¥ Maine packed about 500,000 cases of sardines this season. Possibiy a few small herring may have got in among them here and there, ree A new manufacturing company of New Jersey announces that itis going to manufacture a preparation which a man can put on his face and remove his beard without the aid of a razor. The company is capitalized for $200,- 000, : A rule has been adopted in New York forbidding the employment of married women as teachersinthe pub- lic schools. The married women may be able to stand such a discrimination, will fall upon some of the married men. heavily but the blow A Canadian paper has a cartoon on “ of Eagland the ‘“‘anwonted activity’ Uncle Sam, cigar, to John smoking a Bull, with just now. “Manila” striding along in sailor clothes, shoulder: “*Whar John?” and answers: ‘‘Blest if Fquite knows yet, {avs a gun on his goin’ a gunnin’, John Sammy. Maybe h’over to Frawnce. h’eagle 'unting and then I’again may- Roosher, bear be h'over to y'know.” of has interesting chapter to the A student Spanish aunals a “ded history of prices by revealing from « . oD an what it The all The the archives of the Iiscurial cost to discover the New World. the at events, did not amount to much. stipends of discoverers, pay of an able seaman was only, it $2 month, while a captain As for Chris- topher Columbus himself, seems, a “drew only $16 a month. his 20 earn- ings were at the rate of %: per an- num, Even in Spain salaries have risen since those days. The United States of Central Amer- Hon- as a federated ica—Salvador, Nicaragua and duras-—start business republic with the usual grandiose an- ticipations We wish them well, says the Philadelphia Record. of a man like President Diaz of Mex- and performances. Under the manag ug hand co, who is practically a king masquer- “ading as an elective official, the new states might be something glued together by substantial than agreements, But there nothing in the past history of the Central more is wittten American states to justify hopes for the future of settled govern- ment. How Some years ago at an auction in Edin- much reverence have we? burgh two bones announced to have formed a part of Robert Bruce's anat- omy, fetched $20, and one of the ver- tebree of William the Conqueror sold for $22.50. What interesting relic’ was put under the is. called ‘“‘a most hammer at London. To this there was a document attached, duly certified, which declared that it was worn by Charles I when on the scaf- fold, and became the property of Dr. Juxon, who attended the king during The h story of this garment i8 then traced through its numerous possesors up to today. with blood. gory his last moments. The London Times says: ‘A good story of the ‘things one wonld rather have expressed differently’ type is be- ing whispered about Gloucester. Some ‘crank’ has been writing ' to the local papers complaining that during the festival he is not admitted to the cathedral free, that being a place of worship. The ‘crank’ turned up at the cathedral the. other day and was told he could not be admitted without a ticket. ‘Do you mean to tell me,’ lie excitedly argued, ‘that I shall quire a ticket to enter the kingdom of heaven?’ ‘Well, explained the polite steward, ‘but ‘you won't hear Mme Albani in heaven.’ And tlién, when the enormity of his remark dawned upon him, that steward turned and fled.” re- no,’ One of the latest inventions is said to be a fog dispeller, an apparatus consisting of a horizontal outlook- pipe, some eight feet in length and eight feet in diameter, into which en- ters a tube from below, connecting with a blower deep down in a steam- - ship’s interior. This blower sends a powerful stream of air into the tube, the current of air, so to speak, bor: ing a hole through the fog, and in- ducing a cone of clear atmosphere with its apex at. the mouth of the tobe. By the aid of this apparatus a " pilot who stands with his eye at the glass at the rear of the tube, can, it ig claimed, pick up his buoys and look out for other vessels ghead. The in- ventor hopes eventually to make the fog-dispeller” effective at a range of a thousand feet. Certainly any appara- tus or agency capable of dissipating fogs at sea or on land, whether the mists be physical, mental, or spiritual, . would be a boon to menkind, : you ! ‘untin’ It was a man’s | garment made of blue silk and stained | raiment | T was the day Dbe- fore Chrlstmas, and the snow was falling thick and fast. Among the people who hast- ened along the streets of a large Western city, was a lady, accom- panied by two little girls, appar- ently twins. All were poorly clad, and shivered, as the cold wintry wind rushed down the nearly deserted street. “Oh! mamma dear,” cried one ot the little girls, as they were ap- proaching a large shop; where many lovely holiday toys were displayed, “this must be one of Santa Claus’ shops.” “Let's go in,” pleaded the other little girl, “I do so want to see all the nice things.” ‘My dear children,” said the mother, sadly, “I can get none of .the pretty books or toys for you; I wish I could, but, you know, we are very, very poor.” “Well we could just look at ’em, if we can’t have ’em,” they cried. ‘“Well, my dears, you shall see them,” said their mother, gently. “*Oh! mamma,” one of them ex- claimed, “I just wish I could have a nice dolly, just like this one, that the lady has just laid down here; why, do you know, mamma, it shut its eyes just as tight as I do when I go to sleep.” : “Ah! Bessie, my dear child,” said her mother, ‘‘I am afraid you will only be discontented when you get home.” ‘No, no, I'm—only just wishing,” said little Bessie. All this time a young girl had been standing near, watching the children and writing in a note-book. ‘‘Come, children,” said the mother at last, ‘‘we must be going now, it is nearly four o’clock.” The little group passed out, and the young girl followed them. “Mamms,” said Jessie, ‘“what would you like to have for a Christmas pres- ent?’ Molly Dean, the young girl who had watched the children in the shop, was closely following them; she hastened her steps that she might hear the mother’s answer. .- The mother sighed as she answered her little daughter’s question: ! “Ah! my dear, if 1 conld have your papa back again, I would be satisfied. But the sea seldom gives back its dead.” She added, a moment later, as if to herself: “Not my will, dear Lord, but Thine.” Molly followed them into an alley- way. The street was dirty, and the houses were poor. The children and mx, } ea NS ‘AND THEN HUNG UP THEIR STOCKINGS.” their mother entered one of the small- est houses. Molly looked about her curiously; she had never been in such a place before, although she was nearly sixteen. Soon she turned and hastened back to the shop. She handed her note-book to a clerk, tell- ing him to have the articles, she had written down, all ready when she re- turned for them, which, she said, would be in the evening. She also told him she would send some other purchases there, which she would call for at the same time. “Dear me,” she thought, as she hastened homeward, ‘‘I wish I could give that lady her husband. I can give the children all they wished for, but her wish I am powerless to grant.” She entered a handsome stone house in the most aristocratic part of the city, and rushed into the library, where a gentleman sat reading. “Qh, Uncle Dick!” she cried, eagerly, “I’ve got some work for you to do.” “What is it, my huckleberry?” asked her uncle in a teazing tone, as he pulled her onto his knee. He was a tall man, whose naturally sad face always brightened whén beg was speaking to her; for she was his favorite niece. And she thought there never was an uncle like him. “Well,” said Molly, ‘I want gorio put on your big white fur coat (when it's nice and dark). And then you'd whiskers, some greatlong, white ones, and take a nice big sack, and then we’ll—but I guess I won’t tell you the rest just now.” “Oh! ho! I guess I see! You're going to make a Santa Claus of me.” ‘Don’t ask any questions, but just do as I tell you to,” said Molly. When it was quite dark, Molly and her uncle started out to make their visit. “What a splendid Santa Claus he does make,” thought Molly, as they walked along. They went to ‘“The Star,” and Mr. Dixon (Molly’s uncle) got a vehicle to take himself and Molly, with their many packages, to the poor little house in the alley. After Bessie and Jessie had helped their mother wash the supper dishes that evening, they got ready for bed, and then hung up their stockings. Then their mother called them to her for the little evening talk. They talked of the father, whom the chil- dren could (not remember. He had First, the provisions, then the toys, and last the clothing and some peanuts and candy. The little girls were shouting and “laughing, happy as could be. Santa Claus, as the children called him, turned at last to the mother, who stood amazed. “Madam,” he said, ‘‘your wish was, I believe, that your husband might come back to you again.” : The lady looked amazed. ‘‘How do you know my wish,” she asked. ‘“‘Because I am that Christmas pres- ent,” he cried, as he tore off the false vhiskers and wig. Mrs. Dixon only cried, Just then Molly came in. been waiting at the door. “Molly,” said her uncle, your Aunt Lucey.” ‘Molly kissed her aunt, then she hugged and kissed the fwins. “Oh! to think you are my cousins, and I never knew it.” Mr. Dixon took his little girls upon his knees, and Molly and Mrs. Dixon sat, one on each side of him. Then Mr. Dixon told them the story of the past few years. He had grasped a floating spar when the vessel sank, and for days he had floated upon the water. Finally un ves- sel bound for the Indies picked him up. He was carried from home, in- stead of toward it, and it was two years before he again stood upon his native shore. Then Mrs. Dixon related the story of her trials and sorrow. They sat for a long time talking of the strange events. “To think,” cried Molly, “how we've lived right in the same city all this time, and within a half mile of each other.” ‘Let us thank God,” said Mr. Dixon, “Dick.” She had “this is UNDER THE MISTLETOE. IB] 1). a yh Mid IAe g ) Had the nerve, what perfect bliss Frof those red Lips to take a kiss! Had | the nerve! SHE. The Stupid thing sits silent there, As if bound tightly to bus chair! : The Stupid thing! been a sailor. And one day he had sailed from port, leaving behind his wife and babies; he had never re- turned, and, in a few months, news came that the Lady Gray, the vessel upon which he had sailed, had been wrecked. A few months later the mother moved to another town. She supported her children by taking in sewing. She resided there about four years, then she went to this Western city. While the three were busily talking there came a knock at the door. The mother opened it; as she stood gazing out, a man came into the room. He had snowy hair, and a long white beard. He was dressed in fur from head to foot. - ‘‘Santa Claus! Santa Claus!” cried both children. When Mr. Dixon saw the face of the woman before him he started to- ward her, then stopped and looked at the children. ‘Are there any good children here?” he asked, in a gtuff voice. “Oh! we tried to be good,” said Bessie. “Then,” said their visitor, ‘just tell me your names.” ‘My name is Bessie, and hers is Jessie, and we're twins. Please, is your name Santa Claus?” 4 nf Soo : LS THE ENCHANTED LAND. better wear a fur cap and some false -— But Santa Claus did not answer. He | diana. threw down the great sack he carried, | with Mr. Mudd, of Maryland.—Rich and began to take ou: the things. ' mond Times. : 5 “for His great love and divine mercy.” They knelt down, and he offered up a prayer for their reunion. ‘“We must be going,” said Mr. Dixon, after prayer, as they still talked. Mrs. Dixon dressed herself and the children in the new warm clothes; they locked the door of the little house, and all entered the waiting carriage. Thus they left the old life, of toil and poverty, for one in which they would never know want. A New Way of Distributing Presents. Let one corner of the room where the Christmas festivities are to take place be fitted up as a postoffice, and another corner made to represent a bank. Have ready in the postoffice, envelopes, each bearing the name of the one who is to receive a gift, and in each envelope a ‘‘check” in favor of the one to whom the envelope is addressed. This check may read as follows: Norte PoLE, Christmas, 1897. Sxow I'most & Co., Bankers, Pay to the Order of Harry Haw- thorne one pair of skates. ~8anTa Cuavs. Also have ready in the bank the presents which are to be given, each one properly designated. On the evening of the festival let the post- master call out the names upon the envelopes one by one, and each child or pexson, as his name is called, go to the office and receive his check. He may then take it to the bank, and pre- senting it to the cashier, receive his gift. An Exquisite Effect. ‘While the candle in the socket is still the common method of lighting the Christmas tree, a most exquisite effect is produced by the use of tiny incandescent lights, when expense need not be taken into consideration. These are scattered all over the tree, aud protected by small glass globes. A slight pressare of tke lever, and the tree bursts into rosy, radiant bloom. A Good Pair. The Hon. Abraham Lincoln Brick has been elected to Congress from In- He would make a good pair HE children im America anxious- ly wait for Christ- mas Eve to come, that they may begin the im- portant ceremony of hanging up their stockings. In vain mamma reiterates tha “Santa - Claus ets darker!” Wil- lie and Sue and Kittie and Tom can’t curb their impatience, and are deaf to reason. Santa Claus’s reindeer may THE CUSTOM IN GERMANY. be yet far in the distance, but their part of the programme shall not be delayed another instant. Up go the stockings! A row swings upon the mantel-shelfin many a home. The baby’s is in the middle, and the older children’s at the ends. The mantel-shelf must be cleared, as well as the floor around it. Santa Claus’s generosity must not be restricted by lack of space to deposit his gifts. The little German children care more for Christmas trees than stock- ings to hold their gifts. Santa Claus does not come down the chimney for them. But the window of the Christ- mas-tree. room is opened, that “Knecht Ruprecht” may have a chance to adorn their trees. And not only have they the large Christmas plate on Christmas morning is a tiny tree, a perfect miniature copy of the large one, with a ‘‘Christmas box” under it. These little trees make the table look like a garden, and are pretty enough to give a hint worth coppying. Little Gretchen and Hans do not hang their -stcckings, though sometimes they starid their wooden shoes in convenient spots, that the Christ-chitd may fi}l them. The Christmas tree is favored throughout all the Northern countries of Europe. Norway and Sweden, Prussia and Poland alike delight in elaborately dressed trees covered with gifts for young and old. A pretty Swedish custom is to provide a Christ- mas dinner as a Christmas tree for the birds, whose dinners are scarce in winter in that snow-covered region. A sheaf of wheat or corn is tied to the top. of a high pole erected in front of the house for the birds’ convenience. Be sure it is soon surrounded by the chattering thankful recipients. The birds’ Christmas tree is a kind as well as a pretty thought. The little Italian boys and girls do not hear as pretty a legend as Santa Claus and his reindeer. Nurse tells them often of Old Beffana, who comes rid- ing along on her broomstick, and who will leave presents for good children, but who just as surely carries a rod for bad ones. In England, Christmas Eve is ush- ered in with the ringing of bells and singing of carols, the singers go- ing from house to house, collecting Christmas gifts at each. Where old- fashioned customs are kept up the Yule log is pulled in and lit with much ceremony and rejoicing. Christmas trees and gifts are common there as elsewhere, and our custom of Christ- mas decoration with greens is carried to much greater extent. The holly has always been sacred to Christmas. A sprig of it isa talisman to conjure up a long procession of Christmas days and Christmas feasting. The story of Christmas, in both its sacred and its merry meaning, is told in a thousand ways and a thousand tongues to bright-eyed, listening babies. But of all the marvelous legends told, Santa Claus and his reindeer still seems the guaintest and prettiest. en Jest ‘Fore Christmas. For Christmas, with its lots and lots of can- leg, cakes and toys, . Was made, they say; for proper kids, ‘an’ not for naughty boys; 2 So wash your face an’ brush your hair, and mind your p’s and q's, And don’t bust out yer pantaloons, and don’t wear out your shoes; Say “Yessum’ to the ladies, an’ “Yessur to the men, An’ when thep’s company, don’t pass your plate for pie again; But thinkin’ of the things yer'd like to see upon that tree, Just ‘fore Christmas be as good as yer kin ! be! 1 —Eugens Fleld. Working on Santa’s Sympathy, surely bo touched. we will “ ‘The mignonette is. tbs national do ver of Spain. : tree, but at each one’s’ BOY ABDUCTED. While on His Way to School He is Sair Placed in a Covered Wagon—Polic: Are Investigating. Penn Broad, aged 9, who résiiias wilh Jeremiah Maxell, at hotelkeenoer® at Sands Eddy, Northampton ounty. was -abducted, while on his school a few days ago, by a man placed him in a covered wagon drove off. The police have mad vestigation and are of the opinion the boy was taken by his father, Broad, of Troy, N. Y., who for resided here and at Wilkesbarre., The following pensions were granted last week: Philander Churchill, Hills- dale; Indiana, $6; Samuel B. 'Tomple- ton, Tyrone, $10; Henry A. Greenfield, Conneautville, $6; Christopher A. Ken- dall (dead), Titusville, $12; Franz Ken- er, New Castle, 36; Alfred F.. Baker. Wells Tannery, Fultgn, $6: Morris W. Powell, Pittsburg, $10; Emanus! = mel, Belknap, Armstrong, 5 Edward O. Eustin, ‘Austin, Pottsr, $ Mary A. Eskin, Beaver Falls, $5: A. Brady, Washington, $8; Johi Casner, Mont Alto, Franklin, 3 Thomas, Oil City, $8; James Guire, Homestead, $6; John WW nett, Kelly Station, Armstrong Wm, IZwing., Wampum, $10 to $1 New Castle, $6 to $58: Liydick, Cookport, Indiana, 3 Melvin Z. Sherman, East 2: 2 $6 314; Jacob t ‘reedom, Armstrong, $5 James Carnahan, South Bu 36 to $8; Wm. E. Dalles, Balsan:. $14 to 317; Eli Hilty, Edri—Ind: to $10; Malinda S. Howers, Port Juniata, $8; Roselle S. Ropesz liamsport, $8; Robert R. Jamestown, $8; William C. Pockwell, Bradford, $6: Moses Miles, Sunsat, $i: George Boggs, Fayetteville, $5 to $10: John IL. Gray, Blairsville, $4 10: Simon IL. Lakes, Mansfield, $5 to $114 William P. Berlin, dead, Rochester Mills, Indiana, $8 to $12; James Ben- ford, Johnstown, $10 to $17; RR. bert Densmore, Fairchance, $8 to 31): John W. Swayer, South Williamsport. #6 to 38: Lewis Ross, Derry Station, 312 to £14; Porter C. Montgomery, Bradfoud, $10 to $12; William Partington, diers’ home, Erie, $8 to. $12; Andrew Dougherty, Monongahela, $3 to 3 Theophilus J. Niehols, Mahantango. Juniata, $6 to $8: John G. Chase, #din- boro, $6 to $12; Samuel S. Kelly, Derry Station, $8 to $10; John Howard, Al- toona, $17 to $24; John G. Fields, (iales- burg, Center, $6 to $8; Anna EE. Smith, leddsville, MifHin, $8; Julia A. Hoyt, truysville, Crawford, $12; Jennie Mc- Cready, Duncansville, Blair, $12. Judge Simonton rendered a d« last week in favor of the trustees of the State Insane Hospital at Norris town and against the county of Phila- delphia for $50,032.71. The trustees brought an action against the county seme time ago to recover a claim $77,026 for board, clothing and medical treatment furnished by the hospital to certain indigent insane persons from Philadelphia. The case was heard Ly the Court by the agreement without it jury, and a verdict was rendered in favor of the hospital trustees for $45.- 553.30, with six per cent. interest from April 19, 1897, or $50,032.71. On their way home from Selinsgrove to Sunbury, William Fenton and Stephen Templin drove across a high canal bridge at Shamokin Dani and. just as they emerged from it theil heavy wagon plunged down an ein- bankment on the ice below. Hotel guests who saw the accident hurried to the spot and found both men un- conscious, Fenton being pinned | the heavy wagon. They will res 13-year-old son of Henry 3 manager of the Fort Pitt glass w at Greensburg, arose Tuesday ently in the best of health, wea the school house and joined his panions in play. Shortly after en the school room he was convulseid if In severs pain, uttered a groa: fell lifeless. A physician Ww: moned, but the boy was beyond Harry Kuntz, of Beaver Falls, trying to raise the gates at the race in the lower part of town recently, slipp. d and fell in. The water jammed his legs up against the sides of the gat S00 firmly that he could not move, and he would have drowned had not George Cochenour sprung in and held him up until the race filled, thus liberating hin. By the premature explosion of a blist at Greensburg the other evening, (‘has ind Jacob Stutchel were very ser ously injured. Charles had one «ye kno kd aut, and the other injured, so that h will lose its sight. Otto Klein, a nine below Jacobs Creek, was caught t fall of slate and so badly c¢rushe he cannot recover. Wiilliam Harrison, 3 was found half frozen the other nig about two miles from his Greenville lying in the snow. started to walk from New Wilm to his home early in the eveni fell and broke his leg. H to move, and lay until {oun friend. William Boyer, a well-known busi- ness man, of Phoenixville, died fen days ago under peculiar circumstances He was pretending to be and when they went to awaken him fron his supposed slumber he was dezd. He was o8 years of age. A merigage for $2,500,000 upin property of the Allegheny & Western railroad to the Guaranty Trust Company, of New York, was leit for record at Butler. The Internal revenue stamps on the documents $1,259. The 5-year-old son of William Hawns, of Greenviile, the other day placed his tongue against an iron wa- ter hydrant. The member froze fast, and in releasing it a portion of his tongue was torn off. In drawing city water from the spigot #+* her hoine in Beaver Falls, Mrs. Strolick found a very handsome pearl, and Mrs. Thomas Renouf later got a solid gold bracelet padlock key through the spigot. In a runaway accident at Cambria county, the other day. Pcter Robine, a miner, aged 65 ycars, was instantly killed, and his companion, Dennis Bradley, a farmer, probably fatally injured. Thomas, the 7-year-old son of Wil- liam Clendenning of Black Diamond. near Monongahela, died a few days ago of acute alcoholic poisoning, which resulted from whisky procured at the house of a neighbor. In the breach of promise cass of Mary E. Hulings vs. Robert Orr, at Clarion, the jury rendered a verdict of $525 for the plaintiff. A Grand Jury at Lebanon refused to indict for murder gacob Wetzel and Laura Goodman, Who were charged Bi Royal. Wii- Zundel, tH Hol- ision or eS 1 aged 6 asleen, 1} the Lilly. | with killing a child. Fifteen youmg men at Johnstown have enlisted in the regular army and started for the South to join regimonts there. The wife of Dr. James McKeliar, of Hazelton, fell on the ice and sustained injuries from which she died last Weck. Franklin will =ell $15000 schcol bonds to pay for property on which to erect a new high school building.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers