FHE OMAHA iSuNDAY BEE 16.
ESTABLISHED JUNE 19 , 1871. OMAHA , SUNDAY MORNING , DECEMBER 24 , 1893-SIXTEEN PAGES. SINGLE COPV FIVE CENTS
1 HE CRADLE OF CHRISTIANITY
A Journey to Bjthlohcra , the Quaint Old
Town of the Scriptures ,
WHEREIN THE SAVIOR WAS B03N
ImpnMiic UlTcct or Iho View from n Uls-
Inncc AVlilto Aim * ol Cnnllc-l.llio
Cloisters llnlloweil I'luucs lunlj
Vlncclml IlllU.
Shorn of the glamour with which Christ
mns is invested , its myths mul superstitions
und the exacting decrees of custom , the
mind is irresistibly berne back to the cradle
tf Christianity the City of the Nativity.
What of the llotulehem of tod.ivl Has it
Imbibed tlio spirit of western civilization or
clung tenaciously to its odors of sanctity !
Kcceiit travelers agree that western civil-
izatlon lias not only invaded tlio Holy Land ,
buv has already influenced its life. The
railroad penetrates its vlncclad valleys and
ban-on upland , and locomotives puff and
whistle at the very gates of Jerusalem. The
Journey to the Holy City la now ono ot com
fort instead of trial and camel-back torture.
Prom Jerusalem to Bethlehem thrco modes
of conveyance are available the horse , the
camel and the ass.
Passing outside the walls of Jerusalem
ono traverses the valley of Gehenna , sees
Job's well with its white cupola and then
Jlnds himself advancing up the slopes of
Mount /'ion , which stands to the left. Hero
is a. Christian cemetery and the homo of tin
English pastor , who hangs notices in the
hotels to attract visitors to his Tuesday and
Wednesday afternoon teas , which are much
in vogue among the English and Americans.
Olio is also shown Iho hall in which Christ
washed the feet of His apostles. At that
time , according to the bible , the house of
Joseph of Arimcathea stood here , but since
then a mosque has been erected on the spot.
The room hi which the sacred washing of
the feet occurred is on the ground floor , and ,
Btrango to say , is now reserved for the wor
ship of Mussulman women , so that
Christians arc refused access to it.
Continuing along the road ono passes a
Jewish city which was commenced by Sir
Moses Montcfioro with the idea , that it would
bo Inhabited bv poor people of the Hebrew
faitn.
faitn.Who does not remember Corrcglo's divine
painting of "Tho flight Into Egypt , " the
scene wlicro Josenh. Mary and Jesus , worn
out with the long Journey , sink to rest under
n He tree ? 'loday the fig tree is gone , not as
sceptics might insinuatebecause it never ex
isted , but because an Arab farmer on whoso
lands it was got , tired of having his crops
crushed under the feet of worshiping pil
grims , burned It down some two ccnturits
ngo. If bo had been an American this
farmer vould have built a wall around the
tree with a larpo gate for admission money
nnd made a fortune !
Near this spot , ns another legend tolls you.
is the well where the thrco wise men halted
on their way to Bothichcm after their inter
view with Herod.
At the end of this Hold and right by the
roadside ono Is shown the evidence ol
another miracle. It is n rock on which the
Prophet Eli stretched himself when fleeing
fro.n the persecutions of Queen Jezabcl. The
rock still shows plainly the murks of the
pnihot's ; body. The bust nnd hollow of the
head niu.v ho see' ' as If indented in a feathei
bed. Unfortunately at the very point when.
Ell fouud iho b'.ead ana cniso furnished by
thoungol some irreverent hazard Jias planted
u tnleijrnph polj , which seems a cruel irony.
A lUtlo dolour brings ono to the so-cullcc
Pools cf So'omon ' , tnrec hugo rectangulai
reservoir ? , iii winch from tlmo immemoria
1ms been stored the precious water lhat
pushes ii , a copious .stream from Iho springs
uLove. Up a gradaril ascent , nnd by degrees
Bathlohoin , iho City of the Nativity , mi
folded Itself to view. The two hills united
llko thu Shimeso twins , by n little ridge
upon which tlio town is silualed give it a
proniino'icc above its follows , which renders
Iho effort decidedly imposing. The most
( trilling feature is the white mass of the
rastlo like cloisters of the Franciscan and
Armenian monks. With their thick walls ,
broken only by little windows , they are vcr-
llablo citadels of defense against the attack
alike of Moslem or the equally insidious
Eummcr heat. About them cluster thu low ,
Hat roofed stone houses of the town. The
memories of the lielhlohemito King still
flourish only In the frco air of the country.
In the territory about early Christian tradi
tion , so facllo in identifying , lias pointed out
many scenes of His early lifo. The only
Dlaco which strongly appeals to tlio traveler
is on the northern cdgo of the town , a rude
well , some twenty-five feet deep , with water
nt the bottom which Indicates ttio presence
of a spring. Inasmuch as this Is the only
' living spring in town ( the water supply
being obtained from cisterns ) thcro are good
reasons for recognizing In this the "well of
Uothlehcm , which is by the gato. "
Pn&sinir through the narrow and crooked
street which cuts Bethlehem two parts
ono finally reacting the extremity of the
burg and liuds himself in tin oblong square ,
which in its turn opens into an esplanade
jiavcd with stone , hero und there showing
openings Into cisterns which served for bap
tisms and for ablutions among former gener
ations of Chrldtlans. In those days it was
iho usage to wash before entering the sanc
tuary.
A curious scene is hero on the very border
of the place of the nativity. On ono sldo a
burial ground with white tombs ; on two
other sides rows of bare high walls , llko a
fortress or a prison , lleto and thcro windows -
dews pierce tlio walls , but no doors. Ono
looks about him mystified , but finally dis
covers n black" liolo In nnd out of which people
ple ant passing almost on'nll fours , so low Is
it. This Is the chief entry to thu sanctuary
of the nativity. Having passed through this
hold ono liuds himself in u largo hall divided
by four colouadcs and surmounted by u roof
Hanked by heavy beams. People stand
about talking und smoking , children play ,
Turkish soldiers sow up their uniforms ,
women give suck to their Infants , fakirs
offer oranecs , bonds and candles for sale ,
while Greek and Franciscan monks hurry
about us If on business of pressing impor
tance. Formerly the Arabs used to stable
ihetr sheep hero.
But this is not the stable whcro Jesus was
liorii , nnd onu is some time in discovering it ,
On thu left two Turkish soldiers with rides
lire stretched lazily on a bunch. Ono h
uslocp , the other yawns , They are ovi-
neatly not thcro from personal preference.
In front of them n circular stairway goes
down to a door which seems to indicate n
rrypt. The door passed , one continues the
descent by n narrow staircase until ho comes
to two other Turkish soldiers , this tlmo
standing up , with guns on the floor , nnd on
the left , lighted by hanging lamps , is the
following iiibcrlption : "Hlcdo VirglnoMnry ,
Jesus Christus , nalus fst. " ( Here Jesus
Christ was born of Uio Virgin Mary. ) Wo
are in iho stable ,
This discovery is much of a surprise and
ono' * first movement In for protestation , for
iho simple reason that nothing at all like a
stable is apparent. Wo are in n grolto. To
thla objection the reply Is made that In olden
limes it was the custom In Palestine to
use grottos for stables , Unfortunately
even this explanation seems unsatlsfnc *
tory , BO much has the appearance of tlio
grotto beo'i changed , The walls are cov
ered with marble , and countless lumps hang
down from a celling richly decorated with
( . old nnd purple hangings. The effect is tiiat
u ( a pretentious hallway In some Oriental
museum. Thcro is nothing which calls U >
mind the poverty in whh-li Jesus was born ,
uU thy manger , -.vhlth U men ut ihu right
In a space supported with marble columns ,
is also made of marble. Finally ono sees ,
ilso fashioned In marble nnd n lltllo further
o tlio right , a circular oriflco marklmr the
iluco wlicro Oed caused a spring to burst
orth when the holy family was sheltered in
this refuse.
Of course Christmas is the great fcto day
at Hethlohem. On Christmas eve the French
consul comes from Jerusalem to Hethlehom
o take part In the ceremonies of the great
2hrlstl'in night. Thu Turkish authori
ties place nt his dhposal a detachment
of cavalry , and two ofllcrrs with drawn
sabers accompany him. Surrounded by his
eight cawas on horseback in their striking
Levantine costume of blue and gold , the
consul irocs with the procession , which in
cludes many pilgrims , through the holy
place. About half way there , near the rock
) f Ell , mentioned above , the sheiks of Doth-
ehom nnd other rich people of the city wait
tor the consul on horseback and accompany
tilm to his destination , whllo the whole pop
ulation turn out along the streets , the
women nnd children along the terrace and at
the windows , and welcome the visitors with
cries nnd cheers. Upon the esplanade bcforo
the basilica the Turkish garrison stands nt
arms , while the musio of the Catholic Or
phan asylum sounds the "Marseillaise , " and
then the cortege passes on to the Franciscan
monastry , where Iho prelates of the Latin
church , tlio patriarch himself , who is the
chief dignitary In Palestine , being present ,
receive the guests.
At night thu Christinas service begins at
10 o'clock with a pontifical mass celebrated
at the Franciscan church near the basilica.
The richest vestments are worn for this
oftlce , those having been presented In the
name of the French republic by Marcehal
MacMahon. The llrst ceremony is concluded
about midnight and then a long procession
with candles In hand moves toward the
grotto of the nativity. First comes the
cross-bearer , followed by the Franciscan
monks and members of other religious
bodies. Tlio patriarch comes last and
directly behind him , at the head of iho lay
men , walks the French consnl with his at
tendants. Only those who precede the
patriarch carry candles , but that dignitary
bears in his hand with infinite precaution a
beautiful llltlo child in wax , which , with
sweet smile , seems almost on the point of
crying out. The divine child rests in a
manger on silken cushions , rose colored and
embroidered with gold. At its feet are
clolhs of line Inco and under Iho cushion
stands a straw bed , whoso projecting thorns
call to mind the memory of Christ's suffer
ings.Tho
The cortege , having traversed the trans
ccptoflho uasllicn and descended into the
grotto of the patriarch , slops In front of the
spot where the child Jesus was born. The
patriarch places the manger and child In the
hands of one of his followers and begins to
chant the story of the Nativity ns told by
St. Luke. 1'hcn the prelate takes the child
again and placing it upon a silver star con
tinues the service , with modifications of the
sacred lext appropriate to the occasion and
the special sui round ings. As the prelate
says the words which tell how Iho Holy
Mother brought into the world her llrst born
son ho takes the child again , wraps it in
Jinu laces and chants :
"And hero they wrapped it in clothes. "
Then ho walks to the marble manger and
places iu it the image of the now born child ,
at the same time chanting Iho words :
"And here they laid it in a manger because
thcro was no place for them at thu inn. "
The service often lasts until 2 o'clock in
the moraine , and is finished by a "To Deum"
and "God Save the Hcpublic. " All Bethle
hem watches this , night , and the people , men ,
women and children , remain until day breaks
with lighted candles-in their hands in Iho
neighborhood of the basilica. Everywhere
ono hears cries of Joy and breathes the
fr.igrauco of incense. The festivities be
come more and more animated us the hours
wear away , and it would bo diflleult to csli-
mate Ihe quantity of caudles and hard
boiled eggs which are devoured by the par
ticipants durimr the night.
Bethlehem is of all the cities in the Orient
or in Palestine the most Christian. In a pop
ulation of a little more than 0,000Inhabitants
there are hardly 100 Mohammedans. It is a
fuel not generally known that the Bothlo-
hemitcs are lineal descendants of the cru
saders. They prove it to you by long parch
ments in which their genealogy is traced out
elaborately. Indeed , Ihero Is no need of
such proof , for the Ayrlan typo is plainly
seen in their features. Under their Oriental
garb ono is surprisoJ to find yellow hair and
blue eyes which in no way resemble the
typical Arab or SyrianThcso peeularilics
arc not found in Jerusalem , which city was
too great to bo absorbed by the crusaders ,
whereas the llttlo burg of Bethlehem was
entirely peopled by them and has remained
the residing place of their descendants until
tun present day. i -
o
I'K.WTl.K UliTIIK iOtfXaSTJSUS.
Little Johnny. Mrs , Talkcmdown nald mo
a big coiniilinicnt today. Mother Did she ,
really ! Well , there's no denying that woman
has sense. What did she say ? Little Johnny
She said sno didn't see how you came to
have such n nlco little hey as I am.
*
Johnnie Papa , do two negatives make an
ufilniuuivef
Papa That's the rulo.
Johnnie--Well , you said "No.no" when I
asked you fur a quarter this morning. When
do T got It ;
*
*
Llttlo Mahel Ethel must think you'ro
lots hotter than any of her other beaux.
Mr. Hpoomuvny ( gralllled and blushing )
Why , doarf Lltllo Mabel Because she lols
me stay in the room when you call and she
don't when thu others call ,
4
Small Boy Papa , 1 got something for
nothing yesterday.
Papa How was thai !
Small Hey The hey next door gave mo
the whooping cough ,
Johnnie's Momma : "When my llttlo boy
went out with Jerry did ho remember to bo
pohto and make Jerry go oul before him ! "
Johnnie : "Yes , ma , suru 1 did. . An'when
no wouldn't go out first I turned around and
slugged him.1'
*
Mamma ( reprovingly , on Sunday ) : "You
told mo you -vero going to ulay cnurch , "
Llttlo Dick : "Ycs'm. " "Then I'd llko to
known what nil this loud laughing is
about ! " "Oh , that's Dot and me : wo'ro the
choir. "
*
"Johnny , do bohavo. " "Pa said I needn't. "
'
"What ? " "Yes'ho ; did. Ho just sent mo up
hero , Ho said , 'If you can't behave your
self , go upstairs,1 so I came , "
*
"Jlmmlo , where did you got Ihls 5 cents ? "
"It's the money you gave mo fnr the
heathen , mamma. " "Then why did you
keep ill" "My tea-jticr said I was a
heathen. "
*
Toddlas _ Papa , why do wo hang up holly
branches on Chrlstmus i Is It because it's a
holiday i
"Now , Georgia , which is correct : Mamma
pave mo n piece of pie , or mamma give me a
glcce of pie ) " ( iebrgioNeither one. 1 took
it when she wasn't lookln' .
*
Annie You should bo excused when you
leave the table.
I.ittlo Nephew Should II i thought from
thu way you acted about that third piece of
pie that you'd bo glad to sue mo go ,
"Gol-leul" said Tommy as ho sat down at
the table and vlowod the spread , "i wtsht I
was the lujy-rubbor man. "
*
' Sister. " said tholittlo boy , "will you
please make mo a lot of biscuits , like those
you gave us for breakfast the other davt"
Sister was touched , 'llie.y wcro the llrst
cheering words Johnny had spoken to her Iu
n long time.
"Certainly1 she answered. "Aro you
crolntr to have a party ? "
"No ; 1 % > autud to try them in my now
slung stiui.
LEFT ITS MARK ON MEMORY
Christmas Ohoer Amid Stranco and Impres
sive Surroundings ,
COURAGE DULLS THE PANGS OF DISTRESS
Tlio lny of Day * un n Mnii-nMViir , 111 n
Jlimpltii' , In the smith In Wur Times
mill In the l-'rlclil North-lu-
tcrcstlMK llcmliilicenccg.
Did j ou ever ask yourself which ono of all
the Christmas days your life has numbered
is the' most memorable OHO ! Which ono of
all others you nro most certain never to for-
g t ? Those arc questions I recently put to
several prominent men and women , at the
same time requesting them to tell mo some
thing of their most memorable. Christmas.
"I think that all things considered my
most memorable Christmas was my first ono
in the navy , " said Admiral John G. Walker
of the United States navy. "Christmas on
board n man-of-war far out at sei : is quite a
novel experience to a landlubber. Four
bells , telling the experienced mariner that
it Is li o'clock In the morn ing , followed by the
reveille sounded on the bugle and the call of
the boatswain's mates'All hands ! Up all
hammocks'cause ! every man to turn out
nnd roll up his hammock. Then Jack Tar is
allowed fifteen minutes for'a smoke , after
which he must work till ten minutes bcforo
8 , when iho boatswain's shrill pipa will sum
mon him to 'mess gear. ' There is always
plenty of work for the crow ou board a man-
of-war. The decks must bo scrubbed daily
nnd that Jack always does as soon as ho has
fairly turned out in the morning.
"After 'mess pear , ' or breakfast , as lands
men would call it , comes the 'sick call , ' and
men who are sick must promptly report. The
morning watch till 0:30 : is spent in the count
less Jobs that can always bo found for Jack's
willing hands. All the brass about the ship ,
the guns and tlio hand rails must bo pohsheu
till they slilno like burnished sold. Then on
ordinary days the drum beats 'quarters' or
'general quarters , ' and the men go through
arm and lire drills , but on Christmas day
the church service and r. short sermon are
substilutcd * Nothing that 1 had or have
ever witnessed in the way of religious ob
servances made such a dccu and lasting im
pression upon mo as did that = crvico aboard
ship on my llrst Christmas in the navy. .All
sailors have a simple , trusting' , childlike
faith in the God who rides unon the wind
and storm , and as the men stood aft on the
gun deck 1 saw tears on many a bronzed
check while the chaplain dwelt upon the
wonderful story of Christ's birth and life
and his infinite pity and compassion for us
all.
"Jack Tar's Christmas dinner at sea de
pends for ttio character and variety of its
viands largely upon how long his vessel has
been absent from port , and upon whether or
not ho and othnr members of his mess have
hail sufficient forethought to put aajdo a
fund to insure them a good Christmas din
ner. At its best it will probably comprise
only fresh meat and vegetables , though it is
much more likely to consist only of canned
poods. The atternoon is spent Just like that
of any other day and the men sup at 5
o'clock. After everything lias been made
snug for the night the men who are not on
watch smoke and exchange reminiscences of
Christmas days long past , and thus Christ
mas in the navy comes to an end. "
A Chriitm m in a Hixpllal.
"You know , of course , that 1 was a nurse
prior to my marriage- Senator Hawley ,
nnd I think my most mcmor.iblo Christmas
was ono that I passed as a nurse in the
Philadelphia hospital. " The speaker was
Mrs. Edith Hawley , wife of Hon. Joseph II.
Hawley , United States senator from Con
necticut. "Tho hospital hud .been bjdly
managed and it had known no Christmas
worthy of the name for several years , I de
termined that it should have ono and 1 in
terested nil the visiting physicians land
their wives , and through them many society
people in my purpose. WciJccor.itcd all the
walls with holly and we provided a Christ
mas feast to which our poor puticuls were
helped by some of the daintiest buds of
Quaker City swelldom. Long bcforo the
day wo devoted ourselves to mak
ing presents. I made nearly IOC
with my own hands. No ono of
our charges was forgotten. Each ono
received something , and their expressions of
pleasure were in many instances really
touching. Quo poor ill'.t'.o ' girl of 0 yeais , a
waif from the worst slums of the city , was
asked if she would llko to Imvo a llower. A
floworf What is a flower ? she asked won-
derinply , and when a boautitul jacqucmlnol
rose was placed in her hand thosurprisu and
delight of the child who had never before
seen a flower nor known what the word
meant , brought tears to the oycs of all who
witnessed them. An old man of nearly SO ,
who lold mo that ho was absolutely without
a friend or acquaintance in the world , had a
Httle sunshine brought into his life also
that day by a small bunch of flowers. Ho
had been a" Moris t in his niirly manhood , and
had a good knowledge of botany , and in toll
ing of the peculiarities , habits and organs ol
the ( lowers given him thai Christmas day ho
grow quite bright and cheerful and forgot
for a time tlio utter weariness and hopeless
ness of his lifo. 'Thank God for such a
Chrlstmus us this , ' said one poor old bed
ridden pauper to mo , 'It's the first ray of
sunshine that has como Into my life for
twenty years , ' and similar expressions wcro
heard on every hand. I do not think that
any who participated in it will over forgot
that Christmas In a hospital. "
A Clirlstmiis In the .South 111 War Time.
"Wo had some very memorable Christmas
days in the south during the war , " said Mrs
Xobulon 1) , Yanco , wlfo of the junior Unltci
Sttuos senator from North Carolina. "Tha
of 1B01 was different from any that had preceded
ceded it , bccausn wo wcro in arms against
the federal government , and muiiy of the
guests at southern homos that day were con
federate uniforms. Much of the talk at the
Christinas dinner table was of sieges nm
battles and inarches. Hut wo wcro nil ful
of hoponnd confidence. Forsoulhornbraverj
and lighting blood there could bo no sue !
word us fail in such a struggle , and wo had
not the slightest doubt of the triumphal !
success of our cause. The old-time prodi
gaUly of southern hospitality was at its
height that Christinas. The negroes came
up from their quarters in the early morning
for their 'Chrls'mus gif's , ' and as icach ono
was liberally remembered with such tokens
as the childish African nature most delights
in , every ebony face shone with delight and
loud ami characteristic were their exprcs
slonsof pleasure. Great bowls of egg-no ; ,
and punch had been proparud and were se
out in the great halls. Wood fires 'just to
taito the chill off' went roaring up the wide
fireplaces. Invited guests gathered
about the hearthstone , ana there
wcro feasting , music nnd dancing
' Christmas , IBffii , found us but poorly prc
pared to celebrate it. Our supplies wcro
few , and confederate money was at a hcav ;
discount , Wood was (15 per cord , r.iui tur
key $11 each , but oven at those price :
luauy were still nblo to enjoy them , am
thcra wcra still some toys to give the little
folks. Then came the bitter year of IStXJ
with the fallof Vlcksburg and the defeat n
Gettysburg. With sad faces , harmonlzinj
well with their dresses of coarse hlac !
stuff , the women of the south devoted them
salves to picking lint and spinning am
weaving for husbands , fathers , Brother
and sweethearts in the Hold. Christina
cheer such ns could be obtained cost n
fabulous sum , for ono bright golden dollar
was then worth ? 'i3 in confodcrato money.
Sugar was from $5 to MO per pound ; turkeys
0 apiece , nnd flour JJ5 jicr barrel.
Christmas , 1804 the last Christmns of tin
wnr dnwncd , and what p gloomy festival it
was for the people of the south. Of manu
factured products. Ave had practically none.
Our hairpins wcro made of long , black
thorns , with n ball ot scaling wax on the
end. Wo had made Into dresses every scrap
of available material , nnd now our gowns
consisted of wlnddw curtains , 'home-spun
and paper muslin or "colored cambrics tha'
had once done duty n4 lining , while our Icct
wcro encased in home-made cloth shoes. At
a Christinas dinner In n typical southern
homo Unit day the festive board presented a
turkey that had cost SiJOO , a ham worth ? 800 ,
hominy and potatoes nt correspondingly
high prices , and black molaiscs as desert
nt $00 per gallon. Tlio confederate dollar
was then worth just 3 cents In cold ; wood
was 510 ! ) a cord : hoof $ Vi a pound ; Hour $ BOO
per barrel ; butter | 40 per pound , and sugar
H ) per pound. All was silent In the negro
quarters. There was no singing or dancing
there as usual. The slaves , hnvlne heard of
'do mancipation proclamation , ' knew that
they wcro free nnd had all scattered away.
Desolation seemed to reign over everything.
Of nil the Christmas days I have known ,
that last Christmas in the south In war time
is the ono of nil others that I um most cer
tain never to forgot. "
A Clirl4tuits : Nor thn North Polo.
"I think Christum , ISS'J , was my most
memorable ono , " said General Grecly , the
famous Arctic explorer. "With my com
mand I was uroccedlntf southward in the
hope of obtaining help , and about the 20th
of October wo ensconced ourselves in a little
hut at Capn Sablno. Our supply of food was
running very low , and wo were on vcr.v sliorli
rations , every ono being allowed just food
onougti in each twenty-four hours to sustain
life. Under thcso depressing circumstances
and amid the awful silence of the Polar
night the cheerfulness that wo continued lo
maintain was remarkable. It would have
been a splendid opuortunity for Dickons'
quair.t character , Mirk Tnpley , who was
always socking souio specially depressing
situation m lifo to show how 'Jolly1 he could
bo under adverse ciroumstrtnces. As the
Christmas seaso'n approached Wo all looked
forward to it with eager anticipation , not
only as a festal day whoso associations and
memories would lo some extant vary tlio
wearisome monotony of our lives , but because -
cause wo know that , the winter solslio
would fall about December 22 , and lhat then
tlio sun would return and the long dreary
night would ba at an end.
Christmas day came at last. Christmas
in the Arctic regions. At 0 o'clock wo had
our breakfast thin soup made of peas , car
rots , blubber and potatoes. Our Christinas
dinner was served at 1 o'clock. Heuriccn to
our mc'ini , yo who will sit down the coming
Christmas to roast turkey stuffed with
oysters and accompanied by the usual con
comitants , First course a stew of seal meat ,
onions , blubber , potatoes and bread crumbs.
Second course , scrveil ono hour after the
first , a stow of raisins , olubber and milk.
Desert , a cup of hot chocolate. The best and
most. . Christmasllko feature of this meal was
that we wore allowed , a sulllcient quantity of
it to satisfy the pangs ol hunger. Our en
joyment of the desert ono cup of chocolate
we tried to prolong ias , . much as possible.
Over it wo told cachothcrChristmas stories.
Wo exchanged reminiscences of bygone
'
Christmuses at homo'with the loved ones so
far away. Wo discussed the probability of
our ever reaching our own firesides again ,
and w& entered into an agreement that if wo
got back lo civilization before another
Christmas wo would pass the day together
in memory of that awful Christmas wo
wcro then spending in the realm of the re
lentless icolcin ? . Aas ) , many of those br.wci
fellows never lived to sco anolhcr Christ
mas. *
Then wo had some singing. There were
some good singers among us and of different
nationalities , too , so wo had songs in
English , French , Danish and Gorman. And
then we each received the only Christmas
present that was vouchsafed to us that , year.
Ono of our party Kislingbury by name-
had some tobacco still left , and , knowin ?
that most ot the men wcro destitutenf it , ho
very kindly madu a cizaretto for each ono of
our little party. I will wager that in all
Christendom that day not a present was
given or received that gave such intense delight -
light to the recipient as did those little rolls
of tobacco and paper. They were quickly
nflamo and being puffed away at for dear
life , and thus my most memorable Christ
mas a Christmas near the north polo
ended in smoiie.
I was surprised to find that , though tlio
Esqulmax are not a heathen people , yet they
celebrate at Cnristmastiuc , not the birth of
Christ , but the feast of the winter solstice
or of tlio sun , which , prior to their conver
sion to Christianity , was kept by so many
of the nations of Europe , including the
Romans , the Celts nnd the Germans.
Gcorrnv WILMTOX CIHUSTINB.
VllltlliTJl.lt UTlllSlt L.IXD3.
In northern Europe the grim and ghastly
feast of the Scandinavians , In which they
drank nlo out of the skulls of their enemies ,
developed , under Christian influences , into
celebrations , course , indeed , in their abund
ance and gross excesses , but gentle In the
comparison.
In Homo Christmas eve and Christmas
morning are ushered in.with solemn reli
gious services , which , as before remarked ,
tlio Iialian seems to regard with less von or
ation than his Spanish fellow Catholic. The
churches are beautifully decorated and
lighted , and the music Is superb.
To think of Germany in connection with
Christmas is to remember the Christmas
tree. Wo Americana are proud to have sat
nt the feet ol our Teutonic friends and to
have learned from them as our English
cousins have also leariio J how to make the
children vastly happier when the call
comes for everybody to bo as happy as ho
can.
can.Tlio mistletoe was employed ty the Greens
nnd Homans in the anttquo days , and by the
Druids and Celtic nations , who attached re
ligious Importance to the nlant. Odd , grow
ing out of an ouk or other tree , to winch its
appearances indicates no relationship , and
beautiful in its glossy leaves und tiny ,
shapely globes , mistletoe has boon an object
of admiration fromtime , immemorial.
In Sweden Christmas Is ushered In witti
early church services. Special music the
Lutherans love sbigiug and tlio organ-
decorations and brilliant Illumination give
distinction to this service , perhaps ubovo all
in the vcar. The rest of the day is sacred to
family joys , On subsequent days neighbors
iSccbunco hospitalltjus. .Morry sleigh parties
awaken echoes in the romantic nnd pictur
esque scenery of tn'9 country. Preliminary
to thcso festivities great , has been the
preparation at the farm houses scattered
here and there.
Madrid presents a lovely aspect in antici
pation of Christinas. ' Flocks of fat turkeys
gobble abaut the streets for weeks before
hand. Shows of moat and vegetables remind
ono of England iii their profusion , and
grapes , pomegranates and oranges of sunny
skies , Stalls are loaded with sweetmeats
of the season , children's toys , including
representations of the holy manner , angels ,
shepherds , wlsu men of the cast , and the
star. Men nnd boys Improve the occasion
by making car-splitting noises witli cheap
drums mid trumpets , and render night
hideous Dcnrccly less than day ,
In the mutter of Christmas presents pre
eminence must bo given to Pope Leo ill. ,
who. on Christmas day , in the year 800 , A.
D. , gave Charlemagne the crown of em
peror. That archbishop of York , who , In
thu thirteenth century , on the occasion of
the marriage at Christmas of u Scottish
princess , gave COO fut oxen nnd 4,000 murks
ns his contribution to the fo.ist , was surely
tlio Jolllest of churchmen , The reader will
remember that it was at a Christmas feast
that Edward III. revived the round table of
the King Arthur epoch and instituted the
Order of the Garter , Another mighty king ,
Henry V. , was besieging Kouen when Christ
inas came around. He thereupon ceased
hostilities and invited the famished enemy
to como out nnd enjoy such Christinas faro
as the English camp commanded. Queen
Elizabeth's celebrated silk stockings , bo-
cauao the first over worn in England , were
received by her us a Christmas present in
{ lie year 1500.
XJ1AS IN MERRIE ENGLAND
Some Ouslomi That Do Still Survive to
Recall Yo Olden Time.
TIDE OF HOLIDAY AND FESTIVITY FOR ALL
Kvcnt.i that Servo to I'rolnn the Happy
Season Till tlio New Yeur la Old
llcnv thn liny U Spent by n
llrltUh rumlly.
Tor Clirlstmai comes but once n year ,
Hut when Itcomos It brim ? * good uneer.
Though a very old English s.iylng this is.
as applicable now in the country where Its
author lived as when it was Hrat spoken -100
years ago.
As a season of revelry Christmas in Eng
land is nothing to what it was. Many nro
thu old customs , once as saoro.1 as the car of
Juggernaut to tUC Buddhists , which are now
seldom observed. Even the burning of a
"yulo" lo ? after devotbns on Christmas
eve Is now the exception r.ilhor than the
rule , and tno accompanying "rilo" of lighl-
Ing many candles Is known of only to the
few.
In olden times it was customary at court
and in the houses of the wealthy to appoint
a "lord of misrule" to superintend the
revels. In Scotland this functionary was
denominated "abbot of unreason. " Either
name was equally appropriate and sugges
tive of tlio duties ho was appointed to per
form. Tno ofllco was abandoned in Scotland
by act of Parliament , half a century before
Scotland ceased to imvc a Parliament ex
clusively her own ; and in England the cus
tom died n inoro natural death but very
little later.
itonihiilori of Wh'it Vfiis.
Yet , though the rollicking fun of bygone
days has been so much modified , many of
the pastimes which thcso lords of misrule
presided over are still extant ami popular as
they over wcro. There is no more familiar
game to English children of the nineteenth
century than blind man's buff , but it bas
ceased to have the attraction It once had for
people of mature years.
Conjuring , oven yet , seems to have a cer
tain appropriateness to Yulctide. But it is
done in a more amateurish way , though pos
sibly with the aid of many curious and won
derful contrivances which wcro entirely
undreamed of In the philosophy of bygone
generations. Many other amusements ,
dancing for example , are not nor ever wcro
peculiar to Christmas and may on that nc-
couut bo left out ot consideration.
\Vlmt Christmas Is.
But as a season of general festivity and
holiday , Christmas is oven inoro generally
observed now than it used to bo. Tnero is
no country , probably , where Christmas lias
been so long and so universally observed as
England. It now stands out as the greatest
holiday time of Iho year , a lime when every
one , great or small , rich or poor , young or
old , looks for some additional comfort or nt-
iraclion lo make lifo Ihc more worth living.
It is , however , as the time of family re
unions , the homo coming of absent older
brothers nnd sisters , married sous and
daughters , that Christmas rises up above
the other holiday times of the year. AVIth
some it is also an important date In the
calendar of the church , and tlio bells of the
eslablishcd churches ring out morrily'overy'
Christinas morning to draw in a good crowd
of worshipers anxious to remember after
the manner of their fathers the oirth of the
founder of their faith.
V'nnr nvnr.TL'n TCnErltahmnn Issnlilnmnt. InsQ
for some profitable way of spending a holi
day and a kindly paternal government has
been good enough to eivo him plenty of
them. At Easter nnd Whitsuntide very li'ttlo
work is done , bul in some parts of tlio
country only onn of those occasions is ob
served very extensively. The first week in
August , and especially the first Monday ,
winch is a bank holiday , is generally con
sidered an "oft" time so far as business Is
concerned , and throughout August and
September "everybody" is out of town , at
the seaside or some inland watering place ,
with his wife and family. Even an ordinary
Saturday takes way crowds from the towns
to Ihe country , and , incidentally , brings
other crowds into Iho lowns to sec the big
loot ball or cricket games.
Kvory Oun's Ilollilny.
But at Christmas every ono takes holiday.
The schools throughout the length and
breadth of the land let out about the 20th ot
December for from two to four weeks.
Many of the factories and workshops even
contrive to close for n few days , and there
is loss work done on Christmas day itself
than on many a Sunday. Not only the U5th
of themonth , but the weekday next follow
ing also , is a legal holiday and for these
two days , as well ns any Sunday interven
ing , the hanks have their shutiors up , iho
rela'l slores are closed , oven the newspapers
suspand publication , with but few excep
tions , and the railway and street car
services arc very largely restricicd.
In most families It is customary , as soon
as their holidays begin , for the children to
start out ou foraging expeditions to gather
all the holly mid ivy , nr branches and , if they
know where to llnd It , some sprigs of mls-
tletoo. with which to decorate the house.
In the largo towns where this is moro dlfll-
cult and consequently less customary , tlio
street hawkers and the grocers nnd green
grocers do a lively trade In this way. A nice
sprig of holly with plenty of berries on it is
sure of a ready sale anywhere , for every
household must have several of thcso for
the cakes and , ahovu all , for tlio turkey and
the plum pudding when Ihoy are brought on
the table.
Christmas eve Is spent In decorating. A
fir orancli or small piece of holly must be
placed over every picture in the chief rooms
of the house. The chnndoliors must bo pret
tily entwined with Ivy. The entrance hall
must bo festooned with wroiiths of evergreen -
green of nil kinds , and among all those must
bo tastefully distributed appropriate mot
toes , Chinese lanterns and paper roses or
chrysanthemums.
Then , as in other lands , the llttlo ones are
sent to bed and the older brothers and sis
ters sit up with the father and mother to
await the arrival of Santa Clans and con
duct him around the house to fill iho stocic-
ings hung out for him , Lou' ' before day
light the toys nnd other gifts ho leaves are
strewn about the bed and the happy owners
have fallen aslcop again to await the tlmo
when they may get up and dress or bo
dressed for breakfast.
Will.till ; Tor the Moll.
The forenoon may b3 passed in making
calls , In n walk or a skating expedition , that
is by those who do not wish to attend the
church service. But there. Is ono thing
which may occur any time befora the noon
hour which every ono has an interest in.
That Is the arrival of the
postman , This particular mull has
un Importance beyond nil others ,
It is always understood that unelcs and
aunts and cousins in nil parts of the countrj-
will have sent Christmas cards und boxes of
presents for the little ones , and they will all
with ono accord have sent thcso off the day
before , so that they shall arrive together on
Christmas morning , not a day too soon or a
day too late. Indeed , so universal is this
practice that the pos'.oftlco authorities every
year find it Impossible to deliver the morn
ing mail at the usual hour , and It is fre
quently nearly half a day lato. Thcro is
only ono delivery , but sometimes the parcel
post packages are delivered separately ,
which Is as good as two deliveries , for ttio
anxious groups of youngsters who peep from
the windows of every house to await ttio
mail man's coming ,
The Dinner.
Dinner is usually not served until ! ! p.m.
For the Christmas dinner , it must bo ru-
mumbcrod , is the greatest event of thu year
in almost every family , and needs tlmo for
pro na rat ion proportionate to Its importance ,
Tuuu , too , there may he member. , of the
family who have n long distance to travel
and cannot reach homo until well on In the
day. Frequently tlio Christmas dinner is
eaten at the house of the grandfather , and
several families of children have to nrrlvo
before the dinner Is called. In such cases
thcro may be as many as forty or fifty per
sons sitting down , and the meal that is pro
vided must of couno bo of a macnltudo to
correspond. The number anil quality of tlio
dishes must ho regulated largely by the sup
ply of ready cash ( or credit ) nvatlablo to pur
chase It , but there are certain things which
nro essential. Following Is n sample nunu
for a plain Christmas dinner of u family In
average circumstances :
Souj ) .
ItonM Sirloin of Hoof.
Koist : Turkov.
IWIth sati ae.s surroundlm ; the dMi.1
1'otaloes , ilrus-els Sprouts.
I'luin Pudding.
( .Served with dazing brandy. 1
Jellies. Hlanc Mango.
OrntiKCS. Anples.
1'lgi Alnmmls and U'iKlns. Nuts.
Anil Thou th Clirlnttims Tier.
It Is Iain in the afternoon wliou thn dinner
is over. Then comes the distribution of
presents. forSanta Clans was only tiermitlcd
to give out a few of the smaller articles and
oven these only to tlio younger children.
All the valuable presents , books nnd dolls ,
jewelry , expensive toys , vases or articles of
furniture or wearing apparel , etc. , have
been kept hack. Where there is a largo
gathering of children the presents nro often
distributed In some "novel" manner. They
may bo burled in n barrel of bran nnd sought
for ono by ono , or they may bo brought into
the room whcro all are assembled by a real
Santa Clans , driving , If possible , a team of
reindeer. But the correct way , In England
as everywhere else , Is to have the presents
hung on a Christmas tree , and tlio olTect of a
ftdly developed Hr tree , decorated with min
iature colored candles and mirrors nnd glit
tering tinsel adds largely to the delight of
the little ones.
Tea is a mnal of llttlo consequence , for the
late dinner has loft little deslro for moro
eating. If the Christinas tree has been
"had" in the afternoon tlio evening is
usually passed iu some amateur acting , or
with charades or such games as blind man's
biilT or ticky-ticky-iouch-wood.
I'lintmiiimo unit ( 'urol SlngHis ; .
But Christmas is not over when Christ
mas day is over. Not until the schools open
again at any rate do Iho "observances" end.
Some time toward the end of Iho year all Iho
theaters bring out a pantomime , a farcical
representation generally of soinn fairy talc ,
such as "Llttlo Red Hiding Hood1 "Dick
\Vhittinglon and His Cat , " or "Puss In
Boots , " and to have the thing complete
there must ho introduced a clown and a
harlequin and any amount of bad jokes with
a local turn attached to them. The panto
mimes run for a good many weeks and many
of the "unco guid" people even who never go
to the theater at any other time of the year
will lot their children go to iho pantomime.
Carol singing is an ancient custom that is
dying a very slow death. Children of
the poorer classes will go around the town
anv time in Dat'omber or January and sing
on the doorsteps of the houses of the rich.
"Hark , tlio Herald Angels Sing" is the most
nopular "carol , " and it is the exception to
hear a song thus sung ttiat has no hearing on
Chrislmaslidc. In some towns it is cus
tomary for the choirs of the various churches
look upon Christmas week as a time when
when they can replenish their exchequers.
'Ihoy go around usually with n memoran
dum book , sing in front of a house and then
ring tlio door bell and ask for a subscription
of from 1 to 5 shillings. This , however , is
far from being n universal practice.
I.Ink That Is Almost Hrolccn.
The Christmas box is almost a defunct in-
slilulion , in Us strict sense , and even in lhat
it has changed its real meaning more thai )
oiico since'Ihirphras'e was first used. The
Christmas box was once a receptacle placed
in the vestibule of tlio church to receive con-
Iribulions which wcro divided on Christmas
morning among the poor of the parish.
Later It became a donation to errand boys
or messengers of tradesmen ami others by
their employers' customers. In Ihc lust few
years this custom has very rapidly been
fulling into oblivion.
But the children of well-to-do families
have another Christmas pleasure. Chil
dren's parties arc not exclusively English ,
but an English boy or irirl who does not at
least get invited to half a dozen .parlies dur
ing the Christmas holidays is one of tlio un-
hapiiiost of creatures that over lived. These
parties arc not complete either without a
Christinas tree , and itiey frequently amount
to a second edition of Christmas day , but
without the dinner.
All of Ilcnthcn Origin.
There is of course a heathen origin for
nearly all tlio observances of Christinas.
But what of lhat ? Christmas Itself was tlio
great midwinter festival of tlio old sun wor
shipers , the time of rejoicing that Ihu days
had begun lo lengthen ugain and that dark
ness was not , for a while at any rate ,
to conquer light. The yule log is ono of the
few survivals of the old sun worshipers.
Mistletoe was a plant that wns sacred lo
tlio Druid's , and holly and other evergreens
wcro used by all tlio old heathen nations in
their festivals. Indeed the practice of kiss
ing under the mistletoe goes back to days
before Enirland was England and on tlio
continent of Europe its origin is lost in an
tiquity. Even the Christmas tree , carol
singing and iho Christmas card are of
healhen birth. W. 13.
A < ; ir/j-nr.ir.
fulfil Topics.
I gave- her a muff ,
Hcoitiun uiiou h.
I uald , Indeed , all 1 vvui ablo.
Tim lining was butr ,
And I puloa the bluff
That. It ivully was genuine sable.
That it truly was irenulne sable !
Hut my luck It wns tough ,
hfhoVHK u girl up ID snulV
And 1,1 forgot thu label ;
And him got In a hull' ,
And , I huar , cut up roiuh ,
When she found that It wasn't real sahlu.
That there wasn't ono bit uf It uabloi
Yes , I pave liar the guff
That tno threo-dollur muff
\Viis thu very bait hlnclf Russian sable ;
Oh , uln't , I u stuff
To throw out such ahluff.
And forgot to tenrolV llio lalml.
The glvu-uwav nulling prleu ( abut !
Jtl'J'ti MtOM JUUJCIWN.
"A merry Christmas to us all , my clears !
God bless us ! "
"Berries is so seasonable to the time of
year. There's good cheer where there's
berries. "
"A good tlmo. a kind , forgiving , charita
ble , pleasant time , "
"Golden sunlight , heavenly sky , swcot ,
fresh air , merry bells. Oh , glorious , glori
ous. "
"Pile up the flro hero ; lot it ? hlno upon
the holly till it winks again. "
"It ' .vas always said of him that ho know
how to keep Christmas well , if any man
alive possessed the knowledge , "
"ft is good to bo children sometimes , and
never bolter than at Christmas , when Us
mighty founder was a child himselt. "
"I will honor Christmas in mv heart , and
try to keep it all the yoar. I will live in the
Past , the Present and the Future. The
spirits of all three shall strive within mo. "
"Hut every man among them hummed a
Christmas tune , or had n Christmas thought ,
or spoke halow his breath to his companion
of Bomu by-gone Christmas any , v.'lth home
ward hopes belonging to it , "
"Thoro wns nothing very cheerful in the
climate pr tha town , und yut tlioro was an
air of cheerfulness abroad that thu clearest
summer air and brightest summer sun might
have endeavored to diffuse in vain. "
"A merry Christmas to everybody ! A
happy New Year to all the world ! "
"God blcm ui ovcry QUO , laid Tiuy Tim. "
THE COLONEL'S CHRISTMAS ,
Colonel Straightman wns a character , nnd
lie had A history. Ho was not a character
In the. modern acceptance of the term which
Is used In newspapers to describe chronla
vagrants In police circles , queer acting Ho
honilaii ! ) who toast one itay nutl fast the
next , or fro.iks In any of the cominonor or
hotter walks of llfo. Ho was not a man whom
those who know him cither intimately or only
casually smileil about as they spoke of him
anil remarked , "Thorn's acharacter. " Thcro
was nothing In hU feature * , dress or deportment -
portmont that , wouht attract nttonllon , yob
there was a subtle something In his makeup
that Impressed you and no one who had eve *
met htm failed to romumbor him and that
pkM9inly. : About GO years of ago ho was
still ii | iiiv\U.v : : \ moro vigorous than most
men ut : u , .nid yet wu who Unow him well
began to feel that the manifest vigor \VI\M
duo less to natural physical strength than
to the consciousness of a work ahead that
was far from being completed. Brlmmlm *
with rcmlnlacences of the civil war , in which
he earned his title , and of his career and ex
perience of years as a detective , "Old Matt , "
as wo lovingly spokoof him among ourselves ,
was a most delightful companion. Ho told
us the most thrllllngly Interesting stories oC
his varied experiences , but always exacted
a request tlmt wo should not IHO his name
In any of the talcs that might got Into print ,
as ho was decidedly averse to newspaper
prominence , or notoriety , as ho termed It. Ho
was known t > y most of the newspaper boya
from coast to coast. They all loved him and
they all Unow that ho had u history , that ho
was not pursuing his hazardous and thankless -
less calling from necessity or a love of tha
work. Wo often tnlknd among ourselves ,
after ono of "Oitl Malt's" visits and specu
lated us to thq uiollvu which prompted him
to keep up his never ending touring of tha
continent when his ace and condition of bin
llnanccs urged and warranted his retirement
from active work. It was my fortune , good
or bad , to bo the lirst of the old man's
friends to learn his history.
On Christmas eve 1 had taken the train ,
intending to spend a brief holiday respite
from work with friends in a southern city.
Early in the evening I dropped into tha
smoking apartment of the chair car and was
delighted to lind the only other occupant of
the apartment none other than my friend
the colonel. My delight at nicotine him waa
only equaled by my surprise at his failure
to return Iny warm greeting. One planeo at
his face showed that ho was laboring under
a heavy load. Ho had aged remarkably , his
boyish vigor hvl : vanished , his o.y < ; s were
lustorlcss , ho was utterly dejected. After a
half-dazed stare ho made room for mo at his
side and then sat for some minutes in a sl-
lenco that I dared not break. At length ttio
colonel drew from his pocket a cigar and n ,
telegram. The latter ho handed to mo with
the single word "Head. " The telegram was
as follows ;
b-T. I.oms , Doc. 24. Colonel Mutt Straight-
man , liolel , Unialia : Your wife Is dying.
I'omo at once. JOHNSON.
I was attempting to stammer some stere
otyped although heart-felt word of sym
pathy when thu old man stopped mo' "Don't ,
my boy , " said he. " 1 know what you .would
say , but it would imiko no difference with
mo. Those sovcn words have sounded the
death-knoll of all my hopes , ended my useful
ness , called a halt in my life work , which
will now never bo resumed. "
After a few moments of painful silence
the old colonel lighted his cigar and ,
without any explanation or preface , began ,
to tell mo the story of his lifo , in u low ,
passionless tone and in a manner which SUK- ,
gcslod that ho was talking to himself anil'
was wholly unaware that ho had a pained ,
but deeply interested listener.1
"When I came out of the war , " said the
old man , "I was wealthy and with my wife
end boy , a little chubby fellow then 8 years ,
old , took up my residence in a southern city. ,
Ton years of hard work in a successful ami
highly prolltablc business made mo a for
tuuo and we were planning to more east and
give our boy tlio benollt of tlio best educa
tion obtainable. I had Just closed up my
business affairs and was ready to Icavn tlio
city when an event occurred that changed
my enliro life. Our hey had left homo onu
night to attend a party given by some young
fellows , former school chums of his , who
were to give him a farewell send off. I had ,
been so engrossed with the cares of business
that I had paid too llt.tlo attention to my
son's choice of companions. The lad did not
return that nightalthough wo wore not seri
ously alarmed. Hut Imagine our horror when
the morning papers arrived with a detailed
account of a row In which some young fel
low a had engaged after a night of revelry.
The result h d boon murder and ono of the
young men , my hey , was suspected of Imv- .
ing boon the murderer. Ho had lied.
" 1 will not attempt to toll you of our grief.
His mother's first cry was to llnd him and to
help him. I started on a search which ends
today. For several years I traveled over tha
country without over finding a trace , but t
could not give up the light. 'Find my boy ,
was the constant cry from his heart-broken
mother , and there was nothing loft for mate
to do. Three yenrs after the killing I foundj
absolute evidence that my son had not been
guilty of murder , hut had been inmlu thq
victim of circumstances , which served to
shield the real murderer. This only served
to renew mv efforts. 1 had been convinced
tlmt the IIDV had gone to the bad , and ,
so devoted my time , in u search
among the criminal classes. I secured i (
position under ono of the best detectives in
the nation and for nearly llftoen years hava
served him and served him well. I hava
worked on cnmiiril cases in every part of
the country. 1 Imvo located my boy iv num
ber of times , but have not boon abto to goti
him. Ho has served his apprenticeship and
is a full Hedged criminal. 1 h.ivc seen his
picture , taken In a prison , within the last
month. Ho was arrested for trying to rob u
train , but escaped from Jail bc'foro I could
reach the city where ho was confined , His
mother knows nothing of this and novou
shall. 1 have always hoped that If I could )
llnd llio boy and got him liotro wo might bo
able to make a man of him ,
"Hut that telegram ends it all. His
mother will never recover , ami with her
doalh all my nuoroit in mv sou's lifo and
my own ceases. If she only lives until I gob
homo "
A sharp , shrill shrlok of the engineer's
whistle , tlio swishing appllca'lon of tlio air
brakes , tlio sudden slop , pistol shots mingled
with the curses of train men and the screams
of frightened passengers told the colonel's
experienced oars that the train had been at
tacked by robbers , The sounds produced a.
magical effect upon the old man. Ho sprung
to his foot , his face flushed , his oycs snap
ping. Ho was a man again. He whipped a
revolver from the pocket of his overcoat ana
started for the front. 1 Instinctively foU
lowod. Wo rushed through the coach
where the passengers , wild with
fear , were hiding under the seats
and endeavoring to secrete what valuables
they might possess , out and on through the
batfgngo car to the express coach.which waa
the object of the ntluek. Noise of u uespor *
ate struggle told that the messenger was
staking his llfo in an attempt to save the
company's property. On the platform stood ,
ono of the robbers , a revolver In each hand.
In an instant , before I even realised tha
danger of rny position , the colonel had
opened flro and the men were ongngod In a
duel to the death with only thu space of tha
car coupling between thorn , The door of tluj
baggage car wni thrown open and a stream
of light flashed full in thu face of
the robber. The colonel took advantage ot
the opportunity and the next bullet from ,
his revolver found a homo In thn robber's
heart. Something in the robbur's apnour-
anco as ho stood in that last Hush of light
had evidently attracted the colonurs atten
tion. When the robber sunk upon the platform -
form the colonel sprang to him , raised him
in Ills arms , gazed into his Inco un instant ,
sprang hack and , with a cry that sounded
above the tumult , exclaimed , "My ( iod , my
boy I" and fell back In my arms , dead. Thij
colonel had found his SOD ,
On an Inside page and In an obscure pesU
tlon In the papers on Christinas morniiifc
wns the following telegraph item ;
ST Lotii , Dee. 81 , Mrs. Mary Straight-
man , wlfo of Colonel Matt Btraluluimui , tha
well Known detectivi ) , died at her homo on
Ulnnlistroot Ju t before midnight.
llUNTKB.