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.