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The Commoner.
VOLUME 11, NUMBER' 5
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Tho Homo Department
wishes a
MERRY OHRIST3IAS
and
HAPPY NEW YEAR
to all.
THE WINDOW WISHERS
The little window -wishers, with their
tender eyes of hluo,
Standing there hefbre the toy shops,
don't they touch the. heart of
you?
Don't you almost shiver with them,
as their tattered clothe you see,
The ragged little urchins, with the
patches on each knee?
Can you see them longing, yearning
in sweet childhood's wistful way
And forget them in your planning for
a merry Christmas day?
Oh, the little window wishers, baby
hearts and baby eyes,
With their trusting faith in Santa
gazing there in glad surprise
At the dollies and the soldiers and
the Teddy bears, believing
That they will. not be forgotten. Can
you see them without grieving?
Can you think of them on Christmas
when the merry morning starts
Dlsiirualoriear waiting- up to- empty
stockings broken hearts?
Oh, the little window wishers, look
ing, longingly today
At the wonders in the toy shdps in
sweet childhood's wistful way,
Dreaming dreams of Christmas
stockings filled with candies and
with .toys;
Just as full of faith and fancy as
your, own girls and your boys
When you see their big eyes gljsten
as these splendid thingd they
view,
Can you, rush by and forget them,
don't they touch the heart of
you?
.. Detroit Free Press.
how much less sorrowful regrets and
memories would be a part of our
lives!
"O, friends, I pray tonight
Keep not your kisses for my cold,
dead brow;
The way is lonely; I am travel
worn; My faltering feet are pierced with
many a thorn;
Forgive, O, hearts estranged, for
give, I plead;
When dreamless sleep, is mine, I
shall not need
The tenderness for which I long
tonight!"
Kind words to the living are bet
tor than kisses to the dead. One
fragrant blossom of loving appre
ciation pressed in the trembling
hand of the living is infinitely bet
ter than banks of -flowers for the
bier. S. H. H.
Some Christmas Thoughts
At tho coming of the Christmas
time, we are apt to give much
thought. to the likes and dislikes of
those about us. We want to please,
and we do not spare ourselves in
the endeavor to bring into other
lives a moment of happiness We
are even happy because of the happi
ness we bestow. Yet how often,
when the occasion is past, do we
sink back into our selfish selves, and
shut out the needs of another, for
getting that the whole world is cry
ing for comfort every hour in the
year. A. letter comes to m this
morning, in which the writer says:
"Let Us plead for kindness to tho
living, and the loving. If we would
only feel and act and speak tenderly
and lovingly eVery day of the year,
all the bitterness, the petty fault
finding, and the censuring and the
selfishness would cease to dwell in
our hearts. Today, all the tender
ness wells up in our hearts; we are
considerate and kind, and wo
breathe nothing but gentle, affection
ate greetings. If wo could only
forgive the living, as we forgive the
dead, forgetting everything but the
kindness, how much happier we
should bo!
Decorating the House for Christmas
Green vines and red berries should
be in evidence, though there are
some who object to hanging wreaths
and stars at the windowB, alleging
that the decorations should be for
those within, rather than for outside
observance. But it is the one season
of the year when even the most
selfish wishes the casual passer-by to
catch some glimpse of the. happiness
within, and the little wreaths and
stars, with their sparkling red and
white berries, or their- red dots of
oweTBrb.p.vok&Tae8BRge, tor., th world
which says "Good will to men,"
whether the dweller means it or not.
So, let us. "let our light shine,"
hanging up the cheerful little, things
against the smiling panes of glass.
Evergreen" vines from the woods,
with, bfight sprays of berries 'may
take the place of the holly, and many
pretty things can be fashioned from
red tissue paper, or tltje gr&en; while
the everlasting ropes of popcorn w'ill
fill out many a deficiency. Branches
of pine, with their brown cones clinging-
to them, may be used in many
places. Preserved autumn leaves
are also pretty decorations where
eeonomy is demanded. "Where
there's a will, there's a way." and
the plainest, meal may be made
beautiful in serving, if only we use
the means at hand. For the Christ
mas candies, the home-made, if
pains are taken, far exceed in excel
lence anything that can be bought,
so far as harmlessness is concerned.
Many fine candles have a very bad
effect on tho stomach, while home
made candles, just as fine, can be
eaten without any bad effect.
cards to the different gifts, some
Christmas tags for the parcels. There
should be folding paper bells of dif
ferent sizes, a couple of dozen
candles of various colors, ttav lan
terns and candle holders for the
tree, a roll of red crepe paper to
make festoons for the rooms, a holly
set of paper table cloth and napkins,
and little red crepe paper dishes to
hold bonbons and salted almonds
and peanuts. To this articles may
be added as many others as the tree
demands and the purse will supply;
but these will make a very pretty
adornment for a small tree and
table. There are so many pretty in
expensive things on the market
that one can fill any want, if she
have a pocket-book that will "foot
the bills." Of one thing, the family
should strictly beware that of go
ing in debt for Christmas cheer in
the way of useless adornment. Bet
ter one plain gift paid .for than a
dozen, the paying for which will add
torments to our minds for months
after.
and not too much money, each child
may be asked to make part of the
ornaments; theso should be accepted
as an evidence of the child's interest,
and this will endear the tree to even
the little tots. A few glittering orna
ments, or other trimming could bo
bought, and when taken from the
tree, put away for another time, ad
ding a few each year, and it will not
be long until you will have plenty
and to spare. The - custom with
most of people is to let these tree
dressings be destroyed by the chil
dren, which is willful waste.
For the Christmas Goose
- Two excellent stuffings for the
Christmas goose are made as fol
lows: Mix two cupfuls of warm
mashed potatoes with half a cupful
of onion juice, half a cupful of wal
nut kernels rolled fine", a few spoon
fuls of cream, a tablespoonful of
butter, the yolk of two eggs and
.seasoning to taate. .Mix well. An.
other is made with two cupfuls of
bread crumbs, one large sour apple, a
cupful each of raisins and boiled
chestnuts, a stalk of celery and a
small onion chopped fine, a large
lump of butter, some pepper and salt
and enough cream to give- it the
proper consistency. If mote stuffing
is made than needed, make the sur
plus into small balls and bake a
golden brown, and use to garnish
the, platter. Apple sauce, or cur
rant jelly is the proper accompani
ment for tgoose. Try either of these
stuffings and report.
For tho Presents
In making presonts of home-made
articles, make them neat, and as
"like new" as possible. All new
materials must be pressed smoothly,
and old materials must be cleaned
washed, if necessary, . and pressed.
Before presenting, they must be done
up in neat packages, and given as
"Christmassy" a look as can be done
in order to please. , The pretty gay
colored paper napkins are fine for
tieing up packages, and there are so
many widthsof Christmas ribbon,
with special tags and cards, besides
the always-to-be-had spray of holly
or other Christmas greens,, either the
natural or the artificial, -that no
package need be plain or slovenly.
A Household Festival.
From Christmas Eve until Twelfth
Night, the house should be gay with
holiday decorations. Twelfth-Night
is a Christian festival 'observed by
the Roman Catholic and other
churches on the 6th of January, be
ing the twelfth day after Christmas,
in commemoration of the Savior be
ing manifested by the miraculous
appearance of a Star to the Wise
men, or Magi, who came to adore
Him, bringing gifts. In some coun
tries, it is observed as a household
festival.
For the Christmas Tree
For a small tree, there should be
a couple of dozen sheets of white
tissue paper, at least two bolts of
red or green baby ribbon, or a ball
If only the whole year, of gilt cord; a dozen holly-paper nap-
th Christmas lesion of "good will kiris, a few yardB of tinsel, some
to men" could be stirring our hearts, anta Claus stickers to attach tho
Decorating tho Tree
Here are - a few suggestions for
decorating the Christmas tree with
but little expense: Take plain card
board arid mark out circles -and
stars, crescents, maltese crosses, or
as many different designs as your
fancy may suggest, and let them be
of varying sizes. .Then take silver
or gold paper and cover each design
by pasting smoothly on each side.
The silver paper will show hand
somer than the gold among the dark
green branches of the tree. On one
side of the design, between the card
board and paper, lay in the end of a
six-inch length of black thread, to
hang it by. When the candles are
burning, the thread will be invisible.
These may be hung all through the
branches tif the tree.
Other ornaments may be made by
cutting hearts out of red paper
(crepe paper is pretty), using two
hearts to each ornament. Gut a nar
row strip of white crepe paper
lengthwise of tho roll and quill it
around the edge of the heart in the
shape of a ruffle, fastening it with
library paste; then paste the other
heart on, having the ruffle between.
If a bit of sachet powder is sprinkled
on a piece or cotton ana placed be
tween tho hearts, this, will delight
the children. Suspend theso hearts
by bits of baby ribbon, or pretty
colored silk or gilt cord.
Whore there is a growing family,
The Christmas Tabic
Scarlet and white should be the
color scheme, and the very best and
snowiest linen should be used on the
table. The center piece may be em
broidered in a design of mistletoe, or
real holly may be used as a frame,
the bright berries and green leaves
resting with good effect on the table.
If candles are' used which they can
be with good effect, the; p shades
should bo of scarlet, glistening with
silver stars. A silvery basket filled.
with maiden's hair., f er-.ns ,and , red,
roses may-be used on the table, or
may be suspended from the. chande
lier just above the centerpiece. If
suspended above the table, it will not
interfere with the guests seeing each
other.. Scarlet ribbon should b
used plentifully, twisted with holly
and reaching from the chandelier to
each plate, or to each corner of the
table. " v
A green and white dinner may also
be carried out( for Christmas day.
The flower.8, in' this case, should be
fine ferns and lilies of the valley,
With a lace center-piece framed in
Bprays of mistletoe. The Christmas
ribbon, stamped with sprays of holly
or mistletoe may be used with good
effect. -
i
Christmas Candies
In making candies, there are
various ways of coloring it. Nearly
all druggists keep coloring powders
or liquids which are harmless, but
there are many colors which como
from fruits and vegetables .which are
at hand. If you want the candy red,
try beet juice; cranberry juice la
also excellent for coloring. For the ,
beet or cranberry coloring, the pulp
must be boiled. Cut up the beet and
use very little water, boiling until
the Juice Is all in the water. For a
cupful of the juice allow one cupful
of sugar; boil until it is quite thick,
then put into a bottle, and you can,
use much or little, as you want tha
color pale or dark, using this syrup.
For yellow, a little saffron should b
steeped In a little soft, cold water,
until the infusion is a bright yellow.
For green coloring, the juice or
spinach leaves may be used. For
deep reds or pinks, use a little
qochiheal. c
Cream Candy One pint of granu
lated sugar, one-half pint of water,
three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, ot;
one teaspoonful of cream tartar, j
piece of butter the size of a hickory
nut; boil without stirring until It
threads, then pour intp greased plat
ters, or on a marble slab 'until cold
. ,
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