CHRIS0T1A3 :0PA'QIER
i4rMTMTTi-M''r'?i i7Anfri4'nitMrV RAnnV
She was the kind of child that peo
ple called "Just the sweetest thing,"
and no one doubted that she would
trow up to be a beautiful woman.
Bllky, golden ringlets covered her
head, and large eyes, which seemed
sometimes gray and wistful, but
oftenest Just the tint of the violets,
lighted up a round, chubby little face.
The scarlet lips were usually parted
In a friendly smile, disclosing a row
of snow-white, baby teeth, and the
nose confessed to the slightest tut.
Mary Elizabeth, she had been christ
ened, but when only a few months
old she had been pronounced by her
proud nurse "simply angelic Just
the image of a wee little cherub,"
and since then all thought of the real
name seemed to have been forgotten;
thenceforth this fat, rosy little piece
of humanity was known as "Cherub,"
and only as "Cherub."
Everyone loved her, for she had
an amiable disposition, and when she
laughed and each cheek dimpled pret
tily, she wsb Irresistible. But woe to
the person who Incurred her displeas
ure. A frown from her meant trou
ble, and during the five years of her
life her parents had grown to know
that when that little face puckered a
storm was brewing, and that It would
be well to take MIbs Cherub In hand
at once.
This young lady was bubbling over
with mischief, and generally when
they found her sitting alone with that
faraway, saintly expression, they
knew that way down beneath those
curls a plan of action was being
formed which would surely get some
one Into trouble undoubtedly Bob
by. Her chief delight was found In
making this small brother her accom
plice, leading him on to carry out her
campaigns and having him receive
the punishment. When she was con
fronted with the charge, "Cherub,
you started that!" she would raise
those wide, innocent eyes, look
' atralght at her accuser, and say with
the slightest droop to the corners of
her mouth: "Bobby did it." At pres
ent, however, she was being "awful
good," for to-morrow would be
Christmas and she had placed many
letters up the chimney of the fine,
big Fifth avenue residence, asking
Santa Clause for all sorts of nice
presents, which she was sure not to
;et unless she was an obedient little
girl.
Christmas morning, before any one
In the house but the servants was
awake, the two children were excited
ly whispering together about what
Jolly old Saint Nicholas had left for
each, for sleep was far distant, and
nurse's scolding and attempt at per
suasion was of no avail.
' Near breakfast time Aunt Glady's
Dupont, their mother's pretty young
later, just two years out of board
ing school, who had lately arrived to
spend the holidays with the family,
came to the nursery and with a
hearty "Merry Christmas!" kissed
each of the children, and told them
that they could get dressed and come
to the dining room.
Immediately on finishing breakfast
Mr. Baldwin would unlock the li
brary doer, where each year the tree
and stockings awaited them; 1 of
course, the children would eat noth
ing. At last every one was ready and
stationed Just outside that enchanted
room. Impatiently Jumping up and
down, hardly daring to breathe, the
little ones urged father to hurry.
When they burst Into the brightly
lighted room It was, good to see their
faces. Their shouts and screams of
delight and loud "Ohs!" and "Ahs!"
could be heard all over the house, as
aeh discovered his many gifts under
the brightly decorated tree.
When, an hour after. Cherub and
Bobby were "dragged off to church,"
as they were pleased to express It,
they left their hearts as well s dolls
and woolly dogs In the library at
home. Naturally they squirmed and
twisted through the whole service,
and occasionally whispered to each
other In eager tones.
That afternoon they were allowed
to Invite four of their little friends to
a small party. They were all playing
nnder the tree with the Christmas
things, and as Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin
had gone to walk Gladys proposed
having a game of "I spy" with the
youngsters. As she announced this
Cherub, who was always the leader,
yelled, "Hurrah for Aunt Gladys.
Now she can be It!" and then whis
pered, Just as audibly, "No, Bob, I
choose to get under the sofa; stop
pushing me!" as they were hiding.
"Coming, ready or not!" called
Gladys, as she started off on a hunt
that proved fruitless. As she ran
Into the hall to continue the search
he came face to face with the man
to whom she had but recently been
ngaged. It was the first time she
had seen him since the night, three
weeks before, when she had returned
the ring and refused to listen to the
explanation which would have cleared
the misunderstanding, and although
lnce then she had been miserable
and had admitted to herself that she
was in the wrong, she was deter
. mined that he should never know It
There was the old Dupont pride
again!
For one moment they looked Into
each other's eye, and then with a
cold nod she turnec.' away and busied
herself with the game, which for the
time being she had forgotten. Very
little Interest she felt, however, In
anything but the man who had so un
expectedly appeared on the scene,
and who at that very moment, before
her astonished eyes, was coolly loung
ing in a Morris chair, glancing care
lessly over a magazine.
When the first surprise was over
she became embarrassed. As though
reading her thoughts Jack Burrows
spoke. "When will Fred and Fan be
InT Tou see, I wrote Fred at least
two weeks ago that I would come to
spend Christmas day if possible, and
having never heard anything more
from me I suppose he entirely forgot
It. How long have you been here?"
Cherub, hearing u familiar voice,
ran from her hiding place, and was
soon comfortably settled on jack s
knee, while the other children, who
had followed her, Jumped around
and shrieked, no on knew Just what
for. Jack was a great favorite at the
house, and the broken engagement
with 'Gladys had been a source of
disappointment to all, especial to
Mr. Baldwin, with whom Jack had
been Intimate ever since the days of
Yale together.
Gladys fled furiously to her room,
where all the rest of the afternoon
she nursed her woes. Just before
dinner time Mrs. Baldwin came to
comfort her, and tell her how Fred
had never even mentioned Jack's
talked-of visit, and how the meeting
at the house was a big mistake,
which all wished had been avoided.
But the Injured one would hear noth
ing of it
"It was very unkind of you and
Fred to bring us here together when
yon know how I hate him. I do hate
him," she sobbed, with a little stamp,
"and I refuse to have anything to do
with him whatsoever. I know that
he was In the plan, too, and you all
think you can make everything all
THE HOLLY MERCHANT OF YE OLDEN TIME.
A
wJSSr '15'iiv.';!?t':,!'i:''"i. tyxr
right again, but you can't, yon can't
I shall stay In my room this evening
after dinner, so don't try to persuade
me to entertain him. Take him out
with you; I shan't go."
By 10 o'clock Gladys, worn out
with her own thoughts and tired of
her room, decided to go down Into
the library and enjoy the Are. Why
should she punish herself in this way,
cooping herself up in that gloomy old
room, and what harm would It do to
be simply friends with Jack, were the
questions she had been turning over
In her mind.
At last down she came, much to
the bewilderment and secret pleasure
of the gentleman musing before the
fire, and cosily settled herself In a
huge chair beside him. Neither
spoke, for neither knew just how to
open the conversation.
The silence was becoming unbear
able when a tiny noise beard In the
hall caused them to "glance toward
the door. There on the stairs with
her night dress clutched a bit up on
one side, displaying her little bare
feet; and with her eyes wide open as
though sleep had never visited them,
stood Cherub.
As she caught sight of her friends
her face broke Into the most mis
chievous of smiles, for did she not
know that the place for her at that
hour was up stairs In bed? Gladys,
who welcomed any Interruption to
the suspense, ran, caught up the
child, and cuddled her warmly in her
lap.
"Where's mother and father? Can
I get some candy out of my stocking
over on that chair? When Is you go
ing to bed?" came the questions pell
mell, never waiting to be answered.
To Jack's Inquiry as to how she hap
pened to come down stairs in the
night In that fashion, she replied that
she had waked up and couldn't get
to sleep again.
"I thought it would be nice to
come down here with the Christmas
tree and pretty lights and play dolly,
More fun than lying In bed, 'cause X
got so hot," was the explanation
which she seemed to think justified
her advent. At this the young cou
ple laughed heartily.
"Is Mr. Jack your beau, aunty, and
do you love him this much?" was her
next query, at the same time stretch
ing out her arms as far as ber chub
by shortness permitted. "You love
aunty, don't you, Mr. Jack? I love
you both, and I love Santa Clans, too,
and mother and father and Bobby,"
doubtfully, "when he's real good."
By this time Glady's face was crim
son, and angry tears rose In her eyes.
The Idea of being made a laughing
stock, even by a child! Then as the
little arms stole around her neck all
the bitterness melted away and only
love and longing filled her heart
"Aunty, when is jou and Mr. Jack
going to get married T I'm going to
be flower girl and have a white dress
and pink roses. Mother said 'very
soon,' when I asked her a long time
ago," rattled on the unsuspecting
youngster.
It was then that Gladys threw
pride to the winds, for from the
midst of Cherub's tangled curls came
a muffled, but very tender, "Yes,
Cherub, very soon," which Just
reached Jack's ears. He started Joy
ously from his chair.
"Oh I Cherub, it's so late you must
go back to bed. What will mother
say?" And Gladys picked up the lit
tie fairy and carried her to the stairs,
where she kissed her many times.
Then with happy, sparkling eyes,
and a little bright spot on each cheek,
she went back into the library and
stood beside Jack. Together they
watched the child oltmb the steps.
"Good night, little Cherub," they
called after her as Jack took both the
girl's hands in his, and
By this time Cherub had disap
peared, and was crawling happily
back into bed. The Pathfinder.
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Christmas Anxieties.
Dolly "Doesn't It worry you aw
fully to think what to buy for Tom?"
Polly "Of course, but it worries
me more to think about what Tom is
liable to buy for me."
WHAT TO DO WITH BULBS.
I would advise covering the plants
with ten to twelve Inches of litter
from the barnyard. Let this extend
well over each plant. If this cover
ing Is not readily obtained, leaves can
be used to advantage. Take a box
a foot deep and at least two feet
square. Knock the bottom out of It,
and place it over the plant. Then
fill In with leaves, packing them down
well. When the box Is full nail the
bottom in place to shed rain. Bank
up about the box with soil from the
bed. In spring do not uncover until
the danger of freezing weather is
over that is, weather cold enough
to freeze the soil to the depth of the
bulb. Home Magazine,
TRANSPLANTING HINTS.
Most ornamental trees may be
transplanted successfully In the fall
If they mature their wood early. It
is not generally safe to plant after
the middle of November in New Eng
land. Trees with soft, fleshy roots,
like the magnolia or tulip tree, are,
however, more safely planted in the
spring. The larches and other trees
that start into growth very early in
the spring should always be set in
the fall. When It Is possible, still
preserving the form of the trees, the
tops should be reduced, as with fruit
trees, to balance the loss of roots in
digging. If the soil Is poor where
the holes are dug, rich, moist loam
should be drawn to fill in about the
roots, but stable manure or strong
fertilizers should never be placed in
contact with the roots. A moderate
amount of fine, well rotted manure
or a little fertilizer may be thor
oughly mixed with the soil, or, bet
ter, be spread upon the surface after
the roots have been covered.
Very large trees are often trans
planted In the winter. A large hole
where the tree is to be planted is dug
in the fall before the ground freezes
and filled with leaves or old hay; the
soil is then dug from about the tree
roots, leaving a ball large enough to
contain most of the roots of the tree.
Ths ball of soil is left to freeze, and
during the winter may be drawn upon
sleds to the hole and be dropped In
place, good soil being filled in about
the roots in the spring as soon as
thawing weather begins.
Evergreens generally succeed best
when moved early in the fall, but
may be transplanted at almost any
time when a ball of earth Is taken
up with the roots, and the leaves are
not frozen. The soil used to place
about the roots must be moist and
firmly pressed against them.
WINTERING PLANTS INDOORS..
Perhaps the best, most serviceable
and artistic way to winter tender
plants is in window boxes, placed in
side the window and about six to
twelve inches from the glass. The
box may be expensive or otherwise,
as desired. So far as the plants are
concerned, any box will do, provided
it is well drained, but by all means
have it made to fit the window.
Paint it on the outside any color ap
propriate t'o the surroundings, it
should be six to eight inches wide and
six inches deep, with several holes
drilled in the bottom for drainage.
A tray or tin pan of a corresponding
size should be provided to catch the
water that soaks through, but the
box should not be set down tightly
Into, this.. Allow enough space all
around to admit free circulation of
air. Email block of wood about an
inch thick placed in the bottom of the
pan will elevate the box sufficiently.
The failure in growing house plrnt.i
often rests upon inattention to this
simple requirement. All healthy
growing plants require an abundant
supply of oxygen. When a flower pot
or window box Is left to stand in
water half the time the circulation
of air Is stopped and the roots are
suffocated. This one thing is re
sponsible for more deaths of house
plr.nts than any other neglect or mis
management. A neat and Inexpensive means of
supporting the window boxes is on
brackets placed about two Inches low
er than the window sill. Drain the
bottom of the box with about an Inch
of broken flower 4ots, charcoal or
any rough material, and fill up with
good soil.
In a sunny window begonias will
give abundant satisfaction, in such
varieties as Vernon, Erfordll, gracilis,
magnifies, Vesuvius, metalllca, com
cinea (B. rubra), manicata, Duchar
trei, lncarnata and others. Begonias
of the semperflorens type (1. e., Ver
non, etc.) that have been planted out
of doors can be taken up, with ae
much earth adhering as possible and
planted in such a box. The arrange
ment can be suited to one's own
taste. c
Rex begonias are also suitable for
such a place, and will make a beautl-
Lful box, either alone or with other
subjects.
Geraniums are also suitable for a
sunny window. Old geraniums do
not lift (transplant) well, and It Is
always best to start with young
stock.
Ferns of the Bostonlensls, Plerso
nil and Scotti types (varieties of
NephroleplB exaltata) are suitable for
either sunny windows or those that
are only partly shaded. But it is
better to have them in pots rather
than in botes, as they are then more
conveniently handled. Indianapolis
News.
:
Farm Topics;
SUPERIORITY OF THE MULE.
The mule Is less nervous than the
horse and therefore loses less energy
in useless fretting. In fact, one of
the chief characteristics of the mule
Is his ability to take care of himself
under all 'circumstances, says Farm-,
ing. Much of the apparent shirking
which Is charged against the mule Is
an Inborn tendency to husband his
strength and make every effort -count.
The result of this instinctive care
on the pnrt of the mule Is that he Is
able to turn out more work than'
would be possible for a horse of the
same weight under the same condi
tions. The mule instinctively avoids
holes, sharp obstacles, barbed wire
fences and various other forms of.
danger which are not bo successfully
avoided by horses. It Is a matter of
common observation that In Instances
where mules run away they seldom
injure themselves to any serious ex
tent , t
TEST OF AGE IN FOWLS.
A rooster's age Is determined by
the size of his spurB. If they are
long he is "antique." If there is a
small button on the ankle where the
spurs come later he Is a young bird.
Ducks are Invariably judged 1y the
under lip of the bill. If a dressed
duck will sustain Its weight by its un
der bill, "lay it back and try an
other," for there Is no telling how old
it Is; certainly too old to be real ten
der. But If the bill snaps easily it Is
a young bird. Gobblers are told by
their spurs, the same as roosters, the
age of the hen turkey being deter
mined by the length of its beard.
Aside from the test applied to ducks
there Is one Infallible rule which can
be applied with safety in all cases.
The back part of the breastbone can
be bent easily in a young fowl. If it
is sharp and hard and refuses to
yield to pressure from your thumb it
is an old bird.
r
ATTEND THE NESTS.
Do you know that you can train a
hen to be a poor layer? Do you know
that she can and wilt keep her eggs
when ready to lay for a whole day?
If this condition is allowed to con
tinue she may and probably will lay
fewer and fewer eggs, finally becom
ing an indifferent layer, hence the
necessity of having plenty of clean,
comfortable nests. Did you ever no
tice how shyly the young pullet will
go about looking for a secret place
where she may stealthily deposit her
precious eggs? How very particular
she Is about it! If there is an in-,
sufficient number of nests, or if they
are unclean, or too much exposed
she Is likely, after some delay, to lay
the egg on the floor and among the
other hens, which may lead to egg
eating. Comfort is one of the essen
tials of egg productions, and what is
more necessary than handy, clean
ani comfortable nests? National
Fruit Grower.
READ MORE.
I say to farmers read more, think
more, work less, spend less time gos
siping with your neighbors about
matters not connected with agricul
ture or farming. Talk and discuss
matters, but let them be mainly mat
ters pertaining to your business, and
get the foundation for thoughts and
the texts for discussion from good,
reliable papers and books, and then
apply the methods in practical tests
and see if you are not only more suc
cessful In financial matters, but also
more happy and contented on the old
farm. The young people certainly
will be. One of the best methods for
keeping them on the farm is to sup
ply plenty of good reading, giving
them a little time to read and encour
aging them to stay at borne, and do
ing so yourself as far as possible.
Work less, read more, think more
and gain more happiness, content
ment and wealth. E. M. Pike, Rut
land County, Vt
FARM NOTES.
The surest way to learn whether a
'given cow is paying her way 13 to test
her product
Clean, commodious quarters are
Important factors In helping cows to
be profitable to the owner.
Individual nest boxes hung to the
wall so they can be conveniently re
moved for cleansing will be found
handy.
A sowing of crimson clover and
rye in the chicken run or near by
will make excellent late fall feed.
Of course the part of the run seeded
must be closed tor a time.
Hens are moulting unusually early
this season, and if properly fed and
strengthened while undergoing the
operation should be laying again be
fore cold weather sets in. -
So great Is the demand for fruit
packages that the price is gradually
working upward and must eventually
greatly lessen the profits of fruit
growing for shipment by rail.
A Qulncy, Mass., groceryman got
himself into trouble with the postal
authorities when he sold common
store eggs for fancy stock. Buyers
got mad when the chickens turned
out to be ordinary scrubs.
The Maine station rates clear hen
droppings as worth about $1.10 a
barrel, although at auction often
brings not more than fifty cents. It
loses value if kept on hand unless
carefully cared for, shrinking in nu
tritive value about one-halt In, say,
three months.