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In.
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THE COUNTY PAPER.
By DOI1TNB A CO.
UKtJON.
MO
Till'. ST A IIS AM) Till: 11KIX.
lit "M iluk mill cold at tlio midnight hour,
For Chrlstnnts Day wa about to brgtn ;
Tho o'il church-U-11 hm.g lilti In the tower,
Anil tlie stars came xA i In.
The oM church-lcll hung high In the tower,
And the shining stars, above In the sky,
Jjiunhed to themselves ash clanged the hour,
And winked with each golden eye.
""I'ray, what do jou know about t'mel" they
cried.
"Wo were nl 1 when your earth was younir,
And you could not number tu If jou tried I"
lint tlic old Ml held his tongue.
Then the sexton tolled up the tower stair,
And his head was Imwcd and gray,
Hut he cheerily called, "Old Hell, up there,
Hint; cut! It Is Christmas D.iy !"
He seized the ropu In e.ich wrinkled hand,
And pulled with a youthful might;
.And the glnd sound calcd o'er tho sleeping
land,
And soared to the stars so right.
'Ho, hoi" laughed the scornful stars again,
"What know you of ChrlstmaMIJc!
Wo shone on that far oil Eastern plain
Where a star was the Wlso Men's guide.
"We saw the child In his mangcr-licd,
And the Kills that the Magi gave;
And we shall shine when your voice Is fled
Wc shall shine on the sexton's gravel"
"Olory to God I" pealed tho hell, "for aye!
Fcacc, peace to all human strife I
The Saviour comes with a gilt to-day
And the gift Is cternul lift .
"0 shining star I unto you t'was given
To herald tho Saviour's birth ;
And the pra1e rnd the glory belong to heaven,
I)ut the jov Monrsto iwrth.
A HOLIDAY LESSON.
Kcw York Witness.
It wns late of a chilly December after
noon. The lontlcn clouds hung low with
their promlso of a speedy snow-storm.
Kvon now nn occasional frozen drop
struck against tho frozen window pane,
and each gust, as it swept through tho
streets of buoy I, , had tho breath of
tho storm In it, nml drovo all plcnsuro-
sookors rapidly toward homo.
It oven seemed to penetrato into tho
houses, for Lois Canfleld was putting tho
finishing touches to tho supper prepare
tions on tho long ilintng-tnblo, with a
frown as lowering as any storm-cloud.
"It's of no uso talking, molhor," sho
was saying to a quiet pleasant-looking
lady, busy mending by tho conl-stovo
"What la there to look forward to?
"Last year I mado more than a hundred
dollars worth of presents, and now l'vo
cot just livo dollars and sovonty-livo
cents. Enough, though, Isupposo, as
long as wo'ro only boardlng-houso keep
jars.11
"I'm sure I'm vory thankful for tho
faoardors to koep," said Mrs. Canfiold.
"0, I'm not complalninE as long as it
helps papa, but I'm not any more thank
ful to Lucy Watoreforsaying it," was tho
quick reply.
'Lot mo sci'," said her mother, "did
not you givo Lucy ono of your presents
last yoarr'"
"I guess I did, onoof my host It cost
twolvo dollars. I shouldn't havo been
such n silly, but I heard hei say that
Jonnlo Fm always gavo her tho nicest
thlngsof any girl, and 1 was determined
to outdo hor for once."
"You gavo .I nitio something, too,
didn't you?"
'0, ym: I gavo her that beautiful
scene of Luko Como."
"And Mal4 J'co, what did you givo
lior something, I boliovo?"
"Yos, lliat ink-stand moddled after a
group from tho antique; nnd I paid
nine dollars for that Etruscan vaso I
;avo Aunt Kate, and that was broken
boforo Now Year. What a waste!"
"And wero tho o;':ers moro neces
sary?" asked Mrs. Canlleld.
"No; I heard Lucy say that only
mado tho twenty-first and second vases
that sho owned, and I overheard Junnlo
say hor room waa so full of pictures
already sho did not, know what to do
unless slto put smuo in tho attic. It w:ts
scant thanks I gn'ncd in any case," and
Lots looked up from tho stool sho ltiul
taken into Iter mother's face, with tho
.gllnimor of u smilu breukiug through
tho clouds,
Mm. CanlicU smiled also. Well, now,
dear, a' you havo tried your plan of
giving oxputuivo luxuries and found no
great satisfiietion in it, suppose- you try
a now one, nml uso your small storo this
timo u giving only useful things to
tho90 needing them, and soo which gives
tho greater satisfaction."
"l!ut :uamma, It always soims as
though at Christmas time ono was a lit
tle justified in spending money extrav
agantly," aiguiiil LoU.
"And uselessly?" queried Mrs. Can
fiold. "But ro pretty things useless, then?"
:askeu tho girl.
"By no moan, dear, though It is a
.quostlon wtmther ouo element of truo
'b'nuty mint not also be utility; but wo
will not 8ti(lo go into metaphysics to-
inight. for, ufler till, every qttoition in
n. lifo ceiitiirs in omi poltit; Wuat Is my
"duty in tu in ilti r?
L'oriiap' huw wo wero not faithful
stowardi. 'iid mi look :iway our abund-flii'-e.
Wo know now what it is to oo
really In need of things. 1 beliovo
heard scum complaints from you about
cold feet biiforo Aunt Maggie's ten
dollar gift enabled you to purehu&o new
shoo, did uot I?"
"I am afraid youdld," answered Lois,
.slowly. Then she wit In quiet thought
until the closing of the outer door told
hor that m,por preparations must bo
hastened, when sho sprang up, am
droimln n ' I- softly on her mother's
fmulieiii! I :n told her how tho wolds
woro working, wont about hfr duties.
n tho day that came olo'so upon this
ono there woro main Iioui of quiet
thinking n tho girl' part. Sho
t rying to doflno tho useful things ar.d
just whero they slu.tild go; for until
lltcso last fow months Lols's acquaint
nnco with rral ncods had not been vory
groit.
"Lois," said hor mothor, ono day,
'did you give Cousin Agnes any pres
ents last year?"
"No, mother. I am ashamed to say
I didn't; but I know you and papa
did."
Yos," laid Mrs. Canfiold, with n
llttlo sigh, "sho will havo to keep that
In mind, for wo havo decided, papa and
I, that so long ns wo have a debt unpaid
It would not bo Just In us to make any
presents this year, not oven to yon,
LoU."
Yes, mnmmn, you needn't mind
mo," an'wcred Lois, bravely, "l'vo him
enough."
day or two after Lois called In nt
Cousin Agnes's, n small hotiio whero
menus wero vory limited and chlldron
woro not ut ltnst below six.
"Drlsmas conies next week, tuzon."
shouted llttlo Max, catching hold of her
dress.
I guow it won't matter much to
them, poor things," said his mamma,
In an aside, "every cent does count so
this year. An orango apicco will havn
to content thorn."
I want a hobhy-horso," said tho
youngster.
"Nonsenso; you need shoes more.
You'll soon bo on tho ground. Tho way
thoy do walk out of tholr shoos is dread
ful to contemplate."
"I want copper-toos, any way," put
Mary.
You ought to havo Iron ones. Lois,
If you will wait a minuto I will walk as
far as I'iold's with you. I must havo a
llttlo Canton flannel for baby, and It is
cheapest thcro. If you aro not ashamed
of my gloves," sho added, drawing on
an exceedingly frayed pair, "I am; but
my kids aro my light ones of last sum
mer, and tltoso aro all my second best.
I will lildo them undormy shawl. Noth
ing llko necessity, dear, for a teacher."
Lois listened, and on hor mental tab
lets two Items of shoes nail gloves
promptly found a placo.
"Will It troublo you too much, Lois,
to just call at my washwoman's, and tell
hor sho need not como next week. Tho
childron will bo at homo, and with tholr
help I must do it mysolf. it's just up
Mintco lauo."
Lois agreed, and walked on. At tho
number sho Inquired for Mrs. Tarish
and was directed to a. rear basomcnt.
Thoro sho found fa poorly furnlshod
room, two or throo small chlldien, and
a discouraged-looking woman dressing
ono still younger.
"Mrs. Whlto will not need you next
week," said Lois, after speaking to all
around.
"Won't! Why not? oskod tho woman
quickly.
"Sho thinks sho must got along by
herself," said Lois.
Tho woman was silent, but Lois was
sure there, wero tcara under tho down.
cast lids.
"Did you need it vory much?" sho
ventured to ask.
"I had kind of set It by," said tho wo
man, "'o cot my baby n few bits of
clothes. All sho has In tho world 1
theso on tho chair. Shti's never had
nono 'cept somoohl rags of mlno; I tore
tho best oft for lu r; but It can't bo help.
ed, 1 suppose"
"l'erhaps it will be; tako henrt, Mrs
Tarish; Til certainly remenibor baby
llttlo at Christmas;" nnd sho hurried
away to conmlt others wiser than hcr
solf In that lino of wardrobe
Thoso wero busy days that followed
and very happy onos to Lois. She
went out shopping on a now lino, and
was perfectly surprised to find how
many moro bundles fivo dollars would
purchaso whon it was invosted in cali
coes and flannels and ton-cent toys
than whon sho worn, as a ynar boforo,
to tho shops of art and tho antiques.
And then on Christmas day, what a
fluooesslon of pleasures, from tho
thanks of Coiuin Agnos for her pretty
fur trimmed str ot glow, and of Mrs.
Tarish for tho plain, warm clothus for
tho baby, to thoso of her own papa lor
an outside door mat, tho lack of whi h
had been quite a trial to him, and her
mamua s fov warm artlelos for her,
hors being qulto too far gone for uso.
'It has really beon tho happiest day
of m lifo," S'lid Lois that ovonlng.
"And yet, you havo only had
'thanks' for your presents," answered
mamma.
"Indeed, I had forgotten that," said
Lois, laughing. I feel ns rich ns can
bo. I gueas then, after all, ical things
of need and real thanks aro what go
togother and givo satisfaction. Any
way, I am so satUfiod that every year I
uvo nt try to praetico on my new
lesson.
A Jnpaneso Circus.
Japanese Mail.
That eometning oxtraoruiuary was
about to happon had been notified wo
boliovo in tho Japanese papers; and by
nlno o'clock in tho morning tho creek
road from tho Grand Hotel to tho third
bridge, and In Hommura ovory point
that couid command a view of the
"hundro'l nnd ono stops," woro olosoly
crowded with spectators, Japauoso and
foreign. With tho latter class tho tea
houso at tho bottom of tho stops was
thronged, nnd tho orders for bovoragos
Issued to tho smiling waitresses woro
unprecedented in tho history of that
thriving establishment. "Ulit," says,
tho rrador, "what has that flight of
steps to do with tho pony jou woro
speaking of?" A groat deal, sir, for
tho beast has been announced to i;o up
and down them with a rider on his
b:tok. And, suro enough, whoii it ar
was 1 rived nt tho foot of tho stairs, not with
out dtfllculry. and long bohlnd time.-
owing to tho prcssvro of the crowd, a
fenifilo athloto, armed with a potent
cudgel, aftor soittcring salt for luck,
aultcd on Its back nnd directed it,
head on, to tho steep ascont. With a
resigned nlr, tho patient cronturo com
menced to jork itsolf up tho stops, ovory
now nnd then snifllng and looking mild
ly surprised, ns much as to say thwt tho
getting up tho Atagoyirma utalrs to
which it was so woll accustomed, had
been Intensely stiffened and stooponed.
t tho half-way stago, tho poorbmto
apparently "half-bakod," with heaving
sides and drooping Load, waa allowed
fow seconds' breathing tlrao, nnd
treated to a sprinkling of salt nnd then
urged by tho girl jockoy to tho latter
and steeper half of Its climb. And it
went nt it with a will, lurching upward
and hogging Its back with ovcry slow
but determined stop. Within twenty
feet of tho summit, howovor, tho horsc
llesn boglnnlng to fall, though the i-pivlt
rcmainod willing, tho stalwart rldor ap
plied hor stick, and used her voico with
resonant oflbct. At tho sixth or sovonth
step from tho top, tho pony's friends
seized its bridlo, its legs, anything thoy
could lay hold of, and so It was dragged
and shoved and pommolcd to tl
achlovemcnt of his journoy. At least
wo thought tho journoy was then
achieved, novor dreaming that tho crea
ture could return to tho bottom of tho
steps direct, otl orwlso than by rolling
down, ns ono winter morning years
ago, n certain sailor did. to bo picked
up a. mangled mass and carried to tho
grave. Yet whon a fow moinunts' rest
had been nccordod to tho skeleton steed,
a ruulo acrobat, after throw Ing jomo salt
nt it, on tho ground, nnd on- himself,
clambxred on to tho pad and pointed
tho jade's Roman uoso Yokohama-ward.
With its formor mattor-of-fac& manner
his mount bognn i's doscont. A short
way down, tho rider transferred tho fan
ho carried to tho safeguard of his toes,
and calmly stood on his hands in tho
saddle, nnd fannod his face with his
foot. At tho mlddlo stago, again, a
fow seconds' rost was allowed for tho
horoo to broatho, and for tho rider to
mako fresh oblations of taXb. Thence
to rocommonco and tho pair to arrlvo
safoly nt tho foot of tho hill amid con
tinuous plaudits, aftor n series of varied
ami ingenious contortions performed by
tho biped associate of tho dual com
pany. Wo aro Informod that tho anom
alous quadruped will climb and descend
a. ladder.
A Chapter on Glow.
"Livo and loam" is a precept as woll Sj
as n proverb. Very good advlco itglvcs.
nnd I shall act upon It to-day. Tho fact.
I mean to writo a now chapter on gloves
having latoly oxtondod my information
on tho subjoct.
To begin at tho boinnlng, it will
probably surprlso many of my readr-rs
to learn that what are commonly known
as "kid" gloves, very often aro not
mado from skins of young goats.
On tho contraryjtho material islargo
ly composod of lamb's-skln. A vory
small lot of tho finest gloves nro made
from tho real kid-skins, obtnincd from
countries whero tho milk nnd flesh of
goats contributo a leading portion of
tho gono.'al food.
Tho skins of lambs, wl ich recolvo a
ntu::h lighter dressing than when they
aro to boconvorted into pedal coverings,
do duty to a largo extent among tho
glove-makers, instead of kid.
It may as woll bo mentioned hero, bo
foro entering moro fully Into tho general
subject of gloves, that in sovcral towns
In England, it haslong been tho custom,
when tho annual or sqml-annual fair
was held, to indlcatb its commencement
by holsllng ii hugo glove in a prominent
placo.
It Is within my own personal observa
tion and memory that, until tho meas
ure of municipal reform, in tho year
18:15, It was tho custom, whilo n thrco
days' fair was going on in Liverpool, to
linng out in front of tho tho Town Hall,
u otiilleit glove, soma eighteen or tw nty
Inches long.
Whilo that was vislblo to tho public,
no arrest for debt could locally bo mado.
Heuco, creditor and debtor could meet
during tho fair, upon neutral ground,
and amicably ariango tholr affairs.
In tho city of Exeter, whero tho Lam
mas Fair wns annually hold by charter,
It Is commenced by carrying n glgnntio
glovo. stullcd with meal or wool, thro,
tho streets on a very long polo, at tho
head of a procession. Tho tradosmon,
artisans, gentry nnd nobility, attondod
by music, constituted this gay caval
cade. Whon tho mammoth glovo was
brought back by this array, it was
placed on tho top of tho Guildhall, from
whloh It started, and then tho fair
begins, ending whon tho glovo was
taken down.
A very ancient practice, by no moans
disused as yet in England is, whon thoro
is an assize, without any prisoner to bo
tried (thonco called "a matdon assize"),
for tho high sheriff to prcsont tho judgo
with u pair of whlto kid gloyos, richly
embroidered with gold throad.
Untlio samo occasion tun clerk' ot as
si.o nud tho judgo's clerk huvo monoy
given to them called glovo silver. Not
in England only, but in Iroland, Wnlos
and Scotland is a maidon nsslzo thus
honored.
Tho uso of gloves Is known to hnvo
como down to tho present tlmo from n
rcir.oto antiquity, which, novortlioloss,
must liavo Inoluded'ii certain dogico of
clvll'zatlon. . . - '
Tho sovtiliig of tho hi ad, whothor
lint, holtuct or crown, derives Its Import
of tho human body, nudJithu tamo may
lio taid of tho glovo.
Tho hand particularly that ono
which wioldoil sword, or spoar, or bat
I tlo-axos was nn honored nnd honura
bio membor of tho human body-corporate.
v Tho word "mnnus" (Latin for hand)
Inatcatod power, nnd thoroforo Dago
bcrt, wno preceded Chnrlomngno on tho
Froneh throno, had his scoptro tipped
with nn fOxtondod hand, ns n symbol of
sovcrolgnh"
Tho nnck'nt Roninu hold that tho
pioortyin object passod upon tho
Moral tronsler .f it. or part of It, Into
tho hand of th purchasor. In tho
East, I early day, thosymbolof trans
for usually wns tic 'low
Thus, unions Orit ntnl people, tho
glovo becmo nn tmbVni or oi sign of
dignity, nnd n lumry n. " well, though
In neither character din. it commend
Itsolf to the Greeks nnd Uo.'uans.
Among th former, indeon'. tho glovo
long romal'cd a distinctive in ark of tlio
barbarians, ssulptures Tlx 'hs, vislblo-
at tho prcsont dayr rerrt sent'ng
Aslntio ambassadors offering- gloves,
probably as signs of submission
Tlio uso of gloves wns regnrrfn. 3 in
ancient times, nc- ofl'emlnate murti tho
snnio- ns umbiolins, whon first istt o;
duccd Into Englaad, somo two hundm 1
years ngo, wi ro rldlculod ns womanish.
Xcaophon, tin Greek historian, mm ,
tlons gloves ns not used in his tlmo (four
senturlcs H. C.) by Greek of Roman..
Pliny thoyoungetvdoscrlbos hb uncle,
who died A. 1). '79, as traveling-with a
secretary b by his sldo wearing gloves
to protect his diligent fingers from tho
numbing cold.
About tho oloventh contury, toward
tho clcso of tho so-called mlddlo zgos,
tho jflovo attnlncd n clinrnctor of digni
ty throughout Europe-
Wlien onfcolllng was pcrformod by tho
symbol ot n glovo, tho ItfUhand "hands
ohubi" ns tho Germans call it, wns
used'..
Tho glovo scarcely represented n poi
soned gago until thoolosoof tho fifteenth
contury, but nenrly throo hundred years
earlier it canio to bo regarded, In France,,
ns n sign of dellanco.
Forhnps It indlcnted tho symbolical
staking of tlio prowess of tho hand to
whloh tho glovo belonged. To hang up
n glovo in n church was a public chal
lenge. In tho mlddlo nges tho glovo was tho
recognized prlvllego of dignlflod church
ruoti. It was embroidered nnd ndorn
cdi&ttho back with precious stones..
Tho Bank Cashier.
TSt Fat Contributor.
Onco upon a tlmo a man became vory
much discour.god becauso his 3alary
wns not nj Dig ns n lODacco lactory, so
ho borrowod $3,000v000 of n bank, and
forgot nil about paying it bask. Ho
had neglected to.Eoontlon to tho bank
people nnything about tho matter at
thotimo ho had negotiated with himself
for tho making oi tho loan. Thoro canio
a day whon iUiaa necossary, in tho
transaction of business, for the bank to
mako uso of somo of its alleged monoy
and it was then discovered that somo
of tho fund3 had disappeared. Of
courso tho bank folks woro moro or loss
pcrploxed ovor this state of affairs, and
tho cashier, who, by tho way, had taken
thn missing wraith, was quosllonod con
cerning its whereabouts. Ho frankly
acknowledged that ho had erred In
making tho appropriation, nnd was per
fectly willing to pay it back; so ho ex
amined his pockets and ho could only
turn out SI 1.). Tho cashier was real
sorry about not being ablo to sottlo; h
said ho had lost tho monoy, but that ho
had no Intention of doiug so nt all, and
that ns soon as ho found it ho would
bring it right back to tlio bank. Ho
said ho would not llko t havo tho
maHor go any furtbor; his Sunday
school o'ass might hear of it anil think
strangely of him, nnd nltogothor
it
would bo best, ho felt, if tho wholo
matter wero hushed richt up.
It Wouldn't Work.
What niakos you walk so straight,
Johnny?" ajked n fond mothor, tho
other day, ai sho saw hor son making
tracks foi tin door.
Johnny was silent.
"Havo you a still' neck, sir?" asked
his mothor, oyolug him sharply,
And Johnny, soolng ho was corner
ed ropllod:
"I cannot tell n lio; it is a pumpkin
pie that I stolo from tho shelf hard by,
and 1 intonded to try and screon it un
dor my jnokot and oscapo your oyo, and
to oat it with tho boys who Ho in wait
on tuo roadway nigh, with many an
anxious sigh for tho plo."
At this juncture tho plo dropped on
tho floor, and spread llko n scandal.
Now, gcntlo roador, do you fanoy
liis mother caught him in hor arms and
crlod, and said sho would rathor havo
him steal a thousand insignificant pies
and ruin sovonty-flvo dollars worth of
Axminstcr carnot than toll a false
hood?
Sho did not; sho roaohod for n broom
and fotohod him ono in tho small of tho
back that doubled hlmtwico and almo
tlod him in a bow knot, and sont hint
flying through tho door nnd off tho
stoop t.s though ho was running for
tho first baso.
A llttlo latnr, whilo rubbing hlmsolf
against a shndo-treo, ho solemnly mnr
mil rod to tho vagrant winds
"It may bo right to go to Sunday
school nnd toll tho truth, but nfter this
I shall travol on tho straight Ho. For.
haps it is bottor to bo right than l'rcsi
denl, but I'd rathor bo wrong than
havo my baok broken In four places by
a broomstick."
Uowuro what you say of others, ha
cnuso you only rovoal yoursolf thereby,
A man doosn't think to look bohlnd tho
door unless ho has somotlmo stood
thorn himself,
No man la moro mlsorab'.o 'than lio
tint hath uo advortity,
CHRISTMAS CAROLS.
The ntiK to Willed thn Advent lm (ilrcn
Itltc 'An Popular m Krer.
Probably no fost'.val fans ofcr given
birth to so much real pootty nnd pleas
ant rhymo ns Christmas. Yo, i ngo It
was tho custom in old Englnn I to sing
carols nb-ut tbo strcoU Into into Christ
mas ovo, m d early on Chrlstirnsmorn.
Theso carols might scorn ptrango t6
modorn cars; for whilo many of thorn
woro oha mlng nnd graceful others wore
curious oven grotesque Thoy woro
filled with legends concerning tho ad
vent, most wonderful events bolug re
counted, and yo'. with n piottlrosqua sim
plicity, just as if no ono could think thorn
nuythlng unexpected. Tho so-called
"manger-songs" were often quaintly
sweet, nnd thoy werd used on Christmas
day in tlio placo of hymns in chinches.
Quito dlflbront woro tho niorry yulo
songs of tho old English Christmas:
Come, bring with a noise,
My merry, merry boys,
The Christmas log to the tiring;
While my good dame she
Hlds you all lo free,
And drink to your heart's dtelrlng.
And tho thought of feasting Is mado
promluont In numberh S3 old rhymes, n:
Lordllng, Christmas loves good drinking
Wines of Gaseolgnc, France, Anjou:
English nlc, that drives out thinking
frliico of liquors, old nnd new.
Be t;la ', both moro and less,
Kor this hath ordained our steward,
To cheer you all this Christmas
Tho boar's head and mustard 1
Christmas carols havo no.', grown un-
opuli tr, but thoy hnvo chnngod, both
liDeom position nnd rendorlng, to con
form t modorn idons of beauty and
renom.ont. Songs ndaptodto tho com
probonslon nnd tastes of children
nbomid; son?s suited to religious sor
viutc npp roprlato to tbo day. as well ns
to I bo mui ry household fostlval. Every
child has heard or rtad with Infinlto
light:
Tw.ts the night boforo Christmas, nnd nil
through the house
Not a creature was stirring not evci a mouse,
anil scores of othor rhymes of llko boau-
. Tito dolightful mythof Santa Claus
on to whloh juvonilo fnith tonaclousl y
clings, and tho mystery is rcpoatod
from oldost to youngest with n froshnoss
novor sullied:
Hang up tho baby's stoiklng;
Bo sure you don't f orcct
The dear little dimpled darting 1
8ho never saw Chrlktmas yet;
But l'vo told her all about It,
And she opened her big blue eyes,
And I'm sure she understands It
fine looked so funny and wise.
Dear 1 what a funny stocking I
It doesn't take much to hold
Such little pink toes as baby's
Away from the frost and cold;
But then for baby's Christmas
It would never do at all ;
Why, 8anU wouldn't be-looking
For anything half bo small.
Everybody, whothor old or vounir.
feels a thrill of pleasure nt tho return of
this long-obsorvod fustival, ar.d rojoico
that tho timo is at hand when
Out In the midnight's whlto and starry splendor
unco more tuo glad bells rins.
While softer human voices, sweet and tender,
incsongoiuiiristmas sing.
Christmas has come 1
Clirlntmas Greonn.
New York Mall.
Tho timo fi.r docoratlon In nnturnl
greens is nt Inst nt hnnd, and nlrondy
tho rural forngur is cutting his own, or
any other man's pines, spruco hollys,
and what not, for tho cltv market.
Foor indeed, not only in mono', but in
tasto, must bo tho man or woman con
sidered who has not n warm desire to
honor tho only annlvorsary on whloh all
civilized pioplo azroo with somo out.
ward sign of recognition. Tho bottor
off, if not butter disposed, will dock
churches, halls and prlvato houses in
green. Tliijro will bo wreaths and fes
toons on walls nnd around pictures;
shihli g loavc3 and rod borrlos will glis
ten in sunlight, gaslight nnd oloctric
light; from ktrosono, from rnneld oils
and from tallow dips. The most igno
rant will know that somo joyful cole
braMon h In p-o'ro's; th" poorest will
feel tho kind bcnollconco of charity.
Hut thcro aro green peoplo as woll as
grorii loaves. Tho man of woalth who
does not improvo tho occasion to mnko
thoso undor his enro moro happy and
prosperous, must bo ranked among tho
Christmas greens. Tho flue, lady whoso
purso is always full, who falls to bring
comfort to somo poor porson of hor own
sox misses a rare oi.joymcnt, and takes
her placo with tho Christmas greens.
Tho lovor of books who doos not
cnlargo tho small library of somo
poor frloud who is hungry for
good reading, ranks with tho hemlock
and tho holly. Tho father who finds
not fit presents for his sons nnd daugh
ters, nilssos much happiness, and con
fosses that ho, too, Is of tho greens.
Tho mother high or low, rich or poor,
who cannot find between diamonds nnd
sugar plums somo pret'.y gifts for hor
llttlo ones, is down among hor Christ
mns greens. Tho brother who hns not
prepared his purso to get that fur-Hnod
clonk, or that half dozon handkerchiefs
for his bister, Is one of tho Christmas
greens. Tho slstor who forgota that
Brother John needs n nico cravat, is
also of tho greens. Tho lovor who has
not for a year put by ovory spare dlmo
to lay at tho feot of tho adored in tho
form ot somooholcojgift, Is tho gun
of all greens.
Tills is not only tho season of ncga
tlvo but positive enjoyment. It is not
enough to sit nt rest and bo happy also.
Thoro aro ninny who luck tho moans for
procuring thoso llttlu exchanges that
como from and go to tho heart. Tho gift
that comes from 'tho baud of human
kindness and brothorhoo.l has n value
not to bo measured byco,t. Tho pair
of gloves iu whloh tlio recipient feels
tho boating of tho
heart, ot tho friend
who gavo thom aro ft thounnd times'
moro vyolcomo than tho, perfunctory
gift of a diamond neckfneo.
Of course everybody Is about to turn
ovor n now loaf. Horo nnd thoro wo
may look nt tho leaf occasionally as the
months go on; but th6 great majority
will forgot it before Valentino's day,
nnd such may bo set down among our
Christmas croons.
Mnnta Clans.
Tbo history of Santa Claus-Mi curious
mixture of truth and fable goes fay
back into tho ancient time. Centuries
ago a child was born in Aila Minor
who rrclovod tho nnmo of Nicholas.
Ills parents wero wealthy nn l of high
rank, and, desirlncr to express their
gratl'udo to God, for tho birth of thoir
son, thoy resolved to cducato him for
tho Christian priesthood. Tho child
was sober nnd thoughtful, nnd, whilo
yot young both his parents died, nnd ho
I inherited their gront wonlth. IIo con
sidered tho riches n snored trust; ho
fed tho hungry, ho clothed tho dostituto
and performed all kinds of good deods
as secretly as possible As n prlost ho
was gicotly bciovod; as a bishop ho
continued Ills bonovolonco. After his
death tho church canonized l.im, nnd
ho becamo ono of tho greatest of patron
saints, being rovorcd ns tho helper of
tho poor, tho protector of tho woak,
and ns tho ospcclnl patron saint for llt
tlo children, who woro taught to bo
Hevo that tholr good gifts camo from
him. Saint Nicholas was tho namo
given him by tho monks, and this was
familiarly changnd to Santn Nio'lnus,
nnd finally cllppod down to Santn
'Clnu?, who is still roproontod ns re
taining his old habits of secret bonovo
lonco, nnd coming down tho chlmnoy
nt nights lndon with Chrlstma3 pros-
onts for chlldr-in.
WntchltiB for Santn Claus,
Onco thcro woro two llttlo chnps six
and eight yonrs old, who mado up tholr
minib whon Christmas wns coming thai
thoy would soo Santa Claus. Thoy had
heard all about him and his "olght tiny
reindeer" and his loads of presouls, and
his coming down tho chlmnoy. But
thoy didn't know oxaotly how truo It
was. Thoy always hung up tholr stock
ings nud found thom Btufl'ed full of things,
from candy to toys and books and mlt
tons and toot-tootors. And of courso
thoy wanted to soo tho old follow who
always brought thom just what thoy
wished, and had enough left for all tho
othor boys and girls. So Christmas ovo
thoy put tholr llttlo heads togethor an--said
they'd koep awako and watch for
Santn Class.
Of courso thoy didn't lot mamma or
papa know anything about it. How to
koep awako was tho question. But fin
ally Dick said ho'd poo Harry whenov
or ho wont to fall asleep, and Harry was
to poko him. Thoy kopt up a whisper
ing of storios and questions, too, and
wondering what Santa Claus wns like,
nnd whothor ho'd hurt 'oro and what
they'd got. About ton o'clock thoy
heard a great rattling of papers down
stairs, and pooplo stopping nround talk
ing vory low. This helped to kcop them
awnkotoo. Frotty soontbey heard their
mamma com ng very carefully toward
tluir room, nnd thoy dovo down into tho
pillows and protended to bo awfullj
sound asleep.
Slio peeked in. tucked up tho clotho.
and said, "pretty dears!" as sho wcnl
out.
"Pretty dears?" said Dick, whon she
was gone "there, Harry, sho's 'spect
ing Santa Clam, I toll you!"
In n fow mlnutos mamma and papa
woro in tholr own room, with tho gas
turned down low. And aftor waiting a
llttlo whilo that spomot! to them a long,
long tlmo tho two young urchins
crawlod out of their snug nest, and wont
tip toeing down stairs as still as two
nleo. Dick wont ahead, 'cause ho was
tho biggest, nud llttlo Harry cropt close
bohlnd, hanging on to tho edgo of ltN
biol bur's night drawoiv. Thoy hail
just ot cuddled down behind tho sof-t
to wi.toh tho firoplnco, when thoy heard
a quick step, and boforo thoy could evon
holler Harry was rolled un In n blanket
and DIek was dumped Into n big rack,
and felt himself swung over somi bodyV
shoulduj-3
"Ouch!" ho thought, "Santa hns
claw d mu suio, and I'll hot he's going
to carry mo to somo peoplo who haven' I
any llttlo boyHl'g
Tho bag wa'so tight ho couldn't
kick much, uor moro than half holhir.
Hut ho did tho best ho could, nndmndf
whoever it s carrying him hang on
pretty t ght. Wp, up ho wont, and then
round and roull; and then ho felt the
bug lifted up, Jf rned ovor, nnd dumped
out whero dpyou suiposo?"
"Don't knv? In tho snow?"
No right tn to, his own bod, whon
ho found HntEy just crawling out of ti
quilt. It wiffc dono so quick thnt he
couldn't soo who ran out of tho room,
and ho was too scrrwd to follow. But
from snlckors fjioy hcnidin thoir fath
er's room, ami a big holo they saw in
tholr mothorvj best pillow oaso next
morning, thoyUoud guoss protty uloso
Hut they novor Wanted to watch for
Santa Claus again.
Trading In tho Arctic Regions.
San FranclicoDullctl'l
Wo wont ashore on Diomodo island
and greatly enjoyed a stroll through tin
streets and houses of tho curious Es
quimaux villngo hero, It is built on thr
bald, rugged sldo of tho island, whoie
tho slope Is almost ellU'-llko in stcopm n
and roeklness. Tho winter housusuu
wood-lined burrows undor-gronnd, en
lerod by a tunnel, nnd wnrm and suit; ,
llko tlio tiojt of ii tluld-mousb buuonth u
sod, though terribly thlok nndranold
to tho nlr contained In thom, Tlic sun
mer houses aro square sklu boxes abov.
ground, and sot on long stilt pole .
either tho ono nor tbo othor look tho
lflMV.1"50 housos or hut of any sort,
but tfiosO mna0 ' kins" aro the'quccr
ost hutnoli concefrabfo. Thoy are
simply light, .square framos mado of s
drift-polos KalbrOh on tho boaob' nnd
covered with wnlrtwhldb that has boon 1
carefully drossod, and strotohb.' tightly
on tho framo. llko tho hoad of a tln0' !U
T, t , . . T 1 ''
iiio BKia is oi n yeuow color nnu quuo
translucent, so that ono foels when In It
J. - t p
o n hugo b.'own bladder, tho
light sifting in through tho skin by tbo
top nnd all around, yollow as a sunset.
Tho ontlro establishment Is window, ono
p'ano for tho roof, which Is also tho
celling, and ono for each of tho four
.sides, without cross sash-bars to mar
tho bravo simplicity of it all. Most of
tho inhabitants, of whom thoro nro por
lmps 100, hnd just returned from a long
voyngo In their onnoes to Capo Frinco
of Wnlos, Kotzobuo sound, nnd othor
points on tho Amorlcnn coast, for, tho
purposo of trado, bringing back'lvory
nnd furs to sell, to fho Tsohukchls of Si
beria, who in turn will enrry theso ar
ticles by a roundabout way nearly 1000
miles to tho llusslan trading post, and
bring back goods to trado back to tho
Diomodo morchanta, through whoso
hands they will pass to tho Capo Frinco
of Wales nntivos, nnd from theso to
sovoral othors up tho Inlann rivor, down
tho Colvlllo to Point Barrow, nud cast
ward ns fnr ns tho mouth of tho Mac
kenzie river. Tho Dioracdo ruorchanta
nro truo mlddlomon, nnd thoir vlllago a
half wny houso of commorco botweon
Northeastern Asia and America. Tho
oxtontof tho dealings of theso peoplo,
usually regarded as savnges, Is truly
surprising. And that they can kcop
warm nnd mako a living on this bleak,
fog-smothered, storm-benten rock, nnd
hnvo timo to begot, nnd feed, nnd trnln
children, nnd givo thom n good Esqul
mnux education, tench thom to shoot
tho bow, throw tho bird-spenrs nnd
mnko thom, teach thom to mako nnd use
thoso Hinrvolons kyacks, kill seals
bears, walrus, hunt tho whalo, capture
tho dlfforent kinds of fishes, manufac
ture different sorts of lcathor, drcs3
skins and mako them into clothing,
build thoso strnngo houses, teach thom
to carry on trado, mnko fire by rub
bing two piocos cf wood togothor that
they can do all this, and still havo timo
to bo sociablo, danoo, sing, gossip, and
discuss ghosts, spirits and all tho nerve
shaking marvels of tho Shaman world,
shows how truly wild, and bravo andca
pablo a people thoso island Esquimaux
are.
Salt Lake.
Four barrels of water of tho Great
Salt Lako will loavo aftor evaporation
nearly a barrel of salt. The lake was
discovorod in the yoar 1820, and no out
lot has yot boon ascertained. Four or
fivo largo streams empty thom
solves into it; and tho fact of its still re
trying tho samn salino properties seems
to point to tho conclusion thnt thoro
exists somo secret saliuo doposit over
whloh tho waters flow, and that thus
thoy contlnuo salt for though tho lake
may bo tho roslduo of an lramonso so
which onso covered tho wholo of that
region, yt.'t by Its '.ontinulng so salt,
with tho amount ot fresh water poured
into it daily, tho idea of tho oxlstcncoof
somo such deposit from which it re
oioves its supply seems to bo orly too
probable For tho past Of toon yours
until last year, tho lako has. been grad
ually rising, but in 1879' It rococded
twoorthteo feet n most unusual oc
currence owing to tho excoutionady
warm weather. Thoro aro no fish In
tho lako, but myriads of small files cov
er its surface. Tho buoyanoy of the
water is so groat that it is not nil nn
easy matter to drown in it. Tho entire
length of Salt Lako is eighty-livo miles.
Compared with tho Doad Sea, tho
Great Salt Lako is longer by forty
thrco miles, and broader by thirty-livo
miles.
Tho Magnitude of tho Hag Trade.
Fow pirsons havo nny adequate con
ception of tho magnitude and irnport
auco of tho rag trado in this country.
Rags seem to bo so cheap and insig
nificant a commodity that it is surpris
ing to learn tlm ., with tho exception of
tlio staplo produots of tho West, thoy
aro moio largely transported by rail
roads than nuy othor urtiolo of mer
chandise. At Chicago, tho Michigan
Central railroad has orectod a special
building for this kind of freight, and it
Is estimated that not li ss than ono
hundred carloads of rags leavo and en
tor Chicago dally. A good idea of tho
t xtent of tVo trado was recently given
a Chicago reporter by n wholesalo rag
denier. Snld tho lnttor; 4 'Thoro nro fif
ty millions of people in tho United
States, nnd it is snfo to prcsumo that
ovory ono of them discards on an aver
ago fivo pounds of clothing ovory yoar.
That givos us two hundred nnd fifty
million pounds of rags to stnrt with.
Then there nro tho tailoring establish
ments, big nnd llttlo, whoso cuttings
are not muoh loss in quantity in 'K)
grogato than the cast-off clothesxlrl tho
nation at largo, whilo their quality us
ras is greatly suporbr. And thon
there are tho carpets, balding, curtains
ami other domcstlo articles of somo
IdntJwliloh mako up a goodly bulk in
tho courso of eagj Tho dlfibront
artlelos comblnoiP mako up another
two hundred and (If ty million pounds of
oloth material whloh has booii discard
ed from tuo, and whloh ovontuaUy
duds Its way Into tho ragman's hale."
Thoro nro thrco ways of getting out
of a soinpo writo out, back out, but
tho best way is to keep out.
Wo nro haunted by an Idqal lifo, ntid
It Is beoauso wo havo wlthlt ui tlio
bjluiilng' anil tho' possibility of it.
' ' ' 'U. -. -. . ........JatHt
