Image provided by: Newberg Public Library; Newberg, OR
About Newberg graphic. (Newberg, Or.) 1888-1993 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1908)
. W in n ik ie i are cold with wintry stars, and hills Ars white with yester-even's snow, and lie In ghostly state beneath the ghostly sky; When many a gusty blast the darkness Sits W ith ever lonely, homeless sound, and chills Tbs window panes with frost; when * crackling fly ^ The sparks sbout the hearth, and glow and die, While In the pause his note the cricket trills ; Ob, then how dear is home! and what a O f ruddy warmth and peace beguiles the mindf And what a charm'in listening while the wind Plows fleece outside, through winter’s starry tents. And dies away around the window pane. And ever rises loud, and dies again! — Ernest Warburton Shurtleff. O K L - C L A Y T O N was tall and gaunt, with clear, candid, blue eyes, and his white hands, small and nervpus-looking, were as well kept as those o f a woman. Me was thirty, and a splash o f gray on either temple, a strand or tw o ef white in his mustache, made him look older. H e was broad-chested and muscular— by all rules— he should have t»een a sol dier— he looked an “ open air” man, hut for live years he had been writing short stories, novelettes and serials for the weekly press. It was good, nervous work. His name was becoming known, for be bad the Imppy knack o f blending pathos with hu mor. H e bad traveled widely, and an Australian bush idyl at the beginning of the week would be followed again by a story o f rustic life in the dear West Oinntry that he loved so well. He lived quite alone, worked— and smoked— from morning to night, loved his profession, and had practically drop ped all his friends— male and female— and when a fit o f the not infrequent blues got him hy the throat, threw his pen into the grate and ordered np his landlady’s children, and pandet^ouium reigned for an hour. Sometimes he gave them pennies, but not always— small coin of the realm is not always available to authors— but the romps were huge, and he enjoyed them. O f eourae there was a woman at the Isittom o f the tangle o f the man’s life, «u d women complicate things sometimes — be would have said “ always.’’ On one particular evening he was alone and writing, whdn Jim Courtenay was -shown In— and Jim was au old and triad friend— about the only friend the louely. self-absorbed man had, and so the in comer sat down and lighted bis pipe, and slid not bother the author for quit* a smarter o f an hour, and then Noel rose and stretched himself. “ W hat la it this time. Noel 7” “ Oh, the usual thiug— love; end can didly I am getting so sick of writing love stories.” “ Ah! yon feel like that?” “ Man alive, this is Christmas Kre, and somehow— somehow— my thoughts went hack with a jump, and 1 remembered one Christmas Eve when----- ” "Your pipe’s out. Noel!” f “ Aye, so it Is. W ell, there was one Christmas Eve when----- ” “ My dear boy, are you worrying about ber still7” “ Yea,” and then a long panse— — It is the privilege o f chnms to sit si lent for a spell. “ And all this happened four or five years ago. I uever heard the rights or wrongs of the story.” Noel crossed the room, and digging both hands into his pockets, looked at his chum. “ There la nothing to know. A fter cte four happy years o f married life, trouble came between ns. lies came between us; and— end-—here I am and it’s Christmas K re. O f course our baby was only a mite— a wee. blue-eyed, golden-haired mite; couldn’ t walk, crawled, you know; hut we were awful chums, and when she went aud took onr mite— well,” and the man’s langb hurt his own ears. “ Well, then I took to writing love stories— love, old ebsp, with a happy ending— bishops, bridesmaids, bouquets and blessings, aud” — hit temporary excitement had left him— he added dryly; “ And it pays! Now go. old chap. 1 it.net get my stuff done for the early post.” and Chum went out while Noel turned again to his interrupted work. Between each line on every page attaint turns o f expression, quaint thoughts haunted him, n dead past spoke to him. The glrl-wlfe had been very sweat very lovable, very beautiful— and had marred two Uvea. There should be a special place o f tor ment for the person who deliberately comes between two people who love each other and smilingly warps two Uvea. Pearl Clayton was as easily led as a child, a soft, emotional, weak little woman, and when Noel returned from a few days’ holiday he found the house closed and Pearl and Baby had depart- ad. Noel drifted for a little b it the shock unmanned him terribly, bat his pen was hi* sole source o f income, and it had to be plied if body and soul were to be kept together, and in a very few weeks he bad. to some extent regained his mental balance, and Me work Improved.. The eve o f Christmas and the day Itself appeals to most hearts, and on thie particular eve Noel kept thinking back and thinking back while he wrote. How well he remembered the extra- aired stocking he Induced the nurse to k n it and how bulky It looked and fait on Christmas morning. knd then Mine school, college, and then married life. When the scribbling fit was on him Pearl used to draw her low wicker chair close to his writing table, knitting, or daintily fingering white material, soft aud downy and fluffy for the prospective nearer, aud the few remarks she made seemed to chime In and identify them selves with what be was writihg; but, of course, all this happeued five years ago. One odd little trick Pearl bad, and Noel remembered it this evening— and missed It. Wbon P«n «> ■ working extra busily she used to U / the tlpe o f her fingers upou big right band— just where hand meets wrist. She did not incom mode him in the least. H e declared her touch inspired him; they were such pink- tipt«d fingers, aud so small, aud he bad ofteu written with the tiny touch on his wrist almost unconscionsly— only peep- iug up from time to time at a sweet oval face, into deep violet eyes love lit. But, o f course, this was five years •*o. So he wrote on, feeling a little bit •erry that Cbum had not stayed, for a f ter all be only bad another half hour’s work t>efore him, and then they could sit and chat, and perhaps drown the sound of the bells that he knew would ring out in a few hours. H e wee Just in the frame o f mind to auramqn his landlady's children, but ex cept for himself, the bouse was empty. There was a Christmas Bve party going on, and Mrs. Marsh and her progeny were attending it. He had been writing for half an hoar since Cham had left him, and felt the old familiar touch on hia wrist. It waa Imagination o f course, he did not even turn his head, and then he was looking into bine eyes, in the round golden-cnrled framed face of a boy o f four, who laugh ed up at him and presented a rosebud to be kissed. “ Goodness, child— where on earth do yon come ffom? aud who— who brought yon? What la your name?” “ Eric,” and the child began to make preparations for etinihing a lofty knee. Iikeflneff, however, watch night la taken | anything but aerlously, and the new year la welcomed with such signs o f rejoicing as to ue who did not under stand the customs would seem to Indi cate that all men were heartily tired o f existence and glad to see their years go by as speedily ns possible. 0U> CHRISTMAS SAYINGS. An old German saying la th at-be tween 11 aud 12 o’clock on Christmas eve w ater can be turned Into wine. A Montenegrin saying about Christ mas eve la “To-night earth Is blended w ith Paradise.” Th e lamp, or candle, must not be al lowed to burn Itself out on Christmas ere or there w ill be a death In the fam ily within the year. A M agyar superstition Is that any one who eats nuts without honey on Christmas will lose his teeth. Auotber is that a pillow turned at midnight w ill bring dreams o f a fu ture lover. It la unlucky to tn p on Christmas day. Th e ancient Scandinavians and Anglo-Saxons called Christmas “ Moth er’s Night,” the name being banded down to the Chrstianlxed people from an old pugan festival form erly cele brated about tbls season o f the year. Th e Sicilian children place penny royal In the beds Christmas eve be cause they believe It always flowers at the exact hour o f Christ's birth. A live coal should never be carried out o f the house on Christmas eve. A ll children horn at midnight on December 31 w ill become great and famous. FOR COUGHS KING OF CURES FOR COLDS THE WONDER WORKER THROAT | PR. KING’S | t u w e t HEWDtSOOVERY FOR COUGHS AND C O L p T f PREVENTS PNEUMONIA I had the most debilitating cough a m ortal w aa ever afflicted w ith« and m y friends expected that when I le ft m y bed it w ould so re ly be fo r m y grave. Onr doctor pronounced m y case incurable, bnt thanks be to God, four bottles of D r. K in g 's N ew Discovery cored me so com pletely that I am a ll Bound and w e ll.— M R S . E V A U N C A P H E R , Grovertown, Ind. PriM 50c u i $1.00 A B S O L U T E L Y G U A R A N T E E D ! Trial BdtltFm H SOLD A N D O U A R A N TE E D BY C. F. M O O R E Blew .Y e s r'a E v e In It a ly . Don’t you wish you were an Italian on New Y ear’s? Prom ptly at the stroke TH E N E W LEA P. DIARRHOEA T here is no need o f anyone suffering long w ith this disease, for to effect a quick cure it is only necessary to take a fe w doses o f Chamberlain’s Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy In feet, in m ost cases one dose is sufficient It never foils and can be relied upon in the m ost severe and dangerous cases* It is equally valuable for children and is the m eans o f saving the lives o f m any children each year. In the w orld’s history no medicine has ever m et w ith greater success. Price 25 cents« Large size 50 cents* “ W ho brought yon here. Baby Eric? How did you come?” Noel f«lt tike an Irish member o f Par liament, for “ no answer was given.” bat n wee form, fall o f bags and kisses, got fast bold upon him. and said gravely, and yet with a sweet air o f command: “ Just come’d— and now If you’re not too busy, mister Esther----- ” “ Yes. my son.’’ “ P ’ raps— I’ d better go to bed.” “ But, my child— my little son— who brought you here? where is your moth er?” aud the tall man. suddenly releasing bis first-born, paced up add down. O f course. Chum had left the door open, nnd someone had - told the child to walk straight iu— and the child had— straight iu. The author— his tiny son was oa the floor now. saying thing* to the cat, and it deserved every word, being a cat that licks stamps off letters, and loves bacon and boiled eggs— thrust hi* hands deep Into his pockets aud looked down, sail eyed, at little 8unny-faee, “ Yes, perhaps you bad better come to bed.” y • • , • • • • • I f Chum would only come. If some thing would only happen to break the silence, a silence only cleft by the sigh o f a child. The church was only at the end o f the street. , H e could henr the bell-ringers shuf fling along the frosty pavement, in a few minutes— and be bent to bis work. H a lf asleep, half awake, be was con-, acious o f the old, almost forgotten touch upon bis wrist— a dream doubtless— but he could not shake It off, aud then he looked down. Kneeling as o f yore beside him, blue eye* tear-dimmed, waa Pearl. “ I have returned, Noel.” It wni a quavering little voice, but it thrilled him. H ow like she waa to their child. •And then the bella clashed forth their message. “ Peace on Barth, Good W ill Toward* Men,” and -to two hearts they carried a sweeter, deeper message still. No word was spoken. A small figure, in a smoking jacket that reached to his heels, stood at tht dividing door, sn eager face turned to either. And husband and w ife kissed silently. W a tc h in g the O ld Year o f 12 on New Y ear's eve there ere rustling and bustling and merry laugh ter as each maiden kisses all the young men she can catch. I t Is the oDly mo ment In the year when custom permits ber such a liberty, and she Is not slow to take advantage o f it. Then, the new year ’ avlng made Its bow, the party breaks up. the young folk take a walk, and the first person o f the opposite which each roisterer meets Is consid ered destined to be that m errym akers future prirtner in life. A Y o u th fu l ¡p * Ila ! a -a a .* . As i a/- II 1 01 i Schem er. I n a o p era h le lists 01 L ittle Emerson— You don’t believe Lu any such ridiculous myth as Santa Claus? Tough Jimmy— N a w ! I ’m next to dat game. A ll dc same. Si’s a . good gra ft to let on you Itelieve in him an’ git all dat'a cornin’ to you. V Z l I d: C V 1 a -o o I t » 2-2 S 1= o I "Ss a Ì a n § - h i := i- N ««a I s . o 'i a u - o c Z'C •! 8 «fi • 7* u w » £ F. -Ss _ f » 3 P ^ r »! film O b jec tio n . “ I would like to give m yself to you as a Christmas present,” said young Poore to Miss Rocks. “ Pnpe does not allow me to receive expensive presents from young men," replied the maiden.— Town Topics. I * S C rnel Man. Mrs. N'ewpop— Charley, wbat are you going to give baby fo r Christmas? Mr. N’ ewpop (w ith visions o f past n igh ts)— A sleeping potion i f he keeps on like he has lately. g u f a W h e re E xtension W aa Cravng. “ You wish your stocking was bigger, don't you, dear?" asked mamma o f De- vie. “ No’m ; my stummlck.” —Judge.- 8 - 5I ill* ¡if n i l l i T H E C H R IS T M A S S P IR IT . fa 8 3 sig isi, f t 3 *1 *1 V a> > O at. W atching the old year out has been a common custom In many lands. In most countries It assumes with the se rious minded the phase o f devotion. In many countries where Roman Catho licism Is the prevalent form o f faith the year la begun w ith midnight masse Among the Greek Catholics the same usage prevails. I t declined In the Church o f England, but was revived by several o f the dissenting bodies, the watch night o f the Methodists being merely a modification o f the once gen eral practice. Am ong the oonvtvlally § W LLi * « q * ° a 50a 4) , - A m J e 3 * 2 v8 *8 > 5 .2 .2 0 IS S I a 2 i
