the
great oak tree around which they had
gathered to offer a human sacrifice. As
it fell a young dr tree seemed to ap
pear miraculously beyond it. and Win
fred said to the people: “Here is a liv
ing tree with no stain of blood upon
it that shall lie the sign of your new
worship. See how it points to the sky.
Call it the tree of the Christ Child.
Take it up and carry it to the chief
tain's hall. You shall go no more into
the shadow of the forest to keep your
feasts with secret rites. You shall keep
them at home, with laughter and song
and rites of love. The thunder oak
lias fallen, and I think the day is com
ing when there shall not be a home
where the children are not gathered
around a green tir tree to rejoice in
the birth of Christ.’
Right in Line.
“My ancestors,' haughty little He
loise Aldyne told her nine-year-old
playmate Hermione McGuire, “came
over before yours did. They came
over in the first boat, the Mayflower.
“Well mine came over,” Hermione
said stoutly, ner blue irish eyes
flashing with spirit, “in the very next
boat, the Junellower. —Jiulvo
Mrs. Ambrose Swentek visited over
Sunday here.
A. B. Outhouse was here on busi
ness Friday.
Rev. Father Jurka spent Tuesday
here visiting.
Mrs. Stan. Ksionzek spent Satur
day in St. Paul.
C. F. Beushausen was here Satur
j day on business.
Miss Eve Sperling returned from
the east Saturday.
Miss Bertha Cortas was a west
j bound passenger Friday.
Ed. Haedler was in Grand Island
i 1 hursday on businesfl.
Mrs. M. Vincent received a fine
new piano last Wednesday.
Loo Johns was down from Loup
City Tuesday on business.
Miss Pokorski went up to Schaupps
Tuesday to visit her brother.
Mr. and Mrs. John Papernick left
Monday morning for the east.
Frank Jezeuski went to Loup City on
the passenger Tuesday morning.
Clifford Rein was here last week
Wednesday visiting with friends.
Albert Kartas transacted business
at Farwell Thursday of last week..
Miss Kalkowski returned Saturday
after spending a few days in Farwell.
Mr. and Mrs. John Grella spent Sun
day visiting Tlios. Grella and wife.
Dr. Longacre of Loup City was here
on professional business on last Fri
day.
J. R. Gardner and Louis Jankowski
a utoed to Dannebrog and St. Libory
Sunday.
Miss Clara Polski, who has been
' isiting in Loup City, returned home
Thursday.
Herbert Mortz and Stanley Wrob
iewski and wife, spent Sunday at
Ashton.
Miss Dora Glinsman and sister,
were in St. Paul between trains last
Thursday.
John Skibinski returned Thursday
from St. Libory where he had been
on business.
Lincoln White was an eastbound
passenger Tuesday for a visit in the
eastern states.
Mrs. August Zoehol and Mrs. Krzvc
,i spent Monday in St. Paul, returning
in the evening.
llev. Father Mlynarski went to Loup
ity on the passenger . returning the
next morning.
Frank Uzingle of Loup City spent
Wednesday here.
Col. Jack Pageler came down from
Loup City Tuesday to cry the sale of
liennet Mashka.
Thomas Kosmicki, and family,
! it Tuesday for their homestead in
Sioux City, Iowa.
Lawrence Krolikowski is at the
present time visiting his son, Martin,
north of Ashton.
Clias. Alexander, representing the
International Harverster Co. was here
on business Friday.
Clyde Wilson was in Grand Island
Thursday via auto route returning
me same evening.
William Odendahl was a business
visitor to Archer, returning Monday
on the passenger.
Mr. and Mrs. Crapkowski and
| daughter, attended church and visited
here over Sunday.
Ed. Rosmarek returned to school
Monday morning after spending Sun
day with his parents.
Mr. Sticknev, who traded farms
recently with Steve Dymek, was here
1 uesday on business.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Foss and
daughter, spent several days’ visit
ing in St. Paul last week.
Miss Anastia Zochol spent Sunday
here with her parents, returning to
school at St. Paul Monday.
Emery Bly, a former resident of
this place but now of St. Paul, was
here on business Thursday.
Dad Gilbert returned Tuesday
alter spending a few days in Loup
City, Comstock and Arcadia.
Ed Janulewicz and Louis Jamrog
were taking in I lie sights at the elec
tric power site at Boelus Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Janulew’icz, and
family, of Loup City spent Saturday
here visiting friends anl relatives.
Mrs. Frank Wardvu spent Tuesday
visiting her daughter, Mrs. John
Jeszewski and family at Loup City.
Mr. and Mrs. Simon Wrobleweski
went to Loup City Tuesday evening to
visit their daughter, Mrs. Mike Kam
inski.
Oscar Lousay and his carpenters
of St. Paul, returned to that city Sat
urday evening to spend Sunday at
home.
Mrs. Frank Ambzrose came up from
St Paul and spent a few days with
her husband who is working here at
the present.
Miss Emma Chalupski, popular
clerk at Held’s store, returned Thurs
day from a visit at St. Paul and
Grand Island.
The Farhat & Wehbey store have
bills out advertising a clearing out
sale of their entire stock of general
merchandise.
William Dunker came in on the pas
senger Tuesday evening, greeting ihs
old friends, then continuing his jour
ney to Loup.
Miss Frances Corning spent Sun
day with her parents at Loup City,
returning Monday morning to her
school duties here.
Walter Desh, the monument man
of Ord, was in town Thursday having
delivered a small but neat stone for a
child of John Pruss.
The German church here is being
treated to a coat of paint also being
repaired generally. A committee of
the parishoners doing the work.
George Polski and the Misses
C lara Polski and Wanda and Nellie
Jamrog, autoed to Wolbach Sundav
to visit Mr. and Mrs. Walter Sawicki.
Christmas is drawing near. We
notice some of the display windows
are very beautifully decorated. The
l'ttle ones are interesting spectators.
The Starmer Reed players played
to a packed house here on the 7th.
I
Everybody was well pleased with the
play. The company went from here
to Arcadia.
Adam Kosmicki, who is working
near St. Paul, dropped in Saturday
evening to visit his many friends and
relatives. He returned to his duties
Monday morning.
A light snow fell here Friday but
did not remain with us long as old
••Sol's" smiling face put a stop to it,
end at this writing we are having
splendid weather.
Steve Dymek has traded his farm to
a Mr. Stickney northeast of Loup
City. We understand that Steve got
a one-half section for his quarter
paying the difference.
The people of the 6t. Francis
Catholic church contributed very
diberally at the collection on last
Wednesday for Polish war sufferers.
The sum collected being $153.85.
Quite a volume of poultry was
raised in this vicinity the past year
considering the amount that has been
shipped the past month, the farmer/
getting a handsome price for same.
On Saturday, Mr. Gardiner moved
his printing office to his new loca
tion under the Ashton State Bank,
which certainly is a fine location and
makes a dandy room for his business
Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ojen
dyk, a son, on the 11th. Heinie is
wearing the smile that wont come off
Here is hoping the youngster lives
end follows in the foot steps of his
dad.
Mr. Mayo, deputy food inspector,
was in town Thursday and Friday
inspecting cream stations, stores, in
fact, all business houses. We under
stand that he found everything in
tip top shape.
The feast of “Annunciation” was I
celebrated at St. Francis church here
on December 8. A large number be
mg present, the weather being very
nice that day gave the country people
all a chance to attend.
On Sunday afternoon, December 12
a number of the ladies here held a
roller skating party at the rink, for
ladies only. Judging from a few of
the earthquakes we felt, there cer-1
lainly must of been some hard falls.
Mr. and Mrs. Garret Lorenz and
family, visited Mrs. Lorenz's parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Stobbe over Sunday.
This being Stobbe's last Sunday on
the farm as they are going to move
into Ashton this week, they having
bought the Charles Gawrich place.
Quite a number of friends of Mr
and Mrs. Joe Hruby, spent Sunday
with them at a card party. Deli
cious refreshments were served and
all enjoyed themselves until a late
hour when they returned home wish
ing Mr. and Mrs. Hruby many happy
returns.
Rev. Father Radka held services
at St. Francis Catholic church Sun
day, his first sermon since returning
from the hospital at Omaha. Al
though very weak yet, his many
friends and parishoners wrere glad to
see him in the pulpit again and all
hope to hear of his speedy and com
plete recovery.
FOR SALE.
Five or six acres of land, in alfalfa,
fenced chicken tight. For terms and
particulars see Alfred Anderson.
The good old custom of
hanging the mistletoe from
the ceiling at the Christmas
festivities is said to have its
origin in the idea that since
the plant did not have its
roots in the ground no part of
it should ever be permitted to
touch the earth.
Why We Hang Up Stockings.
The custom of hanging up the stock
ing on Christmas eve arose from an
incident in the life of the good St.
Nicholas. One day when he was over
taken by a severe storm be took refuge
in a conveut, and the next day being
Christmas he preached a sermon to
the nuns which they liked so much
that they asked him to come the next
year and preach to them again. On his
second visit, which was also on a
Christmas eve, before going to lied he
asked each of the nuns to lend him a
stocking, and he filled the stockings
with sugar plums.
in the making of mince pies, which
form a part of a regular Christmas
feast, mutton wag the only meat for
merly used, as a commemoration of the
flocks that were watched on the holy
night by the shepherds of Bethlehem.
I'he spices were supposed to be sugges
tive of the wise men from the east, the
iaud of spites.
Christmas of the Shetland Islands.
A see lie less populous but not less
striking is old Christmas eve, the 4th
of January, when the children and
young men of Lerwick, in the Shet
land islands, go a-guizing. The chil
dren disguise themselves in strange
dresses, parade the streets and invade
the houses and shops begging for offer
ings. At 1 o’clock the young men,
coarsely clad, drag blazing tar barrels
through the town, blowing horns and
cheering. At 0 o’clock in the morning
they put off their grimy clothes and
fressed in fantastic costumes go in
groups to wish their friends the sea
son's compliments.—Harper’s Magazine.
Santa Claus was born ages
ago, and he has been so busy
ever since that he never has
taken the time to study his
family tree. American chil
dren call him Santa Claus;
the little Dutch folk, St
Nicholas; the French, Pere
Noel, and the Germans. Prince
Kuprecht or Kris Kringle. Ilut
they all mean the same thing.
Proof of Wisdom.
If a man be gracious and courteous !
to strangers it shows he is a citizen
of the world, and that nis heart is no
island cut oft from other lauds, out a
continent that joins to them.
Not Yet.
A bard who makes "fine” rhyme
with “mind” has won a prize in a “po
etical” contest. Nevertheless, we are
not yet convinced that “poetical” con
tests are the most ridiculous things in I
the world.
)
In Holland—but always on
Dee. 6 Instead of the 2oth— '
the little boys and girls put j
their wooden shoes In front of
the hearths instead of hang- j
ing up their stockings, and the
good old patron of children j
comes and fills them, and ;
(here is general gift giving. j
The Cruller Lambs.
Our kitchen's nice round Christmas time!
I can’t see in th' great big pot;
It's where th' crullers—they cum fum—
An' what's inside is dreflle hot!
I musn’t stand too near th' stove
’Cause "spatters" might get on my
dress.
My mother thinks that things round there
Would burn her little girl, I guess.
An’ so I stay real close to her
When she puts aprons round her waist
And rolls th’ rings out on a board.
Sometimes she lets me have a "taste."
An’ then, you see. I'm helpin’ too.
I help her 'member she mus' make
A lot of little cruller lambs—
I like that kind of Christmas cake!
Th’ lamb when he goes in th' pot
He's yellow, an’ he looks all flat.
But when they lift him out of it,
W’y, he's all brown an’ round an' fat!
I have to wait till he's "cooled oft”
’Fore I can have my lamb to eat;
An’ mother, she puts "wool” on him
V.'if sugar—that’s what makes him sweet.
An' after when my father comes,
I get a lamb for him to see,
My mother laughs at how he does;
She says he's "big a child as me.”
She don’t like lambs In bed, I guess,
But father says to let me keep
It squeezed all tight up In my hands—
An' that's th' way I went to sleep!
-Marie Louise Tompkins In Harper a
Weekly.
Fasting at Christmas.
When Cromwell ruled England he Is
sued an edict against all festivities at
Christmas. The festival was altogether
abolished, and the display of holly and
mistletoe and other emblems of the
happy time held to be seditious.
In 1044 the Long parliament com
mauded that Christmas day should l>e
observed as a strict fast, when all pe
pie should think over and deplore the
great sin of which they and their fore
fathers had been guilty In making
merry at that season.
This act so provoked the people that
on the following natal day the law w:n
violently resisted in many places
Though these scenes were disgracefe
they served their purpose and put
end to an unjust order.
When Charies II. regained the throne
the populace once more made Chrt>r
mas a time of rejoicing.
Quaint Yuletide Belief.
A quaint and strange superstition
holds in the Alps to this day regard
lng Christmas. It is believed that cat
tle have the power of speech given
them on that holy occasion, hut that it
is a sin for any one to eavesdrop upon
them.
H!s Abysmal Meanness.
“I cannot understand,' confessed J.
Fuller Gloom, the well-known pessi
mist, "why every young mother in
town should hate me so bitterly, mere^
ly because 1 hinted to one ot them
that I did not care to kiss her infant
until it had its tace washed!"—Kan
sas City Star.
make that gift something that will be kept and treasured in the
years to come. A watch, a ring, a brooch, a lavalierre, a
locket, a piece of China, cut glass or dozens of other articles we would
be glad to suggest and show you at our store.
Our Stock is Larger Than Ever Before
Our Prices Are Lower Than Ever Before
LOU SCHWANER
JEWELER
raRPECTSATISPACTION is enjoyed at all THANKSGIVING DINNERS when I
the TURKEY is baked in a GREAT MAJESTIC RANGE- Call and we will show 1
you why all who use a Majestic range are perfectly satisfied. I
^^^MM^|^^i^tic^ange^WillJVlake a Splendid Christmas Gift |
Heating Stoves
Complete line of heating
stoves, all sizes. Come in
and look this line over before
you buy.
. ' I
Blankets and Robes
We have the 5-A Horse
Blankets and Plush Robes;
also complete line of heavy
harness.
I
Hayhurst-Gallaway Hardware Co.