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® 1922, VESTERN NEWSPAPER UNION
ZARD was brewing.
wat DIOWN In WITS
around corners and down
s the street. Huddled down
in his coat stood a newsboy
of some eight or nine years.
His face was drawn with the
cold and he beat his hands against
iis sides to keep them warm.
Last-minute Christmas shoppers.
hurrying along to get their various
errands done, gave no thought to the
little fellow who pestered them with
his papers. He ought to have known
better when they had so many things
to think about. ]
“Yeh, all thg news—the latest news.
Won't cha buy one, mister? I only
have a couple moire.” He looked up
pleadingly into the face of a passer
by.
“Sorry, sonny,” smiled the man,”
“got one here now that I probably
won't ever get a chance to read—so
busy,” and he hurried along his way.
The rush of pedestrians subsided a
moment. The boy singled out a young
woman, as he suid, “She looks kind
I'll try her.”
“Yeh—all the latest news—just out
—won’t cha buy one, please, lady’
[ only have a few.”
She opened her purse and started
to hunt for the money.
“I've just got to sell these papers
out early tonight, ’cause it's my last
chance to buy that doll. You know,
my little sister, they say, isn’t very
well, and the only thing she says she
wants is an orange for Christmas, but
I know better.” He paused for breath.
She Opened Her Purse,
“She wants a doll, but she thinks she
can't ask for it ’cause we haven’i
money for dolls. I have, though,”
he said promptly. “I've been watching
a doll in one of the windows here, I'm
going by tonight and get it.”
“What is your name, son?”
“Jacques and my sister's—mas
petite soeur—Marthe.”
“Zshack ?—What a queer—"
“No; it isn’t,” he said, anticipating
what she was going to say. “My
mother is French. Those names are
Leautiful—-to us,” he added after a
pause.
“Where do you live, Jacques?”
“Sixty-nine Kensington Square. Top
or. back two rooms, I've got that
i nat now, haven't I?”
“Yes, you won't get lost right soon,’
she replied as she put her arm arounc
him, and gave him a gentle tap on the
shoulder. “Merry Christmas, Jacques,’
and she was on her way. She stoppec
a little way down the street, however,
wrote something down, then hurriec
on.
Another half hour found Jacques
hugging an orange and a little dol
under his coat as he trudged along
home. When he opened the door g
little voice started chanting, “Frere
Jacques,
tonight.”
“Yes, Marthe. Today I was talk
ing to Santa on the corner, and he
said he was awfully busy. He
this year.” Te
“Ok!” said Martke in a disappointec |
tone.
Jacques’ mother was sewing busily ;
upon a garment she was intent upon |
Toiserrow was Christmas, |
finishing.
J
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| “r- Fl
His Mother Was Just as Excited as He,
and no sewing was going to be left
over to bother her.
Marthe’s bedtime came, and Jacques :
fixed his presents in preparation for
the morrow. He had found a Christ-
mas tree branch in the street, and this
he made into a little tree under which
he placed his gifts.
Christmas morning dawned brightly
in the little French home. Jacques’
surprise was complete, for Marthe
went into raptures over the tree and
her presents. She alternately hugged
and kissed her doll, keeping up a con-
stant chatter to it in French. The
orange and a few other presents tnat
she had found under the tree she put
on the shelf, so that she covld admire
them while she rocked her doll.
Jacques had had his surprise, too—
“Give and it shall be given unto you”
—for his two packets under the tree
had grown to be six or seven.
“Mother,” he said, “I think I will
have to try my new mittens and see
exactly how warm they are.” So say-
ing, he slipped into his coat and
pushed ¢n the door. What ailed it?
Was it frozen shut, stuck, or what was
the matter?
With his mother’s help the door was
opened. To their surprise they found
that a huge pile of packages had been
the cause of their trouble,
Jacques gave a cry of delight
as he pounced upon the bundles.
His mother was just as excited as
he, as she helped carry in the stuff.
Then followed one of the happiest
hours the family had ever known—
whole two-dozen oranges and all sorts
of wholesome food. Jacques’ mother
fairly wept with joy.
Santa remembered us after all,
mother,” said little Jacques, “and he
left this note on one of my presents.
Look, mother, it says:—
“‘I hope you will always be as
thoughtful of your sister, Jacques. A
Merry Christmas and a Bright and
Happy New Year.
‘SANTA. CLAUS.”
Frere Jacques—you're late!
j DON'T suppose two nose
were ever pressed more for
lornly against a window
glass than those belonging
2 to Jerry and Sally. If you
were to look at them fron
the outside, in their fron
yard, for instance, the)
would not seem like nose:
at all; you would say that Jerry anc
Sally had small, white pears on thei
faces, and pretty squashed pears af
that! This is what a window-glass
does to two children who have the
whooping cough and are standing at
closely as possible against the nearesi
thing to getting out—a window,
Jerry dug his fists down into his
pockets and looked as cross as a bear
Sally blinked very fast to keep the
tears from rolling down her cheeks
and her two pigtails quivered unhap
ily.
2 wel miss the party and the games
and the goodies and every
thing I” she wailed.
“I don’t care about the old party!
declared Jerry scornfully. ‘What I
want is to get out and make a snow
man. Look at all this perfectly goo¢
snow going to waste! I call it s
shame!” And you would have thought
by his tone that all blizzards were in
vented for the express purpose of giv:
ing little boys the opportunity of play:
ing in it.
“Mary Randall's going to wear hei
new pink dress and her slippers!
sniffed Sally, “and I have a red dress
and new slippers to-0-o!” This last
thought was almost too much, and one
and down her cheek. Jerry profendoec
not to see it. Perhaps he was having
trouble with his own eyes, though ei
course boys never cry, not even wher
tomorrow’s Christmas ard everything
is spoiled because of whooping cough
“Mother said we should have to have
a party by ourselves and make be
lieve that lots of pecple came to it,
said Sally.
Jerry grunted. He didn’t care muck
for this make-believe stuff—too sissi.
fied. “Let’s sit down in front of the
open fire,” suggested Sally, “and tell
stories. I'm tired of looking out of
the window. Perhaps something nice
will happen; who can tell?”
So the two children settled them
selves in front of the fire. They drew
up two low stools and they each sat
with their elbows on their krees and
their chins in their hands, It was very
warm and cosy. The logs crackled anc
sputtered as though they were doing
their best to cheer other people up.
and the dancing flames had a regular
parade up and down the wood. It was
&Y/
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Zz
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Ze
“j Call It a Shame!”
late afternoon and growing a Tittle
dark. ,
Suddenly Sally’s pigtails stuck out
straight behind her in surprise.
“What’s that?” she whispered, ani
her eyes were big as saucers.
“Where?” asked Jerry, a little star
tled too.
“I saw something white flit in at the
door!”
“So did 1.”
The children looked cautiously
around. Nothing was to be seen.
Just an ordinary room, a bright fire
and two children in front of it.
“Funny—" mused Sally.
There was the faintest rustle by the
clock on the mantel. It sounded like
snowflakes talking together.
“There! I heard something again!”
said Sally.
Both children stared at the clock,
for that was where the sound came
from,
It was quite dark by this time, ex.
cept for the light from the logs, so if
was natural that Jerry and Sally dig
© a TP ee ee ee
Our Christmas
| aaa aa aa Pa ea ae
HEN the shades of evening gather
And the Christmas time is here
And you go home from your labor
To enjoy the Christmas cheer—
When the Christmas tree is lighted
And the children gather 'round,
There is one thing must be present
If the greatest joy is found.
There must be inner conscience
Telling you with truthful voice
That you've done something for someon:
That will help that one rejeice—
Some poor stranger, widow, orphan,
Someone that you did not owe.
Ah, the gift need not be costly
To relieve another's woe.
And the greatest gift at Christmas
That a person e’er received
Was to know that through his efforts
Someone's suffering was relieved;
For the Master, on whose birthday
All the Christmas gifts are given,
Will see that act and send to him
A Christmas gift from heaven.
—Thomas G. Andrews in Kansas City
Star.
not at first see the little persor
perched on the edge of the mantel.
“How do you do?’ asked a tiny
voice. It tinkled like a fairy sleigh
bell.
“Mercy !” exclaimed Sally.
Jerry just winked his eyes very fast
“Here I am up by the clock,” tinkled
the voice again.
And sure enough, there she was in
deed! The children saw her now. A
wee, slender bit of a thing about the
size of a sweet pea. And she was the
whitest creature you could imagine.
Snowflake ruffles with crystal trim
ming, icicle jewels in her hair, and
eyes bright and frosty as stars.
Jerry and Sally gasped. Sally
wanted to jump up and hug her. But
you can’t do that with a Snow Fairy ;
she’d melt all to pieces in your fingers
and then where would you be?
“I have come to pay you a little
call,” laughed the fairy, “because 1
like to talk with children who are ill
and can’t go out. I just came from a
house down the street where a baby is
-wewias a OULU BUCH 8 cunning bay !
I played hide and seek under its chin
and you
should have heard him
0) —
NT y
EX<(JA Fol
TE iS
Away They Went.
gurgle! He forgot all about that tooth
that was making so much fuss about
coming through. I left him kicking up
his heels and crowing like a young
rooster.”
Sally and Jerry laughed.
“Shall I dance for yeu?” asked the
Snow Fairy politely.
“Oh, yes!” beseeched the children.
Up jumped the white little person,
and in the twinkling of an eye she had
begun. The children never saw such
dancing in their lives. Never!
The Snow Fairy pirouetted on top
of the clock ; she whirled like a crystal
prism. She jumped down and made a
low tow to a china shepherdess, and
then the shepherdess threw away her
crook and danced with the fairy. Away
they went, whirling and bobbing and
turning ard dipping. They jumped
over vases; they peeked out behind
pictures, they fairly flew through the
air until you could rot tell which was
the Snow Fairy and which the china
shepherdess.
Jerry and Sally clapped their hands
and laughed until they could laugh no
longer. They forgot all about parties
and new slippers and making snow-
men,
Then the strangest thing happened.
They could not see the Snow Fairy at
all. She wasn't there, and if you'll
believe me, the china shepherdess was
standing stiffly in her old spot as
though she'd never had a thought of
moving in her life.
“Dear mel” said Sally rubbing her
eyes.
“Dear me!” said Jerry, rubbing his,
Mother came in soon after that. She
stood smiling down upon them.
“Both you children were sound
asleep on your stools when I was in
here before. Do come and have some-
thing good to eat. I have a little party
all ready for you.”
And Saliy and Jerry never said a
word about the Snow Fairy. But they
were as cheerful as cherubs the rest
of the day.
HEE
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ASSES
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His First Christmas Tree
A
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Fhoba by Undernto dd ermooy
BERRIES,
. (©, 1922, Western Newspaper Union.)
Ay there be anyone who does not
Is there anyone who does not give him-
self the fun of skimming down the
slide with Bob Cratchit and laughing |
at his comforter, “three yards long, ex- |
clusive of the fringe,” stream out he-
hind him like the woolly tail of a kite?
Is there anyone who does not creep
up the cold staircase with Old Scrooge
and shiver into his dismal roo. there
to eat a small and lonely Low! of por-
ridge with the crusty old gentleman?
Is there anyone who does not love
Tiny Tim and Lis wee, brave crutch?
And Mrs. Cratchit, who can cook a
goose to beat anything thus far ac-
complished in the history of mankind?
And then, when we follow the Spirit
of Christmas Past, can anyone fail to
be moved by the forlorn little figure of
Old Scrooge as a lad, left in loneli-
ness at school during the holidays?
Could anything be more pathetic?
Has anyone such astounding control
of his feet that he can prevent them
from dancing at Mr. Fezziwig’s party?
And where is the impossible person
who can suppress a cheer at that re.
markable gentleman’s performance
with his legs? “If such there be, go,
mark him well,” for he has no pleas:
ant places in his heart for these de
lightful humors.
And then the damsel with the “lace
tucker”! Dear me, what a cnase she
gave one interested young man ir
Blind Man’s Buff! And how he paid
her up for it in a certain shadowy '
corner of the room; how he did, in:
deed! But she liked it. Oh, yes, she
liked it very much indeed, did the dam.
sel with the lace tucker!
Then to return to the Cratchit fam.
ily, who is there to resist the simple
toast of Tiny Tim, a toast of five
words that encompasses the hope of
all men:
“GOD BLESS US, EVERY ONE!"
Raisin Macaroon Ice Cream.
One quart cream, 1 cupful maca-
roons (1 doz.), 3% cupful sugar, 3
cupful finely chopped raisins, 1 tea.
spoonful vanilla.
Heat cream in double boiler, Dry
macaroons in oven and roll. Add
macaroons, raisins and sugar to the
cream, Flavor and chill. Freeze.
5
HF
SPREE Es EERE NI III III sae
polish up his holiday spirit by.
reading Dickens’ “Christmas Carol”? |
SR EEN NNNDNDENNNNENINNNIINININS
os
. [4
{CHRISTMAS LETTERS ©
% QOMETIMES a letter means ig
i more than all the cards and 5
8 gifts in the world. Why not send #&
# a Christmas message by letter os
oy this year? A bright Loliday seal =
& stuck at the top will introduce =
fv your remarks in a jolly fashion, %
&% and then you may continue with
whatever you thizk friendly and =
suitable. This is a cheap method
in the actual expenditure of
money, but a rich outlay of
thought for those you love.
Have you not discovered that
something somebody does just
for you is more precious than a
present tought in a hurry?
Christmas letters bring great
joy. Try some and see!
(©. 1922, Western Newspaper Union.)
PR
FRA AA GAGGIA
The Piper By
in the Subway || “ime ©
(©, 1922, Western Newspaper Union.)
fT HERE is a contrast to the holiday
atmosphere as one passes into the
dark and damp underground way out
of the great depot. A chill strikes
upon the soul as well as upon the
body. The passer hurries on to escape
into the light and cheer of the street.
He hugs his Christmas packages a
little closer and tries to whistle him-
self into something like gayety.
Suddenly he is startled and helpeg
! by the tones of a merry tune and dis-
covers the cld blind man who has long
haunted the dismal place. For years
this unfortunate has made it his one
business to stand there and pipe up
the failing spirits of travelers. His
face has refused the marks of dark-
ness and his soul has kept gladness
behind its closed and curtained win-
dows. As one stops to leave a token
and a word of appreciation with him
he says, “Thank you; I don't know as
I ever did anybody any good; some
people don't like it.”
SURE ENOUGH. I
}
Jimmie: Sister {i
Says she expects Ji
a handsome pres- |!
ent from you
Christmas,
Cholly: Hand-
Some? Maybe she
means me,