Democratic watchman. (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1855-1940, December 23, 1892, Image 1
a a I ANI an ET CEI TE ey eg ma — Demoraiic Watcin By P. GRAY MEEK. “INASMUCH.” A CHRISTMAS STORY. You say you want a meet’n’-house for the boys in the gulch up there, And a Sunday-school with pictur’ books ? Well, put me down for a share. 1 believe in little children ; it’s as nice to hear em read As to wander round the ranch at noon, and see the cattle feed. And I believe in preachin’ too—by men for preachin’ born, Who letalone the husks of creed and measure out the gorn. The pulpit’s but a manger where the pews are Gospel fed ; And they say 'twas to a manger that the Star of Glory led. So I'll subscribe a dollar toward the manger and the stalls; I always give the best I've got whenever my partner calls. No matter about the ’nitials—trom ‘a farmer, you understand, Who's generally had to play alone from rather an ornary hand. . I've never struck in rich, for farming, you see is slow ; . And whenever the crops are fairly good the prices are always low, A dollar isn’t very much, bat it helps to count the same; The lowest trump supports the ace, and sometimes wins the game. It assists a fellow's praying when he’s down upon his knees— : “Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these.” I know the verses, stranger, so you needn't stop to quote ; It’s a different thing to know them or to say them off by rote. I'll tell you where 1 learned them, it you'll step in from the rain; "Twas down in Frisco, years ago—had been there hauling grain ; It was just across the ferry, on the Sacramen- to pike Where ig and sheds are rather mixed, and shanties scatterin’ like— Not the likeliest place to bein. I remember the saloon, With grocery, market, baker-shop, and" bar- room all in one. And this made up the picture—my hair was not then gray, But everything still seems as real as if ’twere yesterday. A little girl with haggard face stood at the counter there— Not more than ten or twelve at most, but worn with grief and care. And her voice was kind of raspy, like a sort of chronic’cold— Just the tone you find in children who are prematurely old. She said ; “Two bits for bread and tea, ma hasn't much to eat ; She hopes next week to work again, and buy us all some meat. We’ve been half-starved all winter, but sprirg will soon be here ; ; And she tells us, "Keep up courage, for God is always near.’ Just then a dozen men came in ; the boy was called away To shake the spotted cubes for drinks, as Forty-niners say. I never heard from human lips such oaths and curses loud As rose above the glasses of that crazed and reckless crowd. But the poor tired girl sat waiting, lost at last to revels deep, On a keg beside a barrel in the corner, fast asleep. Well, I ord there, sort of waiting, until some one at the bar Said: “Hello! I say, stranger, what have you over thar?” The boy then told her story; and that crew so fierce and wild, Grew intent, and seemed to listen to the breathing of the child. The glasses all were lowered. Said the leader “Boys, see here; . All day we've been pouring whisky, drinking deep our Christmas cheer. Here's two dollars. I've got feelings, which are not entirely dead, For this little girl and mother suffering for . the want of bread.” “Here's a dollar.” “Here’s another;” and they all chipped in their share, And they planked the ringing metal down up- on the counter there, Then the spokesman took a golden double- eagle from his belt, Softly stepped from bar to counter, and beside the sleeper knelt; "Took the “two bits’ from her fingers, changed her silver piece for gold. “See there, boys, the girl is dreaming.” Down her cheek: the tear-drops rolled. One by ope the swarthy miners passed in si- ence to the street. ‘Gently we awoke the sleeper, but she started 10 her feet ‘With a dazed and strange expression, saying, “Oh, I thought ’twas true ! Ma was well, and we were happy ; round out door-stone roses grew. ‘We had everything we wanted, food enough and clothes to wear ; And my hand burns where an angel touched it soft with fingers fair.” As she looked and saw the money in her fin- gers glistening bright— : “Well, now, ma has long been praying, but she won't believe me quite, How you've sent 'way up to heaven, where the golden treasures are, And have also got an angel clerking at your grocery bar.” That's a Christmas story, stranger,which I thought you'd like to hear ; <Arue to fact and human nature, pointing out one’s duty clear. Hence to matters of subscription you will see that I'm alive— Just mark off that dollar, stranger;I think I'll make it five — Wallace Bruce. CHRISTMAS CAROL. BY PHILIPS BROOKS. The earth has grown old with its burden of care But at Christmas italways is young, The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair. And its soul full of music breaks forth on the air. When the song of the angel is sung. It is coming, old earth, it is coming to-night! On the snowflakes which cover the sod The foot of the Christ child fallgentle and white, And the voice of the Christ child tells out with delight That mankind are the children of God. On the sad and the lonely, the wretched and 00T, The voice of the Christ child shall fall ; And to every blind wanderer open the door Of a hope that he dared not to dream of be.ore, With a sunshine of welcome forall. The feet of the humblest may walk in the e Where the feet of the Holiest have trod, This, this is the marvel to mortals revealed When the silvery trumpets of Christmas have pealed, That mankind are the children of God. MAGGIE AND CHIMMIE, A Christmas Story. BY BAB. I did not see how anybody in the world could be unhappy. The fire was a glowing mass of red, I had a delight- ful book, my little dog was enjoying himself by making an effort to bark, and the thought ot anyone being cold or unhappy didn’t come into my exist- ence. A ring at the doorbell—a quick loud ring—up sprang the dog, and a minute after my little maid came in and said : “Please, ma'am, it's one of your girls.” “Make some tea, get ont the cake and show her in,” I answered. “Please, ma'am,” she stammered, “she ain't just quite a girl.” I had to laugh and then I said again. “Show her in.” She was six foot two aud a very rough looking man; but I saw two clear eyes looking at me, and the fact that the dog was dancing all around him told me that it was Chimmie, He said in enracralic RO dD o VOL. 37. STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION. BELLEFONTE, PA., DEC. 23, 1¢ SaGol Grant” 20) re ° d NO. 50. rant You, Fach and Everyone, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years an apologetic way: “I wouldn't a- troubled you, ma'am, but you told my Mag last summer that if ever she was in trouble to come to you, and she’s in it now, and she begs of you to come to her. These is her very words, miss. Says she : ‘Caimmie, go and hunt the lady we met last summer. If anybody can help us she can, and if you can £nod her ehe won't say no.’ ” I thought a minute, insisted on Chimmie having the tea and the cake, ordered a cab and was in my cloak in such a little time that now I can hard. ly believe it was possible. As Chim- mie and I started out I felt something pulling at my cloak. I stopped. It was the dog. Chimmie picked him up in his arms; then he looked at me, and added, as if to my thought: “Before God, miss, this yere dog koows when there is grief and he wants to go along and say as how he’s sorry.” And he went. Went down to a miserable street, so narrow that the sunshine never gets into the middle of it, and with great, tall tenement houses on each side. Went into one of ;the dirt- iest of these, stumbled over men sleep- ing 1n the hallway; met a drunken woman who, as Chimmie pushed her to one side with a little gentleness, yelled out, after a series of complimentary oaths, **You’se the one that knows how to treat a lady who has been overcome by liquor.” Went up and up and up rickety stairs until it seemed as if we would all walk into a star next. On the top floor Chimmie knocked at a door. It was opened by Maggie and the little dog and I went in, while Chimmie stood outside ready to serve when he was called for. I hardly knew Maggie. She had cried until her face was swollen and she seemed so nervous she could hardly speak. She pointed, without a word, to a little bed—a poor little bed, but a clean one, and on it there lay the prettiest girl I ever saw in all my life. Up on Fitth avenue such a girl would be writ- ten up as the greatest beauty of the day. Ou the other side she was just one of the girls. Isat down and waited to hear the story. Isaw that the girl wag ill—ill unto death. The slender fingers never ceased picking at the lit: tle white coverlet; the lips never ceased muttering something, you could scarce- ly tell what, and the eyes looked sll around the room, uvever seeing what was 1 it. The poor little room was my first thought and my second was the blessed little room, for it was big enough to take in somebody who was suffering. Beside the bed there was a table, on which was Maggie's prayer- book, a tintype of Chimmie and her taken together at Coney Island, a lamp which gave us the light in the room, two blessed candles in colored glass candlesticks, and a china font filled with holy water, which Chimmie had given to Maggie on her last birthday. There weretwo chairs, one with no back, and a httle stand off in one cor- ner that had upon it a wash basin, a pitcher filled with water and—a great luxury in these parts—a clean towel. A tiny cupboa:d held Maggie's clothes and all her belongings. There was no carpet on the floor but it was clean, and even if I hadn't known who lived there I should have said to myself, “Thie little room is the home of a no- ble girl.” A clock ticked away the minutes. Maggie moistened the lips of the sick girl, cried some, and, smoothing my little dog, told me the story: “It you remember, ma'am, after that time I came up to see you, and you eaid that it I was ever in any trouble to let you know, and now, miss, I am. It's not only trouble, but it's a shame; not my own, thank God, but somebody else's. And as I said to Chimmie, we've got to help because it might have been us, if you hadn't seen how bad the gang was for you, and it I hada’t always gone wid you every place I might be where she is. Chimmie said: ‘No,’ but 1 think ‘yes.’ She used to live on the next floor to us, and she was that pret- ty that once a man who paints pictures for churches paid her $2 to sit for him, 80 he might use her face for that of the Blessed Mother. She used to work beside me, too, and she had her steady company just like any nice girl—his name was Billy Flaherty. A kind- hearted, good enough boy, but Katie she didn’ seem to know what was good for him. So when they started a sort of a club, Katic was very proud be- cause her Billy was made one of the officers. 1f you lived down here, miss, you'd see what the clubs mean, and you would do just as I do, you'd say to your gentleman friend. ‘lfyou go with the “gang” you drop me. Stay away from them and bave an opinion of your own and not be run by the ward heel- er!” Well, Billy went with the ‘gang’ and they took to calling Katie the Pride of Pell street, She was very proud of it, and she stopped working and bad a lot of fine, new clothes and was going to excursions and dances given by the ‘gang,’ and she thought that was all there was in life. “One night, about two years ago, there was a row, and a German bar- tender was killed, and the blame of it was put oo the ‘gang’. Billy could prove he wasn’t with them, but some: how, because he had no pull, I suppose, he gotsentup fortwo years. He wrote me a letter, and asked me to bring Ka- tie up to see him, and Chimmie took us; and when we got up there I took out of my pocket this little crucifix, and I says, ‘Billy Flaherty, your moth- er and mine come together trom Coun- ty Roscommon, and when I was a lit- tle girl your mother gave me this; now it don’t make any difference to me whether you're right or wrong I'll do what I canto help you, but I want you to swear the truth on this, and remem: ber that God and your dead mother are hearing you.’ Then, mies, he took a solemn oath that he wasn’t even near the place, and I said to him, Don’t le them make a thief and a liar of you 3 here, and you'll have friends to stand by you whenyou come out. Then Ka- tie she took an oath that she'd be true to him. Well, miss, for about a year she used to work beside we, and she used to go up and see Billy whenever she could; and then she stopped work- ing‘for three or four days, then she stopped altogether. I hunted for her, but I couldn’t find her, but one day Chimmie saw her walking along the Bowery at night, all dressed in a silk frock and a gold watch on. I don’t know who it was—I don’t know what his name was—but Katie hadn’t much sense and she loved fine clothes, and it seemed such a mean thing for a man to take advantage of a young thing like her, who hadn't courage to resist temp- tation. Just then a voice that I knew to be Chimmie’s said : “Damn him!” And I echoed that wish. “Then,” continued Maggie, “I heard of her going from bad to worse ; I heard of her being in the opium joints, and, asthe day came for Billy to get out, I wondered how it would all end. Last night, when it was blowing so hard acd Ghimmie and me were silting here busy making some paper dolls for the Christmas tree that the little lame boy downstairs is going to have, somebody knocked at the door, Chimmie opened it, and in tell Katie. Poor, pretty Katie! Not even enough clothes on Ler to keep her warm. Coughing so, she hadn't the strength to stand up. I put her on a chair and made him go outside. She lookea at me kind of vacant like—peo- ple + ho smoke opium look that way-- and then she says, with a funny laugh, ‘Mag, I've come to meet Billy, I am his girl” Then she fainted right over. I got him in, and I says: “This ain’t a time for standing on ceremony. He picked her up and laidheron the bed and then went for the dispensary doctor. I got one of my nightgowns on her, and, just as you see her now, she has been ever since. The doctor, he looked at her, and says he: ‘How old is she ?’ Says I : ‘Seventeen last Easter.’ says he I can’t do anything.’ Says I: ‘What's the matter ? Says he: ‘Men, whisky and opium.” And he went away, and Chimmie and I have been taking care of her all to-day, and I wouldn't have sent for you, miss, but, here's some- thing I tound in her pocket.” She handed me a much crumpled piece of paper, on which this was written ; ‘*Dere Katie, “i will get out erly crismas mornin. You be at mags. Ive kep mi word an am honest. iam goin to marry you. you was allus billy’s gurl. “your friend, “B. FLAHERTY.” “You see,” continued Maggie, ‘‘he will be here this morning ; it's this morning now—don’t you hear the Christmas bells ?” The door opened and he came in—this he being Chim- mie—he leaned over and kissed Mag- gie, and he said to her: “It's a sad Christmas for you, my girl, but you’re doin’ God’s work. Yes, miss, there's not a girl in this house that would have taken Katie in; but my Maggie is one of God's women, who can be with sorrow and sin and come out of it as pure as the Virgin herself.” We four sat there together—Chim- mie and Maggie, the little dog and I, all watching the sick girl ; every few minutes her lips were moistened, and about 2 o'clock she began to talk so we could understand her. She said: “What was I made pretty for if I wasn’t to have pretty clothes? He says there ain’t any harm—he says I look lovely. Yes; I wish he would give me some more whiskey. I don’t want to think about Billy—poor Billy, but Billy conldn’t get me a silk dress. I won’c go to see Mag ; Mag, she'd say to me, stick to your work and be an honest girl, for Billy’s sake. Honest girls don’t get watches and diamond rings. Why don’t that fool of a China. man cook that opium for me—I'd say my prayers, I ain’t forgotten, but God ain't looking after me. He's too busy ; He's forgot me; He's thinking about people who've got homes and people to take care of them. I'll go to Maggie; Mag:ie’s always my frien’; I'm so cold ; I wonder if she'd let me lay down on her bed 2” After this the eyes opened wide, and she called ont, to the top of her voice: “He rays He'll forgive me--I'm Billy’e girl!” And then she wasetill. Aad the Jit- tle dog's moan told us the truth. The clock rang out its alarm at 7 o'clock; at 8 Billy would be there. Katie was stretched out on the bed looking as innocent as she did the day that Billy left her. In one hand wasa bit of blessed palm, and at her head burned the two candles! on her breast was the crucifix. And so we waited for Billy. Chimmie heard him scream- ing “Merry Christmas” to somebody on the street and went down to meet him. How he told him of the sorrow that awaited him, I do not know, but when he came in, this rough boy of the people, he knelt down by the dead girl's side and cried as if his heart would break. Then Maggie spoke to him. “Billy, you once took one oath for me, and I know by your looks you've kept it; now yon have got to take another for Katie's sake, you have got to promise on the crucifix that you'll never let anybody speak to you about her----you got to keep her name go sacred that if a man or wom- an starts to tell you anything about her you will walk away, and you have got to promise to stay with Chimmie until atter she is buried, and then this lady, Katie's friend and mine, is going to see that you get good, honest work way down South where nobody will ever know anything about you.” He looked startled, and asked: “She dido’t never do anything wrong?” Maggie answered, “Look at her. Her last words was, “I'm Billy's girl.” That satisfied him, and he swore to do what was asked of him on the crucifix that lay above the heart of his dead love. Leaving the men to watch her, Mag- gie came home with me. She looked at me in the face and said: “Did I do right? I didn’t lie,” I kissed herand from my heart I said: “If there were more women like you the world would be better every way.” That's the story of a Coristmas Eve —it’s the story of what, but for the grace ol God, might come to your girl or mine. Its the story of the weak- ness of one woman and the bravery of another—it’s the story, the true story, of a little,ignorant, beautiful girl made pure aod good by God and depraved and wicked by man. But, as Maggie says : “It is God who will judge her and not man.” The bells will soon be ringing all over the world proclaiming good will. There are thousands of happy girls who are just poor Katie's age! I shall have a dinner party to-night— Chimmie and Maggie and Billy, and to-morrow we will see that beautiful mortal frame of Katie's laid in the ground, and I, I can only think of one thing, of one promise; “Though your sins be as scarlet, I shall wash them whiter than snow.” God bless everybody, give them a merry Christmas, and make them gen- erous with good-will and forgiveness.— Phila. Temes. ‘ ——1I heard the bells on Chrismas day, Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good will to men ! And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had roiled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good will to men ! : — Longfellow. CHRISTMAS AT BETHLEBREM. JERUSALEM, PALESTINE. This quiet little hamlet nestled among the hills of Judea, its very name calls up holy associations— Bethlehem! Beit Lahn is the Arabic, which may be translated ‘House of Flesh,” and in truth here it was that “the word was made flesh” and in this “gecodly land” dwelt among men. Filled with thoughts of these—the most weighty events in the world’s history—the writ- er, who had left cherished friends and the dear native America behind to wan- der among the scenes of the old world, set oul from the holy city last Christ. mas eve, with a trusty Arab guide, for the birthplace of the Saviour. We had been detained until after dark by a hard raion of some hours du- ration, and the sky still looked forbid- ding, yet with good horses and rubber outer garments, we hoped to escape se- vere wetting. The guide, Gabriel, or some traveller has named him, “the Angel Gabriel,” led the way from the Jafta gate along the side of the dark valley of Gihon, across the Hill of Evil- Couneel, and out on the Way of He bron. Upon starting I had asked him why he took his gun, and had received the reply : “I like to have it along.” 1 suspected the reason, however, and left most of my money in safe hands in Je- rusalem. When we were fairly away from the city the guide said : “No talk now, one cave, sometimes stop robbers in it, and if hear strange tongue, think as some pilgrim come to Bethlehem and got plenty of money.” At the same time Gabriel's gun was elevated, stock, first, across his shoulder, so it could be easily distinguished by one crouching near the road, and hie head turned each way from time to time. After rifting some time in silence, he said: “Ouly one more place, then all danger it past and wesee Bethlehem lights.” Sire enongh, as we ascen led a little hill and passed the Covert of Mar Elias, | the lights of Bethlehem shone before us. Just then the bells began to ring ---the sweet, joyous chimes of Bethle- hem—and I called to the guide to wait a moment that we might hear them better. A bright star stood over the place, shining down as I thought that star which led the wise men eight een hundred years ago might have shone down on those travellers from the far East. The whole of the little village came to our view at once, the most distant houses being on the top of the hill and the rest closely perched on the north- ern slope, facing the Jerusalem road. Entering, we threaded our way through a narrow, walled, and winding passage, leading sometimes under archways and sometimes between gloomy-looking stone buildings. It was dark, for who ever heard of street lamps in Asiatic Turkey ? This, though it could hardly be called a first-class alley. so narrow, crooked and full of rats is its way, is the principal street of Bethlehem. It passes around the hillside about half way up, and at the further extremity is the Latin Convent (monastery, proper- ly called), while beyond that connec- ted with it in fact, is the Church of the Nativity, on the supposed spot where the stall and manager were. This is the oldest building in the world erec- led by Christians as a place of worship, having been built in the early part of the fourth century by Helena, the mother of Coustantine, When the valiant Baldwin came here to be crowned king ot Jerusalem it was in all its glory still, but pow much ot its magnificence has departed. The mosaics and many of the gold and sil- ver ornaments are gone, but one sees some beautiful hanging lamps of gold and silver, some fine Corinthian col- umns, and the cedars of Lebanon are still in the ceiling. The chimes soon pealed forth again, and we repaired to the chapel of the monastery, where the solemn services were about to begin. Some forty priests, at their head the bishop of the monastery, all in gor- geous robes, celebrated high mass. The grand old Latin hymns rung, and reverberated in rich tones through the aisles and halls of the massive stone building. My guide secured a good seat for me and kept me posted as to the time I was to go here and there to gain an advantageous position. But this was a strange gathering of people from all parts of the civilized world, and few ot those present knew what was coming and where to go. A little after midnight the procession was formed, and proceeded to the ‘Grotto of the Nativity,” the bishop bearing in a cradle the small silver representation of the Holy Chiid, which, with many ceremonies, hymns and much incense burning, was deposited, first, on the supposed exact spot of the nativity, now marked by a silver star, around which are the words, “Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus natus est’ (Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary,) then this graven image was placed upon the spot said to have been occupied by the original wooden man- ger in which Christ lay, which man- gen it is also said, is in the Church of anta Maria Maggoire at Rome, and is only exhibited by the pope on Christ- mas day. After breakfast we attended another service held in the chapel, and paid a second visit to the “Grotto of the Na. tivity. This grottois about twelve by fourteen feet, and from its farther end a narrow passage leads through sever- al smaller chambers, some of which seemed to be natural caverns, while others are composed of masonry. Among the latter is the room in which St. Jerome passed the greater part of his busy life, and in which he died. A tomb has been erected to his memory here, although 1t is said his remains rest in Rome. There are among the rock caverns the chapel or altar of the sheperds, that of Joseph, and one tothe Inro- cents—twenty five thousand of the in- fants murdered at the command of the cruel Herod having been cast here. The authenticity of many of the places now pointed out of those men- tioned in the Bible may reasonably be doubted ; yet there can be no less doubt regarding the exact location of the birth place of Christ, for Bethlehem is not like Jerusalem, a city which has been repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, nor has 1t been enclosed by walls, whose limits have been (on some sides, at least) subject to change. Itisextreme- ly possible that the Bethlehem at the ! beginning of the Christian era was not greatly different from the Bethlehem oi to-day. In Bethlehem there was but one spot of note to identify and that was known and marked at least as ear- ly as the first part of the second centu- ry, and the same spot was pointed out to the famous Helena by the persecu- ted Christians of the early part ot the fourth century, and this very church erected over it. Some object, however, to the view that Christ was born in a grottoor cave. It is very common at the present day, even among the better class in Pules. tine, to attach stalls for domestic ani- | mals to the house occupied by the ' family, and most frequently the rooms on the ground floor are used _as stables or storerooms. Barns and granaries detached from the dwelling houses are rarely seen, but more often the next room to the kitchen is a stable; with perhaps the family bake oven built in one corner. The finding of a natural cavern to serve as the stable room, is considered, especially by the peasant class, as quite a fortunate circumstance, and is forth- with taken advantage of by placing the house, if possible, in such a position that the cavern will form a side or back room. : And as few customs have changed, ° particularly those connected with household or agricultural matters, since Bible times, we are left to con- elude that this manner of building was common then as now, and that the manager was in just such a cavern as is now pointed out at Bethlehem. But, however much the discrimi- nating traveller may doubt the correctness of the traditions regarding many of the localities that will be shown to him, however much he may doubt the positive assertions of the guides, or however much he may pity the credulity of the majority of pilgrims yet in all his journeyings in the Holy Land nothing will be more noticeable than the remarkable fidelity of the manner, of living, of working and of dealing, the forms of speech—in short, nearly all the customs, and even the superstitions of the people of to-day to those spoken of in various parts of the Bible. So striking in fact is this sim- ilarity that there is scarce a scene in the Bible but that is made to seem more ‘real by viewing the life and the land of which that book is a wonder- ful record. In Bethlehem itself there was much to interest one--in the market-piace, the workshops, the narrow windin ‘ways, bordered by quaint old buildings of stone or adobe, while upon the sur- rounding hills the eye rested with equal interest. There were shephereds with their crooks, tending their flocks of long- wooled sheep and watching their herds of black and white goats skipping from rock with agile feet, mules laden with stone building purposes, others bear- ing branches of wood for fuel, and still others with sacks of grain or some of the food products of this now over-pro- ductive country. But as busy as any among the workers are the makers of wood, bone, pearl and metal ornaments. Most of these derive their support from the numerous pilgrims who annually visit Bethlehem, and nearly all of whom take with them some momentos of their visit. The return journey to Jerusalem was undertaken on the afternoon of Christ- day. A heavy and driving rainstorm, cold enough to be disagreeable, over- took us, and we were glad to seek shelter for a time in Rachael’s tomb which stands by the wayside. At last, as the sun touched the west- ern hills, we approached the walls of Jerusalem and were rewarded by a magnificent view of the sunlit Golden City.—Home Journal. Fraternity. A Sentiment Sometimes Forgotten on Other Days Than Christmas. How closely the sentiment of Christ- mas comes home to us ! And why ? Be- cause it is that of fraternity. It is the day whichis every year consecrated to recalling the central trath that all men are brothers. Do we sometimes forget it on utherdays ? -In London in the Whitechapel region, in New York when there is striking on the railroads, is there an active an efficient sentiment of frat- ernity ? Is this humming city a hive of peace and good-will, and do brethren dwell tegether here in unity ? The burden of Christmas is fraternity. The feast of gifis commemorates the charity that never faileth. Perhaps there is not a general going to church. But the lesson of the day is preached by the thoughts and associations. by the sentiment of the day. The bells that ring on Christmas eve and chime on Christmas morning, the universal good wishing and worship of Santa Claus, they are the modern way in which we hear the notes of the angelic choir— peace on earth, good-will to men. And, brethren—for somehow the easy chair seems to have ascended the Christ- mas pulpit—how much we do heed them ? How much of the Christmas epirit and Christmas eonduct do we car- ry into every other day of the year? ‘We go out to dine, and how many of our neighbors do our tongues spare? We differ upon public questions from Doe and Roe, and how mueh of their characters, their motives and their lives do we leave ? We know the immense poverty and suffering which starve and grope and die all around us, and how much do we remember and relieve them ? How often is that Christmas turkey which we sent to Lazarus on Christmas morning reduplicated on oth- er mornings of the year ? Peace on earth, good-will to men. It is not the lesson of one day, but of every day. It is a sentiment, but it is not sentimental- ity. Progress, invention, discovery, enlightenment, enormous prosperity and unprecedented wealth, they are all refuse and worthless, except as they promote peace and good-will among men.—George William Curtis. Tommy's Enjoyable Christmas. “I had a boss Christmas,” said Ben- vy Bloobumper to Tommy Hojack. “So did I,” replied Tommy. “I had as many oranges and as much turkey as Icould eat,” Benny went on ’ “Get any presents ?"’ asked Tommy. “Yes. Papa gave me a pair of gkates, mamma gave me a pair of ear- muffs and Uncle Henry sentme a book.” “Was that all ?"” asked Tommy. “Why, yes ; that was about all,” replied Benny, with some misgivings. “Then just listen to what I had. Pop gave me a safety, Mom gave mea magic lantern, [ had a big box of can- dy trom Aunt Sue and a drum from Uncle John and alot of oranges and dates, and I had turkey and cranberry sauce, no end; and I had an awful stomach ache and two doctors. I guess you can’t beat that,” —IHarper's Bazar.