' 9 r" wwdllllMSi & I j CiilrflitsMiiS II Muni I ==^o ==^o HIS sleigh iiml reindeer re-en fore- j ed by fast trains aiul ocean : liiitTs. Santa Clans Is deliver ' ing :i much larger number Ql presents every year. Thel'nited State:- ' |> I antliorities say the Christinas ■nail tills season will far exceed in vol tune that of last winter. And then It ' vas tremendous. With every hamlet, town and city j sending out and receiving its quota, | millions of letters and pa clonics—some l>v special delivery. many registered find others with ordinary postage— i travel from and to all parts of the na 1 ti'in. arrive from foreign shores or pass out to them. There inv ahoui su.ono, ( t persons in this ••■>untrj. A ma- ' jority of them both semi and receive < "i linn l i 1 from me to several < T • n pie • • .-!• T!" -rive a faint id' if the ext it oft! ' v. rk that tall . )II the i ;l . utli iritie . V- 1 ■ ier i the 1: • art of the city or on i- i ! erj rot ' ' 1 rrier Is loaded i! i\ n with gift- remembrances . . .v. literal ilie The letters he l.inst (li'livi .re easily i ree times as many tis in ordillM' ■• ■ an. but Ids {Treate ; burden is the packages in luiui? "ab! '. back breaking pae' iges. Hut if th e.irrii •• i are w > k"d hard, !ow about tli • p )stotHce cleiiks? lie sales the it:'Teas'd anient of matter . they have t • handle. they e ud be par , ' ——' ■ KASTA HAKI i THi: ."OSTiIAN S HACK. AClll'.. ticnlarly < ir.>i'ul that the regulations of the department are not being vio late.! .Matty articles of merchandise Sire prohibited transmission in tile | mails Violations are frequent he cause of ignorance. (JIM- thing that causes extra .ork for , the Idler wirt >rs is the pe.-tillar ad tires-es on many letters and packages.- j Aside I ruin the t htiusanils of missives ! sent to Santa ci hi-, there are those j with Mimic such address as "('are of ; Lieutenant Peary. North I'oIq," Ptu j '/A'! inlilr 's-.cs are not uncoiiimon, and, j although p'islollice people enjoy them | Oidinarily. they do not at Christmas I t'me. A frequent form of address is a drawing ol a plum pudding with the ' inline, si reel; ami city written in minute ! characters on i leaf of ;i sprig of holly at'the top. The greatest center of postal activity in the world is probably \ew York city, l! i-. by far the largest mail dis tributing or shipping point on the con tineut, receiving postal inntter from 112 ireign ( amines, from the north, south and w< -.! !i also has an immense for eign j ,t: l-i on that sends home vast Jittinb :ihi i"v orders and register «".l t die In the nii<l of the < 'hristnias rush nil iM ;■■ ■:? ii<• ;,hiin registered parcels end < '.(i 11 |•. -rs an hour are received at th ! "g:i mail station in New- York licivntly one ship sailed for Ihiropa with :!;<Miii sacks of ordinary mail matter and almost 73,00(1 register ed pn-lmgcs, while another ve-sel car ried away half a million dollars In Wmey orders D. W. DOW. Brio not isuow liis name. Perhap it was Tom. Most cats of his per suasion are called Tom, It is a sort of noncommittal name and Is <io burden to the cat. Mark Twain lie once killed a promising bunch or. ( '.ls by overloading them with names. lie called them Zoroaster, Sour Alasli, Apolllnaris and Blather skite. I once knew a cat named Plupey Sh uI e, but be was fairly husky and did •lot*seem fo mind It. We might com promise b,v calling this especial feline Micawtier. He was always looking for something Mostly It was for some thing to c«I, and when It wasn't that It was.for trouble. Mieowbcr had had a hard life. What iK'lweeit Utc world, the flesh and the smalt" boy he was up against it most of the lime. As i kitten he had been roared In < omparativc luxury, but that time now seemed to liiin. when he thought of i| nf nil, like a dim. sweet dream. Mostly he did not think of it. liciug (*i» busy with everyday affairs, such as righting, dodging stones and looking lor provender. The family where lie had lived in his happy youth li.ad mov i away, forgetting t > take 111 in : long I hi> ne'.'t occupants of the lion -e did not want him, si he wa - thrown out on the colli world. lie did not I n voluntarily. Put after being chased out. kicked out. locked out and •loused with hot water a sufficient num ber ot ilines he fhmlly took the hint that his imp i. . .s i: a lesireil. lie I did not so much mind the indignities, 1 lint rude phy sic, i assault pained anil i surprised him i ' ere are some things ' that even a cat will not stand. After that, for the most part, he I lived ill a hack alley. He slept in l) I barrel by day mi I went on voyages of exploration ind discovery by night. I He did not liml much hut tribulation I and scraps s -raps that were eatable ; and scraps with other felines. Some time.s, when driven by hunger, he veil tured out by day Occasionally he ! cac'dit sight of a mouse, a bird or a \ chipmunk. Then, motionless and alert. he would watch it for what seemed I ages. The patience of a cat is a j thing that should be immortalized on a monument. While on these daily outings he had to jump sideways and straight up to get ouf of the way of ! playful brickbats and clods hurled in his direction He became as expert in , dodging missiles as a millionaire in evading a court summons. Only Mi cawber knew nothing ahoui n illlon aires, lie belonged to the hoi polloi. Most of (he time he lived the strenuous life. II • became expert in war through many trouncings. He learned to !!<•!< everything he < mid not make live to. He had no morals to speak of and was ; never troubled b- conscience er altru ism. When living the simple life he was mild ami me •!; 1 ink'tig and had a voice as gentle and pleading as that ol a h ink agent Hut when on the war path he wins a cyclone and emitted yells fiat would wake up th.- block lie w.i; a had man from the mountains land was yearning to make the world acquainted Willi 111 ' fact. \ iw. there ;;(s and Cl's. as you I liy.i'itle-s lie ■» S -metlmes there'are ] too many of liiein, especially at night Mieawber belonged to titi-. overplus. I The cat's voice when tuned up is not | exactly like the music of the spheres, ! but attracts more attention. When ex j cited by wrath feline 1-iiil.mag • has » 1 diabolic quality that -ounds like bias pheiny So dos the laugn ge of the man who is stirred out <>■' his real thereby. If • (Jarne « uld dh ..-over j lis I wiiat feline II talk mean he wouM doubtless bring > otti notice ' an original aad delicious array of : swear words that w . tal "iiricll the laiiL uagc. Through long |;raeticc Mieawber had developed i vol. • that ran all the gamut of liid 1 oitaai'sv. |i -i-ooted through all tie -. ales of dis> .1 and embraced '.II the -taxes of iidutrmony. It was not inu.seal. but peio'irming. It was chaotic •rimiiial and assault provoking. It expressed all that is fiendish and male olent. It had in it the despair and error of a i >st soul, the wall of a defeated demon. It was a scandal, an outrage and an infamy. The steam siren got all its sliding scale of diab ilism. ii its •■rcscendo of cussed ness. all its switchbacks ami shoot the chutes of the inferiialisin of sound from the feline \ - oice. Yet to regiin. Micawber's sleepy eyes, his inoifen .i • demeanor and Ills playful disposition me could not sus pect him of barb >riug such sentiments. You would not imagine that under that fluffy and unliable exterior could be rolled tip so much noise and depravity —on the oilisid - iiotTenslve and guile less riodlit.. I.i tic inside, miirilvr, riot and vice. "< 'hildlike and bland," lilii? "the heathen • hinee," he had un derneath a double portion of the spirit of Heelzebub I'll it is a cat. That was Mieawber. His life contained other forms of ea Htement. Once for a time he found a haven of refuge o a saloon, lie did not learn to tipple, for that is a form of human dcliu<p:cncy that is beyond even a cat. II • in regarded a- the mascot of the pi ie and grew as sleek and prosperous ' iking as the owner. One night th.' .il 10:1 bleu up from a defective gas ;n i .. in removing the ruins the workmen unearthed one piece of debris that emitted a wild yell and shot out of lb ■ place like a streak. It was Mieawb 'r, denuded of hair, but very much aliv • Many emotions were expressed in that yell pain. rage, ter ror, hunger and the outraged sense that follows the betray il of childlike faith. He had trusted and in return had had hurled at him a large section of earth quake and destruction, out of peace ful sleep he had >een hit by a house, hurled what se eued miles upward anil had fallen back to be pinned down un der a rain of broken bar fixtures, frag ments of free lunches and smashed beer bottles, there to lie imprisoned in the blackness of utter darkness for what seemed uneuding ages. What way was this to treat a defenseless and unsuspecting cat ' What had lie done to the world that it should blow him up and trample on him In such fashion? In time, however, his wounded feel ings and skin Ueuled, his fur grew back and he wus once more ready to make a presentable appearance in company. Even cats feel some delicacy about venturing into society with most of their clothes ripped off. Still later in bis career lie was taken in by a large and matronly woman with an amiable disposition anil-a dou ble chili. Here be regained his faith in humankind and ceased for a time to be a howling pessimist. Having had a little orltlcc cut for him into the kitchen entryway. this he wore slick with his freiptem coinings and goings. But some stray cats- also learned of the hole, so a small door with binges above was placed over the opening. This hurl Mlcawlier's icelings, and he mewed piteiusly until one day flic small boy of the house pushed him through the hole and showed him how the door worked. Kver afterward he asked nobody'-. ..ssistance— that Is. in going out. Cut when it came to get ting hack. Hi it wash different matter. At first I 'she I against til" door, but litis he i - head and did not effect the (iesu" I result. Then lie mewed l'"iii-ill.!r c ■ vorked il our with CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1906. ills small cat brain. J'.vinj; 011 bis back, ho pawed the <lc>or open. then by a sudden squirming motion was through the bole bcfr ,r " " eoulil close again. After that aehieveinent he arched his b:iek and w'alk d as prou'lij us though lie had whipped the liigges; j Tom on the block. Nor diil he forget | the trick. Finally the family discov ered him at it.and neighbors ca:>o to I see'his cleverness. If this caused him j any pride, however, he never showed 5 it. Cats are not atllieled with swelled \ head, even though they have no ethics j worth mentioning. "\Vh<ln the family whom Micawbei j tliail honored with his presence moved I away to 1 ' a distant city it was with j sincere regret that they were forced \ to leave him behind. A i tlie house stood I vacant for a time lie again became a j wanderer on the face of the earth, a j tramp, a stray, a vagabond. So once more lie betran carousing and disturb- j ing tlie neighborhood, lie had a per ennial appetite that never was appeas | oil, a craving that never was tilled, i Mieawber was a hau 1., une cat anil 1 valiant withal, and among the uomle | script I'elilles if ail coiol ae.d 11 1 coloi to speak of lie shone resplendent in a j tabby coat, striped like a tiger, lie had ; now reached an age when any well j 1 emulated eat should have - -111• >d down and become si respected citizen. Per haps it was a sense of his unrcgonerate 1 ciiwlition tba cau-.-d him to cast 11 bout : for another home. I Hiring iiis wander ings he stoppiiil at a bam and a farmer gave him milk fresh from the cow. There were three dogs on the place, and .Mieawber did not stay. One wini lT'S da,\ lie especially fell the lie d of a new life. Perhaps it was because he...as cold; a!-• • hungry. It j seen led to him that he was always hun gry. lie was a bundle of appetite, an I animated void, au incarnate longing. This particular day. which was to j prove a red Setter one in his career, he wandered far from his usual haunts. Finally espying a slightlj open door, his "Id domestic habits the best of him. ami ho ventured in.it was Chris; mas. bill be knew nothing of 1 halt, be ing a pagan and heathen by nature. Perhaps in some subconscious way he was sent as a Christinas gift to the lit- j tie folks there, but of that he also was 1 ir. ign Tanee.. When mn 1 Inside. I lie Louse si eiucii 1 deserted. but it \v;is warm. That was the main thine -\<», not <|iiitc the main thing. for the inward gnawing contin ued. The « M rnnl nature of a eat is as stroll# as that of some people. The ' only object in the universe now worth see Kin win a dinner. Suddenly lie caught an unmistakable seent that , made his nerves tingle and his mouth ; water. Surely that was milk! Alienw ! ber's unerring instinet 1 icateri it on a nearby table, and with a single spring he wa ■ there, lint the best laid plans not onl,\ of mice and men. but ul-o of eats, go oft astray. There .wis certain ly milk here, hut in such p. ■ niiar guise that his feline brain could not make it out. Tlie nursing bottle was a new thing in his experience, lie gave il up. Next lie espied another cit, one that looked lil; ■ a very small edition of himself. It reminded him of his own days of kitletihood. when h 'had played with a ball aud r <:iiped his way into the hearts of tli • children. ll"was nit with mt sentiment, and. hungry as lie was, lie would stop to make friend - Leaping onto the table where the small cat was seated, he proceeded to make advances. Hut never a word said the other cat. lie advanced rim > er, but the kitten did u it even deign to notice him This was rank disconr i te.sy, and he went away in disgust, j Stuffed cats were also a new tiling to j Mica w tier. Venturing on his hunger driven way. lie suddenly became rigid iu every j limb. He knew that odor. What cat i docs n:>tV It was a mouse. But ! where? Again hi- instinct directed him to i the spot. It was on a table in the kitchen, and with a bound lie wa there. Yes, here was the hole —two of them, in fact, ('lacing his nose down j in cat fashion, he disc overe I which hole the mouse used. Knowing not 11 j ing of the mysteries of traps and that ! this particular one had caught a small j rodent only the night before, he vit | down patiently to wait for that mouse j to come forth. There Hie dstress j found hint when she ret timed from u I hurried call to barrow s >nie extra ; spoons for the Christmas dinner. Out I of her iarg' heart she t i>k pity m the ! wandering feline, and lie was reward- j cd with ;» liberal Christinas helping oi j his own. He was forthwith adopted i and settled down to an old and re specie*! cathood. Only In* was not called Micawher. but by th • more appropriate. if more ; commonplace, name of Tahliy, Of h's j former wai.derings and adventures le- j toid me himself as he purred out Ids I content and gratitude at his new found j home. t.iire of Ihr !»•►*. Dogs vary greatly in their appetites. Hid occasionally we And a dainty feed er who Will nose over a mixed dish of food, picking out a bit here and there and showing but little relish for what he does eat. This is an evident sign that something Is wrong. Changing his teeth, if a puppy, thus disturbing his system, may be the cause, aud iu this case a little cooling medicine should be given. Tin- \Snral Purl. A professor of Trinity college, Dub lin, overhearing an undergraduate mak- I Ing use of profane language, rushed at ! him frantically, ciclaiuilng. "Are you aware, sir. that you are Imperiling your iuimort I -md and.v. li.at is worse. Incurring a line of."i drilling*?" Proof. I'die—Were you taken by surprise when le' p'Mpo-i'd. de ir? HI la—flood ness. ye \\ by. I hadn't even looked up his tinaoeii' fsi.i|i>ig! Ally Sloper. Of Ladies and Children's Trimmed and fijg Untrimmed Hats, Coats, Skirts. Waists, Furs, Underwear, that we arc going to dis ill - m pose of in the next two weeks regardless of dk Cost. zz_ zz_ __ H| Millinery Coats j|| S!» Ladies and Children's hats. Ladies SB.OO Coat now 54.9S Ladie> 52.00 and 53.00 hats 9N Ladies 10.00 Coat now <>.oo |gj| Ladies 4.00 and 5.00 hats. . 51.98 Ladies 1 2.00 C«.:it now . 7.98 jg3g Ladies 6.00 and 7.00 hats. . . j ladies 16.00 oat now . n.oo jggg gjfoj Ladies 8.00 and 10.00 hats . 4.98 \ Indies 20.00 Coat now 13.50 jgg Children's $2 00 and 53.00 hats.. 89 \ Children's 54.00 Coat now . . 1.98 |g2 Children's 4.00 and 5.00 hats . . 1.99 j Children's 56.00 Coat now.. . . 3.49 Ladies 53.00 fnrs now ... £ li custs j® l?Tvi 11- r Ladies SI.OO while lawn waist now .411 pv® Ladies 10.00 nits now ... . Children's 53.00 fnr set now 1.49 j waist now. .78 rM , c Ladies 5i.2S white .Madras waist .7^ JlWi Children s 5.00 fnr set now . . 2.98 ' ' /-m -,i Ladies 2.00 white Madras waist . i.iq ger^B j&JjJ Children > 7.00 lur set now . .4.00 1 A / / tS Ladies 53.50 white and colored silk Ladies 53.00 skills now. . 51.69 waist 2.49 /g»g Ladies 00 skirts now 2. yt Ladies 54.00 white and colored kR Ladies 5.00 skirts now. >•''> s waist. . . 2.98 MSi Ladie.- 6.00 skirts now >. Ladies 55.00 white and colored KdJj Ladies s.oo skirts now. . . 4.08 Silk waist . 3-'^9 V / WE have also the largest assortment ever brought to yjg Emporium, in Ladies. Men's and Children's dressed and pft iIS undressed Kid Gloves. G-olf Grloves. Mittens. Underwear. Hh gp Hosiery, Neckwear, Ribbons, etc. Christmas G||| Sy For the shoppers of Holiday Goods it will ti^SEia be to your interest to see our display be ! fore purchasing, as we have the largest *P|?j assortment ever shown in Emporium. ! Mj(| ® Bargains forall. § I You Get the Profits! We Invite you to call whether you buy or not. Sp No trouble to show goods. | W.HCRAMER. |
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers