SANTA BANNED BY PURITAN FATHERS No Christmas Festivities or Gifts for Children in Massa chusetts in Early Days BAY JUST LIKE ANY OTHER Condition Somewhat Better for Young sters in New Amsterdam—Holiday Observance Toyless in the Colo nies in Seventeenth Century In the early days of this country's history Christmas festivities were not generally observed and poor old "San ta Claus," and all he represents, had a hard time of It. In Massachusetts the observation of Christmas was utterly denounced as an evil, ungodly and pernicious cus tom, and any child daring to think of as much as a plum pudding on that day would make herself liable to re proof by the authorities. All along the stern and rock-bound coast. Oer aldlne Ames writes in the Churchman, the only Christmas trees In the days of the Puritan domination were those that nature had planted there and had adorned with fleecy snow. The fires burned brightly on the open hearths, but as far as the children knew Christmas was Just like any other day in the calendar. Even after the Pur itan reaction against the forms and. customs of the old church had spent Itself to some extent the children of the seventeenth century still expected no gifts In honor of the birth of Christ. In New Amsterdam the outlook was a little better for the children. The Hollanders had brought with them their St. Nicholas, and his birthday was celebrated joyously by young, and old just before Christmas, but Christ *mas was also observed. Of course, they had not many real toys as we know them today, but in the shoes that the little Hollanders set by the fireplace In the shining kitchen, which was also the living room, were home made gifts. Many of these were of a useful character, such as hand-knit caps ami mittens, but now and then a skillful Hollander would carve a model of a boat such as that which had brought them to New Amsterdam, or a miniature chest of drawers, and one can fancy the recipients showing these with pride to the wondering little Indian boys and girls when they came to be on terms of sufficient am ity with them for such conferences. In Virginia, where the church of England was strong and its adherents steadfastly observed the holidays as in the home country, there was always more of the Christmas spirit and abun dant cheer and merrymaking than elsewhere at this season. Here the Yule log held its place and here were the games and the feasting that made It Indeed the merry season of the year. Later when New Amsterdam became New York and the English came in to power the character of the Christ mas holiday was changed somewhat, although the Dutch influence contin ued dominant for many years. Throughout the colonies in the sev enteenth and eighteenth centuries toys were an almost unknown factor, but wherever Christmas observations were not frowned upon by religion, feasting and good cheer were abun dant, and bond and free, rich and poor, old and young, shared in the games, abundant food and genial atmosphere. In the eighteenth century toys began to make their appearance in the col onies. Some of them were brought from over seas and had the enchant ing quality of novelty. Little girls who had helped to mother their young er brothers and sisters were delighted with dolls that were all their own, to fondle and coddle. A toy was a thing to he cherished In those days. Some of the gifts were of real in trinsic value, for the shipping and trading were growing to be important factors in the colonies, -and men brought treasures of all kinds from the far East to tlv- seaports, whence they were distributed to other parts of the colonies. The war for indepen dence interrupted this and the chil dren shared in the self-sacrifices and deprivations that were undergone by all the families living In the oolonles at that time. When soldiers were starving at Valley Forge there was little thought in their homes off Christ inas merrymakings and little «ut of which to provide it. After the war there were still lean years, but by the opening of the nine teenth century peace and plenty smiled upon the land and Santa Claus found it safe to resume his visits And make his distributions. Remember Old Friends. "What? A holiday greetings card with old Bill's name scribbled across it? . . . Good old Bill! Why, lt'« A 1 years almost since we saw each other, and here he's not forgotten me even yet! . . . Huh, Mary, you needn't be so all-fired proud of that scarf Aunt Susie sent you. This may be only a colored postcard, but, by George, it's from Fill! ... Well, well—this sure is Christmas!" The First Christmas Card. The Christmas card cannot claim to have been established so long as other of our Christmas customs. The first Christmas card came into the world in 1846, when Sir Henry Cole, an Englishman, sent Yulefide greet !*■» to his friends. ! CHRISTMAS BELLS j j •i* Hark! Hark! I hear a distant bell. And how a tiiime —they softly ring; What joyful tidings do they tell As back and forth they swing. 'Tis mid of night—who rings those bells.' ! Perhaps doves there nestling. And while each little bosom swells, And warm, they touch with gentle wing The tuneful metal, and it feels So incubated it would swing To life, and wake the world with peals Of gladnesr as for new-crowned King. Those midnight bells, how sweet they I chime, The welkin vibrates with their sound; To hearts attune they are sublime, Nor spread they dread alarm around. Lo! now 1 see, from East afar A light shines through the steeple's frame 'Tis brighter than the brightest star, j It gilds th° bells with golden flame; There, too, 1 some cherubs cling Fast hold the ropes. How fair they be! They sw ing the bells and sweetly sing "This is the Christ's nativity.". Wake every heart, join in their song Of praise to Christ, our new-born King; [ To him our sweetest strains belong, And his, our richest offering. When wakes the god of day, and shines Athwart the heavens, what of glee Will wake as well? With box and pines I And flowers gay, yon house will be Adi,rned, "and while the anthem swells With organ's voice, all Christendom Will vibrant he as are those bells That Christ's nativity has come. —J. William Pope. ANCIENT CHRISTMAS TOYS Dolls That Delighted Children of Rome and Greece in Early Days Re cently Excavated. Hag dolls are as old as the hills and J so are dolls with movable arms and • J legs, toy dogs, rocking horses and a j host of other things that bring de light to the children on Christmas morning. Recent excavations in the ruins of ancient Rome. Greece and Egypt have placed Hie British museum in posses- i sion of an interesting assortment of | these relics of early Christian days, j some of which may possibly have j been given to the children of the fol lowers of Christ at a time when .the observation of Clursinn.s day was an | innovation. In the nursery of a newly excavated j house at Behnesa, Egypt, a fairly well ; preserved rag doll was found with ! j arms and legs still intact and painted j fnce. The doll is by no means a beau- j ty and does not compare with the Christinas dolls of today, but neverthe- j less it must have brought joy, to a lit- i tl" girl's heart nearly 2.000 years ago. ! The jointed dolls of long ago were made to sit down, stand up and move their arms, but they didn't close their eyes or squeak "mamma." Among the toy dogs, horses and donkeys are some made of stone and baked clay and ) others carved out of wood. A CONVENIENCE. ' - • "So you think the Santa Claus myth is a good thing?" "Yes, it's a great convenience to have some imaginary person to take the responsibility when the children are disappointed Christinas morning." A Christmas "Suppose.** We would not change the children's Christmas. But suppose all the grown up people were to say to one another: "This year, instead of my giving you a present and your giving me a pres ent, let us club together and give our present to some poor child who will not have any Christmas. There are hundreds of them somewhere. Or, if \?c do not know of such a child, let us give our present to a hospital for chil dren, a home for crippled children, for Incurables, for the aged, the blind, the feeble-minded." This to be, of course, in addition to what we usually give j j to charities at this season. Why could j we not try this as an experiment, and i see what the result would be? —Chris- tian Register. Touched His Heart, Not Purse. A very ragged individual invaded the office of a millionaire one Christ mas eve and started describing his woes and sorrows in so graphic a man ner that "the millionaire was more af fected than he had ever been before in his life. At last, with tears in his eyas, he rang the hell for his servant, and when the latter arrived, said to him in a broken voice: "John, put this poor fel low out at once. He's "breaking my heart." Their Annual Resolve. Probably the girls are saying the same thing this year that they have I said every year in the past: "Well, I'm going to start making presents right away for next Christmas,** I ' I il "A Soul Above |j i:| Potatoes" p | i;|' c*** il l By PAUL HAMILTON Jt j I (Copyrifht, 1»19, by the W«Bt«rn News paper Union.) "You'll stay in Clifton, won't you, j Harney?" Mrs. Ross looked all motherly anx iety as she addressed her son. With them on the garden seat was Harney's sweetheart, Alma Reeves, whose bright, pretty face reflected the solici tude of the older woman. The son and lover affected quite a lordly air. A week previous his uncle, ! Mark Leaton, dying, had bequeathed him a neat sum in money and a j grocery store he owned in the village. "Tell you." pronounced the young : man, almost grandly, "I've got a soul I above potatoes." "But, Harney, dear," intervened Alma, "you know how pleased you were at first with the idea of being your I own master and running a business for yourself." "That's all right," acknowledged this ambitious favorite of fortune, "but I've met my old chum since then. You know Ned Dallas came down to see me when he learned of my big luck. Well, he's a clerk in a broker's office and he says that with his experience ; of the money market, if I will supply the capital, he will go Into partnership with me and will make a regular Na poleon of finance of me." Before leaving Harney made an ar rangement with Warren Doane, an old ; clerk in a local store, to place him in i charge of the one he had inherited on a basis of equal division of profits, j The day after Harney's departure Mr. 1 Doane called at the Ross home. "I ;tni iroing to surprise Harney," he | told Mrs. Ross, who was an old friend. "He has agreed to let me have full swing with advertising and specialty i wrinkles and I am going to build up a grand trade. Alma. T shall need some | one to take charge of the cashier's j desk. Can I count on you?" and Alma acquiesced in the arrangement and the enterprise started out under most promising auspices. The young adventurer across the j shoals of finance wrote almost daily j the first month of his absence. He J j was all anticipation, ambition., enthu- i ! siasm. Tfien he hecame less effusive j In his epistles and during the second ! month of his absence only two brief | letters reached home. "We must not expect too much at ; tention from the poor hoy. immersed as he is in business cares," Mrs. Ross told Alma. who. in her faith and in nocence. pictured "the poor boy" han dling the monetary destinies of na tions. The merest "All well —love to all." about comprised the substance of subsequent letters from Harney. Mean while. Alma and Mr. Doane begrudged no thought or care that would tend to ' place the despised grocery business ' upon a firm and growing basis and i keep It there. The idea that she was ; doing something that benefited the ! business interests of her lover kept I Alma animated and glad. How she ! worked, and planned, and hoped! She had. however, received an inkling from ! something she overheard between two ; local business men that Harney "was i cutting a wide swath in the city." making daring speculative investments | and going beyond his depth. | It was one Saturday night and Mr. ! Doane had closed the store an hour | earlier than usual on account of a i rain storm, and Alma had decided to ' remain for an hour or so and balance j the books and was engrossed at her task when the knob of the store door rattled, and then there was a quick, sharp tapping on Its glass panel. Alma ; could make out the visitor against the glare of the street lamp. It was liar ney Ross and she uttered a cry of joy as. unlocking the door, she led him into shelter and clung to his arm, ut tering fervent words of welcome. Then as he came within the radius of the desk lamp her heart smote her. "I've tramped it from the trolley, ; Alma." he said. "1 ran out of money and I'm about famished. You've got a neat and inviting layout here." and he went over to a counter which held a tempting array of cheeses, dried beef, boiled ham and some pickle rel- 1 Ishes. on the way drawing a liberal | handful from the cracker box. and set about eating with an enjoyment that both gratified and saddened Alma, for this returning lover of hers dreadfully I suggested fhe penitent prodigal. • "This Is sure a land of plenty." said I Harney, with a sigh of satisfaction is | he completed a lunch sufficient for two I men. "Alma. I've come back with nothing but a hard, costly lesson learned. Those city sharks took my money away from me so easy. I won der how they did tt. I'm through as a ! financial Napoleon. I'm glad to creep home, humble and glad to come back to the store, and mother—and you." "And. oh ! Harney, ** jubilated Alma, "such a business the store has done! You poor boy. Indeed! How welcome you are!" "I had a soul above potatoes, you know?" observed Harney with mourn ful retrospection. "Well, if the flat upstairs Is still vacant —" "Yes. it is. Harney," nodded Alma, j "Then it's a quiet wedding as soon as you can get ready. And. after j what I've gone through, it will be paradise to settle down in the cozy, modest little home. "Even if it is right over the pota toes !" laughed Alma, bestowing a kiss that to Harnvy Ross was more pre- ( cious than all the money he had lost. ° I re not sifting your zinc oxld before mixing it with the rubber eotn i pound.' "The makers began to sift. Better tires resulted. Some $30,(X)0,00o were saved v;> the government. Ami today you are enjoying a cut in your tire bill by getting better tires —a result of that experiment with zinc oxid." Successful Woman Trapper. Trapping predatory animals Is scarcely the kind df occupation In i which a woman might be expected to distinguish herself, even with the great extension of the range of feminine ac t"\" < to which wo have Ween accus tomed lately. Mrs. Ada Tingley of Ida ho, is reported, however, by the North western division of the United States biological survey, to be so successful in this employment that her male ri vals are finding ItJiard to keep up with her records. Her victims are mainly coyotes, bob-cats, wolves, lynxes and mountain lions, 8:30 every morn ing" Mrs. Tingley mounts her and rides off to her traps, of which 1 she runs six lines, of HO each. She us es a fish bait prepared by a secret formula. <*n occasion she can use a .32 caliber rifle with almost perfect accuracy. i Make Big Gun by Shrinking Liner. | In making a 12-inch gun at an east ! ern arsenal the liner tube, .'iG feet long, was finished and rifled before being shrunk into place. Customarily the liner is fine-bored and rifled after the shrinkage operation, and this is declared to be the first time a gun of | such large size was ever assembled after the tube was finished. —Popular Mechanics Magazine. Johannesburg Now Metropolis. Johannesburg, with a population of 263.274. is the largest and most cos mopolitan city in South Africa. Tb€ tastes of the people are varied, rang ing from the simplest requirements on the part of the natives to the most cultivated wants. Music of some form is of the means of satisfying these LOOK TO SARDINIA FOR CORK World Turning to That Island for Pro duction of Material So Much in Demand. Cork has probably passed olive oil as the leading export of Sardinia, and i Commercial Attache A. P. Dennis states that recent production has been so stimulated that a large factory at Templo is quadrupling its capacity. The bark is stripped from the tree once in nine years. At the Templo factory the dried bark Is first thor oughly steamed and flattened out by hydraulic pressure; it then remains In piles about 30 days, when It is taken out covered with blue mold, and is carefully scraped on both sides and cut Into widths varying according to the lengths of the cork stoppers de sired. The strips are cut by hand into cubes, a process requiring highly skill ed labor, with much care in picking out defective pieces. The corks have been rounded and tapered by high speed cutting machines, but a new abrasive process is claimed to reduce the waste of this finishing from 20 to 80 per cent. Before the war the fine dust sold in Germany for unknown use for about $9O a ton. At Terranova the cork is differently utilized, the best being baled in sheets for- ship ment, while the inferior is coarsely ground and used with a magnesium surface for walls and floor coverings. The war demand was for cork trench mattresses, which were both light and j afforded protection from cold and ' moisture. 1, -♦•(r-f--i-f ... .i- : * i|| Making His |j LWay il r>-r» I By VICTOR REDCLIFFE || (Copyright, 1113 bjr the W«ittr» Ntw»- pap«r Union, y '•You will give her up?" "Never! Less now than ever. Uncl<* Reuben, do not cro.-s me in the desire and duty of my life. Within a month Lois Newton has lost her father, who has left her penniless and homeless. She Is the only woman I ever loved.. I have made her my wife. Surely—•** "Go!" Old Reuben Morely rose to his feet, pulsating with fury. lli* trembling finger pointed to the door, his eyes glared, "Go!" he shouted, and his lists clenched. "Out of my heart, out of mv home —forever!" Walton Blair bowed his head in silence. He hurried his steps to escape the anathemas hurled after him by his 1 seltish. irrational relative. The dis missal meant penury. It was sweet and soothing the sol ace he received from the bride of an hour. The very fact of his great sac i ritice of home, position, heirship, en j deared him double fold to the modest, unassuming girl who was ready and willing to go hungry, roofless, accept the heaviest burdens of toil so that she had him by her side. Reuben Morely, though now recov wlth his Independent nephew. As to Lois, no claims of preference held her to her native village. Her aunt cared for them in her humble way during the week that they devoted to mapping out their future. Walton had no trade or profession but he had done some cbnctil work for his uncle and was capable of filling the position of the average office clerk. There was an old friend of his dead father named John Allen, who operated a large man ufacturing plant at a town called Lup ton. Walton left Lois with her aunt, to be received nt Lupton with full consideration and the kindly tendef of a position in ihe bookkeeping depart ment of the great works. Just ;is Walton was looking around for modest living quarters, sit a criti cal moment he "saved the two little children of the wealthy manufacturer from sure death in an automobile ac cident, but sustained the serious in jury of a broken arm, and the attend ing surgeon told him that he would not be able to use his right hand for a year to come. "1 have sent for your wife on my 1 own initiative." Mr. Allen told Wal ton. as he lay under hospital care. "I 1 have also planned to show my lasting gratitude toward you in a way that cannot offend your sense of the fitness of things. You have probably noticed that little oasis of house and garden at the edge of the mill site. It was where I and my family passed the i happiest year of our lives. I am going to fix up the place and rent It to you nt a nominal price." "But I shall hi- unable to pay for it." remonstrated Walton. "So? Hardly. You may not be in a condition to do any office work but. if you will accept if. you shall heroine our night watchman. Ten to five you i make hourly rounds of the signal boxes and see that all is safe. And if I do not mistake, that charming little wife of yours will riot be too proud to sit In the timekeeper's office nt seven, twelve, one and five and keep tab on the Incomings and outgoings of the workmen." "Oh. this Is Ideal!" exuberated Lois,, when two weeks later they were in stalled In the home John Allen had so generously provided. It was in the enchanting garden surrounding the bouse that they passed many hours of the day. restoring its former brightness as far as they could. Mr. Allen died and they lost a good friend but his t son-in-law. who succeeded to the busi ness, accepted the old provision made for the Blalrs as a sort of obligation of honor. and for fivp years the happy and contented married pair remained on duty in their respective positions. A little golden haired cherub came to them and tin* pretty home became ft haven of delight when Dorothy was old enough to get around. It was .Inst after her fourth birthday when there was a collision on the trolley line that ran directly past/the house. Several I were Injured, among them an old man who with the others was carried Into the Blair home, which afforded fhe nearest shelter. Tt was found that he «vas only stunned. When he recovered consciousness he was lying on a couch and little Dorothy, whose father and mother were away at the time, was fanning him and looking startled, but sol Id tout. "Who are you? Whose house ia this?" The old man almost frightened Dorothy by starting up suddenly and fixing his eyes upon a framed photo graph on the wall. "Who are you?" he asked more gently, scanning the child's face closely. "I am Dorothy Blair," replied the. little one, "and mamma and papa are away, and that picture you stare at so Is Uncle Reuben, who is going to come «nd see me some day, papa says." "He has pome alrf-ady. dear child!'*' pronounced Reuben Morely in broken tones, and he was holding the little one on his lap when Walton Blair en tered the room. Reuben Morley, though now recov ered. still lingered, and wh»*n he went on his way it was all arranged that they were to come to his hom«* and *tay there permanently, and cheer the life .>f the lonely old man with sunshine of tenderness and lose.