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Show vs ss v is, surreptitiously reaching for a sll one gross fault, an habiUTri ver from the tail of a that pro- qualifying adjectives, frequently truded from a near-bbox. He want ni Scant of was forgotten feelin overly scrumptious though fer He was a blasphemy, man good and God rest s. a week. I heerd his darter say so as This was the sentiment of T I cum by there jest now from spearin expression voiced by those whnT ! up in Dry Run. Been complainin of known him best a pain in his appendix and had a cold Nearer and nearer they drew tn sweat an a bad dream tother night snug farm nS that want particklarly gratifyln fer Niobe, all residence where grief was tears, domiciled' a man o his calibre. Tday he was where the Black Camel of Deatn e standin by the churn, at the gate In mute distress! stoopin over like, fixin the crank er Meanwhile Boreas and Jack Frost something and all to onct he uttered were ripping and biting at the a faint groan and fell right where he the toes of the mourners as thT stood! Pitched forrard in a heap and urged the horses on over the last mil! never knowed a thing! Gasped once of the In the galaxy of grocery-stovway. slowly Se! liars, oral bite off a slice of black plug and arter his wife got there and that was Hez Davis easily occupied the soapsmacking his lips. all! A mighty fine man was Hiram turned In at the side road that led ?! the farm home, Editor Grant box throne. He was a sort of living A suppressed titter rippled about and fa Give money and vegetables refutation of the claim that truth is the grocery stove at the prods admin- tSquires. th poor and always allowed that all ily in the lead. One ny one they relnos their horses into the farmyard istered in an evident effort to awaken mighty and will prevail. In fact, his stock could eat want ana wasted! Davis was a most marvelous the frequently dormant sense of lying stopped. here Boys, Hez cleared his and conscientious prevaricator. The dry None that, editor was preparing to had its home leap to believed him capable of telling the within the graying head of "Lying Dacod-fis- y I! yr milk-hous- m H wind-swe- e safest Cbc Slattvit Li Of weeded MaM TMt H our deadly forfeit AM WU NJs Fount wort ; f Mra and tftiould ua, n rolMM. u a prpetui r,?,CO'"cWUMOo MOS. ol unu the hymn J,le The stable door stands wide. Scant lodging mare for thee and me. Maid The sleepy cattle stir Inside. But there Is room where one may hide Against the happy morning tide. That brings my Joy of Joys safth she. MaM Child "l' " I" run. to Him hmuJE1 gaudy trim. o WU bar groat H wo. no wo To womo. Ho v. nr WHO man, Bm! r Maar so lo sympatliln; fa, m LMo in, bsulo's NMi sown Hnsloln d who hostile stood- Hoe ooi lo Uw armed ihf ooj. AM Ninos set siu with ewiw oy As Hlho, soMf new their sooreo UW wes , The P" But f. Jot mocoHiI wes the sign Wwrstn wIJL " Mary. silly tender Baba. freettng winter night manger trembling Alas! a piteous sight In la homely Inns are This iftUe forced He In crib to bos milk-hous- no mmi wfB yield Pilgrim bed : Is with silly beasts shroud His beadL hill able-bodie- d e Desplsa Him not for lying then First what He is Inquire ; An orient pearl is often found In depth ef dirty mlrm I ctane The tiers, with dees emase. Stand Rx d In steadfast gasa. way Proc'oi Innuasics. j And Will not take their flight For all U morning light Crueller, that often warn'd them thence Uwlr ItfHnmertag orbe did glow Until their Lord Himself bespoke, and Md then Weigh not His crib His wooden dish. Nor beasts that by Him feed Weigh not His mothers poor attfr Nor Joseph s weed. simple This stable is a prince's court The crib His chair of state; The beasts are parcel of His pomp, The wooden dish His plate. With And go. 0 for approach. Christian wight Do homage to thy King highly praise this humble pomp. Which He from heaven doth bring. I il c1 V. P e s Mary; a 38 joint Wm Soord Uw worts arotmd: THo Mie spoor oM sNleM wsro THe hookM ctwioi (fee Frfnos of UgM His rofgn of peace opoa the aartA Tbs winds, wild wonder wten. SmoMbly the waters Iht Whispering now )oys to Uw mild ocean. Who now hath quite forgot to raw, wn Mary. Hew prince, Hew pomp M, taM, H if U MaM Mary Tbs snow is froren slippery hard. "But an the skies are stiver starred. And scents of cassia and of nard Are wafted round my way! sbe safth. MaM owriol soft-pin- hostel doer is barred, The eight Is dumb and dark as doath. it was the winter wild. hcavoo-bor- truth, hence no one expected him to vis." But Hez, refusing to accept the speak aught but falsehood except on one occasion, and even then repentchallenge, merely shook his head sadance followed quickly. ly. So gracefully, tenaciously and piousThis ain't no time to be tellin lies, ly did "Hez Davis lie, that away back boys. in the nebulous state of Time, he had Here the town liar cast his eyes been dubbed Lying Deacon Davis. meekly toward the floor ana The "Deacon portion of the appellasighed. tion was applied because of his strict Taint no time t laugh an be gay attendance upon church services; and with one o our best country residents the wonderful religious lies associated dead o' heart disease! with his ecclesiastical He paused in solemn mien, his head of a night, when Morpheus and low, his hands clasped between his were playing him tricks and knees. fashioning for bis Imaginings strange Wary glances were exchanged bevisions, were little short of miracles tween the strategists. None cared to as related to a commumake the sally. nity next morning. Died an hour ago. Snuffed out like Then, too, "Hez occasionally acted the candle in a draught. Fell dead as grave digger for the e village dead; upon the floor, resumed this, and lying, being about as much Hez sadly, softly, much affected. as one man in a quiet Whos dead? blurted Andrew rural community could be expected to Shrader, aiming for a knot-holIn the attend to well. floor with a kernel of corn and missBut, after a time, as "Hez's lying it. Whos dead? ing became more chronic, and his grave Lying Davis took a long, deep digging less pronounced, the "Deacon and looking up suddenly, deJoint in the cognomen of his name was breath, manded; dropped, and be approached the sunWhats th matter with you fellers? set of life with the short and undesirDont ye know that Hiram Squires is able significance of "Lying Davis. no more? It alnt no subject fer As such was he known on a blusterer stringln; ye know hes dead asjokin well ing, winter night two days before as I do and a mighty sad Christmas Christmas, 1902, as he shambled Into be fer his poor wife and children, the Corner Grocery and took his ac- itll left with a big farm on their hands customed place among the members of and none on em able t take keer of the town Strategy Board. It. The accustomed grin of You dont mean to tinged with a curl of dis- Squires Is dead, Hez?say that Hiram dain In which pity and interrupted Jealousy were Horace editor of the Weekly strangely mingled, greeted his entry Clarion, Grant, who had entered at this juncinto the liars circle about the CQ unrn I ture to get the copy for a Christmas Bocl bra. Hum Bjm unwffer.su for beaming Mom ef mniMtr WberawHb Ha worn M baa van's blab Vmntn To Jtt m. inMjl or TUnol Unity. Ho loM osioc om hoc who os lo bw C 1 II JWe shepherds on the lawn. Or are the point of dawn. Sat simply chatting la a rustic row FuO little thought they then hat the mighty Pa Was kindly coma to Bve with them selew: Ferhapa their tern, or ehe their sheep. Was all that did their silly thoughts so busy beep. in1 ! m 'H:"S m Gol dum yer blankety blank picture!" and rattly throat with an effort itll be our turn next! Deep silence greeted the forecast. Whatd you say about that there spade, Horace? resumed Hez. Kin 1 borrer it long enough C a grave fer Hiram In th mornin? digFunerals day after termorrer from the house When It was over there was a mer- bel,S 8pparent,y coming from the very air about us, and when astonlshment to see the reas0e we found that an older boy had begged and borrowed all the bolls he could, of every kind, and had net A Christmas wedding is rather an unusual thing. At Christmas-tideverybodys mind is set on something other than weddings, and to have one then seems almost like an f the iust mirth which interruption reigns the world over, writes Muriel Falkland in the Housekeeper. The writer goes on to describe how the Idea of a Christmas wedding was carried ont In favor of one of prettily a group of twelve friends girl who had planned to have distinctive celebrations of this greatest event of their lives. 'The ceremony was a home one, of course, and as Katherine has a host of brothers and sisters and another h8t'-;Pe f . -- yang and nieces for as genial occasion and the season nephews t every reason when we arrived to was to cover every the house with crash. This gave the white background we had wished and afforded besides a splendid facility for the luxurious evergreen trimming which we had plnnned to make the spirit of Christmas generally felt. Every picture and every doorway and window frame was out-- lined with evergreen, the spicy odors filling the house, ere we were half through. Holly we used only to wreathe the chandeliers and bank the window sills and mantel pieces. Long garlands of evergreen were hung In festoons along the upper side of the wall from the ceiling, twined around the balustrade and put In loops and circles wherever wall space offered. At each window a beautiful holly wreath, tied with floating streamers of scarlet ribbon, was hung, and on the end of each of the chandeliers hung a great ball of polnsetta, mingled with a few feathery green ferns and tied with tuAin order, floor to get - scarlet This was in the halls and chambers In the drawing room, where the ceremony would be performed, a beauti Boys 2 oclock. Armed with the spade, Lying Davis shuffled out of the grocery, followed by the editor bent upon learn- ing more of the details for his paper already being made up by the foreman that an early start might be secured for press day. The Weekly Clarion was in the e by 10 next morning, and sincere was the mourning for Hiram Sqiures. The merchants, possessed of that human sympathy always uppermost in a rural community, laid aside their business prejudices and decided to attend the funeral In a body. Despite the fact that the evening of the day of the funeral was Christmas Eve and many trinkets for the Christmas trees in the churches and homes were sail unpurchased, they set out dutifully toward the home of the deceased, six miles west on the Pike road. There were something more than a dozen vehicles In all and the procession was a solemn post-offic- ful archway of ferns and poinsetta was erected by the florists under Elizabeths direction, and from the middle The newly wedded of the arch a cluster of bells, also of end to leave the cit pair did not in was that night so scarlet, hung in position like a he gayest of Christmas wedding chime. par es was in full The wedding was planned to occur progress within a few he marriage words at half past seven, and at a quar- conTudeSd.after ter past the chimes of just the church at the corner began their so that we had this sweet accompanf-- ' te ? ment to the ceremony. th. t Promptly at seven we centerpiece, which the bridesmaids drew to our emerged from the room upstairs of the meaI plates at eachnca where we had been dressing, since we found the early five oclock dinner, and we could ofhollfwith001561 Sh0Wing a bran see for ourselves .:a we went slowly leaves enameled gold down the broad and bits of coral that the for berries, stairway scene was a beautiful one. First m as souvenirs from our bride. the procession walked the four smallDancing came next, to the music of est nephews and nieces of the bride a stringed orchestra stationed two by two, the girls frocks where out of sight, and wearing through Th, of white with scarlet ribbon in their 1 whmLT' ba"8 8nd din,nS room hair and carrying baskets of countlng the the boys in red, each with a holly our flying footsteps. momenu branch of evergreen. Then went Katherine, It was t eleven dressed in white gleaming satin, with stopped, and then only atoefore we a bunch of mistletoe from the band. This was her fastening veil and a white vellum prayer book a march-- or rather, the in her hand. Then we six of hymn played in march girls, us. walked, two by two, each time, and Tom dressed A Mighty fine man in white, but wearing crowns of frostn!a!t7Udden:y w wondered ed holly and !ant Katherine hpA and carrying a armful the Iead beckoned ous stove that glowed and flushed, as of polnsetta blossoms fromgreat which long 5s to follow t,aklD6 If fretting and streamers of scarlet ribbon Wonder-Inprocession. blushing for the outa little, we did hung to so. and found our- - rageous falsehoods that nightly held the edge of our gowns. througb the hall across to their rampant sway about its metal From the foot of the stairs to the hi ?iVed doors, which sides. sides of the archway two other had been nieces, closed ail evening, As he adjusted his coat tails carea so dressed In white rather to and stretched lines of glistening scarlet our surprise, since we needed the fully behind the soap box on which he white sat, Hez surveyed the group critWhlCh 8maU bunches opS thTlT P!aC6- Katherlne and a moment ically. of hoiirjbbn' were knotted at intervals, and amazed silence ensued. Got a spade I kin borrer through this enclosed in thi pathway the middle of the room sioodThere bride walked to the mornin. Bill, a addressing Compton, magnifl Improvised altar cent Christmas I broke th handle of tree, hung fromoot the grocer. eaning on her brothers arm. Dur mine a h Ing the ceremony the sound of an Reason W!nmIeriDg embIems ot the root. ylstaday pryin up hlmn P..a!nS, the 8weet old Christmas tapers fastened to with myriads of its branches. At Goin Inter gardenin? inquired Fldeles. penetrated a signal from Katherines the room, and continued while brother, the Alt Fiskin, slyly nudging Hank Som-erelectric emn words of the lights In the hall and servici alongside him on a sugar barrel. dining we out and we found were spoken, making marriage Caint be yeve had no revelations a most beautiful with ourselves nothing to detract from the ra- o late, Hez. Are ye goin t turn accompaniment for the scene. diant splendor of the symbolic tree. farmer fer a livin and give up lyin? Interjected Roger Craig, taking a lib- hour-wt-m- tacta hollcX.X half-pas- rmb one. As they rode along through the crunching snow, facing a biting December wind, they spoke softly of the virtues of Hiram Squires. Even his the ground and Grocer Compton had thrown the robes over the to liberate his legs, when there arose from behind the barn a series of blaring yells: Hi there! Gol durn yer blank picture, git Inside that blankety pen, will ye? Whoop! Here, you gol darn ignoramus, what th great born spoons be ve a doin there? Spot! Here, Spot, sic em! Take em! Hi! Hi! Sooey! Suddenly .there burst Into view front around the barn a contrary hog, dashing at full speed for the open, followed by a Scotch collie dog and yes 'it was! It was Hiram Squires himself! His face was red with exertion and rage, one mitten was gone and he breathed hard as he swung Into full pursuit behind the barking dog! Then, his eye caught the group of spectators, the sleighs and the steaming horses! Wal, by hickry, he shouted, catching at his breath, what be all you fellers doin here? There was a deep and eloquent silence for a brief Interim, during which Editor Horace Grant looked sheepishly into the eyes of Grocer Compton. Grocer Compton shifted his gaze toward the pure, white snow and kept his dash-boar- d d peace. I reckon wed best go back t town and ask Lying Davis, said Henry Somers, clambering Into his vehicle. Gidap! - half-pas- S en XtTI - flg hosa-radls- a Hang up the Christmas stockines. AiadIe not a dear one out. 'Avith'akeJn Christmas morning Bon and Shout For In (nri,W e silent Shall Santa Clausmidnight appear And crown with gifts 8f gladness e Ihe of the year. Hans up (he babys stocking; little elf ,,The Punning too very tiny do It for herself. Jo hang the mother's stocking very plain In sight; t"UBt for mother Or .?nm forgetthink It quite. oh love-tun- 9 sturdy Hh,fahf'r'a. between stocking the bova ihlm bookB and papers, cs the children tois. Let Santagi Claus be About the politics; careful Th.1ffa!.her.,has ,a conscience right side sticks. Aa. hiV Indomitable Davis, concealing the gratification he felt illy at being interviewed by the intellectual head of the leading village paper. Want feelin well fer a day or two a though I do believe he was m town ylstaday want he Compton? turning questloningly toward the grocer who was busily engaged In tying up a package of light brown sugar for a customer. "Hira SqUlre8? Yes. he was in early yesterday morning. Came to town with a load of Stopped here on his way back hogs. from the depot buy a, callco for Mandy. Must a bln mighty sudden. So I heerd, acquiesced Xying Da- - ds Spent Christmas With John Doe. rest of the dinner was to consist of A story written by Dickens while that he was editor of All the Year Round that noble sirloin of roast beef and Immortal cods head and shoulIs comparatively unknown. It Is callders! I had bought the materials for ed Christmas In the Company of the pudding, too. some r John Doe. He says: It was Christmas eve, and I my the citrontheandplums and the currants, the allspice, the flour name Is Prupper was taking my walk and the eggs. I was happy. abroad. I walked through the crowdthe a mInlon of the law ed Strand, elate, hilarious, benignant, laid his hand on Pruppers shoulder for the feast was prepared and the and hustled him off to the Jail guests were bidden. Such a turkey he had, in the excitement of I had ordered! Not the prize one getting bis Christmas materials towith the ribbons I mistrusted that forgotten to obey a summons but a plump, tender, white breasted gether, to attend at court Thus he hla bird a king of turkeys. It was to be Christmas In the company spent of John broiled with oyster sauce, and the Doe. half-hou- Doomed like A CHRISTMAS CAROL Divine Babe n! !,h!ehem "suweMsd born! Upon the dusk brow of the night. A splendid star blazed like a gem. Hopes harbinger, whose beacon light Flushed the bleak plain of Bethlehem, Gray, hoary sages strained their eyes, And marveled at Its elfin glow. Our Saviors birthmark In the skies. The Light that leads us here below. he bla8t ,n 8,able rude. manger scurvy bed He bore It all with fortitude. He had no place to lay hia head. Thrust from snug threshhold of the Inn menials sleek and warm. The pampe,red;Kings cattle bln. sought To shield him from the shrieking storm! HH.seewnm She soothed and cherished and beguiled The Dove Divine who dared the storm. Soft mother love gleamed in her eves As she hugged the io her breast She saw no Calvarysprattler sacrifice Ne crown of thorns, to scourge his rest! And wise men Journeyed from afar The drifting snow whirled th wor,drou Babe divine, through the Scant welcome r air. had he of hie own, p,endld. sparkling star .,byhe of No sumptuous palace And Bethlehems plain was cloaked In our arrlng wayward line. greets bis quest. Ho tames the thunder 'neath white. his throne. hoary age knelt to the Child He rules the North, the South, the The rabbit shivered In his lair. Sole refuge of our West. The Heavenly Hostageguilty race. Gray squirrels scampered In afTrlght. He wields the And shepherds watched their lambs And brought the worldblithely smiled lightning's lance of Are and celestial grace. And hurls the bolt thwart sheep. m shaggy He curbs the fierce volcanoes And housed them In the fold; Ire, of snugly the Hope world, the sages cried And bids red roses nurse the Safe from the fierce wolf's bee. Th Bsbe Of which the leap. That yelped and snarledravening prophets told. out tn the Pure, Tu the haughty dshed stainless maid his Mother smiled. cold. And brought the lamb serpents pride As on her breast he nestled within tha fold. warm. Some splendid pagans sang your pralatt Hang up the old folks stocking.. Hang up the little girls-Dea- r grandma with her hair Wmehothlonfy wlt1 hCT SSuE very happy n.v dawns. In roseate cheer h rlt ma s Th.i e of the morning fhf year. -- Lthel Bridges In Royal Neighbor. VT .t he r,C iove-tlm- lifosiii Like buoyant birds that acorn the nest And long to try frail, downy wings. The enow fell on the earths brown breast. The shackled stream a captive sings. Hoarse winds are shrieking with delight Their maniac message all forlorn Two thousand years ago , The Prince of Peace our Lord was advertisement of the Corner Grocery. n.1?16!1 IeS8 n an bour ago. replied efaJiia. Crucified a thief to' die In end your on C7 Golgotha's plain. y; C A"d bapbard ouht the shrine.' Gaunt pilgrims JourneyedSaviors from afar. To gaae upon the Babe Divine As sailors hall the star. A stable was their Evening dwelling Where oxen shivered In the place. cold, A th Wl8e men usht hla grace. poets sung and prophets told. w'ii They prayed to Him In foreign tongue. Incense they brought Him rich and rare Jewels and gold, and yet He The closer to His mothers clung care. Her arms then circumscribed his reign And guided well hla baby stride, Safely they shielded Him from pain To slumber lulled Him by her side. ' Their crystal challenge to the sky Keen Christmas bells are flinging gay. Their mellow murmurs, pealing high. Proclaim their blithesome What matter If our purse beroundelay. light Bo are our hearts that bear no scorn Two thousand years ago The Prince of Peace, our Lord was born I JAMES E. KINSELLA. IUgtatry Division, Chicago Poatoffloa. |