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THE HAPPY NEW YEAR. look as if the wind would blow you away, Hiram, and I notice you've a kind of limp j in your gait." "I've nothing of the sort, Harvey My- ler, aqd I ain't more than two-thirds as bald as you are and not half so" gray." "Oh, you a in*!; I'll count gray hairs with you any time, and I'll bet you a jews- harp that " "Come, Uncle'Harvey," I said, "let us go to tlie stable. I want you to give me your opinion of a horse I've just bought." The combined efforts of Madge and Nell and I sufficed to maintain pcace at the dinner table. We kept up such ® rattling firp of conversation that the four broth' ers had hardly a chance to speak to each other. We saw grandpa wince when Un­ cle Hejiry ate his mashed potatoes with his knife, and we knew the full extent of our grandsire's agony when Uncle Joel poured his coffee into his saucer and blew it before drinking it. Uncle Ilarvey spoke but once, but that was once too often, for he said, explosively: "Oh, I say, boys, do you remember that Sary Jane Skimmerhorn Hi used to be so sweet on when we all went to the Hop- vine school? You 'member how he used to kiss 'er there at the end of the lane? Well, she's livin' yit, an' I'd give a deal to see Hi kiss 'er now. She weighs 329 pounds andi has a beard that Tom here, might be proud of, an' she's had fifteen children an' they're all livin'. I was jest thinkin' what if Hi had married rer as he used to swear he would! Eh, Hi?" Uncle Henry and Joel roared with laughter and Joel choked on a mouthful of coffee. Grandpa turned pale and it re­ quired all of Nell's cleverness to prevent a' scene..';' / " All of the cousins and uncles and aunts in the city, had been invited to come m that evening to enjoy a Christmas eve reunion of the family and to be entertain­ ed with family reminiscences by the four bid and reunited brothers. At S o'clock we gathered around a great open fire to hear our aged relatives "reminis," as Madge mischievously put it. "Tell us all about when you were boys together," said Cousin Ned Drayton. "I guess there wasn't touch time nor money wasted celebrating Christmas when you were boys." "Well. I guess there wa'n't," said Uncle Joel. "I guess--0, say, boys, do you re­ member that Christmas we four boys went bear hunting back there in the Maine woods when we wa'n't none of us fully grown?" ""I remember it as well as if it was yes­ terday," said Uncle Henry. "I remem­ ber jist how that b'ar squealed when I shot 'im." "You still stick to it that you shot 'im, Henry," said Uncle Joel, "an' I am as sure as I'm livin' that it was my shot that fetched 'im." "In a horn it was!" said Uncle Henry, testily. "Your bullet went clar over the b'ar and lodged in that big pine we found with a bullet hole in it." "There's no use in Henry an' Joel spat- tin' so about which killed that b'ar," put in Uncle Harvey, "for I've an idee the beast would have got up an' walked off with both your bullets. It was my knife thrust that finished the beast." "Yes. it was!" sneered Joel. "Oh, yes; to be sure it was," snorted Uncle Henry. "I guess that the blows I -rained down on the beast's head with the club I car­ ried, had something to do with finishing him." said'grandpa, calmly. "Well, ye ain't got over drawin' on your imagination for facts, hev ye, Hi?" said Uncle Henry. "The rest of us kin re- member how ye hid in the bresh trembtin' an' bellerin' until we was almost ready to skin the bear an then you come out with your little club and give the beast a whack or two." "Henry Myler, that is not true!" "If it ain't I'll eat my hat!" "1 clubbed th£ life out of him," said grandpa. "I tell ye I killed that bear myself!" "Ye didn't!" "I know I did!" "My club counted for more than " "Your club! Pooh!" "Now. Henry, I won't stand it to " "I'd like to see ye help yourself." "Shet up, all of ye. for I " "Don't ye tell me to shet up!" The dispute waxed hot and hotter un­ til Madge got Uncle Henry off to his room, and Nell had done the same service for Uncle Harvey, while I dragged Uncle Joel away for a smoke with me in my own room, where he berated his brothers fear­ fully. Grandpa stalked off to his own room. We managed to keep the four old hot heads from getting into a row on Christ­ mas, but Uncle Henry and grandpa did not speak to each other all day, and to tell the unvarnished truth there was great inward rejoicing when our three dear old uncles departed. Uncle Henry thrust his head out of the carriage door and screech­ ed out at the last second: "I did kill that bear!" "You never!' calledont grandpa, sharp­ ly from the stoop, and they never saw each other ajrain. "I admit that; my dear little scheme failed," said Nell, when we were alone together. li'The next time I bring four old gentlemen together for a Christmas reunion I'll, select deaf and dumb men. or mer who haven't .quite so much dynamite and chain lightning;,and undimmed pugi­ listic vigor in their make-up. I positive- shrubs w&*re they, chance to fall. There they germinate and take root and draw their nourishment, not from the earth as other plants do, but from some other growth. So it is a parasite, not Self-sup­ porting, but living on something else, and when the tree to which it. is fastened dies, then the dependent little thing dies also. There is an old tradition that asserts that long, long ago the mistletoe was a big tree, nourished from mother earth as other trees are, and that the cross of our Saviour was made from the wood; but after the crucifixion it was fated to be, ivot a tree, not even a shrub, but a depen­ dent--not even to draw its life direct from tli* ground itself, but to live upon some othel* plant--doomed to be always a para­ site. Thrice Happjr. He was a little ragged waif living in a village of southern Kentucky. A stran­ ger to actual comfort, it is not to be sup­ posed that he was very familiar with the pleasures of life. One Christmas eve ho was standing before a shop window with his lean little face pressed against the pane, devouring with hungry eyes the beautiful display within. There was a lady in the shop, deeply engaged in purchasing gifts for her small nieces and nephews. She saw the waif at the window--ragged, half-clad, and with­ out doubt half-starved as well. "Prudence," said she, in speaking of the matter afterward, "might have suggested food and clothes. But another idea had taken possession of me. I determined then and there that that boy should know the blessedness of happy childhood for one Christmas at all events.!' ... On the impulse she Wiled him in. Toys, a wagon, an iron horse with a flying driv­ er madly sounding a fire alarm, a drum with gilded sticks, a tin liorn, a pack of firecrackers, things which his poverty- blinded eyes had never before looked upon in the light of real possession, were put into his hands. "There was a kind of awe in his solemn, earnest eyes,'" said the lady, "as though FOUND HIS HORSE. BROADACRE'S CHRISTMA* Man Finds His Old Nag Being Abused -- Animal Recognizes Its Master, A few mornings ago a crowd was idly watching a poor old horse strug­ gling vainly to pull a heavily-loaded wagon out of a rut in Fifth avenue, near Washington street. It was a task to tax the strength of a vigorous, jyell- conditioned horse. Still, he bravely re­ sponded to each call of his rough mas­ ter to try it again, until at length, weak and trembling, and Avith the sweat running in streams down his rough, un- groomed coat, he refused to further at­ tempt what lie knew was beyond his power. There was something^about the horse which suggested that he had known better days. His large, though now dim and sunken eye, his small, trim ears, clean-cut head, and broad, thin nostrils, stamped him as one possessed of aristocratic lineage, -who in his .younger and better days had known far different things than hauling the wagon of a junk peddler. The whip had been applied, but to no purpose, and there had been several emphatic suggestions from the crowd that if the man expected his horse to pull anything he had better feed him occasionally, when a tall, broad-shoul­ dered man, whose dress and general appearance suggested that he had re­ cently come out of the West, moved forward out from, the crowd, Where he had been watching the horse intently for several moments, and, approaching the man, asked: . * "Where did you get that hoss?" At the sound of his voice the horse pricked up his ears, and, turning his head in the direction whence the sound came, gave utterance to a low, glad neigh. Without waiting for the owner's re­ ply the man advanced quickly to the horse's head, and patting it gently he said in a tone of affectionate tender­ ness: "Poor old Joe, so they've brought you to this. I somehow thought it was you, old boy, when I first saw you, but I couldn't hardly believe my eyes, for you used to be a mighty different look­ ing horse from this." All this time the horse was rubbing his head against the man's breast and shoulders, and there was a suspicion of moisture in the eye of the man as well as several of the spectators. "I never would have sold you In the world, Joe, if I had thought they would ever bring you to this," the man con­ tinued. "But never mind, old boy, there's going to be a change right away now. You're going to have all you want to eat; you're going to have a nice big stall, and you ain't ever going to do another lick of work as long as you live." And then turning to the astonished owner he asked: "How much do you want for this hoss?" The former hesitated a moment and then said: "Forty dollars." He knew that he was asking four times what the liorse was worth, but he shrewdly concluded that the old own­ er would not stand on a few dollars to get back his old horse. And he didn't; for, taking out a roll of bills from his pocket, he counted out the $40 and handing it to the man said: "Here's your money. You're robbing me, but I must have that old hoss." A few minutes later lie *-as leading mini down the street, and as they made their way along there were doubtless many who wondered why that well-dressed man should evince such tender consideration for the poor, bony old horse which followed with lame, faltering steps so close behind him.--Chicago Tribune. Colonial Well Discovered. While making an excavation for an electric light conduit in Independence square lately the workmen uncovered an old well, which proved to be in an excellent state of preservation. An examination of it later demonstrated the fact that is 25 feet deep and 3Ya feet in diameter. The walls are strong­ ly constructed of hand-made brick, not one of which is out of place, and the cement used shows no signs of disin­ tegration. When the work on old In­ dependence hall was begun in 1722 four of these wells were sunk in the square, and at first were equipped with the old-fashioned chain and bucket op­ erated on a windlass, but later on they were walled up and pumps put into tllem, and it was from these, especial­ ly the oue lately uncovered, that the continental congress took its drinks be­ tween the acts. The well ia located about twelve feet in front of the main entrance of Inde­ pendence hall into the square, and for­ merly two watch towers stood on each side. One of these is now in the pos­ session of C. J. Smith of Germantown, and there is in the city, if not the pump used in this well in colonial days, one of the same pattern. The un­ earthing of this old well, which has been arched over perhaps seventy-five years arid forgotten, has led the city authorities to the determination to give it a new lease of life, a# closely resem­ bling it* former state as may be pos­ sible. It is true it'lle Indians will not be recalled to sit around it and smoke the pipe* of peace as of yore, but it will be cleaned and a marble slab will be placed over it. The old colonial pump will be re­ instated, while its ancient and long-sep­ arated friend, the old watch tower, will be placed to one side of it, look­ ing as it did when they parted com­ pany 100 years ago. On the other side will be erected a watch tower, which art will do her best to make resemble the genuine one of colonial days, which will complete the picture with the ex­ ception of the Indians.--Philadelphia Times. • " KnHily Kxplained. "If I wtltt to stand on my head," snid yonng BofHeigh, "I suppose the olood would all rush to my head, Wouldn't It?" "Of coitrso it would," replied Miss Cutting. v" "Then," continued the young man, "why doesn't it rush to my feet when I stand upon them?" "Really, I don't know," she replied, with a peculiar smile, "unless it is be­ cause your feet are not empty." French Wine. A Paris paper says that the vine­ yards of Gard and Herault have recov­ ered from the phylloxera, and that wine is as cheap as it was in 1875. Nevertheless, the population is turning more and more to alcohol. It doesn't always take the ruffles out »f a man's temper to iron him. At Christmas play and make good cheer. For Christmas comes but once a year. --Old Rhyme. • -- H R I S T M A S c o m i s g /^/ but once a yea*." t ^ Well, ^gosh all fish- j ., 'At has the Christmas ^ \ btlls^to pay 'Id ever three or four, or any more 'an what we have to-day? * There may be some. HflWTf )<rTA but say> by guml I aint built that-a- I've got to git a sled fer Ned and buy a doll fer Nan, And books and toys and lots of joys fer lit­ tle crippled Dan, •Fer he can't go about, you know, like other boys, and run, And that is why we all must try to.help him have his fun. And 'Liza--how these girls come up!--she don't want dolls no more-- She's got a beau--it can't.,be so!--a-clerkln* in a store: But after all, she's 'bout as tall as was her mother when W* fell in love--we're in it yet--lots deep«*» now 'than then. And BO a year 'at didn't bring a Christmas, seems to mc, 'Ld be about the saddest thing a mortal matt could see. ' Fer who would miss the Christmas bliss be­ cause there's bills to pay? 1 • There may be some, but say, by guml I ain't built that-a-way. --Nixon Waterman. THE event which Christmas commemorates. possesses - for humanity the deepest meaning. Compared with its profound importance all other events, or indeed the sum of alt other events, sink into insignificance, and the great institution of which that event is the foundation-stone has from a very early date observed it with ceremonies of fitting statelineSs and reverence. But the note of even the sacred celebration of the birthday of the Saviour has for centuries been one of joyfulness and glad praise. It is the one day of all the year when the whole Christian world puts into practice the cardinal law of Christ. The sternest, hard­ est and most worldly man pauses in his'planning and grinding, and for a .day at least allows his thoughts to dwell on projects for making other people glad. The Christmas-tide festival is the special season for renewing the manifestation of those family affections that are not dead but merely dulled by routine and fa­ miliarity. The head of the household, who spends hundreds of dollars in providing the necessaries of life for his flock without an emotion other than an occasional thought of what a tax upon his income it is, has his whole being stirred up as the result of the expenditure of a few dollars in rattles and trinkets. A sense of his blessings thrusts itself on his attention. A realization of the patient, heroic performance from day to day, year in and year out, of the unheroie, uneventful, tedious and multiplied duties of the helpmeet and "mother rushes on his mind, to­ gether with an uneasy knowledge of his frequent forgetfulness of it. She is The Change that Came with Another - Christmas Time. AST Christmas - the house across i i the street from ft* V ,,ili' mine was the I lr^%br5Shtest and gay- Sfef fW i l l J e s t o f a n y i n ^ Wm ' » ilil if/ block. There were \ff j| ' P beautiful Christ- ' J \ g . , -amas wreaths in every window and the whole house was aglow. The shades were thrown up high and the soft iace curtains parted wide. The tree in the great parlor of the house across the street was larger and it had costlier presents on it than any other tree in the town. And most of the pres­ ents were for the little girl in the white dress and the big pink sash who could be seen from the street dancing around the tree, the happiest, sweetest little maiden in all the world and the light and life and joy of the,house across the street. . This Christmas time all is dark and silent and gloomy in the great house across the street. There are no Christ­ mas wreaths in the windows, no ray of light comes from behind the closely drawn blinds, no childish voice is heard within the house. There is no bright and beautiful tree, but on the spot on which the tree stood last year there is some­ thing white and as beautiful in its silk and satin and velvet finish as the skill and wealth of man can make it. But the sight of it brought a chill to the hearts of those who saw it carried into the touse on Christmas eve, and when the eyes of the mother and father fell upon it their hearts bled anew. The passersby who saw the bands of white fluttering from the knob of the door of the house across the street went on to their own humbler houses thanking God that their own little ones were left to them, no matter how little of wealth or beauty there might be in their homes. The poorest house in which there was the laugh of children was so much less desolate than the great mansion across the street in which the child's laugh was forever still. It added to the melody of Paradise that Christmas morning. It rang out clear and sweet across the jas­ per sea. It had gone through the Gate Beautiful and into a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. GRANDMOTHER UNDER THE MISTLETOE. | A CHRISTMAS f | REUNION. | rs£jf) T was Nell who thought of it first. II But about all of the IB clever ideas in our III family had their ori- jL \M gm in Nell's fertile . / i imagination. Brother j ( /\ Tom often told her • mmmmljl4 |V/ that she ought to put r a card in the window / | and in the papers of- / TjV I fering "Ideas for Sale." Nell was \ grandfather's favor- \\. ite and she was very O-' fond of him. One day she evolved this idea and laid it on the family altar at a discussion we were having regarding the -approaching Christ­ inas festivities: -- r "I've just thought out the loveliest scheme for grandpa's enjoyment. You know that he hasn't seen one of his brothers for a long time, and it's twenty years since he saw our Uncle Henry. Now, can't we get up a great family re­ union as a surprise for grandpa? Uncle Henry could come here in a day." "He's nearly SO," I said. "I know, but he is stronger than most men of "70. Uncle Harvey, who is only Good Will to All. Good will to all! That is the sentiment. Let's practice It, and in Its best Intent. Let's love all men, all women, and all things. The good and bad, the beggars and the kings. Let's love the motormnn who clangs his bell And bids us go where I've no mind to tell. When on the street he yells at you like this, Just turn and with your hand toss him a kiss. Let's love the rough policeman on Ills beat. Who takes his club and shoves you 'long the street, And gives you warning in accents profane, He does not wish to see you there again. Let's love the plumber, and that fellow, too. Who table book subscriptions doth pursue, Who sits beside you till in weariness You change your spoken no to silent yes. And so on all the nuisances of life. All woes and troubles, all that makes for strife- Good will to them; extend 'em all glad hands-- To peddlers, fakers, e'en to German bands. But mind ye, friends, though fchls rhymed note of mine Is for the Christmas season quite In line. When January comes, of course, why then Yoj may begin to hate 'em all again. --Harper's Bazar. THEY'RE ALL COMING, TOM. the angel of his threshold, and lie turns to the heaven that seems so far away in his business hours, but now seems so near and powerful, as he asks for its bless­ ing on the little brood that clusters about her knee. For Christmas is essentially tlie children's day. Its specially religious signifi­ cance can of course never be lost, but it is doubtful if its spiritual influence wouiu be so widespread but for the myth of Kris Kringle. With its dawning faculties the child learns of the wonderful little man with the queer, tufty coat and rubi­ cund face, whose advent on one particular night in the year is the most extraor­ dinary event in existence, and when the revolution of many yuietides has turned reality into myth the disillusioned one enjoys at least half his earlier delights in witnessing another generation of Kris Kringle's little subjects enjoying that mon­ arch's season of blissful lordship. In millions of homes the same picture is seen. Day breaking through the frosted pane, and on the dim stairs tiny white-robed figures stealing down the creaking steps. Eyes are dancing with anticipation and apprehension, for there is something uncanny about this dear old king of theips, and mother has to take up the rear in similar white-robed dishabille to inspire confidence in those little throbbing hearts. And when the chimney-nook is safely gained, what clamor, what pounding of drums and blowing of horns; what joy that the funny, fat, good-natured old gentleman is still alive and looking after his own. May every home in Christendom see this picture. . the joy of possession had stricken him dumb. "It was the day after Christmas that I came upon him again, hanging about the streets with that same old look of a beg­ gar about him. That is, in all but his eyes; they, I think, were never quite the same again. They fairiy shone when he lifted them to my face in recognition. 'Good morning, Joe,' said 1. 'What have you done with your toj^i?' "Imagine my surprise when he said. 'I give 'em to Jack Parker, the colored boy, over yonder to Scruff Town.' " 'What?' said I, 'you have given them all away? All your beautiful toys?' He was silent a moment, and then his ragged little face glowed as he replied: " 'I had 'em; I had 'em a whole day. I ain't got 'em any more, but I had 'em, any­ how.' " He was the proud possessor of three pleasures; that of receiving, of giving, and the ever blessed pleasure of a happy mem­ ory.--Youth's Companion. Puppets Made of Gingerbread. The city of Amsterdam claims St. Nich­ olas as its patron saint, and during the first week of December confectioners' shops throughout the city display one special delicacy called "St. Nicholas cake." of which large quantities are sold at this season. "Men" and "women" made of this crisp, brown cake, or gin­ gerbread. can be bought in different sizes and at all prices. These sweet creatures are often called "sweethearts" ("vrijers" we say in Dutch), and the girls receive a "man," the boys a "woman." i remem­ ber quite well what fun it used to be to hear the servant come in-with: "If you please, ma'am, here is Miss Annie's sweetheart"--and hand a gingerbread man to my mother. ( Christmas live on 'h" Reservation. Christmas Carols. Christinas gifts of coal and flour are in order all this month.--Philadelphia Ledger. That man never lived who had any in­ fluence over his wife the week before Christmas.--Atchison Globe. Small boys with an e^e to the future are willing to wear stoelcings many sizes too big for them.--Philadelphia Record. Buy up the Christmas books liberally, and next year the authors will get royal­ ties enough to dine at a restaurant.--At­ lanta Constitution; people with bad habits might ease up on them a little before New Year's for the purposj? of learning, whether it will pay to swear off.--Cedar Itapids Gazette. If you want to give a man a Christmas present that will please him giye him the right to act as he pleases about tli£ holi­ day. Nine men out of ten are blackmail­ ed into buying Christmas presents, in one way or another.--Atchison Globe. "What shall I order for dinner to-day, love?" asked Eve, as she absently pluck­ ed a green appfe. "Oh, any old thing," retorted Adam, wearily, "as long as it isn't a spare rib. I'm,sick qf,ppare rib!" lie savagely swatted a rock at a garter snake.--New York Press. . j • Wife--I think I will surprise you with the purchase of a watch to wear Christ­ mas. Husband--It will be an acceptable gift, and I shall wear it with pleasure. Wife--Oh, but the one I shall buy would he a lady's watch, suitable for me to carry.--Boston Budget;' < Her father had said it Could never be. They both sat in the parlor--also in tears. Aftei' long searching and a desperate,-ef­ fort she found her voice. Then, in de­ spairing tones, she cried: "Oh, Charley! If we must part, let us wait till after Christmas!"--Philadelphia North Ameri­ can. Half a dozen varieties grow in this coun­ try, but as they are not marked by the J same peculiarities as their foreign rela­ tives, they are called by a different name, though they all belong to the same family. Some varieties ha ve very showy flowers. The modest, though widely known, lit­ tle shrub we call the mistletoe gr&Jvs mostly in Normandy, a border portion of France, upon the trees of the extensive apple orchards. In the cider districts it is looked upon as a great, pest, for, once established, it draws the sustenance as long as there is any life in its host. It is succulent when young, but becomes woody as it grows older. It often at­ taches itself, too, to the oak, and then is supposed by the peasants to possess mag­ ical power and to bestow wonderful strength. The mistletoe does not grow in Ireland or Scotland or the. north of England, and often there young apple trees with the queer little plant grafted and growing upon tliem are sold as a curiosity, a freak of nature, to "turn an honest (or dishon­ est) penny." In olden times the mistletoe was called All-heal. The tree Upon which it grew was believed to be chosen of God, was looked uivm with veneration and awe, and the curious little; pliant was consider­ ed an antidote to all diseases. Even at the present day in Sweden all ailments are believed to be warded off by wearing a ring made of its wood. The berries of the mistletoe, are of a creamy white, about the size of small cur­ rants, and gro^v in clusters in the divis­ ions of the little branches. The leaves are long, ovate, waxy and of a delicate green, often almost yellow. Birds are very fond of the berries, and by them the seeds are carried from place . to place, and thus the plant is propagat­ ed. The berries contain a thick, viscous ! fluid; they burst open when ripe, and so . they readily adhere to the trees and bureau, where husbands can leave a list of the presents they would find accepta­ ble, with details concerning size, color and weight. The wife would simply have to join the bureau's subscribers, find her husband's list, borrow the money from him and give him a happy surprise on Christmas. This scheme is worth consid­ ering, It ought to take a great burden off the ladies' minds, anyhow. DISCUS81N u'lllE pjcsrhve regarding his age. ly believe that/UHcle Henry would have Don t he, boys , said Uncle Henry, trounced grandpa if he'^ Stayed another ppealmg to his two white-haired broth- day."--Utica Globe rs. "I bet I could fetch ye to the ground ~p ' rst in a rassle, that is if ye rassled fair. Christmas? Gifts for Men. rliieli ye. didn't used to do when we was It *s a great relief to note that some ill boys together. Why, I'm hanged if philanthropic writers throughout the liraiii don't part his hair, or what he's country are engaged in telling what sort ;®t left of it, in the middle yit. I reckon- of Christmas gifts men would like. The •d yon'd git over that when ye came to writers are not all successful, and they tavin' one foot in the grave and t'other reveal frequently the inspiration of wom- me no bizness out." an's ideas, man's innate modesty and self- Grandpa Hushed and said coldly: effacement precluding him from speaking "Tlie combing of one's hair is simply a for himself. Batter of individual taste, Henry." "But somebody should speak for him be- Nell .hurried Uncle Henry off to show fore another Christmas has elapsed. It hire bis room, and grandpa said to Uncle is recorded in the seventh chapter of "The Autobiography of Pharaoh I." that the "You hear your years well, .Toel. One monarch's wife gave him for u Christmas •-onid hardly guess you to be six years present a necktie which he could not wear elder than I." without inviting insurrections in all "No, Hiram, they wouldn't. One thing, Egypt. That's where the Christmas neek- ,'m» pod deal fleshier 'n you. I'm kind tie joke began, the Christmas cigar joke •C apprised to see you so kind o" all skin following it, when Sir Walter Raleigh •nd bone." first amazed England by puffing tobacco "Come, now, I ain't quite that, Joel, fumes. The joke3 have endured, but the I weigh 139." joke has not--not if the man knows it. He "Is that all; why, Hi, I weigh 178 may have an incorrigible passion for neck- aad-- " ties, but to have his own wife go out and Uncle Joel, I want to show you pay out his own money for a tie which he (tome of the family portraits in the par- will wear only on dark nights and when *or." said Madge, noting grandpa's rising his coat collar is turned up is what he ob- «Ior. This left .Uncle Harvey and grand- .jects to. The trouble beifig, probably, V*> together. that a woman buying s'fmethjng for a man "Joel and Henry were always unneces- sees it merely as it looks on the counters, aarily blunt in their speech," said grand- while the man sees it in its relation to 9°' himself and to the uses to which it must but thev geri'ally hit the nail on I be put. bt*d," said Uncle Harvey. "You do u What is needed is a Wives'Information A Warning. Rhymes on the mistletoe Are all very well, y' know; But in mistletoe season „ The promptings of reason Are toward the adagio; The gallant had better go slow. For kisses at times ..ring woe; To the doubting young Thomas May come breach of promise By way of the mistletoe! THE MISTLETOE, Lore of the Little Plant So Popular at Christinastidc. M O S T q u a i n t tie plant to study Tillr m l'K' mistletoe. " jjjgjefcy *ip\i ^ is an ever- hear much about CCliQSjff Irft ¥t pf ^ wav0 at Christ- /|M\ lip niaa time. The yffip reason of this is I v W ' | " ' e s a T 1 , l t h r i v e s - |nil l|\\ \ blossoms in Feb- /. S *-•--^ urary and March, and the berries are ripe and the foliage is in all its glory, its best dress, in the following December, when it is imported and used to decorate our homes and add to tlie holiday cheer. This strange plant is a native of most of. the tropical parts of Europe. A New Year's Superstition. The English peasantry in some locali­ ties had an odd superstition that it was unlucky to take anything out of the house until something had beea brought in, so very early in the morning the wighta would leap out of bed and rush forth, won to return with pieces of coal or stono hi their hands, hoping thereby to avert niiafortuno, Here is on old rhyme of warning: Take out, then take In, Bad luck will begin. Take In, then take out Good luck comes about. Santa Claus of the Tepe*.