THE COLUMBIAN, BLOOMSBUtoQ. i. . 3CE3CI .1 . . .. v p irin jrar ana n - u iiicljolnsi o ionoc Legends of the pood St. Nicholas il. .......... ........ . . v. 1 1 .1 .. . . .. .. .. ; u,r r.K. ... M.mi. u. c 1 1 1 c 1 1 e 1 1, ... popular ill iiii.ny places in me uuiu of the Now Year festival. Away buck In the fourth century, It Is told, n child, who was afterward christened Nicholas, was. horn to a wealthy couple, who had Ions de sired an heir In vain. The child came in answer to many prayers and as a reward for much almsgiving. It Is said that on the day of his birth he rose up In his hath, and raised his clasped hands In grate ful adoration to (led who had suffer ed Mm to be born. The story hoc? that he refused to take food more than once on Wednesdays and l'r! days, and that as soon ns he was nble to speak he uttered words of wis dom. It Is not to he wondered nt. there fore, that lie was early dedicated for the priesthood. His parents dying of the plague soon after his consccra- tion. the young priest fell heir to Ms father's vast possessions, which he re- solved to employ for the service of the church and for charity. j The story Is told of his issuing forth from his monastery under cover of night to render aid unseen to thor-o In distress. Among those who bene- . fited by his charity were the dower- I less daughters of a poor farmer. These j daughters were very unhappy because, i owing to their lack of money, they : were unable to wed the lovers of their ; choice. St. Nicholas came by night to the window of their chamber nnd j dropped a our of gold nt the feet of ; the oldest daughter. He escaped tin- , discovered and returned the next night with nnother hag of gold for the second daughter. On the third night, as he was attempting to get away after leaving a bag of gold for the i third, he was discovered by the grrv.o ful father, and was forced to listen to his outpouring of thanks. St. Nicholas, it is paid, had the po.v- er to still the waves. On his way to ( the Holy Land a terrific storm arose, and the sailors entreated him to inter cede In their behalf. At a word from the holy man. the storm subsided, and calm once more returned upon the waters. After the return of St. Nicholas to his native land, the bishop of Myra suddenly died, nnd the elders, meeting to appoint a successor, were soreiy : perplexed as to whom they should i choose. It was miraculously revealed to them that the first man to enter the church the next morning would be the one rhosen, so they all repair ed to the church long before the sun was up. St. Nicholas, returning from his charitable labors of the night, en tered the church to pray, as he thought, alone, and was at once hail ed as bishop. Shortly after this, a heavy famine fell upon the land, and in order to prevent the people from starving to death, St. Nicholas, unknown tc anybody, performed a miracle upon a ship which lay In the harbor, where by he caused the cargo to remain un diminished notwithstanding that 100 hogsheads of wheat were taken from it. The famine nevertheless grew worse and worse, until it was report ed that some people were so wicked as to eat little children. St. Nicho las went to visit one of the men who were so accused in order to find out if this thing were really true. When dinner was served, the main dish was the meat of a child. St. Nicholas at nnce arose from the table, demanding of his host how he dared do such a thing. Going down cellar he found the bodies of many little children, which had been preserved in salt, nnd taking pity upon them, St. Nicholas restored them to life and to their sor rowing parents. gOOOOODDOOOOOOOOOOOOODOOO 8 A NEW YEAR'S RONDEAU. O o o o (Exodus xv. 27) Q Palm-trees and wells they o found of yore Q Who that Egyptian bondage O o o o o 3 o'er. Got sight betimes of feather ing green, Of lengthened shadows, and between, The deep, long-garnered water store. O Dear, denr is Rest by sea and shore; O But dearesl to the travel-sore. Whose camping-place not yet O has been Q Palm-trees and wells. For such we plead. Shall 3 O o o o o o o - -) -) " o o we ignore The long procession of the Poor, Still faring through the night wind keen, With faltering steps, to the Unseen? Nay: let us seek for these once more Palm-trees and wells! -1 CCOOCCOOOOOOCOOOCC Work. Across the roofs, the drifting; smoke. Athwart the sky, Hugh forma of blackened cblmnex shafts Like phantoms lie. Hut slowly, slowly lu the dark The smoke rolls on, Inexorable as the bells Thnt speak the morn. Susan Sharp Adams In Boston Tran Bcrlpt. Jt Is but natural that our thoughts, tarn to the changing calendar this month: and thnt, ns the old hospitali ties slip Into the past, we open our aonrs to ine welcome wntcn the -Now y,ar ,,,,,,, ,R giyp (( fr,on(1,, A Hell Supper is n pretty fancy to give while the New Year's hells are ringing, and while It may partake oi the nature of a High Tea nnd there fore have the abandon nnd charm of that old-time simple dignified feast. It may nl:-o be touched w ith novo ty which makes any entertainment a suc cess. Delightful little Invltatioti.i may go forth on small bci. shaped cards, bear ing the date, which may he any con venient day during the early pari of January. These may bear little cab n dais If wished with an invitation writ ten above the small calendar 'pad. or they may simply have the bidding in quaint fanciful lettering; with a New Years sentiment or motto of good cheer also expressed thereon. When the guests have all assembled a pretty Innovation would be to have a Jester enter the room with the tra- ditlonal Court Jester costume and cap and bells. He can begin the entcr- tainment by narrating some amusing stories, and when he has started the ball rolling he can call upon each per son present to tell some joke or amusing tale a hell ringing at the end of every two minutes, when the narrator must Instantly cease, causing tl, flln to W!1X fast am, furious if tM0 "noun" of the joke Is to he reached lu Uu, lime allowance. As one person r(,;,ses another is called upon to be- Rin immediatelv, and so on. The dinning 0f bells calls the merry group tr ,,. nn,i ..,. ,;,,itiii.u ,,, he served, but if it can savor of olden days so much the better. If wished the holly wreaths from the Christmas t'de still grace the rooms, and while they need not furnish the whole adornment, they can he supplemented with decorations which will accord with their bright, cheery presence. If a j.,,.,, ,-umber of guests are asked It ls convenient and also pretty to seat them at small tables, and for twenty persons nn effective way of placing them would be at four tables set with five covers each. A NEW YEAR'S PETITION. By Hervey Newton. The path, Lord, is untried; J; ; Its far-off sky line fades into 54 & the dim horizon; unknown are w j; the shcals and rocks; the hand ; j on the helm is weak, the heart betimes faint, and the skill im- ; perfect; hold then, Lord, not J; only the helm but the mariner, ;j as the tolitiry life-boat, C q freighted by Thyself for eternal 0, Issues, in the darkness of the ;J '. night pushes its keel across the rim of the New Year; that the If weak will may be steadied and y, energized by Thine Own, the JJ ij; arm nerved by the infinite, the jj heart quieted close up against the heart of the Christ, every j j sense sharpened by the Heaven- f; ly companionship, and the ear ; made quick to catch the cry of. ;J other mariners In distress, and jj the hand prompt and 6trong to f the rescue; if sudden tempest lash the sea and mountain bit- ;' t$ lows sweep down to engulf my J5 f bark, may there be that abso- ;J lute understanding between ?J ji; Thee and me, that my eye with ;j Its &ilent appeal, shall on the Instant catch Thine, and the ',1 O sea as quickly hush into a great Q j calm; may all the year find me sj ti In the attitude toward Thee of h j? a faith that waits not on critic- ti Ism or philosophic statement, ti p but overleaps all, to appropriate ti as its very own all Thou hast ii & said and all Thou hast revealed il 5 of Thyself; may I see the un- li rolling year in Thy perspective, ti and each day as the onward f movement of Thy larger plan; H ti and so each night-fall find the H little boat closer to the storm t less calm of the Glory Shore. The Deceived Turk. He had escaped at Christmas, And felt happier than a elnner; Dut little did his turkshlp know He was kept for a New Year's dinner! The Old nnd the New. The New Year came to the Old Year's door When the sands were wasting thin; And the f'ust lay white on the Old Year's thatch. And his hand grew chill as he slipped the latch I To let the New Year In. I j And the New Year perched In the i Old Year's .hair, j And warmed by the Old Year's lire; i And the Old Year watched him with I wistful gaze j As he stretched his hands to the fad ing blaze, i And cinders of dead desire, i j And the Old Year prated, as Old Years i will, ! Of summer and vanishing spring: Ar.d then of the future, with grave ad ! vice i Of love and sorrow and sacrifice, ; That the seasons' round would j bring. j And the New Year listened, and I warmed his heart ! In the bloom of the Old Year's i past; Hut he gave no heed of the thorn? I that lay j In the bud and blow of a coming day ! And. nodding, he dreamed nt last The New Year came to the Old Year'.? door And warmed In the Old Year's chair; And the Old Year talked till the New Year slept. Then forth in the night he softly stepped. And left the New Year there. Harper's Bazar. Tossing of the Old Year. Farewell, old year! We've journeyed on together mar.j days, And now behold the parting of oar ways Is very near; With thoughts of mingled gladaess and of dread. I see the winding way that 1 mr.st tread To Future Lands; For thee awaits the realm of shr.dov.'f deep The Silent Land of years that lie asleep With folded hands. - l i-i? .. - - - 3P in nut F- cwell, old year! A few more steps ere we forever part A few more words that wake the throbbing heart To hope and fear; A farewell smile, a lingering clasp of hand. F.re thou shalt lie within the shadow land All silently; The while I haste a glad new year to greet, The w hile I journey on with memories sweet, Old year,' of thee. Farewell, old year! Alan, not half I felt or knew till now How kind und brave and true a friend wert thou; For ah, twice dear A loved one seems when comes the darkened day When heart and lips all tremulous must say A last good-bye; Yet, though thy friendly face no more I see. The memories sweet my heart has kept of thee. A Pretty Supper Table. From the ceiling is suspended n red mid white New Year's bell tied with a bright red ribbon bow, a floral clap per of red and white covers. The Co lonial glass candlesticks hold white tapers shaded with red crept" payer shades trimmed with tinkling bell3. The simple open effect of a supper ta ble thus arranged ls n charming feat ure, und if the hell fancy needs to he further demonstrated wee bcll. could be stitched to the drooping red streamers as well. Another supper table inny show bak ed minced turkeys with decorative bel'is of mashed potatoes on top, cho colate cup cakes with frosting bells mounted on their tops and beln of wine Jelly with crystallized cboiry handles. In Lancashire, If an unmarried worn vm loses either leg in a railway ac cident on New Yenr's eve, it is re garded ns an evil omen, and a sign that she will not meet her future hus band during the ensuing twelve months. In some parts of Lincolnshire It Is cnv-shlered most unlucky to bo ii:lt d-jfctl by a dark niun on New Vcar'f ee. J mh uc mJJarfe 3OQ0I New Year's Kve and the Jour I'.e I'An are the grenl days In Paris. Pres ents, les etretines, are exchanged en that day, of course. On the first o! January, all the young men rail ea their friends, bringing each fnnil'y a sae, or b"X, of delicious mairoa glaces. Many persons do not call until t : last minute, and one day a i oo; your.!; man cam. "What on earth ili -. over il that rushing In. and sr.! shall 1 do? I've I have two bund; I i r'ls to pay 1 " j toiro'iile, and, i p 1 front one j otl-er. leaving So he called for an : with his cards r. i. part of the city to : them with every n end concierge. ' On this day the concierges also c" I pert a present. The less one s l about these potentates the better, t '. j on :1 feels !is some one said of Hid " j lieu: "These people do too tin; I i good to be spoken badly of, and t I much evil to be spoken well of." PuUice It to say that, if their pres ents are not up to the mark, they w:'l be disagreeable for the whole of In coming year. They will tell peoph you are out when you are in, and thai you can receive them when you m tired. They will keep your letters f- r days, and annoy in the thousand nr..: one ways they know about. So Nev Year's Day Is no light matter. Hatchers, bakers, and grocers cowrie with their presents, too. The bake! rends you a nice cake, and wishes you a "Happy New Year." Instincil.e ly you put your hand in your pocket as you wish him the same. The grow er gives you an extra orange, and the milkman offers you nn apple, all with the best greetings. Long before New Year's the letter carrier gets his dues. Sometimes he calls more than a mon'h ahead. He brings the eternal "t'aleiidrler lies Postes et Telographes" with the days of the week and the month, and the corresponding saints. Perhaps a wom an on a bicycle Is pictured on it. a are also the rates of postage. Tin postman is an important person. He delights In bringing you registered ! letters because then be knows he will get n "tip" even if you are hard up j and have just received the picture of i your second aunt instead of the ex pected check. The stores in Paris have a mr.r.la for advertising useful presents. Can anything be more horrid? Presents should be things one would not get under ordinary c Ireunistan'-es. Isn't It wretched to receive a pair of rub bers or an everyday umbrella on such occasions? Hut one French mother found something still more useful for her little boy. It was a big bottle of cod liver oil. For every spoonful he took she gave him two sous to put in his bank. At the end of the yea'-, when the bottle was empty she broke the hank, ar.d, with the money, bought him a new bottle of cod liver oil. Ar.d thnt was the only gift he received from one year to another. C. D. G., In the New York livening Post. i-O3-I O l-C-S-OvO-l-DtO-tOt-Ot-Ol-O l-r S "SUB-fcilSTLETGE." -J- c The dawn of day will usher In q 2 A glad New Year's beginning. O Tile day when all one's friends X and Kin C ) ... .... "r i-orrwear uieir ureaarul sin- (j niri Mabelle and I compare our vows O h (Her pet s'.ns all are missing) q 9 Though overhead are mystic "! O boughs, Alas, she swears. off kissing! O n Her lover, I. just and sigh, r Perplexed with doubt and ... sorrow T "P.esolves don't take effect," I 6 O fry, ' "I'ntil 'the First,' to-morrow. ? 9 I fain would take my lawful O '? prize, q a kiss ior every Derry f.wift as an arrow, off she flies Alert and ever wary. Q Then, with demure and blush- ing face t Where love and mirth aro 7) blended, j ' She hies her to another place J Where mistletoe's suspended, ? And underneath the fateful C !) bough c So daring she tarries, f. Then murmurs, "It's much bob- 4 "3 ter now, r O Tills has so many berries!" c. Kdyth F. Kelley. ? "'l-CC-l-00-J-Ol-CC0001C-C For the New Year. For strength we ask For the ten thousand times repeated task, The endless smnllnesses of every day; No, not to Iny .My life down in tho cause I cherish most, That were too easy, but, whate'er It cost, To fall no more In gentleuess toward the ungentle nor In love toward the unlovely, and tc give Each day I live, To every hour with outstretched hand , Its meed Of not-to-be regretted thought or doed Ethlewyn Wethernld. THE NEW YEAR'S GIFT. The Story of a Little Boy and Little Girl and Their Animal Friends. The little boy and the little girl had many friends among the anlinnls. There was Iho rabbit, the turtle, and the owl and the proud bluejay and pretty, cheery robin. The old gray goo. e nnd tho speckled guinea hen and the quack'ng duck and the strut ting rooster nnd the clucking hens were their fi lends, too. So were the pigeons and the old black crow, and the little, frisky, si limpet ing siuiri el. T'h se friends all knew thnt early N"v Year's morning the little girl and the little bey would go to the ever-i.-re. n jilaj house for the gift the New Year brought. Nobudy had ever t,.l I thf little girl and the little boy that the New Year would bring them a gift, but all chililr. 'ti know n gre1'. riany things that nobody tells then. The evergreen playhouse wan a beautiful circle of evergreen trcr... with an opening on one sld for n door. This playhouse had i; ly t',. sky for a roof, so it was very gay I iheerful. A stable for play stood in the center of the house. All these bird and animal friend? of the little girl and boy thought it would be nice to bring New Year's gifts and lay them on the table lu C o evergreen playhouse - fine, good, New Year's gifts. So early New Year's morning the 'it tie boy nnd girl went hand in haim to the evergreen house and stoo.l quietly Inside the door. Then they looked at the table and there saw all the beautiful New Year'. gifts. "Feathers!" shouted the little boy when lie saw w hat some of the bird had brought. "Feathers of sill sort of colors! I know what I will do. ' am going to make nn Indian war-hop net that Is a war-bonnet! n perfect beauty!" "Oh. see the red grains of corn, and the yellow grains of corn!" cried the little girl, as she saw the present the barnyard fowls had brought, "I'll string them for a necklace!" "Oh, goody, look .at the nuts!" laughed the little boy, as he saw the tin's the sriuirrel had brought; "won't they taste tine!" "There's my little doll - the one I lost!" shouted the little girl. The sharp-eyed crow had brought It back from his hiding-place. "And there's my lucky penny!" shouted the little boy. For that ras cal of a crow had brought that back, too. So they laughed over their pres ents until all their animal friends crept In to see. "Come!" cried the little boy, "We'll all have a dance around the table!" So around they went; the birds nnd chickens, the scpilrrol and the crow, and all the friends, squeaking and quacking and crowing and chirping nnd cawing, while the little girl nnd boy sang "hi, hi, la," to no tune at all. just because they were so happy. ".Mercy, children!" called their mother, who came out to the ever-gr-en house to see what was going on, "what are you doing!" "Just having fun!" answered the little hoy. "Oh, the- mostest fun, mamma!" called the little girl, "with all our friends!" Jessie Wright Whitcomb In January St. Nicholas. A Faithful Failure. To look back upon the past year, and see how little we have striven and to what small purpose; and how often we have been cowardly mid hang back, or temerarious and rush ed unwisely in ; and how every day and all day long we have tratugreosed the law of kindness-it may seem a para dox, but in the bitterness of these dis coveries a certain consolation resides. Lite is not designed to minister to a man's .vanity. He goes upon his long business most of the time with a hanging head, and all the time like a hliud child. Full of rewards and pleas ures as it is so that to see the day break or the moon rise, or to meet a friend, or to hear the dlnnereall when he is hungry, fills him with surpris ing Joys this world is yet for him no abiding city. Friendships fall through, health fails, weariness assails him; year after year he must thumb the hardly varying record of his own weakness and folly. It is a friendly process of detachment. When the time conies that he should go, there need be few illusions left about him self. Here lies one who meant well, tried a little, failed much surely that may be his epitaph, of which he need not be ashamed. Nor will he com plain at the summons, which calls a defeated soldier from the field, de feated, ay, if he were Paul, or Marcus Aurelius! hut. If there Is still one Inch of light in his old spirit, undishonored. The faith which sustained him in his lifelong blindness and lifelong disap pointment will scarce even be re quired in this last formality of laying down his arms. Give him a march with his old bones. There, out of the glorious sun-colored earth, out of the clay Hiid the dust and the ecstasy, there goes another Faithful Failure! Robert Louis Stevenson. New Year's Novelties. Small boxes filled with stuffed dates, a calendar pasted on each cov er, are quaint novelties for New Year's. On the calendar may be writ ten "May your dates be as full oi pleasure nnd prosperity." Small photographs of a hostess her self mounted on calendars make an other pleasing gift and one that Is ap preciated by ono's guests because of the personal touch. If used as place cards the guests' names may be writ ten on the first leaf of the calendai pad. IN AN OLD HOMESTEAD '6V Sre,o)e Tract liuv-stZn", Hood I'.lder Ilapwell's mellow fare Still gazes from Its oval frame The banjo clock hangs In Its pla. The landscape paper Is the san.e. And all the chairs correctly stanu In quaint prec ision, ns they wc i. Winn Mother lluldah's tidy ham! Guided the household unde r h. ; The Ure-dogs keep Iheir faithful i;.i:,r, I'poti the hearth, ns years n.r The haircloth sofa, stllff and har.l. The little windows, deep and The china plate.?, the pewter wa:. The mantel shelf, the chimney u,,r: Arc treasured with exceeding car- And look Just ns they used to In..-;. Here Amos Ilapwcll brought his l, One New Year's day, as reiTc tell; Here cares began and multiplied. Yet herc was paradise as we''. Within this room love daily found The helping hand, the che. . word ; And with Its deepening life, the :c , Of children's merriment w;s lir.i - i. Then camo the heavier toll and --i ... Through later dnjs of hope ,i doubt : Here faith held company with pa n Whe n glow of health had fa ! I out; And when at last the girls and h.i..-s Into tho world had gone their w:,-, A silence took the place of noise. And all the week was Sabbath .l.r. The elder -ad from Holy Writ, I'.y eanti -light, with lluldali tie;,;-, Pcfore the hearth they used to sii, Knowing the Lord would soon a. pear. Ar.d by and by they fell on sice;., Peyond their threescore year.? at; I ten; And to tills clay their children k. . p The vacant room as it was then. NEW YEAR'S COLLECT. Lord, another year has wrought Changes with deep meaning fraught; Give us larger understanding Of the lessons Thou hast taught. By Thy hand our stars were t sent Forth into the firmament; J Help us lift our starry guidon To the height of Thy intent! t Slow In anger to condemn, T May we Wrong's dull tide-wave stem T With the righteous wrath of 7 Sinai, t And the love of Dethelehem! Oh, 'twere shameful If, at las:, f All forgetful of the past, I We should weld In roaring f forges J Tyranny chains to bind us fast! In our hearts let hatred cease, And tranquility increase; Teach us .hat the God of Dat- ' ties Is not less the God of Peace. f It sufficeth not that we j High before the world stand free, "j We must still with infinite ? striving T O'er ourselves the victors be! In our pride doth lurk defeat If with dragon-wrongs we treat; Strengthen us that, like St. Michael, We may break them 'neath our feet. Meredith Nicholson. A Good Beginning. "I tried to start the year right." "In what way?" "I began it with a brand new checlv book." Dorsetshire folk firmly believe that If they meeta mad bull on New Year's morning it Is an almost certain siga that they will shortly go on a Journey. .,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers