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EVERY YEAR.
I FEEL 'tis growing colder
Every year.
And my heart, alas! grows older
Every year.
I can win no new affection;
I have only recollection.
Deeper sorrow and dejection
Every year.
Of the loves aid sorrows blended
... . Every year.
Of the Joys of friendship ended
Every year.
Of the ties Mint still might bind me
Until Time and Death resigned me
My infirmities remind me
Every year.
Ah! how sad to look before us
Every year.
When the clouds grow darker o'er us,
Every year.
When we see the blossoms faded.
That to bloom we nilsht have aided.
And Immortal garlands braided,
Every year.
To the past go more dead faces
, , , . Every year.
As the loved leave vacant places
Every year.
Everywhere the sad eyes meet us.
In the evening's dusk they greet us,
And to come to them entreat us
Every year.
Yes, the shores of life are shifting ,
. . Every year.
And we are seaward drifting
Every year.
Old pleasures, clinging, fret us,
The living more forget us.
There are fewer to resrret us
Every year.
But the truer life draws nlgher
Every year.
And Its morning star climbs higher
Every year.
Earth's hold on rs grows slighter,
And the heavy burden lighter
Aud the dawn Immortal brighter
Every year.
THE mCIIWAYMAN'S N
ft SCflRlSTMAS F&ESEiyr
fortable bed in the rear of tlie express
nfflee. Rut be hnil other thinii to think
of, and after kissing the sleeping baby
hurried about his work of getting ready
for his trip.
In the morning he was up bright and
early, had little Helen tucked away snug
ly inside the coach, and was off for his
station, twenty-five miles distant, near
the Francisco range of mountains.
. "Good luck to you, Willard," was
shouted after him by the ranchmen who
had gathered about to bid him success
in his search for the daring highwaymen.
Nothing out of the usual happened dur
ing the greater part of his journey, and
he was fast beginning to think that his
trip would be made without incident
when he neared the lonely spot at which
almost all of the robberies had taken
place. Standing his Winchester by his
side and placing his revolvers in his
lap, he slowed .up and peered cautiously
on either side. Suddenly, as he turned
a bend in the narrow pass, a figure loom
ed up in thei center of the road and shout
ed: "Hands up!"
In an instant the agent had caught up
his revolvers, but before lie could pull
the trigger the highwayman fired, and
the plucky agent rolled from his seat a
desperately wounded man. Before ad
vancing a step the robber hred again,
killing one of the lead horses. He then
quickly strode to the coach, picked up the
wounded man, threw him under the seat,
and began rifling the old vehicle. A small
box, containing the money destined for
the IMttman Valley office, was all that
was secured. As the robber backed out
of the coach his eye caught sight of the
little bundle of blankets on the seat.
Stooping down he pulled aside the cover-
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Bitter Is the story, told
On the shining Christmas day,
How the saint beloved of old
Now hath censed his merry swayi
Joey spoke without dismay:
" 'Aln t no Santa ClausI' he Bald.
Vain the struggle to gainsay.
l'oor old Santa Clans Is dead!
Since disasters manifold,
l;rtng the reindeer and the sleigh!
Stretch the good saint's body cold
Neatly In Its fur array 1
Smooth his locks so long and gray
Bound his venerable head;
Change for dirge your roundelay
l'oor old Santa Cuius Is deadl
Do not all your tears wlthold.
Once you loved him In your ploy,
Yearned to see his pack unfold,
Ardently desired his stay.
Speed him now upon his way
To that last and lowly bed.
Where the reindeer thus convey
l'oor old Santa Cluus Is deadl
ENVOY.
Faint, for thy repose we pray,
Though thy relgu be vanished.
Skeptic youths we mourn, and say:
"l'oor old Santa Claus Is dead!"
-Chicago Tlmes-Uerald.
1 -Ja.--i:f-r.j.'iJt-rs
7V7 4
others," advises Frances B. Laiiigan in
th 1 .miles Homo .loiirnnl. lief, your
presents to them be of a substantial char
acter a tou of coal, some warm clothing,
some money, a box of groceries, or a
basket of Christmas marketing, topped
with a bunch of holly.. And to the little
children in whose homes Christmas Is lit
tle more than a name, bend some of the
many bright, new tin toys which are so
inexpensive; some candy, some fruit,
brifoit red woollen mittens and Tain o'
Shi.nters, and, if yoj c:iu afford it, some
good stout nhoes and warm stockings. A
piece of bright coloicil plaid will make a
pretty gift for the little girl who has
never, perhaps, had a new dress in her
life. Aecompauy your Christmas pres
ents with some cheery Christinas greet
ings and some Christmas greens. Be very
sure that this thoughtfu'.ness will bring
its own reward, aud that In the yean to
come the memory of the Christmas vhen
you gave the most and received the least
will be the happiest of all memories to
you."
NEW YEAR'S IN WASHINGTON
When Every One Keeps Open Home
with Lavish Hospitality.
Mary Nimmo Balentine, writing of
"New Year's Day in the White House"
in the- Woman's Home Companion, thus
describes the public receptions: "An
nouncements arei published in the news
papers proclaiming the levee at the White
House and the exact minute at which the
different officials of the Government ser
vice will be received, but it is usually
near one o'clock before the sovereign peo
ple are admitted to the grounds.
"The state levee at the White House Is
but the beginning of the calling that con
HIS LETTER TO SANTA CLAUS. vlf
tj i pnpa s
AA Ts 8lni
J Another
And pan says
Y pnpa says at Sann Claus
lng to bring to me
muniuiu, ennstmas time.
nan rhvh nt Hh
Is beautiful and good anil kind
Anil suyb she hopes at I
Will like he:1 awful much and learn
To U e her by uud b.
My papa'R often neon her, and
lie says her eyes re blue,
Tli stiiiig as iiilae la, and her cheeks
Ha3 ilTniples lu vhem, too,
Ami Khe ulq'l more nji, half as o'.d'g
My otlicr nihmriia was,
And i'.iti-;i i-aya I cr.;:ht to think
Deur, kind old Santa Claus
But I nfn't glad and ! don'v want
No other mamma hero;
I'd rather have him bHng ine nucx
My own sweet mamma dear
My nice, good mummu that 1 g:us
So far so fur nway
I'll write to Santa Cluui to bring
Her back to mo to May.
TIIS LETTER.
Dear Er.nla Claus: My papa says
You're going' to bring to me
Another mamniR. Christmas time,
At's as sweet as phc can be;
But I don't want no other oie.
Don't put her In your pack--But
please, good Santa, won't you bring
My own dear mn mma back?
She said, before "he went away,
At Rhe wouM talco my hand
And lead mo out of here some ilr.y
Into a happier land,
So don't bring no new mamma here
At's younger than she was
To take the place we've );ept for her,
Dour, kind old Santa Claus.
If you can bring new mammas rouhil
Why can't you find some way
To hrlnv n boy's own lnnmnia horns
And give her to him, sny?
I don't, want no now inn mum here,
At's lift sweet ns she can lie
But bring my old one, Santa, dear,
To pnpa nnd to me.
Cleveland Leader.
NEW YEAR'S DAY LONG AGO,
Hilarious Jiejoicinjr In Slerrle En
gland; Scotland and France.
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