Indiana Democrat, The (Newspaper) - December 22, 1892, Indiana, Pennsylvania THE UNION EQUALITY OF THE VOLUME XXXI INDIANA INDIANA THURSDAY DECEMBER 22 1892 NO 34 I IS PUBLISHED EVERY BY FRANKLIN SANSOM Editor and Publisher Church near Indiana Pa TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION a year strictly in advance per year when not paid in advance ADVERTISING KATES Administrators Executors and Dissolution Notices each All other legal advertisers 50 per inch figure and table work 25 per cent additional Estray and Cau tion notices each NEWSPAPER DECISIONS 1 Any person who takes a paper regularly from the post whether directed to his name or anothers or whether he or is responsible for the payment 2 IT a person orders his paper discontinued lie must pay all arrearages or the publisher may continue to send payment is made and collect the whole amount whether the pa per is taken from the office or not 3 The Courts have decided t hat refusing to take newspapers and periodicals from the post office or removing and leaving them uncalled facia evidence of OUT Advertising Agents uw YORK G f Rowell 1O Spruce street Dauchy 21 and 23 Park Place J Bates 41 Park Row N W Cor and Chestnut Pratt Cor ink aud Area Streets PITTSBURGH It R Remington CHICAGO Lord Thomas 9and Block sir dies street Rev David Hall pastor services every Sabbath at 11 oclock at UNITED street Rev J pastor services every Sabbath at 11 and 7 METHODIST street Rev M M Sweeney Pastor services every Sunday at 11 and P M street pastor services every day 8 every Sunday at 8 and and 3 EVANGELICAL street Rev Lewis Hay pastor services every Sunday at 11 and ST JOHNS EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN street Sunday services at 1O German English BAPTIST Rev B Henshey Pastor Services every Lords day at 11 oclock A Sabbath School at p si CHRIST Vance Childrens Church every Sunday at Societies Indiana Lodge F A meets second Tuesday of each month Palladium Lodge Ao 348 meets every Monday evening Indiana Lodge No 21 meets e Friday evening Clymer Lodge No 28 K of meets every second Tuesday National Christian Temperance Union meets every Tuesday at 7 oclock Wm Penn Council Royal Arcanum No 305 meets every second Thursday evening Council 260 Jr O U A meets every Tuesday evening in Cunningham Hall Indiana Conclave No ISO Improved Order of meets first and third Friday evenings of each mouth in Cunninghams Hall p m Indiana County T President Mrs Rev McMasters V President Mrs T B Elder Elders Ridge Rec Sec Mrs Rachael Cunningham Blairs ville Cor Mrs Dr Geo Hill County Organizer Mr Kva G Thompson Indiana Hon Geo F Huff Senator Capt H K Sloan Assembly Noah Seanor Dr J W Morrow President White K P Lewis John A Scott Register and Recorder James McGregor Adam Braughler J C Cameron A kin A H Clarence Hart J R Wiggins J Jury John Elder John McGuire Dr W T Miller ATTORNEY AT LAW Pa JSi ATTORNEY AT LAW Office in Milt block Indiana Pa GEO W ATTORNEY AT LAW Office on Philadelphia street Indiana Pa JA C ATTORNEY AT LAW street Indiana Pa JT ATTORNEY AT LAW Office with Hon A W Taylor Indiana Pa LEECH ATTORNEYS AT LAW in Porters Building Pa ATTORNEYS AT LAW Office on Philadelphia street Indiana Pa M PI O ATTORNEY AT LAW INDIANA PA in Law Library Court House K ATTORNEY AT LAW Office on Philadelphia street with A W Tay lor Esq i ATTORNEY AT LAW at his on South Sixth street Pa A TORNE Y AT LAW Office with Wm M Stewart Bank building Philadelphia street Indiana Pa If C FRANK KEENER AT LAW occupied by Philadelphia W ATTORNEY AT LA W PA Office oi Salt street south of point Collections promptly attended to Sj ATTORNEY AT LAW Office iu Jacks new All business entrusted to liim will be promptly and care fully executed K ATTORNEY AT LAW on Clymer street two doors south oi the Public Buildings Indiana Pa SUMMERS M JACK DAVID JACK TAYLOR ATTORNEY AT LAW INDIANA PA Collections made estates settled civil and criminal attended to DH TOMB INDIANA PA Offices in rooms formerly occupied by Col D 8 Porter 712 street All legal business will prompt and careful attention JOHN X BANKS ATTORNEY AT Office In the building formerly occupied by Indiana Pa RAILROAD TIME Leave Indiana at and and Arrive at Indiana at and and SOUTHWARD Train No SO leaving Indiana at leaves TwoLick Homer Black at Inter section at 725 Returning to at and connecting with West Penn Express leaving at a which in turn connects with Allegheny Valley to the Oil regions and with Butler Branch arriving at Butler 1 at Allegheny city Train No SO leaving Indiana at 625 connect sat Intersection with Johns town Ace West at at Pitts burgh at or by Uniontown Express changing at at 9 so At at with train Tor Connellsville arriving at Uniontown at a m Going east with Day Ex at and Mail at Train No 82 leaves Indiana Two Lick arriving at Inter m This train connects with Mail west on West Penn at at and Pacific Express west on Main Line at Train No 84 leaving Indiana at leaves Homer Black Lick Blairs viile at Intersection at p at with Ac commodation leaving at pin for all points to Butler Junction and with trains on A for Oil region No 84 train connects at Intersection with Philadelphia Express East av and Johnstown Accommodation East at Going West with Mail at arriving at Pittsburg at Passengers for local points between and Pitts burg must change at Greensburg and take Greensburg Accommodation NORTHWARD Train No SI leaves BlackliCK Homer 832 Twolick arriving at India Train No 83 leaving ai leaves Black Lick Indiana 11 40 Connection from Western Ex at Johnstown and Pacific Exp from the East and Day Exp and Mail from the West at and West Penn Mail from Allegheny City at Train No 85 leaving Int at leaves Homer 712 Two Lick arrives at Indiana at Connection from Philadelphia Exp and Johnstown westand Mail Exp from East At with Express from Allegheny City arriving at at p m CONNECTIONS Trains connecting with Indiana Branch leave Pittsburgh as follows Mail and Day Exp and Phila Exp Trains leave Allegheny City for West Penn Mail at a in and Exp aud Accommodation at Through passengers for Indiana Branch de part from Phila ou Mail at Western Exp at leaves irk at 630 and Pacific Exp at m leave New York at For further information as 10 rates time tables call on agents P R R or address Thos E Watt Passenger Agent Western Dis no Fifth Avenue Pittsburg Pa J R WOOD General Pass Agent GAP and Jefferson Railway Co To take effect Monday June Daily except Sunday 7 Train leaving Bell wood at 8 a port Mahaffey Horatio a m 15 Train leaving Bellwood p Coal port Mahaffey SOUTHWARD 8 Train leaving Punxsutawney a m Mahaffey Coalport 10 arrives at Bell wood 16 Train leaves Punxsutawney at Mahaffey Coalport arrives at Bel wood p m Pennsylvania Railroad Trains at Eastward and and Westward and Buffalo Rochester and Pittsburg Trains at p m Cambria and Clearfield Railroad Trains leave La Jose for Mitchells Mines and Arrive at La Jose from Mitchells Mines at and Cush Creek Trains leave McGees for Glen Campbell at and arrive at from Glen Campbell al and W A FORD Bell BUFFALO PITTS BURGH THE SHORT LINE Between Buffalo Rochester Salamanca Bradford Ridgway DuBois and ali points in the NORTH EAST and WEST On and after Nov 22 91 trains will arrive and depart from daily except Sunday as follows DuBois Kidgeway and Brad ford A and Rochester DuBois Ridgway Bradford Salamanca Buffalo and Rochester P Ridgway Johnson burg and Bradford connecting at Falls Creek with Low Grade Division Allegheny Valley R R for New Bethlehem Red Bank Mixed trains for Du Bois and intermediate stations leave at a m and 2 p m Trains a m Mixed train from DuBois noon Accommodation from Bradford O p m Mail from Buffalo and Rochester p m Mixed train from Du Bois JL C Ticket Punxsutawney J P Thompson Gen ls New W ITT t STEWART YV ATTORNEY AT Office in building formerly occupied by Stew Philadelphia street AVI kind of legal busi less carefully and promptly attended H O KEEPERS SURGEON American House INDIANA PA INDIANA COUNTY DEPOSIT BANK INDIANA PA Capital Fun Deposits received subject to check at sight and interest allowed on time deposits Money collections made Governments a other securities bought and sold A genera barking business transacted on liberal terras JAMES M WATT DB 11 McCHESNEY Cashier President TOM E Asst Cashier DIRECTORS Dii SIMEON TRUBY HARRY WHITE W B PATTISON President Teller FARMERS BANK OF INDIANA PA ONE WEST OF HOUSE Ob pita f General Banking Exchange DEPOSITS RECEIVED Money and Collections made Bonds Drafts aud other securities ajl sold 1893 Harpers Magazine 1893 will continue to maintain the unrivalled standard of excel lence which lias characterized it from the be ginning Among the features of the year there will be new novels by A CONAN DOTLE CONSTANCE and WILLIAM BLACK Short stories will be con by the most popular writers of the das including MARY K WILKIMS RICHARD HARDING DAVIS MARGARET MATTHEWS and many others The illustrated descriptive papers will embrace articles by JOLIAN RALPH on new Southern and Western subjects by THEODORE CHILD on India by POULTNEY BIGELOW on Russia and Germany by RICHARD HARDING DAVIS on a London season by Colonel T A DODGE on Riders etc EDWARD A ABBETS illustrations of Comedies will be continued Literary articles will be contributed by CHARLES ELIOT NORTON Mrs JAMES FIELDS WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS MATTHEWS and others HARPERS PERIODICALS Per Year HARPERS MAGAZINE 8400 HARPERS WEEKLY 4 00 HARPERS BAZAR 4 00 HARPERS YOUNG PEOPLE 2 00 Postage Free to all in the United States Canada and Mexico The Volumes of tlie MAGAZINE begin with the Numbers for June and December of each year no time is mentioned tons will begin with the Number current at the time of receipt of the order Bound vol umes of HARPERS MAGAZINE for three vears back in neat cloth binding will be sent by mail postpaid on receipt of per volume Cloth Cases for binding 50 cents bv mail postpaid Remittances should be made by Money Order or Draft to avoid chance of loss are not to this advert 3e ment without the express order of BROTHERS Address HARPER New lark 1893 Harpers Weekly ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY is acknowledged as standing among illustrated weekly period in America It occupies a place between that if the hurried daily paper and that of the less timely monthly magazine It includes both literature and news and presents with equal force and felicity the ieal events of cur rent history and the imaginative themes of fiction On account very complete series of illustrations of the Worlds Fair H will be not only the best guide to the great exposition but also its best souvenir Kverv public evmt of general interest will be fully illustrated in its pages Its contributions the best writers and artists in it will continue to excel in literature news and illus all other publications oi its class HARPERS PERIODICALS Per Year MAGAZINE Si 00 WEEKLY 300 BAZAK 400 PEOPLE 2 OO Postage Free to all subscribers in the States Canada and Mexico The Volumes of the WEEKLY besin with number for January of each year When no time is mentioned subscriptions begin with the number current at the timo oi re of order Bound Volumes of HARPERS WEEKLY for three jears back in neat cluth will be sent by mail postpaid or by free of expense provided the does not ex ceed one dollar per for per vol ume Cases for volume suitable tor binding win be sent by mill ou re ni each Remittances should be made by Postoffice Money Order or Draft to avoid chauce of loss Newspapers are not to copy this advertise ment without express order of Address BROTHERS New YOUK 1893 Harpers Bazar is a journal for the home li gives tlie and latest information about fashions and its numerous illustrations Paris designs and pattern sheet supplements are indispensable alike to the dress maker and the professional modiste No ex pense is spared to make us artistic attractive ness oi the highest order Its brignt stories amusing comedies and essays satisfy all tastes and its lust page is famous as a budget of wit and humor In its weekly issues everything is induced which is of in terest to women The serials for will be written by WAITER ana EDNA will furnish a series entitled At the GRACE KING OLIVE MILLER and UAK DAUE will be frequent contributors The work ot women in th Exposi tion will tn fully many illus trations T W HIGGINSON ia Women and please a cultivated audience HARPERS PERIODICALS Icr Year 00 4 00 400 YOUNG 2 On Postage free to all in the United Canada and TJie of the BAZAK begin with the first Number for When no is mentioned subscriptions will begin with the Number current at the time of receipt of the order Bound Volumes of HARPERS for three years binding sent by mail postage paid or by express free expense provided the freight does not ex ceed per for per volume Cloth Cases for each volume suitable for will be sent by mail post paid on re oi each be made by Money Older or Draft to avoid chance ot loss are not to copy this men without the express order of j BROTHERS i Address YORK HARPER NEW COTTON ROOT A recent discovery by an old physician Successfully vised by thousands of Ladies Is the only per safe and reliable med discovered Beware of unprincipled who offer Inferior medicines in this Ask fur COOKS COTTON ROOT COMPOUND take no substitute or inclose and Oc in postage in letter and we will send sealed by return mail Full sealed particulars in plain envelope to ladies only 2 stamps Address 1 y No 3i Fisher Block in by T K Daugherty Bros Hetrick S G inan and druggists everywhere NOTICE Estate of Jo tin K Kent dee used laic of Township Whereas the undersigned having received letters testamentary upon the of John S late of Grant township deceased notice is hereby given to all those indebted to said to make immediate and those having claims upon the same to present them properly M HEST F K BEST Executors FOlt DI RECTORS THE DEMOCRAT j W B Pattison I Israel Thomas S A Johnston Edward Kowe John P Elkin John N Batiks OF DISSOLUTION Notice Is hereby given that the partnership heretofore existing between the undersigned doing business under the name and style of Widdowson Ross at Richmond Grant Indiana county was by mutual consent John S Hoss retiring Al due said firm are to be palO aid al claims said firm arc to be d o Install who will continue tins business at the old sand JOHNS ROSS Richmond Mills Indiana county Dec 323 HAT shall I give my loved one For a Christmas gift to night How can I tell the My pea refuses to write I would give her gerus of light From the caverns deep of night Opals rubies emeralds green Diamonds bright with fiery sheen AH the spices rich raid strong From the eastern lauds of song Perfumes heavy musk and nard Ambergris opaque and hard And the tissues soft and rare That Circassian beauties wear That with clinging tender fold All her charms should closely hold I would give her castles fair Far in Spains ambrosial air Tail and stately sheened with gold Ivy grown and gray and old Since I cannot give her For I lack the needful I will give her if she please All I life my self DAVID A CURTIS said the warden holding out his hand said the man as lie grasped his late jailers hand a bit huskily I all your Oh thats all right said the warden cheerily I try to do whats right thats all Just you do that in the future Henry and I shall never see you here again Good luck to 1 The great doors clanged behind Henry Johnson as he stepped out of the prison where he had served six years four months and twentyfive the full sentence he had received for the benefit of the allowance for good be havior had been his But six years is a long time long enough to change a man for better or worse With a new suit of clothes a ticket to New York and twentythree dollars Johnson walked away once more a free man He had looked forward to this day for years He had dreamed of it on his hard bed in his lonely day on which he would be liberated on which his revenge would begin It was here at last Johnson was sur prised at his sensations Instead of leaping or crying for joy he was wallring along as quietly as though setting out on a visit to friends Ah friends The word brought him to a realizing sense of what was before him Friends indeed In all the wide world had lie a single friend With lightning rapidity the events of the last eight years swept before him He saw himself honored and respected holding a position of trust in a banking house laying by a tidy little sum for the home which was to be hers the near future Then came the scandal the embezzle ment the mystery the plot which wrecked his life and sent him to prison for a crime of which he was innocent Then through that inexplicable channel by which news drifts from the outer world to those in prison he had learned of the prosperity of the man who in his soul he was convinced had ruined him and of his marriage to the woman John son had loved The train for New York swept around the curve and the smoothly shaven man in the ill fitting clothes with despair on his face and hell in his heart crept on and slunk into a corner by the door He peered out the window to catch a last glimpse of the high stone wall aud the sentry stalking solemnly up and down How soon will I be back he asked himself i Then as the gloom deepened on his haggard face he muttered When I come back it will not be for embezzle ment but for j For Johnson had in those six dreary years of captivity calmly and coolly formulated his plan of revenge He had decided to kill John Raymond his former friend and business associate just as he would kill a viper that had stung him were the word which jangled ceaselessly through his keeping time to the clattering of the wheels over the rails ONE OR TWO PASSENGERS TURNED AND LOOKED AT DIM How Suddenly without warning and mercy Even as ruin had darted upon him should the blow descend upon Ray mond When At night Night with its aw ful silence and mystery should surround and envelop the deed Where In his own house Raymond had stolen from limi In its fancied security in its seclusion aud ele gance within calling distance His possible woul tin mur derer find hiin The man in tho corner of the car laughed aloud One or two passengers near turned and looked at him but quickly withdrew their eyes There was no contagious mirth in laugh and the smile on the cruel face was the emile of a fiend That night he crawled into a slovenly bed in a cheap lodging house on the east side Ho missed the lonely cell to which he had become accustomed and found himself wondering if they would give him his old quarters when ho went back Next day he prowled about the muddy streets seeking work It was Christmas week and everybody was Too Trasy to listen to him He ate sparingly and hoarded his little roll of bills counting them over aud over A strange attrac tion him to the neighborhood of the bank where he used to work At the close of the somber day he stood and watched the well dressed well groomed men emerge from the build ing That is the way I used to he said to himself and then glanced down at his plain clothes and coarse shoes At night the Bowery glittered with rows of lights that twinkled like evil eyes Johnson tramped for many blocks pausing now and then to gaze in the windows at the Christinas decora tions There was one display which fascinated him In a cutlers window were stars crosses and other emblems formed of smooth shining sharp edged knives Johnson looked steadily at them for a long time Then he went in and selecting one particularly wicked blade paid for it from the little roll of bills thrust it in the breast pocket of his coat and resumed his tramp Christmas he muttered as he plodded on What is Christmas to me Id like to give John Raymond a Christmas present curse and then suddenly he thought what a fine thing it would be to drive that knife home in Raymonds heart and attach a piece of paper to the bearing the inscription A Christmas present from a loving Ill do it he exclaimed Yes Ill do it on the night before Christmas What a merry Christmas it will be for me People brushed against him in the throng Children shrank at sight of his scowling face On on he went un mindful of liis surroundings SOMETHING ROLLED DOWN THE CHEEK OF THE Suddenly he paused before a great building into which crowds were pour ing He joined the throng and drifted in There were lights and music Some man with a clear baritone voice singing something To the ears of the stole these words Ive found a friend in Jesus Hes everything to me Hes the fairest of ten thousand to my soul The Lily of the Valley In him alone I see All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole Then suddenly the great audience rose to its feet and responded Hes the Lily of the Valley The Bright and Morning Star Hes the fairest of ten thousand to my soul Johnson looked stupidly about He saw faces lined with sin and the faces of thieves and outcasts But everybody was singing He looked at the platform It was filled with men and women dressed in curious fashion in dark blue costumes with big scarlet letters on their breasts During John sons prison life the Salvation Army had sprung into existence He all my griefs has taken And all ray sorrows borne In temptation hes my strong and mighty rang out the voice like a clarion call And once more the poor sodden way farers to whom he sang answered Hes tho Lily of tho Valley Tho Bright and Morning Star Hes the fairest of ten thousand to my soul Something rolled down the cheek of the He put up his hand impatiently to brush it away And then half stumbling he hurried out into the night But as he fled through the fast fall ing snowflakes he heard again the re frain well up like a Hes the Lily of tho Valley Next day as he aimlessly walked about he came face to face with a man he had known in his old life The man started as if he had seen a ghost and then shamefacedly and hesitatingly ex tended his hand Howdy do Johnson he said tim idly Oh Im well said Johnson with a short harsh laugh Im trying to get something to do Perhaps you could help you see just now everybodys taken up with Yes so I Of course you understand its not an easy thing to recommend A Well Yes I understand I wont bother you Ill get along in some fashion Ive a little money But tell me can you give mo any news of Raymond Well yes You heard about his failure His failure Yes lost every cent a year ago Poor as a church mouse Sick too I heard a few days ago Rheumatism I believe His Yes yes his Shes supporting him I sewing They live somewhere on the east side in a tenement Horrible come down Weli I cant stand here all day Goodby If I hear of he was gone Johnson stood looking after him in a dazed fashion until a gentle hint from a policeman reminded him he had better move on So Raymond was poor and revenge then was partly that Christmas way the thought of killing a poor invalid did not appeal so strongly to the somewhere on tho east well try to hunt the traditional gick and Nelly sewing to support well there was some justice in heaven if not on earth It was the night before Christmas when Johnson strolled again into the great rink the Salvation Army was holding its meetings He listened to the burning words which fell from the lips of a sweet faced woman She talked of Gods best gift to man aud spoke of peace and good will Then again the singer cania forward and again the strains which had rung in Johnsons ears for two day rolled to tho roof While listening eagerly hia suddenly Jell upon the face or a woman was sit ting three seats from him A pale thin shabbily dressed woman It was Nelly When she rose to go he followed her As she hurried away he stealthily crept behind her his hand involuntarily clutching the knife over his heart Up a rickety flight of stairs she went and close behind came her pursuer She opened the door on the third landing and went in He crouched outside holding his breath The door remained ajar He looked in and marked the poor room with its wretched belongings He saw the bed and the sick man bolstered up by flabby pillows Is that you he heard Ray mond say I thought you would never Well John dear I just ran into the rink a moment to hear the singing It Bounded so sweet as I caine along Here is your medicine HE WAS INNOCENT Then Johnson listening straining ev ery nerve there in the darkness heard an awful groan What is it John the pain again Yes yes Oh this is terrible Nelly I am dying No no dear you will be better pres ently Here drink The sufferer obeyed and sank back exhausted on the pillows thought Johnson now is my time I can rush in and stab him before his wife Why do I do it Poor Nelly said Raymond again to what have I brought you Ah sin finds its Sin John Yes sin Nelly I am dying I must must tell you Hush dear you are excited Listen now Ill sing you to sleep and tomor row Christmas morning you will be And then to the Ishmaelite his hand against every man outside there in the darkness floated in sweet voice Hes the Lily of the Valley The Bright and Morning Star But she was interrupted I must moaned the sick man I will tell Then the door was softly pushed open and the startled couple saw him His face was features working and tears were raining down his cheeks No said the Ishmaelite do not But not to be iu generosity Raymond raised himself and with one supreme effort pointed to Johnson cry ing He was innocent And the bright morning star of Christ mas shone through the window on three people two of whom knelt by the bed holding the icy hands of the other Both on the white face of the dead and the living face of the had set tled the peace which passeth all under standing Close Quarters hung up my stocking Christ mas eve and what do you think I got in it A beautiful umbrella must have been a pretty tight fit Christmas Holly The practice of decking churches with the evergreen is very ancient says Chat terbox On this account our pious fore fathers gave it the name of holy of which our word holly is a corruption Duppa tells tis that branches of this tree were sent by the Romans to their friends with their New Years gifts as emblematical of good wishes and the custom is said to be nearly as old as the building of Rome The holly sometimes attains the height of forty feet and when of this large size the wood is very valuable and is much used by cabinet makers It is white hard close grained and takes a very fine polish When stained black it is an excellent imitation of ebony The long and straight tough branches are often used for whip handles and walking sticks The leaves of the holly near the ground are frequently much more prickly than those toward the top of the tree This circumstance forms the subject of a poem by Southey in which he says that though in youth buffetings with the world may call forth harshness yet a man ought to pray that unkind feel ings may daily wear Till the smooth temper of his ago shall be Liko tho high leaves upon tho holly tree Christmas Mummers Among other quaint customs still ex tant are those of the mummers ami at Christmas all common in Oxfordshire England Some wear masks some black their faces and others dress fantastically They go about sing ing A merry Christmas and a happy New Year Your pockets full of money and your cellars full of beer But this is tho convivial side At this time the following apparently senseless lines nre sung by the of Somer Hero comes I liddle man Jan With my In my ban If you dont all do As you be told by J Ill zond you all to York Vor to make apple pio EG YAL KRIS KEINGLE THE KING WHOSE SCEPTER IS HOLLY BRANCH Poor j Hls What do yon do asked a to the dime museum of liio dwarf i I amuse the public m a re plied the little How St Became Santa Claus of as It Is Celebrated and Old Plantation Scene Copyright it oc curs Christmas is king of the holidays northern s t e a d southern In the home on the planta tion among those go down to sea ia and among the people of all civilized lands it is the one season of the year marked by a reign of hospitality merri ment and open heartedness Ifc recalls o the old the pleasures of youth and transports many an absent one back to iris own fireside and home In the early annals of New York city it was Men Amsterdam and the sturdy was commander in chief when onr now crowded Broadway was below Wall street and known only as plain Heere straat when onr business throttled Maiden lane was Maidens the red cheeked Dutch girls went to hang their clothes when the meat mar ket was on Bowling Green and the pres ent City Hall park a public pasture out side the city wall the 24th and 25th of December were dedicated to St Nich olas the patron saint of the colony It was his image that constituted the fig of the ship that brought the rants to this shore It was he who gave his name to the first church within the walls and whose ben isons were most solemnly invoked in the hour of trouble by all Dutchmen on land and sea To the Dutch boys and girls St Nich olas was a jolly white bearded little old man smoking his long stemmed pipe and in their fancies driving through the air over town and country oceans and deserts sending through space the sharpest of whistles to the wonderful reindeer team that carried the wonderful eleigh These little Knickerbockers have passed away for ever but the children of today still keep the devotion of the children of 1650 for St Nicholas only they now call him Santa Claus He is the same friend the same little low built chubby merry mysterious ancient who loves children of all ages and all countries The manner in which his coming is celebrated differs according to the habits and associations of the people In the great cities and the country towns for days and weeks beforehand the markets and stores the streets and avenues pro claim the approach of the fete The whole community abandons itself to for aging expeditions Bundles and baskets are mens shoulders and in their hands in wagons and coaches filling the aisles of street cars and trun dling through the highways in wheel barrows Women and children hus bands bachelors and sweethearts strug gle beneath their weight There are gifts for boys and girls presents for men and women and heaps of presents for grandfathers and grandmothers Old Scrooge is there crowding pater familias in his endeavor to buy the big gest turkey and make amends for his meanness to his bookkeeper the year while materfamilias declares to herself that her Christmas shall be the handsomest among all the neighbors Now comes Christmas fairy time of the little ones And who shall describe it The old mantel with its row of stockings large and small the expectant looks of the youngsters as they linger around the fireplace won dering what Santa Claus will bring the creeping into bed and listening while the grown folks are over their eggnog and mulled cider for any sign of the coming of the old gentleman clown the chimney then when the house is still the mysterious movements of the happy parents as they produce the Christmas gifts from their hiding places and tie them up in the most pro knots the commotion in the house long before dawn when the chil dren bounce from their beds to see what the King has sent them the chorus of chuckles and gabble of delight as they gather around the bedside of the sleepy father and mother and arouse every one in the house to display the liberality of the God of shall who can tell the story of such a happy time By and by the bells in the steeples call the good people all to church and chapel and away they go flocking through the streets in their best clothes and with their gayest faces Closed stores and a general cessation from labor give a Sab bath sanctity and reserve to the day out side very different from the Christmas echoes of the night before A little later we are seated at the Christmas dinner each one nervously impatient to attack the heaped up viands The turkeys anil and chickens that caused such a stuffing of baskets on Christmas eve are set out stuffed in turn upon the tables and soon after lots of little boys ant girls are in the same condition The feast ended other pleasures fol low The old folks gather around the big fireplace to enjoy the outpouring oJ good feeling and honest interchange oi affectionate attachment which abound at this season The young people betake themselves to the frolics of a sleigh ride while the children repair perhaps to the neighboring hills and ponds to try the new sleds and skates This is the Christmas of the average home cir cle throughout the north and west The Christinas of the rich is also a fairyland in which for one day at nothing save the spirit of enters the voluptuous heaven with its firmament of gas jets its carpeted floor softer than clover its perfumed air em broidered curtains and gorgeous Christ mas tree all aflame with light and color where are gathered a fashionable throng oi old and young awaiting the of costly gifts But in the background of oven this pleasant picture is families of tho poor the labyrinths of wretched homes and teeming tenement houses the prisons and hospitals They are noi forgotten The rich man has spared from his abundance that tho hard pres sure of poverty may for the moment be lightened and charitable hands deal ou the stores of good things that make one and all feel as if the spirit of Christmas was indeed the angel of the day bring ing the old time message Peace on earth and good will to F G DE FONTAINE there anything else dear hat you would liko to hang on the Christmas tree Those triplets Christmas in tue Iand of the Czar Throughout the Ukraine or little Russia Christmas is observed as a great sacred day Weeks before Christmas preparations for welcoming the so called Christman kutia barley grits are go ing on in a peasants hut The hut is whitewashed the floor and bed of boards are scrubbed the aoly images or ikons on the walla are adorned with coarse linen towels em broidered and a few crosses neatly made of straw or hay are nailed upon the ceiling and wall A bench covered with hay is placed at the corner tinder St Nicholas image upon which rests the pot with the sacred kutia The head of the family after offering prayer and expressing a few wishes be fore the as that the next summers crop may be abundant or that general prosperity may crown his his seat at the head of the table His example is followed by the rest of the members The pot with the is soon placed before them and after a few more little formalities is devoured with great ap petite After this is done all dress them selves in their best clothes and start out to church December Oh happy hearts list to the bells Oh yearning souls Ugt to their sweet refrain It is the echo which forever tells Of peace on amid its joys and pain Wreathe holly herries and pale mistletoe In garlands for the joyous Christmastide The year is buried and the chastening snow Falls like a benediction far and wide Lee Orleans Picayune A Bad Well Uncle Ebony what are you going to have for your Christ mas dinner Uncle Ebony Ize gwine to have a fat and sassy turkey sah Why I thought you told me not long ago you didnt expect to have one Uncle No sah I didnt but I done moved out ob since den dat neighborhood hear Bobbie that you got a train of cars for Christmas and they had an accident Tell me all about it cant say a word You see I am one of the officers of the road Ho Wanted A confirmed old bachelor of most exem habits living in his own house in De troit recently advertised for a hired girl He received many letters and finally se one which seemed to liim about right he invited the writer to call very su woman of forty responded You he explained a good thrifty canfill woman in my I she replied must cook wash and iron clean up the house attend to my clothes sew on buttons and do repairing do the market ing attend the door pay the bills as they come in and kindle my fire in the mora she said as she arose to depart you dont want a hired What joa want is a wife Good aud sha very politely and pleasantly walked Detroit Free Press Different Now Von dont crease your trousers any more do you Van I gave it up couldnt make them stay Von strange you never used to have that trouble Van but I am now and Furnisher Xot Good Form Heres a piece of pie for yon my gooij said kind hearted Mrs Spriggs You certainly dont expect me to eajt pie in tho replied the trump in accents betraying pained sur Why Ho Was Empty brought home some Swiss cheese from a grocers which cheese was full of holes He partook of it very liber ally but when he complained a few days afterward of a feeling of emptiness little Johnny who is one of the smartest boys iii Austin spoke up anil said know what makes you feel so empty pa It is them big holes you ate other Sif tines
