SANTA CLAUS A STRANGER. He la Officially Unknown to Uncle Sam'a Mail Agents. The postotllce department does not know Santa Claus. The old Baiut has no official existence so far as Uucle Sam's mail agents are concerned. This is due entirely to the fact that Santa Claus lives everywhere at the same time instead of having a single local habitation like other people. It Is very sad, but it cannot be helped. Letters which children address to Santa Claus or Kris Kriugle must go straight to the dead letter oilice. Some time ago an effort on behalf of the children was made to induce the postoflice department to permit post masters to open all letters addressed to Santa Claus and turn them over to the parents of the child correspondent or to some local organization having a Christmas fund to cpeiid, but the at torney general for the department ren dered an adverse decision, holding as follows: If postmasters were granted authority to open all such letters nnd select thosa which they thought proper to deliver to persons applying for tliein, there would be temptation and opportunity for post masters ai.d other employees to op;n let ters indiscriminately, some cf which con tain Inclosures of vulue. and give ub an excuse for such action the authority granted by the department. The department's legal adviser also was of the opinion that. If permission were granted to deliver such letters to benevo lent societies and Individuals, it would be difficult tor the department to draw the line where benevolence ends and commer cialism begins. Many persons desire such letters for use In newspapers and maga zine stories, tho name of the child of some prominent public man attached to such a letter making it especially valua ble for that purpose and often corre spondingly embarrassing to the parent of the child. Furthermore, the opinion states, such a practice would violate the principle of the sanctity of the seal, which is one of the best features of our postal system, and the department would continually be open to serious suspicion. Candles For Christmas. Christmas cnndlemnkers are busy for many months lu the year. It would be Impossible to estimate how many hundreds of thousands of dozens of pretty little colored wax candles are re quired for Christmas trees nil over Eu rope nnd America. There are also can flies for church decoratiou at Christ mnstlde. Whereas the Christmas tree tapers are, some of them, so tiny as to require seventy-two to make a pound, the great altar shafts of pure beeswax will sometimes stand six feet and weigh forty pounds apiece. Tit-Bits. Avoiding Temptation. Hammert Sty Ingham has never bmght a Christmas tree for his chll flreu. Callahan Probably he ia afraid of temptation. Hammert Temptation? Callahan I mean that he is afraid that if he did buy a tree he would be tempted to buy something to hang on it. Town and Country. Hurry Up Santa Claus! Vander Mlstah Ciirls'muB, Loafln' long de way. "He slower than a railroad" Da what Chilian say. tey Pants Mm fer ter hurry up An' pass de time er day, Drottniln' 'bout de comln' er de Cliris'mus! Atlanta Constitution. of w&s only Santa O&us 5aA An rue wiTV a. gnu ' know o just one stocking I'd put all the present in1." I know my feet are o.wul big. fhefVe shocking bat they're iusT once a year When hang up my stocking'- WASHINGTON 04T Ths Quest of ths Auto. i,.a.aHi am hoping and Airs. " - - . praying that my hubby will give ma an auto ior iuruu. Her Friend-How long are you mar ried? Mrs. Newlywed-Six months. ' .....1 hnnlna- and Drav- Her r neuu - - - lug may fetch It this year but next y year it Wiu nuv v jawing.-Jude nxnnrv 1 JAMES D. CORROTHEDS II5DT, dai, Kin Kaady Jan.! Set me comia' up de Uit Speck yoi waitis' foh ne. En o' late t-gitUi roan' Had to walk iytak deaa fom town - But well be is time, Ak'm bona', Do' bit' i pu'tty ito'my. JAXX au abm 'a le'i path en 'Cron lota, 'ca'ie de time's doae fone. IT we ought to be dab! Chrii'mai ain't de time to crawl To er ole time country balL Preach! may aot lak it 't all. Bat bell ibo' ilae mo dab. LOOZEEyoa'ab! Dah'i de light, TTpde road dab to de right! Let de roadi be imooe er rough, Soon we'll j'iae de meaiah! Saow, blow, drif ia' lak a bluff, Cain't come col' er mow erauff Foh to stop oah pleaiah! QO'SE Ah blebei ia doia right; Goes to eha'ch o' Sunday night, Speihly ef it'i handy. But teem lak Ah'i gittin 10, Ef it rain er taow er blow, Boa keer ef Ah go er no Bis hyeah'i diffunt, Handy. New Tork Kail and Express. THE TERROR'S CHRISTMAS. Turkeys Wars $17 Each During the Siege ef Paris. When the Christmas day of 1870 dawned upon Paris the city had been In the Iron grip of the German invest ment for about three months. The winter was a bitterly cold one, the thermometer registering 10 degrees be low freezing point on Christmas morn Ins. The Seine was froien over. The poor's dally rations were a few ounces of horseflesh and a piece of re pulsive looking black bread. By Dec 25 food prices had reached their highest point since the begin ning of the siege. On Not. 13 a pound of butter fetched $14 and a rabbit $3.50. By Dec. 19 rabbits had risen to $5, a box of sardines brought $2.50 and eggs 25 cents apiece. For one's Christ mas dinner one could bny a goose for $10 or a turkey for $17. Pigeons were $3 each, and a small fowl could be ob tained for $5. Ham was $1.50 a pound. As for vegetables, carrots and turnips were 4 cents each, and a bushel of po tatoes cost $6.25. There was hardly any milk In Paris, and the little there was had to be preserved for the sick and wounded. However, there were oceans of wine, and the wineshops did a roaring trade. For some time before Christmas the starving people had been feeding on cats, rats and dogs until by Dec. 25 a dish of cat's flesh was hardly obtain able. Dog was 60 cents a pound, and fine rats fetched 14 cents each. Many domestic pets were killed for food. "Poor Axor!" said a humorous citizen as be finished a stew made from his favorite dog. "How be would hare enjoyed these bones!" With true Parisian light heartedness the citizens tried to make the best of things', and the cafes and restaurants wore almost their normal aspect At half past 10. ' however, an order of Trocbu closed every shop and cafe, and by 11 o'clock Paris bad gone to bed. The midnight mass of Christmas eve was celebrated as usual In the church es, which were crowded with pray ing, weeping women. Newspapers ap peared as usual, some of them contain ing glowing accounts of perfectly Im aginary French successes. The sa tirical sheets were even more bitter and venomous than at other times and published scathing caricatures. Some showed the fallen emperor, Na poleon III., as a shoeblack at King William's boots, or as a beggar with his pockets turned Inside out, or as a traitor handing over France to mur derers, or as a thief making off with millions of the nation's money. Oth ers depicted Julius Favre In tears and pocketing Bismarck's gold and Trochu handing over the keys of Paris to a Prussian lu exchange for a bag of coin. In all the Idea of Parisians that France bad been betrayed by those who ought to have protected her was prevalent. . So at this season of peace and good will suffering Paris was nearly at her tost gasp. Owing to the tenacity of her rulers and citizens, however, her agony was to be prolonged for sent weeks longer, as It was not until February that the negotiations for a capitulation began. ft ; H as w UfllW ur pot niiT nr nuir ml uui uui ur THEDEBTORS' PRISON By THOMAS BARBER JUDSON. ICopyrtsht. iwa. by America Frees A Mo nition. j It was visitors' day at Ludlow street Jail. New Tork. Ludlow street Jail is a very gentle counterpart of the debt ors' prison of the oldeo time, its In mates are those In contempt of the inheritance and certain other courts, federal bankrupts, execution and Judg ment debtors and breach of promise and alimony men. John Decker bad finished his break fast of rolls, coffee and ao egg he could have breakfasted more heartily had be been able to order from a neighboring restaurant and was sit ting In the lonngtng room reading a morning paper when a card was banded him. He looked at It, frowned and said: "I understood when I was put In here that no prisoner was obliged to see his wife. Tell the sheriff that 1 claim the Immunity promised." The message was delivered, and pres ently the sheriff himself appeared. "Tour wife says, Mr. Decker, that she has come with the olive branch, and she told me to say In case you de clined to receive ber that sbe has your son Johnny with ber and wishes to know If you will see him." The bard Itnes on Decker's face re laxed. "Yes. If you will bring him In here." The sheriff retired, and In a few minutes a boy of six came bounding Into the room and, springing Into bis father's arms, covered bis face with kisses. They were returned In kind, while a tear stood lu the man's eye. "Mamma gave me a message for you, papa. Sbe says she was told that you were hiding money." "Who told her that?" "Mrs. Spitfire." "That Jezebel! Sbe made all the trouble." "And mamma says I was sick and baby was sick, and she was turned out of the rooms, and nothing to buy meat or medicines, snd" The man put his band on the boy's mouth. "Never mind all that, Johnny. I can't bear it." "And mamma says she's been study ing stenography and has got a place. She doesn't wish you to stay here any longer." "What does sbe wish me to dor "First to forgive her for putting you In here." "What nextr "I wish you to come home." "Johnny, dear, I wish I could do both, but I can do neither." "Not for me. poppy ? Please do Just for me, you know." "Very well; I'll do the first for you." "And you'll come home?" "No; 1 can't do that." "Ob, pop, please do!" "There will be time enough to con sider that In the future." "No, there won't. Mamma says Bui I wasn't to tell you." "Tell me what?" "That It'll be too late then." "Ob. It will be too late! In otber words, sbe must dictate just when a reconciliation may take place." "What's that?' "Make it up." "No. that isn't It. I know why, but 1 won't tell. Mamma says you're so proud. That's one reason." "I don't understand. Johnny." "Mamma says if 1 tell you you'll never come borne. Tou must come home without knowing." The father studied the boy's face musingly for a time and at last said: "Well, Johnny, 1 could never refuse you anything. I'll forgive your moth er for puttlug me In here, and I'll come borne, wherever that may be. 1 sun pose It's In a dirty garret. But tell your mother that 1 won't permit ber to do the work for the family. 1 know where I can get $10 a week as porter. It's pretty bard to take such a place after having employed a hundred men myself, but I've learned that what can't be cured must be endured." "Oh, poppy!" The boy threw bis arms spasmodically sround bis father's neck, gave him a quick bug and kiss. Jumped down and ran away to announce the success of bis mission. It was several days after this before the red tape that held John Decker in prison for not paying bis wife ber ali mony was cut and be walked out a free man. The hour was 5 In the aft ernoon. Boarding so elevated train, be started for au address uptown that bad been given blm as the abode of his wife and children. Leaving the train, be passed down a cross street Com lng to the number that bad been given blm as bis family abode, be concluded there bad been a mistake. The place was a handsome apartment house. At the elevator be asked the uniformed boy if be knew where Mrs. Decker lived. "Fifth floor." replied the boy. Wonderiugly the ex-prisoner entered f-ie elevator, and when It stopped John ny's eyes were glistening through the grating. Ia another moment a reunited family were clinging in one embrace. Mrs. Decker's money had been in vested In ber husband's business. One of the largest debtors to the firm who bad contributed principally to the fail ure bad astonished Mrs. Decker by paying ber bis debt, a fortune in itself. She wisely brought about a reconcUla I uou Willi uri uiwubuu uvtvi v w 't j that sbe was independent knowing .(-. l . u ...... t . .4 ftuinj& h. linn w that after he was aware of It his posl Hon would be very different There followed a happy reunion din- aer. ODD COURTSHIP By M. QUAD. ICopntsht. 1WS. by Associated Llterax Press. The wife of Deacon Hiram Piatt had been dead three years when It came to bis ears that people were wonder ing why he didn't place a tombstone st ber grave. At her death the sor rowing htmtwnd had fully lutended to give her a monument thirty feet high; three months later he bad reduced the height to fifteen feet; tbeu he bad gone down fool by foot until be figured that a common gravestone would be all that was existed. One may have his own Ideas about such matters, but wueii eopie begin to talk he must consult the kleas of others to a cer tain extent Therefore Deacon Piatt bunded around to put up a stone. About the time the deacon lost his wife Mrs. Samautha Taylor, living In the same village, lost ber husband. She also had a thirty foot monument lu her mind, and she also scaled It down to a plain, cheap stone. Fur ther, there came a time when gossip criticised her for the unmarked grave. and she set about doing something. She luiil removed to another village, but gossip follows one everywhere. It thus came about one summer day, when the deacon drove out to the country graveyard to fix up things, be found the widow there for the same object. The craves of their dead were not fifty feet apart. The deacon bad a look of sorrow on his face and the widow had tears In ber eyes as they shook bauds. 'He was a noble man." said the dea con, referring, of course, to the lament ed Taylor. 'And she was all tbitt a wife ahould be." replied the widow, referring, of course, to the lamented Mrs. Piatt. "I am glad to kuow that you mourn him." 'And I am glad to know that you mourn her." 'Her time bad come, and sbe had to go. "And the same with him." The weeds bad to be cleared away nd the mounds rounded up and sod ded and the stones set. They worked together at this. They sorrowed for about half an hour, and then it was something else. When their bocks ach ed and they were ready to quit work for the day the deacou helped ber Into her buggy with the remark: 'I have seemed to feel Mrs. Piatt looking down on me this afternoon." 'And I have felt the presence of my dear lost husband," she replied. Iben they both looked very solemn. and she drove away to return on the morrow and And the dencon there be fore ber. He repeated that ber la mented was a noble man, and sbe re peated that his lamented was all that a wife should be. They cut down snd lugged away weeds and briers and brought dirt and sods, and when they rested they sat close together ou an old bench. It was during one of these resting spells that the deacon sighed three times In succession and said: "Wldder Taylor, when night had come and you were sitting alone In your lonesomeness did you ever think It possible that you could find another man as good as Ceorge was?" "Why, while be was a noble man, there must be otber noble men In the world." she replied. "Yes, wldder. and other noble wom en, though I never had no fault to And with Uanner. I au sure we loved era." "Yes. we did." "And It grieved us to see them go." "It did." "But they are better off In that brighter land." Then they parted and went home, and It was noticeable that neither looked as solemn as before. They were not smiling, but the solemn looks had somehow chased themselves sway. The next day was to see the end of their work, and they both got there early. The deacon seemed to press the widow's baud when be helped ber out of the buggy, and she seemed a bit confused over It, but this may have been all imagination. By mldafter noon the stones were In place, and as they retreated a few paces to survey I hem the deacon solemnly said: "Wldder, If your lost husband ran look down ou earth be Is seeing that stun and saying to himself that it's good enough for anybody." "Yes." she sighed, "and your Uan ner must say the same thing. We could have got monuments, of course, but"- "But monuments attract lightning," finished the deacon. "And are blown over In blgb winds." "And crows use them to roost on. Yes, I think our lost ones ought to feel quite chirpy. We have the best two lots here." "And they are picturesquely situ ated. deacon." Tbeu the deacon led her out to the gate and ber buggy. They walked at a slow pace, sud neither seemed to notice that he was holding ber hand. When she had been seated in the vehicle the deacon rested a foot ou flie hub of a front wheel and sighed and said: "Purty lonesome for us. wldder." "Yes, purty lonesonme, deacon." "I think I'll drive over to see you tomorrow afternooo." "I'll be expecting yoo." "And we ll talk." "Yes." "And we'll talk-and talk." "We will." And three months later, when they were married, the gossips were mean about it. They said that the couple bad done their courting In a grave yard, but we know better. It was done Just outside the gate. Delia Pringle Is Wealthy Actress Kae Had Many Successive Profitable easone Here Holiday Week. Miss Delia Pr'.ngle. who comes to the opera house for the week begin nlng December 27, Is one of the wealthiest of the minor stars on the American etpge. For a number of years she has not had a season that has not been exceedingly profi table. While m very popular actress,, her oucceae Is not due entirely to her own popularity, but quite as much to the fact that she Insists on a com petent supporting company and upon giving to the people, the kind of playe they most enjoy. She doee not carry a street band, the expense thus savec going Into salaries, enabling her to engAge hlRher grade of actor and actresses than would otherwise be the case. Her engagement In title city will he for six ntehts and Saturday matl nee, and during her engagement nh will be seen In a number cV the most swceesful plate of recent ye. ADMINISTRATOR'S NOTICE. No.lce is hereby given, that the undersigned have fceeu by tho County Court of Wallow a county, Oregon, duly appointed as Joint administrators of the estate of Johe 11. Halsey, do ceased; and all peruana having . claims against said deceased or his estate are hereby required to present the same with the proper vouchers to said administrators or either of them, at Enterprise, Orogon, or to their at torney, D. W. SJieahan, at hla office at Enterprise, la eild county end state, within six months from and af ter the 16th day of December, 1909, 'he same being the daite of the first Publication of this notice. Dated at Enterprise, Oregon,, tills the 16lh day df December, 1909. ELSIE) L. HALSEY, WILLIAM MAKIN, 17co Joint Administrators. NOT BURIED AT SEA. Ths Humane French Boatman snd the Dead Englishman, A long expected French lugger was seen making for the roudsteud, snd the Lowestoft free trudcrs were ou the alert, anxiously seeking an oppor tunity for communicating wllh her crew. While they wulted lor a lapse of vlglluuce ou the purt of I lie excise men a boat was lowered from the lug ger and rowed toward the shore, A curious crowd of beach men and ex cise men assembled to meet her, and as sbe came lu ou the crest of a roller It was observed that sbe contained a coffin. The French boatmen bad a mourn ful tale to tell. Ou board the lugger had been an Englishman suffering from au Illness which soon proved fa tal. In his last moments of conscious ness be bad begged the captain not to bury blm at sea, but to keep his body until a resting place could be found for it under the green turf of a church yard lu bis native lund. Sympathy with his sad fato and the knowledge that the lugger was not far from the English coast bad Induced the captain to consent, and now he bad sent the body ashore for burial. In spite of his broken English the Freuvbmeu'e spokesman told his tale well. Both excise men and beach men especially the latter loudly expressed their admiration of the captalu's con duct A parson was summoned, and lu a little while a mournful procession made Its way from the beach to the churchyard. Even the chief officer of the excise men was present and Is said to have shed tears. That night the local "resurrection ists" were busy, and at dawn the churchyard contained a desecrated grave. A little way inland, however, la the midst of the marshes, a smug glers' store received the addition of a coffin filled with silks and lace. "Highways and Byways lu East Au gUa," by W. A. Dutt Heads Much Alike. Most expert craulologlats Insist that It Is extremely difficult to determine sex from the skull, but admit there are a few distinctions which taken to gether indicate sex. Perhaps the most marked distinction is the prominence ef the bony projection over the nose. The skull ia man is thicker snd stron ger, and the mastoid processes beueetb the ear are larger. Broca Is authority for the opiuiou that if the skull rests on the mastoid processes it Is almost certainly a man's. In woman the top of the bead appears flatter, while in the masculine bead the curve from be fore backward Is more smooth sud iven. Greek sculptors always recog llxe this. Exchange. Peculiar Flower. In South America there Is a peculiar flower which can only be seen when the wind Is blowing. The plant be longs to the cactus family, and when the wind blows a number of beautiful flowers protrude from little lumps on the stalk.