1 HE CHRISTMAS STOCKING.
N . je ghostly light I'm
Hililllg UlUSulg of
long dead Decem
bers, Wlille the Are-clad
shapes are fitting In
unit uut among the
embers
- kill
mm
fltfWimw0n ",y 1"'"r
rthstone In
anil 1
vi.4AX7i; 5TB niui ve . fo
for In seem
mm
lug
1 can dimly we the
faces ana the scenes
of which l'ui dream
ing. 0 golden Christmas
days of yore:
In sweet anticipa
tion I lived their joys for
days beiore
Their glorious reall
.allou;
And on the dnwn
Of Christmas morn
childish heart was Knocking
A wild tattoo.
As 'twould lirenk through,
I unhung my stocking.
My
As
Each simple gift that came to hand,
how marvelous I thought It!
A treasure straight from Wonderland,
For Santa Clans had brought it.
And at uiy erics
Of glad surprise
The others ui! came flockln.
To share my glee
And view with me
The contents of the stociutijt.
Years sped I left each well-loved scene
In Northern wilds to roam,
And there, 'mid tossing pine trees green,
1 raude myself a home.
We numbered three
And lillllie were we,
At adversit fortune mocking.
And Chrlslmastlde
Ily our fl reside
Found hung the baby's stocking.
Alns! within our home to-night
No sweet young voice Is ringing,
And through Its silent rooms no light,
Free, childish step is springing.
The wild winds rave
O'er baby's grave
Where plumy pines are rocking.
And crossed at rest
On marble breast
The hands that lilied my stocking.
With misty eyes hut stcadr hand
I raise my Christmas chalice:
Here's to the children of the laud
In cabin or In palace;
May each one hold
The key of gold
The gates of glee unlocking,
And hands be found
The whole world round
To fill the Christmas stocking
Ladles' Home Journal.
I UNCLE JERKY'S
I CHRISTMAS. I
N C L E J ii R R Y
Foster was too stin
gy to live, mid every
body knew It. Hut
everybody didn't
l ii ,i. h
'4M'HA contrive ..ml
mm
Slit never had the
i i butter nnd ei'i? mon.
ey, tluit most every fanner's w ife has for
her own use, nil went Into Uncle Jerry's
pockets; nnd If she wanted n new gown
or a lMii.net or a pair o' slices 1 hadn't
orter. my If she wanted 'em, but if she
miiHt have 'em, and there wa'n't no posal
Ue uirUily way for hi.n to skin out o' get
tin' 'ein then Uncle Jerry would go to
the store with her and buy 'em and pay
for 'em, jest us if she was a child or an
ijiot, and Incapable o' dewui' business on
her own hook.
If Aunt ltelscy hadn't had the best dis
position In the world, she wouldn't stood
it all them years. As It was, It wore on
her, .ml told on her fearful. Though
Uncle Jerry was one o' the richest men In
town, she might 'a' been the wile o' the
poorest and niiser'blest, so fur's any out
wari Indication was consumed or in
ward indications, cither for she was al
wcrs half starved, and wn'nt tiothiu' but
(kin ami bones, as you might say.
Uncle Jerry grew wuss V wuss, and
come along inwards Christmas, he got a
bran'-new crochet fer savin' Into his head.
It was at family devotion one niornin',
jest before the readin', that he divulgated
it to 1.1a wife. He funis the place In Ne
heinlnr he alwers read the long chapters
In fall and winter and puts his thuin' In
to keep It, Ihen, drawin' on a long face,
lie looks at Aunt Betsey over his spe' til
de, and says he:
"Wife, I are of a notion Hint this 'ere
Christinas business Is all foolishness!
Keen. If It must be a sin in the sight o'
the J-onl to eat so much one day in the
year. I don't believe it's necessary to
make pigs V gluttons of ourselves In
order to have thankful hearts; and if we
go to meet In', nnd so on, why ain't that
enough? I reckon we'll sell tho turkey
this year mil have our usual dinner,
'long's there ain't no children coiulu'
home, nor nothln'."
Aunt Betsey set there with her hands
in her lap, not exactly thlnkln', hut kinder
wonderln' and grievlu'. And when they
kneeled down to pray she kept on wonder
in' more'n ever. She wondered what
he had to lie thankful for, anywuy,
"Now, if Kllen could come home!" Ellen
was their daughter, nil the child they hnd
in the world, and she lived so far away
that she couldn't afford to eon.e home
and bring the children bein' she was a
widder and poor but, oh, how her mother
did wnnter see her! "What did she care
about turkey and plum puddiu' if Kllen
and the children couldn't eat It with her?
Yes, the money might as well be put in
' VOUH WIKK l A VKKV SIl'K WOMAN,"
the bank; she dldu't care." So she
thought on and on, not hardly seuslu' the
prayer a mite,
She went out to her work In the kitch
en fcellu' all broke up. She didn't know
ahould le, 'less she'd iHen kind
r S4'cretly hopln' to have Kllen and the
Christmas was more than she
could bear. There wa'u't uothlu' to her,
do time, as you might say, and this was
the last straw on 'he carnal' back, 'T
ksM li
any rate, all to once she give out and had
to go ter bed, The next moruiu' she
couldn't get up, hut Uncle Jerry didn't
think much about it, s'posed she'd be up
binieby; but when he come in to dinner,
there lay his wife jest the mime, as if
sh? hadn't no thoughts o' gcttiu' up.
He didn't know what under the sun to
do, but he knew he must do somethin', so
he bet a brick ami put to her feet, ami
was jest making a mustard plaster to
put on her somewheres when Mis' Hop
kins happened in.
She we how it was with Aunt Betsey
In a minute. She's awful cute about some
things, Mis' Hopkins is, and she ain't
afraid o' no man livit.'.
"Uncle Jerry," says she, matter of fact
as you please, "your wife's a very sick
woman, and she's goiu' to die right off,
I'm afrnid, Mess we hyper round and do
somethin', and do it quick. But fust I'd
better step over 'n' fetch the doctor."
Uncle Jerry was wonderful took down.
All of a suddon he realized that his wife
was invnlooalile to him; he felt that he
t'Nrl.B JKKRY SKT 1'AL.K AS A STATU.
could not get along without her, nohow.
He was as anxious to have the doctor as
Mis' Hopkins was, and told her to hurry
and bring him,
80 she went he lived neaT by and she
says to him:
"Doctor Cross, now is your chance to
do a deed o' humanity, and put a spoke
In Uncle Jerry Foster's wheel for all
time! If he's got any heart and feeliu's
you must find 'em and work on to 'em for
his wife'a sake. It would be cruel to
bring her back to life, 'less you can do
somethin' to make that life eudoorable.
Don't, I beg on ye, raise her up to live ou
In the same old skimpy miaer'ble way!
Better let her die and done with it."
They discussed and considered over the
matter for a few minutes, then went to
gether to the house.
They found Aunt Betsey layln' J 1st the,
same only she stopjied cryln'. The doctor
examined her and dlnggernosed her case
as well as he could, then he motioned Un
cle Jerry out into the other room and sliet
the door behind him.
It seems the doctor took him awful
solium and In dead earnest, and aaya he,
to begin with:
"I'ucle Jerry, do you set high Tally on
your wife's life?"
"High vally on my wife's life?" aays
Uncle Jerry, red In U.e face. "Of course
I dew. What you talkin' about?"
"I was here when you fetched her home
a bride. I remember how handsome she
was; plump as a pa'tridge, fresh as a
flower, and al laughiu' and chipper a girl
as I 'bout ever see. Changed, terribly
changed, ain't she?" tumln' to Uncle Jer
ry and feelln' in his pocket for his hau'
k'chif to wiie away the tears. "It does
beat all how she's changed," saya he,
"Changed!" saya Uncle Jerry, 11 of a
fluster, "of course she's changed! Why,
we've Ihhmi married goin' un -3 year! You
rau't expect a womau to stay 18 all her
life!"
"I know that farmers' wives grow old
pretty fast as a gineral thiug; break dowu
young, don't they? But, Uuole Jerry,"
siiunrin' round ou him suddenly and look
In' him In the eye, "1 want to ask you to
compare your wife's looks with the looks
of other women of her age In town, no
handsomer, no healthier than what she
wao w hen you married her, and tell me if
you thluk there'a a difference. Now,
they're different from your wife, and
why? I ask yon fair and candid, why
shouldn't she look as happy, be as happy
and make as good a 'pea ranee every way
aa them women? And why la it that ah
OLD FATHER TIME RECEIVES THE NEW YEAR.
has took to her bed in the prime o' life
and don't wnnter live no longer? For I
find that's about the way it is with her."
When Uncle Jerry came back he went
up to the bed and sat down beside his
wife and looked at her. She was asleep,
and Mis Hopkins thought he must 'a'
realized how pitiful she looked for she
seen him draw his hand acrost hia eyes
two or three times on the sly.
Binieby he got up and went out to Mis'
Hopkins, and, says he:
"What was the doctor's orders? What
can 1 do to help ye?"
"He ordered nourishin' food, and wine,
and so ou," she says, "and I guess the
fust thing you may kill a chicken, if
you're minter, and git it ready fer the
broth; then go over to Jim Jackson's and
buy a quart or so of that oldest grape
wine o' his'n. She'll be awake by the
time you get bnckwith it, I guess."
Uncle Jerry didn't so much as wink at
mention of the chicken, but when she
spoke o' the wine so offhnud and;mnttSfrt
o course he drawed in his breath once or
twice kinder spnsiuodicky, but he never
opened his head.
When the broth was ready Uncle Jer
ry asked if he might take it in; so Mis'
Hopkins tilled one of the chiny bowls that
was Aunt Betsey's mar's and set it iu a
plate with a cracker or two, aoid he took
'em along.
The broth was good and strong, nnd
when Aunt Betsey tasted on't she looked
at her husband real kinder scairt, and,
says she:
"Where did this 'ere come from?"
And he 'aughed nnd says: "It's made
out o' one of our best I'lymouth Rocks;
is it good?"
A wonderin', quiverin' smile hovered for
a minute on to her poor face; she didn't
know what to make on't. But when he
lugged In the jug o' wine and poured out
a hull half a tumbler full uud handed it to
her, her eyes fairly rtuck out of her head
with astonishment,
"Drink it; it'll do yon good," says he.
"It's Jim Jackson's oldest grape wine
you've heard tell on."
"Why why, husband!" she whispered,
"didn't it cost an awful sight o' money?"
"Only $3 a gullon," he answered, tryin'
to smile, but look In' rather ghastly. She
sipped It slow, eyein' him over the top o'
the tumbler aa she done so; but pretty
soon she set it down and spoke again,
awful meachin', and 'pealin', her lips
trembllu' as if Bhe was going to cry,
"I'm sorry to put you to so much ex
pense, husband. I'm afraid I'm afraid
it ain't wuth while!"
He got up and blowed his noe with all
his might and main.
"I want yon to get well, Betsey. I want
you to get well!" he managed to say.
The strangest expression come Into her
face you ever see In any creature's. Then,
as If struck by somethin' In his looks, she
find.!; star
K W ' ' Ira
A Wn TF,If Nf Christmas holly overall Nxdoorc
V XtjVJ . I 11 filKtK Ik Mmfil cunt Kin a lnnA tsl f Uruivii.lHt,
seemed to get a dim idee that he was dif
ferent, and she tried to make out how it
was, but couldn't, and, bein' too tired and
weak to think much, she jest shet her
eyes and give it all up.
That night Uncle Jerry harnessed the
old mare and went over nnd got Mary
Ruell-to came V stay with 'em a spell.
Mary's an excellent good hand in cases
o' sickness, and bein' an old maid, she's
always ready to go and dew fer the neigh
bors. She's a prime nuss and housekeep
er, and she's good company, too jest the
kind o' person to cheer Aunt Betsey up,
you know. Wall, it come along the day
lit TR0OPKT A PARCEL O' Cnil.PRRN.
'fore Christmas, and Aunt Betsey lay
back in her easy chair in the cheerful sit
tin' room. A pitcher full of late fall flow
ers stood on the mantelshelf; a cracklin'
tire was burnin' in the open fireplace, and
the old tabby cat lay before it on the rug,
purrin' for all she was wuth a perfect
pictur' of content.
The door was open Into the kitchen, and
she could sec Mary steppin' round about
her work, gettin' ready for to-morrer.
She could smell the stuftin' for the turkey,
and the plum puddin' bakin' In the oven.
She knew there was a hull shelf full o'
pies in the pantry she see 'em yesterday
six mince, six punkin, three apple an'
three cranb'ry tart. She thought it was
too many to make at once; and seemed
so Btrange, She sighed and laid her head
back, with the old look on her face. She
was thinkin' of Kllen and the children.
She sat there, blamin' herself and think
in' what a poor, weak kind of a mother
she was, till the tears rolled down her
cheeks. Then, all at once, she heard a
noise outside.
The stage had stopped, and there was
the sound o' voices talkin' and laughin',
and of feet hurryiu' up the steps. Then
the door opened no, it was burst open
and in trooped a parcel o' children, and
behind 'em, not fur behind, with her hands
stretched out and the happy tears stream
Ui' down her pretty face, come her daugh
ter Kllen!
Htap bHMsrmifc rests cu(ryui)t uf cai), ,
U t rrj trtalpe fotir soft f souls iolljt barf of fOao.
HI IPS ftVWcbuith WRins Woudaiid dear
IjU For k Wilt (5nsrhi1d boro o S UO) ytiP. '
oHirornKanaloury,in jwmarlit.
of Pronvse mji)t CasurjSiy .
calter lout and kindrrf js (wya)ri at can !
JCIory be Io(joi OD.bb-'Pfacwodsooduill Jtoarinan
.. . ,
How them two Kissed and clung to one
V other, till the children got out o' pa
tience and wouldn't wait no longer for
their turn! Then Uncle Jerry came to the
resky and says, betwixt laughin' and ery
in': "There, there, children! I guess that'll
dew! It's my turn now," and he took her
to the lounge whe-e she could lay and
rest nnd still be with 'cm all. She pulled
him down to her and kissed him and
whispered:
"Oh, husband, how pood you be! You've
made me the happiest woman in the
world!"
Uncle Jerry got away as quick as he
could, nnd went out to the barn and set
down on the hay cutter and laughed and
wiped his eyes till he was some calmer.
Then he fell on his knees and thanked
God reverently for showin' hira before he
died what true happiness wuz, and how
to get it for himself by bestowin' it on
otliers. New York Tribune.
Another Year la Dawning.
Anotlier year Is dawnlngl
Dear Master, let It be,
In working or in waiting.
Another year wltb The,
Another year Is leaning,
Upon Thy loving breast
O. ever-deepening trustfulness,
Of quiet, happy rest.
Anotlier year of mercies.
Of faithfulness snd grace;
Another year of gladness,
In the shining of Thy faca,
Another year of progress.
Another year of praise;
Anotlier year of proving
Thy presence all the days,
Another year of service,
Of witness for Thy lov; .
Another year of training
For holier works above.
Another year is dawning!
Dear Master, let It be
On heaven or else In heaven,
Anotlier year for Thee.
Don't A boot Gift.
Don't above all things ask m b,
wnetner yon may exchnnge her gift
Don t forget that It is the Inward imirit
mat ni a Ken tne real value of the offering.
'on i r(irr!ra uissiuisractton with a
gift, no matter how great your disappoint
ment.
Don't above all things be guilty of mak
ing a list of articles yon desire. This is
a species of polite blnckmnil.
Don't, even in yonr innermost self, irpee-
ulate as to whether your gift will bring
a return, and above all a return in mone
tary value.
Don't forget that the chief charm of a
gift is essentially the surprise. Don't,
therefore, barter with a friend as to re
ciprocal gifts.
Don't, if you have neglected to remem
ber a friend, wound her pride by sending
a New Year's gift in exchange for her
Christinas present. The motive is too ap
parent.
Don't give gifts because yon feel com
pelled to do so from a sense of social obli
gation. There are other ways to acknowl
edge Indebtedness than by making the
holiest of holidays a matter of trade and
barter.
Don't consider the Intrinsic value of a
gift when you are the recipient. And
when you are the giver let the gift be
costly aa thy purse can buy don't be
skimpy!
Another Altered Will,
Little Alice Mamma says she ain't go
ing to give you anything for Christmas
this year. Papa's Maiden Sister Oh, she
isn't, eh? Why not? Little Alice 'Cause
the present she give you hurt year was
worth twice as much aa what yon give us.
M ill Receive Calls.
"Do you expect to receive calls on New
Year's dny?" asked Willie Hicoilnr.
"Yes," answered Mamie Hollerton; "I'll
have to. The telephone exchange where I
work wouldn't give me the day off. Isn't
it mean?" Washington titar.
A C lincher,
Mra. Cobwigger You are to ask only
one more question the whole evening.
Freddie Then, ma, if Sauta Clans really
brings the presents why am I not to look
out of the window if an express wagon
drives up to the aoorl Judge,
A Definition of Christmas.
Sunday School Teacher Johnny, what
does rhr.Btmas mean? Johnny My pa
says Christmas means swapping a lot o'
things you can't afford for a lot o' things
, CHRISTMAS MUSINGS.
Whate'or the facts or fancies of our' creed.
They are divine if they but serve our needs!
And hence the brightness of that glorloua
That still is called "The Star of Bethle
hem
A Star, beyond all other stars, designed;
riV. h..A u mini, lnull'A Oil llDinkllld.
And through the various lenses of the sonl
To warm and cueer ana eievum uw nuim,
And what, although Its broad snpernal beams
May be but concentrations ot the gleams
That III up many an eastern Hnddlia s breast.
To shed erewhlle their radiauce o'er the
west !
llThn,nla tlia Lfnila n, mlnf nf the linmS.
In essence, light and love are all the same.
Both myth and mystery must, iu un iuuiK
cling.
Else Progress has no source from whence to
spring.
Here none superior knowledge may assume.
As mind and matter are conceived In glooun
Dispelled one cloud of the profonud eclipse.
..t hnnnn Tinmen WH Rtntld.
With peace and Joy widespread throughout
- the land,
While merry little household Chrlsts are
born
Of every song and smile this Christmas
morn.
Then let onr Inmost souls ascend In praise
To that mysterious power who guides our
ways;
And let us truly thnnk him, one and all.
For all his Chrlsts and Vedas, great and
small
Rut, oh, alas! that we should only see
His love nnd care In fufl prosperity I .
or that discomfort for a single hour
Should prompt us to deny his fostering
powerl
Oh I when shall it be clearly understood
That evil's but the darkest shade of good;
That in some great equation may be blent
Darkness aa though 'twere light's true com.
plemeut?
hut now that we arc all assembled here
Ou this glad day, the white stone of tha
year
As on this elevated plane we stand,
Let us give those below a helping hand.
Let each produce what treasures he has got
Krom any lore he loves no matter what;
Hut all the Christian needs, on his account.
Will simply be "the Sermou ou the Mount.
Jcuuess-iVllller Monthly.
A FLORIDA CHRISTMAS.
How the Iln ppy Iny Is Celebrated in a
Fair Southern City.
HRISTMAS in
Florida is a novel ex
perience to North
erners. There th
4a mnuner of observing
ri i "
W this holiday is more
line a uui i " v.
July celebration
than anything else.
The incessant firing
of torpedoes nnd fire
crackers in the mid-
4 die of the day and
fC' technics in the even-
-r'.--,' ing rob the day ot
much of its mythol
ogical and sacred significance. A stroll
through a typical town in the realm of
fruits and flowers gives a person from
the North some startling ideas. ' The
show windows are full of tirecrnckera,
Uomiin candles, sky rockets, packages of
torpedoes nnd other fireworks. The July
weather in present, aquatic and field
sjort8 are carried out in accordance with,
a regulnr picnic program, and the sight
of thousands in holiday attire on a race
track, the borders of some pretty lake 0
a baseball park, gives little hint of a cele
bration which at the North is attended
with sleighing, skating and Christinas
trees.
Ouly in the churches is the commemo
ration suggestive and fnmiliur. In some
of these a great Christmas ship, with
evergreen-trimmed masts, is displayed.
Bright little lnds and pretty maids dress
ed In white and carrying tinsel wands
distribute presents to everybody. In tha
negro quarters, too, the real ynletide fer
vor is shown. No one loves a holiday
better than a negro, and the eating, drink
ing and singing in the rough, hoarded
huts is engaged in with ardent zeal.
Through latticed windows and open
doors may be seen the smoking turkey
and 'possum, hoe cake, pumpkin pies and
watermelons. The patriarchal colored
preacher summons all his dusky clientele
to the rickety frume church in the after
noon or evening, fixing the minds of hia
auditors on the sin of chicken stealing and
wandering In the white folks' orange
groves after midnight Then all hands
join in the chorus of the old Christinas
song:
Shin' on, shin' on;
Donn' git weary, chillunl
Shin' on, shin' on
Oh, Jerusalem!
The weird chanting, accompanied by
the regular tapping of the feet of the
Bingers on the pine floor, is followed by
an adjournment to some large barn, where
th music from the negro orchestra a vio
lins and banjos for hours keep up the
dance, between fragments of
"All de darkies am a weepln',
Massa's in de cold, cold groun,' "
and "Suwanee River," the plaintive
strains being wafted sweetly through the
swaying pines.
"Well?"
Need Not Interfere.
"I don't see your mistletoe," said be,
glancing up at the chandelier. "Is It real
ly necessary?" replied she, archly. II
wasn't Judge.
The Flirt.
The mistletoe she keeps In view.
And though she says she won't.
Bhe s angry with you if you do,
And cut you U yon don't