-waY5T i The Commoner. 10 VOLUME 3, NUMBER 49, 'MTfww -r)vi!p wfmm J f s 5 dWSMk ,J? J? ,? ,5 ,2 vJtf, PERSONAL. To all my friends, Both far and near, Merry Christmas And glad New Year. Long life to you; And peace, and joy. And happiness Without alloy. May love attend You on your way This wish I send This Christmas day. W. M, M. uPt & & & & jt jt , oc jt j? &&&&&&$ Two Men. ber," said the widow. "Don't mention it, ma'am. I can't help being helpful to the afflicted. Let's see. The interest on this mort gage and note is $4.50 a month, that's $9; and making out the mortgage and filing the' papers is $1.50. That makes $10.50 in all. Here's $19.50, and I hope you will find it a great help to you, ma'am. I find great satisfaction in being able to help you in your extrem ity. I am sure I will be rewarded some time, if not here." "Thank, you Deacon Grabber. I hope Santa Claus will visit your house." "He won't ma'am. I don't believe in teaching children that there is a Santa Claus. I think it is wicked to take advantage of their confiding natures and deceive them. I wouldn't bo guilty of such a thing.' Good day, ma'am." Fortunate. Smith "Hello, Scratcherly! Making any money in literature these days?" Scratcherly "Yes, a little. I've found a couple of magazines that will return rejected manuscript without my sending postage." Christmas Thoughts. Tom and Jerry are very poor Christ mas companions. The gift given for sbowis a gift given for woe. Christmas is not merely a time of gift giving it is a time for love giv ing. A headache tomorrow will be proof that you are making a monkey of yourself today. If we could stock and bond the hap py laughter of children today, what a mountain of wealth we could possess. Making others happy costs so little Mr. Churchgoer met Mr. Christian. It was bitter cold, and the north wind swep across the country with an an gry roar. "Dreadful cold weather, Mr. Chris tian," said Mr. Churchgoer. "That's what," said Mr. Christian. "Colder'n Greenland." "I can't help thinkin' about the poor these awful cold days," said Mr. Churchgoer. "They must suffer some thin' awful." "Yes, it is sad to think of the suf fering that must ensue as a result of such weather." "I can't help thinkin' about them. I guess I'll have to go to prayer meet ing tonight, even if it is cold, and pray for the poor." "That's all right, Mr. Churchgoer. "But I'll not be there." "Better come. It is wrong to forget the poor." And that night Mr. Churchgoer knelt down in the warm and well lighted church and prayed for those- who were cold and hungry. And while he prayed with words another man was praying with deeds, for Mr. Christian's wagon was rolling through, the poorer quar ters of the city, distributing coal and food and clothing. 'God help the poor," prayed Mr. Churchgoer. "God help me to help the poor," said Mr. Christian, sending his wagon back after another load. "God care for the widow and the orphan," prayed Mr. Churchgoer. "God help me to do my duty to the widow and the orphan," said Mr. Christian, as he left a package of gro ceries and a bundle of warm clothing at the weary washwoman's door. "God spread the mantle of thy char ity over those who are in need," prayed Mr. Churchgoer. "God help me to divide in love the bounty Thou hast given me," said Mr. Christian, signing another check to pay a month's rent for the sick and afflicted widow. "All this I ask in the name of Thy dear Son," concluded Mr. Churchgoer. "In the name of God, Amen," said Mr. Christian, as tired, but happy, he knelt down by his bedside. . And the recording angel set the marks of approval after but one of these names as the Christmas stars twinkled in the sky. Tha Hypocrite. "Yes ma'am," said Deacon Grabber, "I can let you have $30 for a couple of months, and be glad to help you. Just sign this mortgage and note, please. That's right. Thank you. I'm always g3ad to be able to help the widows "You are very good, Deacon Grab-J ft "NOTHING DOING." I had heard that Phil Knox had gathered some rocks To hurl at the trust barons greedy; That he soon would commence to fight in defense Of millions of folk who were needy. So I called upon Phil to see if he'd kill, Determined the scene to be viewing; But a sign big and bold this legend did hold : NOTHING DOING." I then took a sight of the big mansion white Where strenuous words we've been hearing; And I thought in my glee, now surely I'll see Some things that my heart will be cheering. But alas! I declare as I wandered up there My long, weary search still pursuing, I saw over the door a sign as before: NOTHING DOING." I wandered again to see Henry B. Payne At work at a postal house cleaning, And thought as I strode down the long, dusty road, " Now here's where no graft he is screening." But it grieves me to say that my journey that day Since then I've been bitterly rueing, For I saw a big sign in size 6x9: "NOTHING DOING." With a heart filled with woe then I turned me to go Where Leslie M. Shaw was financing, And I said, surely Les will relieve my distress By Wall street's huge bag of wind lancing. ' ' So I called on friend Shaw don't imagine I saw Him over our sorry plight stewing For to my huge surprise this greeted my eyes: "NOTHING DOING." One place still remained so my muscles I strained To get to where congress was working. ; And I felt doubly sure that was where I'd secure Relief from each enemy lurking.- " They'll save me! " I cried ; "They will stand by my side! " But alas! (Please excuse my boo-kooing.) A great sign on display in big letters did say: "NOTHING DOING." that tho wonder In nn. .. train from doing something in tfil UJS Pl7 mean man who re. grets ; the money he spends to ma his little ones happy. fJHO"1?0? reCeive a gi" th the fee ing that you are in duty bound to make one in return, there is a lack nf the proper feeling between the eiveJ and the recipient. Her Christmas. "Dear John," she said, "I do not want Expensive presents, truly. We must economize and not Spend your small wage unduly. For soon, you know, we will be wed And will need carpets, dishes, And other things," she softly said; "Now please observe my wishes." But wben she woke on Christmas morn And found nought in her stocking, The language that she used to John Was something really shocking. "You love me not!" the maiden cried, Her eyes made red by weeping. "Not so," her lover, John, replied; "I'm saving for housekeeping." Alas, poor John knows better now, For he at once did go forth And spend five hundred plunks or so For diamond rings, etc. Wise Johnny. "Hello, Johnny! What do you ex pect to get Christmas?" "Lots of things and the stummick ache." Limerick. There was a young man in Woon- socket Who had not a cent in his pocket. But he didn't feel sad, For a habit he had When buying to simply say, "Chalk it" Brain Leaks. Calico paid for feels better than silk' owed. for. A starving man. can get but little good out of a tract. The prudent man buildeth a storm door for his temper. Sonie men's ideas of pleasure is to go out and kill something. A rose to the living is better than a floral emblem to the dead. What men are apt to term success often proves an eternal failure. The wise smoker will not look the Christmas cigar box on the label. Strive Ever is always handicapped by having-to help Wait Forever. If we had a boy who slept late on Christmas morning we would send for the doctor. Perhaps the voting public tvM wake up when "graft" begins to pinch the individual pocketbook. We feel awfully sorry for a man whose highest idea of a "good time is to nil up and walk crooked. Some Christians approach the mercy seat with the air of a court officer serving a writ of mandamus. Ever go down tho street of a city and wonder why the public school buildings do not bear signs, "Boys Wanted?" The man who waits for something to turn up Is as foolish as the man who thinks a dictionary should nae an index. We know some girls whose best Christmas gifts to their mothers ouia be to roll up their dainty sleeves ana agitate the dishwater about twen j one times a week for a few montns. while the mothers sit in the rocu chairs and rest. x