t.
t
1
j
I
"oftr
THE TALK
VERY HAD BOY.
fihl tftri Is (ho tn'e of u vcrr 'mil hov:
Ilchatlilnnu nil I101011M other folks to iinnoy.
'Jhen wluuilii o tlilnk there wits loumlto
employ
Tlio veijr bail wits of tills very luiil boy?
On thf 'Wlit tioforo ClirlMiiisis, Ft. Nick to
IMC"',
TworJtookiiiRn were lititijr by tlio very lind
WMshM to hlmclft "Of tlio sweet Chtlst-
twain joy
To double my Miuro, n trick I'll employ;
1 11 watch lor M. Mik-iunl tlio tun I'll en-
r -Jov-I'll
gwo litni tlico MocMuks liH tlmo to em-
tn lly:
Anajfrlillc bo's lit woik," tulil tliu very bud
MjTuoy.
"1'ihnoK from Ms puck Just tlio linndfoinost
wy.
impliim- tlio fun luiil n bit of nlloyt
k koi a peep in i no very imn nny:
llmx-il up hi steeds, nml bo crlud out:
TouBkci, my young I ml, neither eandynor
I awny w cut St. Nick, unit lio eliuckled
with Jnv.
(ho left nut u tlilntr for the very bml boy.
fig llarvtr' 1 mintf I'cnplt.
gJSSSS83
Our Bachelor's Chrislmas Dinner.
Tll JVHKKE. URANDM0THKK8.
vjuid vou would marry this fellow."
i'i . ..
taii Grandma Von llreeks von Starch,
iit'hor bnssoonlcst (that is tlio only word
I Mil think of with which to describe
tuVtn) tones, "if you could?"
lyfjes, ma'am," replied Gertrude,
nwKly lint limily.
Htjio ildoii is simply preposterous!"
deohred Grandmother Ilull'oy's life-like
lj-epostcrous indeed!" responded
tbit .Sassoon. "More than preposterous
-f4i.-cr.iccf ul! A mechanic! a common
working-man! a lioiiso-pnlntcr!"
j-'Vilc's n fresco-i)alntcr," timidly cor
rected Gertrude.
B''liieh amounts to tho samo thing,"
avOahcd tho bassoon.
V uleliael Angclo " began Gertrude.
ta!Jlavcn preserve ns!" shrilled the
lift; ".-he's bringing somo Irisliman
ittto'tho discussion now. lie silent,
hW We'll not hear another word
jMiif.yoii. And understand distinctly,
obcj, and for nil, that if that person
callyiiuru to-morrow, which no doubt
lie will have tho impertinence and ns
.Jtirr.ieo to do, you aio to dismiss him
last oat ly, or we tcilt."'
Mid endeavor to 'begin tho new
yefflV tho bassoon took up tho strain
gi.hi-y"iti a manner befitting a dc-
wcaqanr. of tho Illustrious General Von
hIvj ton March, whose unexampled
lane mm ami iicrgon-op-.oom
of his birth famous, notonlv
liont Holland, but the entire
at time when vou wcro not
d of."
ir Greav-gran Peek v. sho hail Rat
if Uy locking to and fro in Iter ciishlon
il roiker, munching? her carawav bin.
lls-k store of which she always car-
J'in la little sachel suspended at her
f-Hlceplly regarding the group of
ken, and saying not a word herself.
t that was nnthin.r tramm tn l.m-
s scarcely ever snoko save fn mnnmvl.
blcs, and never even in them when
ilnino Von llrrcks von Starch nn.l
!ttrcss Hullcy wcro laying down tho
v, viui-iiu occupation oi incirs, uy-,-by).
to servants, trades-people, or
UlM-iiaitclitcr (iorfrinli. Ami ifm 1ct
Pinthat could have occurred to either
f tic amiable law.mnLi.rs uvmlil l,vu
'l'."!1"? iJ of appealing to tho old
subieet
that she
greater part
nltnlil fit sit
lCftfto whicli win to ocaso at her
oV
.rnrid rt allowed them to nmnmrn
rail
iingipertuiulng to it la their own
wrav.
V' I . iBrtriKm en nnmntlliv UmlamnV.in
weeks vtin Srsreli in honor of tho pa
ira saint of liorL'eii-on-'rioni bml ln.t
i?'' 'Ier H:rL'Bt'Jl,I ner Infancy, nmlhcr
.wIHi:
i
!
(Muy,t ioji an opinion ou any
fWi?evdL It sulllced them
-pwtt' wiuiout grumbling tho
-of Ilia c.xiien.sAs of llu imiKi
th
rr miv.ug ueen reuueeu to poverty
mHD tlmk betoro ho dlid by various
k Ip-njWcmaiily vices, sho had been loft
v lily de'ndmt upon her three grand-
JOtf tlll.qnl f!rii-rf.rmin Ponl-.. ...no l.
WBloUier of lirandmother Iluftev. who In
mw na .no mouier oi. iiertruuon
Ooaer. Whlln fSriimlmn Vot, Itmnl
u warcii fceltl the samo close relation
i to her father.
JT?lil)n8ibn gmndmothcr wis at tho
M r, tho. American branch nt lur
f
icon a Von Hrcnt-K vnn 1
i norseir, na had mairicd a cousin
t. . . T -. M. ,
o samo nuno; a family of great
u wwy nogs oi goux in tliolr
rland some ;entury ami. a half
Sho was tttJL stout and aalid.wltl,
id face, big Ukok oyoj, abundnnt
in- iiuir, ami ji carrtairo that ni-
OlyllgDrcsted to tho beholder tlm
Ufyttublo ot heraristocratio nawo.
no uu grandmother, Hvu yearn hor
ar, WW directly Iter opposite, bing
ji fllim and Ifmbar, with n slian"
fkee. oxtivinielv ililn CM,, imtv n.r.i
id blue evek.
fta!'Kran colcy, . notwithstanding
C5igl'ty-lhroc,ycary, wu by for tho
UY""K witno inreo tiiwugn sue
u, j. iiiuat coniss, wuoir munch-
yr caraway blfccuiw, Bmowhat
jvery i
lluilMCllllUUta uiu iitonitif
'""" Tl Villi "IMMllj-
r i
P)flby hi y Skcklng, M I'll-; I'M-"
lllllv (Sho lurjtl
W,l.
u
nbovu lior still dark eyebrow?, beurntli
which beamed with a mihl, dreamy
light her soil brown eve, and a plesn
ant winter bloom lingered on her
wrinkled face.
It iw from tier (jerliudu had re
ceived all the picturc-hooki and sugar
plums, almost always bestowed in per
tect .silence, that lind brightened and
Mvcoletied her childhood, Grandma
Von Hreeks von Stardi supplying the
k"-oin in depot Intent, ami (frand
mother llutley (let me whi-pcr lt tho
piiuishmcnK titially Ittllictcd with a
slipper or the back of a hair-bru-h.
Hut in spile of lite leetunw and lesons
and other illsagreeable thing--. Gertrudo
led a tolerably happy life with her three
grandmother- until her eighteenth
birthday. From that day dated such
strict surveillance, so much sarcasm, so
many scoldings, that even the liair-bru-h-nnd-sllpper
period seemed lv
ooniparison a regrettable one. And nil
on account of the young man wlnt
came to frc-eo the parlor ceilings. A
handsome young man he was, posses
sing tlio liighlv euphonious name of
Kverdell Tromlett. Hut neither his
geod looks nor his romantic name
availed lilm aught with the two mating-1
lug graiidinothers, who saw In him only '
one of the working-day race, wllli i
Which the lltitleys and the on llreeks .
von Starches had nothing iu common, ventured out into the entrv. grope'd her tender custom of the Cnlabriiiu pens
And therefore, wila no more thought . way to the stairway, and liegan to de- mils, who in the days just before
about the mntler than if Jo'm the man-' scend the talrs. pausing on every other , Cliristmas go down from their tuoiiii
servant had been theio in his stead, step to make Mite that no one was astir tains to visit the shrines of the mother
they allowed their grand-daughter to and watching her. At last she reached of Christ, ami cheer her with their wild
practice her music lessons in the back the sheet door In safety. It seemed an I strains of son" till such time as the
parlor the slldlng-iloor being partly age to her until lw had succeeded in holy llabe is born! Surely the winds of
open -while he was at work iu Uie unfastening the heavy chain across it i Christmas morning inlglit briti" us, if
fwnt. I in reality it wis jn-t three minutes- not the echo of Hint muslo itself, yet
And so it happened that Gertrude. ' and then she felt for the key. It was some whisper of its spirit a sonietlilii"
trying to play an air from memory, and gone! Her heart sank w ithiii her. I sweeter .spirit ll may he than that of afl
findlag.lt continually JJlU'tefJ J!jws "Poor llverdell! ' she Miid, and sadly ' the revelry which "lies ou under niistle
about giving It up in vuMitlon, wlion prepare.l to retrace her slops -not dar-! toe hotiglis and before the blaze of
snnio ono softly whistled it behind llier; ingto'ry the basenicnt-way, because. Yule-lo"s.
and turning quickly on tlio rovojvlng, the fcrvants lcpt In that part of the , Many of our ancestors were fr!"hl
stool, she saw tho voting painter, blush houo -when a faint light appeared ' ened by the influences that ruled "the
in hand, standing in tho doorway. i i above her head, and looking up. m revehies of their and their fathers' ilnvs
" He ' panlon, but that is whatfyou aw great gran, carrying a lighted can- when tho Lord of Misrule nnd the Ah
wanted, is it not?" ho asked, as ho idle in her hand, coming down the stairs bol of Unreason held swav with their
ceased whistling, in n voice as dcip us
mat oi the oas
soon grand
mother, though
much mure mel
odious. "Ohycs.thank
you." said Ger
trude, with a
blush; and turn
ing to the piano
again she played
the whole air
skillfully and
gracefully.
"It's a beau
tiful thlug'sald
tho painter, still
standing iu tho
doorway; "but 1
think tho song
bcglnnlnglnthis
way" and ho
prepared to
whbtio again,
when ho encoun
tered the frozen
frown of Mad
ame Von lirccks
vou Starch, us
sho stepped into
tlio room from
tlio balcony, and
tied. 3
And tho next
day the piano
was (dosed and
locked, and tlio
fair performer
n prisoner in hor
own room; and
Grandmother
HuH'ov. meeting
Mr. fcvo ril oil
Tromlett as ho
came to work,
requested him in
ouo brief sen
tence to ' get
through hiswork
and go about
his business a.s
soon ns pos
sible." Hut love bless
his merry little
heart! laughs
at looks and
locksmiths, and'
Uio very next
tirao Gortiudo
went for hor
singing lesson
to tho Conservatory (to and
tho door of which rIio was hH
escorted by.clthcr Madame Von Hrl
von Sturch or Mistress Hulloy)
round thero a saw pupil with a ii
niuucut oass voice, una that new
mi wus tlio fair-haired, blue-eyed yd
fresco-painter. Not ono word of
meeting, nor of tho meetings tliot
lowed it two or threo times a week;,
MX months thereafter, did tlio uau
t
gin ureatho to either of tho three
mixacro. ana the two younger of1
,10
ii iu cmiiicu grcany over the strict
Ilanee with which thoy guardod
future bride Coccordimr to tliolr I
'?'
10
laid plans) of DJedrich von llrcoki;
irr
10
ncii iioiiunu merchant, duu in
iW.
Xork with tho now year, lint thel
ullalion camo to an end on Now-Yi
X
s
Ave. ou flint evening tho Consorvi
Of Music gavo II nunil eoneort. am
r.v
(ho
very llrat duet was sung by Miss
trudo Vo llreeks and Mr. Eve1
Trcmlett. Ill vain bml tlm b
cr-
11
betrired tO bo left, nil'.nl tlw .rr,,r,-nr,
in vain had ho summoned to Ids nj
;
a
mystenoiw throat disease. His
fiMwor declared that sing lie mus
lose his place iu tho Cousorvatory, i
0-
r
J.
wnnt was still worse, nrove bimsel
an
"Ingru-ii-toP And so tholhreegru
mothers, sitting in gi-oat state mmr
.1-
'10
auigo, wore jwrrilicil that i, two
of
uiem were (grcat-gran munched
caraways as placidly as uverl -bv
inr
i-
IW rim! hearing their gramWaugl
iiwdo operatic loro to, in a very i
lATUt.mnb'Infviifai . .
.T
ll
U
:,r',v:'"Ml" "jt vuiuro n most ii
'""w'" iiuuiuiiiv y i no young u
WHO Il'OSCoeil tllfllr nnrlnnt.
la a moment tho wiiolo truth llasl'
I.
upon lueir minus, nud how thoy sat
it-t
. ,t,Jv .. ",u curr, o great
their iuditmation. twv .w.v.. i-
Hut at lar, much to their rollof. it.
to an end, nnd the ominous sllcnco wit
U'lilnl, liv Mnnnn.l .1... '.. 'V
....... hwi itw.uiu inn print
proparod hor for tho storm (i
clailS Of Which I linv-n
beginning of my story) that hurst
her head as soon as tbnv n.iudm,! i
Whon it was ovor Gertrudo was allows'
r rnn,. ,m,-n ... ..,., w
a 1 .. I-
l 1- an,
i .
l
her cloak, turned tho key
and took from her bosom
she lustily read:
in her door,
i note, which
Jlv iKim:sT"(tluis It ntni.
'l suppose
ln fiu't.l know you will have u scene tiMilitht
iui tier noym HK'litusi Vou llneks on
Sl.ui'li mill her tultlitiil lielU'hoiiiiiu tho
liiiehefsiMle lliiltev. I urn n sorry lor ynu,
ileurl 1 lit I don't let them frhtliten you: unit
don't be frluhtenrdii: wtnil 1 urn about tonne
i'0e. To mill row will bo New-Year's lny.
i oiiotu, i etiireut ni, to ncitin the no
no je.ir
M1M me. I li.ue Imt it liiiinii'n Iiiiimk
Mill, but In It units tint blceilct ot mot
iniitiini
mid Miotics! of iriiuiiltiiothcrs (nho Mill iniikr
oiir roiirtll) to Heletime.iotl. I slmll bo Millt- I i-Ii t I mile fur llmt iiiii'n.l-nlimviioil mill,
lnif. ben ou lend thl iuite, ltb u euriliiiro tlMa I""1 ,01 Mat oni.-nilou mil mill
mound the neiirest coiner, our Him and tary town, and "the land of the free
tenor III lie Mtli mn. teildy toilet lis tulles.
iiiuiti nun Kid'iiiiiiiiii. i mir riiiiiiiiinuiers '
oillil never eouent to our imirrlnue. ilii.l mi
les)ou tu'ciihcllcKie they will timrry
nu. In spite of )nurclf. to your Dutch tilth
coiedu. Cotue. m.V dnilliiK, come,
F.vi:mn;i,i,.
"P. 8. If mii Mud It Impossible to tiiuko
your cm' iipc, why, then I must lien id the linns
In their iUu to-miii row, mid tliiht M duel with
the Von llreeks MiuMiuvli us soon us ho itr
rhes in the country."
Gertrude stood an infant in thought.
Then sho glanced in the mirror. It re
Uected a liride-llke tlgure. Drew of
some clinging creamy
daisy-ilecked head,
white material,
a cloud iif lace
clasped at the thtoat bv a liny cold
uv ii i my goiu
ftil. rC.I'1'Utt Iter
cross. Slio smiled foftlv. re-read her
note, waited impatiently until half an '
Imtir had pas-cd, and tlien unlocked her
door, opened it, ami listened. All was
silent us the gr:ve. Cautiously she
Mile III I
fos care
jfully as he had come down them j
"l'o got a key that Ills the Gen
door, though sho don't know- It.
,, , '.. , - , , , , v i
era! s door, though sho don 1 know-It. '
'ii.
and 1 took this from under her pillow.
Oli! If she'd caught me. Hut she sleeps
eens I
111...- Ill r .1 1 ., .. 1
eHT 11," "ft"1," 1voulion. And
here s a little gift for vou" nutting a '
10
1
.small package in Gertrude's
hand,
Law, eliild, how much you do look
l'ko me tho night I ran away with
Oliver reeky! Your sweetheart's a
good boy : I know all about him.
jGiiod-niglil. and a happy New Year to
.you both!" And exnrtine- nil her
imii.-iiKin ni- riiiiii.MiiiitiiiiLr moi omes.s
Ytt.fi. .,.!. '. I..-. II. -...., ,
in great surprNo -the old lady im- J
i ,.i. i" "......-. -.iU ..I., inn,, im- (
.Jrf . .. . .i"1 "n p?'!t,y )"lsll(!(l Uo
Kill out into tlm arms of hor foyer.
L,v , nr'.Z J'','! ',ij;,,t wn"tl'"-ovt.r.l
Sv.
iea I3 equaled by tho wonder in regard
10 tne manner or it.
"Sho noervont by tho front door,
,for the key was under my pillow,"
thundered the basoon.
, ".She couldn't have opened one of the
l.ar'or windows to have saved Inn- lift. "
squeaked the life. "Only .John and
ituy.-elf know the secret of tho fasten.
-jugs. And (f hho could have opened
It, she certainly could not have fastened
It behind her Some of tho servants
inns! have helped her."
? Hut tho rurvants emphatically de
clared their entire innocence,
t "There's no ue asking ma," said
xwisints llup.rv. looking rather snitn.
1W.
pill
fully at Hid .d lady as shu rocked in
.y-. . n . i
ner lavor to t-ockee ntul niiiiwliiwl Inn,
jivnntu rcfni'dinieiit.
"0 iJOIiEion 1h- 1 led with fmli
SMigip
H III IU'IM'11. -ll Will nn I lint nlltnl'd 'I'limiril, X':,I. .. 1 . .1 1 t a
m - - s . v' villi ihl. iiuii'in it rill iit.i linn i'!iiiiiiuiiiiii dii'iiii in ti 1 1 iMninu n ' am t . .. ...I a
hwa flM snnn im slin U snr fl 1j T " Jm v. I .!..,.,! !... i - .- .1 : f .- . . ; vV. .. Tllr
L. i "": v - -""'. hiuhhuj iuh ui uiwjno aim uut manner ji ih kcih. i Mrifttmns Is
leva clrihiHMl.elasiiIiiJuThiHulsiiinna (,f Mis-, u day iieciiliarly Imlon-in ti homo
Hip of fear. IIhl L'tiUit-irran ciiniu Mm irlit. I hlif iIhwm wiwiiine ...... i. . ...1,1 ..11 i K....i..,. ?.. Ci. .'....
1 e ... . " ,- yr 1 - 'i w -i . "10.10 iiiu Lauiii. ttim 4111 null liuituillf ill IJltl hUUrlMl
li- on. without a wont, until shu stood be- Yule-log was; kindled, a loir so l.un I ness of tin. lumnh. n,. nn,. ,,-.. i,.
i,U- Milo tho frighteneil girl. that its slow eon, if lwit .,Vifri, i.r fi i,..i ,. i 1.1 1...1.1 1.. ...
ll'JSf V. -,!t'irV t,,0.kts'- ,V: I,nr." she said, 1 and smouider for nil of six weeks, or , pedal regard the day that did more to
iliis 111 a whisper ami with unite n r k , 1 Cam enms.iliiv r.in,-,wi ,. i, ' t,.k h...... ,. 1.11J. 1 ' ... .'.V,1.
amy Wsct(t, J tin midst yf wdcli
lay a crisp thousand dollar l'nlted
States Tieasttn-note. Hut never did
Kverdell or his wife hear from or see
her again, fort cry soon alter their mar
riage she pas-cd ipili tly out of llfe.and so
will remain an enigma to them forever.
And Madame Vou H reeks vou starch
and Mistress IlulVev, having succeeded
in marrying the merchant Irom liergen
np-Xonm to a dll
o a dl'tant relnllve of the S'on '
Starch familv sought out and ilov.-eied
for
mat purpose -ueparicil with the
mi( t, m, , (,0 bravo" knew tllf 111
no more. Manjnrct Eylinye, in
r-
)irs Weekly.
Chrlslnias Kceplnjr.
There is something very pleasant in
tho tliought that when we nre celebrat
ing our Christmas festivals the wave of
reverence anil joy that has reached us,
sweeping round tho world from east to .
west, comes bringing with it the chant '
. .. . -
of Uotnan masses, tlio enrol of Kngllsh
villagers, tho less worshipful songs of i
tne siuuenis in tno ijuarucr i.atin,
nhtttwia fli,n tin, ulnmiliid nf t,,i fl
sand churches, ami the liappv !ati"
of children from the bcinnlng of
boundaries of Christendom.
How eliarinlii.r is tlmt undent am!
followers tili Little Christmas, or I
i.'isr. l'i'iiiiiiini. nf in f 'IicIIim.u ....-....
.: v '- "" 7fci,i,,- limn-
mak hif. ami wlinniilii. imi i..i ,;,i '
canon, and ro;ia swan, and wassnll.
lll.ul. u-in 1 1n, li,!is( nt ilin ,!.,!,,!..., ...,.l
,-''"" " ". mu 'iiiiiuii-'i iiiiii ,
"lashings of good drink there was,"
moreover. Our t in 1 nne-isti-iM ,0. '
garded tlieso things, in spito of sacred
uai.ns Bung oy ciurgy aim peoiiie, ( the pretly nearly perfect oiiuallty now
fathers, mothers and little children given by man to woman, If not politic
currWyg tho blessed tapers burning in ally, yet at any rate materially and in
their hands, as but signs of a time when pemonal consideration, ono realizes
reveivnci) lived only In the crust of that the forces which camo into play on
things, and tho heari was hollow rotten-1 the tint Christmas-day of all were
lug of the festival at all that their chil-"
,11..-,.-., 1,1 1,1 p iiiMoiinieiianccu inoKeej)-
in- i me icsuvai at an nun tneir chil-
,l,;t'." F,vw "I' ,0 a htraumi unfanilliarity
w th its long-docendcir customs, anu
where they heard of the,,, in '
.r!'1,"rt' 1,,'il"1 of ,ll,,m ly '
as things to bo avoided. Tl.ee
any report, hcatd of them only
as things to bo uvo ded. Thee
11 ' j 1 I
lowed, it would seem, los rcvereiu:o
for the day, however great might ho
their reycrenco lor the facts and tenets
ot their stern icllg ion. than have tin. '
cattle who fall on
ii,.,i.. I.......J !...,.. 11 1
011 tho night of the Nativity, If populai
SUIiei'slilioU is to be llteneil to. inm.rlf
"".II IIIII-4..1 III Plllll
r
lug the Instinetive motion from the old
o and ass which, according to an
cient paintings, fell on their knees
In thu stable where tho ancient
niaiiger was a cradle. Thus in many
poittons of our country the last two
generations wero tho first, with tho
gctioral.dcclinu of a too suvoro asceti
cism. tobring about an almost unlvers-
1.. iiuMiviiuce 01 a noiiuay wiiieii ccr-
lllll.lll ll...,H4,.... .. 1 '
talnlv deseiTcs
(jt'or so long as wo iire-
tend to call 011
'('IvcTirl'risithin pi-o-
pie.
Yet it is
to notlco hoi
even in
our amiievia'
observaires,'
lyo have
not ix.'cn a inc. :
former hcntheiv
upon us, mi tlm
') ('M'.'inii kiiiin.koi the
helices Mint i.n.JmJ'rcpt
ivit In Iho hatigii!
uie iciiooiw 11m
we are following iO old Hnti.sh ritstom
of the Druids, who hung the green up
wit bin doors when tho Trust came, in
nidw that the svlvau sprites might still
lind a homo iu the wintry weather un
der the finest bough, mid'hrlng a bless
ing to the hoiiMi that irao it to them.
Although iu l.atlu countries the dav
and Its pieeediinr ulirh
t nro celebrated
with countless bells
ami masM's and
candles, and with midnight hnmpiets
to sustain the fatigues of the celebra
tion, yet the clitldivti theie have no
such luck In school holidays proper to
the season ns children do with its, their
longest holiday ending the day but one
after the festival, while our little laiN
and lassies look forward (o Twelfth
Night as the winding up of their Joys.
Nor are our children conlined to a'tiy
one form of the Christmas genius. As
eery nationality is represented with us,
so every form of Christ inns sprltu and
guardian is happily welcomed, from the
"'.... .-.--
Santa i tans who c:
Knickerbockers, his
came over with the
pack full of tovs
and sweetmeats, to the Petit Noel "of
French settlements, who goes about
dropping sliver pieces into the chil
drens two shoes at the foot of their lit
tle beds: and all up and down I bo bind
the (lowers of summer are replaced by
the llowcrs that bloom in the tiny llames
upon the boughs of the Christniaa tree,
which, If it was originally exotic, has
now established its growth, nnd if it
has not become almost a native of the
soil, has certainly taken out naturaliza
tion papers, and become n citizen of our
homes if not our forests.
Wo may con-olo ourselves for tho
neglect that the great festival linn met
with iu these regions of ours by remem
bering that Christmas was not celebrated
at all till nearly half-way into the sec
ond century of the Christ inn era, ami
even then it was an eveecdlngly mova
ble feast, often confounded with anoth
er, that of the Hpiphany, and sometimes
only honored so late as the month of
May. Nor did it become llrmly fixed
till two or three hundred years after
that, when, by the best authorities of tho
old Kotnan a'lehlves of
that early time
remaining, the
date was decid
ed, whether cor
rectly or not.
making really
very little mat
ter, so long as
tlio fact for
which the date
isdeslred Is thus
hallowed wl t Ii
remembrance.
iMir tio we now
actually keen
that identical
date, since the
change from
"HI St vie to
NewStyfebrings
tne nine roiimi
to oiilte another
div still.
Willi all tlio
celebration that
Christmas re
ceives the world
over, we doubt
if It anywhere
has Hiieli vari
ous and general
celebration ason
our own slioies.
Iu the North,
a in 1 list snows
and hemlock
boughs, the day
lias a delightful
llOlllfSIICIIV, 11
sense of shut-in
comfort and
well-be ng; far
ther south lire
era ok ors and
pistol shooting
give it n strange
at mosphoro;
and .still furt her
south Its Ming
am given to
balmy breecs
hi ilc 11 already
with the scents
of roos, of or
ange llo wors,
a n ii of olean
ders, that make
the day as go
ni al and as
pleasant as it
must have been
nearly two thou-
sand years ago
11,,.... 1.. i......... i ...1
mi;,,, in iiiiuifi iniiu iiiiv oilier
j,,,-ti... 1.... 1 ..r... .1...
single
.,,ii I.
When ono wees Hw . I mv.r.. ,,.,. 1, .....
il... 11 ... .
niu nnu"u ttilllillll III III ner CaillOI. 0C-
tween tho Greek woman, oven anil her
.ii,,,.,.,i t,.,i i.,..... '. i'" "...
her master, and sees, on the other hand,
lorces winch lilted her Irom a low es-
tate to a throne
tate to a throne.
It becomes her. tl
upon her l.earth u
were nn altar Ihune
""iwcil hy the hrontl
the m-onn.l.nin.. ,.
ion, to burn tlio liro
its honor, as if it
fell IV'tfll (llltfi.tu nil. I
fanned by the breath of pracr, to hull"
the m-otin.l.i.in.. ,...,.,. I...V X..J .1 il
n -- '- iMFwii it nw;i tllill. (Ill
who cuter it may enter in the ntiiiio of
tho day. and the hollv-steins and
laurel in her window, tlmt all who
hush slmll u-nmv (!. c,,!,.u h.i ...1
niiiiiii, nun 10 east ner wreaths upon
the mo. nils in the churcli-yards iu tho
unmu of Illm who has riMiu from tho
dead, and that none of all the house
hold who may have gone into tho shad
ows beyond shall lull to have their
share In its remembrances. It becomes
them to spend thought and caro and
money on tliolr gifts ami on their ta
bles, and to mo that their poor also nro
not forgotten, and liuleaclt their chil-
:.. oi.: 1 . -..--.-.,.....
men lOhing carols 110
mere music, or as pai
ionising, nui as express
ogiiiiiou 01 an turn
means, which, having
or Into tho reverence
shlplng world, mli
mothers. For only Iij
niiimittiwiwn people,
11I tno
Accorded anv nortion ml
tlmt placij
duo as the
kind nowcr which la their
Hothers and co-educators of
the humanl
"vec-
Harper's Batur.
-
Hiii) for tho Holidays.
J,
No iln-nry
tlilftra triilt. mil tntiltiiw
When 11111
imt '( rmm trtifit u.irf
iinnii'Hiini
The luii'M
I no to llcimm's tiinnkiiglvlnir.
i)ld wc
tmiii'iniK ui tiiu iiriiri.
o a happy Christmas? No,
we did not
wc, tiio el
1 niijiMiini. wus an wrong
iron 01 n mug, ournoing
y hut wo spentcvciy hour
ntlt festival tlmn In lillliif
lie re for a
of that pi
sorrow an
so happy,
heads, at I
"sorrow's
dark ntige
our h:ipp
lie hhd
that ho wi
wrltlen it
which his
oninlng; wi who had been
ui expected that on ouf
si, would never bo placed
'own of .sorrow." tlmt. Ihn
'.zraol would novor darken
uuo! A
uten to lis our darling
ll bo lllllllli ftir tlio Imllilm-a.
f a littlu ill-spclicd letter
w, ooyisti imnu uau nur-
fl '.1
1
m
?J&m
"When
hihtl'uns wake up da'll think olaV
Sanla
on iprwd hlttit dlt lmj
lur a facl
i-eltl WO irnm
-- r,u ,voro
ricdly tra
reading
laughing
K.I. and cveiiY!"'' lTn
1-is moticY." n. "10
-vcr It. nnd rC'" ""W
' . L 'Illflt nllll
same tin
women In!
3HHI
TrjGFj
lomethliig like a'ys
d and crumpled t)SHMIk.
nt tlio door, nnd tho well-Xr
011 its so
was 11 st
Known v
miiu nu wi iiiw.iyp wuisty
tiion ho was in our arms
bonhlo. blue-oved bov with
ling -an
the sum
that hi'
I fearless look; thu samo mis
Isiplo in his chin; tho sara
llo that seemed the most
ivo-liglit In tho world to us,
levor'iUo or be lost in this
ehievou
loving
lireciou
that wil
weary ii
j;
Home
llrst ye;
cd so ft
t tlio hrtlldaysl It wai..Wr "V
it school, and hejnvd jilc.Td
tliis home-coming, that wo
-ofitsc, nnd all our plans hail
mi for what woulil a Clirfst-
could in
Includi'i
mas di
ir have been without our
novr a
wo had his sled, "Tho IMay
itt, for thero was a Murry of
we tried not to lot him seo
-nnd foolish wo wcro about;
w wo followed tlio sound I'
Mower,'
miow, a
how fo
him, or
that wh
ting voice through tlitteiisa
ami wo
ret 1 11 mere ovor was such
ar boy, nnd planned out just
another
vvhat si
That
of n man he would be!
a one week beforo Christmas-
All iu a
laid 011
oinenl a hand cold as Ice won
f hearts thu tvtw that had
fallen
Its w 1 to c 1 III ncss hrdUL'lit '
death witU' for it fell into our sum
mer gardcri'4';l covered tlio ono tender
Mower blooi
rtg there. ,
Alt! tlio lliinlenrr, clmploa
1 wiiu 11 ruiiuu iiuiiu,
11110 u'liuur
htaLlAwHB luwlJL' fc-
1 t'.'i'iwr.
n.,!."W?2P.
"ivVMM
I (irtn
I can tell you nothing aboiiT I oxcept"-'
the vague miiiso of nlglits that were as
days, ami of days that wcro as nights;
of sad, solacing words from people who
meant well, but who wcro all uncon
scious of widening a wound. Was it.
i.ongienow who said: llcforo a great
grief wo are dumb?"
1 here was
little arms a.
and tho last.
blind groping of the
fond, teverisn caress,
whispered words:
" I'ap-n, tii-a-m-ma, I
li-o-m-e for tho holi-days,"
am go-inp
nml then:
" ills l.onl limlinl ilowr. on tlm (lower
Anil Ills liciirt wuiit out to Hh nosil
" 1 Is Jimt thu piiuit fur my uiinlcn,
A plum nt eelestliil feeil.'
Anil Into tlm KiitoH Hint wino Kulilcn,
Ami o'er Hie lielrleH pliiln,
Ami c'iihii hy thu wdiiilriful rlvor of llfn.
III! nliinteil the llniver iiuiiln."
J know wo were not nlono in our soar1"
row; tliat the llrst hiwV-feHni,.frTicr
ittio graves that cover pieclois'dust;
that at other tables there are vacant
chairs; that ever sinco tlio King of Is
rael cried In ids bitter anguNh: "Oh..
Absalom, my son! my son! Would
God I had died for lliee!" hearts liavu
been broken and homes desolated, as
ours is in tlieso sad holiduys.
" Anil jet.ilenr lieuitl rcnipinlicrlnzihco.
Am 1 not ilcliiirlhuiiotolil
,1! '" " iiiinairtaiity,
w hat ojiiirmo can reach tlio wrnltli l lioldl!
w lint clmneo can mar thu neiice ami golik
Tliy lovobutlilurt In trust Willi tnoT
1 cuii not feci tlmt tlion nrt for,
Mneu iionr at iiioisIb tho nimolii nro,
A111I xvlion 1110 HiniMjt uuti'i iinlmr,
Shall I not Keo thoo wiillhnr utiunl,
Anil white ujfiilimt tho ovenlnir Hlitr
Jhu wcleomu ot thy litckonfinf IninilJ"
Detroit Free I'ress.
"I wisli you a happy Now Year!"
said 1'ingrey. "Oh, that's easy cnomMi
to say," replied Fenderson; "but what,
will you do towards making my Noiv
Great Anticipations.
Year ji happy onol" "Anything I can.'
Sfllll lll'TCV. lln fnii ........ t.o
cried I'cr.ib'r.-on, dramatically. "Uo
... luiiii ur -wen, wen, gooii-bvo,,
tarowell." " What's tho matter w'ltle
you?" asked tho mystilied l'ingroy.
"nj, j 011 nro going away forever,
aren't you? You said you would do any
thing you could to mako mo happy.
1-arewcll, old bjsfarowoll." And
l'cndursou wallHMaroiiud tho
whlleMingrey)
niumi us irissssssssssMkl'ia
space of
scrtix.
A
r
V-
!
OiJ
Tt'i,yTiMwml
A.
T r i
I1
I'lvnilisof
Bvcrga
x
j
n