THE JTUL7GN COUNTY NEWS. McCONNELLSBURG," FA.
HE Christmas turkey nt Mount
Vernon was a wild bird, und
merely a game dixit when Mrs.
Washington, In the enrly days
before . the Revolution her
hUHbond was then only on
eminent citizen of Virginia
rolled, ud her sleeves and
stood to carve It
In those days It was considered a matter of
course tliut a lady should know how to carve.
Chough (as was the case with the mistress of
Mount Vernon) she might not spell correctly,
fhe accomplishment, like the making of Jumsand
cider, was appropriate for 8 housewife.
Christmas at Mount Vernon In those times was
an exceedingly Jolly and festive occnsio;i. Wash
ington was the richest man In Virginia, and tbo
equipments of his household were In many re
spects more luxurious than could be found In the
houses of his well-to-do neighbors. For example,
the guests at this Christmas dinner wereprovlded
with silver forks a rure luxury at that period,
when gentlemen customarily ate with their
knives, because It wus out of the question to lift
peas and many other such edibles to the mouth
with the three-tlned steel forks commonly In use.
It Is a shock to learn that the father of his
country ate with his knife, yet such Is undeniably
tbo fuct. That snge historian, Peter Purley, tells
a story (probably upochryphul) of an occasion
when somebody tried to kill the Immortal George
by putting poison on his peas. Shoving his knife
beiienrb a few of them, and raising them to his
lips, he looked across the table at his enemy, and
said, "Shall I eat of these?" Still holding the
knife suspended, ho again transfixed the man
with bis ga.e and repented the question. So over
come was the would-be poisoner by Washington's
seeming prescience that he fled from the tublo
and the perilous peas remained uneaten.
At that epoch, in Virginia, the men who waited
on the table In most of the country houses wore
plantation garb. At Mount Vernon, however, the
household servitors were attired In a handsome
and even striking livery of scarlet, white and gold,
and the butler was a dream of gorgoousness. One
nuin for each two guests was the minimum allow
ance. Not only were there viands to be supplied,
but ii constant succession of bottles containing
wines of choice vintage for the consumption of
the male guests.
Ladles In those days drank next to nothing at
nil. To dike more than a sip of wine, for either
niald or matron, would have been regarded os
the height of impropriety. But for the men all
through this Christmas dinner the bottles were
kept going around. Mr. Bryan Fairfax of Alexan
dria would -say to Mr. 0. W. Lewis across the
table, "George, a gloss of wine with you 1" "With
pleasure, Cousin Bryun!" the lotter would reply,
as he bowed and drank. Then Mr. Fnlrfax would
go through the same performance with every man
nt the table and so It went throughout the
repast.
The eatables served at the dinner were nearly
all of them products of the Mount Vernon estate.
From a gastronomic point of view, no region In
the world wos richer than that section of old
Virginia. There were ennvnsbock ducks to be
siiot on the river In front of the house; partridges
and venison were plentiful, nnd the proprietor of
the mansion raised his own beef, pork, and mut
ton. The only vegetables were sweet potatoes,
white potatoes, and beans.
J'rom a latter-day standpoint the repnst wos
conducted In n pecullnr fashion. All the dishes.
Including three kinds of meats and several of
game, were put on the table at once. While Mrs.
Washington carved the turkey, the gentlemen who
happened to be opposite the mutton, the venison,
etc., were expected to lend expert asslstnnce In
the dissection of those comestibles. The puddings
were eaten before the withdrawal of the cloth, the
removal of which left bare a shlny expanse of
mahogany, upon which the fruit, nuts, nnd de
canters were set forth In festive array.
I When the cloth had been withdrawn, the host
would lift his glass, filled with choice Madeira,
and drink the health of his guests. Five minutes
of general conversation would follow, perhaps,
and then Mrs. Washington would rise, giving the
signal for the departure of the ladles. Every
body would get up; the ladles would make nn elnli
ornte curtsy to the gentlemen, and the latter
would bow profoundly In response. With the re
tirement of the women the real drinking would
Christmas Afternoon
4
'tli 4.1, iAi4.a. J.i. Ui l. tilt a. Uia",
The afternoon of Chrlstmns dny may be rather
a quiet one for the older folks. The gifts have
been unwrapped, nnd arranged nnd hovered over
from time to time. The usually tidy room looks
like a basilar for tbo sale of fancy goods. Per
hups neighbors nnd other friends may come to
exchange "Merry Chrlstmnses!" and to say, "May
I tliiiuk you here for your lovely gift?"
Between the dnrk and the daylight, after the
cullers have gone and the children hove returned
from their play, comes the peaceful nnd hnppy
Christmas evening. The great day Is dying;
Christmas Is nearly over. It will be a whole yenr
before we shall enjoy Its merriment ngnln or re
member happy Christmas seasons of the post.
We may lose many things home, friends, health,
money but memory abides, and no one can take
from us the happiness that has once been ours.
On Christmas night we remember the old days.
We think of those who were once here to share
our Joys. "Christmas never can be the some
again !" ninny people exclnlra when they feel as
if the Joy of life hns gone forever. If we nil took
that view Christmas Itself might die. It depends
lupon deep spiritual Insight.
. Let us, if we can, forget our troubles and even
'our sorrows and try to rejoice. If we have chll-
Idrcn about us It Is not hard to be merry, but If
we hove none of our own there are a great many
who ought to be made glad and may be found
with but little trouble.
A merry Chrlstmns to you all! And I would
add Tiny Tim's words, "God bless us, every one I"
Dolly Wayne In Philadelphia Public Ledger.
SANTAI DON'T YOU DARHI
We love our dnughter deurly,
For her our lives we'd soak, ,
But she wants a ukulele
For Christmas. Holy smoke!
PEACE.
Blow bugles of battle, the marches of peace;
East,' West, North and South let the long quarrel
cease ;,
Sing the song of great Joy that the angels began,
aim of glory to God and of good will to men.
? Whlttier.
WORTH TRYING.
2
CHRISTMAS
S
begin, and might bo kept up almost Indefinitely,
though, for his port, Washington never went be
yond n second glass of wine, nnd It was his usual
custom to leave the table within a few minutes
after his wife had gone.
Toasts, In those days, were never drunk until
after the Indies had left the table, and no beauty's
health was ever pledged in this fashion while she
was present. But when the men found them
selves alone, It wus the proper thing for a young
gentleman to get upon his feet which, It Is to
be hoped, were still steady end to say, "I give
you Betty Lomox, the most benutlful girl In West
moreland county!" Or perhaps It might be Susan
Lee of Rnppuhnnnock. Such a toast was custom
arily drunk standing with all the honors, as the
phrase was.
Indeed, Christmas wos a great dny of festiv
ity In the Virginia of that epoch. Breakfast was
ot eight or nine o'clock, unless It had been de
cided to go n-huntlng In the morning In which
cose the meal wos eaten by cnndle-llght. If there
was n fox hunt a sport of which Washington wos
very fond the host woro a brilliant red wnlst
coat trimmed with gold lace, ond the ladles who
rode were beoutlful In scarlet habits. On such
occasions Mrs. Washington would go out in her
"chariot nnd four." keeping as close to the hunt
as the ronds would permit Not until 1785 were
the Mount Vernon kennels abolished nnd the dogs
sold.
Those were days when meals were ample, but
were not multiplied. Eating, when undertaken,
was no mere frivolity, but serious business. This
Chrlstmns dinner wos at 8:30 p. m.; there hod
been no lunch, nnd there was no supper to come.
After dinner there were games blind man's buff,
hunt the slipper, nnd the like with much romping
nnd more or less kissing. A sprig of mistletoe
wos hung up In a convenient plnce, ond If n girl
hnppened to be kissed under It by a young man
she did not fnlnt or call for help. In fact, it
might be suspected that she did not seriously ob
ject. Never, and nowhere, In this world were there
more capable and expert makers of love than the
young men of Washington's dny In old Virginia.
Nobody ever saw Jollier follows than they were.
If they loved fiercely, they proved their sincerity
by marrying early; nnd, when one of them wns
so unfortunato os to lose his wife, he would In
variably marry again. Marriage was considered
Just about the most Important duty of life, nnd
the love affairs of the gentlefolk were freely
confided even to the servants. Black Tom knew
that Mars' James wns "going after" Miss Snllle
Lee, and would talk the matter over with his
young master. And It was the same way with
the girls.
So It may easily be imagined that on a festive
occasion such as this Chrlstmns celebration a
good deal of Incidental love-making, some of It
serious enough, wns accomplished. But fhe
Master of the Revels, though he himself had been
sufficiently ardent In his youth, wns In later life
no eager sympathizer with such follies.
Though Mr. Washington took no part In the
romps that followed the dinner, he henrtlly en
Joyed the fun. Occnslonnlly he relished a game
of cards, ond probably on this Chrlstmns evening
he Indulged In some such amusement, In company
with the older people, while the young folks
scampered ond romped. He played for money,
but the stakes were small.
There were two young people at Mount Vernon
In those days the son nnd dnughter of Mrs.
Washington by her first husband. It Is easy to
imagine the part they took In the romps on Chrlst
mns dny. John and Martha, their names were,
but everybody knew them as Jacky nnd Patsy.
Tatsy died In 1773, when Just budding Into wom
anhood, while her brother married young, ond
hnd four children, two of whom, George nnd Nel
lie Custls, wero adopted by Mr. Washington. To
George he left the famous Arlington estate, oppo
site the city of Washington, which nfterwords
fell by Inheritance to the wife of Gen. Robert E.
Lee.
On Christmas eve there was n donee, to which
all the neighbors for many miles around were,
as a matter of course, Invited. The party began
before eight, ond was over by ten o'clock.
Young ladles' beauty In those times was not
spoiled by lnte hours. For music there was a
single fiddle, played by an old slave on the place
a white-haired negro who kept the time and
helped on the tune by pounding on the floor with
his big foot.
All the young ladies wors low-necked dresses,
making n brave display of pretty shouldors, and
tht men were In knee-breeches and silk stockings.
Mrs. Washington's gown, cut V-shnped nnd filled
In with ruchlng, was of French silk; but the
clothing she ordinarily wore was of domestic
manufacture, being woven at Mount Vwnon, where '
no fewer than sixteen negro women were kept
FROM THE HEART.
"Not because It's In the air
But because I really care
Merry Christmas."
Anon.
lid It do to give the Christmas spirit
by working It into a nent set of New
tons? j .
: i: V
INDEED, HE WAS.
The Brother I planted a kiss on ber cheek be
neath the mistletoe.
The Sister Raise anything?
The Brother Yes, her father raised well, he
was very angry, . .
constantly nt work In what wns called the "spinning-house."
This industrial annex of the estab
lishment remains to this day, nnd visitors ut
Mount Vernon nre taken by the guides to see the
very room In which t lie splnnlng-wheels were
operated.
Of course, there was high festival not only for
the master and his guests, but also for "my peo
ple," as Washington was accustomed to cull the
negroes on his estate. He would never have
thought of speaking of them as slaves. There
were at that period about one hundred negroes on
the place, and ot the Vuletlde senson they en
Joyed exceptional privileges. Good things for
their consumption were distributed with no nig
gard hand by the mistress of the house, n treat
much appreciated being a drink known ns "methlg
ler," composed of fermented honey, spices, nnd
water. Another beverage brewed by Mrs. Wash
ington was a sort of peach brandy sweetened with
honey.
Those were days when a enpoble housewife was
supposed to know how to compound n variety of
beverages. Beer was brewed nt Mount Vernon
under Mrs. Washington's own supervision, nnd
cider os well, the latter being a drink of which
her husband was very fond. He always had It on
tho table nt dinner, ond would take It freely in
plnce of the wines which were more to the taste
of his guests.
By ten o'clock In the evening the festivities of
Christinas duy ot Mount Vernon were over. Even
hnd the fashion of the time been otherwise, Mrs.
Washington would scarcely have tolerated lata
hours. She always Insisted on putting her hus
band to bed early, anil be meekly obeyed. Wheth
er It be true or not, ns sonic chroniclers have as
serted, that Mr. Washington was henpecked, It Is
certuln that he considered it Judicious to submit
in most things to his wife's wishes.
The frame for this picture of n Chrlstmns nt
Mount Vernon before the Revolution Is ready
mode; for, thanks to the efforts of patriotic wom
en, the old mansion stnnds today almost exactly
as It was when Washington lived there. There
Is much of the old furniture, and even n great
deal of the old china ami glassware. The house
Is a veritable fragment of American history, ami
though more than a century and a quarter hns
gone by since the merry Vuletlde festival here
described, the Imagination readily repeoples the
old place with Its throng of guests, eating, drink'
Ing, dancing, nnd making love, nnd hears the Joy
ous laughter of the romping young folks, while
through the crowd moves the stntely figure of tho
host, who, offering his hand to the prettiest girl
In the room, proceeds to lend her through the
graceful ond decorous steps of n minuet.
Pfi f 'T1 TM'n ? M'T "T'T1 'f '!
I Have You Discovered It? 2
i
4ii.a. Utat-a. Uiitlt UtitAi Ui4 Ai UittJ
"Merry Chrlstmns. Rodney!" sang out Jerry os
he dashed out of tho olley dragging o handmade
sled.
"Merry Christmas nothing!" replied Rodney
morosely.
"What's tho mntler with it?" asked Jerry. "I
henrd you got a lot. of presents."
"I wanted a motorcycle nnd didn't get It,"
growled Rodney.
"I'm sorry, Rod," said Jerry sympathetically.
"If you get time, come on over nnd see the treo
we rigged up for the kiddies last night. There
come Jokey McOlnnls nnd his twin sister.
Jerry hurried on down the street, loaded the
McGlnnis twins on his sled and hnd o great time
coasting.
Jerry hnd discovered how to mnke Christmas a
success. lie wos the embodiment of the spirit of
Chrlstmns which Is best expressed by the llttlo
word, Joy.
jerry does he live In your block? Is the kind
of lnd who gets so much Joy out of life that a lot
of It spills over ond londs on the next fellow, no
wants everybody to be Just as happy os he Is. He
would like to see Rodney got his motorcycle If It
would mnke Rodney any hnppler.
We have a suspicion, however, that If Rodney
"hnd received the motorcycle he would not have
found the Joy-trail by riding It
Mny Christmas bring everybody nil the good
things possible 1 But lot us remember that Christ"
mas Joy Is not spelled with the letters G E T.
It Is what we bring to the dny that makes Christ
mas a Joy-time. Boys' World.
JOY EVERY DAY.
Why not more days of loving care,
With garlands hung up verywhere.
And candles bright, ond carols gay
Why not havo Christmas srery day?
CHRISTMA8.
A Homemade Drama In Four Acts and an Ep.
logue.
Act I Anticipation The shopper and the shop.
Act II Expectation "You can't guess what I
bought for Christmas."
Act III Realization "Just what I wonted."
Act IV Vexation "Darned old Junkl Hang
Christmas, anyhow I"
Epilogue.
BUI, and bills, and bills, aqd blUs.
island of Madagascar the Only
Country Thus Favorel
The Christmas Spirit
Queen Ranavalona II on Ascending
Throne Became Firtt Christian
Ruler and Adopted "Glory to
God in Highest" Motto.
There Is only one spot In tho whole
world where Christmas Is celebrated
twice euch yeiir und that Is the Island
of Madagascar, olt the custern const
of the southern end of Africa, and
which domlmites that purt of the In
dian ocean. '
Marco Polo, the great traveler, tlrst
made tills island known to medieval
Europe In OS. It wus nearly two
liuudred years Inter when a Portu
guese traveler obtulned the first au
thentic information about the island,
in UU7. From that time on there were
ittcmpts by the Portuguese, Freuch and
English to settle the IhIiiihI, und they
met with defeat ut the hands of the
wild and suvnge llovus, who controlled
the Island, and many died from Mala
gasy fever In the lowlands of the coast.
Oil Christmas eve In 1072 ull the
Frenchmen ut Fort Dauphin were mui
deied by (lie nullves. In 1810 u IIovu
chief, Itiulania I, u young man, ullowed
the Christian missionaries to tcuch
their Bible doctrines III the island, and
by 1820 Protestant Christianity was
effectively Introduced among the
llovus.
First Christian Ruler.
Rudiinia died In 1828, nnd one of his
wives became Queen ltaiinvalona I.
She wus bitter against the Christians
und persecuted them In many cruel
ways, and she hud her warriors from
the Interior mountains of the Island
massacre the native Christians, who
would not renounce the Christian (Jod
nnd go back to the worship of idols.
The cruel queen reigned until her
death In ISdl u wicked record of .'13
years. Then her son, ltndaum II, be
came king, and although he wus a
great drunkard and led a wild life
himself, l.e allowed the Christian mis
sionaries to come Into the Island again.
He was nssasslunted in the palace in
I Si hi, mid his widow, Rusohcriiio, was
proclaimed queen. Upon her death III
IHUS, a niece of Itanuvalonu I ascended
the throne us Ranuvalomi II. When u
girl, her gentle charities and sympa
thies with the Christians during their
persecutions had won respect und love,
tml when she became queen It wus un
derstood that Madagascar hud the first
really Christian ruler on Its throne.
I'.etwecn 18"0 und 18,15 the entire Bi
ble had been printed in the Malagasy
language, also uu Engllsh-Mnlagusy
dictionary. So, on the day of her coro
nation the idol which had been promi
nent on similar occasions wus banished
by Rmiavalomi II, and a copy of the
Malagasy Illhle placed near the throne ;
while on the canopy above, in golden
letters, were the words: "Glory to (iod
In the Highest, Pence on Earth, Good
Will to Men." With one hand on the
I'.ilile, the queen addressed the people,
expressing the hope that they would
adopt the Christian faith, but lidded:
'In this matter you shall not lie com
pelled." Ordered Idols Destroyed.
She ordered her own household Idols
and the chief national Idol to be burn
ed nnd gradually ber example was fid
lowed by the general destruction of
household Idols among the Ilovas. She
married the prime minister the fol
lowing year and made a public profes
sion of her faith, and from that tlni"
on the Christian religion lias been
growing fast in the island.
The words over the canopy nt her
roroimtloji the queen knew to be spok
en by the angels In the sky when the
(hephenls beard the noise of wings
lit tho time the Christ was born In
Bethlehem. Christinas Is celebrated
all over the Island now. But the Ilovas
have n different way of computing time
nnd by their system Christmas falls
some time In November, and they cele
brate It thru. The Christian date of
December " Is also celebrated by the
natives along with tho missionaries.
But It Is not n Christmas of snow
and slelghbells. It Is a tropical country
and Christmas day Is under a torrid
sun, but the sky Is brilliant and the
magnificent flowering trees of many
vivid colors nre filled with many pe
culiar birds of brilliant plumage, while
the ground beneath Is bespangled with
wild blossoms of varied lines.
3.
DAY OF DAYS FOR KIDDIES
Christmas Outranks All Other Holi
days for the Happiness and Mer
rymaking of the Youngsters.
Above all other holidays, Chrlstmns
is children's day. If possible, they
Hhould be made hnppy on that day.
But they should not bo permitted to be
selfishly so.
In times past there has been a tend
ency on the pnrt of many of us to give
too many gifts, and too expensive ones,
to our children. Wo have been waste-
The Little Christ Is Coming
The little Christ Is coming- down
Across the field of snow.
The pine trees greet him where they
stand;
The willows bend to kiss hi hand;
The mountain laurel Is ablush
In hidden nooks, the wind, ahush
And tiptoe, lest the violets wake
Before their time (or his sweet sake.
The sturs, down dropping, form a crown
Upon the waiting hills below
The little Christ is coming down
Across the fields ot snow.
The little Christ Is coming down
Across the city street.
The" wind blows coldly from the north;
His dimplod hands are Btretchlng forth.
And no one knows, and no one cares.
The priests are busy with their prayers;
The Jostling crowd hastes on apace,
And no one sees the pleading face.
None hears the cry as through tho town
He wanders with his email, cold feet
The little Christ la coming down
Across the city street.
-Harriet F. Blodgett.
Cbrlstm.is pence Is God's; and
lie must give It himself, with his
own band, or wo shall never get
it. io th:n lo God himself.
Thou art bis child, as Clirlstnms
day declares; he not afraid to
go unlo thy father. 1'rny to
him; tell him what thou want
est ; say, "Father, I am not mod
erate, reasonable, forbeurlng. I
fear I cannot keep Christmas
urlght, for I hove not n peaceful
Christmas spirit In me; nnd 1
know that I idiall never get It
by thinking, and reading ami un
derstanding; for It passes nil
that, and lies far beyond It, does
peace, In the very essence of
Ihiiio undivided, unmoved, abso
lute, eternal Godhead, which no
change nor decay of this created
world, nor sin or folly of men or
devils, can ever alter, but
which abldeth forever what It
Is, In perfect rest, und perfect
power nnd perfect love. Kings-ley.
ful. We should not love our chlldreu
less indeed we would show greater
love by being careful what we give
them. Too many toys Incline children
to lie both wuKteful and destructive.
When the youngsters are left to In
vent some of their playthings, their
Imaginations nre developed, and they
become more capable of doing things.
This Christmas would be ifgood time
to begin teaching children unselfish
ness and the Joy of giving. Many a
poor mother Is struggling to provide
food and shelter for her children and
has nothing to give them from Snntn
Chilis. The children of such mothers
are going to have wide, wistful, tear
stained eyes. They are going to crave
the Joys of a Christ inns day that may
not be theirs.
While our fathers, brothers and sons
are ut the front, risking health und
life for us, for our country, for good
In the world, let us not forget those
children who lack n father's care and
protection. The good fellows are do
ing much. But they need our help
both In giving and In seeking ouWthe
needy. They need our aid In distribut
ing as well as providing.
Let us not forget the spirit for
which Christmas stands. It Is to give
freely, to do service to mankind. Let
us give love. Let us give sympathetic
understanding. Let us give ourselves.
He lives most who lives for others.
And he who shall have made o child
happy on Christinas morning will have
done n service In his name.
IK
YOUR
CHRISTMAS AND THE SPIRIT
Necessary to Manifest Unselfishness
and the Love Christ Brought
to the World.
Two artists were asked to make n
copy of n famous painting. The one
made mathematical calculations, ami
produced a technically correct copy.
The other studied the painting, entered
Into the snlrlt of the artist, und pro
duced not merely nn Imitation, but n
iilcliire which glowed with warmth
and life. We nre not, as Christians,
simply to copy Christ, but rather to
become possessed of his spirit and so
renroduce ids life In our lives. At
this Chrlstmns season let us n!ni to
become possessed of the spirit of
Christ, and so reproduce Ills life.
In "Little Women" there is n story
told bv Louisa Alcott out of the ex
perience of her own early days. The
four children who nre her heroines.
knowing of a neighbor In need, go in
n little procession and carry her their
breakfast. Another Incident may be
recalled. It may not have been pre
cisely Christmastlde, but It was win
ter, and the weather wns bitterly cold.
The stock of wood was low, mid night
had fallen, when there came n knock
at the door. A shivering child stood
there, snvlmr that her mother had no
wood, that the baby was sick and the
father gone on n spree. She begged
for n little wood. "Divide our stocn
Willi her," said Mr. Alcott, "and we
will trust In "Providence. The weather
will moderate, or wood will come." No
wonder that the children trained in
the Aleott household grew up heed
less of privation and generous to those
whose need was great. This is the
true Christmas spirit. If our Chrlst-
nmstide is pervaded by real unselfish
ness, we shall manifest to every one
the love that Christ brought to the
world.
Blessed Optimism.
It Is the blessed optimism of Christ
mas time that buys a sled In n climate
where snow Is n rarity.
It Is a very old tradition that
'
a It Is extremely lucky to be born
on Christmas Dny. . J
What Is Life?
It Is only ut their peril tbnt men
decide what life Is. "Three times
every week," writes Bernard Shnw, "I
could escape from artistic und lit
erary stuff und tall; seriously with se
rious people. For this reason be
cause I persisted In socialist propa
ganda I never once lost touch with
the real world." Poor Mr. Shnw 1 One
may be a socialist and know also that
there Is a pastoral England, studios,
quiet suburbs nnd the open highway!
New Republic.
Christmas.
Keep
"There Is a better thing than the
observance of Chrlstmns and that Is
keeping Christmas." Henry V
Dyke.
E
FUTURE SECURE
Easy Farming Methods in West
em Canada and Certain
Financial Benefits.
With your crop harvested nnd innr.
keted, with the disposal of your cattle
and hogs completed, you ore ready to
prepare your finnncinl statement for
the year. You will soon know what you
have gained, and If the gnln made In
your farming operatons hns been up
to your expectations nnd will meet
your requirements. Probably you tuny
have been the loser. Your Innd mny
have been productive, but It mny hnve
been too high priced. The cost of pro
duction has been too great. If you
have had the remuneration you sought
and are satisfied this article may nut
Interest you. If your returns hnve not
been satisfactory, or If your ambition
leads you to the laudable desire of bet
tering your condition, If you have iIh
pendents for whose future you have
anxiety, you will naturally look around
for some place, some opportunity that
offers greater advantages and brings
satisfactory returns. To the north mid
west of you lie hundreds of thousands
of unbroken ncres In Western Canada
awaiting the husbnndinnn, and ready
to give of Its richness to place you
where you desire to be placed. r(.r
thousands of formers from nearly ev
ery state In the Union the prairies of
Western Cnnndn hove afforded wealth
beyond whnt they hnd been led to ex
pect. The excellence of the soil of
Western Canada, which comprises the
Provinces of Munltobn, Saskatchewan
and Alberta, can only partially be told
by the knowledge of some facts.
Every yenr for some years past tho
world's highest prizes for wheat, outs
and bnrley hove been carried olT by
grain grown on Western Cunudhn
Prairies. Beef fattened on the grasses
of these same prairies recently brought
the highest prices ever paid on the
Chicago market. Throughout the en
tire world the quality of Canadian
grain, nnd Canadian beef nnd mull. a.
Is recognized. To recite what Indi
vidual furmers have done, the riches
they have acquired would (111 volumes.
The case of James Wlshart of Portago
la Prairie Is not nn exceptional one.
His whent crop this past season yield
ed him forty-five bushels per acre, and
the Innd upon which It was grown was
broken forty-four yenrs ago, und It hns
been continuously under crop except
for nn occasional summer fallow. At
Moose Jaw,-Saskatchewan, samples of
the whent of 1018 weighed OS pounds
to the bushel, others GO and some (;.V
pounds. Wheat crops ut Coahhile,
Albertn, went ns high ns 38 bushels
here, wlille whent crops near Barons,
Alberta, had yields of from 25 to :',0
bushels.
Records such as these speak In glow
ing terms of the excellence of the soil
of Western Canada.
The war Is over, and we ore all
settling down to a ponce basis. There
Is o grent world beyond" the seas in
feed and clothe, and thus Is afforded
the opportunity to lend n hand In llu;
great work. Aside from the philan
thropy in which you can play a part,
there Is the satisfaction of knowing
you nre (imply providing for yourself
nnd for the future of those who may
be dependent upon you. (ireater prog
ress enn be made In tills und your own
development by availing yourself of
the advantages that Western Canada
offers In Its low-priced binds nnd high
yielding values. There nre good
schools, desirable social conditions, low
taxation (none on Improvements)
with nn enjoyable cllmiite, and the
satisfaction of possessing n well tilled
soil capable of producing nhundant
crops for which good prices prevail, at
easily accessible marketing places.
Advertisement.
Dick Was Charitable.
At the funeral services for an el
derly negro of Richmond, Vn the for-'
lowing colloquy was overheard:
"There ain't no use in tnlkln'," said
Moso Barker; "Dick Williams, he wns
the most cbnrltiiblc man (lis town ever
seen."
"I reckon dat's so," said the darkey
to whom Mr. Barker Imparted this
Information. And he paused as If
waiting for evidence on this point.
"Yessuh," continued Mr. Barker,
"Dick Williams, he always owned n
plug hnt, nnd durin' my time I ain't
never henrd that Dick ever refused to
lend dat hat to anybody."
Dog Had Comething to Say.
The Hon. John W. Davis, appointed
our ambassador In London In succes
sion to Mr. Page, Is an eminent law
yer. Mr. Dnvls tells the story of a very
small boy who was trying to lead a
big St. Bernard up a busy thorough
fare. "Where ore you going to take
that dog, my little chap?" Inquired a
passerby. "I I'm going to see where
where he wnnts to go first," wns the
breathless reply.
Relics of Aztecan Era.
Near Phoenix, within the Salt river
valley, ore to he found seven com
munnl settlements of the same pre
Aztecan era, with central buildings
that were far larger than that nt Casa
Grande, n writer in the Christian
Science Monitor states. To the north
ward nnd northeast every river volley
retains evidence of the pnssage of nt
least a portion of these peoples, for
some reason leaving their cities ond
their irrigated fields on the plains and
seeking the mountnins und the- upper
plateaus.
"The Sport of Kings."
A mantle of rich silk or doth ap
pears tu have been the usual prize for
horse racing In the fourteenth cen
tury ; bells nnd gold snaffles were run
for In the fifteenth century; cups grad
ually came Into fashion In the six
teenth century. Racing colors of si K
and sutin seem to have been In use n
Henry the Eighth's reign.
Prevention Rather Than Cure.
To cure Is as expensive as to pre
vent, and prevention eliminates the
loss as well,