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A__.._ A...._. MAY EHllllllliB'S LAST BUABREL. ' CHRISTMAS EVE. li'i' SELL“: l).\RLl.\'liIL‘.‘\'. It was by no means the first. though to her grief. Oh, no; it was because” . h _ . ish and causeless as her jealousy l contrive. without entering into any or- . fool I _ 5 - ' planation. “as. it was so terribly real. i l " He leaves me." she thought. "Ah. longer. Ile never loved me. I will go. ' back again. 1 am not quite forsakeni ence to this folly of hers. and I can jimt to mention how Mrs. Rockford, being of about the same size then, all is over indeed. he loves me no ; and form as May, was kind enough to Well. then . help me choose the sealskin cloak. since My mother will take me i otherwise I would have been cheated." All this passed through Crawford's , in all the world. A mother never ceases mind in an instant, while aloud he sent : to love her child, and I scorn to remain , the servant to find her mistress. and they had been married now for nearly ‘ it kills me to leave barn." a year ; and people are supposed 'to have exhausted all disagreements ’of that She dried her eyes, went to her room. zlonger where I am not loved, even if beg 3 her to come to him. During the girl’s absence he unfas- teneo the large bundle and took out and hastily dressed. and then with her i a superb sealskin cloak; then he'undid vail down. she might be less likely to l the small parcel and opened a lovely kind when the lover places the Plain attract attention, she stole softly down ‘ velvet case, which contained an ex tus- gold circle on his sweetheart's third finger. left hand. i ti The trouble was, that May Crawfordz The 8k was of an unfortunately jealous dis- position; while Linley Crawford could n°t comprehend the tortures of that f tokened a heavy anew-storm. But May : cared nothing demon-like passion. I stairs, and out by the front door, which 5 ite she closed so gently that no one no- ced the sound. * was coming down with that fine, steady. One night he came home later than, usual. first since he had married May. Everyâ€" thing had gone wrong with him that methin ; day save one' but that was so 8 . But May had been brought up acoun- he had set his heart on for a long while; and the fact of having accomplished it It was Christmas Eve, and the? at last had (1 us much to console him.; ' _ 0 .she been the happy, light-hearted girl But when his pretty wife met him could pessiny have done to deserve such a reception Then the dinner was nor’ i when it drove the now thickly falling well cooked. and was served in very un- satisfactory etyle. the reason being that May. absorbed in her bugbear of a grievance. had omitted to give it that. insured its success. "I didn't really expect you to din-ghad ner," ‘said May. "and so I didn't care enough about dinner for myself alone to take any trouble about serv- ing it nicely. Linley looked up surprised. "\Vhy, Mayl I so seldom stay away from dinnerâ€"never without sending you word. And on Christmeas Eve, of all nights, what could make you fancy that I wouldn't come home i" “I thought that you might stay and , ‘ . ing back; but by personal superintendence which always' continuous shower of flakes, that be- for that. Indeed, she scarcely noticed it. . Their house was on the outskirts of the little village town that, a few years :ago, was only a village. and her moth- er's house was about three miles farth- er on. and quite out in the country. try girl. and to her three miles, even .in a snow-storm. was only a pleasant walkâ€"at. least it would have been had ' she used to be. As it was, she thought with cold, averted looks, his heart sank. ; nothing about it‘ and he wondered in his mind what her At first she walked rapidly and brave- ly. only conscious now and then hou bitterly cold the wind was becomm) snow against her face; then the ting- lin of her fingers made her \vish that in er hurry she had not forgotten her muff. But she never dreamed of turnâ€" and by she pulled off her vail, for frozen stiff as it now was. with the moisture of her breath and the lting of the snow against it, it _ come for worse than no defense against the storm. . It was quite dark now, for the light of the town had long faded in the dis- tance; but. dark as it was, May discern- ed an unfamiliar look in the landscape. She stood still and gazed about her; and then a. chill, colder than the icy wind. struck her lheart. She was not on the road to her mother's house. In the driving snow-storm, the darkness. and, worst of all, her own wild and whirling thoughts, she had missed her way. But after the first terror she call- dine with Mrs. Rockford, since you’ve ed back 'her coura e, and remembered been there nearly all day as it isâ€"” “ \Vhat do you mean, May. W'ho told you such a falsehood 9" ' that she knew al that part of the country pretty well, and she could not be very far wrong. Then she strug- gled on a little way, and came to Ia. "No one told me except my own turning which she felt sure would lead eyes, and I suppose even you, will not her bad! Into the “EM road- contradict that evidence." “But I will, though, or any other evidence that would persuade you of such a thingâ€"” " \Vhy, Linley, I saw you about twelve o'clock going into Rockford's store. and Mrs. Rockford was standing at your side; and not half an hour afterward I saw you walking together in the street. It must have been at least three hours later, when, returning home I passed Mr. Rockford’s store again. and there you were, so close in conversation with his wife that neither of you saw me, though I looked in through the door straight into both your faces." " And you didn't come in and speak to me, May I" said Linley Crawford. "Not I." And Mrs. Crawford tossed her head. "I may be a fool, but I'm not quite such a fool as to interrupt a couple of old lovers when they are enjoying a. little quiet flirtation in the absence of the respective husband and wife of each." "Mayl" exclaimed Linley. shocked at this remark, and yet painfully aware that circumstances were much against him, though he was upheld by the con- sciousness of innocence, and knew very well that a few words from him could not only explain the situation. but also cover May with repentant shame for her doubts; but those words he par- ticularly did not wish to speak just then. May was made furious by his silence. and more still by the indignant. shock- ed tone in which he had spoken _her nameâ€"the only remonstrance he deign- ed to make to her accusing words. "I suppose you will not. dare to say that Kate Rockford and you were not sweethearts before you met me? Oh. I suppose you were telling her how you regretted the past. and wishing it was last Christmas instead of this,th_at you might once more have the chmce of marrying her instead of me? You weiieâ€"you were! You can't contradict me I. And. carried away by a. jealous rage, May Crawford stamped her foot ang- rily. and. for the first time in all their quarrels, Linley answered. angrily, and, E‘haps. with a touch of contempt. for patience was sorely tried: "I shall certainly not take the trou- b.lc.to contradict you in this or any Simdar matter. now or ever. any more. I really think you mean to cultivate your tendency to jealousy into down- right insanity. It is e monomania now." May was absolutely aghast. .Never before had Linley answered her in this manner. He had always explained. pro- tested. declared his love for her, pettcd and kissed her. till it really was almost an inducement to quarrel for the sake of making up again. But now he would not even deign to contradict the worst and crueltxst things she had ever accused him of. And why? Because he could- n't. Because they were true. and she had seen his perfidy. and further denial was useless. . "Yes. cs. this must be the terrible reason w he no lon r explained and protested-rho longer eclarcd that she was his first and only love. She burst into a passion of tears at the terrible thought, and. flinging herself down on the sofa. buried her head in the cushions sobbing wildlv. . _ , Linley. with his match-box, his ci- gars. and his ash-tray. betook himself to the library. for this tum; he deter- mined to try the effect of a little whole- smnc sternncss. and he know well that he couldn't hold out long if he staid there in si ht of May‘s tears and he- tening to ‘r aobs. _ As the door closed after him. Mrs. Crawford looked up and saw that she was alone. Iler stabs ceased. and her tears seemed frozen at theirsource. but not because she had no longer a witness l WWW. But the snow kept falling heavier and heavier; familiar landmarks were all wi d out, even if there had been daylig t to guide her, and she was obliged to depend solely to that thin. deceptive light which in a. snow-storm seems to come from the snow itself. Still she struggled on, but her feet were now “heavy with the snow that clung to the soles of her shoes; her skirts were damp and borne down With the wet slush that hung upon them and weighed her down; the wind was like a. breath from the sea; and her face ached with its cutting, biting caress; her eyes smarted with pain. and tears Ig’ushhed from them and froze upon her as es. She fancied once or twice that she could see alight ahead, but her weâ€" ion was at fault, and she could not de- termine if it was the dazzle of snow and tears mingling in her eyes together, or really a light which gleamed in the distance ahead of her. She was. 011, so tired and so cold; and then, worse still, a stupor, a numbness, an irreSIs- tible desire for rest and sleep. came up- on herâ€"a last despairing thought, that to pause now, to rest, to sleep, was death; then a sense of utter. hopeless weariness impossible to fight against. one last (gasping si h for love and Linleyâ€"a. desperate so , and a very bit- ter cry in which she could hear her own voice as if far away: " \Vhat mat- ter if I die. since he doesn't love me I" and then a. stumble in the snow. and poor little May lay at full length among the cold white massâ€"a. soft, yielding pile of it_for a couch, and clouds of it descending for a covering. 0 C 0 O O 0 U 0 O O Linely had smoked his cigar, and the tranquilizing effect which the votaries of tobacco ascribe to it having soothed his wounded feelings and charmed away the unwonted sternness of his mood, he was bethinking him of some way in which he could make up_this latest love-quarrel without seeming _to _ be guilty of his usual weakness in yielding. when the front-door bell was loudly rung, and the maid brought in two parcelsâ€"one a rather large one. the other very small. and delivered them to her master. . _ “The very thing," thought Linley. " Christmas gifts can be given . ust.as well on Christmas Eve. I wil give them to her without a word in refer- l l 1 pair of diamond ear-rings, for w 'ch May Crawford had sighed for many a day. Mary. the servant, then return- had been dark and lowering t ed. and said Mrs. Crawford was not all the ii ternoon, and already the snow I in her room, and she couldn't think where she could be. “ \Vell. of course, my girl, she's some- where," said Linley. impatiently. "Look in the other rooms and be quick. I want to see your mistress at once." But Mary's search was all in vain, Mrs. Crawford was not in the house. and up one could hazard the faintest guess as to where she was to be found. A great fear came upon Linley: and then. like a ray of light it flashed on his memory how his jealous little wife had often threatened to leave him and This time she had not threatenedâ€"she had done it. .“Oh, May! May. child] Is it posâ€" sxblie you can have been so cruell" he sat . . . And then, without an instant's delay. Crawford prepared to go in search of her. To {his orror he then saw that it was adark night and a blinding snow-storm was prevailing. All the more reason for losing no time, how- ever. So now he called in the services of John. the man-ofâ€"albwork. sometimes engaged for a week or two at special seasons, and now, being Christmas week. providentially on the premises. The two men, provided with lanterns. started out in pursuit of the poor lit- tle fugitive. They went as fast asthey could walk, and that seemed to be a snail’s pace to the anxious husband,who roaned aloud on finding the walking so difficult and the storm so heavy; for if it was hard to them, what must it be to that delicate, wayward, heart.- sore little woman? . On, on they stumbled, blinded by the snow, pierced by the icy wind, and, even With lanterns to guide them, losing their way. and finding it again with difficulty, till, at length, in the distance. they could see the light in the front Windows of the house of May's mother. Linley seldom spoke, but groans of despair broke every few minutes from his lips. "0h, pray Heaven! she has reached there in safety I" he ejaculated, as he return to 'her mother. .neared the lights that gleamed forth from Mrs. Baker’s cottage. ' ” Poor foolish child, perhaps she start- ed before the storm began;" and then he stumbled over a great pile of snow, fell sprawling among it, and found him- self clutching a dripping wet mass of clothes. _\Vith' a cry of dismay and fear he picked it up, and saw. it was May, un- conscious, coldâ€"perhaps deadl Linley Crawford was a. strong man, and May was but a child in his arms, but .for a moment, in that awful re- cognition of 'her, his strength became as an infant's. and he fell on his knees. while. his slight burden sli d from his grasp and lay on the crue snow again. But only for a momentâ€"the next his st_news were_as iron; 'he raised May in his arms as if she had been but afeath- er, and, praying audibly while he ran, he almost flew with her to her moth- er’s home. -. But May was not dead, although very nearly; and after much nurs- ing and coddling. and restoratives, she was able, with the dawn of Christmas Day. to put 'her arms about her hus- band’s neckuto beg his forgiveness, and to whisper in his ear: 1i‘gThen you do love me, Linley, after a I. "Ch. May, will you ever doubt it again i’” "No, dear Linley, I think not. Jeal- ousy is a consuming fire. but after last night I do think it will be pretty well frozen out of meâ€"if you will only for- give me." “Linley did forgive her, for love for- gives much; and May was even more ashamed than he cared to see her when, in receivin her lovely Christmas gifts, she learn why her husband spent. so much of that day in Mrs. Rockford's company. But it was a wholesome lesson and May declares that though not their first quarrel, it will assuredly be their last. Andd up to this time she has kept her wor . _â€"â€"â€"_..___._._.â€"_ PICC A’DILLY. The origin of the street named Pic- cadilly has beem hotly debated. A plaustble theory has been offeredâ€" that one Higgins, a habordasher. hadl invented a spiked ruff, suggesting the "piccadillv, or lance, and out of this made a fortune. which he invest- ‘ ed in houses along the famous thorough- fare, then a rural lane. SANTA AND THE STOCKINGS. l HOME CHRISTMAS TREES. Why is it that more farmers do not lune Christmas trees for their chil-, [neg-pensive dren, at least while they are small? "Santa Claus" is one of the brightest periods in the child's life to look back to and it would be but very little more work on father’s and mother's part to have a Christmas tree. Of course we intend to give the little ones som'ething but you say. .“it. saves so much bother, and we can just as well put the presents in their stockings." I don't believe we as farmers half apâ€" preciate our chances to have a fine Christmas tree as we should. Think what prices our city cousins have to pay for their holiday evergreens, and alilwe have to do is to choose our tree and cut it! But they have their ever- greens. just the same, and we seldom do. You think that. you have not en~ ough presents to fill a Christmas tree. \Vell then, don’t get. a. very large tree. but be sure and get a pretty shaped one. and a few presents, properly ar- ranged, will show off much more than you would imagine. Now 'for the trimming. Make sacks for the candy, nuts and popcorn, of mos- quitoâ€"netting, in various shapes, such as shoes, stockings, hearts. etc.; then some popcorn balls with. a string to tie them on by, some oranges, bananas. and as much. candy as you can afford for them, and "lost but. not least" some of your finest apples, (red, yellow and green), polished til-1‘ they shine and tied among the hemlock branches, produce a very pretty effect. Instead of tying up the presents in paper, leave them un- done on the tree, in sight, for all to admire. Let the most artistic one in the fam- ily arrange the tree. Do not let the little ones see it till it is all arranged; they will] enjoy it much more than to see it beforehand; Even if Santa does not come down the. chimney, let him at least be heard outSidethe door with his sleighbells. making his yearly trip to the good boys and girls. Let the chil- dren know there is to be. a Christmas tree, mud 363 he wthey will enjoy plan- ning for it. Give the children a."mer- ry Christmas" this year at; homeâ€"An- nie \Vilcox. LISTEN TO THE ANGELS. Listen. listen to the angels, through _ the midnight calm and clear, Singing again their sweet, sweet song. so old. yet. ever_so dear; ' W'ith‘ voices tuned divinely, telling the wondrous story 0f the Virgin Mother mild, and her babe. the King of glory. Listen. listen to the angels. as that blessed night_ of old They filled the air With harmony from heavenly harps of gold; As to the watching shepherds they brought the tidings holy; . "Christ is born in Bethlehem and lies in a manger lowly 1" Listen, listen to the angels sweetly once. again; _ "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men 1" O. heavenly choir, time sings for aye your song which is ushered in The coming of Christ, the Savior, to redeem the world from sml singing _â€".â€"_â€"- MISTLETOE. When on the chandelier I saw The mistletoe and holly, The one conclusion I could draw Led me straight on to folly. For Margery, with checks aglow And lips, each one a berry, \Vas smilling at the mistletoe A smile peculiar, veryl I watched them both, and when above Her head the green leaves fluttered. I caught and kissed the girl I love And something tender uttered. She blushed, of course; the deed was done. Quoth‘ she: sent I'll give you just another one, To be your Christmas present." Good lovers all, take note of this. The‘ Christmas prank of Cupid, A ipray of mistletoe amiss . \ are nothing short of stupid. â€"Felix Carmen. “Since kissing's plea- CHRISTMAS ON SUNDAY. It is considered particularly lucky when Christmas falls on Sunday and the reverse when it comes on Saturday. The intermediate days are, for the most part, propitious. It is also often quot- ed that if the sun shines bright at noon on Christmas, there. Will be a good crop of apples the following Autumn. HOLIDAY PARTIES. Table Decorations Children's Entertainments. for The followaing suggestions fora Child- ren's party may be adapted to holiday festivities. At a children's party. a good way to designate the places of the little folks at table is to take a good sized sugar cookie. cover the top with a thin ic- ing, either white or chocolate, and with a pastry ing and tube write out with icing, in a ccntrustingcolor, the given name or initials of each child. A brush dipped in chocolate may take the place of the tube. The children always find it rare fun to hunt up their places by this dainty device. Decorate the table prettin using plenty of flu“ ers. and giiriiishing every dish tastefully with parsley or other greens used especially for that pur- pose. . A unique arrangement for holding salt or bonbons may be made eaSily. and will add much to the appearance of the table. Take egg-shells. broken in two. with the edges as smooth as possible. and glue the bottom of each to a circular piece of cardboard about the size of a quarter dolla . Be sure that the shells are carefuly cleaned and the edges gilded if liked. although. if made tolerably even, the gilding may be omitted. Cut leaves from tissue or crepe pa er of varying tints of pink, and :1 9w a tender green. Curl the edges like the petals of a rose, then glue the base of the egg shell in such a way that the pinkest petals come nearest the shell, curling up around it, while the paler deck the outside, and the green leaves conceal the base. Shades of yellow can be used With good effect and the little shell will look as if seat- ed in the heart of a greadchrysan- th‘emum. After a little practice. these dainty notions can be made easily and quickly, and are a great. addition to the appearance of the table. The birthday cake is naturally the most important feature of the occa- sion, and should always be honored with a conspicuous place on the table. round loaf admits of the most elabor- ate decoration, and should be iced in any pattern desired, and garnished with flowers. Colored tapers in tin standards may be grouped about the cake, fastened t ociroular pieces .of cardboard, which should be cpvered With a dainty napkin or fringed tissue paper. The candles should correspond in num- ber to the child's years. In addition to the other prnamentaq tions, the date of, the birth and of the present anniversary may be trac- ed in the centre of the cake either in colored frosting or in candies. A CHRISTMAS MEDITATION. Christmas becomes everyone's day. Childhood can have no monopoly of it, though His child life inspires it. Chris- tians are not its sole possesnors while they are its only true interpreters. Youth can not claim the whole of it. even while its exuberance gives it its chief natural emphasis. There are cur- rents bencath the surface motion into which the plumme_t meditation must. plunge, to note their eXistcnce and de- termine their direction. To the old it is a day of reminiscence. of comparison. of the resurrection of loves and joys, buried under the slowly thickening mold of the years. To them andto the middle aged it brings: sur- prises in the marks of change in mind. body custom and place. Even asil write these words memory resurrects a toyless morning, an undecorntcd church, a consolentious secularizirig of the day by a stern but holy Puritan, who yield- ed to the Advent geniality only in a more bountiful provision for the table. Faces “that we have loved and lost awhile' reappear in the magic photo- graphs of undying affection. Voices of sweetness and strength made vibrant by my sorrows and my unsubdued long- ings, whisper and cry to me tromthe summoned past. Ideals once dominant, now but the sad-faced ghosts of fail- ure, floet up to measure their little- ness, and alas! it. may be their stalwart- ness, by present; attainment. Nothing, perhaps, so much marks the changes as the strength of the events now needed to awaken the exhilaration or surprise. It is pathetic to see how little it takes to startle the youth or the maid into Ecsgacy. how much less the boy and tr . But it is just here that the Christ Child does one of his noblest works in becoming the bond of sympathy1 be- tween the young and the mature. Mothers taughtliyihe Virgin mother ponder these things in their hearts more than men. That He who was the \Vord and therefore the expression of the dwine thoughbof mercy and redemp- tion humbled himself to our low estate, smiled from his wide-open e'es upon the gifts of the Wise Men on on those who brought them; these are the ten- der yet mighty guaranties of the vzilut of childhood in all Christian homes. As love watches the unfolding of mind and heart. youth takes on dignity by the questions He asked the doctors of the temple. and young manhood has an add- ed grace throu h the record of his toil- ing with Joscp and his emergence and triumph through the attest of the Heavenly Dove. The youn in our homes do not know the (leiti and in- terest and the purity of af ection with which they are enriched, because He was born. Through love's 'oys and pains they must come to t is know- ledge, and its refinin discipline can never reach them unti the lower love has taken on spiritual illumination and beauty through his transforming touchâ€"Bishop D. Goodsell. Chicken Picaâ€"Cut a {at hen up and stew till you can pick the meat from the bones with a fork, remove the chicken, make a rich gravy in the pot. Haven crust in the bakepan made of one pint of flour, one-dial! teaspoonâ€" ful of salt. one teaspoonful of baki . powder, two good tablespoonfuls o lard. water to form a dough. Fill the pie with a layer of chicken. a layer of sliced hard-boiled eggs. till all is in. usually four eggs to a chicken, then pour the gravy over, cover With a top crust and.bake to a nice brown. Veal pie made in the same way is very fine or if your chicken is not large,~luse veal with it: stew. them together/find few can tell that it is not all chicken. .v. ...... W w ......â€"......_.. A... -MW 4.-.. .. ._-_.~__.._.. “A... ........