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PUBLIC LEDGER COMPANY
cvnus in K ci'ims, rsir.Nr.
uittD. W. Ooh. Beeretarr, John C. Martlh, Treararef
CJ-aifn II. Ladiaitoti, r-hllip S celllna, John n. Wl
Wama, plrettott. i
' EDITORIAL BOAItDi
CtacS it. K. Coins, Chairman,
WHAI.ET Bbtfcutlre Bitter
&
l jJllTlliKlWll"" I .11 ' "' Ml '!'! '
3HUK,fe MAHT1W Central Bualntia Manaatr
V.', fublahed deity at PCDtiti Ltrau Dulldlns,
independence square, j'nuaaeipnia.
tXvota CxsinlL Dxii1 end Cheitnut Stmt
AtUKrio Citt Prttt-Unlo Building
Jftw Tans 1TO-A, Metropolitan Tower
OlilOlOrt 01T Home Insurance Dnlldlnr
LoXPd.v S Waterloo rial., Pali Mali, S. W.
NEWBUUItEAtiSl
lllvn finiein Th ralrlol nufldln
lyuantxarox llcniuc The roll nulldlna
Naif ytnuc tlnug Tha Tlmri Hulldina
Icsujr JJunr-iD Co Prledrichitrari
ijoxims ijebfau z ran Juan Earn, b w.
.J I HII itIHIl U.am, O V,
. .33 Ilu Louie te Orand
KARIS utmun...
5
8UBscmrTio:TEnM3
Ulf carrier, D.tr.t OLt, alt centa Ily mall,poslaM
en I Mi n of Philadelphia, except whera foreign poajace
la rKiulre.1. DAII.T Oni.t, one month, Iwenly-flve cental
lljll.r OitT, one year, three dollars.
All man auo
acrjption pa)aois in aarance.
BpU, 3000 WALNUT
KEVSTO.NE, MAIN 3000
', Bar Addrrtt oil romiiiunfcalfona to Evening
a e&0tr, Independence Square, rhttadetphta.
jrr -amifi it1 ' Ji" , ! , . r "."J
' aNitstD jiTTitHrmt.ioLiHH rosTorricn in arcoNO-
' f cuss Halt, mattct.
UlllAUKLTIIlA, TUK3DAV. DtCMtnEU 22, 1914.
' " '
27i! BcjJ drcjjfrf man or woman is tho one
whose clothes arc paid for.
t
Muddle, Moro Muddle and
Discrimination
THE discrimination ot tho conl-cnrrying
roads against Philadelphia has been na
", toHotis for years. Tho Public Service Com
, mission's decision on this point Is conclusive.
Not only has this discrimination existed, but
It has been energetically persisted In, despite
publicity, nnd ovory user of coal In tho city
a And tho metropolitan district has in effect
' been paying1 an extra-legal tax. It amounts
In tho aggregate to millions.
Moro than that, the decision puts tha roads
on tho defensive in other particulars, tor Just
us notorious as tho discrimination in coal
- rates has been tho discrimination In other
tariffs. It would appear that an effort has
been mado to bottle up Philadelphia and
f divert tho trade that rightly belongs to It to
other cities. Tliero is no other plausible ex
planation of export traffic passing through
Philadelphia and on to another port.
Tho situation Is unfortunate for many rea
sons. Tho roads havo been hounded by
tricksters and demagogues for years, who
. have fastened on them all sorts of parasitic
growths. They need money, rovenuc, and
, they need It sorely. It Is a bad timo to de
prive them of intake The country has been
. rejoicing that at last th.cy wore to havo a
' lighting chance. But It is Just as Important
c that tho roads play fair as it is that they bo
b treatod fairly. Their last state will bo worso
.' than their first if they do otherwise.
r The answer Is rato equalization In both
freight and passenger business. "When this
is accomplished a horizontal increase of 5 per
cent., or even moro will bo accepted by tho
- country. So, too, public opinion will compel
the Governmont to pay adequately for tho
transportation of tho malls. Also, wo sur-
' misc. it will second tho motion of the rail
roads' that tho oxtra-crow law and other un
necessary statutes bo repealed. But It Is not
going to stand for discrimination.
The entire situation is muddled and unsat
isfactory. Perhaps a new commission will
havo to bo formed to Invcstlgato the Inter
atate Commerco Commission, and all tho
other commissions, big and little, in an effort
, to bring order out of tho increasing chaos.
It Is a case of tho sort that requires a Phlla-
l dclphia lawyer to do tho untangling.
Law Greater Than Thaw
HAKRY It THAW has been one of tho
most pernicious parasites with which the
country has been encumbered in decades. Ho
has been able to back his wild Imaginings
Wjth murder and money. He cheated tho
hangman, and then undertook to cheat tho
Insane asylum. Ho has played with courts
and Justice, and hold up to mockery our
j tribunals and institutions. His career has
. been an excellent example of how the safe
guards of freedom can be taken advantage
ot by a derelict able to pay his way.
j The country has not been particularly In
terested in tho quibbles centring about the
rights of a State in the extradition of tho In
tan e or in sombre arguments devised to pro-
vent the enforcement of Justice. It baa been
Interested in seeing that Harry Thaw" is put
1 fytck in safekeeping, where he ought to bs K
'i tji security of other citizens is to bo assured.
This la the view the Supremo Court haa taken
la a decision which Is characterized by abun-
' dant common sense. It will be applauded
by thQ country in general, although there
will be, of course, a coterie of persons, neu
rotically Inclined, who will continue to look
, xjpon this paranoiac as a victim and martyr.
' Clear the Way for Brumbaugh's Policies
"tjtTHEN the people of Pennsylvania elected
VV Doctor Brumbaugh Governor they did it
Yrlth tho full approval of his platform, and
with the expectation that this platform would
be enacted as legislation. In order to fulfil
that mandate the Governor must have as
Sptalter of the House of Representatives a
, p?n who is in genuine sympathy with the
policies indorsed by the voters. Standing in
tyio, very forefront of bia pledges is local
ptlan. As a temperance measure It is fair,
, m 4?h and effective.
'Representative Richard J. Baldwin, of
Delaware, is a candidate for Speaker, and he
13 openly hostile to looal option. Representa
tive Charles A- Ambler, of Montgomery, Is a
, candidate- for Speaker, and he U frankly in
favor ot local option. If the next eesolon of
the legislature la not to be controlled and
jjminattd by tho liquor interests Ambler
- sfcaylfl be selected. To have a man like
3k$jgb&ugn s Governor but to tie hla hands
jafeUfmf tryuut uo uratjiuuo iiix$ rtrausyiva-
St not to do cauea upon to dear. Tne
must be in harmony with the Gov-
aiid those who ar trying to nullify
Brumbaugh's power should be re-
Vukeri at Ute vry begmmng or tM admlnls-
tvwMCB-
tui iMis.iiap
Lei the Cftmnnwion Purge Itself
mJ PM1 &rH C4m(sJioa bgan
J,WrtfiV tW ejty m Dswwibir 18 In
Jiflir w thf smimt eommutmm $mlm
; c t(vpoI ld-ur of ti&m by te nUlrvnd
fm JDcrabr tli PnnrlvuUa RUrw4
y tarn m wawiwu tmm t
tm iA iwrWwter o4y 4Mtfed trom
wMntU awetl hv tfe liaWhi
CNMMHNMtoa-
sMdhwMy in the efawivl M uett ttet
ifc mtw t b sti fcie svideB of an
hiWSft rtiii totu bleji ttM Pyl-
oa um ro4 m bhb
hmfixm te Mm Qlty vw kMl mn4 th
Ltattmg
it Was seerolly In confcrenc6 with railroad
oftlclnta and gavo to them in advance its de
cision. In tho circumstances a. rehearing Is Impera.
tlve. There must be no delay about It. More
than that, tho inquiry must bo exhaustive,
I with particular reference to comparative
f commutation rates, and tho chargft that Phil
adelphia In being called dn to pay for mag
nificent facilities nnd service furnished else
where. Let It bo a fight to the finish. This
question of discrimination has been whis
pered on tho streets too long. It must bo
answered now. Tho city wnntsto know defi
nitely whero It stands.
But beforfe tho present commission is com
petent to net it must prove beyond question
Us purity heretofore. Unless It does this,
there can bo no proper hearing of the Issue
Until a new and less gullible body has been
appointed.
The Coming of "Billy" Sunday
T)!t.rjY" SUNDAY, known formally ns the
& Itov, William A. Sunday, D. D., Is com
ing to Philadelphia to deliver his message.
Ho Is not coming of his own accord, but In
rcsponso to nit Invitation from several hun
dred clergymen, laymen and churches. His
message will startle Philadelphia, for some
times It ts llko the thunder nnd lightning of a
mountain storm, although at others It is as
sweet and refreshing as a gcntlo spring rain
upon tho lowland fields. But It Is the mes
sage of a strong man, a fearless man, an
utterly earnest man. Howover much people
may differ from Sunday, they Invariably come
to respect him, bccaUso he is transparently
slnccio and elementally simple. Ho preaches
tho Gospel with all tho vim and vigor with
which he used to play baseball.
"Billy" Sunday must be judged by results.
Ho Is not a theologian, and doe3 not profess
to be a polished scholar. His words, and tho
manner In which he delivers them, rivet tho
attention and grip tho conscience. If a court
of law could be constituted and evidence
submitted from tho various cUIcb in which ho
has conducted revivals, tens of thousands ot
witnesses would bo willing to testify that
under his preaching tho wholo courso and
character of their lives have been changed;
tho chains of evil habit wero broken, tho fires
of passion quenched, the craving for liquor
removed.
Employers of labor testify that the "Billy"
Sunday movement is worth supporting for
Its economic Influence alone. Workmen be
come sober, Industrious and ambitious. They
hit tho trail, and then without shamo live a
religious life, as If it were the natural and
only life to live. Men and women of every
kind, from tho wealthiest, most exclusive and
highly educated down to the outcast and tho
neglected, participate in tho movement and
proclaim their gratitude for benefits received.
None Is compelled against his will to partic
ipate. As Philadelphia Is a city of generous
and broad-minded tradition, those who
cannot sharo the enthusiasm of tho meetings
will ungrudgingly give the right of way to
those who do.
One of tho most noticeable results of the
Sunday meetings elsewhere has been a stu
pendous Interest in tho study of the Bible.
Within tho churches and in outside and often
unlikely places a large numbor of classes for
biblical research arc started, and in conso
quence tens of thousands of men and women
become mora intimately acquainted with the
sacred Book. And multitudes vow their Uvea
to fighting booze. If the results In Philadel
phia are commensurate with thoso obtained
In other places, this city will be stirred ns it
has not been since tho days when George
Whltcfleld preached In lt3 streets. And alt
good men and women will give "Billy" Sun
day a hearty welcome, whether they agree
with all of his views and methods or not, and
will wish that his work may bring a great
moral stimulus to the city.
Sporadic Crime Wave
DEPREDATIONS by what would appear to
bo a well-organized band of safe-crackers,
operating in the heart ot tho business
section sinco tho holiday season opened, need
not of necessity be taken as an indication of
laxity or unfaithfulness on the part of the
police and detective departments. As com
pared to other largo centres of population,
particularly New York, Philadelphia's record
from a police point of view has been excel
lent the past two years. To Judge correctly
such criminal outbreaks time must be reck
oned a factor and an average struck. That
the busy shopping seasons afford best oppor
tunity for such feats of nocturnal dexterity
has been demonstrated, and that, too, despite
the most vigilant exertions of the guardians
of public safety.
Diverse Fate of Twin Demons
THE Czar suppresses vodka. The French
outlaw absinthe, Kitchener warns tha
British soldier against drink. The Kaiser
tells the German brewers that If the war
lasts six months, they must cease using up
tha grain. Is It any wonder that ministers
speak of the European war as the greatest
enemy of the liquor traffic in the worldJi
tory?
But what about that twin-demon otiSMh.
day sohool excoriation the cigarette T'The
BnsWsh army welcomes It as a, comfort and a
nerve quieter In the field. An American com
pany prwenU iba Rid Cross Society with
10,080,000 cigarettes to send to the front. And
the gn!al head af that relief organization
blesses the gifts by arranging for l) delivery.
WJiat a, blowl
I.I.. . i-.
It will wt be a. white Christmas far Mr.
Tha,w.
i in l I i i l i i JUW I
PAflwjcs sme of the Counailmen think that
twt dwlera should be atUfled with
imiuualty batjjs.
HP I i I MSI 1IP"I1 HI
Tfce Italtefut art the. best siratsiaU-they
ar holding th,ir Mp intact without firing a
A e-od rute fer a Puerile Sarvlca Commis
sion te fallow t net tm If the railroads Knew
wfct it U going to d.
Kloanc CommiUse of Cmytails bas not
kUM Ut bw Uom1s iw yC. The court
wUi bav sMMtbing to sy afcout that la tba
The sr4tu diateulty hout tie JtftlM
ajuttaA if U wet lfct b wsliqf &
vromm i tfcMv in &tmmrinm, M tta
THE SCHOOL VIRTUES
AND VOCATIONAL LIFE
Education for Earning n Livelihood.
Patriotism Vcrsua Taxes Extension
of Vocational Training a Question
for the Next Legislature. -
By NATHAN C. SCIIAEFFEK
Stita Superintendent of tSiblle Tnitructltra ,
THERE nro certain rudiments of nn Eng
lish education which tho pupils must ac
quire In order to become adjustod to our
American civilization Theso must be mas
tered, It matters not what vocation tho ln
dividual may enter in order to earn a live
lihood. In every occupation the individual
should know how to read print and script,
how to write a correct letter, how to reckon
In matters which coins up in his line of work
or business, how to consult a map nnd grasp v
a routo or travel, and how to interpret tno
drawings which He at tho foundation ot our
industrial life.
Moreover, every good school inculcates cer
tain habits, without which tho Individual
cannot hold a Job or fill a position In any
industrial establishment. Habits of punctu
ality and regularity, of accuracy, voracity
and obedience, of politeness, self-control and
solf-restratnt nro acquired from tho very ac
tivities and atmosphcro of a good school.
When tho will cntcra Into these and makes
them tho law of life they beco.mo tho school
virtues, which He at tho foundation of all
success In vocational life. It ts well known
that employers prefer boys who havo been
faithful at school to those who have played
truant nnd given all sorts of troublo to tho
teacher and tho attendanco ofllcer.
In tho effort to teach tho rudiments and
to provide sanitary school buildings many
boards of school directors havo gono to tho
limit of their power to tax. And as soon
as a school board goes Into specialized forms
of vocational education tho cost of running
tho schools Is greatly Increased. That tho
schools will need moro money to establish
departments of agriculture, domestic sclonco,
the household arts and manual training Is
well known to every student of education.
Whence the Money?
Many rual districts find It dlfllcult to keep
their schools In operation seven months, oven
whon nothing Is attempted beyond the com
mon branches. Municipalities llko Harris
burg, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have dif
ficulty In raising enough money to pay pres
ent salaries and to givo pupils an all-day
session In the high schools and in the rap
Idly growing sections of tho city. How to
get moro money for an extension of the fa
cilities for vocational training will be one ot
the perplexing questions during the coming
session of tho Legslaturc.
Tho war tax which we oro to collect in
time ot pcaco will tako $13,000,000 out of
Pennsylvania and lessen to that extent the
sources of revenue which can bo tapped for
educational purposes. Tho corporations are
at present paying $12,000,000 Stnto tax, or
almost one-third of tho amount which now
goes Into tho Stato Treasury. With the rail
roads struggling to cover their running ex
penses and with a marked depression in most
lines of corporate activity, it 13 a dlfllcult
task to see how moro money can bo mado
available from our present sources of rovenuo.
In a, few places private benefactors have
como to the rescue and given ot their wealth
to aid In working out new phases of edu
cation. C. SI. Schwab gavo to Homestead
a fine building with a splendid equipment
for manual training. M. S. Hershey donated
a building for a consolidated school in Dorry
township, In Dauphin County. It is sup
plied with filtered air and the latest Im
provements, and Is easily tho finest rural
school building in Pennsylvania. Charles
Lytic Lamborton, Esq., a native of Carlisle,
but a resident ot New York at tho tlmo of
his death, bequeathed over $200,000 to es
tablish and maintain a school in his native
town for tho teaching of industrial, mechan
ical, technical and scientific arts. William
Harris Boyer, of New York, has done great
things for the borough of Halifax, whero a
new school building, erected at his expense,
was recently dedicated. Let It bo hoped
that tho day Is not far distant when a rich
man cannot die in pcaco unless ho has done
the handsome thing for tho schools of the
community In which ho spent his boyhood.
A Sign of Patriotism
But the major portion of tho revenue for
school purposes is dorlved from local taxa
tion. People are enthusiastic over vocational
education so long as they can make the other
fellow pay the taxes. It Is an unmistakable
sign of patriotism If the citizen cherishes a
willlngnes to pay a Just Bhare of tax for
the support of the government and tho edu
cation of the people. jAn effort wilt, without
doubt, be made to make certain forms of
vocational education obligatory, but it Is a
question how far such legislation can be
carried into effect unless new sources of
revenue for school purposes can be pro
vided. Moreover, it should not be forgotten that
a pupil at the age of 12, 13 or 14 has neither
tho time nor the strength for many of the
forms of work In the smithy, tho foundrV
and the various other forms of work In Iron
and steel. The same is true of many forma
ot work on the farm, The most discouraging
feature is that the average advocate of vo
cational education considers a trade school
a good school for his neighbor's son, but for
his own son he desires a different type of
education.
With the small appropriation made by the
last legislature agricultural departments
have been established In high schopls ot 11
counties. Evening schools for miners have
been established and conducted in a number
of places. Cooking and sewing have been,
taught with most beneficent results In sec
tions where the foreign population Is In the
ascendant. And a most encouraging Inter
est haa been shown In the evening classes for
farmers which have ben organized in eon
nsotlon with the agricultural high schools.
The least expensive and most effective form
of vocational training is found in the com
munities where boys spend part of the, tips
bi U9 shop and part of tltc time at sohpq.
As vaeaaoies ooour in the shops the trained
boy Alls tbe place; and tle taxpayer U ml
bfffdv to feot tlie Mil for iSU maehlSM
and raw matwlai. Tb pta pf tlr)ul!g
tbe instruction ip a contiauatlen school haa
been tried in Suropean schools with marked
tilOTf" Many advocate Um ajtepUen of the
ptajk by our Awvicaji sweats; but few
WfiHfft tM wils)? te tMf(tat that Ute boy
HMt Wi a part U Mm Stwday in sueh
taMntetlsB, m it ttt msteat a.nA tn soma
BMW w in couutrtotr s ths other aid
of the AttamtJc. i
Jg Ji achool lajfiliio it 4Mubt b brse
tn Mted. oit the 0Ae ajft4 (Jjt ta lw cu,
" SAFETY FIRST!"
' f J . flHLLY" SUNDAY'S H
jT r S4s4-ii CAMPAIGN PLANS M
' U , W HK "lr fflffi'Jl '7iir'lT' 'S" "Lrf.ww. "" tammmv nMV J 5IHtI
' ' iff a.rsssssBrJ' ijJRv- iXW'-ftSi Wl,l1",W T,,'''vJtt 'MiyJ
aJhSHK Ilm '-' ""
.fMM!4Hs3lHHiaRi S,HMJir-
schools cannot be kept far In advanco ot
tho demands of public opinion. Public senti
ment must bo created to back up the school
legislation which Is put upon our Btatuto
books; othcrwlso tho wisest laws will be
and continue to bo a dead iottcr in tho
school code.
AS THE SOLDIERS SEE IT
Christmas at the Front Friendly Interchanges
Among "Enemies."
From the Kamas City Star.
THE soldier moles of tho two armies In
tho trenches becomo moro friendly with
each other ns Christmas comes nearer. Dis
patches from tho war front In tho last few
days havo told how, in the Intervals between
killing times, tho mon In tho trenches, only 30
yards apart, swap tobacco, shoot at marks,
sing for each other, exchango newspapers,
and In other ways let tho humanity in them
leak out.
Ono story told how tho British soldiers
shouted across to tho Germans:
"Givo us a song," and tho Germans sang:
"It's a Long Way to Tipperary," and, after
finishing It, called on the British for a song
nnd they, not to bo outdono in courtesy,
sang: "Die Wacht am nhcln."
Another story wns of a well between tho
trenches, tho only water within reach of both
armies, and by mutual agreement, tho British
first went nnd filled their canteens; then the
Germans filled theirs, and when all wero
supplied they remembered their business and
resumed their shooting match.
Does any one suppose that thoso men, kill
ing each other all day, would not stop it
quickly and go back to their families, or their
sweethearts, and their work If they had their
way about It?
Imagine blue-eyed, blond Hans nnd a Ca
nadian Tommy meeting each other between
the trenches. After shaking hands a con
versation something llko this takes place:
"Can you lend mo a plpo of tobacco?' asks
Tommy.
"Sure." Hans fumbles in his blouse, gets It,
hands it over and while Tommy fills his pipe
Hans asks:
"Where are you from?"
"Western Canada."
"Oh! Whore they grow so much wheat.
I've read of tho big farms out there, ten
times as big as my father' farm, and wo
think In our country tlint his Is a large
farm."
"Where are you from?"
"From near Danzig.-",
That's over near where the Russians are
fighting you folks."
"1s. Say, why do you come away qver
here, across tho ocean to fight ub?"
"Well, we aro a part of the British Empire,
you know, and yoi Germans are trying to
wipe us out of existence. Now why do you
want to do that?"
"Wo don't want to do that'
"Then why are you fighting us?"
"Because ypur British Empire is trying to
push Germany oft the earth."
"Oh shucks! Say, Hans, Jo be honest with
you, I don't know why we're fighting."
"Neither do I."
"I do know, "though, that I'd llko to be back
ill Calgary for the Christmas holidays." He
fumbles In the Inside of his khaki blouse,
brlngn forth the picture of a pretty, rosy
cheeked Canadian girl, hands It to Hans and
says;
"That's her." w
Hans looks at it in admiration and brings
out from within his blouse a photograph fcf a
charming German girl, hands "It to Tommy
with the remark:
"There's mine."
"We were to have been married th,ls Christ
mas," says Tommy.
"We are to be married next May," says
Stans.
"Providing you don't leave your bones in
one of these trenches. Maybe a bullet from
my own gun will kilt you."
'GretQhen would never forgive you If she
knew It." f
"I wouldn't want her to Hpow It-1 wouldn't
want my own girl away off Jn Wetum Can
ada to Iraow it."
"Well, there's the bugle, gall. So lane,
Tommy. !temem,ber me to that 8'rl In Can
ada whan WW write next.1
"Qsedrby, Hans; thanks fgr tile tobacco,
and 8lv my regards to (Jrelahen in your
next letter " . (
Tha Chriitnus Spirit
The wwld ni tatfcsr isere 9f th 14-fajh
ywei th ebwr aafe that are the
Very WMWe ef the lat that b Massed )i
surety ttawsh H animii, ..,,,
It U atrUtd, uM, mMelt aWL wW
ttatlwrJw fcMwstli tn&r
sUeal 1st ibobwvawM UuU twul U erffe
i reUjrtw, but embraca all ads w4r Its
HUrff M aKXt will.
Jut Wc tt,r i tt vr a a
ail Uie Lob sud uoarapkiyuiaat ca t
Miar tk ltloc la ttr tba afar .
in wr wm rw mqb m w i mm mn i"
alack, ef ChrUtnwa
m s&'mmMi.mnwvm8m& rrrrirsr' '
ISA, i
i
CHRISTMAS STORIES FOR YOUNG AND OLD
An Excursion in the Literature of Yuletidc Talcs, Some of Them
Famous and Some Little Known, "Which Breathe
the Spirit of the Season.
By FREDERIC A. CHILD
rftiid.nl of the rhlladelphla storr TtUen'
WHAT would tho Christmas-tldo be with
out Christmas stories! Surely It is tho
timo of all tho year when every one, young
and old, welcomes stories breathing the
Christmas spirit. And to meet this demand
what a host of stories havo boon wrlttenl It
would, indeed, be almost hopeless to attempt
to make a list ot all the Christmas tales over
written. Since our own Washington living
told of "Old Christmas" in England In hla
"Sketch Book" or Charles Dickens produced
his "Christmas Stories," their numbor has
been legion. Yet, lest wo bo confused by
this great mass of Christmas stories, it may
be worth whllo to attempt to cull out somo
of tho most successful.
Itecently several well-known story-tellers
wero asked what they considered to bo tho
best Christmas story for children. Surpris
ing as It may seem, the answer was tho same
in each case. But whon tho story they rec
ommended Is compared with other Christmas
stories, much of the surprtso disappears. Said
ono: "The most popular Christmas story for
many years tn this country has been 'Why
the Chimes Rang,' by Raymond MacDonald
Alden. This story Is told everywhere In
schools and churches, Sunday schools and
other groups, told to young and old, rich and
poor. In fact, It has becomo a Christmas
classic." And when tho same question was
put to thoso in chargo of the Children's De
partment of the Philadelphia Library, which
Is doing tuch a splendid educational work for
tho children or Philadelphia, the answer was
the same.
Mystery and Miracles
This story by Alden is printed In sevoral
editions of Christmas stories. It tells of a
little boy who through a great sacrifice was
unable to attend the Christmas Berylce in tha
brilliantly lighted church, but how his gift to
tho Christ Child was moro acceptable than
tho nlfts of kings and nobles, nnd how con
sequently the chimes In the tall tower wero
heard to ring in testimony of the gift's ac
ceptability. This brief story employs the
supernatural in the mysterious ringing of the
bells. It emphasizes most vividly the Im
portance of cheerful sacriflco and charity In
the Christian life as contrasted with the
glitter and show of the false conception of
the Christian spirit so common among man
kind. Fol'owlng closely "Why the Chimes Rang"
in popularity are van Dyke's "Tho First
Chilstmas Tree," to be found In that author's
"The Blue Flower"-; Ruth Sawyer Durand'a
"The Voyage of the VVee Red Cap," to be
found in a volume, entitled "Children's Book
of Christmas Stories," edited by Dickinson
and Skinner, in which will also be found
"The Fir Tree," by Hans Christian Andersen;
"The Golden Cobwebs," by R. II. Scliaufllcr,
and "Tolnette and. tha Elves." by Susan
Coolldge. All oPthese are appropriate for
young children, for in all, except van Dyke's,
tho supernatural plays an Important part,
either through the medium of elves and
fairies or through some other manifestation
ot the miraculous.
For children to whom fairies and goblins
are no longer acceptable, stories dealing with
the origin of 'the Christmas tree, wjfh the
origin of Santa Caua and with stories ot the
Christ Child will be appropriate,
Ejtor!es concerning: the first Christmas tree,
or centring about tha tree, are numerous.
Besides van Dyke's "Tb First Christmas
Tree." there are "The First Christmas Tree,"
by Lucy Wbeejoek, to be found in ''Children's
Book of Christmas Btprles," and "The Balsam
Fir," by Mary E. Wllklns Freeman la her
"Six Trees." ,
Illitorieal Background of Stuta
Many articles, liaye been written on the
htarlw.i bAgkffrpuad of Santa. Claus, Bbaw.
ing how He evolved from the good Saint
Jjfaholas, a,ndrQW the celebration of his
birthday, $s December e. got mixed with the
BalabraUejt of the Nativity. One ot tbe latest
oj tUaae was a well written artlele In thfi
OutIoR of December SO. 1913. It wHi!d ssra
the act ofwl9dom to ezpialn to those children
Whe bftve heoome skeptical oacnnir Santa
Die trua' significance of the aalbrat!W of
(3feri4s ajM the giving of gifts.
.tatftft ha.vMa founded ura M
KfaHntai w wum tiesa M
ptilW BjRMf turn Twq In the
aj)k of OhrlaUsM StPHta" are
JM, naraaly, Franco) Copne
"Uttte WeMt' Wooden Shoes," m) a Oar
ma ieal. "a tur t tin) uirtit Cniw."
Tbia UUU iu bsu su.uaf utty presented to
children mmm of tableau mtwantHMtad
by riMNr f tit te, A ivm known r-
tjpH
Lccgue.
by Maximo Du Camp, to bo found in a vol
wmo entitled "Christmas Stories From the
French nnd Spanish," edited by A. Ogden.
Another class of children's stories worthy
of noto Is tho purely historical, telling how
Christmas was celebrated In the past. Anno
Holllngsworth Wharton's "Christmas in
1776," to bo found in "Tho Last Century Maid
nnd Other Stories for Children," nnd "Tho
First Now England Christmas,!' in Stano and
Flckett's "Kv'ery Day Llfo in tho Colonics,"
aro good examples of such stories.
Dickens and After
Without a doubt tho most popular Christ
mas story among grown-ups Is Dickons' "A
Christmas Carol," Dickens himself tells us
that "ho wept and laughed and wopt again"
over it, "and excited himself in a most ex
traordinary manner in tho composition." A
close second to tho carol In popularity is "The
Chimes," concerning which Dickens said "ho
had written a tremendous work and knocked
the Carol out of .the field." Tho reading pub
lic howoypr, has not rendered Its verdict ac
cordingly. Both of these, stories breathe a
spirit of kindliness and good-Will and a con
sideration, for tho less fortunate. Who can
read of Scrooge's different visitations and not
feel convinced at his sudden conversion, and
who, reading this story, ts not affected much
in tho same manner as the author, and Is not
inclined to weep and laugh and weep again T
Mrs, Kczziwlg and Tiny Tim nro household
words, I and will remain such ns long as the
language Is read.
The fashion set by Dickons has been fol
lowed by many writers, spmo of whom have
been able to produce little moro than a. weak,
imitation of the machinery of "The iChrist
mas "Carol." Tho Christmas story takes it's
Inspiration from the spirit of the time, a
spirit glowing with an Interest in Llfo, Lovo
and Reconciliation. The celebration of tb
birthday of tho patron saint of children, St.
Nicholas, long associated with the celebration
of tho birth ofr- Christ, affords Inspiration
found nt no other season of tho year.
, Entertainiug, But Unfair
It would, however, bo too much .to expect
that tho wonderful happenings and sudden
conversions and reconciliations ot the usual
Christmas story shoujd not meet; with a cer
tain amount of ridicule and satire. One of
tho most successful of theso, carried out with
a close ndhcrejido to the dream machinery
of "Tho Chrisdmas Carol," Js Frank Stock
ton's "Stephen frkarrldgo's Christmas," found
In his "Story Teller? Pack." Stephen Skar
rldge is a second Scrooge whose cynicism
takes the form of collecting his tenants' rent
on Christmas Eve. Where money is not
forthcoming he confiscates personal property.
A dream Is closely followed by his conver
sion In the form of most generous bounty.
The story ends with the question. "Have you
ever read a sfory like this before?' And, of
course, the answer Is, "Yes." Another such
story Is George Ade'a "Mr. Payson's Satiri
cal Christmas," to be found in hla "In Babel."
Entertaining as these are, perhaps they ara
unfair, for the Christmas story la essentially
a story of miraculous happenings for chil
dren and grown-ups; for chlldrenMn their
more mature, grown-up moods and for ther -elders
in their moods of childishness.
WHERE?
Wherea the Christmas Spirit all the other timea
of yearT
Wonder where It goes
geems to sleep or doze.
Wonder where It hides its little sparkly smile
of aittar.
When it "twaw K "ttle wnga and flies away
WqndK where it hibernate, and what lta causa
foi frT
Where's (ha Christmas Spirit all the other tlmts
of yaarf
Pleasant 1UU splrlt-Uut It, never im to
grow. "
SUs a little whllc-r
Wanner grows' ife salt"
We m grasp lta coattaila, twtJT alwav msi.
murs: "No, ' w
"Vom haveit't learned to held roe. s9 I wHy have
to go.
LtaUoj; you tu common tbltiga. Ilka taara sad
pain and woe " '
Pleasant little apirlt-but it never sterna in
giow. r
Wberaa the curiuji
rlma et vawt
Spirit all tha tbe
Cools' we tuk it aiay
If we Uaraed th?
Would It grow auiatu
4
'mid it aiwwn
4
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