Heppner gazette., December 19, 1907, Image 2

CHHISTMAS LONG AQt,
5IKENSIBE
i BY
MRS. MARY J. HOLMES
Aahr "Dora ftaie." "Tte Enrllih Orpluns." "Homnread M Ike Hllli'se," "Lni Rlveri,"
" Mtidowbrwk," "leapt ind Satihlie," "Consia MuV' etc
CHAPTER XIII.
In the course of time Uuele Joseph
Nmr as was arranged, and on the day
following Maddy and Guy rode down to
see him, finding him a tall, powerfully
built man. retaining many vestiges of
manly beauty, and fully warranting all
Mrs. Markham had said in his praise. He
eenied perfectly gentle and harmless,
though when Guy was announced as Mr,
Remington, Maddy noticed that in his
keen black eyes there was for an Instant
a fiery gleam, but it quickly passed away,
as he muttered :
"Much too young ; he was older than I
and I am over forty. It's all right."
And the fiery eye grew soft and almost
leepy in its expression, as the poor luna
tic turned next to Maddy, telling her
bow pretty she was, asking her if she
were engaged, and bidding her to be care
ful that her fiance was not more than a
doaen years older than herself.
Uncle Joseph seemed to take to her
from tha very first, following her from
room to room, touching her fair soTt
cheeks, smoothing her silken hair, telling
her Sarah's used to curl, asking if she
knew where Sarah was, and finally cry-
lag for her as a child cries for its moth
er, when at last she went away. Much
of this Maddy had repeated to Jessie, as
In the twilight they sat together in the
parlor at Aikenside ; and Jessie was not
the only listener, for with her face rest
ing on her hand, and her head bent eager
ly forward, Agnes sat, so as not to lose a
word of what Maddy was saying of Uncle
Joseph. The Intelligence that he was
coming to the red cottage had been fol
lowed with a series of headaches, so se
vere and protracted that Dr. Holbrook
had pronounced her really sick, and had
been unusually attentive. Anxiously she
had waited for the result of Maddy's visit
to the poor lunatic, and her face was
colorless as marble as she heard him de
scribed, while a faint sigh escaped her
when Maddy told her what he had said of
6a rah.
Agnes was changed somewhat of late.
Che had grown more - thoughtful and
quiet, while her manner toward Maddy
was not aa haughty as formerly. Guy
thought her improved, and thus was not
bo delighted as he would otherwise have
been, when, one day about two weeks
after Uncle Joseph's arrival at Honedale,
she startled him by saying she thought it
nearly time for her to return to Boston
If she meant to spend the winter there,
and asked what she should do with Jessie.
Guy was not quite filling for Agnes
to leave him there alone, but when he !
saw that she was determined, he consent
ed to her going, with the understanding
that Jessie was to remain a plan which
Agnes did not oppose, as a child so large
as Jessie might stand in the way of her
being as gay as she meant to be in Bos
ton. Jessie, too, when consulted, said
she would far rather stay at Aikenside;
and so one November morning, Agnes,
wrapped in velvet and furs, kissed her
little daughter, and bidding good-by to
Maddy and the servants, left a neighbor
hood which, since Uncle Joseph was so
near, had become so intolerable that not
even the hope of winning the doctor could
avail to keep her in it.
Guy accompanied her to the city, won
dering why, when he used to like it so
much, it now seemed dull and tiresome,
or why the society he had formerly enjoy
ed failed to bring back the olden pleas
ure he had experienced wbeu a re3ij.cn t
of Boston. After seeing Agnes settled hi
one of the most fashionable boarding
bouses, he started for Aikenside.
It was dark when he reached home,
and as the evening had clewed in with a
heavy rain, the house presented rather
a cheerless appearance, particularly as,
in consequence of Mrs. Noah's not ex
pecting him that day, no fires had been
kindled in the parlors, or in any room ex
cept the library. There a bright coul fire
was blazing In the grate, and thither Guy
repaired, finding, as he had expec ted. Jes
sie and her teacher. Not liking to in
trude on Mr. Guy, of whom she still
stood somewhat in awe. Maddy soon arose
to leave, but Guy bade her stay; he
should be lonely without hr, he said; and
so bringing her work she sat down to
sew, while Jessie looked over a book of
prints, and Guy upon the lounge studied
the face which, it seemed to him, grew
each day more and more beautiful. Then
ha talked with her of bo ks, and the les
sons which were to be resumed on the
morrow, watching Maddy as her bright
face sparkled and glowed with excitement.
Then he questioned her of hr father's
family, feeling a strange sense of satis
faction in knowing that the Clydcs uvre
not a race of whose blo'id anyone ned be
ashamed ; and Maddy was more like t'lem,
be was sure, than like the Markhams.
and Guy shivered a little n.s he recalled
the peculiar dialect of Mr. and Mrs.
Markham, and remembered that they were
Maddy's grandparents. Not that it was
anything to him. Oh, no! Only a an
Inmate of his family he felt interested
in her. more so perhaps than younx men
were apt to be interested in their sister's
governess.
Had Guy then been asked the question,
ne would, in all probability, have ackn nvl
edged that in his heart there was a fill
ing of superiority to Maddy Clyde; that
she wag not quite the equal of Aiken
side's heir, nor yet of Lucy Atherstone.
It was natural; he had been educatod to
feel the difference, but any haughty arro
gance of which he might have been gu;ity
was kept down by his extreme good pen so
and generous, impulsive nature. He liked
Maddy; he liked to Pwk at her as, in the
Incoming crimson merino which he really
and Jessie nominally had given her, she
sat before him, with the firelight falling
on her hair and making shadows on her
sunny face.
It did not take long for the people of
Hommerville to bear that Guy Reming
ton had actually turned schoolmaster,
having In his library for two hours or
mora each day Jessie's little girl-governess
people wondering, as people will, where
It would end, and If It could b possible
tfrt tha haughty Guy had forgotten his
Knglish Lucy and gone to educating a
wife.
Ihe doctor, to whom these remarks
were sometimes made, silently gnashed
his teeth, then said savagely that "if Guy
chose to teach Maddy Clyde, be did not
see whose business it was," and then
rode over to Aikenside to see the teacher
and pupil, half hoping that Guy would
soon tire of his project and give It up.
But Guy grew more and more pleased
with his employment, until, at last, from
giving Maddy two hours of his time, he
came to give her four, esteeming them the
pleasantest of the whole twenty-four. Guy
was proud of Maddy's improvement, prais
ing her often to the doctor, who also mar
veled at the rapid development of her
mind and the progress she made, grasp
ing a knotty point almost before it was
explained, and retaining with wonderful
tenacity what she learned.
It mattered nothing to Guy that neigh
bors gossiped ; there were none familiar
enough to tell him what was said, except
the doi-tor or Mrs. Noah ; and so he heard
few of the remarks made so frequently.
As in Iloneda'e, so in Soinmerville, Maddy
was a favorite, and those who interested
themselves most in the matter said Mr.
Guy might perhaps be educating his own
wife, and Insinuating that It would be a
great "come up" for Grandfather Mark
ham's child. But Maddy never dreamed
of such a thing, and kept on her pleasant
way, reciting every day to Guy and go
ing every Wednesday to the red cottage,
whither, after the first visit to Uncle
Joseph, Guy never accompanied her. Jes
sie, on the contrary, went often to Hone
dale, where one at least always greeted
her coming, stealing up closely to her,
whispering softly : "Daisy is come again."
From the first Uncle Joseph had taken
to Jessie, calling her Sarah for a while,
and then changing the name to "Daisy"
"Daisy Mortimer, his little girl," he per
sisted in calling her, watching from his
window for her coming, and crying when
ever Maddy appeared without her. At
first Agnes, from her city home, forbade
Jessie's going so often to see a lunatic;
but when Jessie described the poor, crazy
man's delight at sight of her, telling how
quiet and happy he seemed If he could
but lay his hand on her head, or touch
her hair, she withdrew her restrictions.
and. as if moved to an unwonted burst of
tenderness, wrote to her daughter: "Com
fort that crazy man all you can ; he
needs it so much."
A few weeks after there came another
letter from Agnes, but this time it was to
Guy, and its contents darkened his hand
some face with anger and vexation. In
cidentally Agnes had heard the gossip,
and written it to Guy, adding In conclu
sion : "Of course I know it is not true,
for even if there wt-re no Lucy Ather
stone, you, of all men, would not stoop
to Maddy Clyde. I do not presume to ad
vise, but I will say this, that now she is
growing a young lady, folks will keep on
talking so long as you keep her there in
the house ; and it's hardly fair toward
Lucy."
This was what knotted up Guy's fore
head and made him. as Jessie said, "real
cross for once." Somehow, he fancied,
latterly, that the doctor did not like
Maddy's being there, while even Mrs.
Noah managed to keep her out of his way
as soon as the lessons were ended. What
did they mean? why did they presume to
interfere with him? He'd know, at all
events; and summoning Mrs. Noah to his
presence, he read that part of Agnes' let
ter pertaining to Maddy, and then asked
what it meant.
"It means this, that folks are In a con
stant worry for fear you'll fall in love
with Maddy."
"I fall in love with that child!" Guy
repeated, laughing at the idea, and forget
ting that he had long since accused the
doctor of that very thing.
"Yes, you," returned Mrs. Noah, "and
'tain't strange they do. Maddy is not a
child ; she's nearer sixteen than fifteen,
is almost a young lady ; and if you'll ex
cuse my boldness, I must say I ain't any
too well pleased with the goin's-on my
self ; not that I' don't like the girl, for I
do,-and I din't blame her an atom. She's
as inno-ent as a new-born liabe, ami I
hope she'll always stay so; but you, Mr.
Guy. you now tell me honest do you
think as much of Lucy Atherstone as you
us 'd to, before you took up school keep
in'?" Guy did not like to he interfered with,
nnd naturally high-spirited, he at first
flew into a pa-wion. delaring that he
would not have folks meddling wi ll him,
that be thought of Lucy Ath'Tstone all
the time, and h" did not know what more
ho (Oild do; tint 'twas a pity if a man
could not enj iy hiMM'If in his own way,
providing that way w r- h'rmloss, that
he'd never spent so happy a winter as the
last; that "
Here Mrs. Noah interrupted him with:
"That's it, the very it : yon want nothing
better than to have that girl sit close to
you when she recite.s, as she does; and
once when she was workin' out some of
thin pluses au 1 ininns"s. and things, her
slate rested 011 your knee; it did, I saw
it with my own eyes; and then, let me
ask, when Jessie is drunimin' on the
piano, why don't you Lend over her. and
turn the haves, and count the time, as
you do when Madly plays; and how do-s
it happen that lately Jessie is one too
many, when you hear Maddy's lessons?
She has no suspicions, but I know she
ain't sent off for nothin'; I know you'd
rather be alone with Maddy (,'bde than to
have unybody present ; isn't it fo?"
Guy began to wince. There was much
truth in what Mrs. Noah had said. He
did devise various methods of getting rid
of Jessie, whi n Maddy was in his library,
but it had never looked to him in just the
light it did when presented by Mrs.
Noah, and he doggedly asked what Mrs.
Noah would have him do.
"First and foremost, then, I'd have you
tell Maddy yourself that you are engaged
to Lucy Atherstone ; second, I'd have you
write to Lucy all about It, and if you
honestly can, tell her that you only car
for Mnrtffy as a friend ; third, I'd Havt
you send the girl "
"Not away from Aikenside! I nevei
will !" and Guy sprang to his foet.
The mine had exploded, and for an
instant the young man reeled, as he caughl
a glimpse of where he stood ; still h
would not believe It, or confess to him
self how strong a place in his affections
was held by the beautiful girl how no
longer a child. It was almost a yeat
since that April afternoon when he first
met Maddy Clyde, and from a timid, bash
ful child, of fourteen and a half, she had
grown to the rather tall and rather self. 1
possessed maiden of fifteen and a half, al
most sixteen, as Mrs. Noah said, "almost
a woman ;" and as if to verify the lattei
fact, she herself appeared at that very
moment, asking permission to come in and
find a book, which had been mislaid, and
which she needed in hearing Jessie's les-1
sons. I
"Certainly, come In," Guy said, and
folding his arms he leaned against the
mantel, watching her as she hunted for
the missing book.
There was no pretense about Maddy
Clyde, nothing put on for effect, and yet
in every movement she showed marks, of
great improvement, both in manner and
style. Of one hundred people who might
glance at her, ninety-nine would look a :
second time, asking who she was. iot the
remotest suspicion had Maddy of what
was occupying the thoughts of her com-1
panions, though, as she left the room and
glanced brightly up at Guy, it struck her
that his face was dark and moody, and a
painful sensation flitted through her mind
that in some way she had intruded. I
'Well," was Mrs. Noah's first comment,
as the door closed on Maddy, but as Guy
made no response to that, she continued :
"She is pretty. That you won't deny."
Yes, more than pretty. She'll make
a most beautiful woman."
Guy seemed to talk more to himself
than to Mrs. Noah, while his foot kicked
the fender, and he mentally compared
Lucy and Maddy with each other, and
tried to think that it was not the result
of that comparison,, but rather Mrs.
Noah's next remark,' which affected him
unpleasantly. The remark or remarks
were as follows :
"Of course she'll make a splendid wom
an. Everybody notices her now for ner
beauty, and that's why you've no business
to keep her here where you see her every
day. It's a wrong to her, lettin' yourself
alone."
Guy looked up, and Mrs. Noah contin
ued :
I've been a girl myself, and I know
that Maddy can't be treated as you treat
her without its having an effect. I've
no idea that it's entered her head yet,
but it will bimeby, and then good-by to
her happiness."
"For pity's sake, what do you mean!
What have I done to Maddy, or what
am I going to do?"
Coming nearer to him. and lowering
her voice, Mrs. Noah replied :
"You are going to teach her to lova
you, Guy Remington."
And is that anything so very bad,
I'd like to know? Most girls do not find
love distasteful," and Guy walked hastily
to the window, where he stood for a mo-
ment gazing out upon the soft April snow
which was falling, and feeling anything
but satisfied either with the weather or
himself ; then walking back, and taking a
seat before the fire, be said : "I under-
stand you now. You would save Maddy
Clyde from sorrow, and you are right
You know more of girls than I do. She
might in time get to to think of me aa
she ought not. I never looked upon it in
this light before. I've been so happy with
her" here Guy's voice faltered a little,
but he recovered himself and went on;
"I will tell her about Lucy to-night,
but the sending her away, I can't do that,
Neither will she be happy to go back
where I took her from, for though the
hesr of neor.le. thev are not like Maddy.
n rwl fnn Vnnvc It".'
Yes, Mrs. Noah did now it, and pleas
ed that her boy, as she called Guy, had
shown some signs of penitence and amend
ment, she said sne am not tninu it neces-
..... . ...
sary to send Maddy home; she did not
if ,irw .She liked the HH. nnd
ciia miiriseH wna this, th.it (Imv
should send Maddy and Jessie both to broke bondage and discussed openly the
boarding school. Agnes, she knew, would coming holiday. In an unguarded mo
be willing, and it was the best thing he ment h.s son inquired if a set of books
could do. Maddy would thus learn what had Phased had been delivered,
was expected of a teacher, and as soon a. Without being told, his father knew
she graduated, she could procure som, those books were designed for him. They
eligible situation." , were something he had secretly longed
(To be continued.) '. but hfd dfnled h'self because the
I needs, real or imaginary, of his family
I were his paramount consideration. And
Without the sinews of War. now they were to be his In spite of his
Mr. r.ixllish Is quite sure that worn- declaration there was nothing he wanted,
an's certificate of capacity should nod He began to wish tbat he had some
Include the riglit to cast a vote. Mrs. thing with which to give his family a
I'.odfish is equallv certain that her sea happy surprise. "They will give me
is amply qualified to invade the eou-v things, and they will give thinto one
cils, nnd "hare, If not actually control f uT0 lU be DOthln from
the action of men. gittjng aione with his paper, he heard
"I won't say that we are fitted for gUrreptitious rustlings as of packages be
overy kind of a position." she modest- ing handled, and the low murmur of
ly conceded, in a recent discussion, voices from his wife and daughter, inter
"I'm sure I would never undertake tc runted with little bursts of gay laughter
build brides and tiling like that 1 that showed something joyous was going
, , . , t , , . , , on He had nothing for anyone, and to-
should srrnplv K-t d.zzy and tumble In on-e thegllve h?m tokens ot
,r inn oir. 1.111 mere are u-i uwi i.n
of real jobs that I would undertake
There s strcet-clcatiiiiR. Hiats
on
tiling a woman could boss to perfec
tion."
"Yes," Mr. liodfish observed, indul
gently. "II'iw would you fro to work
to dean up if you were street commis
sioner':" 'How?'' repeated his wife. "Why,
with brooms and hoes and shovels and
things instead "'she paused "instead
of just an appropriation!" she finished
tri uiKphantly.
F.anlljr Satisfied.
"I want." said the woman of fashion
to the liauzhty department clerk, "tc
le surrounded with more 'pomp than
any other woman of my acquaintance,
Can you help me do it?"
-rJits:" he answered and Immedl-
.1; 1 th
II t'.IJ jix.iv si. 1 -r niv vouun.1 VUV
they were sold. Baltimore American,
Kirrptloa to the Rale.
"Knowledge is irower, you know,
auoted Shortlelgh.
"I'm not so sure of that," replied
Long. "I know you borrowed $10 o!
. .. . . T . ,. .
me .U months ago, but I don't seem t
bar U power to get It back."
Aii 1
yCsu I Lvfvy TC ""' W,,I,,M '"'id ceased tlielr carol.
JKW 3 jt'f?"Ofs 1 he' waters ciiiiui.v slept,
1 VX- JsT l Alul 0 ('r tl"'lr (lick's tvpus'.ng.
I M 1 jHaj-aVX iS'Iv A u,ll(h the sh -!ierls kept;
f y V IX .'lLJjh Z? VWicn from the u jten City, ,; ,.'.
llYiA VV rr mi pinions white and fair, Hi Wit,
ll'faiX xfN A An u libel host ties, elding ill! Ill,
W YW' aliiA UIUl l"l''sU' mU'd lUe Ulr' ll wf'i
,mY TV V It ' l l"rr to Ond In the highest, W Iff'
h lxflKijlhn fit, Good will mid peace 011 earth- mi I ffj
IrfflwAjtoJ T"'8 BU"B " tue n"gel miili
zvvkrwZ? Tbat anUeJ our saTior'8 br,b- Eli ,
W)i,fM III f3tl I oh ,110"i 'f radiant splendor! wMI iMiIL
WwfWlUffu Oh lileHsed day of days. Wl M M M
I TJkK!SWWi7 Thut banished gloom and sadness fillMl fl
I I U TrSLfyBll And tilled the world with prulse: fM jit 111
I fill1, USUI Hi The shepherds sourht the uinnger M mm, 11 If .
I ' i lAirP JaNU I TUl,t held the new horn KIuk, MMWIIMIm
I '111 fSytlMJL Whose bright and Joyful advent fiMWIW IW.
If) ' I Mlj sterna! ' "hall Bl,,- ' j nEMU
W it TO Hi oUlw We come to join the chorus whwMmk'.
II . lAwL Z&Dfcv Of aagel choirs above, ' !H SWtiHm
Jl 1 X-aniJiNv Au'l hout aloud hosannas MSwS'
vV""-rWffTfiAV!fr rlwr Kor our Redeemer's love; OTlflryi77
jj We gather now rejoicing,
John Sv?ayn?r's
EVOL
w
HEN John Raynor began to see
the holiday advertisements in
the papers and to feel the
Christmas flurry in the air, he
announced to his family with an air of
finality, tinged with defiance, "you needn't
expect anything In the way of Christmas
presents from me this year."
"Why, John!" his wife exclaimed, "we
are not going to do very much. Just a
few gifts in the family to mark the day,
and then the children think so much of
it."
"The children !" John returned with
fine scorn, "they're grown now and it's
time for them to get over such nonsense.
I positively refuse to have Anything to
do with Christmas."
John Raynor persisted in making him-
self miserable and In bringing to bear
all the arguments he could think of
against the prevailing manner of observ-
ing Christmas. Figuratively speaking, he
pounded the table and grew purple in the
face in his endeavors to hammer In his
remonstrances against holiday customs.
In spite of himself he could not help
enjoying the sights and sounds, heralding
the approach of the holiday season. The
gala dress of the shop windows appealed
to his color-loving eye, and when the
Christmas greens began to soften the
ftrim, winter streets with their verdure,
they took him back to the days when as a
boy he roamed the woods in search of
ground pine for holiday decorations and
the cedar or evergreen tree on which his
mother would hang their Christmas pres
ents. He felt a little of the old thrill of
delightful expectation when these things
came back to his mind, but his reverse
mood was the stronger and he persisted
: .. i.An(n v, ; , i . 1,. i ; n
" ""vs L"
He was firm until the
night before
Christmas.
Then bis wife and children
the(r thought and attention, he should
fee, ,ike an exie from home. A sudden
resolve took him in possession.
"Alice," he called to his wife, I m
going out for awhile. Is there anything I
can do for you?"
"Nothing, thank you," she returned,
"unless you want to bring home some
candy for to-morrow. Oh, I forgot," she
said In the next breath, "you won't want
to trouble about it. Never mind, we'll
manage some way."
It is astonishing how quickly one's
mind can be changed. John Raynor's un
derwent a lightning transformation. He
boarded a car and rode to the shopping
district with his mind filled with nothing
but Christmas presents. He felt like a
boy turned loose with money to spend and
none to restrict his fancy. He pushed
nd jostled and wrestled with the crowd,
exhilarated by the contact with people
bent on holiday shopping. His past mood
slipped away like a cast-off garment He
had -uslt the Christmas spirit and his
revulsion of feeling amounted almost to
intoxication.
"There you are, sonny," he told a news
boy, bestowing a dime in exchange for a
paper he did not want.
He helped to "keep the kettles boiling"
for the slTtion Arm Christmas dinner.
and he-thought he had never heard a gay-
er sound than the jangling of the bells
SaImlon ,oldler, kept la notion to
4ttenUoa te their needs.
Christmas
ELIZABETH AY RES
ne carried his merry mood home with
him and the moment he entered the door
his family felt the difference.
He could not keep his secret until morn
ing, though he told it only to his wife.
"Here are some little things for you
and the children, Alice," he said when
they were alone, dropping the packages
carelessly on the table. She looked up
with eyes alight, and with an expression
which told him he had done well, but she,
being a woman of wisdom, made no com
ment to remind him of past events.
When John Raynor fell asleep that
Christmas eve, through his mind was jig
ging and jingling the merry old refrain :
"Christmas comes but once a year,
Let us all be of good cheer."
-r-Toledo Blade.
Christ man Cardn.
The Christmas card as we know It has
an origin easily traceable, and it Is doubt
less at least sixty years since the first
was designed. The artist who claimed
to be its originator and who was, at any
rate, the first to see its possibilities was
W. C. T. Dobson, R. A., who, when quite
a young man, in 1844, was prompted at
Christmas to make a little sketch sym
bolic of the season's joys and festivities
and to send it to a friend. It seemed
to give great pleasure, and the next year
Mr. Dobson determined to follow up the
idea on a larger scale, and by having his
card photographed was enabled to send
copies to twenty-five or thirty friends.
The delight with which they were received
was so great that Mr. Dobson was quick
to perceive that he had found out a new
pleasure for Christmas. New York Mail
and Express.
C'hrlntmas and Motherhood.
On that Christmas night God honored
motherhood. The angels on their wings
might have brought an infant Saviour to
liethlehem without Mary's being there at
all. But, no ; motherhood for nil time
was to De eonseeraiea, ana one or tne
tenderest relations was to be the maternal
relation, and one of the sweetast words,
"mother." In all ages God has honored
good motherhood. In a great audience,
most of whom were Christians, I asked
that all those who had been blessed with
Christian mothers arise, and almost the
entire assembly stood up. Don't you see
how Important it is that all motherhood
be consecrated? Talmage.
The Spirit of Giving.
Don't give only where you expect a
return or wonder whether you will be
supposed to buy something for A., B. or
C. The spirit of Christmas lies in the
loving and the giving never in the re
ceiving. The Origin of Chrlatmaa Greene.
At the Saturnalia, the heathen proto
type of Christmas, it was the Roman
custom to decorate the house with ever
greens. This was done to give the wood
land spirits a refuge from the cold.
GETTING KEA
Come sing a hale heigh-o
For the Christ inns long ago,
When tho old log cabin homed us
From the night of blinding snow,
And the rarest joy held reign,
And the chimney roared amain.
With the firelight like a beacon
Through the frosty wlnddw pane.
Ah ! the revel and the din
From without and from within.
The blend of distant sleigh bells
With the plinking violin;
The muffled shrieks aud cries
Then the glowing cheeks and ee
The driving storms of greetings,
Gusts of kisses and surprise.
Sing In again the mirth
Of the circle 'round the hearth.
With the rustic Sinbad telling us
The strangest tales on earth t
And the minstrel bard we knew,
With his "Love-li-er so true,"
Likewise his "Young IIouse-k'yarstle,,
And "Lov-ed Henry," too!
And forgetting ne'er a thing,
Lift a gladder voice and sing
Of the dancers In the kitchen
Clean from start to "pigeoa wing!
Sing the glory and the glee
And the joy and jubilee
The twirling form the lqoIckene
breath
The sigh of ecstasy.
But eyes that smile alone
Back into our happy own
The leaping pulse the laughing Wood-
The trembling undertone I
Ho I pnid us off' once more,
With our feet upon the floor,
But our heads and hearts in heaven.
As they were in days of yore.
James Whitcomb Riley, in the Interior
' At the Spanlnh Court.
Christmas in Spain begins with the
midnight mass, when the king and queen
diothef; accompanied by the grandees of
the court, ma&n'ncntly attired, go in
state procession to the chapel royal of
the palace In Madrid. On Christmas
morning the king and court again attend
mass in state, after which the day is
spent in merrymaking. In the afternoon
the adoration of the manger takes place.
when a representation of the scene in
Bethlehem Is unveiled in the great hall of
the palace. There is also a Christmas
tree, from which Alfonso distributes gifts.
Throughout the ensuing twelve days the
court is all benevolence and gayety, and
every great institution In Madrid shares
In the royal almsgiving. The festive
closes Jan. G.
Iler Chrltmns Contnme.
Adam How would you like some nice,
new fig leaves for a gown for Christmas?
Eve Fig leaves for Christmas. That's
just like a man ! Don't you know that
Christmas is a holly-day?
C'hrlntnia Every Day.
Christianity should make every day in
the year a sort of Christmas day. This
time of love and gladness and good will
was never meant to he confined to one
brief festival. This burying of old
grudges and reconciling of estranged
friends, this comforting of the sad and
gladdening the hearts of the poor, and
sharing our plenty with those in need, are
some' of Christianity's every-dny duties.
Do not lower the standard when the
twenty-fifth of December is over. Do not
go back to the old selfish, narrow, unsat
isfactory way of living. Let this Christ
mas be a prophecy of what the New Yeat
is to be, a time of gladness and good will.
Ills Christmas Schedule.
"You know what dey gwine give voo
for Chris'mus?" .
"No; I ain't studied 'bout It ritl"
"Beaver-hat."
"My, my!"
"Long tail coat."
"Tell de truth !"
"StaTidin' collar."
"Lawd bless us!"
"B'iled shirt, kid gloves, en a gold-heaj
walkin' stick!"
"De Lawd save us !" exclaimed the
prospective heir to all the above1 gifts,
"Has I got ter go ter preachin' de gospill
In my ole age?" Atlanta Constitution.
DY FOB SANTA.