pr Let this day soe all wrongs forgiven, Let peace sit crowned In every heart, Let bitter words be left unsaid, Let each one take his brother's part ; Let sad lips learn to smile — A day ls such alittle while ! Of all the days, this is the shortest ! Let rich and poor together meet, While words of kindness fll the alr, Let love spread roses in the way, Though winter reigneth everywhere, Let us know naught of craft or gulle, A day is such a little while! Of all days, this is the shortest | Let ©s heals each with loving care, Our brother on the way to heaven, Let's lay aside all selfishness, Let pride from every heart be driven, Let Christruas Day bring many a smile, A day Is such a little while! Of all days, this is the shortest! SALLY JACKSON'S GRIT. A CHRISTMAS STORY. | DON'T like this mornin’ Mary, observed old Corn Jackson to his wife as he stood in the back of his big log farmhouse gazing npward, * "Most wish Sally hadn't started to school; ef I atn’t mistaken wa're dae to hev a first-class blizzard. I'm sorry them Christmas exer cises wan't held a day or two sooner. Joe'll hev a fit ef Sally's missin’ ' Ah wor when he gets here.’ “Oh. stop your nonsense, Caleb," returned his wife, with some asperity, in which, however, a trace of auxiety was discernible. ‘Sally's no fool; she's been canght out in bad weather before this and knows enough to make herself and the youngsters comfortable if the worst comes tc the worst. ud think the schoolhouse was miles across the prairie ‘stead of five. Do be sensible.” Sally Jackson, their nineteen-year- One fifty on'y the | looks of the sky | door : was not a self-satisfied young man, and realized that women are complex eron- tures, often loving where none suse peot and disliking where the exact re- verss might reasonably be counted upon. Hence his perturbed feelings. He was nware that the Christmas ex- ercises at Bally's school were to be held the Friday afternoon preceding Christ- mas, and by starting early he hoped to reach the schoolhouse in time to take Sally home in his sleigh, » heavy snowfall the day previons hav- ing spread a thick white mantle over the frozén ground. Like his prospec- tive father-m-law, he, too, had taken observations of the weather after get- ting well under way, and had mentally decided that trouble was brewing. But a Dakotian en route to his lady love is not to be balked by the bitter- est blizzard that ever blew, and if Joe entertained any qualms they were on Sally's account; certainly not on his own, Sally usually rode to school on a lit- tle white pony, but that morning a neighbor had driven over in his bobsled with one of her pupils, promising to call at the school for them on his re- turn from town. This arrangement had not disturbed Sally's tranquility in the least, for she had an intuition that Joe wonld be along before the ex- | as an additional brace, Then she re- turned to the task of entertaining her scholars, It was customary for the children to ent their dinners at school, whieh ordinarily was not dismissed until three o'clock, but on this day the ex- ercises were to occupy the forenoon only, permitting the pupils to return home in time for dinner. Consequently none of the youngsters had been pro- could muster was a sandwich and two butter biscuits which Sally had placed in her bag expecting to eat on the way home, These edibles she earefully divided served some for herself let them ent on teacher'saccount, It made a sorry meal for ten or twelve hungry boys and girls, but it was better than noth- ing. Some of the older boys at first in- sisted upon starting home, but after witnessing the gale that dashed past the door when it blew open, they wer: | glad to join the circle with the rest {around the stove, near which all huddled for warmth, The cold A pitcher of water that stood on Sally's desk, twenty feet Whe | intense. Orcises were finished, and if he should | from the fire, froze solid and had to ask her to ride home with him she wounld-—well, she would offer no ob-| tions, { be thawed out back of the stove when one of the children called for a drink Bo fierce was the draught that the The schoolhouse was in the center of | thick chunks of wood were quickly a district that was not very thickly set- tled. The people were few in number and the nearest farmhouse was two miles away, but Sally's scholars had the true Dakota contempt for dis- tances, and a two or even four tramp across the prairie twice a day was of little moment to their sturdy physiques. They were sure of a warm mile | reduced to ashes in the fire, and by three o'clock the supply was so nearly exhausted that it was evident that | more must be obtained or all would freaze to death. Although the woodpile lay within { thirty feet of the schoolhouse there | was great risk in venturing out to it |1n that fearful blizzard, where it was room on arrival, for in the back yarfl | impossible to see five feet in any direc old daughter, tanght a district school in Lyons township, for which the com- | missioners of Minnehaha county al-| lowed her the sum of thirty dollar a! month. Her father cultivated 640 | acres of Dakota prairie land, and it] was his in raising corn that | had earned for him the sobriquet of | “Corn” Jackson among his neighbors. Both he sud Lis wifs were pioneer set tiers in the county where they were highly respected, the popularity of their home with the young men being greatly enhanced by the presence of their vivacio BNCCORS us daughter, whose charms fow conld resist But Joe Chalmers, a sturdy young settler living at the farther end of the county, was generally understood to be the most favored of Sally's admir- ers, good looks, abundance of | mother wit and genial disposition al- ways insuring him a pleasant recep- tion. Perhaps the fact that he neld a patent from Uncle Sam for half a see- tions of good land, on which a neat frame house had given place to the original log shack, may have added to his popularity with the old folks, whose warm welcome when he ealled and cordial invitation to “‘drop in often” when he rode away were never- theless quite sincere. There was to be a real old fashioned New England dinner at Corn Jack- son's homestead Christians day, and as Joe's claim lay thirty miles away, across the prairie tril, he had ar. ranged with Sally's parents to drive over Christmas eve and occupy their guest chamber, Joe had been mentally laying great | plans for the proper spending of that Christmas eve ever since he received his invitation. He wisely figured that | Sally would be kept busy Christmas | day, first in helping her mother and | later in entertaining the company, of | whom thers were to be several aunts | aud uncles, together with sundry | nephews and nieces, who were sure to | appropriate all Aunt Sally's satten- | tions, As they would not arrive until | Christmas morning Joe had deter | mined to do his share of monopoliz- | ing the night previous, and to nek! Bally to be his wife was the coutral | pivot of his plane. He was fully sat- | isfied that she was the only girl that | conld make him truly happy for life, and now that he had thoroughly sets tled this proposition in bis own mind he was feverishiy anxious to receive Sally's answer. That he was not in. diferent to her he felt sure, but whether she liked him well enough to be his wife was another matter. Joe his was a whole from the Sally used in brought fiver bottom, he big stove stinting. I'he EXOTOIMeS WoT little schoolro the | settlers losing their way in going from partially over in | m when the teacher | became aware of au atmosphe ric change | found frozen in the snow within the house to the barn during the progress of a blizzard and of being fifty that caused her heart to beat like a] yards of their home after the storm triphammer, for a teu yoars' residence | Was over, Experiences such as these in the prairie conntry had made her | crowded thickly on the girl's memory | and resulted in anything but pleasant sensations, an adept in reading weather signs She had seen that queer haze in the sky before and experizaced that same | But Bally never shirked her duty palpitation in the atmosphere which | and now bravely prepared to accom she had once likened to nature trem- plish the dangerous feat. Kuotting bling at the fear of impending disaster, | together some pieces of string used by The wind shrieked uncannily down the chimney, the windows rattled in their easements and the door shook so vio- lently that a chair had to be propped against it to meet the resistance, Still the girl had no thought of eur- tailing the exercises, but rather prolonging them, for, with a wisdom beyond her years, she leaped to the conclusion that the children must not be allowed to venture out in the face of the storm that was almost upon them. Lighting the lamps, 8 process that was rendered necessary by the leadei skies, she sent one of the boys ontside to close the wooden shutters and another to bring in s fresh supply of wood, Before the Inst recitation had been delivered and the dozen scholars had marched round the room with tiny American flags upheld, singing mesn- time a patriotic sir, the storm burst in all its fury. Some of the little girls, alarmed at the violence of the elements, began to whimper, and Sally, to quiet them, told & Christmas story, which was having the desired offect when the chair at the door sad. denly gave way and the latter, with a loud bang, flew open, admitting an joy blast, followed by a furious gust of fine snow, causing the more timid ones to shriek with fright, Bally jumped forward to close the door and found it an effort which re- uired her entire h. This time turned the key in the loek and had two of the boys drag a bench forward of | | the boys in playing “horse,” she made a rope long enough to reach from the side window to the woodpile, One end of this she tied to the arm of the biggest boy in the room, then nnfast- ening the shutter she instructed him to raise the window and pass the rope out to her when she tapped on the casement, Wrapping hersel! in her thick nlster she pulled the hood over her head, cautioned the frightened children not to stir on any account until her return forward in the snow, now almost waist deep. Ugh! How the cruel, icy blast han. grily leaped to inelose her in its deadly embrace. Fine particles of snow dashed into her eyes and in a few seconds formed in a solid lump, completely blinding her. But the brave girl had no intention of turning back. Ciosely hugging the side of the building she cautiously felt her way until abo reached the further window on which sho rapped sharply with a stick, Unable to seo on necconnt of the frozen snow glued to her eyeballs, Sally shonted to the boy to lean ont and place the loop in her hand, Slip. ping it over her lefy wri she then abandoned the shelter afforded by the building and boldly dashed inte the open in the direction of the woodpile. An accurate knowledge of its tion led her straight to the fuel wand, quickly gathering an armful of the sticks, sho jerked ut the line uutil she C—O ————» vided with food, and all the school among her scholars in equal propor- | { tions, and by pretending she had re- | without enffering any compnunctions | and then, opening the door, plunged | felt it tighten, when, guided by it, she staggered back to the window through which she passed her precious load, this hazardous journey before her strength gave way, Then, trembling and exhausted, she eropt along the building to the front door and stum bling inside fell an inert mass upon the floor, : “Tencher's dend! teacher's dead!” sereamed one of the little girls, where. Lat there was a { had the effect of arousing ciently to reassure the children, | of the biggest bovs he her chair near the stove, , ft ing a few min: the froze or. th building general Sally sali Two ped to an where r rest. Hes, nn snow be first she oly and co leaving the gan to dis 18 firme could open her eyes Four, B, without bilizzar [| Sally | kuew $hiine i tired s little woman! her t when help would surels she realized how great n xiety of She parents for Dick of those ts | knew he did closed her oy the curly | her lag | aeross ber Love! What was hat? home, father, mother, and | self entirely and unreservedly { Ab! she did not know ; she tell ; the question was $00 swer At that moment of ah from the storm be» Wil Ki Sally whinny rae and the CRIME 8 VOILE inmistakable ¢ let me 1n, let me Did she | him? problem was solved glad leap £1 Of Doart vente, in Lake She kn { her pulses, the the outpouring of | being to the man whose voles that she | snywhe re INE would willin k k Placing the | floor she felt her was | the next minu fol { of her lo “0, Joe, dear J¢ | “T'm #0 glad you came | would." ‘My darling, m was his response as he drew her to his breast and kissed her nplurned lips, ‘‘then gly go » 1¢ bee ned f . the world BATT. 6 111 eepin bbed, Knew on she | we, fo y darling, cord of sawed wood, tion, to make a false step meant cer. | You do love me?" which | tain death, and this Sally well knew, without | Often she had heard her father tell of | she led his « “Better than life,” LA stove, “‘but 3 frozen?” “1 was pretty cold, returned Joe, “but n forgotten everythin Fortunately for the room was dark, or the children, som of whom had awakened, might have told a queer story about Miss Sally be- ing hugged by a big man in baffalo overcoat wearing green goggles, Bat they saw nothing and Sally too overjoyed to think of ber lover's ardor, ; I but you." whoolma'am the it ge ols A Was repressing The first transports over, Joe told his story. The blizzard had him just as he reached the nearest farmhouse, two miles from the school Here ho was compelled to remain all that terrible aftcraoon and evening, in an agony of doubt and fear, within miles two of Sally, yet utterly unable to ronder her any ossistance, At the suspicion of a break in the gale Le had thrown a bmnket over his horse, | placed a basket of provisions in his sleigh, furnished by the farmer's thoughtful wife, and disrega:ding all warnings started seross the prairie to the sehoolbouse, which he reached | mainly owing to the sagacity of the horse he drove, The storm was still raging, but worst was over. By midnight stars were out, the air was stilled, the temperature had risen and only the deep, billowy snow remained to tell of the battle of the elements, But long before that hour Sally had aroused all the children and supplied ench with a generous portion of the good things brought by her lover, There was plenty for everybody, and by the light of Joo's lantern Sally and the young. sters had sich a fonst that shortly made all feel very Lappy. With the abatement of the storm the parents of the children began to arrive and by 1 o'clock in the morning tha last load had driven sway, a for. the the piece by piece. Four times Sally mle | caught | | the depths of enca ueart us the grate { fn] parents realized how much they j owed to the brave little schoolteacher, And Bally? Was it not a merry, happy Christmas for her? As Joe lifted her into his sleigh and tueked the big, white wolf-robe aronnd her she leaned forward id “OU, Joe, dear, 1 am so, so happy 1" And the New England dinner was a success after all, despite the anxions hours passed by old Corn Jnckson and | life | his wife As for Joe, he was the of the party Ho let the yomugstors hug nnd kiss Aunt Bally all they pleased without suffering one pang of jealonsy, But every little while ke slipped out in the hall when Baily absent and made even by sundry | and that brought the parlor with burning chee) Kinney girl hinty Hes kaya Hy, 1 beli Christi i the big Chicago Herald ner i1 cradiny Christmas in Many Lands, tmas sens firs ong us in a variety of way of old Eng the bos land garlanded, the pes eather riand ished] with its own | turkey and f the nr n and of older dats nee sry to the Boman, The early i BEB the Christo Wo may trae ner Saturnalia its couverw in practices and prohibited the t prohibi- the custom canons of ts of naturel our emnants of ughs, but iater and the withdrawn rata i 1inso But these ace brought to hers and sre their hesthen pods if to HAs precedir Chr #1 stival us Dy r (AY he oelebras our 8 week Then as aud friend 18 1 unlike in Cavs LAN + fs | . Use 1 the least to ocial gatherings # Eve. The bells year, fol- ngrathiation greeting - ning in Norway sees A sim n the churches 1s followed dinner given to relatives sly invited. Tes wk, after which performers are are rewarded by little money. The the women talk; carry the guests the bright | with sledges. i8 served strolls admitted sweetments and a men smoke while sis lges over the svow light In England the are turned into pleasure groun r the children, I't ursery rhymes and the popular fairy tales are acted, amidst unre ned applause from a highly appre- ciative audien The elders are also entertained by witty jokesand touches ities and leading topics of iren are the principal actors in pattom and are often the bread winners at a season when work is so scarce in England. Christ y longer looked upen as a time of riot and carousal. It is now universally recognized as the feast of all chikiren because of the holy child. In our own country gift giving is no doubt the prominent fea. ture. Many regret the custom, say- ing that it engenders hypocrisy and tishness. Our live they think, would be more spontaneously gener ous ¥ no day was set apart for gift giving. Let us therefore look to it lost we | the spirit of Christmas, of which the gift is the mere expression for “Peace on earth and good will to- wards men.” in theatres is f Me Ni stra ok the § the day Chal thes Imes, aS 8 0 ® |, yA — The Policeman’s Mistake, ‘Excuse me, Santa, I thought you were a burglar.” ES ———————— Christmas, Oh! Christmas, merry Christ mage Ir it really come again, With its memories and greeting, With ts joy and with its pain? Oh! Christians, marry Christmas, "Tis not so very long Binoe other voices blended In the earol and the song. we | We could but hear them singing As they are singing now ! It we conld but soe the shining Of the crown on each dear brow, There would be no sigh to smother, vont “God bless you, Mim and RY Ty Otis” Comin rom No hidden teas to Sow. whispered ; | | Dogs of War, The dogs of war are no more a mere poetical metaphor, but an actual fact, During the fall maneuvers of the Ger. man army nine dogs, which had been in training six months, gave excellent proof of their utility on { battle field, The third battalion of Chas. i sears, which «was first to adopt the new tactic, uses no other does Lest the Beotch and German collies, They are chiefly trained to do ordnance 4 t bs CArrving im WRAL OR yt from Ey ’ iti, ily, st might, » aud reconnoitering the choice of th flock, made # tance of 1} i seven minutes, trained to hunt up the battle fields, and during the I stan Linge befor stretched on miles back snd fort These wotinde late vison diers matter in what were found, lo came. They Femmnin« Tarif and Taxation. | F.J. Copsey & Fara el IMs ASES ¢ ents Pr. Hoxnie's Certaln Croup Cure ing to bad take a dose universal Cough Syrup Beecham's Pills correct bad effects of over. seating. Beecham's—no others. Loents a box, SN X 4 - : oO IN MISERY WITH DYSPEPSIA misery with dyspepsia Some mes | had no appetite, and when | did eat a arty me 1 felt much distress for hours af. er did not seem t ambition: was sentient at night, aad in TrVOna “1 was In on ilar In \ ds Mine pour ar IRs ave gained Iyspeplic symploms with a good relish.” Lots RR, Amsterdam Avenoe, New York x $ 1 am free from all veal 1TH all my 1 arse. Senile de. a | eat a hoary Frere, OAR Hood's Pills are prompt and eMcient “August Flower” "One of my neighbors, Mr. Joha 3ilbert, has been sick for a long time. All thought him past recovery, He was horribly emaciated from the inaction of his liver and kidneys. It is difficult to describe his appear. | ance and the miserable state of his | health at that time. Help from any source seemed impossible. He tried | your August Flower and the effect | upon him was magical. [It restored him to perfect health to the great astonishment of his family and friends.” John Quibell, Holt, Ont. ® NY NU-31 Every ingredient rots and exerts et ups info. ence in gp aod stretyf theming het tem, ng t the channels all rarities ¥ Health and strength guaranteed to result from its use, “My whe wos hedridden for teen mon fer wing ar Ban for two JM , yg Tsuttle, erga ry PE te Ark
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers