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Show GOD BLESS THE MASTER. God bless the master of this house. The mistress also. And all the little children That round the table go; And all your kin and kinsfolk That dwell both far and near; I wish you a merry Christmas And a happy New Year. Archie wanted one of the pretty eleighs that he had seen in Dunkirks store the day before Christmas. .But they are a dollar and fifty cents, he said to his mamma, and I have only 20 five-cepieces in my bank. If I give you ten more five-cepieces, said his mother, smiling, how much will you have then? One hundred and fifty cents, cried Archie, laughing aloud. May I go and buy the sleigh now? Yes, said his mother, but I want some of those lovely red berries I saw in the wood yesterday. They would look so nice among the evergreens. And besides, grandma and your aunts love them so.4 Ill bring you a lot, said Archie. In a few moments he was running down the road toward Mr. Dunkirks store. As he passed a tiny cottage on the way a very small boy pushed open the window and shouted: Santa Claus is going to bring me a sleigh How do you know, Dick? asked Archie. , Ellen told me so, said Dick. Archie had never seen the little fellows face look so bright and happy. He knew that Dick lived alone with his sister, who, though only fifteen years old. worked hard all day long In the big silk factory to support her- self and her brother. And as Archie walked toward Mr. Dunkirks store he thought a great deal of Dicks happy nt and I could not get it away. If it had not been for Ellen I might have been hanging there yet. How can I ever thank you! said Archie's mother, turning to Ellen. I saw him go into the wood, replied Ellen, after he put this beautiful sleigh on our doorstep for Dick. Then, when I heard he was lost, I followed and looked for him. I would have searched all night. I never can do enough for him. lie is the dearest, best, little fellow in the world, and, turning, she hurried away. The next morning when Archie rushed into the room where the Christmas tree stood loaded down with gifts, he found beneath it an express wagon, and on the wagon was a beautiful red and green sleigh, exactly like the one he had given to Dick. Well, Archie was very happy that day, but he thought often of Ellen and poor little Dick, and when the odor of roasted turkey and mince pies crept through the house he wondered if they would have any Christmas dinner. He asked his mother about it as she was brushing his hair. She only kissed him for reply, but in the dining-room. be laid down for the selection of presents, because the ties which bind human beings together are of infinite variety. There are ties of latere:, of friendship, of affection, of love, of gratitude; and these differ in strength and character. No one can give infallible advice to another on this mat- ter. One rule is pretty safe to follow: A present should be something gooj of its kind; something honest and gen- uine. Fifty years ago some of our Jewelers used to keep a kind of ware n which they called coffee enormous urn or An plate. gigantic speaking trumpet would be plaited with fifteen cents' worth or silver. Fotlllrlans generously gave such articles to fire companies and other constituents, to be shot for on tbrir An honest bootannual excursion. jack had been a worthier prize. In all branches of manufacture there are arn ticles of the plate y-splendid objects for a month or two, and loathsome ever after. Ex. largrt-exrurslo- r. To Cff. a fear !h I ailh ilc'; U) rnl'tsi )ol f Of a3 lh 0) OStU 19 Tbl tt3 tj a Mrklf? herw, To a;! , It entjr l a trum. , trumpet A ahirjr wtl bather ttt. C'JtW. Sonc randy fttvl r A 4m rrefr jf - iw!, Tj .i t i i i:. A r,f : Kit. a K.l And a l .;j- patrol. lf; r-- -- $ ..- - Terre Historical Zlata C;:-jue;c- r horrible crime. The first Christmas celebrated Inside a bourse on the American conti-a nent wa in The father finished their l.o .f e at 11 j no th. having spent a month locking for a phsc of settlement. The house wa riot nearly large enough to acxemrncdate all of the nineteen families. but all united In a fervent sax g to th Il;b- - cf Bethlehem. Jame Stuart, yreten Jer to the British throne, tanked at tVtr-heaScotland, cn Chrltmc day, 1715, and established hi court the;. On Christmas rjghi. 177. General George Washington m? !e hi memorable crossing of the lu tar .ire. Neat day was fought the battle cf Trenton. A year later the rag tel. httr.rry. tut hemic ctutlrcns-- i army wa at ValVy Forge. Gn the same day. In 17o England declared war against Holland, nr. mtoi which gave th American patriot much encourworthagement. In IT 7 the day w liv debrate to the M!a-de- l; ily occupied h'a convent on ?n I r rr :.g ifee const. lut!on of the lr.;ei Ht'lr When the next Chrlsims care nr un i that Immortal document bo! ben ratified by derm of the stab In 173 Wnshlrglou l a i been lctcl tn:t-the first president of th the ha 1 conti;u!;onc! State, ll. td-:- d, half-froze- n. ran against a girl standing in the road. It was Dick's sister and she was crying. What is the matter? asked Archie. Why dont you go home? I cant bear to see Dick. I promised him a sleigh and 1 spoiled a lot y of silk and have been dismissed from the works without my weeks pay. ' The tears were in Archies eyes as he went on his way. When he reached the little cottage on his return he stood still behind a great bush outside of the gate. Little Dick was still peering out. Archie watched the eager face for several moments, then, when the child left the window, he stole softly through the little garden up the rickety steps. Then, fastening the rope of his beautiful new sleigh to the door knob, he gave three loud raps and ran away. He heard Dick open the door and shout: Oh! oh! oh! See what Santa Claus has brought me! 1 to-da- d been superseded by t.e f.:M -- rns '. under the constitution act : fr,pie of the United State u ng for!.k r rtore.. ward to it Inaugural This was the first r y hip; y ChrMma lie American ; hid . T expTi nc' ! h. j :,ft American n I . r ; to have - -V .- t.-.r- - y -- r; I 4 ' In 17? it w.i t ni crlcan tr. ; c :j th vc i.. f ;:, with France, an 1 when tie r.ei Christmas came around war was la progress between the two countries. Dec. fil. Ihl. Spain ml England were at war. The following Christmas. Il?l. France an I detlhd upon Je ace. IVc. fi5. 1V7. the pecp! cf the United States. a:!5;tf by a t engrosser;.! bill to abolLh th slave trade. In lSlfi another war w Icing waged tetween England and th United Ftatcs Christmas Eve. 131, the agitation for the alolltbin of slavery beC. Calhoun came gun and John as the champion if stfe right. ' ! U!v It was eight oclock on Christmas Eve and at Archies house his mother stood at the door looking white and frightened. His father, with a lantern in his hand, stood in the road. Archie had not come home. I have been to Mr. Dunkirks store, said Archies father. He left before dark. Now I will search the wood. . far-wa- The hello! hello! There he is now! cried Archies I am so glad! and she ran mother. down the road toward the voice. The first person they met was Ellen, pulling a beautiful new red and green sleigh over the smooth snow and on it was little. Dick, and Archie with his arms full of red berries. said Oh, where have you been? his mother, as he ran to meet her. I went to the woods for the berries and my coat caught in a branch y Al Cfcr.nutit i.m- - this I;. 13 5hlrjt Ju 4 variet- face. As he turned a corner suddenly he Hello! 1I Few events cf great Import la the worlds history have taken place on Christmas day. but the ancient festifrom Maine. val ha ofirn ben Immediately r reThe years come and tb years go. ceded or followed by mighty Iran acMen, women and children often work together in gathering the Cbrist- - Good resolutions are formed and re-- tion. A. Ik wM! Homan celel rating the festival, their emperor. Marru Aurelius Care. at by lightning. Clovis, the fir: Cia.d Ian king of France, was crown I at Ilheimc Def. 15, lid. Isa V.. emaoa4-nate- d peror cf Constantinople. ;i IV c. fii. spi. On Christmas dy. J(K$, William the it crowned la laandon. (Elies IV IlMs. the famous Bluebeard. j etr,:e oa Dr. fit. It 10, at Nantes. for his target-excursio- ht. Some one shouted, DOESN'T WANT MUCH. much rl li.i nt to-nig- the landscape. Now the fir, no longer despised, is a source of considerable Income to hundreds of Maine rural people and to the transportation companies as well, for Its graceful proportions and balsamic odor have become known to the dwellers in cities, where it is regarded as the ideal tree whereon to display the lights and gifts of holiday time. The beginning of the popularity of the fir was in 1S92, when a party of sportsmen returning in a Boston steam yacht from Newfoundland called at Sargentville, on Fenobscot bay, to enable some of the party to visit mines Inland. Here the beauty of the firs attracted the Attention of the owner of the yacht, who took 500 young trees to Boston and sold them at good prices in the Christmas market at Fanuell hall. Up.to that time pins and spruces had been used as Christmas trees, but since the day of the Boston yachtsmans speculation the fir has been the favorite. Now about 1,500,000 trees are annually shipped fiiit? great'; of an I perience In the rd ex b ran ling falling l during end Christmas day. The or 3 norr.e places reached a dp;h of forty feet. I Vo. where all the family from far and near were assembled around the table heaped with all manner of good things, she said: Archie, come here and welcome your guests, and he found himself seated between a pretty, young girl dressed in white and a very small boy in a new suit of clothes. It was Ellen and her brother Dick. mas tree harvest, and in some localities the cutting of the greens Is made the occasion of a general merrymaking. as at huskings and other farm festivals. The trees are bundled up, according to size, in lots of six or a dozen, conveyed on hayracks to the railroad station, and there either cold to traveling buyers or shipped direct to Boston or New York. The farmers get about 5 cents each for the smaller trees, 10 to 15 cents for those eight to Money In Christmas Trees. The Christmas tree industry is now ten feet tall. In all, Maine people at its height in Maine, many car loads realize about 1150,000 a year from and even vessel loads going forward their crop of Christmas greens. every week to the large cities. Only a few years ago the fir tree was looked Saltable Presents. upon as a nuisance in Maine, because It is not easy to give presents that it grew as rankly as the burdock and shall be just right The charm cf a crowded out better growths, while be- gift lies in its suitableness both to ing of no value itself 'except as it giver and receiver its suitableness in might be considered an ornament to kind, quality and value. No rule can formed. What If they are not always no rra.cn for kept? That constliu ..cn hundred i.ot making t!.t and two opras r ; . : ud fresh as nny of lt3 predew. o:. Gird on your armor on re more for all good worLs as resolutely as ever before. You have the solid benefit of one more years experience; profit by It Never despair! If you have ever stumbled, avoid the same mistake again. If every one were to halt where Le makes the first misstep the pedestrians of tho world would present a sorry appearance. Some of us are old scriveners in the volume of Chronos. Many such have benefited little by their long experience. their last years page being, perBut it Is haps, the darkest of all. never too late to mend. Exchange. fil. All trav lx I ws c-fpi.- ble-.-J.e- m Th're wa no communlraflm. not even Jdoca h oixcs. ard avalanche burled many people In their dwelling. Where they were frozen. IWe. fil. nil. lb Jdorsu tejegrafh trav experimented with bo twten ltaitlmcre and Washington, and Christmas day mcesatC W e- -e fully dispatched back and ferth. |