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The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, December 23, 1896, Our Holiday Supplement, Image 9

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T-fis s our
i EN mother-love
makes all t"linS
bright,
When joy comes
with the morn
ing light.
.- When children gath
er round their
tree.
Thou Christmas Babe,
We sing to Thee!
Whe'n manhood's brows are bent in thought
To learn what men of old have taught,
When eager hands seek Wisdom's key.
Wise Temple Child.
W. learn of Thee!
When doubts assail. and perils fright.
Whe-n, groping blindly in the night,
We strive to read life's mystery,
Man of the Mount,
We turn to Thee!
When shadows of the valley fall.
When sin and death the soul appall,
One light we through the darkness see
Christ on the cross.
We cry to Thee!
And when the world shall pass away.
And dawns at length the perfect day.
In g:ory shall our souls made free.
Thou God enthroned,
Then worship Thee!
-Tudor Jenks. in Outlook.
T WAS not long
a f t er ridnight.
T h e wee small
hours of Christmas
day were just be
gnigto arrive, and down in .*e:
library. where the tree was sheltering
a profuse array of toys, stood an unex
pected guest. He was ill clad, unshaven.
and his hair looked as though it had
never known a comb. Inhisright hand
lie carried a dark-lantern, and slung
over his left arm was a sack, a com
hon .jate bag, and he had er.tered by
The nindow that looked out upon the
stree. The family had all retired, and
for the most part were asleep. That
is why the unexpected guest chose this
tine to -trrive.
-SteaWoilv he crossed the-room. and
drawn the portieres siiently across
the broad doorway that opened into the
hall he slid back the front of his
lanterr. and. lighting a match in its
ilame. he turned on the Das and lit it,
so th.n he might better see the exact
character of his surroundings.
"Humiph! he said, as he observed the
tree. "Quite a fine lay-out. I don't
know but. v:hat, after all, it's a good
thing that, parents give their children
expenrsive things these days. It's a
grera ihelp :o our profession. You can't
ra.:se mut> money' on candy balls and
tuppeny d. 'lis, but these silver-plated1
engines am:. purses with ten-dollar bills
in 'em c'ome in handy. Gold siceeve-but
tons. too," he added, as his eytes took in
a few further deta ls ofthe scene before
him. "an' a gold watch as well. This
is luck."
And then, 's heo bent~ over the g"rup
of t.oy- 'ndl p)reents of a more expen
sive it::u're intended for TRobb e, hi
eyegtrn v't joy ti theprospe'ctive'
-va;m.' i l tha heart of ih nex
m -au 1'-'r was arriin soumnv a
"E~l:" aid .1 ' Eot1ttle v'ie Crora'
1'l'.:' :he portier-es, an atIit thle same'
moct; *.-:h en rrains were ;art ed and
ther" nrcod Rohbbie, clad in his night
gowi:. "Is that vou, santa Claus?" he
atddedi. peering curiously at the unex
pected guest.
The man gave a short laugh.
Tha e the first time I'':e been taken
. 1TA YOU SAT CLAS?
for anyon that 's l det"? esi
f-r rxcwh at sa 1 Robie.D,"h s
-:Not sa hand,. my boy-you'll
w: .' :>e family; and if you did ii:at,
Ird '; 'an like the mist," said the
man. "I said I was only Santa C;ans
assistant. You see. ny lad. there's s;o
manv more children nowadays than
there used to be that the b - had to
get outside help Christmas cc. or hc'd
never be able to finilh iup his work in
time. So he senids for ie an' a few
othe'rs like ne-lieven help us-and
we d~ his distributing for him. 1'd just
laid these things out. here when you
surprised me."
Bobbie ipproahed the tree.
"Oh, isn'tit beautifu!"heeried. "All
these things for me! A watch, to
just the very thing I wvanted."
The man drew back as the boyv spe
and, with a queer light. in his eve, sat
down in one of the chairs sudderly1'.
"Are you tired?" asked Pobbie, leav
ing the tree and crossing to Santa Claus'
assistatat.
II Mil
4.t
It
*d d
1
*Eit
"Yssi the ma. "er.
"Yes-dndota," said the man,
huskily. "It's not-not clean."
"I shouldn't think it wvouild be,"
laughed Bobbie; "climnbing in by sooty
chimnevs can't be very clean work.
Do you know, I always wonder why~
there's never any~ soot left on the toy s.;'
"Oh, we take ('are of that, said ie
assistant. "You see, this bag'~ k eepj he
sot off. But I dida't come" by the e.'im
ney' this time." he added. hai tdi- oh
serving that there was no soot 'in the
bag~ either. "I thoug'ht the winvd6w was
easier."
"You're all through. aren't 3 ou?" said
Bobbie. looking at the bna'
"How do yo knwtat " asked the
man.
'Your bag is empty. I .n't there any
mo .n-ne elsnn o to take t to?>
The. unexpected guest buried his face
in his iands, and a great lump rose up
in his throat.
"There was one other," said the as
sistant. -hut there's nothing for himi
and-and 's al m nly fault. I negletcd
to look aft him."
"Anid otl. he get anything?" asked
Bol bio'.
'No," said the assitant. roughly,
rising and iaking a siep 1 owa rd the tree.
1can have one of mine." cried
DoLhie. I"Here. take hu i t his. I've trot
plenty, thanks to yoi." Ie it:mded him
one of 1h" treasures bieneath the tree.
Tihe 'inexpected guest looke( at the
hoy for a mninute, and then he slowly
reached out his hand and took the prof
fered toy.
"I'll see thatl he gets it," he said, "and
God will bless you for it! Good-by, lit
j.,,.
T... .... ..
. .. ......
ri
itt
-- ;
.1., . . ,
e I m f w
T.~
119'
"Tha I ilt"sai theothr, ad h
betoe,tn kin th hid.fe
trecipte.'y ut though orhe wandow,
and bdisappaeinthedaknssofth
"elmo." toan rd thee docte wus he
olw-rn amori. a he holdhed hts
-
own ljle-faceid: litte youtpak
. ahs fhr fiant Clarist m::r reset" '
eveThknowni"thatsai the hrund hi
thip-itt1 w ot. thog ir idw
and iae-red i(tthe dasrels ofive
.n hades4 beorte I~ asie hiwtat.he hIt:s
arc ktaul. bt ha wasin ! gertia d
enter joh--at New Ye'ar's."'-Johnt Keu
drick lhrgs in Unrn'er's Magazine.
THE FESTIVAL OF CHILDHOOD.
The True Christnas keeling Must Bn from
,th Heart amd Iios.om 1=o Acts.
Christmas W the festiva of child hood.
Whoi1cso would enjioy it t:-uiy musit be
in heart, even s u little child. Its
be t temI en of ot izers. I-s hig cele
.ralnon is imi helpinoun to
Ue happ a' z:d thus -:-arig t-he hapi
ness with temt. Th-re ,Iso hpne
conparab]zl to love, and the hZppinwss
-rXwS III-ters the- lowv emracs mo1 !0
of our fellowbin'W. That is the he
h rism~s timl"e in -which one fels -os
aculcl the actua.11lt of k inship with
all t.( vord. It -i the child that is
the rcal d nnora!t for. as Enerson has
it. he makes ehildren of ad the adults
t.hat -'7-ther around him. levels them to
1;;!;j
.1 - . 1 [ r
II,
plp
the hil heat i th manwhos ~i
_4
r
t i e . g
i r f i l c u
fl his the objlct. Tipon whhn s
besthi. hat man who se
Ciest mnphiriel i moe eats aboudto
wiM4 indi u tlrtaig rm te
to Nr own, for hilllost unknowung.
1 lo htntera havoefeltb .swet andshm
wa( .rth h u muainel thuaeem This
wrin tis vryftir ofn thehaitnaes of
althe faire iswhenly inowyremindu
od "the n: obetuong nihht ieth
shll hist. Ch1ritmasli h fealns mtke
h mons ofri the her t ao hin
aftert delg ortelt dar. t rem
ie ton Iive ii hutmn for a(l weei. 'h
lie mos ofth nw.mntate o tv n
:itr-h (~ileorte rzl.1'i0-z
Pif't ie fhu o e-.i
n~ometi, fl ~~l S'tfliih if . ie
with our fellows. If we can make
:>thers forget the past we may forget
:nr own. If we can but give to others
a lit tle of the antidote of kindliness for
thme poison of the present we shall find
:ur own to-iday less hopeless. And the
future is formed of the spirit that ani
mates to-day. The real feeling *7
Irist-na.s ni:st blossom into acts. T
-nn iS I fraud in whom the Christms
eeling is a theory and not a conlition.
:;od help hini!-St. Louis Mirrer.
His Second Thought.
A lively youngster in Newvport had a
zreat desire to become t.hc owner of a
-(ot. so one day short'y; before Christ
mias eli called up the chimney register
o annrise Santa Claus of his wish.
Haiing the old --ntlen-il supposed to
inh:abit these regions, he told his stor'y
in these words: "Santa Claus, I want a
iq.
ot St foris
ow,~~~~04! it hapndtahebysfte
1%1
NIL
aea. setbc h nwrdw h
4. W'
yimnev: "You can't have a goat."
The little fellow, not at all frightened
att.this ue(xp~ected reply. was equal to
t.he situation, and he sent back to Santa
Claus this defiant response: "Well,
then. keep your old coat! 1 don't want
Lt, any'how."-Golden Days.
Christmas Che'er.
Fa'l on. cold snow, fromr wintry skies.
The houstop's po':--r. leck the trees:
On windO om' rc horn-. with mournful sighs.
Aidyou:tat '-r drifting seas.
co ..anot chI our ardor here.
T . - w "r'I hv love of Christons chear.
-yrS.Tibbals, in New Biohemian.
rp to Date.
Goodnes gracious! What is that ter
rible sound of smashing china7"
I suppose the folding-bed is turning
-e e lettf"...h1,eawo Record.
HIREil E minutes
a twelmve, and
V.HUS only thre ,n
ute-s to 1i1
Ah!'. h2 t would wc give, -1c
If the tear
That prings to oury
As he dies/
Could recall us the life. loved so dear.
Two minutes to twelve! H-ow the past
W% i its la-ughter. its sizhs amtd its Pain,
Crowds rejst through the brainl,
St /I
Stay your flight!
Hearken, year, to our prayer
Of ddspair,
'Ere your last jeath fade out onthe night.
One minute to twelve! To my heart
Cling closer, my seiet. Let the year
On the threshrcld that's niar
F rnd us true,
While togtethe ! we stand.
Hand in hand,
And ,1 watch by the window with you.
Twelve o'clock! Kiiss me, sweet, for the
Past,
And again for the rime. that shall be.
What it brIngs you and me,
Who can say?
Little matter, so lo:g
As no wrong
Steal our love from each other away.
-O1ver Grey, In Bltick and White.
MOUSE AND MidTLETOE.
How a Bad Boy Spolicdi All a Young
Womnn's Wel-Laid\ Pians.
"I shall take the mist N dow n,"
said the girl with the blue\Cyes; "it'sa
delusion and a snare."
"What on earth is the m tter? Did
that ugly Mr. Sappie catch y u under it
and kiss you?"
"No; worse yet:. nobody did. I put
it up yesterday, a great big buich of it.
All day long I was wonderin what to
do with Harvey while Ned is he e from
Kansas City. But after I pu up an
idea struck me."
"Do you want me to go ove d let
him kiss me under it, so you uar
rel?" asked the girl with th ek
eyes.
"Don't trouble yourself, my d ly
idea was a great deal better th a -
I decided to let him kiss me, ai -
ware, and then get mad over it."
"Good enough. Did it work?"
"It would have. but for an ace'
Iecame in the evening with my pre
-an:]. oh. girls it is p-ereetla love
you must come over' and see it. It is.
"Yes. yes; we will. But about t.
mistle toe?"
"Well, there vns my ehanc
thanked him as pretnily as I c
drew off the wrapper withsre
delight and ran rig-ht under the chia.
lier to look at it."
"Oh, Nell, you sly thing!"
"I heard him ereeping up slowly be
hind me while I was apparently ab
sorbed in my admiration of his present.
But just as he was about to catch me
a horrid mouse rmn across the floor al
most at my feet!"
"You poor dear! Did yqi scream.
"I did. More, I ran out ino the din
ing-room and climbed on the table.
Hareywa so disappointed, and so was
I. And don't. you think, after all, it was
not a real mouse!"
I"Not a real mouse?"
"No; it was a horrid mehanical toy
that some one had given my little
brother. And, oh. girls. other callers
came in then and I hadn't a moment
alone wit-h Harvey to get up a quarrel.
Ned arrives at six o'clock this evening:
he is coming for the holidays, and whvlat
I am to do withl both of them on my
hads ITam sure Idon'tlkow"-Cica
go Tribune.
A rFalm Sairnt.
Oh. saeta Clav~a. yc:: orilsi.
I Invr- you: i: rmy chi"or d' da:
Dt no'.' I have no r:' y,
Yoi:'ve solen i: a-.:a:
To .give to one who wrun: irt
Wh'ile >2rs, is not in i.
- 'a' Lyn I..e.
Bef'ore anl Afir
Now t ie mrry t ire re 3n :,
When the lass, so iek ndi hv
Will appreciate her l:pa ' v:eckst joke;
And with skillful flattery
She will laugh with wildest glee
After Christmas he will lind that he is
broke.
-Philadelphia Record.
IT PHASED HI.
Santa Claus-Hitees a fine piece of
buines! The'se children wear Dr.
Jan'oley's comb)Iined undergarments,
and itey have huin..in the entire out
fit-Brooklyn I feC.o!*.
Though some ' .is reso'.tions rail
As steps tat lead us to a fall,
'Tis better to re-soire and fail
Than never to resolve at all.
.-Plntenn Courier.

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