THE PARTING YEAB.
i8cod-by , old year , good-by !
You have not brought mr wealth ;
"Sou have not raised rae lilgb.
Tint you luive left me health
Good-by , old year , and as you go
Y My praisego with thco :
You leave me toiling up the hill ,
1 see you passing ou , but Btlll
Uope lingers heie with me !
Good-by , good by , old year !
You have not made me ? great ;
jBcyond , new tasks appear ,
And I must uoil ; and wait
Gooil-liy , old year , but as you jo
iJtlll bear my praise away.
: Slnro I may toll , and toiling , hold
"Within my breast the faith of old
That sights a coming day.
Good-by , old year , good-by !
You have not brought me fame ;
Ton leave no honors I
May proudly rush to claim
Good-by , old year yet , as you Ieavs
O fcikc my pralso a loner ,
'
Since I may still through'hopefal eyes
.Perceive far distant glories rise
Ami sing a hopeful song.
Good-by , good-by , old year !
The way is rough before ,
And strewn along the rear
Are dreams I'll dream no more !
Good-by , old year , and let me sing
Tby praise as best I can.
cGirsce I am loved and still may love
And since tbou hast not lobLcd me of
A fair man's faith In man !
- Chicago Record Herald.
r < 3 ! '
fjifaKK'
* * *
-fNv
- * The Post-Girl's
a
% Christmas
Many and varied were the greetings
-given this Christmas morning to Miss
Matilda Scott as her mail-wagon
humped over the frozen ruts of Cole
-county. The children , with bright ex
pectant faces , waited at every post box
and gave a Merry Christmas in exchange -
-change for her bundle of mail. Old
"Ben Todd , whose three-score years ex
empted him from active service on the
farm , stood by the little bird house
which Served as post box at the corner
-of his field aud , presenting her with an
< ear of red popcorn , wished Irer Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year , with
ii smile ou his old face , as brown and
Wrinkled as the apples that had Iain
on the ground since harvest. But he ,
like the children , was cheerful , ex
pectant , even gay ; it mocked her
mood of bitter disappointment. More
to her taste was the greeting of the
Widow Brown , a forlorn-looking
< lanie , whoso sleek hair , pulled violently
lently back from her face , seemed
snore than the cold , responsible for
"her purple nose. As she took the
mail from Matilda's hand she re-
aiarked with a rueful shake of Iu > r
'head : "A green Christmas make s
n fat graveyard.1 And the girl
sighed in answer and drove on with
.anything but a holiday air. For there
was a package in her bag , which light
and sni"ll , made her heart heavy n < >
J lead. It wa ; addressed to a certain
ilis Fay Barney , and the hand was
as familiar as it was dear. I Tad she
not often admired the heavy shading ,
and practiced with loving emulation
the curves in tha capital letters ? A
long aud tender missive was her1 ;
every week in this same handwrit
ing , and yet Christmas day was here.
the mail all collected and no remem
brance.
Instead , there was a ring in this
package , diamond ring , so the open
receipt read , addressed to her dear
R est friend , and. such was the clumsy
playfulness of fate , she must be the
one to deliver it.
Suddenly a voice startled her.
"Morry Christmas , ' ' it said , and a
strange head divided the curtains at
the side of the wagon.
At the same instant the wheels
came to a full stop , and Matilda's
eyes , from which astonishment and
fright had dried the tears , saw anoth-
strauger at the horse's head. Both
were seedy and shabby , and both
wore slouch hats drawn closely over
their eyes.
"Merry Christmas and Happy New
Year. " continued the first speaker.
"Can't you be civil to a feller on a
holiday ? Xo no , that won't go ;
drop it , " and he leveled a revolver in
Matilda's face. For she was unac
customed to the use of hers , and had
bumrled in an attempt to slip it from
its place. Pale , but determined , and
with all her wits now fully about her ,
Matilda stared silently into the
gleaming barrel. The man at the
horse's head chuckled in open admira
tion , then warned his companion :
"Hurry up ; somebody might come. "
The other , still pointing his weapon
at the little mail carrier , urged :
" "Step lively , miss ; some o' them
things in that there sack ' 11 come in
real bandy. Christmas comes but once
a year , you know. "
Like lightning Matilda's brain sought
about for some expedient. To gain time
she demanded : "Do you know the pen
al ty for "
"Yep , get a move , " was the laconic
Interruption , made still more effective
by a threatening click of the trogger.
All this time Matilda had kept the
ring tightly clasped in her hand. By
great fortune she was near the end of
tier route. There were only a few pack
ages left , and this ring was , she felt
cure , by far the most valuable. If she
could only keep this from the men ;
and like a Hash came an ugly thought
.a temptation before which she trembled
and was afraid. Why should she keep
It from them ? Why risk her life to
save it ? Have not they as much right
tto it as that other ? But horror at the
tempter's voice gave her new courage ,
and. as if addressing conscience rather
.than the thief , she spoke with sudden
( vigor :
"You are wicked ; you are outraging
THE CHEISTIilAS C-TJEST.
= V i W 4 > wy $ p&
A V VW feArJ .
Cold sweeps the wind In everv hill and val
ley ,
Its Kisses glaze the rivers and the sea ,
It drives its steeds through avenue and
alley ,
And lauglis to see the shivering people
flee.
Yet by the hearthfire glowing
The north wind shall not rest ,
Where glad hands are bestowing
Cheer for the Christmas Guebt.
The country lads now heap each wooden
manger.
That every patient beast may have Its
fill.
For once a stable held a princely Stranger ,
And e\en a simple ox would think it ill
If , on this night of glory ,
A shepherd should forget
The manger of the Story
With silver radiance set.
The world again awaits the light of ages ,
The heavens are set as brilliant as of old ,
When o'or .Tudea's hills the patient bages
Followed the path unto the shepherd's
fold.
this holy day. " Then as the man's
careless shrug recalled her to his more
practical view :
"There is nothing of value in the
sack , " she said. "A few cheap presents
to the children in the country ; are you
fools to risk life and freedom for this
trash ? See. "
As she bent forward , the right hand ,
which hold the ring , dropped to her
side , and the folds of her dress duller !
the sound of the falling box. On the
floor it lay. unobserved by the intruder ,
who now bent over the disclose. ' ! treas
ures. There were no registered letters
and the array of parcels was scant , tied ,
for the most parr , with unpracticed
hands and evidently of little value. Cu
pidity died out of the man's eyes as he
saw the meaner assortment , and he
ga\e : di Fatisfied grunt.
"No good , pan ! plated spoons and
celluloid work boxes ; I can see it from
( he outside. "
"Well , take 'em anyway , " advised the
other from his position as sentry.
But the loader was more cautious
First possessing himself of Matilda's
revolver , he left her. pale , trembling ,
but outwardly calm , while he joined his
companion. IIis words were plain to
her strained ears : "What's the use' ?
The swag is no good it would only be
in the way. "
There was no answer while , for a mo
ment , both men stood listening.
"Sure ; it's wheels , pard let's ske
daddle. "
The leader came quickly back to the
wairon. "We've concluded not to bother
you , seein's as it's a holiday , " he said ,
politely. "Much obliged for this , " he
added , flourishing her little pearl-han
dled pistol. "I'll take it as a remem
brance of the season. Merry Christ
mas ; " And. lifting his hat as jauntily
as if it had been a brand-new tile , he
followed his comrade , who had in the
meantime jumped the fence and disap
peared in the underbrush beyond.
Miss Barney threw a cape hastily
about her shoulders.
"Matilda is so late , mother , and I'm
impatient for the mail. I'll go and
meet her , " she said ; and she tripped
out of the house and down the sodden
path to the gate. Still no sign of the
mail.
From the gate post she lifted the
iron hoop , stubborn with frost , and ,
sdipping through the gate , peered down
the road. At the moment around the
turn came the wagon , swinging this
way and that as the bourse trotted
along , the lines dangling limp over the
dashboard.
"Where is Matilda ? " thought Miss
Barney , with a sudden sinking of the
heart. For the rosy face of the post
mistress invariably peeped out , aud she
usually waved a cheery greeting. And
then a panic seized the waiting girl , as
the horse came to a full stop at the ac
customed post , and still no sign of its
driver. She flew to the wagon and
peeped in. In a little heap , on the floor ,
lay Matilda , her eyes closed , lips open ,
her whole face white as the worsted
hood she wore. Where it had fallen
from her limp fingers , lay a small box
addressed to Miss Fay Barney. All this
the girl noticed , then she flew for help ,
and Matilda was promptly carried into
the house , and cuddled in a big chair
by a blazing fire. The warmth , the
cheer revived her.
But the new glow In her veins , the
sparkle in her eyes , came from a fire
within , kindled by Miss Barney's
\ \ ords : "He addressed the ring to me.
'Tildy , but of course it is for you. I
wa to give it to you Christmas day.
with his love , ' he said , 'and best wishes
for a Merry Christmas. ' "
A Hint for Christmas.
Here is a hint for those who are too
poor to give many Christmas gifts : Write
Christmas letters. It is the thoughtfulness -
ness and the love that count , not the gift
itself. Choose among your acquaintances
a dozen lonely ones , whether poor or
rich , old or young , and have a letter to
each ready to mail in time to reach its
Then on each spirit-altar
Let \otlvc tapers llame ,
And there with song and psalter ,
Be praised the wondrous Name 1
And so , while love each human breast la
cheering ,
Each heart shall be a lowly Bcthlehsm ,
And each abode bhall know that light en
dearing
As helping hands shall bring It home t/
them.
Such simple glad oblation
The Savior doth prefer
To rites and adoration ,
Or frankincense and myrrh.
Good people all , wherever ye are dwelling ,
In crowded streets or on the lonely farm ,
Join In the Christmas message , sweetly
swelling.
And make each home a haven bright
waim ,
For hearts , If true and lowly ,
The manger-cradles arc ,
Where comes the Child-Guest holy
With love , the guiding Star.
Charles II. Crandall.
destination on Christmas morning. No
matter about haung any news to write ;
just good uishes , and a tithe of the good
words you will speak about yonr friend
after he is dead. They will warm hia
heart now , which is far better. It is the
season to give ; and the only thing at all
worth giving is oneself. Chicago Stand
ard.
: rr Resolutions.
Every first of January that we'arrm
at is an imaginary milestone in the
turnpike track of human life , at once
a resting place for thought and medita
tion and u starting point for fresh exer
tion in the performance of our journey.
The man vvho does not at least pro-
po o to himself to be better this year
than he was last must be either very
good or very bad indeed. And only to
propose to bo better is something. If
nothing else it is an acknowledgement
of our need to be so which is the first
step toward amendment.
But. in fact , to propose to oneself to
do well is in boine sort to do well posi
tively , for there is no such thing as a
stationary point in human endeavors ,
lie who is not worse to-day than he was
yesterday is better , and he who is not
better is worse. Charles Lamb.
A : < 'rieudsliip Calendar.
A friendship calendar as a Christmas
gift was a source of much pleasure to
nn elderly lady living alone , says Good
Housekeeping. At her request each one
of fifty-two of her friends , representing
the fifty-two weeks of the year , furnish
ed material for every day of the seven
m his week. Each one followed out his
own idea for the week's calendar , con
tributing favorite quotations , short
poems , anecdotes and reminiscences ,
some even adding cherished recipes. In
many instances the contributions were
original. Others w6re illustrated with
small pictures cut from current maga
zines. The result was a perpetual cal
endar , each day representing the loving
thought of a friend.
The Komun.s U.se Holly.
It should prove of immense interest tc
students of history that the early Romans
had a festival at about the time of our
Christmas and that they festooned their
houses with holly in honor of the god
Saturn , This was called the Saturnalia ,
and the character of the celebration may
be judged from the fact that the name is
still the synonym for carousal and immor
ality. At this time the Romans sent their
friends sprigs of liolly , thus indicating
their good wishes for prosperity and long
life. It is related that the early Chris
tians also decked their homes with holly
at this season for the purpose of escaping
persecution.
For St. Nicholas AVhite Hor.se.
In Belgium the children expect the
good St. Nicholas to visit them. They
think he rides on a white horse , so they
polish their shoes with great care , fill
them with hay , oats or carrots for the
saint's horse and put them in the fireplace
or on a table , and in the morning , instead
of the forage , they find sticks for the bad
children and candies for the good ones.
L.aurel for Christinas Decoration.
The laurel being an evergreen make
a striking feature in a winter landscape.
Enormous quantities are used in ths
Christmas dressing of churches for
wreaths and other decorations. Mountain
laurel can be grown for decorative pur
poses , and it is easily cultivated. What
comes to market is gathered from the wild
laurel growth.
Heaviest Trade Before Xnias.
Dealers in rare coins and stamps and
other similar curios always do their heav
iest trade of the year just before Christ
mas. This is because so many curios are
sold by needy people to provide money fo ?
Christmas festivities.
A Holiday Gift Suggestion.
\ \ e are so very particular about the
horse's comfort in summer. Why not ia
winter ?
p F1G
Greatest Naval Fighting Strength
Under Flag for the Long
Craise.
FLOWER 0 ? A3D3EICAN 17AYT.
Movement Is Significant , Marking
Transfer of Theater of Action
from the Atlantic.
Xot since the war \vith Spain has
tliere been such a tense feeling in naval
circles as that which marked tihe pie-
parations for the departure of the
great fleet , under Admiral Evans , for
the Pacific. All the vessels which v.vre
to be a part of this greatest naval dem
onstration in our history assembled at
Hampton Roads.
The President's yacht , the Mayflower ,
swung into historic Hampton Roads
bearing President Roosevelt and the
high officials of the Navy Department.
Promptly sixteen huge battleships of
the United States navy dressed ship
and began firing the President's salute
of twenty-one guns each. The May
flower caine to anchor in the roadway.
Gigs and cutters put out from each
battleship bearing the flag ollicers to
the Mayflower , where they were receiv
ed on deck by President Roosevelt and
his official party. On their return to
their ship's the Mayflower hoisted an
chor and proceeded down the roads to
ward the entrance. Here the little
yacht stood out of the roadway while
the same sixteen battleships passed by
her , decks am1 fighting tops dressed
and roaring from their guns another
President's salute.
Bands aboard ship played the na
tional airs. This was the farewell to
the commander-in-chief of the army
and navy to the American battleship
squadrons , which then began their
cruise to the Pacific ocean.
The torpedo flotilla had already
SCENE AT THE DEATH-TEAP , WEST VTRGCTIA , MINE
WKEBE FBIOrHTFUL "EXPLOSION KILLED 500 ME2T.
, . ' $ < 'v < * . * s " , * * * * * / j&s
b 3j& % tSX&XL'J&L JT. , X\X- " \
BOUT TO EtfTER "SHAFT 6 " OP THZ- ,
stroyers , repair and supply ships. Tilt-
progress of the licet will be watt-hod
with interest by the whole world , and
will be accompanied by the prayer that
no occasion may arise for a display or
that awful power of destruction which
lies within its guns.
The significance of the transfer of
the battleships stamps the event : r ? an
epoch in the history of the United
States. It transfeds the theater of ac
tion of the navy from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Ocean for the first time since
the United States became a nation. It
reduces the naval representation of the
country in the Atlantic troui second
place to th ? lowest place among the
naval powers of the world , but it raises
its representation in the Pacific o-ean
to the highest place , where the United
States is now a poor second. Whether
"for fun or for frolic. " as Rear Ad
miral Robley Evans has expressed it ,
the battleships upon arrival in the Pa
cific will do the United States full
honor.
On the journey around the Horn the
battleships will pass the second torpedo
boat flotilla , which sailed for the Pa-
FAMILIES IN WANT.
Coal Mine Disaster Makes Women.
and Children Destitute.
It is now evident that it is going to
require a Ionic time to compl"te the
work of nvoverini : all the bo h s of
ti.ose killed in The MonongahV. . Va. ,
coal mine xploj ion. That the coaipauy
recognizes this is evidenced by tli > fact
that buildings have boon ere -tc I and
equipped for cooking and serving v. inn
meals to the rescuers. Heretofore they
h.'ive subsisted on coffee and cold
lunches.
Distress and want among WOMU-II and
children dependent on the men who lost
their lives , which was not recognized at
first , is now being brought forcibly be
fore the community , and it is ivalizetl
that there is a great work of charity to
I"done. . It is estimated that thciv are
between 'MO and 400 families now in
want. Some of these will later receive
irsurance , but many 'have nothing to
look forward to. Headed by the
churches , a relief movement has been
started , and a general appeal to tha
THE GBEAT AMERICAN PACIFIC SQITADKON.
The vessels prominent in the picture are the Battleships Wash ington , Tennessee and Hhode Island ,
and a Torpedo Boat Destroyer.
started , as its progress is so much
slower than that of the battleships that
two weeks more will be consumed than
by the latter in the journey toward
their destination San Francisco.
All the navy yards of the Atlantic
coast have been busy for weeks in fit
ting out the ships. At Brooklyn , New
York , Boston , Norfolk , Philadelphia
and Charleston painters , carpenters
and machinists have participated in
the great activity. High up on the
smokestacks the paint brushes were
moving back and forth and the sound
of hammers and saws has been cease
less. Nor has there been any chance
for idling by the enlisted men. The
powder magazines have had to be filled
and the quantities which have been
taken aboard have caused some specta
tors to wonder what it is all about.
The large supply of ammunition is nec
essary because of the project to have
target practice on the long journey.
Then also there will be many salutes
to fire and these will eat up thousands
of dollars' worth of powder. Further
more , in case an emergency should
arise while the fleet is in distant wat
ers there will be no lack of ammuni
tion. No such emergency is expected ,
but the fleet "will keep its powder dry"
whPe trusting in divine Providence.
Greatest Figrhtins Strength.
The fleet which Admiral Evans takes
to the Pacific includes all the new
battleships and the best armored cruis
ers. It is the flower of the American
navy , far superior to that which de
stroyed the Spanish fleet nine years
ago. The Louisiana carries the largest
crew 950 officers and men. The' Con
necticut , which is the riagship , is the
finest ship of the navy , costing $4,600-
000. Among the other battleships are
the Alabama , Georgia , Kansas , Vir
ginia , Minnesota , Ohio , Rhode Island ,
Kentucky and Vermont. In all there
are 32 battleships and armored cruisers ,
besides the flotilla of torpedo boat de-
cific on Dec. 2. and at San Francisco ,
if not at Magdalena bay , it will be
joined by the armored cruiser squad
rons under Rear Admiral Stockton and
Sebree , consisting of the cruisers Penn
sylvania. West Virginia , Maryland and
Colorado and the California. South
Dakota , Tennessee aud Washington ,
the later two ships now Hearing their
destination after a trip around the
Horn. In addition the battleship Ne
braska , which has just been commis
sioned , will join the fleet as well as the
ADMIRAL EVAXS.
protected cruisers Charleston , Chicago ,
Milwaukee , St. Louis and the gunboat
Yorktown.
Battle drill will occupy the time of
the fleet for some days , no complete
fleet of the American navy having been
trained in sea evolutions in recent
years.
In all probability a part of the fleet
at least will visit Puget Sound before
returning to the Atlantic coast again.
No plans have been made for the re
turn of the fleet beyond the expressed
determination of the President that it
shall return at some future date.
public is being made. Many West Vir
ginia towns have already acted and
others are ready to do so.
Less than one-fourth of the total
number of victims have been found.
The others , undoubtedly between . ' )00
and 400 in number , lie in unknown sec
tions of the vast workings in the great
hills that overlook the town.
Adam * Pleadi an Alibi.
Steve Adams , the Western Federation
miner on trial at Rathdiu i , Idaho , oa
the charge of murder , took the stand by
direction of his counsel , Clarence Dar-
ro\v , and set up an alibi by saying he
was never in the Marble Creek country
after a date prior to the dynamiting of
the cabins there. The first he knew of
that was in the cell with Orchard at
Boise in 190G. Adams testified that
while in that cell both Warden Whitney
and Detective McParland had told lam he
"would be all right" if he would corrobo
rate Orchard's confession implicating fed
eration officials. The statement then
made by Adams , but which he later re
pudiated so that it was not used in the
I lay wood trial , is now brought up aa
evidence to show the part Adams took in.
the murder of Fred Tyler , a claim jumper.
Can Copper Be
That the recent experiments of Sir
William Ramsay , the English chemist , ara
not likely to result in the artificial man
ufacture of copper is the conclusion of
President Ira Remsen , who recently mad
an address on the subject before the Sci
entific Association of the Johns Hopkins
university at Baltimore. Dr. Kemsen
said that the experiments n question
indicated that the substance we call cop
per , and which we have hitherto regarded
as a stable elementary form of matter is
capable of undergoing a very slight de
composition , but while it is possible that
a minute quantity of the element lithium
can be obtained from copper by the ac
tion of radium emanation , the change is
very slight , and it does not seem proba
ble that any method can be devised by
which it can be markedly increased.