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nuHaifli.loB.
H OR
PUBLICAN
VOL. XXI. NO. 34.
TIONESTA, PA., WEDNESDAY, DEC. 19, 1888. S1.50 PEIl ANNUM.
KE
A VISION OF DECEMBER.
Along of that time whon the forest are
drear,
C n the nmor, within tlio sound of the lielfries,
anpear
Twolv mystical spirits, tho months of the
yesr. .
Set Hie chimee a-ringmr!
With laughter and ong they dunce In their
rest;
And (loop in the olrrlo their footsteps have
presaiMl
Bit hoary Peeenilier, hi hoard on his
breast
.Set the chimee a-ringing!
Us thinks not of thorn, and his mind is
away;
For he Is too old. too old to be gay
Like hearty Octolieror lily-rrowhod May.
Set the chimes a-rlnginj!
And drenming, still dreaming, he murmurs
and seek
Tnlr memories forgotten, the tear on his
check a;
t whon the bells burst, he remember and
speaks:
Set the chime a ringing!
'In the watch of this night, In tho Oriont
land.
Thro' the )a of the hills which a glory o'er-
? m lined,
n the Light of the World by the
hand!''
Set thi chimei a-ringing!
' 'oy hear him, they heed him, that roverend
0110,
1 the words he hith spoken shine out liko
Hie sun;
v the wild chant i hushed and the frolic
m doVJe.
AetWri chimes a-ringing!
n sudden for praise and for jny thnt they
owe.
y, kiMinff hi feet, kneel them down in 1
id all for the siko of the Child that we
know.
fA chimes a-ringiny!
it the star of our hope In the gateways of
"18r'
r th1over of love and the acorner of
acorn,
r the King that isconie, for the Christ that
ia born.
Set the chimes a-ringing!
ljiuise Imogen Oitineti.
ird the bolls on t'hristinns d iy
ir old familiar rirols play.
And nilil andaweet
Thi words repent
i'l'iico on earth, good-will to men!
1 1 nought how, as tho day had como,
lio.fi k of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The mil Token song
ace on earth, good will to monl
"King, sinning on it way,
m id revolved from niht today,
A TO'w, a chime,
A chant sublime,
. on rarth, good will to men!
Iiulr I bowed my head
iv no peace on earth." I said;
'"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
on earth, good-will to men!"
n!ed the bells more loud and deep,
snot Head, nor doth Undo -pi
The wrong shall fail,
Tho right prevail.
! eaco on earth, good-Hill to mm!''
Jitney W. Longfellow.
if CHRISTMAS EVE,
NOW had been fli-
ing early in the dny,
mA but so lightly that
V i i I oiny a wuue iiuck nere
and there marked tho
distant housetops and
a thin frosty layer
made tho stringpiece
liow in tlio dark
like a glittering line.
iwn by tho water s
night was
and ulooiny.
hoaise gur,i
tho stre
...nut
Itering through the sTnny niles JW-
-Omenta tho pier, only tho (lJrTint
swash of a paddle broke upon the
monotonous creaking of chain and
cables, tho same hi", stiff ones that Old
Tom Saunders had seen mnke fust the
newly arrived bark at nightfall. Ho had
been striding up and down the
dock of the dusky canal boat to keep
-Jitmscli warm ever since the stranger
had loomed up on the other side of tho
pier. Ho had heard screaming in the
slip beyond the whistle of the tugboat
that had brough her in, and seen the
bustling little craft steam away with
the pa ks and smoke from her tunnel
leuv a luminous trail in the dark.
From ihut the gloom had been thicker
about the pier and tho damp mist roll
ing up from the bay had wrapped the
shipping in a shroud of moisture. There
' had been a clatter of voices for a while
on tbo big bark, nnd he had been half
conscious of l ining lights and hoarse sea
ordei s ; but all these hail ceased lonr ago
and now the ulack hull of the new arrival
rcse up in the gloom, solemn and silent,
with her masts slightly tiUaul oil and a
lantern forward gleaming like a dim
yellow star.
Cld Tom Saunders paced the deck of
-the dimry hulk ho was on, with his pipe
gripped fast between his teeth and his
hands stowed awny down in the pockets
of his threndliaie pea-jaeket. 1 lie bat
tered and decaying bout iSiuo shabbier
and more woe-l egone than the man.
Old Tom ho was by virtue of the ers
that had turned his few struggling
locks gray aud drawn all Sorts of deep
furrows across his fare. Familiarly I Id
Tom amcng tho wharf men, who knew
him as such ever Bince he had como slung
on the old canal boat, a broken-down
man with a flavor of bctterti111esabo.1t
him, facetiously Old Tom, in con9e -quence
of tho fondness for the tipple
of that name which, it was hinted, had
dragged him down to hi prcent low
estate. (Ud Tom Saunders had once
been burly, and he was still a big man,
but he had lost all his rlesh. His face
looked like worn parchment, and hid
that colorless, bleached out appearance
which a life of constant excesses I e,'et.
There was also that i.ervous twit hing
about the lips and that aimless wander
ing of the fingers which betoken a con-,
atitutiou unstrung nnd shattered.
Iu low spirits indeed he seemed this
night of Christmas Kve as he stopped at
the stern of the canal boat to look off
toward the big black warehouses that
shut in the river side like a w all. Vp in
the air a reddish bae hung over the city
where the liuhts of countless lamps on
ti.o itiorougtures beneath. Had set the
damp atmosphere aglow, nnd from some
lofty buildings the radiance of electricity
i-huwoJ iu ike fog, blue and pallid, m
death lights at some internal orgie.
so this is Christmas Kve, thi" taut-
tered Old Tom with a snort thnt was
lialf a groan. "Christmas Kvc, and nary
a bite in tho lockor nor a nickel in tho
pocket 1 It's blunted hard blasted hurd
lor a twin that's seen better days."
Ho crunched tho pipc-tcin between his
teeth and tnado another round of the
deck, but stopped when ho bad reached
tho old pliice nain.
"There's somo ns 'ud say 'twns mis
fort in did it. And tome ui 'ud croak
'bout ill-luck. 'Twusn't neither. 'Twas
rum. Hum and nio own mulishnc.ss. Kf
I dndn't driv thnt boy away, he'd be now
miikin a pood livin' for bor, no nintter
whnt I wus about, and sbo wouldn't bo
in there dyin' dyin' for a bite to cat."
i',i,I X.---- ----- ', f- -
T . n , -"rl.i H-fttimfrffb. "k W.FTT i-T.,:.t -
LAIS"
As lio spoko he glanced af the
nokev hole in tho cabin, where a
littlo
fnint
light glimmered, and turned again to the
dark lino of tho water front.
"Sho was never the same after he went
nway never tho same bouncing gal that
used to 'liven up the old house liko a
sunbeam 'Twas thnt tuk all the go out
o' her. And 1 hud to net t3 work' and
blnmo her for sulkin' when her haiu-tw.ua
breakin
Ho took tho pipe from his mouth and
absently shoved it in bis pocket.
"It m'ght 'a been all r ght," ho went
on. "It might 'a been all right cf I
hadn't carried on as I did till house and
shop nnd everything went to smash.
But I had to keep a goin' while tho
money lnsled, nnd now now," ho
repented with a solemn inclination of tho
head, "it's gone."
He swung nbont to resumo his lone
some walk. but the glimmer in tho cabin
brought him to a standstill.
"he's there," ho said, and there wns
sorrow and lo i.orse in his voice. "Clio's
there nusjiu' his baby and thinkin' of its
father; mayl e cryiu' hor eyes out about
him. And she a-dyiu' by in :he."
The rumble of a wagon came from tho
land aide, and tho sound of a horn away
oil in the streets sent down to the silent
wharves a reminder of tho holidny jollity
going on ashore. The man started as ho
henrd it.
"ho won't bo without her suppsr,"
ho said. " ot while this here toy's ly in'
around."
He groped a moment in his pocket
and drew out a ring a plain gold cir
clet, evidently tho symbol of a consum
mated union.
"I had to sneak it awny unbeknownst
to her," he muttered, turning tho shin
ing trinket around in his lingers, ".'m
nfru.d she'd take on n deal if she knowed
it, for sho hangs on to nny ktepsuke of
his for Hrfe-life. Hut what's the use."
Aud tho ring and hand that held it went
down into the pocket again. "Whnt's
tho use o' bein' scntecirental and snick
crin' over sich things when a sijuare
menl can ue got lor it, nnu p raps
' p'raps a drop t' drive nway tho chill."
j He glanced, half frightened, half
upoiogei icany, ut iuo nnu winuovr a lie
spoke, tupped careluliy by on tiptoe as
thaugh fearful of being confronted by
the occupant of the cabin, reached the
side, looked back ngain and then stepped
out upon the pier ami slunk away.
It was only a 'moment's space after
when there sounded among the low.
harsh whispers of the river something
that seemed deep in the darkness, but
not of it oinetliing suggestive of heat
' uiwl Iwrlit nml linitin mill nnl rtt tliia
black flood and these meat marine tihnn
toms standing so solemn in tho gloom.
It wns the cry of a child. Low and
weak, suppressed as soon as uttered,
it still had a strange shrillness in the si
lent p ace, and of all the sad voices of
tide and Jiuilwra.'tt seemed By far the
bnie-iadfresTT It cnmi
a me from tho cabin of an
old ca'iid boat, came only for an instant
and died away in what fancy involunta
rily pictured a mother's kisses and ca
resses. Old Tom heard it half wny up to the
wharf. Ho heard it and arrested his
cautious footsteps and brought his faco
about hi a twinkling to tho tiny-lighted
space iu the cabin that barely Veached
his eye where he stood. The cry was
not repeated. Hut ho stood there for
over a minute with his whole soul, it
'wtn,cd, intent upon that d in glimnie.
ing pane. Hi- hand mechanically grop
ing in his pocRetv .touched tho ring and
it seemed to startle him. Ho took out
the little triuket and looked nt it care
fully, as though making sure that it was
leally there, and blushed it with a
rough, gi easy sleeve. Then, without
glance at the street on which ho had
been walking, ho passed back along tho
pier, crossed to t tie boat again and
walked stra'ght up to the cabin aud en
tered. A ship's lantern hanging from the roof
showed a rough table, a couple of boxes,
a tarpaulin, some ends of rope, nnd on a
loosened and slanting berth an infant
with a woman kneeling beside it. It
was a pleasing face she turned up to the
old man as he ciiine iu p'easing, und it
had been very pretty but there was a
sad gauntness about it now and the
dark, teudereyes looked out from bluclsh
hollows.
"Where have you been, father f she
asked. "i'aby has been restless again.
I'm afraid ' that tho child is growing
worse." This with a look of infinite
solicitude at the tiny creature beside
her. "And it's so hard to see tho poor
dear suffering and bo able to do noth
ing. Why. father, whut is the matteri"
rhe illicit well ask. The poor man
was standing, with his head sunk upon
his breast, and great tears were rolling
down is faded cheeks. His eye were
fl;ed upsm l'ie lif'e cabin wiudow, but
it veus cle9l,thit his mind was far away.
He itU'd us she spoke, and when he
answtreojt wat in a voice broken with
tobs.
". ibb'e," h said, "my poor gal, I've
been a bud father to yon, a reg'iar bad
'un, ain't U I've ruined the little home
yououghter be in, and bi ought you and
' your child to thi3.
I know that ain't
I driv him awuv that
the wust, neither.
would be a support and comfort t'you.
and left that icetcl croetur ithout a
father. I've done all that, and I was a
goin to do more, God forgive me, this
very night, only for hearin' your baby
j cry in', I meant it for the best, I did, but
-nil
JJ
sums?
I knowed that it would 'n hurt yourfccl
in's wuss than anything clso. Tlicro,
i.ibbic; take it. It was very nigh a-goiu'
ai everything else has."
Ho held out the little gold ring to her
and turned his head awny. In an instnnt
tho womnn was on her feet. Her long,
thin hand clutched the bauble and allot
flush showed itself on her pallid, sunken
check.
"rather," shecricd, "would you date?"
In her indignation she wns speechless
for a moment, but then alio broke down
and the tears came.
"It Is all I have left," she moaned,
"all I have left to remind me of him
all of his father's the child may ever sec.
How could you think of it, father? It
was cruel cruel.''
" 'Twas all wrong, yes 'twas, I.ibbic,"
tho man assented. "Hut it bruck mo
heart to think o' you and that lectio 'un
siltiu' here supperlcss. I hecrd the bclU
tollin' up in tiio city and the horns
a-blowin , and I knowed that everybody
was havin' a good t mo on ( hiisiniss Kvc
night, while you wns atnrvin . 1 coma 11 t
stand it. I sneaked away with tliwring
to pawn it or sell it, 1 didn t care what,
till I hoard tho little croetur's cry, aod it
brought mo to uvyself agin, 'llischildl'
I says to mosclf. His child! And I
right about and comes back here with the
ring to you, I.ibbic to you, me .poor
gal."
Ho sat down on n box and ran his hand
through his tangled hiir nnd saw the
woman dry her eyes und look at him
kindly and pityingly. Once or twice ho
bit his lips aud shook his head, as though
a struggle were going on within him nnd
then, in n broken voice, he said : "Libbio,
I've somethln' mV toll you, but I've been
ashamed t' open mo mouth about it.
There's times now when I look back t'
tho days when you wns a bright gnl, nnd
poor ISed yes, poor Ned I never called
him that befoio, but now I must when
poor Ned was makin' love t' you and I
was makin' a brute o' mcsclf t' him. Ue
wus a good lad, but I wus so cussed
stuck uj with mo shop and the loafers
about it that usod t' brag nbout me that
1 wouldn't stnnd his marry in' you. Whon
you tuck him, and I hunted him away
with me abuse and mo drink, I didn't
think tho day would como when I'd be
sorry for it. Hut it has, l.ibbie, it has.
He's gone. Maybe gone, for good.'.1- .
Tho woman was crying again, but she
wiped away her tears. nt this and raised
her pale face ngain. " ' '
"Oh, don't say that, father, don't say
that," she cried. ' .Ned will come some
time. IIo will find us yet. It seems so
strnnge this long waiting. Hut ho said
he would come to claim me as his wife
when ho was ablo to support me, and
he'll do it. I remember when he went
away. Ho said to me: 'Libbie, your
father forces me to this. Come with mo
r stay with him, which ever you wish.
but depend upon it thnt I shall be back'
soon to chum you, my littlo w.fe, und
when I do I'll como liko a man, will
ing and nble to take are of you and
take odds from no one.' Thou he said
'Whenever, you sq&tluit cinv.4hilco
me ami remember that 1 will bo working
hard fo Keo;i my word. llo went away
theu and I have tried never to doubt
him. Hut it is to hard to wait and wait
and hear nothing. Ha may be dead. He
cannot bo untrue. Disappointed and
perplexed as I am I will not believe it.
Hut no word, no word. It is that is
killing me."
dd Tom arose and wallred tho length
of his cabin, then turned about and camo
bnck to tlio seat on. thbox. Then ho
leaned over to her nnd suur?'w,,..
"I'm ngoin' to toll you somethiu' Lib
bie. It's somethiu' I oughter told you
long ngo but I didn't have the courag',
me gal, to own up to what a scoundrel I
wus."
The woman dried her tears and there
was a look of interest in tho pale face
that encouraged him to go onVHut he
still hesitated. and ssid to Tier with a
trembling voice, "You won't cuss me.
l.ibbie, will youirjiad as I may bu yuu'.Li
forgive me now that I've come around'
nnd mean to do better."
Pho rcma:ned impassive and only said
"Go on", fnt her."
"I will. 1 will, if it kills mo. Libbie,
don't ."you worry, yourself on account o'
Ned's stickin by you. lie wus true to
you all along. Ho wrote to you. He"
sent money to you. He never forgot
you, poor boy, and I I tuck letters,
money and all.
The man groveled down upon his
knees beside the box and his he id sunk
upon his hands. He was that moment
the veriest picture of humiliation nud re
morse. Hut she before whom ho hum
bled himself did not seem to sec him.
Her eyes were fixed on vacancy and her
lipi opened and closed as 1 hough the
were speaking to some one uuseen.
Then she rose with a cry of "Kdward,
my husband, whom I would have
wronged by doubting, tome to me; come,
or I will die," and fell 011 the floor in a
swoon.
The old man, all in a tremble, crept to
her, raised her in his arms, dashed water
into her face, laid her down agniu, und
ru.-hiug to a shelf, felt for a bottle aud
held it to the liuht. Ktnpty! A curse
Upon the fiery brew that had brought
ruin and was gone when it might do
good! He knelt again, beat her bauds,,
wrung his own. and then starting up
like a maduinn, dashed out into the a r,
leaving the woman lying in the cabin as
though she were dead. Over to the pier
arid across it he hurried. He ran to the
side of the big bark. There was no
gang plank there, but he sprang for the
lower rigging, grabbed it aud clambered
on the deck.
lie saw a fgure pacing up and down
in the dark, and tho yellow light for
ward showed a couple of seamcu who
had risen from a coil of rope. He turned
towaid them, and with bunds stretchtd
cutrcatingly, he called out:
".For God's sake, mates, let me have a
drop of grog, or somethln'. Me gal,
me daughter's dyin' oer on tha boat
there, and I've nothiu' to bring her too.
A drop o' somethln' and a bite td
strengthen her, of you're men."
Tho figure in tho dark stopped, and a
voice nsked: "What's all this hubbub
about?"
"I'lcae, sir," said one of the sailois,
"a man's come aboard to sny a woman's
sick in a boat lyin' off there, and he
wnnts Bomethin' to help her out."
"Send him to tho steward," raid the
voice, nnd tho form melted in tho dark
ness aft.
I'p and down, up and down it went
over the smooth deck a manly figure,
but with stooping head aud a solemn,
thoughtful face. Onco or twice the lat
ter turned to the big city, and tho eyes
ronmcd over the black profile of the
buildings nml the la'l 1 rick phantoms
far oir in the air as though they would
picrco to the heart of that throbbing hivo
and pluck from it some secret hidden
there. A glimpse of tho moon showed
overhead for a moment, and the spars
lityd rope stood out elcrorr, but son it
was Veiled, nnd rtifc figure went on in the
dark up nnd down, up and down as be
ford. 1 ;.'v ..
"God bless you, mates, for this night's
work. God bless you I"
Tho words stolo out into the air from
the open companiryiway, and Old Tdln
Sfnunders, who had uttered them, came
up with a bottle and pan. . Once he
stumbled in h s haste, but quickly re
covering himself, he came on to the
deck. The silent figure had paused and
turned toward the voice. It moves to
ward it, , and then with a wild cry
springs forward. The light from the
shin's lantern fallaftt'n . Md Horn's face.
haggard and blanched and excited ;-rr;
tho fnco of tho oilier, too young and
henrty, but sad and white with pnssion.
And in tho yellow glow tho two men
kngjy ench otlnr.
With a grand sweep of tho hand tho
stranger has dashed from the old man's
hand the bottle, and it lies smashed
upon " the timbers, while the young,
munly face is thrust into tho other's and
a voice crio? in his ears: "Curse it! Let
it lie ti c e. It was that robbed mo o'
my wife. It was that drove mo away
into tho world a wanderer in search of
her. Curse the stuff! It was the cause
' J oCjitOud the heavily aliodden foot
ivtemcs" down on tho splintered glass till
1 I it ApafLLi l,nnall, If fll.l 1.,m
w v&y . to.iva,i 11,, v'ltA tuui uaa
started budk aghast at the young man's
vehemence, but in that moment rises to
his lips a cry thnt sweeps enmity and
passion awny :
".My God, Ned, it was for her! frho
is dying."
'Iho strong hand of the young seaman
is on tho other's arm, and the face is
even whiter af ho demands:
?liW"rTci yotr mean? tshe-is dying.
Where Speak, man! Tell me at once I"
"There, 111 that boat. Yes, that old
hulk of acnnnwler," he adds, inresponse
to the other's inquiring glance. "That's
what we've come to now."
Tho young man lurns and is at tho
vesso 's side before Old Tom can call
out: "Where are you going? Y"ou will
kill her. Lidn't 1 tell yon she is dying
dying of want."
"i'DMIHrthe tfTTMt)fc'ast comes a groan,
a deep, prolonged one, and he says iu an
altered tone : - . .
-. t'Lial me to her. God will not rob
mo of her TlWajf'omo a'ong." -
The two passotwr. the wharf and go
down, into the cabin of the old boat,
from which 'ho dim light is sliining.and
there, awakened from her swoon, but
still dazed aud-f 'glitencd. is the girl of
the young man'., love, the wife of his
thoughts, lying like a blighted flower.
The father was the lirst to descend,
aud he turned at the entrance to restrain
his companion. '1 J
f i'(Y-momeut, Ned. Wait 'arinoment.
The surprise is too sudden." "
The young man drew back into the
shadow while tho other lifted up the
woman and seated her by tho berth. "I
am better, father," she said, and laid hei
head wearily besido the sleeping child.
Hut old l em's actions soon attracted her.
Ho was smiling, actually - smiling, and
rubbing. Jitahands with infinite compla
cency, bhesind nothing but looked at
him inquiringly.
"It's a good night is Christmas Kve,''
he blurted out. "I've always heerd so.
Ain't you, Libbie? Sandy Claws brings
things t' chil'ren, and friends come to
gether and news comes o' peoplo thai
ain't been 'round for ever so long. Don't
they, ch:"
bho looked ut him more intently than
ever, and there was an eager, appealing
look iu her eyes.
".No one knows w hen luck may change
Po they f" the man continued.
"Father, you have heard something.
Tell me, is it about him:''
"'HoutNed? Well, yes I have. Now,
don't take on, Libbiu. You'll be quiet
and easy, like a good tral."
"It ii about him! Y ou have seen him.
You have met him. Ue has come for uu
nt iHSt."
. hue turner, toward the cabin door, aud
was stretching her hand toward it when
she was clasped to tue breast of her hus
band aud his voice repeated : "At last.'
There were tears and caresses aud ex
planations. Ned had como back from
his wanderings as mato of the big bark
with a promise of soon having the com
mand of a vessel for himself. Iu the joy
of the moment all the haidsh'ps and pri
vaations of the past were forgotten, aud
as the blull senm.-ui cuddled his own
child, whoe acquaintance he then made
for the first time, he said totthe happy
mother:
"Didn't I tell you, l.ibbie, whenever
you looked at your wedding ring to re
meihbcr me.and be sure I would keep my
word:"
t-he glanced at the tiny circlet and
her cyei caught sight of Tom sitting
with bended head, and the tears stream
ing down his checks. And as tha
pressed her lit s to the trinket .-he said : '
"ocd bless that ring! It has brought
us joy and b.appiness oa Christmas Eve.'i
HOLIDAY GREENS.
ORIGIN OP THE CUSTOM
DECORATING HOUSES.
OF
The Practice a Rcllo of the Roman
Saturnalia The HabiCor Adorn
ing Chnrchc. Willi Flowers
Becoming Prevalent.
HERE has long
been a mooted
question, whence
arose tho custom
B.of fleet
lefaurches
.1 . . .
orating
and
'. houses at Christ-
mastide ? Anti
quarians, as we
havo intimated,
aro divided in
their opinions as
to the origin of
the custom. Our
Knglish ancestors
very likely derived (he practice either
from tho Celtic nations or from the
Saturnalia of the llomans, possibly from
both. , Wherever Druidism existed the
hemsfrs were adorned with evergreens, so
that the sylvan spirits mitrht find there a
nfo shelter from tho wind and tho frost.
The oak mistletoe, nu esseutinl clement
in tho bloody ceremonies of old magician
priests, has become tenderly signilicant
of tho happiness nnd love that should
abound at the joyous Christmas season.
When K. Augustine arrived in Hrilain
. hovrfay. "Wise enough to utilize
tue 1 agan customs by giving tnem a
Christian significance, preserving such
parts as were innocent in themselves,
and thus it is probable that the practice
ot decorating tho homes and temples wns
continued, iSucji a method has been fol
lowed successfully by modern mission
aries, notably iu the Sandwich Islands
and travelers tell us tho delight with
which theBO flower-loving children bring
their tropical berries and flowers to help
in the beautifying of their humble
churches. Wo think it is unquestionable
that the wiso spirit of accommodation
shown by Augustine, in udopting va ious
Pagan ceremonies to the use of Christian
worship, was not only the cause of his
success as a missionary, but nbo the
reasons why, especially, we twine at this
season the holly and the bay, and turn
winter into summer.
It is an historical fact that the 1 oman
Saturnalia were celebrated at the same
time of the year as the feist of Christ
mas, but whether the former had any
thing to do with the latter, by way of
cause or common origin, it is not easy to
decide, nor, indeed, essential. The
Saturnalia began late in December, and
when we compare the Christmas orgies
and mummeries indulged in up to cum-
Iiarulively receut times, the resemblance
ictween the two feasts is striking, even
iu particular details.
The time rame, however, wdien in tho
strife for the ascendancy, Christianity
determined to tight paganism with the
hitter's own weapons, and the customs
and revelries were carried to such an ex
treme that several early church councils
forbade, among other things, the decora
tion of private houses aftei the manner
of the Hoinan Saturnalia. Hut the prac
tice of adorning churches with Mowers
was not condemned, as extracts from the
writings of the early Christians will
Show. In his work "Do Civitato Dei,"
the African Augustine speaks of floral
decorations, and of a miracle wrought
by flowers brought from tho shrine of
St. Stephen. Gregory of Tours pra ses
the holy Confessor Severns for having
been in tho habit of decorating his
church with lilies. Yenantius Fortuna
tus, a pr.ct of the fifth century, sending
to lihadegund and Agnes now and then
a bunch of violets, a cluster of rosebuds,
or a spray of lilies, is severe iu his con
tra t between men who crowd their
houses with txoticsj'or women who deck
their breasts, nud tho more devoted and
pious who bring their choicest tlornl of
ifcrings to God's house. And this con
trast is very evident in these days of ours,
when vast sums are lavtihiid. on flowers
only doomed to wither iu the hot air of
tho ball room, or to minglo their fra
grance with the odors of the dinner
tablo. MIS'l I.KTOH.
In these latter days, the Christian
world seems to be getting back to the
more tender solicitude of early times in
its care for the beautifying of our
churches. '1 here is now what in ght al -most
be called a science of decoration.
Yoluuics arc published upon the subject,
profusely illustrated with every sort of
device to please the eye ami iuspiie the
devotional feeling -the cross lleurie, the
cross patonce. the qnartre fod, the
ciuque foil, the vesica, the four, live and
six pointed star, the illegible Greek
characters, bauds, shields, drapers nnd
uieilall ous, things requiiing great neat
ness of desigu aud carefulness of execu
tion. There is all the dillerence in ti e
world between many of our churches at
Christmas aud what they weie a gen
eration ai;o. The time has gone by
when a crowd of young and old used to
go out iu the damp, cold woods, cut
down the snow-1 iden trees, or pull up
miles of ground-pine aud then sit for a
week of nights iu a freezing church, to
make the "trimmings'' for Christinas.
The work is done now in many instances
l y professional dccouito.s, and so it is
10 more a labor cf love on the part i f
the congregation, as it certainly should
be.
It will not, do to leave our subject
I El
I
without mentioning the Christmas tree,
popularly so called, though only of late
years has it been naturalized in hn gland
or our own country. It is a gift from
Germany, yet ono who is curious in such
matters might perhaps trace it back to
the toy pine trie, hung with oscilln,
w hich boys and girls in nncient Home
looked for on the sixth and seventh dnys
of tho Snturnalia, and ono of which
Tiberius gave to his nephew Claudius.
The Kgyptians hnd their palm tree, and
tho Huddhists their tree of votive gift',
and possibly the custom drifted west
ward, until Germany Christianized It in
honor of r't. Mnternus, who first pro
claimed tho good tidings of thristmns
in thnt land. It has become populnr
among us, nnd long mny its verdant
branches wavo with lovely fruit for
young and old.
The Dnrie'4 Christina)) Shutlow.
Teiltly's Merry Christmas. .
Never in his life did Teddy have
such a hard time going to sleep, as on
that last night before Christmas. Tho
more mamma snug to him and told him
stories, the more his eyes, would not
shut.
"Why, I Din afraid Snntn C'lnuse won't
hnve a chance to como here to-night,"
his mothcrsaid, ns the clock struck nine.
"Oh, dear! I will go to sleep this
minute;" and Teddy put his hands over
his eyes to hold them shut.
".Vlnnitna, what did you tell Santa you
wanted him to bring to you;" The hands
enme down; and the eyes flew wide opeu
again.
"Oh, never mind; I'm too sleepy to
think ," and mamma put her head down
on the pillow beside her wide-awake
boy, and kept as still ns if she were
as'eep.
Teddy atled her cheek, pinched her
noso, nnd felt of her closed eyelids for a
minute or two; theu he put his faco down
close to hers, and and
The next he knew it wns morning.
The sun wns just sending his first benm
of light into ti.e room. l'ussy had
jumped into the bed, nnd Teddy took
her into his arms. Then Teddy rubbed
his yes, and looked very sharp iu tho
phkcvthcre thnt littlo beam wns shin
ing on the floor. For there, sitting
straight up, with legs nnd arms sticking
straight out, was the funnic-t littlo man
you ever saw.
It took Teddy a full minute to make
up his mind whether it was a real little
mail or only a make-believe one. Then
he rolled out of bed and caught tho
funny fellow by the coat.
Hy this t me he had looked him all
over, another brain of light was peeping
iu nt the window, lighting up all tho
dark corners of the room. And the n
such a lot of things as Teddy saw I can
not begin to tell you.
You may be sure he was glad that ho
went to sleep in time lor l-niitn Clans to
come. Forycu know ho never comes
until little boys arc fast asleep. He
member this on Christmas live. Tieat
ure Wore.
One of tho most promineiit South Jer
sey "industries" is the preparation of
evergreen decorations for I hiislnias unci
New Venr's. The fe-loons are the liandi
woikof women and giils, the law mate
rial being furnished by the male portion
of the family, and the prod net is shipped
iu barrels to New York ami Philadel
phia. The MMIctx'.
When winter nights grow I011J,
Ami winds without blow cold,
We sit pi a ring round the warm wood tire,
And listen to stories old!
And we try to look crave (as maids should
I ei
When the men bring in bows of the laurel
tree,
(-hi Ihe laurel, the evergreen tree!
1 ho po-ts have laurels, mi l why not we!
Itarrtj furnu-aH.
Off For u Foreign Shore.
E L'ROPf
(- I'.V.i .
Mr. and Mrs. Gobb'er, in anticipation
of Christmas, depart hastily for Europe.
7 - -W I
(wis
DREAMS.
Who can tell us whence they come,
Whnt myst-rious regions from!
In whnt fniry country lies
Thnt strnnga city of surprise
Whither we in slumber go
!!y a path we do not know?
Is it near or far awayf
And the iieople, who are theyf
Once when I was there the town
fiecmod as If 'twere upside down;
Itoofs of barns nnd houses stood
Whore the stone foundations should,
And tho streets all seemed to run . .
Straight as arrows to the sun,
Where, like ribbons, they wore wound
On its golden spool nround.
All the men and horses therc,
Topsy-turvy in the nir.
Walked nnd trotted on the blue
ravements of the avenue.
Lut in niornin? when I nroko
I discovered 'twas a joke.
For the first thing 1 found out
Was that I had turned about.
How to go there, who can tell.
Where-tlitwe fniry people dwell!
Ptrnngo it is thnt morning s light
Cannot show the path of niht;
f-'tranger yet that we can keep
Itso surely in our sleep;
Hut the very strangest seems
iieing wide aw-ake in clreima,
frank D Sherman in J'oikij Vo;)f.
HUMOR OF THE WAV.
A.si'd'ly young lady Miss-ilo.
A German ferment Sauerkraut.
Long, winded -Blacksmiths' bellows.
'-A taking fellow The photographer.
A towering rage The theatrical high
hat.
A waterfall knows how to do the cat
aract. Coming through the Kyo Brewers'
wealth.
Tho stockbroker docs most of his
work on shares.
The strongest tied in the affairs of
men is mari iago.
The lay of tho land is what darkness
broods over. 7'ic.
I'ardoxicnl: A man always feels put
out when he is taken in.
People think it- funny that the gas
collector is never suffocated.
.Many a man has becu burned in tho
last heat at tho races. Lij'e.
Bills that did not pins Congress are
not necessarily counterfeit. JjoaM
t'vn ri r.
Tho way for a doctor to become well
known is to make his patients well.
V't'rau.'ir'.
Fathers whoso only resources aro
daughters should husbuud their re
sources. 'J'i.ne.
Another good cure for insomnia is to
have the nurse sleep up iu the attic with
tho baby. lluttn tUb:
The Americau hen is a very observing
bird, but she doesn't always know wheu
slje, is on nn uuciont lay. llnehreltr Vast-
"Well, Mary Ann, I've got ther
nomcnashiui." "Had cess to ye, an'
whero did ye, catch it, Dennis?" Mail
an I JCsjit.H. " ' "
Western Man "Hid you come out to
our country to settle" Fastorn Visitor
(testily.) "No; that's what I left homo
for." 'anhiiijtvn l'ott.
The clcrgymnn who sa'd that peoplo
are too apt to make light 'of tobacco
probably did not include chewing.
Jlingliauiiuu ;e)nb i nn.
The reason an oflice-holder is called
nn incunil cut is bccmise he is generally
bent on making as big an income as pos
sible. Mad and Jis rem.
Consider tho chickens, my son; study
their ways and be wise. Whenever they
take to di inking, their bills go up; and,
by keeping their bills down, they tiud
enough to eat.
An Italian chemist has discovered that
tho blood of eels injected under tho skin
is deadly poison. People whu nie ad
dictod to the baneful habit of taking eel
blood hypodermically should be warned
of tlicir danger. Yi ttl.
Kur.igcd F.mploycr "As you don't
seem to bu coming down to-day, Bridget,
I vo built the lire myself and prepared
some chocolate for you. Here are tho
morning papers; and if you want any
thing more, just touch the unnunci
fttor!" "My dear, your mouth is a perfect
poem." 'Mh, how can you say such a
thing us that!" "Well, it is like a
po; ular poem at least. It is so widely
red." And tho matrimonial mercury
fell forty degrees ut once. Terrt 1a ,te
A passenger on a train from New
York tho other day ste pped from lite
overheated car to the platform and tilled
his lungs with the fresh, pine air. "Ah,''
he ewlaiiucd, "isn't this exhilarating.' '
"No," returned tho luconic In akeiiiau,
"this is Berliu !" llarhoi 'I Vottnfit.
"Yes, madam," said thu trump, "I
day be shabby and tiu el-staiucd now,
but I've been presented nt court in my
may." "Presented at Court? You don't
say so! Thiough .Minister 1 he. ps:"
"Nn, mad un, 1 think o Bricn was tlio
policeman's naino." Mail an I A'o .
Cili cu (to old engineer) "I s'pose in
your lorn; life on the road you have met
with more or less mishaps (" Old l iigt
ncer "'h, yes; lots of 'cm." Citizen
"Probably luuover dozens of people;'
Old Mngiiiecr (with ptidei "Do ens!
I've run over hundreds!" .Y"f lurk
Small Boy ".Ma, 111a! we've got to
get away iioni here, it's dangerous.
They're emu ba s ! I was just helping
hilly t.e the cat to the dog's tail at tho
gutter, when .Mr. Hawkins came to tho
kitchen door, aud he called out: "Wile,
get evtiyihiug ready as quick as you
can we II have lh.it fat Mr. .luliii
sou for dinner uud hi w ile and baby for
j supper." l.ij't.
Uo wanted tlu earth was det-rm ued to
j biiiiie.
I He wus mil to thu brim of eiiKtions divine,
iW hu-u us s. on as cpie.-scJ ha was sure
M011UI lriu; don 11
Tlioeai lh to his leet und obbiin him a crown.
j He wanted tlm earth. To cnli-shtou the u-50.
At uil.u be d. t.-iinintd to go on the sta.'.
I ilo wanted tuo earth, but ins Krm you way
seek
Moiijist Uu mob where he. earns just tl per
U'eek.
Merchant Trcm'.er.