Newspaper Page Text
i . _ _ - - __ OOD-NIGHT, sweet year. that brought to me Dear friends to love, rare wealth to hold. That gave me flow ers for memory More precious far than fleeting gold. Good-night, sweet year. wherein I read Full many a page with rare delight: Thy latest hour will soon have fled 0. pleasant year, sweet year, good-night! Good-night, sad year. that reft away Some hopes I cherished: gave the pain Of disillusion; dimmed the day With wrecks of labor wrought in vain. Good-night, sad year. that sometimes knew My pillow wet with bitter tears, Good-night, sad year. that drifteth too Far hence on Time's black sea of years. Good-night, blithe year. that to the home Came smiling with so ray a face. Bade roses bloom in hall and room. Sent small feet pattering through the place That woke such bells of melody As touch the eternal chords that ring Where evermore the ransomed be And saints for aye behold the King. Good-night. brave year. :hat gave me strer.gth. And helped my will to overcome In struggles. whem- the foe, at length Baffled and beaten. leff me dumb. Yet thrilling with victoricus song! Good-night. brave year: I fain would keep Thy secret still to right the wrong. But thou art weary. Rest and sleep. Good-night. 0 year most sorrowful, Seen from the earth side, ache and loss And cluded dawns. and dear ones gone. Have deeply stamped thee with the cross. -Good-night. 0 sorrowful, sweet year. Sweet with the promise of the day. Where heaven's o^"n morning shall appear And all the shadows flee away. -Mrs. Margaret E. Sangster. in Congrega tio.alist. WHAT'S that, Lucy? The man lying or. the low cot in the light of the lamp on a table at one side of a little cabin turned his head to one side and listened. The young girl / eat over him and fory a moment looked into the wan face and deeply sunken. but brilliant black eyes. -'s the wind. Paul. It's the old year going out. you lcitoar. "But its not midnight yet, girl? The boys haven't come back from the ledge "Not vet. There, don't let such things worry you. They'll conic by and by." He turned away and closed his eyes whie the girl crossed the floor and for half a min ute listened at the door. -'The boys!" she said, under her breath. "It's been that way for a we~ek. Tlhey!11 nev'er come. anld I can't tel'. hini. I dare not tell him that lie is the sole survivor or the Katydid mine disaster, for he woul want to know how it hiappenecd. I'ii a strong young woman. but not 'iuite strong enough tio break such news to him; no, not. vet." Half a minute later Lucy 3Ioore came back to the eot and discovered that the miner had dropped into a deep sleep. The Katy -did mine had been wiped out in the twin kling of an eye by the work of unknown iscoundrels, and Paul Draper had managed to crawl from the debris to be picked up a day later and carried to the mountain home .'of the girl who loved him. Lucy understood it all. She knew of the feud; she had heard of the threats made by the ruffians across the divide, and the mo men~t she looked upon Paul's unconscious form 'she guessed the truth. The villains had simply dy:nanmited the Katydid mine, and the wonder was that cvcn one man was left to tell time tale. New Year's day was to have witnessed their wedding. but tor some timie it had .looked more like a burial as Paul hovered between life and death. his figure wasted away and his sufferings terrible. But she had watched over him with uneasing fidelity. She had been his constant compam ion since his narrow escape, and whenever his mind wandered he wanted to know when "the boys" would come. The boys would never come. for they slept on the mountain side, and Lucy had not strengtn to tell him the truth. For some time that night the girl con tinued to sit at the cot. hci' gaze riveted upon the white face of her beirothed. The tick ing of a clock on a rough shelf nailed to the wall sounded like the strokes of a trip-hami mer. but Lucy did not look lip. She watched the sleeper and her thoughts were with him. Suddenly she heard a noise that stai'tled her from her chair. She went to the door and put her ear against it while again shec sent a swift glance tow.aid Paul. She had for several days expected a visit from the surgeoni across the mountain and hie night be there ThC DYL13 CAL 'LL Shec listened t il l sae hLard stea outside '"\V lute w :olves no tel the trth," the" winter mountain' iris sleep ranisIhed and ~Ils look: and behold! the hay is all gone, and and then. with a ih:il of joy. she laid her Idi eplied. "They want 'ca". Tiie\ eye; unciosed. the shoes are brimming ..ver with toys and hand on the stout barricades of the irontier ca't Tonle in while tht Eli at the uour Paul tuned hi: head and (aught the ri -~veetmeats! Then the children clap their door. silence prevailed ~Or a mlon~ent and thy :eil iJ e.( of t!1e genlle watchler and i all hand; with glee, and wish they could only ":Te dock,-, at !ast!" said Lucy under her tebaywsrp~t l sol(ico~a !s" sai Luy.n)te tebo ~.rem e.m ie' iiwneiit la, gaze fell upon: it tmrker have waked in time to see the pony munch breath. as. wiomet more ado.she took dowii w minute-. ,,4;L l a rufi Voice. he plank and oened the portah u But the next iuotuernt she fell back with a e l heard as 1% is did t1c gi-' am idm. let that redskin in night. did o ery that scened to drive all the blood from in aother instant he let one foo: so) little *Ie caine mu wit ut ttkin. Paul Fo0 A BOGUS SANTA CLAUS er chceks, and she stood in the middle of eh'nd its mate. That inovenient. Slight te the room staring at the tableau before her. it wa Meant preparation for tme worst but te t mtleti man. "But for our red Inothe A Change in In the room stood a stalwart Indian an'l the Indin did not speak. 'ot would not have seen the dawning of thy n Lucy instinctively glanced toward the "he the boys in. please do. Lucy. camp n o u hare lnas chcldancid couch. fron thi couch in the e'orncr. "I want to \itd conseu l otn hi slf tan liu and cie For a moment it seemed as if the moun- know what's kept than away. The 1le himself that lie ma Cheisas e tarted tain girl would sink to the floor, but sudden- Katy -" **Ys. Paul." and Lucy took the thin hande ly she threw herself between the savage and Once more with a cry Luc: sprang to the ot hem lover and placed it in the strong one his long ulster he wore the familiar uni{ Paul and stood like a statue there. ucaub.nd bent over the attenuated figure th'it had saved both of them from the form of Santa Claus, perfect in every de' "They are coming." said the Indian, point theron iends of the divide, making bright fr thenm tail. ing at the dono'. "Thle wolves of the divide "It' 'tot the boy's of the Katydid. Paul. the 'New Year which was to witness the At the big hlouse overlooking the river are out yonder." Pardon me. i told an untruth before. fruition of their fondest hopes. only the children and one "trusty servant ".ren't they satisfied with their work? " hey'ic the men from across tme divide. T. C. IIARBA L. were at home, for the others of the house' cried Lucy. "Haven't they done enough' Tey want yot. (o1m" ! hold had commenced the festivities of the I They blew up the Katydid-" it frightened face the fair Speaker CHRISTMAS GIVING. merry season. Blinks was to he admitted The interruption was a sudden spring by threw a look toward the door and saw the by the servant, and, as good Kriss Kringhe. I the Indian and the door, left slightly a jar,igure braced there, a li'ing barricade of It Has Upon It the Stamp of the Di- entertain the little ones while securing all was hurled to with almost crashing force. fmesim anl blood. the valuable plunder to le had. At the sme time something seemed to allthe saw this perfect counterfeit against it from the outside. but the palmso the men outside thre' himself against the The fact that Christmas giving is an x- of the jolly reiider driver, they at first of the Indian were against the planks and door. the portal shook f'om top to bottom change of things often not needed and that stood in wide-eyed wonder till the sturdy with his whole strength he was holding the and the moccasined foot of the Indian it tends to mutual loss rather that mttual little Ben advanced with extended hand and enemy at bay. seiued to slip half all iuelm'-thamt was all. -gain-which is the law of barter-eevate- it quaintly welcomed the hoped'-r- ust*Ti Lucy watched the red man as he pitted Lucy caught halfway the cry that well~ed tar above trade. The perennial benev olence .did not disturb the crusted hardness that his powers against t-e horde at the door, front her heart and watched the human bar hub finds its expression in Christmas had so long intrisoned Blinky's better a and for a little while she feared that the pot' ricade. 'he lips of the Indiai were coin in' has tme stamp of the divine and the ture, but when the fairy-like Ruth. with tal woull be b romke'n down by the foe. pressed and his eyes watched the dnor he spiritual upon it, and it argles that there 1 her crown of waving yellow hair anI ghis ""tmc'y! Lucy!" fore hint,1 le seCimied ii his e1(.nlis, but iot somthing more in m-n aii the mere mae - nil. blue eves. rushed forward and from .t omame cave from thme couch and is the aSound escaped himh rhaeadt sees there. the vantage oint of a chir threw her iil n t u r v ed s lo r' s a wnt a r i s a o m t t h e n c h - the blotwigwost repeated . -.....-..r..iv. ' 'n ioa. That ouldof the bogus Santa "wingmst. Itis, "ga di t u d ieah1 u eakd Yu n-laF obClatts. Bhiny elt upo t\\ , fis'i are conung m. - 1 -' , , dn 'l trkere was a nighttmdiidyo inW hty idt ie n't tun in u-th ut k ngyP ul.Fo - B G U SA~ m .ni hi GL S. tm beh line a I indi , it mate nT movemnt, ' sl li ae h i and thes01r In ia di n Pr ora hm e . w t e 9Il Lttcy the lie hieh in' loedh 'n . Withyue ueonytnea e o L y " e. e n e u t y a o ' B angs ch u ve d c fid d it. t hetheci' c.t he ws gnus coas hie sa u-on h t dor wth cy uc sran t te f hr ovr ndplaeditintheston oe is on lse he wreliethe mruni cuhnbe ovae'tntdfue hthm'ebt rth frmteomoSn C, pere m isei o d theh h >ht t A t hi ovl o in g they i ve timafrcona m isaurh eefuiote onsheoyt cie nd n"t iusy letas h dcd mthe s v e r tne itn g ede flair speaker GM IT A II N mI' 'i s teoe n i amttd the mounIt ain girl 'll'Iii"';I ' - ..umI "The hthrew carea loo ta th do and saw th -. .. by theeservant, and as good Ks a Krmglae, Tigure bctravg ra o taU t S m o h It e'' n t hlittue on h li usem a fL eI I L I 01 . .hIss u t c a e n e ovi n n t h p r i u l W h e n t h e ~s a w t o i " e r f ct c o u n t ert f eo i c jus it w - ,:I~f I iI I ,,11 the ngaus illdoor, , m u t i n t e t wrr toa ofit d oo.ahe po ta!s oocf om to t b ttmsc anemfehi gsof en no n ed d .an ;hat st od m w de-eye wond e i the s dy anandIdinsee ~ ~ r~ the~ mocsndfoIfteIda ttnst uulls ahrta uulltl e dacdwt xeddhn n lifted fro ththo V I r rc e attilug seemed tiait i w o t hoped- ut T so Luer ara perennia b env l di no ecstd ha cd n t fofrotd o ly IimiIh erh a ta d a e e h h m nbrihih tn sit x rsi n nC rs m s i - h d s lon imp is nd rstny ms t e wa Agiri rae mn-icade. Thuisoth nin w r om n a h t m ft edi m n h ue u h n t er r epugnanRth wto selfrendssedseysetd hditi elow ai andgs e t ermei ae:o h oc n sth on sae i.rait sepsrthere.tervantag po tok thIe "trewv'er "We t 'unt heal- ant iato the newa Paulm iing that hae thmtin o ide. put rtvht etorthin "WeI~ hors wie coe c forer1<1 _ w Wiah ia1 anr yt rn ly told Lucy tred bakeimtrbseclifhl They cant tre ar plan Wa s he mat-se p n bd h e le His fwithites touchddi.'ii ebeso iefml jt door: t-m heorte to fi ot nd te p l u m a g e ; I 1 ! ~ ' i s I ~ 'i+j , . " ' a ~ :i h o n g h i a i r ' i : i n t hr s e i t : o f l a er brushne tce .led ge --1 Ins mc did t with meh. warime 'bthe tdan'oswtero'sm fOruo tm arotmnh lit ed m tin gior. ;,' ,~, I, I " 4, :11;gi "T h e b ys e rw i c m e . t e h e o n h i tc n i b n p ling h se fand he Indian eem edi"ir ,+ it to te floor ' ta e prudy an to emit sparks of :ire. I ; 1 no int i'ltat. "W want Pa u go."amidLucytmg~ iiim fsion sofgftthat, thet Paul, the mine boss!" e ,1111) i h as' alenuttho '.. I riut tha in w rway in came from outside. win tie ie oft Shave come forth se himan Lucy turned back u and caught up t cbar- much so a Bhi.y ricade, but the IndiantWe tte onildre swept the proffered cmouly singngehi plank aside. ae i p es. the le His feathers touched BE EOe o the rtlie HE HADtuwasdaccepted assoe! the door: the berong heart r plumnageinhislonghlairl bru.ished the planks.,thtfletegrt but his' mustcs did 11I' t not quiver.smain "Thecboys! theboys!"ro nal ol.;wt I say, Lucy." camte ?'lf from the sufferer'sJ:yIbak opyigore couch. "Im going l; 'ra i IP.,.I" ii back to the Katydid( iii !i : . '"m myself ,I~~l!'"A 1 .,"'o and findl them1T." one fo no You canilnt go."and Luc ae threw herself bes deseanssrnthabrut Paul and p)ushedt fip!m" fn''' phdds gently back. " ' T hi y d ' I1tiue nawyt are out tiler.." "The ho-s Lucy?" u s aske the L vitio the..Ir 1_ . HOPE FOR HIM. "You know what will happen if I catch you under the mistletoe," simpered Chump ey. "Yes. and I'm so hopelessly absent-mind ed." she simpered in response.-Detroit Free Press. A Suggestion. If you find it so difficult to keep your New Year's resolutions, perhaps it would be a ood idea to make a few bad ones this time. for a change. For instance. you might re solve to be cross to your wife (if you have one) every day during the year. and then give her gentle words and loving kisses in .tead. You can thus he consistent with your past record. and may posshily be a bet ter man when another year rolls around. A Last Request. Her father had said it -ould never be. They both sat in the parlor-also in tears. After long searching and a desperate ef fort she found her voice. Then. in desparing tones, she cried: "Oh. Charley! If we must >art, let us wait till after Christmas." Philadelphia Norti American. SERIOUS CONTEMPLATION. The Conventional "Old Year"-To think I looked like that twelve months ago! What She Will Do. Maude-Oh, Clara, I've just bought the loveliest pink shawl for a Christmas pres ent. Clara-Yes; whom are you going to give it to? "I don't know. It's so pretty I think I will keep it myself."-N. Y. Commercial Advertiser. The True Spirit. Gift giving at Christmas time is. or ought to be, nothing more thani a manifes tation of the Christmas spirit, which is uin selfish, seeking only to make others happy. Every one who has been moved by this spirit has realized the truth of the saying: It is more blessed to give than to re ceve. __________ The Next Want. "There!" she said, with a sigh of relief. "I've got a locomotive, a wagon, a mechamec al acrobat and a hose reel. That ought to satisfy the dear little angel!" "It'ought to, but it won't." said her hus band. "The little villain will want a ham met- to smasu them with."-Cincinnati En qwrer. _____ Sacred Trees. The oaks upon which the mistletoe grew were sacred to the Druids in days of old, and they used to wvorship under them in the most solemn and devout way. When hung n in a room or hail, the beautiful pearly bert-es wvere thought to possess the power of keeping away evil spirits and influences. Sensible Jimmie. "Jimmie," asked his mother, "why are o so persistent about going to your Unele John's for Christmas?" "'Cause lie hain't got none of them smoke consumers on his chimbleys. Santa Claus kin git inter his house."-Detroit Free Press. __________ Why Not for a Whole Year? "Christmas conies but oneet a year." said Uncle Eben, "but dar- ain' no 'jections ter anybody's makin' de cheerfulness an' jin erosity ob it hold ovuh fob 12 months, ef he wrants ter."-Washington Star. Shared the Common Lot. 'Werc you ever held ups' "I should say so. "When?" Every Christmas."--Chiuago Record. LONG-AGO" And the boys are com ing to the wedding?' - The girl looked away afraid to let him see her troubled face; but his hand tightened its grip at her wrist. The stoical Indian at the door did not stir. 1le had braced himself like an iron post and seemed oblivious to everything but the act he was perforrming. Lucy wondered how long he could hok' the cj.'cr against the mner outside. She did not herr them now, but sh'e did not doubt that they still stood on the stoop ready to take advantage of any thing in their favor. suddenly a heavy blow struck the door and Lucy heard her nane spoken. She left Paul and went forward. " ye've come to the wedding, girl," said at voice and there was a half suppressed laugh on the cutside. Lucy did nrt speak, but her heart came into iier throat unbidden and with a thrill of terror. "We knrow he's here. Something spared him-.pared him for you. girl," continued the spokesman of the band. "We only want to see hinm and ask hira a few questions. -But your mission means more than that, spoke Lucy. clasping her hands as she spoke. "You arc the mcn from across the divide-you are from Death Valley camp." "She's located us squarely," e heard a rough voice say. "You can't fool the girl in there. Tell her something else." Lucv's face seemed to flush at thnese w ords and she looked at the Ind:an. "White girl no believe the wvolves'" said he, his dark eye falling upon her for a mo ment. The mountain maid shook her head. CNE.Tl 7T5 3 D5 AS TILL. - Th_ NiGHT, AND CLEAD AND C &IL, VIA, r% .; I.5;17Ft 7 r . Its ~& A strained sience of half a minute elapsed when again the door was charged. The man outside threw himself against it with the same result. only this time the moccasined foot did not slip. It kept its place. The Elk seemed made of iron: his veins stood out on his half naked figure like whip- 1 cords and. giant-like, he kept his self-as signed post. "Take dowfn the barricades. girl." said the leader of the band. In spite of herself the mountain girl smiled. They did not know that the Elk was the barricade. 'Twice more the door was assaulted with the same impetuosity: but the defender of the pair did not move. At last the Elk looked down into the face beside him and caught Lucy's eye. "The woves have gone. girl," said he. "They could not break the Indian's arm. Gone: No. In another second a fist struck the portal and a voice exclaimed. "A happy New Year to you, miss. We guess you've won him fairly. You've nursed hiin through and you kin have the last sur vivor of the Katydid di.aster. Good night. girl," :.nd then Lucy heard footsteps as: the band retreated. but the Indian still kept hi. strong hands at the well guaried planks. It was a long night for the mountain girl, but she had a compinion in her viigi, for she would not let the redskin depart. Slowly over the wild iandiacpe broke the first morning of the New Year. and Paul slum hered, dreamiess of the shadovs that en gulfcd hime during the night just passed. At last as the suu kised the tips oi the - i - '. - r- ' ; tp^ " ,.;' ^ From the youngest up, all of i can see something in Christmas, above and beyond its outward manifestations. It commemo rates the beginning of a life, which countless millions of the human race have looked upon as divine-a life of unselfishness, of self sacrifice, of tenderness, of goodness and of purity. We faintly imitate that life when we heal a sorrow, make one heart happier or lighten the burden borne by some tired and weary wanderer. It may be true that after we have feasted and frolicked we go back to the old lives again. But we can take the spirit of Christ mas with us. even if the bells are not ring ing and there is no holly gleaming from the wall. That spirit will have its influence for good. The more it is cultivated by young and old the nearer is the world drawing to the golden year. and as the Christmas hells, from hill to hill, answer each other in the mist, we can say: "Ring in the valiant man and free, The eager heart, the kindlier hand; Ring out the darl:ness of the land. Ring in the Christ that is to be." -Golden Days. A Christmas Legend in Belgium. The children of Belgium have a charming Christmas legend about santa Claus' pony. They always place their wooden sabots en the window-ledge. stuted full of oats. hay. and fodder for the "dear Christma, pony." Ia the early morning they run on tiptoe to 5 OU OJQ DI5TANT Chl!.H0000'5 OlC0 . ThfUL NVATS AFA2 T!'LAT P0AN 'NG.5 INTh!DAY5 TOCCt. :~ - - , __ ____ ____ come. le took on an immense amount of self-respect that night, and now for several years has been in charge of the stables at the big house. looking after the premises and the children with a faith fulness that makes him invaluable.-Detroit Free Press. St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas. as the patron saint of the :hildren. now termed Santa Claus. was can onized. died, according to tradition, at 3Myra. Italy, and was there buried in the cathecdral crypt. Six hundred years later his body was taken to Bari, and there in the eleventh century the great priory of San icholo was built. It is at that priory that an May 9 each year the festival of St. Nicholas is held with great rejoicing by pilgrims from all parts of the world. Mamma's Fault. "Mlamma, I'm afraid that money you gave me to spend for Christmas won't go round." "Not go round'" "No. mamma, not after 1 get what I want myself." "Iys. you extravagant little scamp!" "It's all your fault, inamnma; you shouldn't have encouraged such 'spen-.ivc tastes in me.'"-Cleveland Plain Dealer. Don't Make a Mistake. Just because your wife tells you to buy her something uzeful, don't think she will be satisfied if you send her home a barrel of tiour.-N. Y. Truth. AND SE25 AUKTO H OND M-.i.h OF T