A Al Cele ns AA io a CA rages SR RET a fT da ei Xn LR eg oe “By Neil MacDonald Sap The Delphic oracle Che clouds are ominously dark n Olympus’ brote; cient prestige notw, are passing fast atvay, t hastening to decay. For faith and trust in pagan go And men are weary of beliefs bas lost sts —r — (X] it €Vith wistful, ardent longings he With hope that brighter day woyglg And a spirit of unrest stirs the Ing | But they wist not of the rising p ; #] The gods of Rome's Pantheon Of whom inspired Isaiah torite A King for whom so lowly b Yl |. And since. that b ght. ui 3 ddeals purer far have ll And wretched, ruined he Ii : He taught us love should " He taught us Kkindne % Lule our heart ; “eh ] & proclaimed th ¥ s of millions are aglotr daton upon their night of woe, ions near and far, Bethlehem’'s bright star. r lights are growing dim! mus? leave the way for Him d classic Virgil sings. o tvelcome pealing rings. "4 No regal pageant marks His birth. no princes grange bring, 4 | But angel choristers aloft. a heavenly anthem sing, : ‘And star-led sages From the egst a % And place their. pricelbs: re the Child divine nfant’s manger shrine. “He is reign began ma 4 : COPYRIGHT. 1905 BY NEIL MACDONALD Mexico's Christmas Posadas O one who has been away from : the United States for a term of | years the Christmas holidays there seem like a feverish rush, and the simple pleasures indulged in | during the nine days of posadas in | Mexico are returned to with a certain measure of relief. A posada is an inn, and the idea per- vading these festivities is that story, | known to all the world, of Caesar Au- gustus, who, in the height of his pow- er, wished to know the number of peo- | pie who bowed beneath his scepter. In order to determine the fact he de- | creed that a census should be taken of all the nations composing the great | Roman empire. To effect this Augus- tus sent twenty-four commissioners to the different parts of his world. The | edict commanded that every person, rich or poor, weak or strong, should go to the place of his birth or to the orig- { inal place of his family to have his or her name inscribed in the Roman regis- try. Joseph and Mary, who were both of | the royal house of David, went to the town of Bethlehem. They found it so full of people on the same mission that | they wandered about the town for nine | On the ninth day | they were allowed to stay in the stable | days seeking shelter. of a posada, and there the Nino Santo, or Holy Child, was born. The posadas are held for nine evenings in commem- oration of those weary days.” Of course there are miserable homes where no sign of a posada is held, bus =—— Ag, Mexicans, rich and poor, are generous. | No matter how dirty and ragged, every | one is welcome in the churches, beauti- | fully decorated, and at the nightly po- sadas held ip them, though there the penatas are omitted, as the celebra- I tions are entirely of a religious nature. To the children the penatas are very Ions tant features of the s season. They THE BABE IS PLACED IN THE MANGER. gi men, women, animals, beautiful flowers, immense Na giant roses and peo- | e | nies, lovely dahlias, nuns, monks in full | costume and graceful musical instru- ments. ach figure contains an empty jar or penata of pottery, which is hid- colored tissue paper, evergreens and mosses, | ger. ‘and Joseph, in a wailing hymn beg to within chant a” den by the decorations or costumes of : most skillfully applied. The jars are filled with goodies and unbreakable toys. When friends have been invited to a pesada the house is decorated with flowers and tinsel in all the rooms and corridors. In one room is the scene in the stable of Bethlehem — the stable yard and servants, the animals, trees and plants, groups of Biblical characters, little toy fountains, All that money can do to beautify the beginning of the “old, old story” is done ‘according to the taste and means of the host and ‘hostess. The little manger, amid soft lig ats and draperies, stands ready for the Nino Santo. A procession of the guests and family forms in another part of the house, and the pilgrims, or peregrinos, march two and two, led by one who carries the Babe. Singing sweet hymns and the litanies, they go through the house, winding in and out of the rooms and galleries. At lasi the wanderers stop at the door of the room in which is the man- Two voices, representing Mary be admitted. Voices denial. Finally a voice announces who they are that plead for shelter; then the door is thrown open, and the pere- grinos are allowed to enter. The Babe is placed in the manger, often by a priest, and songs of rejoicing burst forth. The penatas are next on the pro- | gramme, the details varying with the | fancy of the host. goats and oth- | In a convenient place the penata is suspended, and the little folk, and big ones who choose to take part in the merriment, ave blindfolded one at a tine, turned around 2 time or two, then given a stick witli which to break the jar if possible. So many trials, | then another tries. When ona czansada © of ered by white veils when single. .the crypt. | the contents fall to the floor and a seramble follows to see who gets the most. In sone old families there are evenings when the numerous servants partake of the joys of the posada and share in the souvenirs and refresh- ments provided.—Collier's Weekly. Christmas Eve In &F Bethlehem ETHLEHE)I, the central spot of | interest in the Holy Land at ~ Christmastide, is -a Christian town set in the heart of Mo- fammedanism, where once a year the areek church grants the use of the pirotto of the Nativity to the Latin | church. The ceremonies begin on Dee, | 24 by the image of the youthful Christ being carried from the basilica of St. Helena to the sacred grotto of the Na- tivity, where the traditional spot of Christ's birth is marked by a silver star set in the rocky pavement. The service begins at 10 o'clock .n the evening. It opens with the chant- | ing of psainis without any musical ae- The companiment. patriarch of Jeru- TYPICAL BETHLEHEM FAMILY OF TODAY. salem usually officiates in the grotto, but on this occasion he is represented by the Latin bishop. The interior of the church is most picturesque, for there are only a few chairs provided for foreign visitors, whilé the bulk of the congregation is made up of the |. Bethlemite women in their blue dresses with red frontlets, wearing peaked caps when mariied and flat caps cov- As they enter the church they at first kneel down and then sit upon the ground in true oriental fashion. “In the dimly lighted church,” says’ one who has seen the service, “these squat- ting varicolored figures, with their beautiful faces lit up by fits and starts by flashes of the candles, intent on de- votion, seem like so many modern Ma- donnas come. to celebrate the glory: of | the, first Madonna.” Precisely at midnight the pontifical high mass is celebrated, the figure of Christ is brought in a basket and de- posited upon the high altar, and the procession forms to accompany it to As the long, chanting pro- cession winds through the dimly light- ed church there is something weirdly solemn about the ceremony, and as the sacred image passes various acts of worship are performed by the devout attendants. On the procession moves through the rough hewn, passages from the Latin church to the grotto of the Nativity. When the procession of richly robed ecclesiastics reaches the silver star set in the pavement the priests pause and stand in a group about the basket, which is deposited upon the star. Around this star is the inscription, “Hic de virgine natus est” (“Here he was born of a virgin”). for this is the spot upon which tradition places the actual birth of Jesus. There the impressive narrative of the birth of Jesus as found in the gospels is slowly recited, and when the passage (Luke ii, 7), “And she brought forth her firstborn Son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn,” is read the figure is reverently picked up from the star and carried over: tothe opposite side of the grotto, where it is put into a rock cut manger. This con- cludes the service.—London Sphere. Mistletoe Myths. 3 Many English girls believe that they will not be wedded inside of twelve: months unless they have at least one kiss under the mistletoe. In many counties a berry is plucked from the mistletoe with each kiss, and when there are no berries no kisses are al- lowed. ' Mistletoe used to be consider- ed a charm or amulet to ward off the baleful influence of witches. It was also considered that its influence was irresistible, that no one could possibly pass beneath it without yielding to its power, ard hence both matron and maid mu.t submit to the salutation which has since become customary.— Self Culture Magazine. Christmas Candy. To make chocolate caramels dissolve over a fire one cupful of molasses and two teacupfuls of sugar; add one-quar- ter of a pound of grated chocolate and a piece of butter the size of an egg; boil for fifteen or twenty minutes; pour into flat buttered dishes to the depth of a quarter of an inch and when cold cut ! into'squares an inch in size.’ A dimly lit Lyon & Co. Lyon % Co. _ : > N. LYON & CO Sa Od DD DE. Db Db Db DD DED Db DL DE DD DD DE DL 8 LYON. & co. vv Handkerchiels for men, and children from 5c. to 750. Neckties for ladies and men from 150. vp. ? Golf Gloves for men from 15¢. up. Golf Gloves for women and chil- dren, all colors, from 25¢. up. Holiday Ribbons in all and colors. A big line of all silk taffeta rib- bons, black and all colers. Nos. 16to 22, per yard at 10 cents ¢¢ 40 per yard at 15 cents. ‘“ 60 to 80 per yard at 20 cents. Persian stripe ribbons for necktie 123c. Dresden figured and plaid ribbon 4'in. wide only 250. “Holly ribbons and Holly colors, Sc. up. FURS. FURS. FURS. We are determined to sell every Fur Scarf and Collar before Christ- mas and bave reduced every one at | cost. If you want to buy a iine far widths We are showing a large assortment of Christmas Goods. You can make a selection for men, women and children and be assured you get them at the lowest prices. women, | SHOES FOR MEN, : WOMEN AND CHILDREN AT THE LOWEST PRICES. iT 4 1 scarf or the flat effect at wholesale prices, see ours before you buy. Handsome line of new waigtings in light and dark grounds, cream and black, also new plaids. Silk Warp Henriettas in black aud | colors, the very latest for waists and | dresses, all wool Henriettas silk finish A new assortment of Couch Covers and Tapestry Cushions. . Couch Covers in all the new color- ings from $1.00 up. Silk Blankets—sometbivg Shtirely new for cozy corners $1.00. Cushions in painted tops 250. Cushions in embroidery . tops, ready for the pillows, only 40c. " Tapestry Cushion Covers tom 250. ap.’ A ‘good “asioriment yet in the re- | duction clothing sale. Opvercoats | and Storm Coats and Suits in all [sive prices at wholesale. ts Special low prices in Blankets and Comfortables. } VO UV WY UY YY VY UY UV UY UV UV UY UY VY UY PY UY UY UY UY VY OY UY VY YY YY TY YY 4 » sa i 3 3 : { LYON & CO. LYON & CO. 4 17-12 Allegheny St., Bellefonte, Ia. j 4 YY YY YY Montg omery & Co, & : 2 iH 3 HOLIDAY GIFTS! - Auto Supplies C aps-Jagkets and Gloves, Aprons for Grocers, Butchers and Carpenter Arm Bands : Belts, Bath Robes, Bags, Balls, Basket Balls, Blad- i ders, Blouses, Bats and Base Balls. Coats, Collar Buttons, Collars, Cuffs; Clothing for Men, Youths and Children, Canes, Clothes Brushes, Chains, Cuff Buttons, Caps, Cuff Links, { Coat Hangers, Cardigen Jackets, Gollege Flags. # Ear Muffs. Foot Balls, Fobs, Fur Gloves. Full Dress Protectors. Full Dress Suits, Gunning Coats, Gloves for Men, Women, Girls, Boys and Children, Garters, Goi? Jackets in all colors. House Coats, Hand Bugs, Hats, Soft or Stiff for Men, Youths and Children, Handkerchiefs in Silk, Linen and Cotton, Hosiery for Men, Women and Children. Initialed Handkerchiefs, Ingersoll Watches. - ty “ Ice Skates, Tee, Creepers ; : Se Jackets for Men and ‘Women, Jerseys, Jewelry. Knit Underwear for Men, Youths and Children. Leggings, Linen Handkerchiefs, Laundry Bags. Mufflers, Mittens. Night Robes, Neckwear. Opera Hats, Over-alls, Overcoats for Men, Youths | and Children. Pocket Books, Purses, Pajamas, Pennants, Pillow Covers, Pea Jackets, Pulse Warmers. ® Rackets, Rain Coats for Men and Youths, Rib- bon Watch Fobs, Reefers. : > SPALDINGIS GOODS! Suspenders, - Shirts, Whi Soft, Scarf Pins, Suit Cases, ite and Fancy, Stiff Jor Shirt ‘Studs, Sweaters, Skates, Silk Handkerchiefs, Scarfs, Suits, Socks, Stockings, Silk Hats, , Sporting “ Goods, Sofa Pillows, Seal Caps. Ties, Trunks, Telescopes, Tuxedo Suits, Travel- ing Bags, Tennis Rackets, Tam-O-Shanters, Trousers, Toques. Underwear, for Men, Youths and Children, Uno brellas for Men, Women and Children. Vests, White and Full Dress, V Neck Sweaters, Valises. Wrights Hygenic Underwear, Watches Ingersoll, Ways Mufflers. Youths Clothing. 50-34 _ MONTGOMERY & CO.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers