CHRISTMAS CAROL. Simp ! now-whlte wnrlil, nnder the stars, Bleep! Bleep! While choral angels from on high, Floating across the midnight sk)-, Ismn down with waving llly-wnmln. To bless the enrth with grncloui hands. And hurt ! the golden chord ! 'Tmlse b to Christ our ford, The 8on of Mnn in lowly manger born, Be'ore whose tnco the (trength of Sin is horn." Then, till the holy morn, Bleep ! Bleep I Wake ! bright world, nmler the bright inn, Waket Wake! Dark ! how theOhrlstmss angel Kin; t "All hail ! to Christ onr Lord and King t All hail ! vood will and peace to men 1 All hail ! to Ood on high I Amen !" Join ynthe Joyful longs The reign of nneipnt wrong la o'er thin hour ; for Christ the Child la born ! Oh, happy world ! thy bonds of aln are torn, Thla holy Christmas morn. Wake! Wake! Charles b. HIMreth, In Dnmorest's. LOD'S CLARIONET. A rnmiTMAi sronv. It 15 K K Wfia A Christmas eve ser vice in the Second Westcock Church. Tho chnri'li nt Second Westcock was quaint and old-fashioned, like the village over which it presided. Its shingles wero gray with the beating of many winters ; its little square tower wan surmounted by four spindling posts, like the legs ot table turned htavenwnrd ; its ("taring windows wero adorned with eurtins of yellow cot ton ; its uneven and desolate church yard, strewn with graves and snow drifts, occupied a bleak hillside look ing out across tho bay to tho lonely height of Shcpody Mountain. Down the long slope below tho church straggled the village, half-lost in the Know, and whistled over by tho winds of the Bay of Fnndy. Second Westcock waa an outlying corner of the roctor'a expansive par ish, and a Christmas eve aorvico there was an event almost unparalleled. To give Second Westcock this service, the rector had forsaken his prosperous congregations at Weeteock, Sackville and Dorchester, driviug some eight or ten miles through the snows and soli tude of the deep Dorchester woods. And because the choir at Second Wetdeoek was not remarkable even for willingness, mnch less for strength or skill, he had brought with him his fifteen-year-old niece, Lon Allison, to well the Christmas praises with the notes of her clarionet. The little church was lighted with oil lamps ranged along the white wall between the windows. Tho poor, bare chancel a red-cloth covered kitchen table in a semi-circle of paintless rail ing was flanked by two towering pul pits of white pine, On cither side the narrow, earpetless nislo wero rows of nnpainted benches. On the loft wero gathered solemnly tho men of the congregation, each looking straight ahead. On the right were the women, whispering and scanning each others' bonnets, till the appearance of the rector from the little vestry-room by the door should i-riog silence and reverent attention. In front of the women' row stood the melodcon, aud the two benches behind it were occupied by the choir, the male members of which sat blush ingly self-conscious, proud of their office, bnt deeply abashed at the ne cessity of sitting among tho women. There was no attempt nt Christmas decoration, for Second Westcock had never been awakened to tho delioiona excitements of tho church greening. At last tho rector appeared in his voluminous white surplice. He moved lowly up the aisle, and mounted the winding steps of the right-hand pulpit, and as he did eo his five-year-old son, forsaking his place by Lou's aide, marched forward and seated hifuself resolutely on the pulpit steps. He did not feel quite at home in Second West flock Charon. The sweet old carol, "While shep herd watched their flocks by night," rose rather doubtfully from the little choir, who looked and listened askance at the glittering clarionet, into which Lou was now blowing softly. Lou waa afraid to make herself distinctly heard at first, lest she should startle the singers ; bnt in the second verse the pure vibrant notes came out with confidence, and then for two lines the one was little more than a duet be tween Lon and the rector's vigorous Baritone. In the third verse, how ever, it all came right. The choir felt and responded to the strong sup port and thrilling stimulus of the in strument, and at length ceased to dread their own voices. The naked little churoh was glorified with the steeop of triumphal song pulsating through it. Never before had such musio been hoard thore. Men, women and chil dren sang from their very souls, and when the hymn was ended the, whole congregation stood for some seconds as in a dream, with quivering throats, till the rector's calm voioe, repeating the opening words of the liturgy, brought back their self-control in some measure. Thereafter every hymn and chant and carol was like an inspiration, and Lou's eyes sparkled with exaltation. When the servioe was over the people gathered round the stove by the door, ftraiaing Lou's clarionet and petting ittle Ted, who had by this time come down from the pulpit steps. One old lady gave the child two or three brown sugar-biscuits which she had brought in her pocket, and a pair of red mit tens which she had knitted for him as Christmas present. Turning to Lon, the old lady said, "I never heard nothing like that trum pet of ronrn, Miss. I felt like it jest drawed down tho angel from heaven to sing with ns to-night. Ther voice was all swimming in n smoke, like, right up in the hollow of the ceiling." "'Taint a trumpet I" interrupted Teddy, shyly. "It's a clar'onet. 1 got a trumpet home !" "To be sure I" replied tho old lady, indulgently. "Dut miss, as I waa a raying, that musio of yourn would jest Softeu the hardest heart as ever was." The rector had just come from the vestry room, well wrapped tip in hi furs, and was shaking hands and wish ing every one a Merry Christmas, while tho sexton brought the borne, to the door. He overheard tho old la dy's Inst remark, a she was bundling Teddy up in a huge woollen muffler. "It certainly did," said he, "make the singing go magnificently to-night, didn't it, Mrs. Tait? Dut I wonder, now, what sort of an effect it would produce on a hard-hearted bear, if such a ereatnro shonld come out at us while wo nro going through Dorches ter woods?" This mild pleasantry was very deli cately nilnpted to tho rector's audi euee, and tho group about the stove smiled with a reverent air befitting the plce they were in J but tho old lady exclaimed in haste : "My, land sake, parson, a bcar'd be jest soared to death 1" 'I wonder if it would frighten a bear?" thought Lon to herself, as they were getting snugly bundled into the warm, deep "pnng," as the low-box sleigh with movable seats is called. Soon the crest of the hill was passed, and tho four-poster on the top of Second Westcock Church sank out of sight. For a mile or more the road led through half-cleared pasture lands, where tho black stumps stuck up so otrangely through tho drifts that Teddy discovered bears on every baud. Santa Claus Look at him there en the chimney toe Just ready to descend There sever lived la this whole wide world Suoh a dear good-hearted friend I But see, he has stopped to listen If the children are asleep For he'd never go down If they stayed awak Or tried to take one peep I Hetwas not at all alarmed, however, for he was sure hi father was a match for a thousand bears. Bv and bv the road entered the curi ous inverted dark of Dorchester woods, where all the light seemed to oome from the white snow nnder the trees rather than from the dark sky above them. At this stage of the journey Teddy retired nnder the buffalo-robes, and went to sleep in the bottom of the pung. The horse jogged slowly along tho somewhat heavy road. The bell jingled drowsily amid the soft, push ing whisper of the runners. Lou and the rector talked in quiet voices, at tuned to the solemn hush of the greV forest. "Whfttthatr' Lon "shivered- up closer to the rector as she spoke, and glanced nervously into the dark woods whence a sound had come. The rector did not answer at onoe, but instinctively seized the whip, and tightened the reins as a sig nal to Old Jerry to move on faster. The horse needed no signal, but awoke into an eager trot which would have beoome a gallop had tho rector permitted. Again came the sonnd, this time a little nearer, and still apparently just abreast of the pnng, bnt deep in the woods. It was a bitter, long, wailing cry, blended with a harshly grating undertone, like the rasping of a as "What is it? again asked Lon, her teeth chattering. The rector let Old Jerry out into gallop, as he answered, "I'm afraid it's a panther what they call around here an 'Indian DeviL' Bnt I don't think there is any real danger. It is a ferocious beast, but will probably give us a wide berth. "Why won't it attack ns?" asked Lou. "Oh, it prefers solitary victims, replied the rector. "It is ordinarily a cautions beast, and does not under stand the combination of man and horse and vehicle. Only on rare occasions has it been known to attack people driving, end this one will probably keep well Out of onr sight. However, it' jnst a well to get be yond its neighborhood as quickly possible. Steady, Jerry, old boy I Steady don)t use yourself tip too fasti" , , . The rector kept the horse well In hand ; but in a short time it was plain that the panther was not avoiding the party. The cries cam tfearef aud nearer, and Lou's breath came quicker and quicker, and the rector' teeth be gan to set themselves grimly, while hi brows - gathered in anxiou thought. If it should come to a struggle, what was there in the sleigh, he was wonder ing, that could nerve as a weapon? Nothing, absolutely nothing but his heavy pocket-knife. . "A poor weapon," thought he, rne fnlly, "with which to fight a panther." Hut he felt in his pocket with one hand, and opened tho knife, and lipped it under the edge of the cushion beside him. At this instant lie caught sight of the panther, bounding along through the low underbrush, keeping parallel with the road, and not forty yards away. "There it is!" came in a terrifiod whisper from Lou's lips ; aud just then Teddy lifted his head from under tho robes. Frightened at tho speed and at the set look on his father's face he began to cry. The panther heard him ami turned at once toward the sleigh. Old Jerry stretched himself out in a burst of speed, while the rector grasped his poor knifo fiercely ; and the panther came with a long leap right into tho road not ten pace be hind the flying sleigh. Teddy stared in Amazomcnt, and then cowered down in fresh terror as there came an ear-splitting screech, wild and high and long, from Lou's clarionet. Lou had turned, and over On His Round. But once be sees that all Is right He'll go down with bis toys, And All up all the stockings Of his little girl and boy. Then with s bound he'll be off again Up through the chimney and over the roofs, And the frozen ground will again resound With the patter of reindeer' hoofs. the back of the seat was blowing this peal of desperate defiance in the brute's very face. The astonished ani mal shrank back in his tracks and sprang again into the underbrush. Lou turned to the rector with a flushed face of triumph ; and the rector exclaimed in a husky voioe, "Thank Qod 1" But Teddy, between his sobs, oomplained, "What did you do that for, Lou? Lou jumped to the conclusion that her victory was complete and final; but the rector kept Jerry at his top speed and scrutinized the underwood apprehensively. The panther appeared again in lour or five minutes, returning to tne roaa, and leaping along some forty or fifty feet behind the sleigh. His pace was a vorv curious disiointed, india rub' uery spring, wnicu rapiu.iv viurwu up - . , i j on the fugitives. . .. Then round swung lion s long in strument again, and at its piercing ory the animal again shrank back. This time, however, be kept to tn roaa, and the moment Lou paused lor breath he resumed the chase. "Save your breath, child," ex claimed the rector, as Lou again put the slender tube to her lips, "save your breath, and let him have it fe rociously when he begins to get loo near. The animal came within twenty or thirty feet asain. and then Lou greeted him with an uar-splitting blast, and he fell back. Again and again the taotics were reneateX Lou tried a thrilling cadena ; it was too much for the brute's nerves. He could not compre hend girl with such penetrating voioe. and he could not screw up bis oouraire to a closer investigation of the marvel. At last the animal seemed to resolve on a change of procedure. Plunging into the woods he made an effort to get ahead of the sloigb. Old Jerry was showing signs of exhaustion, but the rector roused bint to an extra spurt and there, just ahead, was the opening of Fillmore's settlement. "Blow, Lou, blow I" shouted the rector; and as the panther made I dash to intercept the sleigh, it found itself in too close proximity to tin strange-voiced phenomenon in the: pung, and sprang backward with an angry snarl. , As Lou's breath failed from her dry lips, the sleigh dashed out into the open. . A dog bayed augrily from the dearest farm-house, and the panther stopped short on the edge, of the wood. The rector drove into the farm-yard, and Old Jerry stopped, shivering as if he would fall between the shafts. After the story had been told, and Jerry had been .stabled and rubbed down, the rector resumed his journey with a fresh horse, having no fear that the panther would venture across the cleared lauds. Three of the settlers started out forthwith, ami following the tracks in the new snow, auccenc led in shooting the wild beast after a chase of two or throa hours. The adventure supplied the country side all that winter with a theme for conversation, aud about Lou's clarionet there gathered a halo of romance that drew rousing congregations to the parish church, where its musio was to be heard every alternate Sunday evening. Youth'sCompauion. Antiquity ol Christmas Toys. The doll is thousands of years old: it has beeu found inside the graves of little Komsu children, and will lie found again by the archirologists of a future date among the remain of our own culture. The children of Pompeii and Herculaneum trundled hoops just as you and I did, and who knows w hether the rocking horse on which we rode in our yonug days is not a lineal descen dant of that proud charger iato w hose flanks the children of Francis I's tinio dug their spur. The drum is also indestructible, and setting time at naught across the cen turies, it beats tho Christmas-tide and New Year summons thnt bids the tin soldier prepare himself for war, and shall continue to beat a long aathcrn exist boyish arms to wield drumsticks, and grown-up people's ear to be deaf ened by the sound thereof, Tho tin soldier view tho future with calm ; he will cot lay down his arms until the day of general disarmament, ami there is, as yet, no prospect of a universal peace. Tho toy sword also stands its grouud ; it is the nursery symbol of the inera dicable vice of our race tho lust for battle. Harlequins, fool's-ciip-crown-ed and bell ringing, are also likely to endure; they are sure to be found among the members of tho toy world as long ns there are fools to be found among the inhabitants of our own. Hold-laced knights, their sworda at their side, curly-locked and satin shod princesses, stalwart musketeers, mustached and top-booted, are all typos which still hold their own. The Chinese doll is young as yet, but she has a brilliant future before her. The Yule Log Custom. The yule log or yulo block is proba bly another form of that which has been preserved in the Christmas tree. A huge log of wood placed in the tire place is kept burning all the eveuing in many place in England, and even in the United States the custom is not unknown. It is called Bucha de Noel France. The yule candlo is lighted the even ing of December 24, midwinter-night, and kept burning all night if possible. If it goes out during the night it is looked upon as a sign that some one ill die in the bouse soon. On the other hand, the stumps of these can dles are considered a powerful remedy for diseased or injured hands or feet. Hong of Kris Kringle's Tree. Kits Kringle's bell sra Jingling, The frosty air la tingling, All silvery sounds are mingling, This merry, merry day, WJth many a fleecy feather The snow-flakes dan" together ; Here comes Krlsa Kringle's weather, In good Kris Kringle's way. Kris Kringle's measure's tripping, Kris Kringle's sweetness sipping, The while hi gifts we're dipping, From brave Kriss Kringle's tree, We set ths oandles burning, Like stars and planets turning, And every dream and yearning There satisfied we i Alons and solitary, Aloof from elf snd fairy, It grew in forests airy -, Through many a season dim-. To reach Its day of glory, When winter wood were hoary. To hear Krias Kringle's story, And dear Kriss Kringle's hymn. 0 tree that wearies never I O tree that charm us ever I O tree that live forever 1 The blessed Christmas tree. Where love and kindness blending Round up tbs year's lair ending. There heaven own beauty leading, t Behold Kris Kringle's tree, Urgent K. Bangster, In Young People. The little red house at Lenox, Mass., in whioh Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote "Tanglewood Tales," "The House of Seven Gables," aud other stories, is to be restored. A PALATIAL 1I0MR FINEST PRIVATE RKSIDESCE1X TIIK WORM). It Is In Course-of Kreetlnn by Cor nelius Vanderbilt In Nev York, and Mill Cost $3,000,000. ""0I1XELIUS VANDERBILT8 new mansion, on the north west corner of Fifth avenue and Fifty-seventh street, is o far completed, say a New York letter in the New Orleun Picayune, that it is in the hands of tho decorators and finisher. This particular Vanderbilt house will be, it is asserted, the baud sor.est and costliest private residence in tho world. Its frontage on Fifth avenue extends from Fifty-seventh to Fifty-eighth street, giving it an out look on Central Park. In order to acquire this frontage Mr. Vanderbilt had to poy &1,0,000 for a single lot on the corner of Fifty-eighth street anil the Avenue and tear down a house that would have sold for $200,001). His new mansion completed will repre sent an outlay of nt least 5,()0()a0l0. but intelligent workingmcn, instead of crying out against him for his vast wealth, commend him for affording so tminy Hteady employment during the linrt times, it is not forgotten that ho has been constant in his endeavors to ameliorate the condition of the work ing classes ever since ho came iuto his fortune of over 8100,000,000. The architecture of tho now house is Spanish. It is built of gray stone, with red trimmings, and has turrets. battlements, towers aud window veran da iu great variety Tho conserva tory, which is Mrs. Vanderbilt' especial pride, is lighted by a court aud by long windows on Fifty-seventh street. 1'art of it has a glnss roof, and is not built up overhead, the court be ing large enough to give the exotics all the siiushinothey require. Many rare plants will bo brought to the conserva tory from the Breakers, tho Newport homo of the family, and many other from over the ocean. Tho ballroom is larger than any two other private liallrooms in New York, is to be decorated in groen and cold, and the ceiling will be beautified by celebrated artists, both American and foreign. Tho decoration of this one room will cost about 8200,000. Tho side wnlh, left comparatively bare, will be covered with flowers on the oc casion of grand entertainment. A well-known florist estimates the cost of tho floral decorations for a ball, a screen of flowers about the room aud a flight of swallows, at $:JOt)0. Mrs. Van derbilt will not, it is understood, draw upon her conservatory for such enter tainments. The chandeliers in the ballroom are crystal, ami iu the form of flowers, in the hearts ol which elec trio lights will glow. Thero nro in tho mansion about 100 rooms. Mies Vanderbilt, the daughter ot the house, ha a suite of her own, including a boudoir, sleeping room. maid's room, brenkfust room and little parlor. For family use thore is a tri vate dining-room only large enough to accommodate twenty persons. In the great banquet hall thero will be seats for one hundrod guests. It is stateil that more money has been spent on tho plumbing of the house thau on any other one feature. Since the death of her son from typhoid fever, eighteen months ago, Mrs. Vanderbilt has boen very nervou about sewers and sower gas, and every possible precaution has been taken to prevent any invasion of the latter. The bathtubs are of decorated porce lain, and the floor of all the bath rooms are exquisitely tiled. The fau cets are very ornamental and a prao tically perfect system of drainage has been introduced. The bathing facili ties include a marblo swimming bath. Mrs. O. P. Huntington has one of these in her house, and takes a dip daily in it. It is freshly filled with water every time she nses it at cost ot 517. The vanderbilt swimming bath is larger and will doubtloee be more expensive. Mr. Vanderbilt is natnrally nno tentatiou and domestic in hi tastes. He has never figured very prominently as a society man. This season, how ever, his daughter is to make her social debut, and that i undoubtedly the paramount reason why he has been anxious to nave hi new house com' pleted. Miss Vanderbilt' parents will give ber a grand coming-out ball, which is quite likely to eolipse in pro portion and magnificence any similar affair of the kind in the history of New York. Mr. Vanderbilt will have for his nearest noighbors Ex-Secretary William C. Whitney, on tho southwest corner of Fifth avenue and Fifty seventh streot, and Mrs. Paran Stevens and C. P. Huntington on the upper nnd lower corners across the avenue. Only one block away are the Plaza Hotel, the Savoy and tho New Nether laud. A riea For the Modern Home. Tt inur.t not be forgotten that homes r.ro uo longer so utterly retired as formerly. They are connected by telephone and look out on railroads and the daily press invades them. Wo man, to livo a true home life, is no louger secluded. Factorioshave taken a way most of our home vocations. We ore robbed oven of our knitting need les. The world has come into our garJeu aud to onr doorsteps. It is impossible to be as far from all the world as formerly, but I am not sure that 'we cannot all the time fiud our ambition in homo life. To be loved by onr children is grander than o be ndruii'tid by the crowd. tit. Louis Globe-Doruociut. Florida produces over, fifty varieties of tku oruugo. . 'I Fads About Licorice. From its many applications in tilinr- maceutical processes and the fact that it is a product of a far awav country wmmi is Known to ns as the land which has furnished us the earliest traditions regarding tho human race, licorice possesses an interest for the pharma cist which is not shared by many drugs of equal prominence. Licorice has been known and used for many centuries in Oriental Und. especially in Syria, where it is princi pally sold in a weak decoction as a re freshing drink, the extract being made by a special process to avoid extract ing any of tho bitter taste, and is sold by street venders, nicely cooled, and is really a delicious and healthy drink when properly prepared. In the vi cinity ,of Damascus the root Las been gathered from special localities where, probably owing to the kind of eoll, ii l sweeter than from other parts, then driod and crushed under heavy stones drawn around on it by mules, in the same manner that olives are crushed for tho extraction of the oil. In this form it i exported in sack, vory largely to Egypt, Arabia and many part of Africa, where it is used al most entirely for making licorice water, which is considered very healthy for driuking in hot climate. Whan the roat is freshly dug in its green state it resemble in texture small parsnip and cut easily in much tho same way, is of a pale, slightly green color internally, exter nally the color varying according to the soil in which it grows. It has a rather unpleasant, sweetish taste, somewhat resembling that of raw sweet pototo, and when dry loses aboul oue-hnlf it weight. The bark, in decorticating, has to be cut off, si there is nothing that can be peeled of, as in most roots. The proper tim for digging the root is during the win ter months after tbs plant has dried up, ns it then ha more strength than when the plant is in vigorous growth. In Syria and Asia Minor the fieldi where most of the plant is found, are at a distance from the villages, and contractor or purchaser often finds il necessary to erect hut for the gather er to Bleep in, and also to provide pro visions to sell them while they are at work. They also establish certain centers or place where scales are placed with an agent to weigh and credit the root a it is brought in. A certain price is paid to the owner ol the land of Government, a the case may be, for the privilege of digging according to the qnantity of root found. Pharmaceutical Era. Christmas Ere Ceremonies at Dcthlehem. On Christmas Eve moat imposing services are held iu tho chapels of ths Basilica, and the Frepch Consul at Jerusalem takes a very prominent and uniquo part in them, owing to the fact that France exercises a pro tectorate over these holy pluces, at she has done at intervals since th time of Charlemagne. Iu consequence th French Consul is received by th clergy with royal honors; the old ceremony established by an ordinance of Louis Quinze being strictly adhered to; These honors are not only the greatest that can be rondored to any human being, hut they are paid only to the Consul of France. On the day before Christmas he proceeds with great pomu- and cere mony, surrounded by Turkish soldiors, to Bethlehem, being met half-way by all the sheiks and other dignitaries from that place. At the sjaeer little hole- in the wall which serves as an entrance to the Basilica, the prior and all the community- of the Franciscans recoive the consul and conduct him to their convent, where he holds a court,, receiving all the dignitaries, civil and religious, of Palestine, who can by any possibility be present. We had made very good friend with one of the brothers who took, such care of us that we misaed nothing worth seeing. The evening service begins at ten o'clock with a high pontifical mass in the Franciscan chnroh ; at its close a long and bril liantly lighted procession is formed, which proceed to the "Or otto of the Nativity," all bearing teng, lighted candles. The singing of the Christmas carols in this spot is something never to be forgotten. The service lasts, till about two -"clock in the morning, when a Te Deum closes tt All Bethle hem watches the night through, many eamping by the light of their long candles in the great nave of the Basil ica; everywhere are cries of excite ment and. joy, and the air is. filled with the smoke of inoenae. Demurest. Annual Hunt lor Parish Stones. . A party of serionn and resolute mea might bave been seen yesterday from, nine in the morning until four in the afternoon, in the neighborhood ot Finchley, now following the high road, now leaving the beaten track for ther open fields and anon clambering ove hedges and ditches, brick, walls and wooden fences. The leader was not blindfolded nr did he nervously clutch the hand of the man nearest him faets which die polled at once the idea that they were thonght readers in Bearoh of minting treasure or criminal. They were en gaged on ant errand ot immense looal importance and not until they had hunted out every one of the stones by which the limits ot the parish are marked would they return to their homes and families. In all some ten miles were kruversed, with the satisfactory result that any diflioulty that may have arisen hitherto with regard to the latitude aud longi tude of any particular property had been removed. At Hamptstead the "beaters," as they are called, cele brated the oooasiouby dining together. It I fourteen years since this cere mony was last carried out at Finchley, -Luaduu Telegraph, i
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