12r TA1R mcrn In ariose f .ir sky Is (Irmly let Ths steadfast itar of Faith our te-A to eulda; Swe?t diy wh'reln tre Love and Sorrow met To challenge Hatred and to lsvrl Prlds: V.'e welcome y:u with pilms upturned In praise Of Him whose gift has gladdened all cur days. OW manlf.ild His works to-day appear, H :w multiplied His blssslriRS everywhere: All ve have seen and known throughout the year .. Comes back to prove His tenderness and car.; Ar.d clearer vlsloned In all signs we se. The purpose of the Man of Galilee. CACH perfect snowflake. trustful of His power,' That finds Its way adown the trackless air, Brines Its glad message In this gladsome hour, "I shall return," It sings. " no matter where 1 char.ee to fall; within my crystal shell Is that which triumphs over death and hell." 113 this pure blossom cf the upper air, " ' So chants the soul cf man upon this day, Whit th- ugh the year has been a round of cars. The hiJien wlr.es will flr.d the upward way As surely as the flaha to mist shall run. And so return all Joyous to the sun, CACH gracious flcwer that made the Summer sweet Has gone alona Into the house of Deth: But somewhere hidden 'neath the Winter's fclC'it, Itself lies waiting for the south wind's breath. So He who bore the cross for all men lay Till angels came to roll th atone away, A BLESSED promise cf that blessed birth I " O tweet (ulfiilmtnt cf that promise made I What Is thero sprung from air-encompassed earth But proves the Lord who In the grave they laid t Co, winced winds, to rouse ths volceful sea. To ting th praise of Him of Galilee I CHARLES EUCENE BANKS. 7. .r-f-sV 1 i Christmas Love Story By CHARLES MOREAU HAHQER ' IFTY miles, sixty miles, seven ty miles seventy-three miles! The indicator in the roadnias ter's ear attached to the over land flyer showed that the train was making swift time across the level plains. Ahead, in the Pullman, passengers scarcely noticed the speed. They were wishing the long winter night were over and were thinking of cozy firesides back east. Frank Martin left the indicator with out a word to the roadmaster, whose guest he was for the trip to his ranch, went for ward for the tenth time that evening, lie looked anxiously up the aisle of the Pull man. There she was petite, dark-haired, pensive, alone. After a moment of indecision he ap proached her. "May I bring you something from the dining car?" "Nothing, thank you; I am doing very well." What was the use? She had only nod ded when he encountered her on the train. "MAY I BRING YOU SOMETHING?" It was quite an accident that they met thus after their intimucy at the scushore. lie did not know that she wus going to a new home with her uncle iu California. Bhe would not let him explain the at. It was almost time for him to gut iJX at his ranch for the train was making 73 miles an hour! How he wished it would slow up! Ilardly had the thought panted through his mind, when there was a jolt a crunch ing, grinding sensation, a lurch and then suddenly stopping. No one who has been iu a wreck will ever forget it. The I'uUmun tipped sidewiue, and that was the end. Marvin was at Alice's side when it was over. He took her arm, and, looking into her white face, calmed her fears: "It is 11 right now off the track no more dan ter." He left her, to help the passengers in the smoker who were imprisoned and some what Injured, then returned. He gathered her baggage, and, without permission, told her to follow. Vith the remainder of the passengers they took up S cold and sorrowful tramp along the track across the bleak prairies to the little town, three mile, away, where light, twinkled a friendly greeting. Frank tried to be sociable. "It was narrow escape," ha ventured. "Yea." Nothing mora. Baa would sot 7& u (-.Is SANTA CLAUS BY PROXY V "iVtifl III 0 V? ir):y Iff r -A . & t i x . ; THE COLUMBIAN SUPPLEMENT, THURSDAY, hi even turn her face toward his in the moon- light. They trudged on in silence. The town was glad to see them. K gave them the best it had, and none mli'eicd. Hut its heart wa not wholly in ti.e work. One long-gaited citizen, evidently orig inally from the eouth, explained it: ( Yeh see, we '. a-goiu ter hev the Chris'mas doin's ternight at th hall. i What? I'd forgot that it was Christmas : eve, broke in .Marvin. l.ci a un go uim. , Hie passengers from the 1'ullman tar, nnu inu that thev could not continue their journey until the following day, us well as many of the otuers, agreeu. nai uuu illl no. thev took their walk through the chilly streets,' where blew the bitter north wind of the plain. The hall was nothing more man the miner room over a store. It was i.iicj 10 the aisles, but the exercises had not yet begun. The southerner, who was master of ceremonies, tiptoed back to Alan in. We need two more to help in t:ie doin s, he whispered. "Won't you un s come.' 1' rnnk lmichinclv arose, and the c.ainty Miss Kciscn, having no other choice, fol lowed him. llehind the curtain, what a sigut met their gaze! A Christmas tree it was, to be sure. There were no evergreens lieaiei than the mountains, and to make up for the deficiency the plainsmen had seemed a dry cottouwood and wound its straggling branches with green paper. The iippcar ance would have been ludicrous hud it not been a little pathetic. "Not mucji like the pines of the beach where we used to rest last summer," whis pered Frank to his companion. "You and the other I presume you mean," was the withering response. "Alice Miss Reisen, what do you mean" but the gaunt captain interrupted. "You, young lady, I'd like you to be the fairy. Our leadin' lady is sick, un' you look like her." Filtering into the spirit of the occasion, Miss Kciscn accepted the tusk. "You'll have to wear some wing., and there will be a little scene, but notnin' fer you to do but look pretty you don't need no toaehin , he added, gallantly. "Creat admirer of yours," suggested Frank, as the functionary moved away. Alice did not reply. The wings were brought, and they seemed almost large enough for the wearer to soar with. She put on the costume and danced a two-step across the rude stage. "Yeh mustn't do that, lady; this is fer th' benefit of th' churches, an' th' folks wouldn't like it," said the manager, with a grin. Then tame up one of the women of tle town, who seemed to have a part of the management. She gave some instructions as to what would happen, uud Miss lleisen listened intently. Another listened, but she did not know it. The programme of the evening opened wil l a number of songs and recitations, to which the passengers from the train gave the most earnest ultentiou and hearty ap plause. Marvin Beemed wouderfully at home, Miss lleisen thought, and was call ing men by their lirst names us if he knew them. He was behind the scenes a good deal: too much, she thought, also, and it worried her, for he was the only one iu al? the house that she counted on as a friend no, was he a friend? She wished she knew if the story her chum told her were false or true. Then came the time for the Christmas tree "doin's," a. the manager called tho exercises. The big, curtain was dropped, and the children of the prairie farms and ranches gave an audible "Oh!" as the beau tiful green-paper-wrapped cottouwood, lighted with candles and glistening with tinsel, all brought from the city 4UU miles away, burst on their eyes. Many of them had never seen an evergreen, and this was a fulfilment of all their anticipations. l'efore the tree stood tho fairy, her wing and robe making her almost ethereal in tho sight of the little ones. ISehind was the open mouth of a chimney, and far off rang the horn of Saint Nicholas as he approached over the housetop, on his sleigh. It was cold enough outside for his biggest furs, and when he came laboriously down tho chimney and stood amid the group on the' stage he was the very picture of the Santa Claus of their dreams. Swiftly he mado the rounds of the tree, and in gutural tomes told the little folks to help tbemseWaa. . Than ba did what waa sot on the bills he approached th. fairy, tad la the lame rough voice exclaimed: "You are to go with me on my travele to night. Come." For a moment .lie stood Irrerolute, not knowing if this were part of the programme. Then, thinking it must be, she took the heavily-gloved hand, and, with a bow to the audience, .topped back and back, until both were .wallowed up in the vast depth of the chimney. But they did not go upward. Santa Claus opened a door in the rear, and they were outside the noisy hall and in the dressing room. Suddenly Santa Claus stripped off the he.ivy wings and crown from the fairy, and handed her her furs. "Come with me," he said, masterfully. "What do you mean?" she replied. "This," and he threw down the mask and wig, the fur coat and heavy gloves before I k THE SANTA CLAUS OF THEIR DREAMS. her stood Frank Marvin. "I asked you to come with me on my travels, and you con sented, as you did once before but thia time it is for life." Alice lleisen laughed a little hys terically. "But you know what happened before, Frank." The last word wa. a caress, so tenderly was it spoken. "Yes, I know from what you said a little while ago you thought my sister was an other girl in whom I was interested. Ther was and can be no other girl but you." And then they talked it all over, for good. The candy and toys were distributed from the grccn-paper-wrapped tree when they returned to the hall. They did not remain long, but went out under the star, and to the little parsonage across the way. Frank had sent a friend for a license, and in a trice they were married. A team and carriage were at the door, and away they were whirled through the beautiful but crisp prairie night. ! "To the ranch," ordered Frank, and then 1 added: "Jt was a miracle that the train stopped right here in my own town. The big ranch-house is ablaze with light out there, and all is ready for you." So the train went on toward the moun . tains without two of its passengers. "Do you know," whispered Frank, as the I team drew up to the ranch-house, almost a mansion out there on the plains, "that I re ceived the best Christmas present of all to-night?" "But you had to be your own isanta ciaus to get it," laughed Alice. THE POLITIC MAIDE!. hum it "ST n-jif if rrws4 at t, - JT - V 4- .'tf'..!'uisu V f " V v-,91 Silk f iff I t tlx f .. uj.'jasa "WV "1 hear that you and George have quar reled." . "Well, I guess not. It a altogether too near Christmas." An Eye for (he Present. Miss timootlie No, I cannot give you my answer until tlie first of next year. Mr. Softleigh But, why? You say you love me. and Miss Pmoothe Why, you silly thing! If our engagement were announced now, none of the other men would send me a single Christmas gift. Baltimore American. Christmas Forentry. All trees man should love, but hi. life's dearest Joys Should circle that tree which bloom. candles and toys. -Chicago ItccorJ. , An Af tr rthunicht. "John," asked Mrs. Toikins, tearfully, ''do you remember the present Mrs. Page gave mo last Christmas?" "Yes," replied her husband; "what of it?" "I am almost sure I have sent it to her this year." Brooklyn Life. Aftermath, We learn to know at Christmas Life still Is full of Ills; To-day we get the presents, Next week we get the bills, Judge. One Token Ilnrred, "Dearie, what do you want me to give you for Christmas?" "Well, precious, I've got 11 framed pho tographs of you now." Detroit Free Press. VYnll from the Old Hoy. Don't offer costly gifts with which That Christmas tree is hung; Just Rive me hack the appetite I had when I was young, . Chicago Hecord. Inereriiiloua, Mamma Santa Claus only comes to good boys. Johnny Huh! If ha did ha wouldn't have to hustl. mush to gat around-Paalb f: c THE GOSPEL OF PEACE. MANKIND DID NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND IT UNTIL CHRIST WAS BORN. . j HAT Is tendcrest and best In tha heart of man is evoked when , the key. of memory are touched and the song of the Christ-day is sounded. It is the music of the home and the loved, a glad, if subdued, melody recalling the earliest days of recol lection an eager rush for wcll-lillcd pend ant stocking-), for the laden Christina, tree, with it. gifts for all of the household. Aye, and the eager rushing about the house with merry shout and joyou. greeting for all. Then, the home-coming of the absent and the gathering of all about the family board. Whether the corridors of our memory mansions be long or short our lives be many or few, the harmonies ring along them just the same, telling of the presence in the heart of that which is old as immortality, and which shall never die love. There, then, this Christmas day, that Christmas day, and every Christmas day, is present in the heart this love for the home, with its inmate, for friend, and for humanity. The Christ-day practice of opening the heart to unselfish influences is born of the teachings of Him whose birth the day commemorates. His the life beautiful, the life rounded, the only completely perfect life, lie taught the lesson, of love, gentle ness, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, be nevolence, chastity and self-denial. What is higher and best in humanity is of His teaching, and from the latter ha. come the Christian home, the best development of unselfish affection and contentment to be found among men. The Christ-day is attuned to melody that ever shall thrill the soul and cause it to bring forth what is best in it. The herald song of the angels to the shepherds on the plain is fresher, stronger, closer, more harmonious than ever, in thi light of the newer blessings which have come from the Gospel of His peace. The lesson of real humanity, refined, Divine altruism, and not the coarser sort sometimes called by this .$yt ON THE PLAINS OF BETHLEHEM. name, was unheard of until from His pcact on the Mount of Beatitudes He gave il forth, music sweeter t'.iun angels ever sang, that higher song that man lives not unto himself alone, and that the greatest happi ncss is that which conies of doing good unto others. Peace on earth! good will to men! That hicher sonu which lifts man above himsell and makes him but little lower than the amrels. The Christ theme will never die. First heard on the plains of Bethlehem, with the frowninc Herod-temple but three miles awav, within whose walls were heard the teachinns of the law of revenge and love of self, heard there for the first time, it has been sounding ever since, spreading wider and wider, until now it compasses the whole earth. In Christ', day Home had waxed to its noon of majesty, yet Borne passed and vu not. On that kingdom rose other kingdoms, which perished in their turn, Kince He lived one system after another sys' tcm of philosophy has been built up, only tn be torn down ncaiu. But the words of the Christ be and abide.andthey shall stand forever, influencing men to nobler lives aiiH higher result, in living. His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and of it dura tion there .hall be no end. Meet and right is it, then, that the Christ-day shall be one of gladness in the human heart; that the children shall take part in it, .ince He loved them and blessed them, and that gift, shall be exchanged in token of that love for one another, which He bore for all humanity. WILLIAM KOSSEIt COBBE. Shattered Her Idenla. Mis. Askit Why is Miss Wunder so pessimistic about Christmas? Miss Tellit She hung up a $12 pair oi tilk hose last year, and some one stole them. Baltimore American. Hi i -T . " i ijui.il iL ssi in ' i i"J1"iTTr TT" I '" -" "' . nil -Jtx',rit,-v.-. i 1 .. . II in i ii ltt"'v,' . ' , . , ' , .. i'i' rsVsji - KVSa - -w - v fvrrHJ ' i arm . rz mmw DEC. 19, 1901. MR. DAVIDSON'S COAT. CHRISTMAS 1PISODE WITH AN UNEX PECTEDLY DISMAL LNDING. 1TUISTMAS was a great time In the Davidson family, an rvrnt prepared for in secrecy for months. It was the desire ol Mr. Davidson's henrt to suererd In surprising his wife in the matter of his selection of a Christmas gift for her, and it wa. his wife', pride that in all the 20 year, of their married life he had never yet gained his wish. In consequence of this, it was somewhat exasperating that the clock had struck "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A JOKE?' eight on this particular Christmas eve and she had not yet discovered the hiding-place ot to-morrow s gilt. "He must know that I want diamonds this time," she mused. "Why, I have crit icized the vulgar display Mrs. Joiicsmith makes of them, and talked of the waste of money their purchase implies until he must have been impelled to buy me sonic out of sheer contruriety. But where did he hide them? That" A knock at the door interrupted her train of thought, and a particularly unin viting chap asked for old clothes in a robust whine. Tho influence of the season was upon Mrs. Davidson, however, and she gave him an old overcoat which her huslmnd thought he might sometime wear when he went hunting. He never did go hunting, but be lived as if he always expected to start early the next morning. "No, I just can't think where he has put that gilt;" she 6a id, returning to her chair and her thoughts. "Well, one comfort, he hasn't seen the cuff links and the meer schaum pipe I have for him. I've moved their hiding-place twice a week, so lie has had no chance to find them while rum maging in the waste paper basket for his clean collars or searching in the china closet for hi. necktie, which are always kept in the upper left-hand bureau drawer. What's that!" The front door had opened cautiously and a stealthy step went up the stairs and stole across tiie floor of the room above. Mrs. Davidson turned rale, then softly clapped her hands. "It's Tom going to take a peep at my present! I'll keep quiet uud lind out where it is." She heard the steps about the room, and held her breath until they paused before the c liiloiiier. "Ah, it is in the drawer that Tom said had stuck and would not open. Why did 1 never think of that before?" She listened until t he cautious footsteps came down the stairs and the front door softly opened and shut. Then she rose- in her triumph. "Aha, he has slipped out to come in a few moments later, thinking that I did not hear him. I'll slip up now, have a peep at my diamonds and a good joke on him in the morning!" She went upstairs and lit the gas; it flared up and a scream burst from her. The room was in confusion; drawers were upset and their contents scattered on tiie floor. As .he screamed, the front door opened und her husband came running upstairs. "Well, Tom Davidson, if you think this is i joke, 1 don't!" she cried. "To slip in tl.is way and play a trick on your wife is "What on earth do you mean by a joke?" "Tom Davidson, you don't mean to say that I didn't hear you come upstuirs 15 minutes ago to look at my present and " "You certainly did not. Hello!" lie strode across the room and lilted a drawer of the chiffonier which was upside down on the bed. "As I came up tiie block, 1 met the ugliest tramp 1 ever saw, and I could have sworn that lie wore my old coat. You simply cat there while he rilled the place and car ried off the diamond pin I hud gotten for your Christmas gift!" When she had quieted down a little and Mr. Davidson was telephoning for the police, his wile suddenly remembered that tho last hiding-place for the cuff links and the meer schaum pipe wa. the breast pocket of that old coat. ELISA ARMSTRONG BENGOUGH. iL 111 : . A CHRISTMAS ACCIDENT. IT PROVES THAT VANITY SOMETIMES IS ITS OWN PUNISHMLNT. ONF.PTY 1. the best policy," sighed 1 l;rencc, "especially fchen Christmas is near," she added. "Which n ins?" queried her dearest friei.,1, eagerly. "Which means that my vanity i. too near the tip of my tongue for my own good. Luckily that is a common complaint, how ever, else I'd never mention it." "Oh, 1 understand, you expected some body to give you a handsome present, and sent an equally handsome one on the chance. Oh, well, comfort yourself; per haps she really believed the price you had marked upon it." "That wasn't it at all. You remember that Dick went abroad early in the full, don't you?" "I do he has told me every incident of bis trip evcrytime.1 have met him since his return." "Of course what else did he go abroad for! Well, he came to see me the day that he went nwny. He he told me what a pretty little hand 1 have." "All, well, you mustn't expect people to always mean what they say." "1 am glad that some people do not, dear. I just mentioned the fact that I always wore a No. 0 glove Oh, if you ore g-iini to take it in that way 1 am sure that 1 al ways did until 1 was 10 yearn old!" "Oh, but that" "1 am glad thnt you havo tiie grace t apologize, dtnr. Well, Dick failed to bring me a present when he came buck, but I was just as sweet and nice as ever, because Christmas was so near that " "There wasn't time to quarrel and make up, especially, with a man who is as pop ular as Dick." "No, W hen Christinas eve arrived he came to call, with a box in his pocket, which bulged so plainly that I could fee it with my back turned. Ho drew it out at last just as my patience was exhausted, and, Oh, Anne, it was two uozen pairs oi gioves that he had brought me from Paris!" "Oh, how perfectly lovely of him!" "It would have been, but for tho fact that they were number sixes, and each pair had my monogram embroidered on it, so that I could not exchange them!" "Oh, dreadful! What could be worse?" "That he insisted upon seeing me put a pair of them on!" SEASOSAULH ECONOMY. in Vi. jte" "Heavens, man, how do you happen to patronize a free lunch counter?" "Case of necessity, old boy. My wife and the girls have been out Christmas .hop- Piug." ' I'll Huston War. "And what," asked the caller in his most ingratiating tones, "what did Santa Claus put in your stocking, my little girl?" For a moment she looked at him through her diminutive spectacles; then, in a voice of mingled pity and indignation, she said: "We no longer put credence in obsolete tra dition; nor was it delicate of you to men tion that urticle of feminine apparel." Gathering up her copy of Ibsen, sho hur riedly left the room. New Lippincott. A Mean Trick. O the doctor he was sad And the doctor he was mad. And the doctor ripped and tore and roared, alack! Borne rogue had gone and stuck In the doctor's sock a duck That every time you touched It murmured: "Quack! Quack! Quack!" Chlougo Times-Herald. Ulvlnir Iliiu is Chance.,' "Harriet, you ought to give nie my choice of a Christmas present once in awhile." "Well, Harry, I'm willing; do jtpu want a lamp-shade, a sofa pillow or new lac curtains?" Chicago Record. Inevitable, The season, come, the seasons go Christmas Is here before we know It, When we must take our hard-earned cash And Indiscriminately blow It. Pllrlt i.u.it..w-.v rv. ?'.T,,j),. -I -.V
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers