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Show 35 The Syrian New Year ii rt Che Conflict of the Years r'l M Christians LL the of New York do not observe Christmas as a time for Santa Claus. The Syrians, for Instance, who live in the lower end of Manhattan island. In Washington treet, from the Battery up to Albany street, have an old custom of giving heir presents on New Year's day. Then there also Is a difference in the manner of giving The Syrian children do not hang up their stockings. Neither do the parents disguise themselves as Santa Claus. On the conThe Syrian child invariably trary. knows who is going to be his Santa Claus, and consequently is treated to no extraordinary surprise. There Is one thing, however, of which he remains in Ignorance, and that Is the nature of the present be will receive. The child picks our whosoever he thinks will treat him best in case he succeeds in meeting and greeting him at the proper time on New Year's day. Then comes a long vigil for midnight, as the custom so prescribes it that the one who offers the first greeting at the beginning of the new year shall receive a fitting reward from the one .greeted. A good wish for success and prosperity in the first hour of New Years day is held by the Syrians to augur well for the following twelve-montand the one who first wishes good prospects is entitled to a reward. Custom prescribes that at the time of this New Years greeting whatever the one greeted happens to hold In his hand becomes the property of the other. The one who receives the greeting is supposed to oe so pleased with it that, acting upon the happy impulse of the moment, he hesitates not to requite his greeter with whatever he first can lay hold on. This latter custom originated in feudal times, when the Emir was omnipotent in his province and his followers depended for their sustenance upon his gifts and what be allowed them of the plunders of war. Of course you cant nowadays sur- - WM V - MU' VT ta () (I THE year is dying. tIL The battle bravely fought is o'er tl 1 V Sr. - T &. h 4 ' i-- i. 1 't f, r s'1 A VV a ii 0 1 fl 1 The year is dawning. The young recruit taks up the unsheathed a II ! lij aged sire btt just now laid adde ; And buckling on his armour, newly bright. fl a 0 ii 1 11 art Essays him forth to ventures yet untried. Allunng dreams beguile his onward steps. And visions bright of vtct'nes to be won ; He feels upon his brow the laurel crown, 1 And hears afar the coveted well done ! blissful the fl No thought of failure mars dream, J No craven fear unnerves the heart of 1 n (i'll fi youth ; Great tasks await him, and with faith as great, truth r 1& (or M.MW im..0MA. robes and having tall, magnificent figures and flowing white beards and hair. At any rate, they always wore white robes on New Years day. for that was the day wher they cut down the sacred mistletoe. For the Druids didn't think that mistletoe was only p pretty green vine. They believed it to be a miraculous growth v hich would prevent people from being harmed by poisonous food or drink. On that day a particularly large, with glistening handsome Druid, white beard and hair and rather cold gray eyes Druids always had cold gray eyes we believe and clothed 1 fke wi Id Vy, clood, fke JrotSy IiKT Skc y1yir . To 3kef ear is cjy'J? oar.wiU belle, &rvd 1, five rufcikr, v lei" km Jia 'j 5or. d meer-Bchau- Pretty Good Definition. We hear some funny things in Fleet itreet sometimes, and the following Sefinition of the height of aggravation, by a gentleman in rather shaky boots, whom we encountered in a hostelry the other day, struck us as being particularly choice. The eight of haggravatlon, gentlemen, said this pothouse humorist, setting his pewter on the counter and looking round proudly, with the air of one about to let off a good thing, the 'eight of haggravatlon why, trying to ketch a flea out o yer ear with a London pair of boxin gloves. well-know- An Alaskan Luncheon. Runners of woven Indian basketry, with white drawnwork doilies at each of the 12 covers, were used on an oval t ' ;t . t . tx . " .VL,.!.- , - - - Tvy4,j';; ( . r, r, V.' 4 ' v-''- .:yrC jj V j; j; . t. j .t . V ,i ...r ...jS ijif jT A'fji.j-l- i, f rr Ii wUW,l MKr. most beautifully in white, would climb the oak tree on which the mistletoe grew and cut it down with a golden sickle. He wouldnt take It In his hand, because they didnt coned him. or else he branded as a miser. sider that respectful enough to the Wise Syrians carry candy to hand to sacred mistletoe, which could do sucb wonderful things. Instead he would It in a pure white cloth and climb carefully down the tree with it. After this an altar would be erectand ed and white bulls sacrificed Then the Druldical prayers offered. New Day community felt that for the follow ing in the Long Ago year they would have all the good luck possible You see in those days New Years the ago people years WJyONG who lived In a great many celebrations were very serious things, different places In the and all of the ceremonies attending world were very much them were religious interested In New Years day, just as we are, and they did many things in honor of the day, exactly as we do. They Ringing In the New Year feasted and decorated their houses and churches, and at 12 oclock they were very particular to show in some way that they were rejoicing that another year had begun. Not all of these people celebrated New Years on the same day. The ancient Romans used to have their New Years day in March; then they changed to January, and a large part of the rest of the world followed them. The Jewish people have another day and the Chinese and Japanese still another, but whenever the day falls, according to their special calendar, there is always a very important celebration of It The Druids, who were the priests of England before the Christian religion was taken into Great Britain, New Years also celebrated day. They were very interesting and very strange people, these Druids, and, according to what one reads about Old them in history, one always imagines Unpleasant sounds for the them as wearing beautiful white Man. who greet them. Years catch The doilies were mahoga'ny table. made at Sitka. In the middle of the table a mirror held a tall central vase of frosted glass, surrounded by four Bmaller vases, all filled with white The edge of the spring blossoms. mirror was banked with the same flowers. Four totem poles were placM, on doilies in the angles made by the runners. , prise any Syrian early New Years day fooling with a costly article. He can be depended on as knowing better, for either he would have to make a gilt of it to the one who first greet- the children English Women Smoke Pipes. Lightning Change. The latest fancy of the woman-smoke- r The Manager Can you make quick is a pipe not the tiny affair changes and double in a few parts? that suffices for the Japanese, but a The Actor Can I? Say, you know good-sizebiier or a neat the scenp in Love and Iyobsters, The pipe is boldly carried where the hero and the villain are along with a gold card case and chain-pursfighting, and a friend rushes in and For some time now the cig- separates em? Well, I played all arette has given place to a cigar, three parts one night when the other srral In size and mild in quality. two fellows were ill. Women said they were tired of the cigarette, and wanted a bigger smoke. Not Altogether Dead. London Mail. Mr. Robert Butler of Marlborough, England, has had the peculiar expeCripple Rides Bicycle. rience of hearing his death announcGeorge Anstev, aged 12, a cripple, ed. He was attending the poor law of Leicester, England, Is one of the conference at Exeter when one of most remarkable cyclists in the counthe delegates moved that, in consetry. Both his legs are withered and quence of the death of Mr. Butler, useless, but the Leicester Cripples' which they all regretted, another genGuild has provided him with a tleman, whom he named, should be with a appointed to fill his place as one of pedalless machine, padded tube covering the axle bar. the representatives of Wiltshire on Across this he lies face foremost, and the central committee. Mr. , Butler with wooden clogs strapped to his rose from his place on the platform hands he propels himself along the and announced to the conference, streets and roads In a marvelously amid much amusement, that, so far rapid manner. He has complete con- as he was aware, he was still alive trol of the machine, his hands acting and in good health, and would be as pedals, steering gear, and brake pleased to continue in the office if the combined. conference desired. Place cards were water colors of Alaskan scenery. Abalone shells held Baited nuts, and tiny Indian baskets held bonbons. The soup spoons were of horn, several of the dishes used were made by Alaskan Indians, and the cakes were served on baskets. The menu s as follows: Poisson a la Bering Sea (halibut chowder), Yukon climbers (broiled salmon, potatoes Julienne), snowbirds avec auroraborealls (roast duck with Jelly), river Shungnak turnips, Tanana beeta, Skagway hash (salad), Fairbanks nuggets (ripe strawberries arranged on Individual dishes around a central mound of powdered sugar), arctic slices (brick ice cream). Circle City delights (small cakes), Klondike nuggets (yellow cheese in round balls on crackers), Nome firewater (coffee). Womans Home Companion. Ag'ainst The Bright Side. Nebuchadnezzar was lurching in his accustomed style. All flesh being grass," he reflected, "this must be Beef a la Mowed. And chuckling hoarsely, he took ai other chaw. Puck. I dont know Miss Cayenne. husbands I know all the emotional Largest of Whales. The largest (Whale of its type of w,hich there is scientific record was captured recently off Port Arthur, Tex. He measured feet in length, and was estimated to be about three hundred years old. Captain Cob Plummer, mate of a United States pilot boat. Sighted the monster In the shoals off the Jetties, and the crew of his vessel captured the mam- Takes Himself Seriously. Nicola Tesla, dining by himself in a hotels great dining room, takes a table where he can be seen. Throughout his meal he wears a deeply studious, a completely absorbed, attitude. He may bring to the table a portfolio filled with papers. These he may scan with prolonged solemnity. In any event, he sits an eloquent tableau of profundity. New York Press. absent-minde- d mal. The huge body was towed ashore, exhibited and much photographed fore being cut up. Kindly Intentions. A man who enjoys seeing a woman In tears is a brute. about that, replied One of the kindest takes his wife to see plays. Holidays in the States. Washington's birthday is a holiday I in all states. Decoration day in all Rat Bounty Excites Merriment. states but Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Seattle, fearing the introduction of Mississippi, North Carolina, South bubonic plague by rats, has offered a Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Labor bounty of ten cents a rat. This moves day is observed everywhere. VirtuTacoma, safe from infection from the ally every state has legal holidays sea, to raucous laughter, and the Led- having to do with its own special afger says that the bounty, though not fairs battle of New Orleans In Louisintended for rodents of Tacoma, iana, Texan Independence and battle Everett, Bellingham and other popu- of San Jacinto in Texas, Admission lous and busy centers, has been find- day in California, and so on. Missising its way into the pockets of non- sippi is like the federal government residents of Seattle for in lack of statutory holidays, but by rats. But the Joke would be on us if common consent Independence day. It were found that our rat popula- Thanksgiving and Christmas are obtion had found Its way into the Seat- served. A new one is Columbus day tle census. in a few of the states. be- non-reside- Bankers and Bank Notes. Two Very Old Ladies. Planting Wedding Oaks. We have heard a great deal lately Princess August Wilhelm, wife of about long-livepeople, but it is prob- the kaisers fourth son, has set herself able that the oldest two people in the the task of reviving one of Germanys world today are FYau Dutkievitz and oldest customs, that according to which another old lady namd Babavasllka. newly wedded couples immediately afThe former lives at Posem, in Prus- ter the marriage ceremony plant a cousian Poland, and was born on Febru- ple of oak saplings side by side In b ary 21, 1785. She is therefore one park or by the roadside of their na hundred and twenty-fivyears old. tive town. The latter, however, is nine months The town of Mulchausen, in Thurinher senior, having been born In May, gia, is the first to respond to the prin-ces17S4. appeal. A municipal official ap She is still a fairly hale old woman, pears at the church door after every and for nearly one hundred years wedding and invites the bride and worked in the fields. Her descendants bridegroom to drive with him in a cap number close on 100, and these now riage to a new road near the town and make her a joint allowance. She lives there plant oak saplings. at the village of Bavelsko, whose The tree planting Idea was started neighborhood she has never quitted by a former elector of Brandenburg during the whole of her long life. She with the object of repairing the ravremembers events which happened at ages caused by the 30 years war. The the beginning of last century much elector forbade young persons to mar more clearly than those of the last ry until they had planted a number ol 40 years. Dundee Advertiser. fruit trees. F'our men, three of whom were connected with brokerage concerns In the d Wall street district, were discussing United States paper currency and the We disappearance of counterfeits. are so sure nowadays, said one of the party, as to the genuineness of bills that little attention is paid to them in handling, except as to deTo prove his assertion nomination. he took a $10 yellowback from his pocket, and, holding it up, asked who could tell whose portrait it bore. No one knew, and by way of coaching the broker said it was the first treasurer of the United States. Again no one knew the name. Why, It's Michael Hillegas, said the man But in confidence. I'll tell proudly. you, I didnt know it five minutes New York Tribune. ago. Vivid Echoea of Munchausen. It was an traveler who tad lately taken to ballooning. Yes, he observed impressively It was a fearful journey. The machine, a thousand feet up, and no more ballast, headed straight for Siberia, and the rarefied air well, you know as well as I do what effect that has cn a balloon.. Yes, the peril was terrible. Then the old habit w as tuo strong for him. The wolves detected our presence. A desperate race ensued. We felt their hot breath on the London Globe. nape of our necks. sixty-thre- e d I 'Tw '.1 ttnko He steps into the (ray, and a j - V( fl fl word i. V ; ' r 'i . - S (1 nwaj , - . ti at last ; fl ts The aged warrior wounded to the death ii With Tune a fell arrows, silently awaits The moment of telease vith laboured r breath. is t! The issued of the fiht. 0 Or victry, or defeat, or welcomed truce. M The unborn years shall certainly decare. fJ blow to gam And turn each d (i and use. 1! The wamer, dying, curtained by the night, Sees not or knows the gain that is to be, ii But dies in faith that nght will surely w in. And oer the world will rule eternally. ri ocr wild blW, ", i ;s 'Y' MW?T ' By KENNEDY SEATON . 1 u M M Mlstletos Is Dangerous. Acknowledgment. Few people who know You will admit that you owe a mistletoe as a desirable feature of Christonly great deal to your wife? mas decorations understand that the I should say so, replied Mr. Cum-roI wouldnt be invited to plant is a parasite dangerous to the any of life of trees in the regions in which her receptions or musleales if I wasnt it grows. It is only a question of married to her. time, alter mlstletoa once begins to grow uron a trpp before the tree itDisqualified. self will be killed The parasite saps Her My brother won first prize in the life of the infected branches. For- that amateur guessing contest, but tunately, it is of slow growth, taking they ruled him out as a professional. years to detelop to large proportions, Him A professional? but when negUcted, it invariably ruins Her Yes. Hes employed in the all trees it reaches. government bureau, you know. e s at Least. Dr. Hiram C. Cortlandt, the theologian of Des Moines, sal?l in a recent address: Thomas A. Edison tells us that he thinks the soul Is not immortal; but, lister all, what does this great wizard know about souls? His forte is electricity and macuinery, and when he talks of souls he reminds me irresistibly of the young lady who visited the Baldwin locomotive works and then told how a locomotive is made. You pour, she said, a lot of sand into a lot of boxes, and you throw old stove lids and things into a furnace, and they you empty the molten stream into a hole in the sand, and everybody yells and swears. Then you pour it out and let it cool and pound it, and then you put It In a thing that bores holes in it. Then you screw it together, and paint it, and put steam In it, and it goes splendidly; and they take it to a drafting room and make a bluep rint of it. But one thing I forgot they have to make a boiler. One man gets inside and one gets outside, and they pound frightfully; and then they tie it to the other thing, and you ought to see it go!' well-know- n Too Ardent a Lover. Georgotto Fontano, an embroiderer who lives in the Rue Sevres In Paris, has found herself condemned to a months Imprisonment for what seems to her a harmless act. She was going home from a concert a few evenings ago when she decided she would like to see her fiance. As he happens to be a fireman whose station la In her own neighborhood it occurred to her it would be very easy to summon him to her side by breaking the glass of the fire alarm and sounding a call. She did so anr In a few moments fire engines came from several directions, all laden with firemen, of course, but alas her fiance was not among them, and more than that all the firemen were angry, and before she knew what had happened she was taken to a magistrate, who proceeded to make the course of true love run unsmoothly by sending her to prison for a month in spite of her tears and protests that she thought it would be a simple way of bringing her fiance to her side. An Unnecessary Confession. A hearty laugh was occasioned ai the Birmingham police court by a prisoner who gave himself away in a very delightful manner. The man was the first on the list, and the charge against him was merely one of being drunk and disorderly. He stepped Into the dock, however, just at the moment when the dock officer was reading out a few of the cases which were to come before the court that morning, and a guilty conscience apparently led him to mistake these items fer a list of hie previous convictions. He stood pasSlve enough while th officer read out about a dozen drunk and disorderlies, but when he came ta one the prisoner exshopbreaking claimed excitedly, That was eight years ago, your honor, Everyone began to laugh, and the priaoner, realizing the blunder he had made, at first looked very black indeed, but finally saw the humorous side of the matter, and a broad smile spread over his face-Hiblunder did not cost anything. Birmingham Mail. s Smt for Libel Postum, Cereal Co., Ltd., Gave a Splendid Chance TSuat tHe about advertising arose with a weekly Journal. Following it, an attack on us api eared in their editorial columns; sneering at the claims we made particularly regarding Appendicitis. We replied through the regular papers and the weekly thought we hit back rather too hard and thereupon sued for libel. The advertisement the weekly" attacked us about claimed that in many cases of appenA disagreement dicitis an operation could be avoided by discontinuing indigestible food, washing out the bowels and taking a predigested food Grape-Nut- s. Observe we said MANY cases not all. Wouldnt that knowledge be a comfort to those who fear a surgeon's knife as they fear death? The weekly" writer said that was a lie. We replied that he was ignorant of the facts. He was put on the stand and compelled to admit he was not a Dr. and had no medical knowledge of appendicitis and never investigated to find out if the testimonal letters to our Co. were genuine. A famous surgeon testified that when an would nol operation was required Grape-Nut- s obviate it. True. We never claimed that when an operation was required Grape-Nut- s would prevent it. The surgeon testified bacteria germs "Kelp-e- d to bring on an attack and bacteria was grown by undigested food frequently. We claimed and proved by other famous experts that undigested food was largely responsible for appendicitis. We showed by expert testimony that many cases are healed without a knife, but by stopping the use of food which did not digest, and when food was required again it was helpful to use a predigested food which did not overtax the weakened organs of digestion. When a pain In the right side appears it is not always necessary to be rushed off to a to Bring Out Facts hospital and at the risk of death be cut. Plain common sense shows the better way is to stop food that evidently has not been digested. Then, when fool is required, use an easily or any other if digested food. Grape-Nutyou know it to be predigested (partly digested before taking). We brought to Court' analytical chemists from New York, Chicago and Mishawaka, Ind and who swore to the analysis of Grape-Nut- s that part of the starchy part of the wheat and barley had been transformed into sugar, the kind of sugar produced in the human body by digesting starch (the large part of food). Some of the State chemists brought on by could not be the weekly said Grape-Nut- s called a predigested food because not ail of It was digested outside the body. The other chemists said any food which had been partly or half digested outside the body s was commonly known as predigested. Splitting hairs about the meaning of a word. It is sufficient that if only one-hal- f of the food is "predigested, it is easier on stomach and bowels than food In which no part is predigested. To show the facts we introduce Dr. Thos. Darlington, former chief of the N. Y. Board of Health, Dr. Ralph W. Webster, chief of the Chicago Laboratories, and Dr. B. Sachs, N. Y. If we were a little severe in our denunciation of a writer, Ignorant about appendicitis and tts cause, it is possible the public will excuse us, in view of the fact that our head, Mr. C. W. Post, has made a lifetime study of food, food digestion and effects, and the conclusions are indorsed by many of the best medical authorities of the day. Is tt possible that we are at fault for suggesting, as a Father and Mother might, to one of the family who announced a pain In the side: "Stop using the food, greasy meats, gravies, mince pie, cheese, too much starchy food, etc., etc., which has not been digested, then when again ready for food use because it is easy of digestion? Or should the child be at once carted off to a hospital and cut? We have known of many cases wherein the approaching signs of appendicitis have disappeared by the suggestion being followed. No one better appreciates the value of a skilful physician when a person is in the awful throes of acute appendicitis, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Just plain old common sense is helpful even Grape-Nut- nowadays. This trial demonstrated Grape-Nut- s is pure beyond question! It is partly predigist'ed. Appendicitis - generally has rise from s food undi- gested foodit" is" not always necessary to operate. It is best to stop all food. Vv'hen ready to begin feeding use a predigested food"! It is palatable and strong in Nourishment. It will pay fine returns In health to quit t'he heavy breakfasts and lunches and use less food but select food certainly known to contain the elements nature requires to sustain the body. May we be permitted to suggest a breakfast of fruit', Grape-Nutand cream, two soft boiled eggs, and some hot toast and cocoa, milk or Postum? The question of whether s does or does not contain the elements which nature requires for the nourishment of the brain, also of its purity, will be treated in later newspaper articles. Good food is Important and its effect on the body Is also important. s Grape-Nut- "TherBB a Reason PostumBattlCereal Co.. Ltd., Creek, Mich, |