2
I V
THE SONG OF THE FROST KING.
BY W. TYLEIt OI.COTT.
I'm king of the Alpine heights;
I'm lord of the snow-capped peaks;
For me the avalanches roar,
And the "cold-wrought silence"
speaks.
I dwell in a palace of gleaming snow,
Where the cloud-mists dream of the
sunset glow.
At my heels the wind-dogs cringe;
At my word they swiftly dash
In mad career, over all the world,
For they fear my stinging lash;
And the dawn-pink lingers alone for
me
In the glorious light of the golden sea.
I'm king of the rock-bound crests;
I'm lord of the rugged steeps;
For me the frost-sprite weaves a veil,
And the sluggish glacier creeps.
I'm monarch of Earth's vast Solitude,
Where the frost and the cold forever
brood.
A CHRIST3IAS WOOING
BY B. B. BARTF.N.
There has been many a memorable
Christmas in my life, scared anil
scarred us it is by Time's rebuffs, but
.none is so fixed in my mind us that
of 18—, none that comes back to me
with so stirring, so boldly—outlined,
so sweet a memory.
Perhaps it is as well not to dilate on
my personality in that year, except to
say that I was fresli from college,
and full of the energy with which we
all liegln tihe renl battle of life. Per
haps I was handsome. I thought so.
at least, although 1 was not vain, and
I am quite sure that one other cer
tainly agreed with me. I was at—but
I must stop descanting on myself, for
I cut but a sorry figure in this tale.
Among my circle of acquaintances
at college was Eugene Kerr, wealthy
beyond the dreams of avarice, keeu
souled and bright-eyed, dark-featured
and handsome, taller than I by sev
era! inches, and with a nature as free
and open as his speaking sparkling
eyes. It was to his home that I had
been invited to spend the holidays
before engaging in the business of
which I was destined to become the
head In a few years.
At the Kerr home, a delightful
country residence near New York. I
was but one of a gay young party, for
(the Kerr family kept open house for
a score of friends during the holidays.
As usual nt these gatherings, we
were thrown together continually, and
my whole soul had suddenly gone out
,to the sister of my friend Eugene.
Her head was covered with dark,
shining, chestnut lialr. luxuriant hair,
that looked all the more luxuriant,
perhaps, by reason of the careless
! way In which It was wrapped about
; her head. The great gray eyes were
! set deeply under a straight wide
| brow. A delicate nose that would
! turn tip a little when she lifted her
| head, and a splendidly-cut, clever,
wide mouth, the lips of which parted
every now and then with a sweet
smile, were there. This wns her face,
and It was fair enough; but It was
her figure, her glorious, graceful, full,
: yat supple figure that struck me most.
Nor was she averse to my attentions.
! yet I noticed from time to time a cold
, ness in the voice and face of Mrs.
-'Kerr, the mother of my young friends.
'She was a stately matron, and in her
sweeping black velvet dress and soft
ly falling delicate white lace, which
uadtlod about her head and throat
hooked strikingly hamdsome.
Grace—that was the name of the
daughter—soemed at times to be under
the spell of the mother's eye. I
' noticed that the conversation would
: lag when the elder woman entered
the room, and that all the airy gayoly
aftd sprtghtllnoss of the daughter
would disappear under the withering
glance of the mother.
Tbore was a secret, a mystery j
, [Continued oi
which I had determined to fathom
and so I proceeded ahoiit it in anything
hut a diplomatic manner, for 1 was
young and thouglilcss. My whole soul
had become wrapped up in O race. Slu
was the ideal woman I had pictured
in my dreams, and I had determined
that she must he mine at any cost.
I look hack to those days with
wonderment, more perhaps at my own
temerity under the circumstances, fot
1 did not even know that 1 was loved
in return.
"Gene." I remarked, one morning,
after 1 had lain awake all night plan
ning and hoping, "I want to talk with
you uhout a matter that concerns mi
nearly—concerns us both."
lie looked at me in some little
amazement. Then putting his arm
through mine, laughingly pushed me
along, saying, "Well I should Judge
from your long face, it's something
serious. Drive It away, old man, don'i
consort with your cares during the
holidays. Never worry in December.
January is an awful good month foi
broken vows, worrimeuts and all that
sort o' tiling."
"Gene, I'm going to blurt It out and
have it over with. I'm head ovet
heels in love with your sister!"
"Walter!"
If I haven't mentioned it before I
will say the above Is my given name,
although it really has nothing to do
with the story.
There was that in Eugene's face
which fairly dazed me. He seemed
terror-stricken at my abrupt but
simple announcement. All the acts
of my life passed before me, for 1
was in vain endeavoring to find a
cause for his consternation, and then I
poured out my soul.
"Truly, 'Gene, there can be nothing
against me. I have some wealth, ex
cellent prospects, I am not a roue "
"Hush, my boy," cried Eugene. "It
Isnt that! why my sister has been en
gaged for a year, and do you think
my mother would ever forego a cor
onet! It's impossible!"
"Engaged! A coronet! What do
you mean," I cried.
"I menu simply this," he replied,
putting his hands on 'my shoulders,
"Grace was abroad with mother,
a year ago as you know. At that time
—but please remember that this is all
confidential, It's a fnmily secret —Lord
Deerland fell madly in lore with Grace
and proposed for her hand. Mother
accepted! the young man with alacrity,
and 1 thi..k Grace likes lUni. The for
mal announcement is to be made after
the holidays and they are to be mar
ried in the spring. That's all there is
to the story, my boy, and now don'l
make a fuss over it, but just accept
the inevitable."
I presume I looked crestfallen aftei
this disclosure and for twenty-foul
hours kept to my room, determined
to get over my chagrin and not to
spoil the Christmas party by anj
hasty departure.
On the following day. the day hcfort
Christmas. I summoned all my coin
age and went down stnirs, into tin
midst of the gayety. The expression
on Mrs. Kerr's face had undergone a
delightful change. She fairly benmec
on me, and a lurking suspicion tilled
my mind. 'Gene had
told his mother and sister all. for it
no other way could I explain the rhap
sodlc expression on the mother's face
and the sadness that seemed to linvt
come over the younger woman. Thai
of course was siuipiy pity, I argued.
She was like all the others, ready tc
play the coquette though she knew
she would hreuk a heart or two.
Bv a most fortunate chnnce I re
celved a message late in the moruins
which summoned me to the city for a
few hours on a matter of business
Eugene had arranged a sleigliinq
party for the afternoon, and this 1
was forced to forego. My train lef<
shortly after noon, and I was waltlnj
at the station (scanning a paper, m.v
thoughts on a sweet face in the Ken
(Cage B.]
THE COLUMBIAN. BLOOMSBURG, PA.
SAXONY SANTA CLAUS
HANS RUPPERT WALKS ALL THE WAY
FROM RUSSIA.
A Gront, Gnllnnt Flsarc, Wltli Top
ROOIN IIIK) Miulity Pnck—ChriMttitn*
CoHtoniN of tli< Fatli<rln:i<l— Pro
coNMlon on rhriNtmnM Eve.
Hans Rnppert is tho name of the
Santa Olaus of Saxony given by the
simple, pious peasantry. "Hans Rnp
pert will arrivo tonight!" the children
of Saxony cry all along the dear, dark
ening twilight of Christmas eve, as they
flatten their little Saxon noses against
tho cottage window panes, peering out
along the winter roads for "our Hans
Ruppert." "Hans Rnppert is coming
tonight!" say tho simple hearted grown
up folk to one another, a people who
have one evening in tho winter twilight
of their hard, stern lives when it will
be all glow and glamour and froth of
fun.
Hans Ruppert oomes from Russia,
from its silent mysteries of steppe
and of suows. But he is not a
Slav. Hans Ruppert is not the tra
ditional Santa Clans of the Teuton
land—a jolly old man with curly beard
aud winking smile. "Hans Ruppert is
a tall, brawny, peasant looking fel
low," say the good Saxony folk with a
sublimo earnestness as if thoy had seen
him. Hans Ruppert has muscles minted
from their own brave life of gray toil.
Hans Ruppert walks all the way from
afar, from the Asiatic Russlaud aud, at
every step he takes toward the Caucasus
chain, at every stride up aud up, still
up tho ledges of its rock and bluff and
brao, across its brawling streams, now
down on tho other side of its stern
shoulder shadowed in tho star calm, at
every pace past tho Russian villages
twinkling through tho night mists like
sparklets struck off from the czar crown
way off there above the Nova, as he
foots it grandly—this great, grand, gal
lant Hans Ruppert—his top boots that
at tho beginning of the long Christmas
march reached only below tho knee,
grow taller and taller, still higher—un
til when ho hears tho Rbein-strom mur
mur aud tho golden voice above the
Lorelei rock, aud at last at the gates of
Berlin sees the mighty gleain of the
army of tho vatcrland, tho Hans Rup
pert is h hoots are up to tho loius, cuiras
sier fashion, accordion wrinkled and
mirror in their mighty polish the very
"Sword of My Illustrious Grandfa
ther!" And Hans Ruppert stands a
grenadier, one of the sacred bodyguard
around an emperor, stands with star on
breast and double beaded eagle on hel
met, stands a mighty ghost to deal
death to the foes of vaterlaud—until
next Christmas.
Ou his back, through all his long
trudge tonight, Huns Ruppert carries
his pack. It is a pack of good things.
Thou hast no Christmas tree within
that mighty bundle, Hans! The peasant
children havo made the treo all ready
for Hans in the diligent purchase from
their little Saxon pfennige on the mar
ket day. Hans Ruppert briugß the gar
ments for the Christmas tree. Here in
his pack is the Christ child's hair, the
gold and silver filigree which Hans
will twist across tho branches with his
own brawny hands. Here are the cau
dles, the Christ child's eyes, and the
toys and the gifts, "the blessings that
drop from the hands of Baby Jesus."
And now tho procession forms at 8
o'clock on Christmas eve to go to seo
what Hans Ruppert has brought to tho
little family. The procession begins
with grandfather and grandmother, on
whose seamed and yellowed cheeks
glistens the gentle tear of age. Then
follow the father and the mother and
the uuwoddud uncles and aunts, and
now the children, according to age and
size, who uro awed in anticipation of
"our Hans Ruppert" on tho other side
of that door toward which the proces
sion is now moving. They stand up on
tiptoe and peer behind father's stalwart
frame, rebuked by das mutterchen, with
a solid Saxon cuff ou the unwilling ear.
"Ach, mutterchen, it's heiligeNachtl"
pleads tho father, and mother moder
ates. Here are the servants of the house
hold, wearing their good Christmas
starch of check apron stiffness. How it
stands out in its buokrain beauty! If it
were possible—which the dear Herr
Gardener of us all forfeud—the apple
cheeks of the good house girl glow with
a more fruity glisten as she gazes down
upon the spheric circuuiferenoe of
starch. The housemaid's smile is laun
dered, too, and it never leaves her lips
until that mysterious door off there is
opened by grandfather's trembling old
hand, and now some one in the Christ
mas procession has struck the sweet,
resonant, prolonging chords of the zith
er, and tho hymn rises as one "pure
concert" along the whole of the house
hold's heart:
O hoiligo Nnchtl
Stills Nttclitl
The door is thrown open, and only
the stalwart spirits—the Erdgeisto who
guard the scallops and volutes of the
Teutonic verb —can comprehend the
mcaudor and the meaning of the fam
ily's exclamations now. Hans Ruppert
bus done it all! Hans Ruppurt has done
it all I The tree glistens into gracious
charm. It is the aurora of the Divine
Child.
And then tho good Saxon muscles fall
to, and full, too, on suppur. Now, the
supper is a sweet feature of this great
evening. 1897. For only once a year
does the marzipan come round —marzi-
pan, that dear cake, crusted with pow
dered almonds. Only once a year does
"stoken" come round, that dearest cake
with raisins—raisins plucked by Hans
Ruppert in that faroff mystery—raisins
that grew and hadn't anything to do
with sour grapes.
But tho supper passes, and the night
is deepening. The eyes of childhood are
drooping. Tho family rises and again
circles the Christmas tree, hand in hand
now, perhaps for the last time on earth.
Who can foresee the years? May the
dear Christ child guard us all! — New
York Commercial Advertiser.
f ASTORIA The Kind You Have
U* niA Aiwa s B h ,
AVegetablc Preparation for As- * "
similalingtheFoodandßegula- M
ling the Stomachs andßowels of JjGcirS tllG m
■ g^g na |- ure
PromotesDigestion,Cheerful- W I laH
ness and Rest.Contafos neither A f w If, |r
Snum.Morphine norMineral. U1 m ft /\ IT
otNahcotic. # l\ \J*
of Old TkSAMUELPUUJLH 1 A
Pump Jan Smd" x %
Alx.Stnru * 1 A A
AMUSJ*- I • M£\
V #v TV Tho
Jh Cartonatr.Tula' I 2l IV 4 L 8 " SIS "a
}timSitd- I ,11 U1 H 11 4J
ftqnfttd Sugar . I u |
Wnkrynm f kmr. ) JM) R I# " I
A perfect Remedy forConstipa- f u Af' Iv 111 0
lion. Sour Stomach.Diarrhoea, I liP
Worms,Convulsions,Feverish- I IF Al 11
ncss and Loss OF SLEEP. \gP TOU HOVP
Facsimile Signature of
NK\V YOHIv. lAlways Bought,
EXACT COPY OF WBAEPEB. ICISTOBE
W ' : '• '"• ' 7 THE CCNTAUR COMPANY NEW YORK CITY
STOVE NAPTHA, the Cheapest and
Best Fuel.on the market. With it you
can run a Vapor Stove for one-hall
cent per hour. Give us a call and be
convinced.
W. O. Holmes, Bloomsburg, Pa.
Eshleman & Wolf,
L. E. Wharey, "
W. F. Hartman, "
ELY'S CREAM BALM le ft positive care.
Apply into the nostrils. It is quickly absorbed. 50
cente at Druggists or by mail ; samples 10c. by mall.
ELY BROTIIEKB, 66 Warren St., New York City-
Hints for the Stout-
There is but little place in the
economy of nature for the woman
of superfluous flesh, says the Lon
don Daily Mail.
But what is she going to do about
it, poor thing?
If she begins to take care in time;
if she starts weight-reducing prac
tices when first she notices a little
tightness about her bodies and belts
the process need not be so very
long or so very trying.
She must have a great deal of ex
ercise and a great deal of fresh air.
Two hours of really vigorous exer
cise every day—of brisk walking
that brings perspiration to the skin;
of brisk bicycle riding, or of horse
riding, according to her means and
tastes —is not too much.
Hot baths are part of the weight
reducing regime, but as t. ey are
also sometimes strength reducing
they should be taken with care.
Foods containing starch should
be avoided. That means the ban
ishment of untoasted bread, of po
tatoes, and of sweets from the daily
bill of fare. Fats are also to be
shunned. There should be but lit
tle butter and milk used.
In the way of definite exercises
for the reduction of flesh about the
waist and hips—the places where
most women suffer from overweight
—there is one to be lightly recom
mended.
The candidate for slimness should
assume what is known as "the po
sition of a soldier"—shoulders back,
chest out, chin in, and ears, shoul
der and hips in a vertical line. She
must bend from the waist until she
touches the floor, but without bend
ing the knees, and this she must do
often every morning.
CASTOR IA
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
You can save money on Pianos and Or
gans. You will always find the largest
stock, best makes and lowest prices.
PIANOS, From $175.00 and Upwards.
ORGANS, From $50.00 and Upwards
We sell on the installment plan. Pianos,
825.00 down and $lO.OO per month. Or
gans, $lO.OO down, $5.00 per month. Lib.
eral discount for cash. Sheet Music, at one
half price. Musical merchandise of
kinds.
We handle Genuine Singer High Arm
SEWING MACHINES,
$5.00 down and $3.00 per month. Wc also
handle the Demorest Sewing Machine, from
$19.50 and upwards. Sewing Machine
Needles and Oil for all makes of Sewing
Machines. Best makes of
WASH MACHINES,
FROM $4.00 UP TO $9.00.
J. SALTZER.
C-iT Music Rooms—No. 115 West Main
St., below Market, Illooirsburp, I'a. 311111-3
When American capital and en
terprise have been at work a little
while in Cuba and Porto Rico Spain
will open her eyes at the mine of
wealth that for centuries lay un
troubled at her feet. She may not
mourn her lost opportunities for de
veloping a people, hut she certainly
will regret her lost chauce for big
receipts in the shape of taxes. It
will be part of her reproach among
nations to see her former colonies
grow rich and prosperous under her
eyes, but forever out of her reach.
Many People Cannot Drink
coffee at night. It spoils their sleep,
You can drink Grain O when you
please and sleep like a top. For
Grain-O does not stimulate ; it nour
ishes, chetrs and feeds. Yet it looks
and tastes like the best coffee. For
nervous persons, young people and
children Grain O is the perfect drink.
Made from pure grains. Get a pack
age from your grocer to day. Try it
in place of coffee. 15 and 25c. Bd4t
OABTOHIA.
Bean the /> The Kind You Have Always Bought
I Fine PHOTO
GRAPHS and
CRAYONS at
R. B. GROTZ,
Bloomsburg.
The best are
the cheapest.
TID-BIT3 FOS MA' HONEY!
and tender little juicelets for the chil
dren. ate all right, but pana and "the
boys" want a good, tug, juicy steak,
roast or chop when business O" school
duties arc over, and we can cater to
them all. Our stock of prime meats is
unexcelled for quality, and we send
them home in fine shape.
J. K. KEIFER.
THE DEVELOPMENT
of liloomsburg, notwithstanding the late fi
nancial and business depression.
HAS BEEN PHENOMINAL.
Its permanence and prosperity are now as
sured.
The Hloomsburg I.and Improvement Com
pany now offers for sale the most desirable
lots for residences and business purposes to
be had in this town, at moderate prices and
upon easy terms.
A SMALL PAYMENT
down and small monthly payments thereafter
will secure a lot.
Those purchasers desiring to build, and
own their own homes the company will as
sist by advancing the monev there on.
WHY PAY RENT
when you can own your own home ?
Factory Sites Given Away.
Maps of the town and our plotted prop
erty furnished on application.
Bloomsburg Land
Improvement Company.
J. S. WOODS, N. U. FUNK,
Sales Agent. Secretary.
io-6-6mos.
THE MARKETS.
BLOOMSBURG MARKETS.
C0BHBCTB1) WBBBLT. HBTAIL TBICBB.
Butter per lb $ t2 a
Eggs per dozen .24
Lard per lb .08
Ham per pound .09
Pork, whole, per pound ,06
Beef, quarter, per pound,... .07
Wheat per bushel .80
Oats " " 35
Rye " " 50
Wheat flour per bbl 4.40
Hay per ton 9 to $lO
Potatoes per bushel, .60
Turnips " " .ag
Onions " " 100
Sweet potatoes per peck .25
Tallow per lb .05
Shoulder " " .09
Side meat " " .08
Vinegar, perqt .05
Dried apples per lb .05
Dried cherries, pitted .1*
Raspberries .11
Cow Hides per ib .3J
Steer " " '• , 0 c
Calf Skin ,80
Sheep pelts .75
Shelled corn per bus .60
Corn meal, cwt r.aj
Bran, "
Chop " ,ne
Middlings "
Chickens per lb new.. .08
" " old .08
Turkeys " " 12J
Geese " " .14
Ducks " " .08
COAL.
No. 6, delivered a.60
" 4 and s " 3.85
" 6 at yard a.35
" 4 and 5 at yard 3.60
"PATENTS
Caveats and Trade Marks obtained, and si
Patent business conducted for MOIIEKATK
OUK OFFICE 18 OPPOSITE THE tj. 8. PAT
ENT OFFICE. We have no sub-agencies, at
business direct, hence can transact patent bust •
ness In less time and at. Less Cost than those re
mote from Washington.
Send model, drawing or photo, with descrlp
tlon. We advise If patentable or not, free of
charge, our fee not due till patent Is secured
A honk, "How to Obtain Patents," with rprer
ences to actual clients In your state, County, o
towu sent free. Address
A. SNOW A CO., Washington, D. C
(Opposite U. S Patent Offleo.)
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