.ilU oHOouU)
ilflii by Which the Ranch Queen
Recalled m Wanderer.
My O MINHV
t«>. li| lha Mri'lnra «iß|*"t I
Hald* W i**l« reai h"d f»t the ItniHe
lint got It W lunever Ha lily *em for
layihlna be u*uaily Hut thl* la not
Itaidy'a atory lie |»oiired out a third
(rink that waa larger by a ttngei than
the Arat and aecnlMl Haldy waa In
•M*«ltatlon. and the nMHIIH I*
worthy of hla hire
"I'd lie king If I waa yntt," aald
flaWly. ae |io*ltHely that III* hnlaler
rreaked and hi* apur* rattled
"If a man ninrrle* a queen It
oughtn't to make tilm a two •(Wt," dei
flared Webb, epltouiltlng III* grief
ancea
Mure not," anld Haldy. aynipnthetlc. i
(till thlr*ty and genuinely aullcltou*
concerning the relative value of the
card* "Hy right* you're n king. If I
wa* you I'd call for ii new denl. The
eatd* have been atackiit on you. I'll
tell you what you an-, Webb \eager."
"What?" a*ked Webb, with a hope
ful look In his pale blue eyea.
"You're a prince consort."
"<io rn*y." wild Webb. "I never
blackguarded you none."
"If* n title." explained Haldy. "up
among the picture i-iirds, but It don i
take no trlcka. I'll tell you. Webb.
It'* a brand they've got for certain mil
tnala In Kuro|>e. Say that you «r me
or one of them I Hitch dukes marries
in a royal family. Well, by and l\v
our wife gels to be queen. Al'e we 1
king? Not In a million years. At the
coronation ceremonies we march he
twecn little casino and the nluth grand
custodian of the royal hull bedcham
ber. The only use we are Is to appear
in photographs and accept the respon
sibility for the lielr apparent. That
ain't any square deal. \ es. sir. Webb,
you're n prince consort, and If 1 was
you I'd start a interregnum or a lia
bens corpus or aomethln', and I'd be
king If I had to turn from the bottom j
of the deck."
Haldy emptied Ills glass to the ratifl
eatkm of his Warwick pose.
"Haldy," said Webb solemnly, "nie
and you punched cows In the same out
fit for years. We been ruuuln' on the
anme range and rldln' the same trails
since we was boys. 1 wouldn't talk >
about my family adairs to tioi, idy but
you. Y'ou was line rider on the No
imllto ranch when I married Santa Me- i
A Ulster. I was foreman then. But
what am 1 now? 1 don't amount to a
knot In a stake rope."
"When old McAllister was the cattle
king of west Texas," continued Baldy.
with satanlc sweetness, "you was
•otue tallow. You had as much to say
on the ranch as he did."
"I did." admitted Webb, "up to the
time he found out I was tryiu' to get
my rope over Santa's head. Then lie :
kept me out on the ran«e as fnr from
"ARK fOU tIOIKU TO I.IiAVE ME, WiABII/
the ranch house as he could. When
the old man died they commenced to
call Santa the 'cattle queen.' I'm boss
of the cattle—that's all. She tends to
all the business. She handle.-, all the
money. I can't sell even a beef steer
to a party of campers myself. Santa's
the 'queen,' and I'm Mr Nobody."
"I'd be king if I was you." repeated
Baldy Woods, the royalist.
The smooth brown face of Yeager
lengthened to a mask of wounded niel
aucholy.
"I'm ridin' back to the ranch to
day," he satd half hearted I.v. "I've
got to start a bunch of beeves for Sun
Antone in the uiorniu'."
"I'm your company as far as Dry
lake." announced Baldy. "I've got a
roundup camp ou the San Mari os cut
tin' out two-year-olds."
The two companeros mounted their
pouies and trotted away from the little
railroad settlement where they had
foregathered in the thtrstv morning.
At Dry lake, where tUelr routes di
verged. they relued up for a part lug
cigarette. Webb offered an addendum
to the conversation that hiui ten
miles away.
"You remember y.iurseif. Baldy.
that there was a time when Santa
wasn't quite so indepeudeut. Tou re
member thu daya when old McAllister
Was keepln' us apart and how she used
to send me the sign tt -♦ ahe wanted
to see me? Old m&n M premised to
make me look like a colai. v if I ever
coma in gunshot of the ranch. You
remember the sign she used to send,
Baldy—the heart with a cross inside."
"Me?" cried Baldy, with Intoxicated
archness. "You old sugar stealln'
coyote! Don't 1 remember! Why, you
dadblamed old long horned turtledove,
the boys In camp was all cognosclous
about them hlroglyphs. The 'gizzard
niia i rosSTioncs* WeTised to "call IT.
used to see 'em on truck that was sent
out from the raucli. They was mark
fd In charcoal on the sacks of Hour
and In lead pencil on the newspapers."
"Sn-ita's f.i'JiT." explained W'elih
*r Itfta, «... ..
wrtti'doi wHta «« ie or we ant
w«rd That timti and • m*« »»«*» wa«
lirt t h»Ww »lt« In
w* me In purtMiiar *he manain-d »«•
|Htl Hint nmrk on imWHtilK at Ho
mm h that ahe few** I'll m*
"The laat Hw Wntila aent me the
•lan "mM WfMi. waa ntH* *hi « aire
waa atck I noticed It a* aim* «« I lilt
camp.and I galloped I'lnM forty tulle
thai night I went l» the bullae old
Mi A Ulster met mr at Itot* ibmr 'I Mil
)'nM ctime here In get killed?* anya lir
'l'll rilanbllgf you fur hi**. I )u*i
atarted a Metlcati to bring >on Hntitn
waiila ynn tin In thai room ami aw
her ami hen come mil and *ee me'
"Haul wna Ij In' In tied pretty a|ek
lint ahe give* nut a kind of a aitille
ami her haml ami mine lock horn*,
ami I aria dnwn by ilip l«'d mud nml
apura nnd • hnp* anil all '!'»• heard
you rltlln' ncmaa the graa* for hour*
Webb.' ahe *a.va, 'I »h« ant* you'd
Come. You aaw Hip alien Y alia will*
|MI 'The minute I lill camp.' *n>*
I, ' *Tw na marked on Ihi* bug of |m»|h
toe* ■«lid onion*? "They're nlwiiya to
pether,' any* *he, *oft llke 'alway* to
gether In life.' They «» well tngeth
er.' I anya. inn alow." "I innnn heart*
nml cm**e*.' any* Santa. 'Our algu
to Invr anil to Buffer thnt'a whnt they
mean There wn* old IN*' M"isgrove
n iiiiimlii* himself with whisky and »
palm Ipnf fun And liy nml by Santa
Kor* to sleep. nml Doc feel* her fore
head, and he says to me: 'You're not
such ii bad febrifuge, but you'd better
slide out liow. for the diagnosis dmi't
cull for you In regular doses. The
little lady'll be all right when she
wakes up.'
"1 seen old McAllister oliM le 'She's
nsleep.' says I. 'ami now you can stall
In with your colander work. Tnke
your time, for I left my gun on my
saddle horn'
"Oh! Mac laughs, and lie says to me
Tuniplu' lend I tit • > I lie best ran li Ims
ill west Texas don't seetn to me gm'd
business policy I don't know where
I could get as good a one. It's the
son-lti-liiw Idea. Webb, that makes nn
admire for to use you as a target.
You ain't my Idea for a member of
the family. Hut I can use you on the
Nopallto if you'll keep outside of ::
radius with the ranch house In the
middle of it "
Haldy Woods pulled down his hat
and uncurled 'lis leg from Ids saddle
horn. Webb shortened his rein, and
his pony danced, anxious to be off
The two men shook hands with west
ern ceremony
"Adios, Haldy," said Webb. "I'm
glad I seen you and had this talk."
At 8 o'clock on the following morn
ing Hud Turner rolled from his saddle
in front of the Nopallto ranch house
anil stumbled with whizzing rowels to
ward the gallery Hud was In charge
of the bunch of beef cattle that was to
strike the trail that morning for Sun
Antonio. Mrs. Y'eager was on the gal
lery watering a cluster of hyacinths
growing In a red en rt hen ware jar
"King" McAllister had bequeathed to
his daughter many of his strong char
acterlstlcs his resolution, his guy
courage, his contumacious self roll
ance, his pride as a reigning monarch
of hoofs anil horns. Allegro and foriis
simo had been McAllister's tempo and
tone. In Santa they survived, trans
I posed to the feminine key.
Webb stood ou one edge of the gal
| lory giving orders to two or three sub
| bosses of various camps and outfits
| win had ridden in for instructions.
"Xlornln'." said Hud briefly. "Where
i do you want them beeves togo Iti
town—to Barber's, as usual V"
Now. to answer that had been the
I prerogative of tile queen. All the
reins of business buying, selling and
I banking—had been held by her capa-
I bio lingers. The handling of the cuttla
had been Intrusted fully to her hus
band. In the days of "King" McAllis
! ter Santa had been Ills secretary and
helper, and she had continued her work
* with wisdom and profit. Hut before
she could reply the prince consort
! spake up with calm decision;
"You drive that bunch to Zlmnier
man and Neshit's pens. I spoke to
j Zimmerman about It some time ago."
Hml turned on his high boot heels
"Wait!" called Santa quickly. She
| looked at her husband with surprise in
her steady gray eyes.
"Why, what do you mean. WebbV"
i she asked, with a small wrinkle gatli
| erlng between her brows. "1 never
| deal with Zimmerman and Nesbit.
I Barber has handled every head cf
| stock from this ranch in that market
J for live years. I'm not going to take
I the business out of Ills hands." Shi'
| faced Bud Turner. "Deliver those cat
I tie to Barber." she concluded posi
tively. Hud gazed at the water
Jar hanging oti the gallery, stood on
his other leg and chewed a mesquitc
leaf.
"1 want this bunch of beeves togo
; to Zimmerman and Nesbit." said
I Webb, with a frosty light in Ills eyes.
"Nonsense!" said Santa Impatiently
"You'd better start on. Bud, so as to
I noon at the Little Kim water hole
' Tell Barber we'll have another lot ol
culls ready lu about a month."
Hud allowed a hesitating eye tn steal
upward and meet Webb's. Webb saw
apology in his look and fancied he saw
commiseration.
"Y'ou deliver them cattle." lie said
grimly, "to"—
"Barber," finished Santa sharply.
"Let that settle It. Is there anything
else you are waiting for. Bud?"
"No, ra'm." said Bud. But before
going he lingered while a cow's tall
could have switched thrice.
"Y'ou hear your boss!" cried Webb
sardonically. He took off his hat and
bowed until It touched the floor before
his wife.
"Webb," said Santa rehukliigly,
"you're actln* mighty foolish today."
"Court fool, your majesty," said
Webb In his slow tones, which had
changed their quality. "What else can
you expect? Let me tell you. I was
a man before 1 married a cattle queen.
What am I now? The luughin'stock
of the camps. I'll be a man again."
Santa looked at htm closely.
"Don't be unreasonable, Webb," she
said calmly. "You haven't been slight
ed In any way. Do 1 ever Interfere lu
your management of the cattle? I
know the business side of the ranch
much better than you do. I learned it
from dad. Be sensible."
"Kingdoms, nml nneendnms " ooM
»«M •»
the,«•* n*i • ptinn I *ll la.
ami jthm wear the eftiwg. AM riprln
I'd rathet tie hit* lo»*l chancetloi of a
ro* rniii|i than ttt»« eight *|«it Mi a
ipieen high tlit«h It a »our ranch. ntwl
llitrlicr (f»'ta il»' bee ♦Hi.™
W I'lih naniiii it|i Into the *nildlr III*
eertoita. smooth fio e waa «Ii limit in
|itv««|nti eirepl tor a atnlilNirti tluhl
thai atimhlered in hi* ryiw
"Ihw'a a herd of ma* ami calvea.'
aalil lit*, "near the Hondo water hole
on ll* l I rlo thai ottitht to lie moved
away friilti tlmlier I.olhi* hmc mi If I
three of tin* raivi-a I forgot to learr
order*. I>ll Hltntn* to attend to It "
Hanta liihl a hum! on the hor*e'a lirl
die and li*<keil Iter hu*l>aml 111 Ilia eye
"Are yon going I* leate me. IVelilj?"
alia naked i|itlelly.
"I am goln' to Ik* a man again." he
anawered
"I wlah you aureeaa In a pralaewor
thy attempt." ahe anld. with a andileii
oohliien* Hhe I limit I nml wnlked ill
nv tl.v Into the hou*e.
Wehh Yeuger n*le to the anutheaat
na Htrnlcht n« the topography of weal
Texn* permltteil. nml «lien he reached
the horizon he might lime rlililen on
Into Mite *pni'e n* fnr iin knowleilge
of liltii on the Noimllto went
tine day a lieltiK nil mill lliirtholo
liiew, il Kherptiiiin. nml therefore of 111
tie ili'coutit, from the lower Itlo
tirnnde country rmle In sight of the
Nopnlllo ruui'll llouxe nml lelt hunger
nxMiitl hi 111. K.v eonaUettldltle he wna
aooti Kotited lit the uildilny dining table
of that hiiKpltiible kingdom. Talk like
water kumlicil from him.
"Missis Veager." lie babbled, "I see
u man the other day on the Itnurho
Seen, down In Hidalgo county, by your
name—Webb Veager was Ills lle'il
Just been encaged as manager. lie
was a tall, haired mall, not say
ing intii li. Maybe lie was some kin
of yours, do you thinkV"
"A husband." *alil Santn cordially
"The Scro has done well. Mr. N eager
Is one of the best stockmen In the
west."
The dropping out of a prince consort
rarely dlsoreiini/.es a monarchy. Queen
Santa had appointed as mayordomoof
the ranch a irusiy subject named Ham
say. who had been one of her father's
faithful vassals. And there was scarce
ly a ripple on the Xopulito ranch save
when the gulf breeze created undula
tions In the grass of its wide acres.
For several years the Nopullto had
been making experiments with an
Kngllsh breed of cattle that looked
down with aristocratic contempt upon
the Texas longhorns. The experi
ments were found satisfactory, and a
pasture had been set apart for the blue
bloods. The fame of them had kouo
forth Into the chaparral
As a consequence one day a sun
burned. capable, silk kerchiefed, non
chalant youth, garnished with revolv
ers and attended by three Mexican
vaqueros. alighted at the Nopallto
ranch and presented the following
businesslike epistle to the queen there
of:
Mrs, Veaßi-r, the Nopallto Hnnoh"
iJenr Madam—l nni Instructed by the
owners of the Raricho St'co to purchase
100 head of two anil three year old cows
of the Sussex breed owned by you. If you
can till the order please deliver the cattle
to the bearer, and a check will be for
warded to you at once. Respectfully.
WEBSTER VKAC.KR.
Manager the ftancho Seco
Business Is business, even very
"I.OOK AT THE KINO. Wl'llH
acantlly did it escape being written
"especially"—ln a kingdom.
That night the hundred head of cat
tle were driven up from the pasture
and penned in a corral near the ranch
house for delivery in the morning.
Wiion J ni«lit closed down and the
liousßjPvas still did Hanta Y eager
throm herself down, clasping that
formal note to her bosom, weeping
and calling out a name that pride
(either in one or the other) hail kept
from her lips tunny a day. or did she
file the letter In her business way, re
taining her royal balance and strength?
Wonder, if you will, but royalty Is
sacred, and there is a veil. liul this
much you shall learn:
At midnight Santa slipped softly out
of the ranch house, clothed in some
thing dark and plain. She paused for
a moment uuder the live oak trees
Santa turned her face to the south
east and threw three kisses thither
ward, for there was none to see.
Then she sped silently to the black
smith shop, fifty yards away, nnd what
she did there can only be surmised.
But the forge glowed red, and there
was a faint hammering such ns Cupid
might make when he sharpens his ar
row points.
Later she camo forth with a queer
shaped handled thing In one hund and
a portable furnace such as are seen in
branding camps In the other. To the
corral where the Sussex cattle were
penned she sped with these things
swiftly in the moonlight.
She opened the gate and slipped in
side the corral. The Sussex cattle
were mostly a dark red. but among
this bunch was one that was milky
white—notable among the others.
And now Santa shook from her shoul
der something that we had not seen
before—a rope lasso. She freed the
loop of it. coilfng the length in her-left
band, nnd oluutred Inn the thick of thp
•trw
Th» «»»«• w*« h»f "Mm Kh«
•»nmi t*» t#*N», wMrh mnirht nn>
horn unit -dtppHi off
Aiwtn mtwfe t»i# r*«t. white IS«
■ roiiwil <nf»li milled nr-'imd the *otn
«M« «112 tfw ' nrrnl In a plitn*lne m««
Thl* Ihmw ws* fulr the white row
•nme in i-drih !»L'«lii mid ItfMV II
ri.nld rt«e Hunts hurt made the Im««
fs«t nnmnit n f*>«t of thr >orr«i »tti
n *wlft nml «lmptr knot mid hud lent'
rd upon the <•"** ni'Sln with thr raw
hide hoMtlr*
In one minute the frrt of the snlms
were tied *he inn swiftly to her fur
mrr Ml the gste and brought thr
branding Ifli, white hoi.
The hallow of the nutrsred whlt»
row n* thr Iron wan applied *hotil<l
hnvr stirred lhi> slutnlierliiß nurl. nln I
nerve* and conscience* of Ihe nearby
subjects of Ihr Nopntlln. Iml || did AM,
Ami II wan amid Ihe deepest tiortnrtinl
sllcnre Ihnt Santa rnn like a lapwing
bark to the ranch house and there fel
Upon n rot and soldied sobbed n
though queen* had hesrts a* almplf
ranchmen's wives liavr and a* thotigl
*li>- would Kindly make kings of prlncr
consort* alimild they ride back agalr
from over tin- lillla und fur away.
In the morning Ihr capable, rcvolv
•ml youth nnd hi* *aquero«i ant fnrtl
driving the bunch of Sussex cattlf
across tln> prairies to the lliiik'io Seco
Thr beasts arrived at Kaitcho Sec<
one evening nt dusk and wort* . x-elved
and roulllcd by thr foreman.
The next morning nt H o'clock a
horseman loped out of Ihr brush to Ihr
N'opulllo nun li house He dismounted
sillily und strode with whizzing spurs
to the house Ilia horse pivo u great
sl>;l> nnd swayed foam strenkrd. with
down drooping bend and closed eyes.
I'.ut waste not your pity upon ltd
Nhazzar. the lira bitten sorrrl. Today
in Nopalito horse pasture he survives,
pampered, beloved, uurldden, cherish
ed record holder of hum distance rides
Thr horseman stumbled into the
house. Two arms fell around Ids neck,
and some one cried out In the voice of
woman nnd queen alike, "Webb—oh.
Webb!"
"I was n skunk." said Webb Y eager
"Hush!' said Santa. "Did you see It'.'"
"I saw It." said Webb.
What they meant God knows, and
you shall know If you rightly read the
primer of events.
"Be the cattle queen," said Webb,
"and overlook It If you can. 1 was a
munjry. sheep stealin' coyote."
"Hush!" said Santa again, laying her
fingers upon bis mouth. "There's no
quern here. Do you know who 1 am?
I nm Santa Veager, first lady of the
bedchamber. Come here."
She dragged him from the gallery
Into the room to the right. There stood
a cradle with nil Infant in It—a red.
ribald, unintelligible, babbling, beauti
ful Infant, sputtering at life In an un
seemly manner.
"There's no queen on this ranch,"
said Santa again. "Look at the king
lie's got your eyes. Webb. Down on
your knees and look at his highness."
Hut jingling rowels sounded on the
gallery, and Hud Turner stumbled
there again with the same query that
lie had brought a year ago.
"Morniu'. Them beeves is just turned
out on the trail. Shall I drive 'em to
Barber's or"—
He saw Webb and stopped
"Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba!" shrieked (In
king In his cradle, beating the air.
"You hear your boss. Bud," said
Webb Y eager. with a broad grin, Just
as he had said n year ago
And that Is all. except that when
Old Man Quinn. owner of the I'ancho
Seco. went out to look over the herd
of Sussex cattle that he had bought
from the Nopalito ranch he asked tils
new manager:
"What's the Nopalito much brand.
Wilson?"
"X bar Y." said Wilson.
"I thought so," said Quinn. "But
look nt that white heifer there; she's got
another brand—it heart with a cross in
side of It. What brand is that?"
LIBERTY EELL.
Its Connection With the Declaration of
Independence.
The famous T.lberty bell was cast In
London In 1752. brought to America
and subsequently recast In Philadel
phia. It bears the Inscription, "Pro
claim Liberty Throughout the World
and to All the Inhabitants Thereof." It
was cracked while being tolled after the
death of Chief Justice John Marshall
in IS.'!.". It Is kept on exhibition In In
dependence hall. Philadelphia. It has
had a fictitious Importance owing to
the popuiaK,bellef that Its ringing pro
claimed the adoption of the Declara
tion of Independence on July 4. 177ti.
Concerning iliis belief, how r. Fried
enwalil in his "DeclarifMlVof Inde
pendence" (100-1) says:
"There is no shadow of authority
even for associating the ringing of the
boll with t' ' announcement of the
agreement upon Independence. The
mythical legend of the blue eyed boy
waiting outside the door to give the
signal to the man in the bell tower is
(li.- product of the imagination
of one of Philadelphia's early ro
mancers, fieo: u'e Lippard. who first
gave currency to it in his appropriate
ly called "Legends of the Revolution.'
This book was published in 1847.
New York American.
His Experience.
"Jasper," said Mrs. Urigson. who
was looking over the morning paper,
"here's a story of a woman who was
robbed ou a street car in broad day
light. and yet the thief got away un
suspected."
Mr. (jrigsou said that he had seen
the item, but that it was either a typo
graphical error or else the story was
pure Invention.
"Why do you say that?" asked his
wife.
"Look at the item again. It says her
purse contained SIOO In currency, does
it not?"
"Yes."
"It says there was also a receipted
bill for a five dollar hat. does it not?"
"Yes."
"Well, no woman with SIOO in cash
In her possession would buy a five dol
lar hat,"—Youth's Companion.
Her Long Dream.
Estelle— Ah! His proposal was Jns
like a dream!
Agnes-Well, you ought to know
dear. You've been dreaming of that
proposal for years.
Noel-—A Ballade
For Christmas
Th» h*H« chime ih#
IIIn Hi
Tlic tiittlti ilml crown* 1b» iimm' <!*- ,
lit* t«ir-
Ao'l mkM iftr morning. *li» ll* dawn
Inn unlit.
I'riN'iiiliii* ilml I'brimniM ita; *i in*i
l« tier*
The children hl«h ntoft lh« bo,ir* head
briny.
Ami n* thejr march their merry '-■rni«
■lnn.
While t'hrlnetidoni Joins In their tune
fui lay.
Kor Hi I til* urn v»n nil sr* Rlsil and
*»>
And IIH'II and women, with i heir
heart* aglow.
Shout out with on* accord on Christ
ma* dny.
"Hull to iln* Tula log and the mistle
toe!"
Emblem* «>f many nn old time honored
lite.
Of Imiatcrmis mirth and homely. hon
est cheer;
The Yule In*. flaming high nnd blazing
bright;
The mistletoe. to youths and maiden*
dear.
See for snapdragon how they forni n
ring
Or Inn contrndance their partuers
awing?
Lord of misrule makes good his no
briquet.
And nil Ilia mandates eagerly obey,
lie wields the scepter and with loud
hallo
Cries lustily, with none to say him
nny.
"Ilall to the Yule log nnd the mistle
toe!"
All climes nnd classes own the season's
might.
It rules alike the peasant aud the
peer;
The humblest home presents a happy
sight;
The sternest Judge forgets to look se
vere.
! The very birds fly by on lighter wing;
j The blustering north wind seems to
lose Its sting;
The old ntid young, the golden haired
and gray.
Devote the hours to merriment anu
play.
Anu far across the crispy, crackling
snow
We hear a chorus from a flying a"' b.
"Hail to the Yule log and them e
toe!"
"H VI L TO Till; VI LE t-Ofl AND THE VISIT.E
-TOE! '
i The chosen theme of many a fancy's
flight.
! A ballad monger or a sonneteer
| Yearly his Christmas poem will indite
| Of a coy maiden aud tier cavalier
Shakespeare full often had his merry
fling.
Aud Milton tuned his harp 10 noble
string;
Irving the scenes of Christmas cou:d
betray.
And Dickens its true spirit could coll
vej.
To song and story a rich debt we
owe.
Aud with triumphant cheer this tnimte
pay.
"Hail to the Yule log and the mistle
toe!"
And as the sacred season circles near
All evil thoughts and themes are
banished quite;
Our lives become more gentle and sin
cere;
Our hearts can find uo room for dole
or spite
Paeans of praise from tharful hearts
upspring
To celebrate the birthday of the King
All humbly lor our brother's weal we
pray
And ask a blessing on our future way.
Our generous gifts on others we be
stow;
"l'ence upon earth, good will to men"
we say.
"Hail to the Yule log aud the mistle
toe!"
ENVOY.
Spirit; it Christmas, we accept thee
t'a.
Illg. . willingly we bow beneath thy
8 way!
We Join otir songs to those of long
ago
With this refrain, for ever and for aye.
"Hall to the Yule log and the mistle
toe!"
—Carolyn Wells in New York Mall.
His Critic.
"The greatest compliment that I ever
received." says Ople Head, "was u crit
icism. Several years ago I went to
Arkansas anil visited the scene where
one of my stories is laid. The landlord
of the little hotel said to me:
" 'Here comes a little old fellow to
whom 1 loaned a copy of your book,
lie can't read, but his wife reads to
htm. I.et's see w hat he says about the
book.
"'"Hello, Jasou. did your wife read
that book to you?"
" • "Mnwnin*, snh. Yes, she done
read it to me."
" • "Well, what do you think of It?"
"'"Huh? That ain't no book at all.
I done lived hear fo' fo'ty yeuhs an' I
done beam folks talk that a-way all
th" time." ' "—Cincinnati Inquirer.
Christmas live
In Rural England
tt **■ i brilliant m-xmllKht niirlit
htll cold < Hit r hnlw « hitnil
mpldl.l out tin- ffoWn gfonnd I In
.1111(1 FCISL III* « T|T|l iHitNomill)
and ■ |>nfi <>f the time in. lhir«'« »«t,
Oti n |tnllo|t. "lie kiion. «lien* tie )•
MM l.l it; mui|wnloti. IHIIKIHHK
"bihl In mint lo »rrl»f In lime tor
loin, of tbr merriment nn>t ko il rNwr
of the nertfint*' ball Mjr fiitlier is ■
devote* of the obi *< liool mill pride*
himself on keeping up minnililnu of
old Kn«llsb bo»|ilt«Ht) He «** nl
WBJT* neftiptlloua In e*ai'tlliK Mlt boll
d«y« nod tin ting ua nrniitid blm oti
fx mil; fentlvnt. It wna tbe |m.ll< y of
the good old gentleman to make bta
children f<>el that home wna tbe Imp
pleat place In the world, and I value
this delicious home feeling as one of
the choicest gifts a parent inn bestow "
The sr|ulre ushered us nt once to the
company, which was assembled In a
lnrge. old fashioned hall It was com
posed of different branches of a nutiier
otia family connection They were t
variously occupied, and a profusion of i
wooden horses, penny trumix'tx and
tattered dolls about tbe floor showed !
traces of a little troop of fairy beings
that had frolicked Itiroiigh n happy
day.
While the mutual greetings were go
lug on between Itracebridge and Ida
relatives I had time to acan the apart
ment. The grate had been removed
THE DANCE WAS A MERRY ONE.
fr. >m the wide, overhanging fireplace
to make way for a lire of wood, iu tbe
midst of which was an enormous log.
glowing and blazing and sending forth
a vast volume of light and heat. This.
I understood, was the Yule log. which
the squire was particular in having
brought lu aud Illumined on Christmas
, eve. according to ancient custom.
It was really delightful to see the old
squire seated in his hereditary elbow
chair by the hospitable fireside of his
' ancestors and looking around bim like
• the sun of a system, beaming warmth
j and gladness to every heart. Even the
very dog that lay stretched at his feet,
as he lazily shifted his position aud
yawned, would look fondly up in ids
master's face, wag his tail .Inst the
floor aud stretch hlmsel again to
; sleep, sure of kindness and protection
Supper was announced shortly after
our arrival. It was served up in a
spacious oaken chamber, the panels
of which shone with was and around
; which were several family portraits,
decorated with holly and Ivy. Besides
tile accustomed lights, two great wax
tapers, called Christmas candles,
wreathed with greens, were placed on
a highly polished buffet among the
! family plate. The table was übtin
dautly spread with substantial fare
but the squire made his supper of
frumenty, a dish made of wheat cakes
boiled In milk, with rich spices, being
a standing dish In old times for Christ
mns eve. I was happy to find my old
friend, mitued pic. In the retinue of
the feast
The supper had disposed every one
to gayety, and an old harper was sum
moned from the servants'hall. * * *
The dance, like most dances after sup
per. was a merry one. Some oft In
older folk joined in it.and the squire
himself figured down several couples
with a partner with whom lie affirmed
he had danced at every Christmas for
nearly half a century.
The party broke up for the nirfht
with the kind hearted old custom of
shaking hands. As I passed through
the hall on the way to my chamber
I the dying embers of the Yule log still
sent fort li a dusky glow, and had it
not been the season when "no spirit
dares stir abroad" 1 should have been
half tempted to steal frotu my room
at midnight and peep whether the fai
ries might not be at their revels about
the hearth
I had scarcely got into bed when a
strain of music seemed to break forth
in the air just below the window. I
listened and found it proceeded from
a band which I concluded to be the
waits from some neighboring village
1 drew aside the carta Ins to hear them
more distinctly The moonbeams fell
through the upper part of the case
ment, partially lighting up the antl
quated apartment. The sounds as
they receded became more soft aud
aerial and seemed to accord with
quiet and moonlight. I listened and
| listened. They became more and more
tender and remote, they grud
uallj died away uiy h sank upon
the pillow, and I fell V <»ep Wash
lngton Irving
A "Primitiva" Painter.
Ilcnrl Housseau, n man who used to
i hold a minor government position In
Prance, was for a (juarter of a cen
tury the Joke of artists and art students
In Paris. For years In the independ
| ent salon he showed daubs which
had not the most distant kinship with
art. Some of his "famous" pictures
were a "Lady on a Sofa In a Jungle,"
a "Tiger In a Jungle," a "Nigger In a
Jungle." He affected Jungles, which
consisted of innumerable parallel green
lines to represent grass; the tiger was
a painted wooden toy; the lady looked
as if she had come out of a Noah's
ark. The unfortunate Itousseau went
on exhibiting the same sort of work
every year, and the painful thing was
that he gradually became a celebrity.
Sinister humorists told him he had
genius, and he took himself quite se
riously. "I am a real primitive," he
would say. Some practical jokers even
went the length of buying his pictures.
A Christmas
Doll Wedding
W* ar« in mm • •Mltflt.
<Kjf rtinth#r» It nil
Tnu *tr In M ft»* Mtttft »tf*
AM I fWf »l mil
I tot# >n«' p'Hi) of hrnwn—
M> »tfi ffirM Mft<| l>lu»
Hut ft* ib#> re Mf.lv ri.ixd rn» rt**f,
Th>)'H h'i lnyllff in >ou
Mr tip* »f> to mm
All tltlll t'fiM Mity
Hut l Hi -1 mam to# iir»« lone w»«M
lintll OUI HCtM «K «1»l>
fin #• will |inM. fl«M>l mal4
And tti«'t. . || neter i.nr*
I iwriir |fi v# yofi nil »ny ||f«
With m> true wooden heart
* our uwn
RIQiNALD.
i. mo
fMi' h flip lovo letter written bj
Vice|mi til <»rntintn of New York, n i»emi
tiful doll i v♦•ntj ItirhcM I«ii, Hirlif hHlr.
blue eyr with lone iliirk laHhen. t«*
bin ladytove, Mlm Alli-e Win*'hunter, ft
brown I-yefl doll Immmil) of |l«mtoii
Tbo fii' t I* tluit H rmarrtiiK** !»;»•! Im*n
• rraiiKi (i Ihpl weeti tli<**<> two riolll*** l>jr
their little nifimtnnii mid neveral grown
up iiunfifH. 10 f»ike |ilar« lit Christina*
Ulne at tlit* hotne of tin* iloll brlflt*
Hut making tin* clotlx**! (iramlinaa.
roualn.H anil utilities *|n*nt tiny* iHinff
their iilmlile linger* to fashion tli•• tiny
manly garment*, n* no little eirl eoui<|
poHsibiy (if* the (Jlllh ult M(Mvine
I It was d«» iclf'il that n blink liroitil
| doth suit must he made, hut «•* a full
| dress evening rout could In* <1 tony
for formal o'fjisioti* a tuxcl'* or <l.li
ner eont was finally agreed upon as I»•
liik «>f more son i ••
Ail the time we have been toiling
about the brid. groom dear little Ail e
has been so busy having a lone whit*
Rutin wedding dress made, a real lac*
veil and the daintiest kind of Ineo ti tu
rned utiderwenr
A trnveline powti of eloth. nn au
tomobile coat of cliampugne eolor. n
white hat with feathers and flowers,
all have been prepared for the • 4
away" costume.
A procession of twenty little e'rls
With their dollies follows Kceinuld
and Alice, who march Into the draw
lne room to the music of a weddire
march played on the piano; then into
the dining room, where the dollies sit
at a table that has been arranged for
them, with a tiny wedding cake Jeco
ratine the center.
Then comes the wedding tour
around the garden, and then the newly
married pair goto housekeeping Inn
big closet that has been furnished for
them with all the latest conveniences.
It was really the most brilliant mar
riage that was ever made In Toy*
land and is the true story of a dear
little brown eyed girl's Christ mas
present.
A great many dollie guests were in
vited from "Mother Goose" Land, and
among those most noticed were:
Jack Ise Nimble. Jack He Quick.
He was the first one there;
Then came little Uoldle L,ockf».
Who ran away from the bear.
Bright Miss Nancy Etticoat,
Used to standing long.
Shone beside Tom Tucker,
Who sang the supper song.
Mistress Mary, Quite Contrary.
Brought from her garden fair
Beveral maidens all in a row.
With pretty curling hair
Bobby 'to. from o'er the sea.
Was i 4 happy mood:
1 saw til. . gazing bashfully
At dear Red Hiding Hood
Uttle Miss Muffet had left her tuffet
And surprised us all. oh. my!
By going to a corner with little Jack
Horner
And sharing his Christmas pie
Bhy Bopeep without her sheep
Many sweet glances won.
And there without tils little pig
Was Tom, the Piper's Son.
Marjorie Daw and i'um Stout
Attracted much attention
And many more whose names, alas.
I haven t room to mention.
It was u wedding ho very grand.
All in tne month of December,
With the very Four Hundred of Tof
land there.
As many will iot, 0 remember.
~ Julian Jerome.
BALLOON TO CROSS AMERiCQ.
Offar of SIO,OOO and SI,OOO Trophy
Made For Flight.
Charles .7. »Hidden, president of the
Association of Aeronauts al Pilots, hut
received $10,00" from I'. Chester
Thompson of New York to cover t h<v
cost of n balloon to attempt a tri;i
from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
In addition Mr Thompson has prom
lsed Pilot Clayton a trophy valued at
' fl.oon If he succeeds In starting from
the Pacific co;"" and landing within
fifty miles of the v tlantle
Mr. Ulidden says he has already
asked for bids on the balloon. It Is to
be made of rubber silk aflfot to have a
rapacity of £oo,o<io ' u!»le feet.
Spic!"f Long on Web.
A slnjrle voider li is been known to
| yield more t!:.iu two and a quartc}
j miles of web flleineni.
inn in i
A. RellaTblo
TO SHOP
tor all kind of Tin Roofing.
Spoutlnar ind Caneral
Jolt Work.
Stoves, Heater RtnvM,
Furnaces, /to.
PRICES TUB LOW!
QUILITT TLrf BEST 1
JOHN HIXSOJ*
NO. 1W E. FEOKT jrr.