* U * X How It Originated.
How It Is Secured
For the Market, and
Some Interesting I.etf
cnnsrmas ends ° f t,,c Dim past
r By
I ppn WALTON
A A CC WILLIAMS
Copyright, 1904. by American Frrss Association
TUB Christinas tree goes so far
buck into the night "1' time that
it is quite impossible to tell
where or by whom it was first
introduced. Almost every country has
its legend claiming for its own the tree
which bears such generous fruit, in
Scandinavia it is said to have sprung
from the "service tree." which germi
nated from soil soaked by the lilood of
two unfortunate lovers, a claim sub- 1
Stantiated by the statement that at
Christmastide inextinguishable lights
gleamed from its green branches. In a
French romance of the thirteenth cen
tury a great tree is described whose !
branches are covered with burning
candles and on whose top Is the vision
of a child with a halo round its head, I
the tree and candies representing man
kind and the child the infant Saviour. !
A beautiful German story credits St. j
Winfrcd with giving the Christmas
tree to the world. The story Is illus
trative of the gospel supplanting pa- i
ganism. Before a group of converts :
St. Winfred felled a great oak which
had been an object of the worship to
the Druids. A line young tir tree im
mediately appeared In Its place, on see- i
ing which St. Winfred said: "This lit- i
TAKING HOME THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
tie tree, a young child of the forest,
shall be your holy tree tonight. It is
the wood of peace, for your houses are
built of fir. It is the sign of an end
less life, for its leaves are ever green.
See how it points upward to heaven.
Let it be called the tree of the Christ
Child. Gather about it, not in the wild-
Wood. but in your homes. There II will
shelter no deeds of blood, but lovlnp
gifts-
Many Germans hold that Martin
Luther first conceived the Christmas
tree. One of the most popular of Ger
man engravlntrs represents him sitting
in the bosom of his family, with a
lighted Christmas tree on the table
before him. Luther was traveling
alone Christmas eve. The snow
covered « Wntry and the trees gloamltu;
it every with the reflected light
of the wl itler moon made upon the
great reformer the deepest Impression.
Going home, he went Into the garden
and. cutting a little iir tree brought It
Into the nursery, put !»ouie candU on
its branches ami II;. I ted them to re
produce the effect c- the beautiful
moonlit tre« - hi the ton »i.
Antiquarians comic • the Christuma
tree with the gre.-.i tree Ygvdn -il of
Norse inytholopx or w !, t| , pine trees
of the liotnr.n saturnalia, n.e Mgun
forerunner of our Christum* Other
look to the nn< eot Kuypllntw a» orlg
limtors uf the plot Tli men were
Wont to eccorate their hoe it ,u i|,,.
time of the whiter ,• ( with
hrauche* of the it to p-i| c: of
Imworta! Tv and of tin- • arHt lir
meat. In ti ni aeviil time* t'ei « n
tradition thai i■ dim !nv. t« ' a JJ.
luuiliiHtei' t . c--. were u 'by
the Jew« In |l.ell t i, Lights,
which wan valvhrnP I m ttil MHIHUH
other children. The doll noticed that
lie had great blue eyes, which seemed
ever so large us he looked womleringly
fit all that was going on. Then there
came a knocking on the wall, and the
children knew that it was a signal for
them to get hack to bed and not take
cold, and back they scrambled, laugh
ing and tumbling over one another,
and covered themselves up.
Presently the father and mother
came in and distributed the toys. The
doll wis for one of the girls, but the
boy insisted on having it himself. Then
when all were loaded with presents
they carried them down to the break
fast room.
What a day it was! The children
were racing about, playing with their
toys, and people were coming in con
tinually to see the presents, and tlie
sun shone brightly on the snow out
side, and the lire shone brightly with
in on the brass andirons and fender,
and after dinner stories were told the
children till they were all astonished
by the number of wonderful things
that happen. The boy with the light
hair and blue eyes lay in his mother's
arms, hugging the doll with her breast
pressed against his, so that she could
hoar liis heart beat. and slip wondered
why there was no such boating in lior
own heart. This was the happiest mo
ment she had ever known. She was
only a day old. but something told her
that nothing in the world could ever
make her happier.
\\ hen the children went upstairs the
boy Insisted on keeping tin- doll by
him till he got Into bed. when his
mother persuaded him to part with it
till morning. She placed it on a chair
before the tire where lie could nee i
till he should got • sleep and the tirst
thing on awakening in the nioruiug.
When the children were all asleep
the didl looked up front the chair a;
the images on the mantel She was
100 happy tog i t.i sleep.
"What a lovely day I have had," she
laid.
"Just wnli," replied the bay linagn.
"till you lime becu knocked ah tut the
world awhile and you'll sc lie look
ftl us \\ ise ni an owl.
"1 ililnk It xer\ nice," snld the girl
linage, "s > long as y m are y am:. and
pretty, but I don't like th< >■ ■ i t
tllij, old and cia. ke I, perhap; liavlu;
my arillH or lets br iketi o 112."
The wind was rising without, an
mtddeulj the fro bhtxitl with a chccr
fill warmth. It wi.' very pie ,;i fr>
IIH Idle bill pr« ently It seienc ti he
to > hot, 'I e I 1.1 I !•• 111. hi .• I ,11 t I
feel a b ifieiilug 111 he.- fe •• i< 1 |u"i
kit >w what ii mount, hit li iriuhteiitd
her. |l Mil M 'el I I 1,, 112 lag . I ...
fell It tu l:« r arms nud at last in her
fiv lilld I'Ce' . ,\|i i W ill fvi,
110 ol tin ro.ilH. nil., ll,e tire hi'4*l |
111: . h .(ter th in we Tli t| ill felt i
l« nelthu; away.
' V 'u re u IIIIB," h.i!J b•> Hwun-
CAMERON COUNT Y PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER ai, 1905.
ou the mantel. "It's just as well; the
world Isn't all like this household."
"It's just as well," echoed the girl
Image. "Your beauty will not have to
fade."
"I don't want togo," cried the doll
mournfully. "I want to stay with my
blue eyed boy. The world may be full
of sadness, but there must be pleasure
as well, for It is here."
There was something so plaintive in
her voice that even the images refrain
ed from any further remarks. The tire
blazed hotter, and the wax, which hart
as yet only softened, began to melt
Something spattered on the floor. It
was a drop of melted wax.
Ob. Unit her little boy would pet up
and move her back from the fire! Tint
he slept on peacefully, and as she had
110 voice for real children she couldn't
call to him.
So the doll fell that she was melting
away. Drop by drop she fell on the
floor. The room, with its rich hang
ings, the children sleeping, the Wrelight
flickering, the shadows and, above all.
the memory of her brief existence for.
after all,- a doll can only exist—seemed
: to be gradually fading away. She sigh
ed to think that she couldn't have been
I born with a soul, to bo loved and go
j 011 loving forever; that she could not
grow up like a real child to see the un
folding of all the wonderful things In
j the world, passing from one existence
I to another instead of going out alto
j gether. Then she thought that she
; might never have Ik-oii born at all,
j never have had the one glimpse of the
| happy household, the one Christmas
I the blue eyed boy and her single day
j of love. So she said: "I can't under
; stand it. I will try not to murmur, but
I trust that It is all for the best."
j And then—and then she awoke! The
horror of melting had only been a
: dream. She had fallen asleep before
j the hot lire, but some kind hand had
drawn the chair back, and in a few
j moments she was again clasped in the
fond arms of her blue eyed boy.
CHRISTMAS IN MEXICO.
' Hon* the Day ffc Oleliriileil In tin-
I,ami of Dlnx.
In Mexico Christmas eve Is observed,
as in Spain, with the Xoclie Huena. i
; The streets and plazas are thronged '
| with people. Of all the shop windows so
i gay and brilliant in their holiday at- '
tire none is so bright as the confection
er's. Nowhere is the confectioner's art
carried lo a greater 1 ■ rfoclion. At ,
midnight of the Nocho i.m na all Mex
!«• ) forsake;; its plea lire; and repairs
to the Misa del (lalio, or mass of the
! cock, a high mass of the most impos
j ing character, which, in every one or ;
the magnificent temples reared by the
; Catholic church in the City of Mexico, j
is celebrated exactly at midnight on
Christmas eve or morning to conimein
; orate the Saviour's birth. All the ;
| churches have an augmented choir and i
a large orchestra specially engaged for
the occasion. The mass is celebrated '
with every concomitant that can
heighten its effect and grandeur.
Clii-lxlmnN Day In ItiiKHin.
In certain parts of Itussia the chil
dren at Christmas eve begin playing '
pranks that are as odd as they are j
amusing. Chief am ing their drolleries
is that of disguising themselves as ani
mals and in tile assumed costume of
wild beasts disporting themselves
through the neighborhood. As many ;
skins as possible are secured, aud in
these the leading leys are clad. Wolves,
bears, ostriches even, are represented.
All of the bays gather in one party,
those who are not posing as brutes
forming a train far the escort and dis
play of the psetulo menagerie. Some !
act as keepers, holding their disguised
companions in cheek, while others star
tle the quiet of the night by rude j
strains drawn from harsh and primi- ;
five lnusnai instruments. Torches arc
borne, and in the lit ful light, opposed
by black shadows, the scene is at once i
grotesque and vivid.
A Tlioiikli 1 ft: I 11 nulia nil.
What is more touching at the holiday !
season than to see an old man planning I
a pleasant surprise for his aged wife? j
"I's tryin' ter raise money enough |
ter git my wife a new dress for Christ- i
mas, sail," said i'ncle Kbony to Mr. !
Featherstone.
"Ah, I see. You want me to give you i
some chores to do. uncle, eh?"
"Well, no, sail. 1 t'ought perhaps you [
could git do old la/ly a job at washin'. |
sah!"
4 lirl«l niav l*ri»Nrii In.
The giving of presents ou Christmas j
day undoubtedly owes Its origin to a i
general Idea to carry into practice the !
biblical mandate, "Peace ou earth;
good will to men." At first the j
lords made presents to their retain* iti, j
and the season was marked by nil' j
versa I charity. My degrees the practice ,
of Christinas giving spread until now j
everybody gives his or lior friends pres !
ents.
\\ liy 'l'n in in > In lint ii 14 I'i-ua iii'«*.
Orandina Are you looking forward I
to your Christinas dinner, Tommy?
Tommy Yep. grandma, but not u
mudi as .lohmiy Jones.
Orandmu Why *n, Thomas'.'
Tommy IIU grandma died last j
week, ami he'll gel all her I 'rNHlilll
turkey
t llUlltflllftC i •» III* ft* MA •!«••».
Ill* chanu'« »l I*.11»u11>
Slipping nit Ills Caen the Santa I 'tans >
ma«k, lie made a triumphant entry 111
l«» the parlor With tin- bundle of toy*.
Tbr !*«•! \i-raux Ilia- I'ra-xnl
»>h ft it-I.. . I . I, , 1., ,
I
A Hit »l I . |h| || h Ik IM*
]
CHRISTMAS AT SAN DRINGHAIV
How I lie Roy n I Family of l.rent llrlt
ain <
The royal family of Great Britali
j keeps up Christinas at Sandringham it
I a right royal and old fashioned way.
Tasteful decorations with holly and
. mistletoe abound everywhere. Every
i one comes down to the dining room,
I where breakfast is taken en faniille,
j Every one has presents for some out
; else. All the servants and tenants arc
I remembered, so that there are many
happy hearts on Christmas morning.
Substantial joints, geese and turkeys,
j with other good things, have a delight
l ful way of turning up at the very
houses where they are most wanted.
After breakfast the royal family and
guests and the ladies and gentlemen of
i the household goon a tour of inspec-
I tion to view the decorations, aud then,
! provided the weather is flue, they
] walk to church, which, of course, has
! been tastefully adorned in appropriate
and approved Christmas fashion. On
the entry of the king and (jtteen the
congregation rises —that is the only
formality observed. The king's donies
: tic chaplain takes the service—a bright
choral service, with Christmas hymns
I and an anthem.
Then comes luncheon—which is the
children's dinner attended by the
king and queen and other members of
■ the family. The Christinas pudding is
j brought In, blazing up merrily, to the
| intense delight of the little princes and
: princesses.
The late afternoon is the most excit
ing time for the juniors. The doors of
a certain room have been kept rigor
ously fastened since the previous even
ing, her majesty and other members
of her family having duly dressed a
large Christmas tree therein. The door
is opened, and the whole party troops
in, while the royal children evince the
greatest delight at (lie Christinas tree
ablaze with lights and weighed down
with presents. Afterward all sorts of
games are entered into with a hearti
ness and zest that must surely appeal
to every one.
Dinner comes along at 8:-l;">, to which
all guests staying In the house and
many of the household are invited by
the king. The king and queen and
guests assemble in the drawing room
first, and then a procession is formed,
led, of course, by their majesties, who
are followed in order of precedence by
the others. The tables are laid in the
grand salon. The guests are seated at
small oval tables, the king and queen
sitting opposite each other at one, and
are waited on by special footmen.
Boar's head, baron of beef and plum
pudding are the staple dishes of the
royal Christmas dinner.
After dinner there may be a dance or
a command performance in tiie state
ballroom, the walls of which are deco
rated by g irgeous Indian trophies pre
sentiil to his majesty when lie visited
that country.—Pictorial Magazine.
Tlie I iiivcrsnl DCNII-C.
She was superbly dressed iu the pin
nacle of fashion and would have been
beautiful but f"<>r a certain stern, busi
nesslike expression that rather marred
the sweetness of her face.
first looking up ami down, she dart
ed swiftly info a narrow passageway
and was so.lll knocking at a door cm
blazoned with the legend: Oie i
Margcrino. clairvoyant. Future Fore
told."
The door opened.
"Where is the signor?" she nervously
demanded.
"In bed. mum."
"Horrors! What's the matter wilti
him?"
prostration, brought on by
overwork."
'"Over work?"'
"Yes. mum. Since September he's
been busy peerin' into de future fer
people wot wanted ter know tie value
uv < 'hrislinus presents iley wuz gain'
to get so's they'd know how much ter
spend on theirs."
Stifling a shriek of despair, she speil
away on the hunt for some oilier clair
voyant.—New York Herald.
The Animals
At Christmas
SAID S&nti Claus, "*Tia Chriilm&i eve
(The animals looked pleasant).
And each of you will now receive
Him yearly Christmas present.
But I'd be glad if every guest
Would mention what he'd like the best."
The Tapir said: "That pleases me.
I'll state succinctly, therefore.
If I may be so bold and free
The only thing I care for
Would be those matches on the shelf.
With which I'd like to light myself."
His wish was granted- Then up spske
A timid little Adder:
"Sir, but a trifle it will take
To make my Christmss gladder;
A slste and pencil, if you please.
Would let me do my sums with ease."
The Krindeer ssid : "You may believe
I'd be a happy fellow
If I were sure I would receive
A good sized umberrcilow ;
And also I'd like lour golosh>
Us and a rubber mackintosh."
I he Pig a fountain pen desired {
1 lie Cow tin horns requested;
The llcrse, (or a new hat scquired.
His g'a*ituile attested.
1 he Caterpillar said: "I am
Proud of my caterpilUrsham.*'
So all oI them were gay and #lsd.
And they were Itsppy, ter> ;
fhey liked the presents that the* had
And waaed eacec-ding merry
Dear humaas. at >our Christmas feasts.
I*rs» % loiun Irwm the b«i»ts.
l«iul>n Wsll» mi Mssder.
I »4H'*il nifty* on every
11 * A Quaint Tale of
i JO I I Life In the Nun-
ery When Little
-a o , Boys and Girls
Christmas i-y t °- a
By LAWTON JOHNSON
Copyiight, 1904, by C. N. I.urie
ON'K Christinas eve a wax doll sat
ou a chair in a pretty room in
which a number of children
wore in bed. A lire was burn
ing 011 the hearth. Stockings were
hanging to the mantel to be lilled with
toys for the children who were sleep
ing soundly, doubtless dreaming of
what they were to receive in tlie morn
ing. The face of one of them, a deli
cate, fair haired boy. was turned to
ward the doll, and she did not tire look
ing at It, for the face, though pale aud
thin, was very delicately molded.
On the mantel were two figures in
porcelain. One was a boy in an old
fashioned coat and knee breeches, with
a sasli around his waist and a cocked
hat and feather. Ills right hand was
thrust into his coat In front, and he
looked like a figure of Napoleon. The
other was a girl, with a short dress
and a sailor hat. Her head was poised
one side, and she looked very well
satisfied with herself. Indeed, she was
very pretty.
"How do you do?" said the girl im
age to the doll. "Don't you think this
a pleasant room?"
"Indeed it is. but I've not see many.
1 was only born"— She paused to
WRITING TO DEAR OLD SANTA CLAUS.
' think again when she was born, but
couldn't remember, so sbo said Instead,
"Isn't It a beautiful world?"
"Do you think so?" sold the boy.
"My sister and I have bad a hard time
getting into it. We were baked in it
I furnace, and it was s<> hot"
"Well, don't lell me about it." inter
rupted tlx- (! >ll. ' I'd ratber hear ahoji:
pleasant places."
The figure;: told her n great many
things, Inn the girl was very vain ©i*
her beauty, anil the boy was taken up
with what he knew about the world,
of which the doll knew nothing at ail.
so she didn't listen lone but foil asleep
while tliey were talking.
Suddenly she a wok. v.itb a start.
M hat was that noise in tl< chimney '
Khe bad scarcely tin., t,> think übou:
It when out oil 1 lie hearth popped a lit
tic figure 111 fur lie unst!'a|.pcd a pad;
he curried ami tilled nil the stockinvi
with toys. Then lie liii iii back Into
the chimney and wan go; <• inn twin
kling. I Ills set Hie <1 il I woitdiH 111
more than ever
Kverytliltig was agn.. « i cue
the clock, which t|. i . ier> loii.l
There were the clilhlrci i.Mli-ep' in l» |
the little pale fined b..\ with his • i|
tenting on bl* arm. the girl ima„-< on
the mantel with her bead on otic si.te !
tMaktag tow prrttj -i.. »i h,. |
boy thinking how much hi knew about
the world Tile doll mhui unit to «i><c!>
a train
In the nun Inn n|j< «u ~ kcii |
by u Nhmilitui The cbiiiln i were run
llillg ulhiiil m tin i n't ' i ullie t.ik
inj; their lot* fr,.n, u , : m i.: ( h.m „|„|
« Mkc iiiotiKi ; ! '»■ full I iff
H tM) mil ll|< id | »•*' | , , llif.l mi 112 4,1
1 '• ' •• mi i ilke tiic
The Greeks also rail Christmas the
Feast of Lights.
Tlie Humans in their saturnalia dec
orated trees with images of KOIIIIIB
gods as well iis with < unites aiul hum
e<l Villi- logs in liouo!' of these gwda
The early Christians, however, frown
ed upon .-ill such pagan adjuncts to iiu*
Christmas celebration. With them ilte
feast of the Nativity was the extreme 1
of solemnity, and they were as much
opposed to Christmas trees and lights
music anil laughter, as were the I'urt
tans.
The first authentic account of me
Christinas tree i. not ree >r.led until the
sixteenth century. It appear- in a Gel l
man manuscript, and, as the <lcrmaiiE
responded least to Latin inlluences of'
all the nations which fell heir to 111*
Koman empire's lands. t > them rather,
than to the Itouuuis must he aseribc&
the honor of introducing it. It WHE<
the marriage of Queen Victoria i is.
German prince which brought tiie mod
ern Christmas tree to Knglaud, and «.
German immigrant started the custom'
in America. The tlrst Christmas trt;e>
In France was* lighted in the Tuileri**"
in 1840 I »y the Duchess Helena.
To view the great heaps of Christy
| inas trees which line the market streets
! of our big cities jusi before tbe lio'H;
i days one would fancy tlint scarcely n
| tree could be left standing of (lie unif
' muring hetuloeks which consti tilled
j Longfellow's forest primeval. Ky*, gy.
j hard timber state fn the I'liiou 'is c:;I!
Ed upon by Santa Clans for its trilnil.fi
I of redolent balsam that he uinv havi
( plenty of places oti which to ban;, !•'
presents. 112
There is only one true Christmas free
the balsam lir. The hemlock proiu*
' has branches too drooping and flexit>!«
I to hold m great weight of (Christina*
gifts, and the spruce, while otherwise
• suitable, hicks the spicy odor of lilt
balsam. I'lils is fortunate, for flu 112 '.'f
most prized for Christmas purposes is
utterly despised by the liimhef<u*'|L
Before ihe Christmas tree industry
gan the lir lands of .Maine were actu*4
ly exempiev l from taxation as worth
less. Now they arc \\ »ri!i from sl»> t»
fin nn acre.
The ( 'hrial nut> tree cutters I egti
work early, usually abou the mlddU
of **» tohcl \\ bile some o! f|H> liicii 1
entitle others follow them an<! j
the trees to the nenre«t open stviefe
Where I hey lire hunched utid tie «.
that the) will iif>i come apart it. a! !;»
pitiK At the ceiireMt depot 11 . «
loaded Oil ears. ¥.{MIH trees to the e»r,
The i ten r«s*eive #1 ,"n» i da\ 4
I toon I It take seven Men v> oil. 4
live week. 11l I # el oul ihre. eurlo.iils
I'lte Chi ->l iii, i irt <• output de| i-e • 4
good de IL Oil tlie WIMCII I \V!f u
open full, when Ihe iree* me . i<
get at, il .1 crop Mill 1 11111H1 In
III. ILL IK , , r„||, t
Im>MVH> if tit. NilllM till its Mini I
feWH * »li tl«t* t'l.»nc|i«'4 it 111 it k« • !!»•*».
HN.I tl«»t »»»••.«♦*