CHRISTMAS AT THE FARM.
If I only wire a p-Ht and could writ In
tcimfiil rhyme
With the (frncoful word the poeti 110
to rharin,
t would le prepared to toll yon of the
happy, hsppy time
tVhrn. a boy, 1 ro.iinod about my fath
er's farm.
I could tell you of the old, familiar scenes
of long ago.
Which time nor change can cause me
to forget,
The barnyard and the meadow, and the
corn-ntalka In a row,
For the memories of my childhood haunt
me yet.
I could tell you of my brothers, and my
little sisters, too.
Companion of the Joyous daya of yore:
Of thing we mod to talk about and thin
we tiaed to do,
la the daya that will return again no
more.
Of all the ho pry seasons we children held
most dear.
The one whose coming brought ua treat
cut Jt,
Wa the merry, merry Christmas time, the
hfc-t of all the year.
With It Jolly games, and stocking- full
of toys.
And O, the Christmas dinner! flelteshaa
.' sumptuous feast
Ne'er tempted mortal appetite so sore:
It seemed the more we ite of It our ap
IHMiie lucreitstsi,
TJutll there was no room for any more
O, I wish that It were possible to turn old
Time around.
By some eiu-tiantuient, or aome magic
charm.
And I. a little boy again, might hear the
welcome sound
That summoned us to dinner at the farm
I have feasted at great banquets and ate
whate er I would
Of the rarest dishes skillful cooka dis
tils r.
But the luxuries provided never tasted half
SO good
As the dinner lu the farm house Christ
mas d.tv.
Frank Beard, In Raul's Horn.
ft
tot
w ACKIK sat on the front d tor step
In lid pondered deeply. To-morrow
was Christ in:!, an.l f-r Christmas
fJ he must have a turkey. A turkey!
Jackie's mouth watered at the
thought. A whole, big. beautiful turkey,
brown and dripping, on mother's hie.
old-fashioned platter, with the funny lit
tle houses and trees and tilings in blue
on a white ground. It had been moth
er's grandmother's, you know, and was
Very o'.d. That was why mother kept it
tip on the top cupboard shelf and took
it down only on Christmas and New
Year's and Thanksgiving.
But last Christmas and Xew Tear's
It bad not been taken down at alL Some
how, it had not seemed a bit like Christ
mas or anything to Jackie, last year.
Never since father didn't come home
from the hospital, and mother and Jackie
had come to live in the queer little brown
house that was so close to Squire
tirant's big stone one.
There was something queer about
Squire Grant. He lived all alone in his
liig, old house, and his beautiful big
farm was rented out to another man all
the time. The people that came to see
mother never spoke of liiui. and mother
herself never mentioned him except
when Jackie asked some question about
him. He always looked very cross, and
Jackie thought he must be bothered a
good deal with the stomachache; that
made people cross.
Suddenly, on the sf ill morning air,
clear with frost, came the sound of
turkeyg gobbling. It was the Squire's
turkeys across the field. Jackie listened
a moment. Then he brought his hands
together with a little clap. Why not go
to the Squire and ask him to give him
B turkey for Christmas?
He jumped up and ran into the hall,
ne would have to tell mother, or she
would be anxious. He opened the kitch
en door and looked In. Mother was
peeling potatoes for dinner.
"I'm going down the road a little
piece, mother," said Jackie; "I'll be
back soon," and before mother conld
answer he was out of the door. It was
only a little distance' to the Squire's,
and soon he was climbing up over the
tall iron gate that stood at the foot of
the wide lane. He went up the steps to
the back porch and knocked at the door.
There was no answer.
Jackie ran down the steps and across
the yard to the barnyard gate. It was
a big one. He was just getting down
the other side when he was startled by
a deep Toice behind him.
"What are you doing here, young
man?"
Jackie turned to find himself face to
face with the Squire himself.
"Oh," he said, in a relieved tone, "is
It yon, Squire? I was coming down to
find you."
He held out his hand In his pretty,
friendly way, and the Squire took it
rather gingerly.
"And pray, what were you coming
down to find me for?"
"I wanted to see if I could get a
turkey," said Jackie, in his simple, di
rect little way. "To-morrow'g Christ
mas, you know. I wanted to 'sprise
mother. She's always 'uprising me, and
she's so good oh, you don't know how
good mother is! There's only mother
and me, ami I thought you see, It
wouldn't be like as if you really gave
ine the turkey, for I'm going to pay for
it soon as I'm big enough. You could
hardly 'sped me to pay for It right now,
could you? I'.ut when I'm big I'm go
ing to have a farm of my own, and
mother and me will live there and I'll
have ever so many cattle and horses and
things. Mother says grandfather had a
farm like that. Grandfather was moth
er's father, you know. Aud mother had
a little pony she called it Trix and
she used to ride it all over when she was
a little, little girl. Just think! Hav
ing a pony all for yourself!"
He looked up with sparkling eye, and
the Squire smiled beneath his scowl.
"Did vour mother ever tell you any
thing else about your grandfather?" t
mm g
W BV J. FINDLAV CROWN.
aVei1, meeting the little fellow'a frank
eje wilh a keen glance.
"She doesn't say much about him,"
returned Jackie. "I think ho must be
dead. It's too bad. Isn't It? Hut"
his eyes roved over to the turkeys again.
"Have you thought It out about the tur
key yet?"
"Oh." said the Squire, as If he had
forgottenl all about it. "You can have
one of 'em and we'll see about the pay
after a while when you're higler."
Jackie beamed up at him. "Oh. thank
J on." he said. "Shall we catch it now?"
The Squire grunted. "We'll run m
into the pen, and catch 'em there. Wait
till I get some peas."
So Jackie waited and in a little while
out came the Squire with a battered, old
tin. half full of grain, and began to call
In his big. deep voice, "Pe-ep. peep, peep,
peep!" And all the turkeys stopped
their strutting and ran after him Into
the pen. Then Jackie ran aud shut the
door, and in a very little while the
Squire came out with a big gobbler
hanging head downwards in hi) hand.
"I guess I'd better leave It here Just
now," said Jackie. "I'll eonie over for
If In the eveuing. I've Just 'membered
I promised mother I'd be back aoon. Or,
perhaps, yon might bring it over your
self. You would see mother then. I'd
like you to see mother."
"All right." said the Squire again,
looking down at the brave little figure
with a curious feeling at his heart.
"Well, good morning, then." nid
Jackie, turning to go. "1 think you are
the nicest man I ever saw Ycpt father,"
and he ran down the lane to the big
gate.
As he mounted It, he looked back
and waved his hand, and the grim old
man standing on the steps felt a strange
little thrill, half pride and half some
thing else he did not understand, ns he
returned the pretty salute, lie passed
the back of his rough, old hand across
his fierce, old eyes and muttered. "Poor
Margaret! She was a good little girl,
if it hadn't been for that scamp Darcy!
The boy boks like him, too more like
bim than Margaret."
Meanwhile, mother and Jackie were
having their d'nner. Mother sat at one
side of the little, round, white table,
and Jackie at the other. Mother wore
her pretty pink woolen hue dress, and
looked just like a sweet pea, Jackie said.
Jackie had just finished his story about
the Squire and the turkey, and mother's
face was all pink and her brown eyes
looked big and bright, like's if there were
tears in them.
"O, Jackie," she said, "you dear little
son: uat would mother no wunoui
her little man to manage things!"
Mother was laying the cloth for sup
per. Jackie was looking out or the win
dow. It had begun to snow big, heavy
flakes that fell softly, silently, in the
gathering twilight. Suddenly Jackie gave
a glad little cry.
"Here be conies, mother, turkey and
all! I can just see him through the
snow."
Jackie ran to the door and threw It
Open. the require came siowiy up trie
path, like a great scow man, with a bun
dle under his arm.
"Come in." called Jackie, cheerily, and
the Squire stepped into the narrow door
way, all covered with snow from head to
foot.
"You look just like Santa Onus," said
Jackie, smiling up at him. "Hadn't you
better come in and shake yourself? Moth
er, this is the Squire."
Mother came forward with her hand
out; her lace wnue anu sinning in a
queer, nervous way.
"I am very glad to see you Squire,"
she said, "and thank you."
Jackie looked anxiously at the Squire.
Something must be wrong. Mother
seemed ill. Then the queerest thing
happened. The Squire opened hi arms
with a little choking cry. "Margaret!"
And mother ran to him and put both her
arms about his neck, and cried In her
sweet, tremulous voice, "O, father, fath
er, can you ever forgive me?" And all
the while Jackie stood holding the han
dle of the door, and staring with big,
round eyes at the mother, the Squire,
and the bundle of turkey that hud fallen
to the floor.
Then mother took down her arms and
turned to Jackie with such a happy look
on her face that he was almost afraid.
"This is your grandfather, Jackie,"
she uaid. "My father, darling. Come
aud kiss him, dear."
Jackie went up and put both his arms
round the Squire's neck, just as mother
had done, and kissed him gravely on
the cheek.
"I am glad we found you, grandfath
er," he said. "You must stay for sup
per." Jackie thought that was the nicest
supper he hud ever eaten. He and
mother and the Squire all sat rouud the
little white table In the pretty, cozy
kitchen, and everybody laughed, Jackie
most of all, and then he found out how
the Squire came to be his grandfather.
It aeeined that long ago, most likely
before he was born, mother had run
away from grandfather to marry father.
I lier Preiiv lout. nutPiru u"u-t- uit-s. nun i root'il iin-si tmiiif-ii iiiiu iin- n-.-nit-- i
looked just like a sweet pea, Jackie said, branches ami cut the bunches of mistle- the Mount from the book of His l!;er-
Jackie bad inst finished his storv about 1 toe w ith a irohlen knife. The oxen were I
'
Grandfather couldn't have liked father
very well because he waa poor. Well,
when mother married father, grandfath
er waa very angry, and said a great
many thing. Then when father died,
mother had come right back to her old
home and rented the lillle cottage on
grandfather's estate, and grandfather
had pretended not to know her, because,
on see, he was not over being angry
yet. And then, it seemed, when Jackie
asked for the turkey, he had got sorry
all at once, and now they were all so
happy. And mother and Jackie were
going to live with grandfather up In the
big stone house, and they could have
turkey every day, grandfather said. And
Jackie concluded gravely, "and we've
got a turkey for Christmas, mother, and
a grandfather, too!" Montreal Slar,
THE MYSTIC MISTLETOE.
Once a Kentnreof Tainan Kites, It Now
llrlotiu to I. over.
From time immemorial the white ber
ried mistletoe has played a leading part
In Yuletide festivities, though it liaa not
always conveyed the oscillatory privi
leges which give it its value in the eyes
of the romantic youth of to-day. Like
so many other features of the Christmas
celebration, mistletoe has been borrowed
lroni the pagans of antiquity and Chris
tiauired by the lapse of centuries. The
Persians before the birth of Christ used
the mistletoe in their sacred rites, and
in parts of India pagan priests still in
corporate it in their ritual. It tignre
largely in Scandinavian mythology, ltal
ilur, the son of Odin, though a demigod,
was slain by a spear of mistletoe, a
proof of its ningjc powers.
It is from the Druid of old l'nglnud,
however, that mistletoe has come to us.
The Iruidic:il priests, sprung, it is s.iid.
from the magi of the east, the wise men
who worshiped at the'cradle of the infant
Savior, held the mistletoe ns their most
sacred possession, aud the cutting of the
pretty parastie from the oak. the tree
which the Druids claimed God loved
more than any other, was attended with
the greatest solemnity. On the Druids'
festival day a grand procession, lending
two white oxen, moved to the mystic
grove. There the oxen were fastened
to the oak by their horns, and a white
robed priest climbed into the lea lb
branches and cut the bunches of mistle
toe with a golden knife. The oxen were
then sacrificed ami religious services per
formed, after which the procession re
turned to the temple in the forest and
the mistletoe was deposited in the Iruid
ical arcanum.
Hesides taking its place In the relig
ious observances of the Druids, the mis
tletoe, which the priests gave a mime
meaning "all healing," was made into
many curious decoctions by processes in
which times and seasons aud incnuta
tions were supposed to add to its myste
rious powers. These medicines were re
garded as cures for human ills generally.
With the advance of civilization urn
the death of superstition mistletoe has
lost its religious character, but not its
popularity, and the forests of Kugland
and of our own Southern States are ns
eagerly frequented by mistletoe gather
ers as ever were the dark woods of the
ancient Druids.
Heal Lessons ot Christmas.
There can be no rVal love for God
which is unattended with love for mini.
The final teHt of a Christian love is not
the worship of God, but always the love
of man for man. If the message of him
whose birth we celebrate ut Christmas
teaches us one thing abovo all others, it
ia not that we shall try to do for Him
as a person, but that we shall seek to
DAY BEEORE
Mra. Turkey What is your greatest
Mr. Turkey An airuhlp.
PREPARING THE CHRISTMAS DINNER.
ml (fyl m
da for one another. That knowing
Jean and clearly understanding Him.
And whenever this true conception of
Ills life and teaching Is reached, there
wo. find men and women thillled with
the passion of giving. The little child
wakes on Christinas morning with hi
heart tilled to overflow ing with glad
ness, and by every gift In stocking, or
beside cradle or bed, Is taught anew the
old, old lesson of love. Husband nud
wife, brother and sister, lover and sweet
heart, friend and friend, ns they receive
their gift are reminded onceMiiore (hat
love I not a dream, bin a reality nud
a reality which grows more vital, morn
precious nud more enduring with years.
The sick. In chair or in bed. a they
open their Christmas packages are al
most reconciled to loneliness and pain.
The friendless, the poor, the outcast,
the waifs on the street; those who have
sinned and seem shut out from God nud
from man, nil begin to feel a strange
thrill of hope and renewed aspiration as
they are taken up and enfolded In the
richness nud fullness of the Divine love
as it comes to them through human love
or attention on Christmas day. That Is
knowing Christmas in its highest and
noblest sense; in Its truest conception;
knowing it l (hat spirit from which
we derive the surest happiness, p.d
ward ltok.
"THE CHRISTMAS PRESENCE."
Reasonable Thought for All Who l.ovo
Christina Hciion. ,
I couldn't seem to contemplate a con
tinuous Christmas of peace, nowadays,
when suddenly I seemed to s.-o the words
befo' inc. difleienllv spelled. lnstid of
"tyi t-s" I saw "e n c c." an' rilit befo'
niy speritual vision I saw. like sky
writin", "The Christmas Presence"
thess so.
Maybe it won't strike you. but it was
n great thought inc. doctor, an'
"Christmas all t' ve.ir" ha. I a new
sound to toy ear.
Think of that, doctor- f t'vin' along
in the aurine blue, beholdiu' the face
of the Little One of tin- manager by the
near light of the P.ethlelieni star! Or
maybe seem the llel.ived lentiin' oil a
pillar of cloud, ill it in i it :i t i ii our listenin'
faces with the gleam of Ills countenance
while He'd maybe repeat the S.tiiioti on
the Mount from the bonk of His l!;er
nal meniorv. Think of what an author's
readiu that would be un' what an audi
ence!
An' it's this Christmas Presence thet
inspires nil our loviu' thoughts here be
low, whether we discern It or not.
An' what we'll get on the other side'll
be realization a ilair vision with all the
mists of doubt dissolved.
This is the thought thet come to me
yesterday, doctor, out o' the cyclone of
playful good will thet got me ho rattled.
An' it's come to stay.
An' with it, how sweet it will be to
set an' wait, with a smile to welcome the
cmluriu' Christmas thet'll last "ull the
yeur" un' forever. Century.
Christina Hills.
The Clirlstiiuis bills
;ive (lid the chills;
He'll never cllllib
The hi'iivenly hills
Nor weur tin' angels'
Wings nu' frills
IteraiiHe o' tln'in
Maine C1iiI.-iIiii.ih bills!
Atlanta Constitution.
An Insuperable Objection.
"I would like to give myself to you
as a Christmas present," said young
Poore to Miss Kocks.
"Pupa does not allow me to receive
expensive presents from young men," re
plied the maiden. Town Topics.
CHRISTMAS.
wish?
I uliltalor or Harrow.
Thl U Hit device of a West Vlr
glnlu farmer nud seems to posses
merit, lie says:
I solid liorou lib mi Illustration of a
cultivator or burrow (lint I Hud very
lininly when sowing grHss serd In corn
nt llu Inst working, also use It for
cultivating potntocs ami oilier crops to
some extent. The fnimi. A A A, Is
of ''x.t Inch stuff. I :m feet long. The
two pieces. It II. are of 1-' Inch stuff
"it Inches long, with holes about -
Inches iipnrt, so the burrow out! Ie ad
Justed fo nnv desired width, from t to
.'t feet. The piece, C. to blfch to. Is
Inches Mild fed long V
llMY I ' I I I V A 1 1 II Oil ItAltlUIW.
!i firmly bolted to center piece of
frnine. At P P there nro two Iron
tilntes UxP.." Inches, wild tlirco hole
III each; these bold A A A together.
I 'so bolls of proper length for nil of
(li frame. The teeth should be of N,
steel, well slmrpenel. The bundle
run bo taken from some cultivator or
plow nud readily iidjustiil to tin' cul
tivator. '1 lie two pieces, K L should
be of 'ixl'v Inch stuff, nml n long as
desired. All should be boltisl firmly
together for best results.
Sun In I'oiillrr Mouse.
The time lintmrcil plan of building
poultry bouses was to face them duo
south, wlo'ti. ns il matter of fad. tlicy
should be f .1 ! I soiltlieiist, which gives
tl.o sun In tho bouse early In the
morning when the poultry need It most
during the winter, and then the niiii
hUiics In the bouse nearly or quite nil
il.iy, especially If n window Is plnosl
In tho southwest side. lu cold ell
li.nloK It Is li't wise to have entire
glass fronts, for the iidb'ii of the air
mi the gins nftcr the sun goes down
tn:kes such house very cold lit night.
In the nverMge poultry bouse, bold
In.; from t wetity-tlve to fifty helm, win
dows four by eight oil two sides of the
house would tit sufficiently large, nut
r ven then some way should be pro
vhlfd frr covering theiii nt night. Por
till purpose nothing is better t till II old
burlap hiiiin on u roller with button
holes worked at Intervals along the
sides so that when down It can be
fastctiifl over carriage buttons driven
In the sides of the cuslug. This wl.l
keep the house snug nml warm even
on culd whiter nights.
A Parrel Feed Hark.
An Idenl way of feeding a fevr she'p
or calves Is to take a large barrel, such
ns crackers nre packed In, and rut out
openings In the staves between the
two layers of hoops, milking those open
ings just large enough no that the ani
mal can get Its bend In mid out rend-
lly. Place the barrel In position nud
hold It In pluco by driving several
stakes Into the ground nud fastening
them to the barrel. Of course the top
of the barrel Ih open. The hay or oth
er roughage In thrown In the top nml
the n ii i in ii 1m eat through the holes cut
In tho Htuves us described. This U u
Blmplo feeding rack, which any one
could iniike and one which will save
much waste of roughage. The illustra
tion hIiowh tho Men so clearly t tut t no
further explanation Is needed, Indian
apolis NewH.
I'ranula Ciood Hoar Krnl.
The numerous estimates mmle by
the Arkansas Station ns regards the
yield of hay from a crop of peanuts
varies from one to very nearly threw,
tons per ucre. This hay Is usually
worth at least $10 a ton and may be
considered a by product when tho nuts
uro harvested for market. In connec
tion with the value of peanuts as a
forage crop, It tuny be noted that In
Virginia there is a mini who has been
ncciimulutliiK a tidy fortune through
the quality of the hums cured and
packed by him. Those limns havo a
rich und sweet llavor which makes
them In great demand at Increased
prices. Tho packer each yeur goes
through neighboring StHtes buying up
razor-bucks 'which he has shipped to
his farm. It Is there that they nro
given a food which Imparts tho flavor
and sweetness nothing more thun
peanuts.
Ia the Dairy.
Queer but true, where salt is sprin
kled thickest butter la yellowest
wwmA
I he cow know s by Instinct w hat
Iced ration suits her best.
( cincnt Honrs cost mote nt Hist, but
their pel'tlliliiency make lliein cheap.
Piilryuinu, sludy your cows nud ll.eu
out self nud see If you nre lilted to
lake care of them.
Prom tt'J (o (tl degrees Is about tint
proper temperature for the rlusit wnlor
lu winter butter making.
Work anil I'lar "" llnraaa.
Whnt the horses of the farm hnve to
do depends upon the nature of the
work and how well used they are to
It, consequently the horse should Imi
treated accordingly. If the horses have
heavy spring plowing to do, with mora
or less road work In the summer, then
harvesting and more plowing In tha
full, nud It Is Intended to use them for
heavy drariliig In Hie winter, It will
pay to divide the work In some way
so thnt they will hnve a little chance
for rest. The argument Hint rainy
days nud Sundays are sulllcletit for
the animal does not hold good In all
cases, In our experience we 11 ml It
pays to have reasonably short hour
for the horses, and lid to give them
driving every day there happens to bo
A llltle lull In the work of the farm.
We feed strictly lu accordance with
the work to be done, and contrive. In
some way, so Hint every horse will
have a turn at the pasture, even though
If be only nn hour or two at night. It
Is not a good plan to attempt to carry
the horse through from year to year
without the pasture. Green food cut
nml pi iced In the manger Is not tlv
sjioie. The open air, the freedom fn.iii
the harness, the yielding of the so.'t
turf nnd the biting of the gi i nr.t
essential to horse, and It pay to let
theiii have a spell ut It.
Krnl Ha" for Animal.
The driver of vcry lenm should be
supplied with a bag of some kind for
holding feed for his horses, as bo sel
dom Is Mit e w here hit
w 111 lie w hen feeding
time comes Souin
drl i-rs nro very care
ful In this respect,
while others Inn kit
use of nil thing tli it
Is available. (Julie
n large number of
feci) bags lire lu use,
the majority being
constructed so that
Hill II, M..
they en II be attached nnd suspended to
the side of the horse's head. This does
not give the horse any fr bun to
move his head without moving tint
bag nlso. A Philadelphia mini has pat
ented an exceedingly simple feed bait
which overcomes this fault, nn Illustra
tion of which 1 shown here. The bot
tom nnd side nre made of canvas or
other flexible material, while the top
consists of a circular frame divided
Into two seel Ions, which nre connected
by small loops. Supporting (he bag
are two metal rods, one on each side,
having hooks at the end which fit Into
the loops lu the frame. In the center
and nt the other end of the rods are
circular loops which are shaped to lit
over the shaft of the vehicle. It can
easily be seen how easily this could
he done, the bag alwnys remaining In
position where the horse could con
veniently reach the feed, at the same
time being able to move his head free
ly. This feed bag tins the Additional
advantage that It can bo folded up
when not In use.
Nprrlal Hairy Train Irhnul.
One of the latest educational enter
prises Is the special dairy train sent
out by a creamery company for the
purpose of reaching farmers lu the
rich lands of northwestern Missouri
and southwestern Iowa. The train car
ried an exhibition car with dairy appli
ances and dairy machinery of every
sort. Other cars were lifted up to sent
nn audience. Kxperts lu dairying gave
short talks at each slopping place, the
use of appliances being demonstrated
and Instruction given on feeding stuffs
and balanced rations. The success of
Hie enterprise was such that In ninny
places the train's facilities proved too
si, tall, and overflow nud outdoor meet
ings were necessary.
Koililvr-llaullnaT Slrd.
Take two scantlings, 2-1x4 Inches, iO
feet long; dress top of scantling off to
tit under side of second bench of sled
' VaQSii bench, to give
right slant to scantlings. Nail a board
on top of scantling to hold them to
gether. Put a wire around tongue and
over front end of boom pole, and a
small rope for rear end of boom pole,
with two standards In front 4 feet
high, and you lire ready for "biz." It
Is much handler than a wagon for one
man to hsul on, and ho can haul a
third more at n load with It than with
out the attachment, it can be Net off
wheu desired.
Hoar Htiita.
it does not take either very much
money or very much time to keep tho
porkers right.
It Is too common a conclusion that
anything will do for the hogs and that
they will wax fat under any condi
tions and with ull sorts of feed.
Swine are money makers generally,
no matter under what conditions they
live, but if you want more money keep
them under treatment which will earn
it