TfiitfIiDVIRGINIA fl@!L V /A CHRISTMAS REVERIE IN VERSE V J BY ROBEKTUS LOVE CUPVRUUIHIBOS.BY ROBBPITOM)visSiJ|ii<^ '-•■ • -1 |: v.. Mexico's Christmas Eve Christmas in Mexico lasts for nine days, ending with Christmas eve.' They are described as "the nine days' j wanderings." being symbolical of the wanderings of the Virgin Mary and Joseph in search of shelter prior to the birth of.l ONUS. One c ustom is to have nine familes) of friends or relatives take part in this quaint observation. I'.ach family en-j tertains in turn for one evening all the others. Both adults and children participate in the wanderings. Arriv ing at a house, they apply at the door | of each room for shelter, which is re 1 fused by those within. Finally all are Admitted to the largest room, where! refreshment* of ••old meat-, cakes and wine are served, in many instances the c hildren are garbed in fanciful costumes. The last nishl of the wanderings, i Christmas eve. means to Mexican chil-! •K , ,r, if . JhCH MIIXDFOIJDKU CHILI) TIMES TO HIT TUB PINATA. dreu what the gathering of Christmas tree fruit means to the children of the United States, though there is no Christmas tree. There is instead the pinata, otherwise a human figure made of tough paper, suspended from the ceiling. Sometimes there is an olla or earthenware pot similarly suspended. One child is blindfolded, turned around a few times and invited tec break the pinata with a cane or rod Three strokes are permitted, and it usually happens that the can- hit only impalpable air After an hour or «o • 112 failures somebody hits the pinata a smart blow, and the legs and trunk of the grotesque figure split open. '•own to the floor, in scattering con fusion. fail the Christinas presents ■with which the funny figure was stuff ed. Then there is a merry scramble for the "favors." The one who sue- j • eeds in breaking the pinata or the olla gets a special present and is placed in the seat of honor for the evening. Almost Qualified. "Help yon!" seofTed the irate house wife. "Well, I guess not. I only as nist invalids." "Well, mum," responded Beefsteak Ben as he tried to remove the bulldog i from his shins, "I'll be an Invalid If I j ; stay here much longer." The Poor Milkman Again. The milkman was boiling over with Indignation. "And you mean to say my millc don't ; look right?" he snapped. "Why, lady, j this can of milk is a picture!" "Ah. yes," laughed the keen house wife: "a fine water color."—Exchange % R a Autobiography of A Christmas Gift ■ u 1 am a Christmas gift, in fact. 1 have always been one. My age Is now nineteen, though 1 may look older. 1 was made by the dainty hands of Miss' Susanna Sikes. who at that time was! just the age I am now. Guess her age at present? She is still Miss Susanna, and she still owns me. Oh, yes. Miss Susanna gave me a way. Perhaps 1 should explain that 1 am twins, being a pair of knit slippers. i Miss Susanna, it fwas understood, / had benevolent designs upon the ""j. young pastor of £»' her church, so | yv v \J s ' ie k' l " me uni^ sent me to the 1 \(J reverend youth. mas tin l preach w re feet. So the i WLk preacher s si t, . j SUE SENT ME TO WUS UOt ill all I HIM. offended. The next Christmas she sent me to j her < eld college chum. Mrs. i>e Brown. { who was a member of tier brother' | congregation. Next Christmas Mrs. 1)i j It. sent me to her pastor. The pastor j grinned when he saw ine again and j remarked something like "Cast yotii I bread upon the waters and il will re-1 •urn to you after many days." The next Christmas the pastor sent me to his old college chum, who was sweet on Miss Susanna. There was every prospect of a match, since Miss Susanna had despaired of winning the' preacher, who was known to be en gaged to another lady. Bui the ver\ ' next Christmas the preae fiT'r's college chum sent me to Miss Susanna with a perfumed note praising her dainty lit tie feet. This broke ofT the match, of course. Well, next Christmas Miss Susanna mailed me to a friend of hers eh ir across the continent. Miss Susanna'.- udr 's on the corner of the box in wlii h I was mailed got rubbed off or j route, and her friend didn't know win i sent me. So the very next Christmas 1 re-1 turned to Miss Susanna. Oh. I wa.-i hard to lose! I was not made to wear ! 1 was made to circulate. I am a good thing, and so everybody pas -, me along. Oh, so you recognize me now? Ye«. I I spent a year with you. Well, time I slips, and I must be going This is Christmas eve, you know. T. SAP!*, JR. They Were Not Encouraged. "1 don't see why that young man doesn't propose." "I think, pa, that the chances of his doing it would be fully as good if you wouldn't leave your boxing gloves r.round where he cau see them."—Bo hemian Magazine. Of course everybody likes and re spects self made men. It Is a great deal better to be made In that way than not to be made at all.—O. W. riolmes. It Is the wise head that makes the ■till tongue.—Lucas. ' Santa In Gnss Valley One town in the United States has a practical and apparently perpetual Sauta Clans. In Grass Valley, Cal.. everybody gets Christmas gifts. There is no child so poor as to be disap pointed when Santa passes his boun i ties around, and, for that matter, no grown person either. Twenty-five years | ago Mrs. Hansen »( Crass Valley was an Invalid, confined to her chair at the window of her cottage. She watched the school children troop by. Some of them were scantily clad and looked ill nourished. The good woman for got her own misfortune in her com passion for the unfortunate little ones. She suggested that on the last day of school before the Christmas holi days each child should bring to school something to give away to others. It need not be anything big or costly— just whatever the child could spare. A committee was to distribute the things where they were most needed So many little ones and their parents were made happy the first Christmas that Grass Valley adopted the idea per manently. Now for a quarter of a century Mrs. Hansen's improved Santa ! Clans system has bce-n in working or dor. though long ago tin- good womau herself was released from her chair of pain and laid to rest in the town ceme i tory. I When the last day of SIIK.OI in the I old year arrives -called donation day In Grass Valley—every child ef the ' more than I,(XKI In the- s hoi N is seen I trudging teacherward with an offering. , Later the town's brass band heads the : procession, dispensing appropriate tun HKItE AND TIIEIIE A BOY HKAIIB A I.IYi- CHICKEN. nlc. Some of the children carry stick.-' of wood as big as themselves; other hold only il fat potato in their chtibb; lingers. Here and there a boy bears aloft, a live chicken, cackling and strug gllng. At tlie rear of the walkers fol lows a line eef wagons laden with good things donated by the merchants ant 1 other well to do citizens. Suppose it rains? Well, that doesn't matter. The children march, rain or shine. Santi Clans is not deterred by inciemen weather—not in Grass Valley. Inpenicus Ponies. A rather curious habit has been de veloped by Mexican ponies in connec tion with the cactus thorns. When these creatures are thirsty it is said that before attempting to put their mouths to the prickly plant they will first of all stand and kick at the cactus with their heels. By this means the thorns are broken and the leathery skin bruised, and so the ponies can drink their fill of the cool juice without in jury.—Strand Magazine. Frugality is a fair fortune and habits of industry a rood estate.—Franklin AIM OF THE PIED PlKt| \ yßriHCMßDSfcftSffiS. V caPYjutrffT caPYjutrffT Mfo/t a*' «s. fc«>i [Being a Christmas story of the biscuit shooter's revenge, which is offered with apologies to the shade of Henry for infringing on his particular style of blank verse and at the samo time h'lsting one to the memory of tha old boy who had everybody else beaten to a pulp and three ways from the jack at this sort of thing.] {mL * A FRESHING with the pots and kettieg, imV V / Wm \ \J\I Shooting biscuits like a ranger ffwuf I If If With an aim that was unerring, uPJf «L A Swiftly dealing out the ham-and, A J WW "l/lVjli Also beefsteak tough as leather, f\ \l /!IK EBs&lm Labored daily Minnie Harhar, 112 / I Fiwßl*llrr Sometimes known as Laughing Waiter, 112 II /iMh Jerking sinkers from the cuisine t j L~ J J "IflJ To the grill room for the hungry, \ ( ' ■'•j «r Working for a measly stipend V Of two-fifty, coming weekly. One day to that cobwebbed kitchen Came a young man cold and hungry. - - \ He was walking on his uppe-> a%B_. T "^T In the storms of wintry wear, *!§«& | \O«»-, Threw them hard and threw them often jfiPCclf In his arms and hugged and kissed her. He was hers and she was his'n For a week OT ten days, maybe, Until he had met another *■ Out upon the publio highway— And a smile that put him bughouse. Met a gazelle with a light step She was working in a chop joint , Farther down toward the river, And his footsteps turned he often ajnspi ZJP mm Joyfully in that direction. SKEAK Just as soon as work was over It J&.J f£\ With the gazelle he would wander. ' i /ifriiiiiifcy * r) They were fairly glued together rAiRLv «kii«> As they walked and chinned each other, An nnknown tQ Minnie Harhar. And they'd take their beer quite often In the wine room at O'Kelley's. -»mwi|||jr TsrvmgE^ fmm:rm ''' '"A T 112 P' 1 "V r "A*- n.n".w«fg i w , '\ Christmas days were soon forgotten, his \ \ I 1" V/ And the loan he'd got from Minnie From his memory fast was fading. /»vntlv tOne day Minnie Harhar saw them Sure, she could have bawled him out then, Sauntering along together. And the gazelle would have shared it, And the air was fairly reeking But would that have helped to get her With the stickiness of love talk. Any of the seven-fifty Minnie caught on very quickly. She'd invested in his* raiment? Saw which way the wind was blowing. Minnie Harhar pondered deeply, But refrained from taking action. Made a sneak and held her temper. Saying he must dig up quickly Minnie saw he not coming sovrn hmm Or she'd put him out of business. Through with any sum of money TMEkfAix-Fim Waiting then for half a minute. In the use of the invective Minnie Harhar was not slouchy. * nto s * ie threw it swiftly, -*s. wL-jivu- -i L )) « alx ' ux - Atat vnjzaro Jt X >> * Wfliw: M*» fcJ -<* 'its I CATC** nuwufcM All that she could lay her hands on. Until he had eaten through it. Nothing else was there remaining Then outside the door he ambled— But a pie; 'twas made of oustard. Exit pie and farewell piker. This she seized without a tremor. In the art of roughhouse making With a ory she sent it hurtling Minnie Harhar cleans the platter. Through the air, and safe it landed Trifling some with her affections the visage of the piker. Is not now considered healthful. With his face all plastered over, And the piker who has tried itt Surely he was out of business It is best that he be nameless. Her Assistant. The authoress of whom F1 legend*' j Blatter tells had said that she was ▼ery happy In her married life. "X And my husband such a help!" she added fervently. "Indeed!" said her friend. "Does he cook or write?" Thought of Him. Papa—Are you sure that you ami mamma thought of me while you wcro away? Grace— Yes; we heard a man kicking up a great row about his breakfast at the hotel, and uianuun said. "That's lust like papa" Different In Books. In the books this is the way they say it: "Outside the wind moaned unceasing ly, its voice now that of a child which sobs with Itself in the night, now that of a woman who suffers her great pain alone, as women have suffered since life began, as women must suffer till life wears to its weary end. And min gled with the wailing of wind rain fell —fell heavily, Intermittently, like team wrung from souls of strong men." Outside the books we say: "It's raining."—Atchison Glooe. The Girl cf the Period. Having greater liberty, greater self reliance, better health, larger < i>p >r tunities, the girl of the period, with -ill her drawbacks, is .1 liner and a better creature than either her mother or her grandmother.- T. 1* O'Connor in I.ou don M. A. r. Comprehensive. "TTubliv. I>s niy li it on straight?" "Well. If y.-.i: • h.it Is. your hair isn't, and If your in r Is, then there's some thi:iff nskew sbnit your hat."—New York Journal. FINE LAND FGR FARMS Hundreds of Home Seekers Flock ing to Sun River Valley. FERTILE REGION IN MONTANA Soil la Capable of Yielding Big Crops of Wheat, Oats, Sugar Beets and Other Products—Ma/ Prove Excel lent Dairy Country. One of Montana's most beautiful I agricultural valleys is now the scent) I of unusual activity, as hundreds of j home seekers from all parts of the United States are going there to take up their new homes. I The Sun river valley, which is a lit tle west of the center of the state, on | the eastern slope of the Itocky moun tains and near the city of Great Falls, I was selected several years ago by the J reclamation service as a choice area I for the construction of a stupendous I irrigation work. The work has pro | pressed rapidly, and several farms I have been thrown open to settlers on j liberal terms. These farms will be obtainable un . der the homestead law subject to the | charges of actual cost of water upon | the number of acres actually supplied i with miter from the system. This I charge has been fixed at S3O an acre, ! divided into not less than live nor j more than ten annual payments, says j a Washington correspondent of the ! Chicago News. The sum of $3.50 will [ lie due and payable at the time of making entry. The second Installment ! will lie payable March i. 1010, thus j allowing early settlers nearly two ■ years before second payment is due 1 In this period any industrious settler ; can get his land into shape to earn its ( own repayment of the charges. An interesting and unique feature in ! connection with the project is the pro ! posed establishment of model rural villages every six miles, in all there j will be twenty of these, so that no | farm will be more than three miles from a postofflee and school. All the crops which can be grown in I northern countries can be raised in I the Sun river valley. It is probable ' that the principal crops raised wi'l b > ' alfalfa, sugar beets and potatoes, f'.iu | ally three cuttings of alfalfa are made j annually. Some have cut only t w<» crops, and others have cut four, bub I the average is three and ttie "i'u;e yield about five tons an acre. TUe I present price varies from $5 to sls ; ton in the stack, according to location : and demand. It Is not probable that | the average price will drop below $5 | for many years. The cost of putting j the hay into the stack Is about ft,25 * j tou. The average yields an acre are: Po tatoes, 228 bushels; wheat, 28 bushels; ! oats, (JO bushels; sugar beets, -0 tons. ; All garden truck Is easy to raise ex i cept tomatoes and some kinds easily affected by frost, though these with * j care may be grown sufficiently for J family use. An ordinary ranch garden I about two miles from Simms in 1905 j produced a net profit of $225 an acre | from the following kinds of vegeta : bies: Cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, oi.: . pumpkins, carrots, tur i nips, bee:' mI parsnips. The sugar beets grown In the vicin ity have analyzed 23 per cent sugar. | The beet industry promises great things, aud a sugar factory Is assured , upon the completion of the works nec ! essary to irrigate an area large enough ; to guarantee five year contracts on i 5,000 acres of beets. Past experiments j prove that the farmer should average i a net profit of S4O an acre on sugar ! beets. It is probable that the Sun river val \ ley will prove an excellent dairy conn- I try. A creamery was completed in Au i gusta in January, 1907, and the three or four others already in operation in i neighboring towns show that the in . dustry is profitable and will be pernia j nent and growing. Four and a third | million pounds of butter are now ini | ported annually from other states. J This means that over $1,000,000 ought to be kept in Montana each year for 1 butter. Full details relating to terms, size of farm units and other information re i garding the methods of securing lands , may be obtained on application to S. Is. Ilobbins. engineer United states reclamation service. Fort Shaw, Mont., or statistician, reclamation service, Washington. The Modern Husbf.nd. Mrs. Knicker We are to have a thou satid foot skyscraper. Mrs. Mocker suppose that means that Henry will bt detained at the office 500 feet later. Harper's Weekly. Jr.ded. The Lady i.ittle boy. don't you know I smoking will shorten your life? Tli Kid—Shucks! Wot do I care? I've seen everyt'iug dere is.—Boston Trav eler. i l*ut a little more in th in you take ! out. and your purse will s. on fill. ;lil SEW!! A Reliable TD SHOP Tor all kind of Tin Roofing, Spouting And Csnsral Job Work. Stoves, Heaters, Ran«ss, Furnaces, sto. PRICES 188 LOWEST! PUTT TDE BEST! JOHN IIIXSON Ha 1W a FBOKT BT.