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FAIR PLAY. STE. GENEVIEVE. MISSOURI.
The Cheer of
Christmas
By Alvah Jordan Garth
Seek yo the Lord, all ye meek of the
earth, which havo wrought his Judg
ment; seek righteousness, seek meekness:
It may bo ye shall bo hid In the day of
the Lord's anger.
For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ash
kelon a desolation: they shall drive out
Ashdod at .the noonday, and Ekron shall
be rooted up.
Woo unto the Inhabitants of the sea
coast, the nation of the Cherethltes! the
word of tho Lord Is against you: O
Canaan, tho land of the Philistines, I will
even destroy thee, that there shall be no
Inhabitant. Zephaniah 2:3-6.
By JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN.
SCALON (Ashkolon) is a
desolation the words of
the prophet were fulfilled
ong ago. Hut out of the
dcsolntlon lire now coming
.piles thnt shall ndd much
ln the knowledge of the
1 present concerning tlio
t day In which tlie prophet
wrote. At Chrlstmns time
everyone has a thought of Jerusalem
and Palestine. And Ascnlon Is close
to Jerusalem and tho hlrthplace or
j,Herod the Great, who ordered the
, "Massacre of the Innocents."
During the world war the activities
the Palestine Exploration fund were
veil rusuioeii wim exirnorninnr" Kur
il vm M.iiu.a 1 1 t iniim ' 1 1 irrnnr I n I n 711 fi
nnfll Vnitm 'I tin ftTnntftof llrwla ltfii.n
Tho Palestine Exnlonitlon fund Is
--O" . . . I- I..VIIVUVftJ, lUl'"h
llllRrmflnn. A nwt mlnnrv nvnnrllMnn
uo iUUUU VlllltllU )VJI2UU ill lliu
wimur ui iou.-u. riince men no less
than eight expeditions for vnrylng
purposes have hcen sent out. Slnco
18C9 the society has Issued n quarterly
statement and lias published several
works and maps. It maintains a
. U!Ut;uiJl HI lis IjUIlUUll UIULU.
Ascalon Is a dcsolntlon In tho literal
meaning of tho word and has been
a desolation for ninny n year. Vegeta
tion Is scanty. The once splendid
harbor hos been filled up. The grent
walls and towers that surmounted
the ridge that surrounds the city He
in crumbled ruins. Tho confusion is
extraordinary; the walls and towers
nppear to have been blown asunder by
powder. Yet once the city must have
been a vision of beauty. Here and
there broken columns of marble and
granite tell of the glories of the past.
Probably Ascalon onco looked some
thing like Jaffa, making allowance
for the modernizing of that ancient
city.
Ascalon lies on tho shore of tho
Mediterranean, ln Judca, 30 miles
southwest of Jerusalem. It was a
.fortified city ln ancient times. How
old It Is, nobody knows. It passed
from the Egyptians to tho Cnnnanltes
about 1500 B. C; ln thoso days the
Egyptians were the overlords of Pales
tine, which was then called Canaan.
Between 1300 and 1100 U. O. Philis
tines and Hebrews struggled for pos
session of Canaan. The Hebrews
finally gained control and the Cn
nnanltes were submerged. In 1050 B. C.
the divided Hebrew tribes were united
into a kingdom under Saul. David,
his successor, completed the establish
ment of Israelite supremacy ln Pales
tine. Under Dnvtd and Solomon, for
the first and only time In history,
Palestine was the homo of a united
people junder ono central government.
Then followed Its division Into
'Israel and Judnh. Then followed
conquest by the Assyrians and by the
Babylonians and by the Persians and
by the Egyptians and by the Romans.
Is 70 A. D. the struggle against Homo
was ended by the capture and ruin
of Jerusalem. In 132-135 A. D. was the
Fossils Reveal History.
The fossil shells of the early Invcrte-
dtcate the geologic period In which
t pnniF iinno nnnrn minir m miii vi hiw
inn niinu.tininMn rwma ot nrrnina it
hlch it was mud or sund. .Former
ctor Powell of the United States
LUH ti prophet wore fninih,! HBaL'.. -.;. 'V V VSB
YZggSfLjA desolation lire now coming X7 'v, ' X . 's
nfti i 111 n lliiil 1 nil 11 1 ...J SS ' . - ' . '.5
tesolafion!
grent rising under Bnr-Cochbn. The
rebellion was stamped out with much
bloodshed. Emperor Hndrlan, ln re
building Jerusalem, changed its name
to Aelln Cnpltolinn and decreed that
no Jew should dwell ln It. Never
slnco that day has Jerusalem been n
Jewish city or Palestine a Jewish
land.
Ascnlon's history was naturally
troublous ln times like these. In 1-180
B. C, say the Tel-el-Amarna tablets,
the native chiefs nnd Dngon-worshipers
who ruled the city were paying
tribute to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Tho
place was captured successively by tho
great Jlnmeses II., nnd by King As
surhanlpal of Assyrln.
It later became one of the five
tswns of the Philistine confederacy.
"Tell it not In Gath, publish It not
In the streets of Ashkelon; lest the
daughters of the Philistines rejoice"
Is written ln II Samuel 1:20. It came
Into the hands of tho tribe of Judah,
but It remained an enemy of the
Hebrews to the last.
Ascalon long belonged to the
Itomans. In tho Seventh century it
came Into possession of the Saracens.
In 1099 was fought the great bottle
on the plains of Ascalon in which
tho Crusaders under Godfrey de Bouil
lon were victorious. Tho city was
taken nnd retnken during the wars of
tho Crusaders.
Tho end of Ascalon came In 1270,
when it was destroyed by the Sultan
Blbars. It was then that Its hnrbor
wns filled In. It was then that It be
came a desolation.
Herod the Great wns the ruler who
beautified Asculou. Herod is the
fnmlly nnme of a group of rulers of
Palestine. The fnmlly hnd Its origin
In Antlpnter, an Idumean (Edomlto),
who In tho lost century before Christ
wus made by tho Romans governor of
Edom, Juden, Snmnrla and Gnlllee.
His son wns Herod the Great, who was
made king of Juden ami reigned from
39 to 4 B. C. It wns Hero'd Antlpos,
son of Herod the Grent, tetrnrch of
Galilee, who beheaded John the Bap
tist and to whom Jesus was sent by
Pilate. The Hcrods were Jews only
In tho sense that the Edomltes were
conquered nnd compelled to embrace
Judnlsm about 130 B. C.
Herod the Grent ruled tho Jows
with an Iron hand, ruthlessly murder
ing nil whom ho considered enemies,
Including even the brother, of his wife
Mnrlamne. When he left his court
on a dangerous mission to Homo ho
left word that In the event of his
death, Marlamne should bo killed also.
This Jealous decree started a qunrrel
geological survey onco tersely ex
plained to a congressional committee
the vnluo of paleontology by saying
thnt It Is "the geologist's clock," by
which he tells the time In the world's
history when any rock bed was
formed.
Gave No Promise of Greatness.
If we study the childhood of great
people we shall find that many emi
nent men nnd women were voted dull
In their youth, and looked upon is
mediocrities. The school-mistress of
with his wife, which ended only when
he hnd her put to death. Having
started his reign In this fashion he
continued ln his enreer of crime and
lust, not hesitating even to strangle
his own sons. Religious enemies' ho
generally preferred to hnvo burned
alive.
He finished his days In the most
frightful physical nnd mental torments,
Just nfter ordering the mnssucre ot
the Innocents In the year of Christ's
birth. Emperor Augustus, his friend,
said of him: "It Is better to be
Herod's pig than his son." He hnd,
ten wives In nil, and several of these
at one time.
Herod the Great had a passion for
building. During the first deendo of
his reign he was too busy establish
ing himself to Indulge his passion.
Then he rehnbllltntcd mnny cities. At
Jerusnlem, Jericho nnd Caesarea, he
erected theaters, amphitheaters and
hippodromes. He rebuilt the temple
In Jerusalem. He even restored and
beautified cities ln Syria, Asia Minor
and Greece.
Herod, having been born at Ascalon,
devoted much time and money to Its
Improvement. He beautified the city
with "baths and costly fountains, ns
nlso cloisters around a court, thnt
were admirable both for their work
manship and largeness," according to
Josephus.
One of the finds at Ascnlon Is a
glgnntlc stntue of Herod tho Great.
Another Is the Court of Herod,, nnd
Its surrounding cloisters, mentioned
by Joscpiius.,
A third Is n temple with massive
marble columns, which may dnte bnck
to the dnys when Ascnlon, according
to Herodotus, was famous for the wor
ship of Astarte (Astoreth), the god
dess of fertility and frultfulness,
mentioned ln I Samuel 31:10 "nnd
they put his armor In the house of
Astoreth. . . ." This was tho
armor of Snul, first king of Israel.
In this connection there hns been
discovered n bns-rellef representing
the goddess with two nttendnnts.
Also a stntue of Venus has been un
covered. Ascalon was the seat of worship of
Astnrte, more or less Identified with
the Assyrian Ishtar, the Phoenician
Astoreth, tho Greek Aphrodlto nnd
the Romnn Venus. Sho Is often rep
resented ns hnlf .womnn nnd hnlf flsh,
n sort of divine mermaid. A deep
lnyer of broken pottery hns been dug
up here, which probnbly marks tho
remains of vessels broken as part of
the religious rites ln her honor. But
so far no trnco hns been found of th
lnke Into which he plunged, nccord
Ing to one story, being nshnmcd of her
misdeeds, and wns completely trans
formed Into n flsh.
The most famous legend concerning
her tells of her descent Into the under
world, In senrch of the healing waters
which are to restoro to life her bride
groom Tnramuz, tho young and beau
tiful sun god, slain by the cruel hand
of Winter.
Oliver Goldsmith proclaimed him to
ho one of her dullest boys, and Har
riet Martlneau was a source of anx
iety and perplexity to her parents
during the whole of her young days.
By reading her autobiography we see
how easy It Is for a gifted child, a
well-intentioned child, and one anx
ious to do right nnd merit approbation
to be so wholly i Isunderstood as to
be continually in fault nnd causing
perpetual trouble to nil nround her, to
say nothing of making life a burden
and misery to herself.
CopyriKlil, t 11. Waiters Newtpuptr Union.
IKRB W ft a
token of crisp,
white winter In
the nlr and the old
est Inhabitant was
dally discussing the
probability of "a
real genuine old
fashloiied Christ
mas." The rlMer
was frozen and a
spoil of skating and races on the Ice
promised. The little town hnd awak
ened to real enthusiasm and when
Susie Burton appeared driving the old
family horse with n string of merrily
chiming bells nttnehed to the shafts
of the wagon which held the enns of
sweet, fresh home milk for a coterie
of old customers, the cheer of the ap
proaching holidays was Intensified.
Susie was poor as her well mended
raiment evidenced, but she was
superbly happy. "You see," she Im
parted to an especial confidant, n girl
neighbor, "our customers always glfc
us some little remembrance around
Chrlstmns time. And mother always
makes up enough delicious cottage
cheese to go the rounds so we don't
appear as If we were beggars" and
Susie removed the top of a milk can
to display a mass of the delicacy.
"Sometimes It's money, sometimes
rare gifts bought for money, or clothes,'
or a knitted hood. Anyhow it makes
us feel rich nround Christmas time
each yenr."
Susie hoped there would be some real
money offerings which she felt her
diligence and thnt of her grandmother
truly deserved.
For n month past Mrs. Burton had
referred to "a bill nnd a Judgment."
"Being Led Up a Slanting Platform."
Susie leorned thnt the city firm
threatened "to sell the Burtons out."
"Surely they won't trouble poor old
grnndmn so cruelly," she hoped, but
the next morning when she went out
to the stnble to hitch up old Dobbin
she found the stnll empty and her
grandmother seated on the front steps
of the house, her npron to her eyes.
"Oh, Grnndmn I where Is Dobbin,
nnd whnt hns happened and why aro
you crying so bitterly?"
"Child," wns the sobbing reply, "the
worst hns come. Two men Just took
Dobbin nwny. It Is ruin for us."
"Where Is he? where did they take
him I" cried Susie. Oh, grandma I
must find Dobbin I There must be
some wny to get him bnck."
Two men hnd led Dobbin ln the
direction of the railroad to ship hlra
to the city, with other live stock.
Almost hysterical Susie wns speedily
dashing down the road.
At length she reached tho railroad;
yes, there was poor faithful Dobbin
being led up n slnntlng plntforra to a
cnr. Wildly Susie dashed after him.
"Vfhere are you taking our horse,
our Dobbin I" she called, and then
she sprang towards the animal cling
ing to his mnne, kissing and caressing
him. '
"We are simply doing our duty and
chipping the horse as directed," de
rlared one of the men, and Susie
learned that the destination was tho
livery stable of n man nnmed Arnold
Drury ln the city, nnd boldly declored
Fhe would remain with Dobbin until
Fhe saw this Mr. Drury, who could not
but heed her story when she told It I
There was n three hours' Jolting,
worried ride. When the train reached
the city some "new men proceeded to
unload tle cnr. Still Susie clung to
old Dobbin. People stnred ns the pro
cession passed down n street leading
to n great livery stnble. Susie lenrned
that a gentleman In n house nearby
was Mr. Drury. His wife nnd daughter
were with him and before them all
Susie told her story.
"Little one," he said, Jotting down
the town where she lived nnd covertly
wiping away a tear, "we will attend to
all this speedily. Got the child some
thing to ent," ho directed his wife, nnd
nn hour later sho wns the compnnlon
of Susie, homeward bound, after
giving directions for tho Immediate
return of old Dobbin.
Thnt wns not all. Mrs. Burton
quivered with delight, as glancing Into
the yard the next morning there wns
Dobbin all ready In tho shafts for an
early trip, and Susie went her rounds
singing happily.
The story of the old horse got about
town ond was the theme of many o
fireside story amid Interested home
circles as tho Christmas bells' rang out.
Krlss Krlngle sent the loyal Susie a
full grist of gifts, nnd peace and hope,
and happiness hovered over the little
humble Burton home.
1 M&-
USE DRUGS TO GAIN COURAGE
After Stimulant Subsides, Criminals
Are Cringing Cowards Again,
Declares a Writer.
Stick-up men, shoplifters, burglars
and pickpockets are the largest users
of drugs. Most persons think mor
phine, heroin, cocaine and opium are
indulged In by the criminal classes
after the commission of u crime ns a
surcease for their minds.
"Nothing Is farther from tlu facts,"
said nn old detective. "The criminal
who works In the open uses drugs to
supply him with courage. It Is a sort
of false courage, for It dies out with
the effects of the ophite. Neverthe
less without It your holdup man
would never have the nerve to carry
through a daylight robbery. A census
of the drug addicts Is n roster of the
crooks In nine cases out of ten. Of
course after a time the criminals ac
quire a permanent appetite for drugs,
but the seeming super-courage that
sends a man with a pointed gun Into
n Jewelry store tilled with customers
to grab trays of diamonds Is only stim
ulated from the effect of the drug.
Half an hour later when 1 1 I -(lmn'''
of the poison has worn off he Is left n
cringing, cowering coward." Philadel
phia Ledger.
Foxes Infest War Trenches.
Foxes have multiplied greatly In the
valley of the Mouse, and In several
districts hnvo Hindu their holes in the
deserted French and German trenches.
The soldiers, perhaps, had little Idea
when they nicknamed them "fox
holes" that some time real foxes would
Inhabit them.
There Is much Insight ln ancient
books, but the wit Is mostly nrchale.
Real Rest Depends Largely Upon
the Depth of Your Sleep
A warning to "light" or "poor" sleepers
The deeper and sounder you sleep the better
you feel. Five hours sound refreshing sleep does
, you more actual good than ten hours restless,
disturbed sleep.
This is because the final conversion of food
into vital tissue and nerve cells goes on moro
rapidly when the physical and mental forces ore
at rest.
You can't get sound, refreshing sleep if your
nerves are agitated with tea or coffee. Both these
drinks contain caffeine, which is sometimes very
irritating to the brain and nervous system.
If you want to know the joy, vigor and
stamina that comes to the person who gets sound,
healthful sleep, why not stop taking tea or coffee
for a while, and drink delicious, invigorating
Postum instead.
Thousands of people everywhere have found
that this was the only thing they needed in order
to bring about these very happy results.
Order Postum from your grocer today.
Drink this delightful cereal beverage of coffee-like
flavor, for a week. Perhaps, like thousands of
others, youll never be willing to go back to tea
or coffee.
Postum comas In two forms: Instant Postum (in tins)
mad instantly in the cup by the addition of boiling: water.
Postum Cereal (in packages of larger bulk, for those who
prefer to make tho drink while the meal la being prepared)
made by boiling for 20 minutes.
L
Postum for Health
"There's a Reason"
1
PRICE'
jphate
Baking
wder
I ARTISTS IN JAPAN'S CABINET
Writings and Paintings, the Work of
Nipponese Statesmen, Have Been
Sold at Big Prices.
Japan has a cabinet of artists. Writ
ings and paintings of some of tha
great men of the Japan of today
brought big prices at a recent auction
by the Tokyo Fine Arts club. Three
pictures painted by "Mr. Hnra, assas
sinated a fchurt time ago, sold' for tho
equivalent of $000 and nnother lot of
four brought about .fSOO.
Plnco I'ninagata's productions
brought nhout $2."0 to $300, while some
pakemono writings with proverbs ln
the Japanese language by Prince
Salonji brought from $200 Jo $300.
A chrysanthemum putnted by Mr.
Noda, minister of communications,
sold for ?(i0 and an orchid from his
brush sold for $70. Mr. Yamamoto,
minister of agriculture nnd commerce,
had a picture and Mr. Tokonaml, the
home minister, u poem.
The painting of kakemono Is a fa
vorite pastime of the Jnpnnese. Phil
adelphia Inquirer.
Unsophisticated.
The proud escort of a pretty girl at
the race meeting said to her as the
horse cantered past to the gate:
"That's Donoghue, the famous Jockey,
on the second horse."
"Oh, yes," said the girl, "he's quite
one of the chief Jockeys, Isn't he?
nnd certainly one of the dressiest. Ha
t-eoms to turn out In a differently col
ored suit ln every race." Tlt-Blts.
Saved by Swollen Grain.
The steamer Seapool struck an Ice
berg off Newfoundland and began to
till. The swelling of the grain ln her
forehead stopped tho hole and pre
vented her from sinking.
