(JTlpr&Kim&.'S* tSTO* ysiPlfllik THE MEASURE OF LOVE. ije rendered ur.to The good saint's WL'mksfMl A. ll d with such warmth I'm free It put me in a jealous mood. So when she came to say: "Good night'" And whispered in my willing ear, On tip-toe in her gown of white. Softly: "I love you, papa dear," "V'ou love me, hut how much?" I said. And after just the slightest pause She answered, pulling down my head: "I love you more than SantyClaus!" The day had been a happy one, As ev'ry Christmas ousht to be; There was no dearth of cheer nor fun And ev'ry bell pealed merrily. Those near ar.d dear had said : "Good-will" In more or less substantial ways. And nothing in the guise of ill Had called for pity or dispraise. I3ut Stella's bedtime hour by far The happiest was to me, because 'Twas then she found, my own bright star, She "loved me more than Santa Claus!" —Edward W. Barnard, in Judge. V.-»> \i:w\lvAß IR RESOLUTIONS as lon 8 » 3 arm. '"What is it?" I in quired, with interest. "New Year's res olutions," she responded, promptly. "(.ioodneis gracious!" I exclaimed, aghast, "you surely aren't going to try to keep that many? It's enough to bring on paresis even to attempt to remember what they're about." "Don't be alarmed," she returned; "they are not intended for personal use. They are merely a little list 1 have prepared for some men 1 know. You see, Dorothy," she went oil. earnestly, "I've been thinking over the matter, and I've come to the conclusion that the trouble with us women is that we Lave gotten into the habit of trying to mo nopolize a!! the domestic virtues and self sacrifice. You can't pick up a paper with out seeing a long article on a woman's duty to make home happy, or a wife's duty to her husband, or a mother's sacred duty to her children. 1 Jut do you ever hear of its being a man's duty to make home so at ttactive his wife won't want togo out in tlie evenings? Does anybody ever advise him, when he comes home tired at night, to put on his dress suit and try to entertain his wife to keep her from being attracted by younger and handsomer men? Xut much. Do you ever see a roomful of prosperous, middle-aged men sitting around in a father's convention, discussing how to do their duty to their children? Nobody ever diJ. It isn't right. I'm in favor of giving the men a show and letting them take a hand in the happiness-making and the duty bu>iness. "Now, when the New Year resolution time comes," went on Elsie, studying her list, "I just want to get in a few of my do mestic principles, and, my word for it, you will see it will do more real good and bring about more genuine reforms than all the swearing off from smoking and drinking S'tice Adam. Comparatively few women are afflicted with husbands who get drunk or smoke to excess, but millions of us have to put up with men who are in crying need of v Hi " THEY ARE NOT INTENDED FOR PERSONAL I'SE." a little welcome reformation, and who might make u 3 so much happier if they only would. "What would I suggest? Oh, lots of things. To begin with: I'd have them make a cast-iron resolution to spend more of their time at home. When a man marries a wom an he leads her to suppose he does it be cause he yearns for unlimited quantities of her society, and it must strike any fair minded person a good deal iike getting goods under false pretenses, if, as soon as the hon eymoon wanes, he chases off to the club or downtown the minute he gets his dinner, leaving her to solitude and the unexciting delights of her own company. It is a situ ation that perhaps a man never appreciates, because he has never been there himself. It couldn't happen to him, because the mo ment he detected a symptom of lonesome ness he would put on his hat and go off to th-> theiter or the corner saloon, or some place where there were light and brightness and gayety. A woman has no such resources. She can't go around at night by herself hunting up company, but must sit at home, no m itter how lonesome and bored she may be. Men are forever wondering why women want to congregate together in boarding houses. One answer to the conundrum is that they want somebody to talk to while their husbands are downtown at night. I have yet to see the woman whose husband w,n a home-keeping and home-loving man who wasn't satisfied to stay there, too. There's one thing dead certain, and that is that if men were as anxious to stay at home evenings as they were to call on a girl be fore marriage, and if they took as much trouble and pains to try to entertain their wive.-: as they do their sweethearts, the do mestic millennium would be in haiiing dis tance. "Another good resolution that would make household angels sing together for joy would be if men would remember that be ing a woman doesn't make anyone enjoy having all their theories and ideas derided and scoffed at. There are plenty of women who can't venture an opinion on any sub ject from the weather to the political situa tion without having their husbands tell them they don't know what they are talking about, and they'd better keep quiet. It may be true, but it a man marries a fool it is Ins own fault. lie picked her out from among all the other women in the world be cause she was the one that suited him best and was most congenial to his taste, and it' she doesn't know a blessed thing he has no right to say a word. As a general thing men fall into this fault of disparaging their wives' opinions through sheer carelessness of their wives' feelings and conceit of their own views. Hut just let one stop and ask himself how he would like to be continu ally made to look cheap l>efore the chil dren and the servants, how he would like to have his ideals, and often even his reli gion, ridiculed, and every time he tried to tell a joke or a good story have somebody who went out into the world more and saw and heard more remind him that it was a heary chestnut. Could there be a more ex quisite cruelty practiced? Yet thousands of women go through this daily martyrdom from men who think th-ey are good hus bands. 'Tom was always good to me,' said •> The Start for the Last Lai) of the Centura, * •> a poor wretch of a woman, weeping over the body of a murderer; 'he never beat me where the marks would show.' "Then, it seems to me, a man might re solve not to unload all his troubles on the family hearth. Of course, I know every day a man ha-* togo through with enough to try the patience of a saint, but because cotton has gone down instead of up or things haven't run smoothly at the office is no real reason for slapping Sammy and kicking the cat as soon as lie gels within his own door. A man might occasionally remember that a woman has troubles of her own and need* to be cheered and brightened. We are continually told that a woman should always meet her husband with a smile, but r.o woman can 3mile long enough or bright ly enough to raise the temperature in a house where a man is sitting around with a scowl on his face. It takes reciprocity, and it's just as much a man's business to smile and help to make home happy as it is a woman's. "There's always room for plenty of good resolutions Xew Year's day and other days, lie might resolve, if he really meant to turn over a new leaf and try to do his part towards making home happy, to make his wife an allowance and pay it promptly, as a debt of honor: to remember that servants are mortal, and that you can't hire a three dollar-a-week girl to cook like a *I,OOO chef; SUPPLEMENT •«- to bear in mind that a woman never gets too old to like a compliment, or to l>e inter ested in hearing that her husband loves her and appreciates her; and, above all, to save some of his good manners and good humor for home consumption. "1 don't suppose I'll live to see any of my theories carried out," added Klsic, dolefully, "but 1 can tell you they are badly needed reforms in a lot of families 1 know."—Doro thy Dix, in N. O. Picayune. NF.W YEAR IN WASHINGTON When Every One Keeps Open House with Lavish Southern Hospitality. Mary Nimmo Balentine, writing of "New \ears Day in the White House"in the Woman's Home Companion, thus describes the public receptions: "Announcements are published in the newspapers proclaiming the levee at the white house and the exact minute at which the different officials of the government service will be received, but it is usually near one o'clock before the sovereign people are admitted to the grounds. "The state levee at the white house is but the beginning of the calling that con tinues throughout the afternoon and well into the night in official and private houses. The official social season is inaugurated on New Year's <lay in Washington. It is the grand rallying day of the neighborly proclivities of the people of the entire dis trict. Many men make their first and last visit of the year on this day, and only see certain of their friends on this one day of the year. As they grow older these fes tival days seem to come closer and closer to gether. Lists are published in the news papers of the houses where receptions will be held, with the names of the ladies who will assist in receiving. The assisting lady often attracts more callers than the hostess, and newly-arrived families are on the look out for popular women for their New Year's day receptions. There is no need to interrupt the grand round of calls for luncheon or dinner; the carriage is hired for the day, and, dressed in his very best, the caller must see all the old friends and make as many new ones as time will per mit. Everywhere open house is kept in the lavish southern fashion. Tables are loaded with viands hot and cold, supplemented with real southern egg-nogg, or a bowl filled from the housekeeper's winter supply of Fish house punch, mixed from a well guarded formula that is an heirloom in Philadelphia families. The whirl of revelry is intense, but this gala day comes for Washingtonians but once a year, and it is celebrated with true southern warmth and enthusiasm." Overdoing the Being Good Business. "I say, Jimmy, don't you think you are rather overdoing this being good business?" volunteered one young hopeful in confidence to his chum. "Not on your life. Don't you know Christinas is coming?" replied the youngster wiio was accused of being too good. "\es, that's all very well. Hut you may lie makin' a mistake." "\oti don't know what yer talkin' about. \ ou ought to hear all the folks at our house talking about 'what a good boy Jimmy is getting to be,' and how that fake Santa Claus is going to give him such a lot of nice presents." "Aw, yes. That's all right, liut. then, I want to tell you that it may not turn out the way you want." "What are you giving me?" Well, I ought to know. I tried your game last year, and I got four Bibles and three Sunday school books for Christmas. Not a pair of skates or anything of the sort. They said they thought 1 would like the Bibles and the books better. Aw, I tell you, Jim my, you don't want to overdo the being good business."—Chicago Times-Ilerald. Beginning Afresh. What a breezy sound there is in the words "Beginning afresh." They have a ring of g'ad new life in them. They put life into the heart that has grown almost discour aged by failure and ni rve il for fresh en deavor. Let us enter upon the life and serv ice of the new year under the inspiration which they give.—Baptist Union. V.»> Her Bright Scheme. First Lady—What New Year's present are you going to give to your husband? Second Lady—A hundred cigars. First Lady—And what did you pay for them? Second Lady—Oh, nothing. For the last few months I have taken one or two out of Jack's box every day. He hasn't noticed it, and will be so pleased with my little pres ent and the fine quality of the cigars.—Lon- don Tit-Bits. V'.-Ti Directed Court Amusements. Down to the reign of Henry VIII., and occasionally since, a "Lord of Misrule" was appointed to direct the amusements of the English court during the holidays. He pre sided over the festivities, prepared the games, directed the sports and saw that the court was kept properly amused during Christmas week. The office was considered highly honorable, and the "Lord of Misrule" was generally some wealthy nobleman who was willing to spend money lavishly in pro moting the gayeties of the court. It is of record that during the reign of Elizabeth, Rssex, as "Lord ol Misrule," spent in one Christmas season $15,000 of his own money ou the court games.—Chicago Chronicle. For the Children. "Yes," said Mr. Blykins, "we always celebrate Christmas for the children's sakes. 'I hey expect it, you know, and I wouldn't have the heart to disappoint them." "liut you and Mrs. Blykins always re member each other?" "Oh, yes. I am going to give her a two hundred-dollar coat and I have reason to think she intends to give me a fifty-dollar chair. We always settle well in advance what our presents will be. All we have to think of now is a doll for the little girl and a tin wagon for the boy."—Washington Star. Willie's Text. After five-year-old Willie had gone to bed on Christmas eve his mother went into the room to see if lie had hung up his stocking properly for Santa Claus. Much to her sur prise she found that the little fellow had ap propriated one of hers for the occasion and had attached a slip of paper on which he had printed in a bold hand one of the Hun day school texts: "ThK Loßd LOvvEtH a CheaKtuLL gi\ veß."—Chicago Daily News. Progressive Peace. "We have good times at our house along before Christmas." "You do?" "Yes; the children try to please their mother and she tries to please me."—De troit Free Press. •eft A Backward Look. Chris'mus kin be made so much pleasant er ef the stern parunt will on'y let his min' wander back tew the time when he made a dash fur the ol' chimney-piece himself.—N. Y. Truth. Tact Required. It really requires a marvelous amount of tact to appear thankful at Christmas for something you didn't want.—Cincinnati En quirer. Put Them in Good Shape. If your morals are in bad shape, the first of the year is a good time to reform them.— L. A. YV. Bulletin. JSCXW sjcwr, taao. ) I | Li An' I want to jes' submit and to kinder push 'em through. \\ hereas, we've been neglectful an' forget ful of our work, Whereas, we've been too careless an' too often prone to shirk, Whereas we've been unmindful 'bout th& little acts o' love, An' little deeds o' kindness, why, I'm goin' to make this move: Resolved, we'll be more faithful an' more watchful all the day; Resolved, we'll scatter sunshine all along the weary way; Resolved, we'll let no brother who may need our friendly grasp Plod on another single step without our warmest clasp. An' now'll somebody second o' the resolu tions, then Let every feller vote an "I," an' add a strong "Amen!" • An' then go out an' act 'em right in all his daily walk, An' make his livin' tally with his resolu tion talk. —D. G. Bickers, in Atlanta Constitution. THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS. We Should Each and All Try to Hake the Dag Thoroughly Enjoyable. '"Because we cannot have the Yule log and traditional roast pig, shall we refuse the cheer of anthracite coal and baked tur key.' asks Florence Hall \\ interburn, writ ing on the "Spirit of Christmas" in the Woman's Home Companion. "Or if even the open fire, the mistletoe and the family gathering are beyond us, must we disdain the homemaking attempts of the steam radiator, and lind no comfort in the dainty elaborateness of a well-spread table, cater ing to the needs of a refined modern taste? Suppose the misanthrope (for the recluse who lives only in an imaginary Christmas , is a misanthrope) came out of his shell and j gathered the young people about him to ) charm their ears with tales of the old ways > holiday-keeping 'when he was a boy.' \\ ould not this be better than grumbling out protests against the new ways that have their own reasons for being, and offer in turn their own measure of enjoyment to willing spirits? Genial old age is always a welcome pre sence, and it never suggests any contrasts that put us out of conceit with the pleasures that lie within our reach. Hut carping, even if it proceeds from the patri arch. is an infliction severe enough to blight any holiday. "In the nature of things there must be holidays. llow poverty-stricken is that soul which does not recognize this necessity and throw itself heartily into the work of help ing forward the good time youth and all unspoiled minds accept with gratitude. I here is no predeterminate set of condi tions for holiday making that need tie ad venturous hands, and if traditional customs belonging to Thanksgiving and Christmas are vanished beyond recall we can harmonize the day with our present abilities. "My sympathy is with those who wish to bring back upon Christmas day the sweet old traditional observances. I love them well, even those that are known to me only by hearsay and were outgrown in that shadowy period alluded to as 'before the war.' liut no one thing is indispensable to happiness with any of us, unless with children, and not even with them if judi cious substitute is made. Whatever we liave, or whatever we lack, the qualify that makes the occasion is the spirit we bring to it. Good will never fails to create a good time. It finds merit in rain, lifts fog and lights a cheery blaze within that passes for the sunshine in its absence. And good will has not passed away with chivalry, nor perished under the onrush of science. It lives and breathes now, and is here at this moment to light our Christmas fires and swing incense before our altars. All we need do is to recognize and adapt it." HIS REASON. "Willie," said his father, "what good re solves are you going to make for the New \ ear?" "I'm not going to fight with John nie Jones any more," replied Willie. "I'm glad to hear that," said the father; "but why did you make that resolve?" " 'Cause," was the answer, "I always get licked."— Chicago Daily News. Imperishable. The Christmas bells will silent be. The Christmas lights grow dim. The brightness faded from the tree May leave it gaunt and grim. But Christmas cheer was never so; It:-* echo lingers on, With memories of long ago And hope of joys to dawn. So, o'er all time its might extend 3 And ready homage wins; As one glad Chirstmas season enda Another straight begins. —Washington Star. Wise Precaution. "There," said the prudent housewife, aa she looked over the Christmas decorations, "1 think that will do very nicely. Only we must not forget to take the mistletoe from the chandelier and move it to different parti of the room during the day." \\ nat i» that for? asked her husband. 1 uon i wish to wear the carpet out all in one spot."—Washington Star,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers