V r -v J fl i h It k i i j r j 3 H i i V I 7 if II f -- ti Wjlimmtiil IMA hS ti fiifcJiJGi vYIMW 10 2 iJf law A iL 5B3ffiS3SSri AREWELL fare well the best ot If friends must part Aim as u iuacu how dear thou art How fond and dear Old Year 0 1 d Year Here take a glint or gold from out my hair A shade of rose from cheek and lip and there Sprinkle a touch of snow before you Old Year before you go rjnnfihr God sneed i all earthly things must end One look into your fading eyes my friend So fond and dear Old Year Old Year Theres mild regret within my heart In place of pain All that was sweet In thee shall once again In memory live and make me glad Old Year then why be sad Now that were parting Im Impelled to say What Ive in -secret thought for many d uay Yet still I love you dear Old Year Youve always worn a somewhat somber face Yonve never had the winsome sprightly grace I That I remember in your foregone kin Old Year that I have ushered In Yourstay was shorter toolt43eemstome Than that of former years was wont to ber Oh fond and dear Old Year Old Year Mayhap for me all time is near complete And toward the end youre hastning with gladlcet - Then speed no longer stay Old Year go swift thy -way Dakota night The prairie A wrapped in mysterious shadows rolls away to the south and van ishes among the ghostly stars Through the sedges of the marsh the night wind sighs fitfully and the frogs from their reedy haunts croak a hoarse accom paniment For Hans Brynjulson smoking in the door of his shack and looking out over the moonlit plain and coteaux there is but one word in the heart one song on the lips of nature Christina Well indeed did Hans remember her braids of golden hair her sparkling eyes the fair beauty of her northern face They had parted but that was long ago You will make your fortune in Amer ica Hans Be brave I will come when you want me God be with you my dear one Not a day passed but these words leaped from the memory to the heart of Hans Brynjulson They were oftener on his lips than were his prayers The first year the dreaded southwest wind scorched and withered a field al most ready for the reaper but Hans saved enough grain to plant the land again The second year crops were backward and the wheat was nipped by frost and shriveled and blackened in the husk The third year crops were beaten to the ground by hail How had Hans contrived to keep body and soul together during these years of trial By mortgaging his possessions Ls claim his horses his farming imple ments everything had been laid under contribution to tide him over the hard times In his hands he had a letter It was dark and he could not read it but this was unnecessary He had conned it word for word until he could have recited it by note The letter was from Chris tina She told her lover in simple words that she could not remain away from him longer A longer absence for her was worse than death Surely her willing hands would prove a mighty factor in his hard life The meanest drudgery at his side and for him would be happiness for her The Stockholm sailed on the 1st of December for New York Could he not send her money to pay her passage If so she would come third class all the way God bless him for the faithful lover that he was Poor Hans He had never written Christina of his heroic struggle with fate What should he do now Tell her all No no His heart rebelled against such a course Fair loyal Christina He would send her the passage money But where was he to get it He started sud denly to his feet The moonbeams strik ing his haggard face wreathed it with a strange beauty Ay skall dot he murmured in his broken English ay skall see Messer Yonson in da niornin Say do you know what that ere crazy Swede from Pony Gulch has been up to Chris Larkin the blacksmith dropped the head of his hammer on the anvil and supported himself on the handle with his bared sinewy arms as he addressed this sentence to Cal Higgins a farmer What now asked Higgins Whats the latest Gone an mortgaged himself to Law yer Johnson for 100 Taint possible Tis too but it cant be legal LOKIX PR LITTLE CHRISTINA Spose the Swede cant pay up when the mortgage is due Johnsonll foreclose I spose Then hed own the Swede hey Moren likely Then he cd hire him out by the day ye see an git his money back in that way Whens the mortgage due New Years Day What did the Swede -want the money for k iu nict r B - OLD YEAR FAREWELL I JJunno tie weni c r i gent tat JS K c O 8 1 it i K uiiiLC uuulul w w i ia rot v vr imw r i ntvnv nrrv lilnciied Cent Dont that beat all exclaimed Hig gins disgustedly thats jest ike them Swedes Some fool spekerlati jr Ill bet a copper It was Christmas Day In the nooks and crannies cf Wells County there was a bare suggestion of snow The white flakes were uu usually backward that year in taking possession of the country and the settlers shook their heads forebodingly as they spoke of a green Christmas and a fat church yard Dont worry Chris remarked the conductor of the passenger train that had thundered up to the station well have a regular bender to make up for this When the snow comes itll be on ua all in a heap see if it aint Whats the matter my man The last words were spoken to Hans Brynjulson who had touched the con ductor on the arm Ay been lokin fr mae little Chris tina by dees train but Ay cant see her no place began poor Hans Ah went on the conductor with a laugh some girl from the States that youre going to marry No there were no passengers for Sykeston Hans turned with a sigh The post master was walking off with the mail pouch and the forlorn Swede followed He had a vague thought that the mail pouch might contain some news for him like so many spirits of peace over the quiet village A man reeling through the semi-darkness heard the song and stopped to lis ten As the last bar of the song died away its cadence was broken by a dis cordant groan A moment later as Law yer Johnson with his wife and little daughter came out of the church he near ly stumbled over the form of a man lying prone upon the ground ed in will shake the stoutest confidence Thus it was with the lawyer and when some moments later his wife suggested that Hans be sent to the schoolhouse to see if Bessie were there he consented Hans was called in from the shed and given his commission He bowed his head buttoned his thin coat tightly around him and laid his hand on the door knob The lawyer was holding in his hands a great fur coat nothing is known The lawyers daugh ter could not tell She started home she said was overtaken by the storm and finally grew bewildered Struggling vain ly for what seemed an interminably long time she had finally sunk senseless and exhausted into the snow When found she was snugly wrapped in the lawyers fur coat while a pair of thin rigid arms folded her close as though to protect her from the drifting flakes And when the snow was brushed from Hans Brynjulsons icy face con gealed tears were found in the eye lashes and about the mouth mystery unsolva ble there hovered a smile Happiness crowned with tears Perhaps they were tears of joy per haps the boisterous winter winds became summer zephyrs in the ears of Hans Brynjulson and whispered to him the word Christina Christina perhaps this also was the burden of the snow flakes as they rustled down over him and wove their spotless woof into the weft of his life Lawyer Johnson caused it to be duly known that Hans Brynjulson had can celled his mortgage and it was Mrs Johnsons own hand that gave the docu ment to the fire W W Cook in Detroit Free Press At Christmas Surprise She asked her experienced father Dear papa tell me I pray What shall I give my husband To surprise him on Christmas Day A present for Clarence he murmured - f Half an hour later the letters and par cels had been assorted and the postmaster began distributing them to the waiting throng There were Christmas presents and loving tidings from dear ones in the East and manya pioneers face wreathed with happiness as the letters were read or the presents tucked snugly away in warm breast pockets Heres something for you Hans called the postmaster and the pale faced man who had been lingering near the door doubtful but expectant started for ward with a smile and an outstretched hand That handwriting The letter was from Christina The envelope was hastily torn open and a pair of happy blue eyes began perusing the text Suddenly the happy light vanished from the face Hans Brynjulsons limbs grew rigid and he lurched over against the counter with a moan of anguish English words even in a free transla tion are powerless to catch the pathetic vein that ran through Hans Brynjulsons letter but here are its contents done into our own language On board S S Stockholm Dec 10 Mr Dear One- When you read this my faithful love she who writes it will be with you but In the spirit I am to die the ships doctor says and I thank God that I have the strength to send you this last word I would that Our Heavenly Father had spared me to work for you but since this is impossible work dou bly hard for yourself Be brave dear Hans for my sake Be patient and you will be fortunate God tempers the wind to his stricken children and he will -not forget thee my darlh g My strength ebbs fast a last farewell CHRISTINA As the shades of evening crept over the sky and brought out one by one the cold clear cut stars the words of a Christmas carol floated through the doors of the little Sykeston church and settled Why he exclaimed its Hans Bryn julson Let him lie where he is said Mrs Johnson hes drunk no doubt Well drunk or sober if he lies here hell freeze It means a hundred dollars to me said the lawyer grimly ah hes reviving Come come my man dont you know where you are Messer Yonson returned Hans inter rogatively Yes yes get up and follow us Youll freeze to death lying there You mustt freeze you know It wouldnt be treat ing me fair You understand why eh You can sleep in my barn to night The day after New Years dawned with a calm that would have been foreboding had not unusual weather so far marked the winter in Wells County Little Bessie Johnson went to school in the morning and she had been gone from home an hour when a black cloud rifted with wind appeared in the north west Like a great ominous banner battle scarred and brushing its ragged streamers across the sky the cloud came on with racehorse speed And then came the blast in all its fury Helter skelter here and there blew the wild white flakes rushing around the corner of Law yer Johnsons house with an angry roar the bits of snow played hide andjseek among the eaves and then skurried away in the mad gambols of a whirlwind Goodness me Silas said Mrs John son turning from the window I cant see a yard away What will become of Bessie Shell be all right dont worry The teacher will not let the scholars leave the schoolhouse until the blizzard is over Fears however if long enoughpersist r Put this on he said Reaching the schoolhouse in safety Hans found it occupied by the teacher and a few frightened pupils But Bes sie Johnson was not there At the first appearance of the cloud in the northwest the girl had persisted in a determination to start home The teacher had not made a very serious attempt to thwart its haxs BPyJtJiso that resolve feeling perhaps that she would have ample time to cover the dis tance before the storm came Hans Brynjulson received the information without comment and taice more vanished into the storm Of what he did after this absolutely His mind with past years away As he thought of his wifes dear presents For which he had had to pay This Is sure to surprise him daughter If theres anything that will A gold watch and chain to give him And Include a receipted bill Judge Nevr Year Advice Dont wait for the wagon while the walking Is good Dont grieve over spilt milk while theres one cow left in the pasture Dont say the world is growing worse when you are doing nothing to make it better Dont tell the world your troubles You cant borrow ten dollars on them Dont let the grass grow under your feet The cows cant get at it there To the Children Hear Kris Krlngle with his bells Christmas bells What a world of merriment their melody foretells How they tinkle tinkle tinkle In the icy air of night While the stars that oversprinkle All the heavens seem to twinkle With their stockings full f light Keeping time time time In a merry Christmas rhyme To the tintinnabulation that so musicallj swells From his bells bells bells bells Bells bells bells From the jingling and the tinkling of his bells Equal to the Occasion Oh dont she exclaimed as he at tempted to take a kiss wait till Christ mas and you can kiss me under the mis tletoe Thats all risht he said Ill kiss you at Christmas under the mistletoe but just now Im going to kiss you unaer the nQse VLR li Wz ELJff i V5Jif H W I V branch to branch Frosted icicles of dif ferent colored glasses are effective hung from the tip of each branch A fancy tree top piece either of bright red or silver is indispensable Then there are tinsel comets to hang through the branches strings of tinsel and tinsel tassels Something new is asbestos which when distributed over the tree looks like snow There should be lots of cornucopias filled with candy and snap ping mottoes with fancy colored caps or whistles and tiny horns inside There are many decorations in the form o2 Brownies These are not pretty but they are the fad Be sure you have plenty of candles S dozen wont be too many After j u s ill through trimming take handfuls of loose tinsel and spray it all over the tree A Christmas Scheme A lady who was shopping saw her hus band examining pocketbooks at a show case in another part of the store When he had gone she approached the sales woman in that department Did he get the one I wanted Yes the one with the silver horse shoe I told him it was the best and would just suit Youre a jewel I feared he would get something I didnt want Thank you ever so much The husband had gone to his favorite drug store when he asked Has my wife been here Yes said the clerk with a grin Did she get a toothbrush or a box of cigars for my Christmas present Ha X know the brand 2 a hun dred Well if she buys a box changa them to my regular brand and Ill payAe difference see And the druggist saw A New Year Song Who comes dancing over the snow His little soft feet all bare and rosy Open the door though the wild winds blow Take the child in and make him cozy Take him in and hold him dear He is the wonderful Xew Year Open your heart be It sad or gay Welcome him there and use him kindly For you must carry him yea or nay Carry him with shut eye3 so blindly But whether he brlngeth joy or fear Take him God sends him this good New Year fw E Christmas tree hold be carefully se lected and always bo sure to get one which has been cut after com 2 weather has set in Sometimes rnose wuu the trees for sale cut them down in the early fall This is very well if there is no dry warm weather afterwards To determine bow recently a tree has been cut insist upun seeine it shaken if the nee dles fall dont take it To trim well a tree should be round and symmetrical in form wide around the bottom growingto a point at the top Balsam pine trees are the prettiest and most expensive A handsome one about ten feet high costs 5 These trees Catskill Moun come from Vermont the tains Massachusetts and New Hamp shire They have the largest and bright est needles while the limbs grow closer than on any other and are very thick up to the top Spruce trees are the most used because beiug plentiful they are much cheaper being half the priceof a balsam pine Tn color they are not so green They come from Massachusetts Vermont Maine and the Catskill Moun tains There is nothing distinctly new in the tree decorations The fancy pendant3 are used in great profusion Five hun dred of assorted colors would not be too many on a good sized tree These are round nvnl frnctnrl KrilUonf n nrt fmc at A Slight Delay Mrs Pinkerly The boy has just come with that lovely Christmas present I got for you today dear He is waiting In the hall now Pinkerly How kind kiss and thought ful of you dear Kiss kiss I am just dying to see what it is Impatiently Why dont you have the boy brine it up Mrs Pinkerly embarrassed The fact V is er darling it has come C O D Life A Small Eoys Complaint f I dont like the month of December As much as I possibly should Because when Christmas is coming Small boys must be awfully good And while long division aint easy And spelling Is poky and slow This behaving for three weeks fore Christ mas Is the hardest old task that I know Harpers Bazar Measure Tor Measure Its not the right sort of feeling per haps but at Christmas I like to give just as valuable presents as I receive So do I My wife is going to give me a hundred dollar dressing gown and I am going to give her a hundred dollaj check to pay for it Life Is or Are Ah Santa Claus come in come in Your welcome is beyond all measure Were glad to have you come and stay YouxChristmas reffennYse a Pleasure Watching for Santa Clans ami - rii rm m Zk sU v v zZ 2Z o r SI 22aS5BJi covered Some represent birds grapesjb bells fruit horns and fish Strings of brilliant colored balls add greatly to the appearance of the tree when draped from i - A - 4 J n