CHRISTMAS MUSINGS. There are warmct hnnd-shnklngs on thla night, wrote Alexander Smith, than during the by-past twelve montliB. Friend lives In tho mind of friend. There Is more charity at this time than nt any other. Poverty and sennty clothing, and tireless grates como homo to tho bosoms of tho rich and they glvo or their abundance. The very redbreast ot tho woods enjoys his Christmas feast. Good feollng in. carnatcs ltseir In plum pudding. The Master's words, "The poor yo havo always al-ways with you," wear ot this tlmo u deep significance. For nt least one night on each year over all Clnlsten-dom Clnlsten-dom thero la brotherhood. And good men, Bitting 'mongst their rnmlllcs, or by a solitary lire llko me, when they remember tho light that shono ovor tho poor clowns huddling on the Iieth. lehem plains 1U00 years ago, the apparition ap-parition or shining angels overhead, tho song, "Pence on earth and good will towards men," which ror the ilrst time hnllowed the midnight air pray ror that strain's fulfillment, thnt buttle but-tle and striro may vox tho nations no moro: thnt not only Christmas eve. but the year 'round, men shall bo brethren, owning one Father in heaven. Christmas eve! The wondrous Santa Clntis comes to tho children with thee. What visions of dolls, games, books', cnndles and all sorts or goodies; drums, trumpets, whistles or all sorts or squeaks and dlscordnnt blasts, and tho wondorrul Christmas treo with Us brilliant lights, gny colors and mysterious mys-terious packages, somo or which may contain tho long wished tar skntes or tho huge Jack knife. It Is nil on. chnntment, all tho color or tho rose, tho rainbow that spans their young lives. Not nil tho agony In tho mnn-ger, mnn-ger, all tho wonder of the story or tho Star or Hethlehcm, or tho following and guiding or tho wlso men to the lowly crndlo or tho coming King, not all tho sad beauty or tho old, old stor can fully Bntlsfy the Juvenile heart llko these, nut are wo not children of n larger growth? In splto or tho solemnity or tho occasion, In spite or its deep and tender mennlng, tho girts and goodies and merry-making nro nil dear to us, children In henrt as wo nre. Let. them tear Santa's while beard off at tho Sunday school restlval and growl In his bearskin coat. Theso nro only his disguises. Tho steps or tho real Santa Claus you can traco nil through the world, nnd whoti you stand in tho last of his tracks you will find the Blessed Dabo of Dethle.. hem smiling' n wolcomc toyou. There is ono way to make a whlto Christmas oven though thero may bo not n flnko of snow in sight. Let tho whiteness bo in your heart. Put asldo all thoughts of guile. Forget nil tho big or little bitterness you may bo entertaining ngalnst some other person, per-son, Cast out all envy, all covetous-ncss, covetous-ncss, all unklndncss. Endeavor to harbor in your heart only such thoughts nud feelings as tho Naznrono know when Ho dwelt by Galilee. Cultivate Cul-tivate human brotherhood. Practico Christian charity. Look boyond and abovo your workaday horizon. Get into tho heart of - ' . half tho tlmo." "Well," replied Senator Sena-tor Sorghum, "ho must bo reforming. A CO per cent veracity averago Is pretty high for him." Washington Stnr.