pee THE VALLEY OF VISIONS A Story of the Great War. By ESTELLINE BENNETT. “Why with rou?” ai wouldn’t dance with a man in, mufti wouldn't she dance “Dia she say so?” “Not to m The little French girl big! dark-haired chap with the ah blue} eyes hurried rough the vourt! of the Ch ‘the sfumpahing snow until the v OH te were lost inthe eee tink. of Quebec's sleigh bells; on past ce d’Armes, tl ers and their high-back sleighs. They jst ‘ae they camel to the ace and sentry offered |< them a perfunctory tact. the man’s smoldering wrath broke cal” Back of it was a hurt ath to cover. That ite blonde English hoe dancing pa the men in khak’ 8 the girl tal been aiceatoice abort out in the far places for near! The dream} could not die suddenly wiht a hurt, The thing “een ia wai axed his “Why ‘should an Irishman fight for Engl Ww re inde echoed the girl be- site nn softly, “or a French-Cana- oo man seemed not to hear her. His mind and heart were full of the unhappy land of his fathers. wrong!” His lifted eyes were caught by the gorgeous proud flag floating ove bai and he looked great war goes? antry nothing to hope for, then neither has she porting to he seemed to remem- ber his companion for the first time. “You French—of course you don’t care for England either, but there is Franc is France’s war. too. It's more important to France than to| England. Aren't you keen for the Allies? The girl shook her head ou" slowly. only religion. toaaken tukourselves = fag a few yoars ago, a French-Canadian ‘tag. nit the Sacred Heart. Our religion, pr gio thi and mother and I—we think he should “But suppoee the Allies lose?” “Eh bi ” she shrugged her slim little sey Pl under their rich furs, , is one tyrant worse than the other?” “Oh!” He gave a little whistle of surprise. “But I heard your Li ant-Governor say, and he ii a jue- bec owed more than any Soe Regence ad own teegoece: her| i le says. dians think differently. They say that for those concessionsywe gave our romise not to eck ape A And we we kept did not The girl nodded to a man in khaki just back from the front ‘oonded that he and Pierre had worked er one pies out along He wee of a adian Pacific in: and the girl y astenad their Mae a lit- it me-—not in so ae Maen ; promise fo chy: Great “Britain's patties,” pro The young engineer remembered togeth- the Cani He faltering steps of who had grown ga in a few see months in Fla e had tales ped to pe on his eee the corner of a house and rest “Ah, tarry he gree in sud- ar Mademoiselle im? ‘tk is so very long ie with them and they oe Teles weep to: Ge is aad |torgot the Srosty. cold they had been ” he said sally in wer to thei pee eer inquiries “Qua ob mislege wae oretiy Delp alt up but they saved it and it’s getting trying bear eRe for the ques- Out wher del the British had built,'it came sud- denly. “Pierre, why do you get out fight and get yourself all shot ap like! this for England?” re and! asis 01 z or ee back, facing the shadowy range of the Lau in pits the ends and fastened them in the name of the country PEt ahee ae tell you,” he sa, “if you'll treason in itself. | believe what I tell’ you. It is hard for Magee looked at a moment, people to ae os "ike this ye be- with slow wonder in his face. Then' lieve it. tn’t I peak| his eyes, into which, in spite ae his rey isn’t a story, to be bandied about and ffed at.’ ake service in the trenches a1 onous painful months ip all kinds of at ifals, there hi no weari-/ nor fatigue, wandered across the cold blue-purple stretch of mansard-| only the sleigh-bell- -punetured silence for sever: for his answer—the hot-blooded young’ “It was a regiment of angels that turned defeat into astounding victory.” along. The Doctor says I'll be able to get back again before such an awful n| time,” Slowly as the wounded man's-crut- Z| ches pounded on the hard snow, they peligh on wat is-olt Huse Srhare British officers. were goartered, that once een the gift corrupt Tnteptianit-e9 eourupe tn. life's fande- mentals past the nd ese where ippad'/e e children y 'Y | skting down the pais <a, thong the old St. Louis gat e Es- planade and the F Parliament aiding 5 af where ce Nee starts on its ig lovely way to the St. seule road se the Pla ins d’Abraham. A dda group of snow- gt) their-piecturesque mes of scarlet- endings Mlaaikat eats: tuques, leg- gings, sash an occasins, tramping down the middle of the street, Ne ed Pierre of something that ‘im. “It's funny how little a capes in England know about us,” he in s—_| He laughed with the ‘athena ‘that an no war nor si wdghip ror ci take away from the Tprene oe Canadian, especially ‘hac ba Has Teiah binod i veins. “One of them asl me which we found the better protection for our cold feet in the cold See winter, snow-shoes or mockazins.” — ronounced the last word swith strong accent on the middle syllable, His amusement was so spontaneous the manner in which he told other 78 and the little French ‘el listened in wonderment, O’Brien all the time son of Ireland and the girl who had her revered religion. “Te-that what you thine Li Larry? Is it\that you think we're fighting for the Empire?” “What else?” ‘They had come to the convent of the White Nuns and without speaking had Christmas would’ not be ral moments while they waited | me the vision it was a re know what Pa talking ais and it seo! Wonderingiy they promised and angels in the sky that day they. tell . re were three and they watched all through the battle. Every- bo and that is fought on to oe in spite of over- whalming odds. The first time I saw shadowy but pr astounding \ victory. ua er the angels but they felt a sup- power and their horses halt-| a ae eee Tike horses of an unexpected precipice. They never could explain that defeat though Ber- lin called for an explanation. It was so amazing. One of the prisoners we took said it was uncanny; “Another time we didn’t know what turned the cavalry only a pitifal little abn one-regiment line. stare ‘“‘Gharge your alties|#@ said; ‘How could we charge your lines witha that cavalry massed behind “I saw that regiment of sees one piker time ead agaia a velit talked about it. ‘Who was the man riding at the head of that regiment he asked, tie Oke _we<con ldn’t hit A I the. ae of the one coming towa1 white and I thought it was a at the internes but by the time he ire wae, tad lode cpnectour: When I Se ae I was as are this Hoan tie still ping seat there not saying anything. head a little and looked at him and then I saw he was hur “You're wounded too). I said. ‘You're wounded in the palm of your SE “And then He spoke! ‘That’s an old wound,’ He said, ‘that’s been reopened lately. it agian’ id have been with she sWephierds "whew “the aaigel he Lord came down and glory shone around.” re a on the lefields a "Belg ium about which all the world was The Accor that Ancient Re- cord, man has never been with- out his heavenly visitors. Pri- officers and chaplains have spoken and written with conviction neerning the Is of At this ene) time Christmas of 1919 we bow our heads in reverent thankful- ness.—The Editor. The three walked on awed =~ still ia - sie A ve. poe Lawren edral and i just. beard the an for the elevation, Cia the. ee RE build- ing and coe through the old St. Louis gate, silent with a silence that not the eranchin; he snow ni of sleigh bells nor the shout; children skiing down the on to the Esplanade, touched even remotely. And then the soldier spoke again, the hush gone from his voice and the color tah ed to his face. “Wh: orld war is not a fight for aie flag nor any count my, thing than ai here while his brothers go to war? low does he di The little eae girl dropped her eyes o crossed herself. The Irishman in mufti looked up at. the Pre above the barracks and saluted. s You know Pierre, don’t y Holiday Sweets Cocoanut Balis—1° cup shredded cocoanut, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 4 tea- spoons peanut butter. Mix all in a bowl, shape into inch balls with the hands, put on paraffin paper and set In the ice box or a cold place to in Swe pound figs, 1 cup wali ins, 44 teaspoon alt. through the fruit mixture. Sift a little corn starch’ on the molding keep from sticking to the 5 and ixture into a long roll one da half in diameter. Slice pe slices one-fourth inch thick. The | may be rolled in grated cocoanut | 4) itor slicing. Maple Creams—4 cups maple sugar, 2% cups water, 4 tar, © @ sugar and the Water slowly in a porcelain kettle, Add the cream of tartar when the mixture be gins to boil. Keep the crystals down from the sides of the pan during the cooking by wiping down with a small wet cloth, Test the mixture and when th 't ball stage is reached pour on- large wooden spoon until the mixture sets up, then hands and knead until it is creamy all through. Put in an carthen bowl, cover with a moist cloth and Jet stand mn the under side, also * flattening the bal Hl, Victory Caramels—2 cups extracted | honey, 1 cup nuts, 1 square chocolate, | from different nuts. Pour into buttered shallow pi lark off into half-inch squares when nearly cool. Molass idy—1 cup molasses, 1 tablespoon butter, %4 teaspoon soda. ook slowly together the molasses a1 the butter until the crack stage is reached when tested in cold water. Add the soda, and remove amie the fire. Cool, flavor with a1 flavor desired and whén cool ent to itt be util it begins fO se Cut int pieces with eit ead wrap PRS piece in paraffin paper. Stuffe $1 pound dates, 1 cup nut meats. Wash the dates thorough- ly, make a lengthwise cut in one side nd Yemove thé stone. Insert a nut meat in the place where the date stone el press the sides of the cut gett Boil by sugar. “iby Jack—1 eu led pop corn. salt to taste, 1 cup oe syrup, 1 sales spoon vinegar, -Pop the corn popper, being careful not to aa the kernels before they all pop. An iron fry pan with a cover may be used in place of the wire popper if necessary, Salt the freshly poppe well. il the syrup and the vinegar slowly until when tried in cold water it hard- e | corn evenly, stir ce the shelled pea- Duta and let cool. Balls may be made of tiie mOxCane if liked, ut the work has to be done rather aquiakty and by wetting the hands the work is easier. Nut Maple Roll—i%4 pet pea- nuts, maple cream fondant (as given eats. maple crea: into shape the second day, shape some of it into cylinders three inches long and an inch in diameter. Leave the and the chopped nuts. Any kind of nuts may be used and many diftetent Kinds of caramels. will result gy yaing d, These nut rolls are considered very choice and sell in’ most tonfectioner’s nix | pe en’s choicest choristers borne eartt-| pound. Use the kind of nuts you have nearest at home and those you can get the cheapest. oo . Christmas, 1917, in the Holy Land. They are coming out of see and they nd the captains calling, on!” and “Clear the They have taken Gath and Ashdod and old Ascalon as well, The places where the Phitotings sO. They smite the Hun as~David smote Goliath of old Gath: with joy for Christ: They oe in the Holy ‘City with a rds may say, God veer ss qe Crusaders! away He led pitts qantas. Jerusalem fs ft jana Earth’s First Christmas ite desert, and Greeting. As shepherds kept their lonely watch The midnight darkness on Judean slopés was suddenly swept back by God’s glory— and lost eae Tues gence— calmed byt the ape of the Lord bear- ing good tidings of great joy ‘to all ity multitudes of hea n Eg 's Glory Song declaring Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men—Earth’s wise men stood spell- bound in adoration—Prophetic visions led before realization—Prophecies were fulfilled and the redemption They have entered is apy Christmas-tree ornaments can be at- tradtively attached to the tree with small spring clothespins decorated in ga? paper. ‘m the ‘was all in| dor 7 1920—I Am Resolved. That down through the days of the fear ‘To hdd just a bit to my fellows’ cheer, To brighten some path ere the months \ re spent, To lighten a load for a bagk that’s: nt, - SS Or hap’ly by word or token or deed ee hare and strength to a soul eed. ri cad ‘ie worth while if I only may Hold a tiny light o'er a gloomy way. ‘Twould/be i a tana midst the surging And out-of anes Beart pour a won- rous song ‘That munis move the world to nobler And Lighten oe hearts that are filled That wou “that mankind with- its iris swt And fea men nearer the Saviour’s fee’ Yet iain be worth while if a few may e I've helped a little to brighten their way, BR Reece Christmas Memoranda. Day—Christmas Day not of the twenty-fifth of December would wouldn't seem Christ. yet in the early centuries of Christianity January 7th Christm: e Eastern Church did not come tt tine with the Western, which had d December 25th, for over four ae years. Armenian Church keeps. Christmas Day in January, on the day when the rest of Christendom is keeping a dif- ferent festival, that of th The B = & actual day and month of that event is ot know cember 25th is not the actual day. 3 The patett. areneurciing put the year as B.C. 4, the month as not later than Febtuaty, e old name for Christmas is the Festival of the Nativity, which is still its official title, the Prayer-book add- ing, a , “commonly called Christmas Day.” The Pudding—The popular Christ- mas pudding is, comparatively speak- It is simply the suc- out of knowledge by of aboard ship, cookery. It was liked, @s an experiment and from being the Pee eae pudding for Christ-|. as Day, if read to the shore, and rapidly qiceae very popular. The Christmas-box.—Many and vari- ous are the explanations given to the| 4 beginning of this custom. have had its rise in the early days of Christianity in Rome. es, made of pottery, were placed near the altars at Christmas-time, an in puss pin the people placed money which were afterwards aistvinated acne the apprentices. The custom spread and reached Eng. land, and under varying conditions ft has been kept up. ‘he day on which the gifts were made became known as Boxing Day, = though the boxes have ceased, name remains. "The Turkey.—It is sad to say that turkey: no connection with the celebration of Christmas. It happens that December; in the natural order of hatching and rearing, sees them at ae Heine, we roast them, That The Mistletoe, —To find the origin of kissing under the mistletoe we have to turn to Scandinavian mythology, al- though the mistletoe, under the Druids in Britain, was greatly venerated, and fforts have been made to connect this e| 2nd the kissing. December. The whole world is a Christmas tree, And stars its ie) The year's great feast in keeping! For once ona December night ra angel held a candle bright And led three wise men by its light To where aChild was sleeping. Son—“Who were” Santa Claus’ an- cestors?” Pa—“Oh, I dare say he's from some of the for ten cents a roll or ninety cents a of a lost ALi 4 iuhcts Sa tor “CHRIST WAS lost branci *hrstmas-tree,” We’ elto the family nights Tenge and longer, feared tl gino. They mek sine a great et, Phat god of! green fir rei stood, just war Ade thunder. sprung from the yery place Eth the northern Europe an under the trees, where tho gee fs turn (ay ae the foot of the Thu heathens, re nifeed be watched. oe a stroke from ‘Tor oat Christmas Facts. The turkey has formed a Christmas dish in Bngland ever since its intro-| duction in 1524. Christmas pantomime was first Introduced into Mngiand in 1792 by.a dancing-master dorn, and in Denmark and Sweden Christtorn, Plum-pudding was aadieally a sort of thick porridge with plums in it, ant was poe in the sense of OE maent 0 or Boe cee and Epiphany were once celebrated as one and the same feast, pastry images and sweetmeats given to the Fathers of the Barly Church at Rome on Christmas Eve. They used to be called “minched” pie: The first Christmas carol was the well-known hymn, “Gloria in Excelsis,” sung by the angels to ti shepherds at Bethlehem on the morning, The first papted one was published in Hngland in 1521, out three o’clock on the ‘morning ot Christman Day, in some parts of Wales, the people assemble in church, psalms and hymns until daylight wns. This is called “the crowning of the Bias Waits name originally given to Bernictals attached to the King’s Court, whose duty it was to guard the streets at night, and pro- claim th ur. also in the wi habit of serenading the inhabitants as well, hoping at Christmas to receive thelr rewa Christmas mee in some perp i. Engla: TEe as all day, aes tt will Been on r the coming y¢ should they fail a their light, They used to be presented by the poor as gifts to the rich. SS oe GEES Wrapping Christmas Gifté. A Gaintily wrapped Christmas gift is twice as welcome as a holiday par- cel that looks as if it were hastily tled up hit and miss style. Indeed, doesn’t an attractively wrapped pac! gest more personal thought from the giver There are more ways of wrapping gitt, mies rs be. chi ribbon, use pale blue t! with white ribbon ath thet d @ spray and, after prayers and a sermon, sing | for with red ri titted with the baking a and 2. Tu and thickness, place on ‘sug-| bi bite until a light bro up Christmas presents nowadays than! merely swathing them in white tissue! paper, tying them with red ribbon and| The senate: oe place at the Coun-} seals. Below gre suggested five dite cil of Nic erent Mince a8 es =e derived from the| 1. © holly decorated paper. napkin. oe nthe gift in the centre,’ draw the four corners up over it, give pe a een vir and tie with a tines is bow of ribb rap ith pale green tissue pap; er, tie. with white ribbon and thrust! a spring of augeaine in the bow knot,| Inty blue and white coon or acetal Wh 4 4. Use white holly stamped pape paper, a bel or a photograph, and tle, 6. For ta Snoaes orgeous cut) ness bon. —_r Plain Sugar Cookles. ) cupful shortening, 1 cupful sugar, Cream the shortening, adi near gradually, then add the well eaten egg, milk and flour mixed an ‘urn out on board roll lightly to pent inch sheet and bake an a pyc may be used in place Pon two it ia flour is use Nut, dolis “in pune endene variety are ht easy @ comical | ti ‘peanut Cunaten: select a ate pea- ee for the head and body. With long darning needle, string two halt an in the Next, paint the face with water colors, giving it the almond-shaped eyes and insert a pig tail of braided black twist in the back of the head. doll in a blouse of bright silk and gather it ‘s a sure-'nuff Peanut Dolly, xl Chinese and very folly, legs. | m pair of loose trousers and | as} be securely sewn. to th head in white lace pa) Wee Christmas Dole neck, Mee a pute bonnet on the ‘iny a boy doll ¥ boiiph, substitute trousers for the give it a broad-brimmed atey ee for arms, which should body with trong. white cotton. Dress the doll before adjusting the er and make clothes as daintily as. mg fasten the tee fe glue an Sine. it ts Jolnea with a frill of white Finish tl @ costume with an’ 's cap, also of paper, and tle a bestipd the chin with narrow baby rib-| voila made from clothespins sound, very commonplace, and yet if proper; ly made they are most delightful play, things. known to-day, for ia Fi ae are what, Years. ago they were better, wh and appreciated than they | oui close to the neck. The blouse can be much improved if a border of con- trasting color finishes the A hickory-nut Quakeress is another feet. Cut this out carefully and stitch on the machine, filling it with cotton wool, Next select a large white hic- kory nut for the head and glue it firm- ly in place on the body. With black sae draw in the face and be sure to e {t a demure expression. Dress itl: doll in a simple drab gown and ar- range a white kerchief around the aes repralece ‘a baby Two dolls of this kind, dressed ly alike like twins, will prove a delightful gift for en little g with, To make one of these dolls, take a clean ne’ novelty. ma folded piece of | msi white muslin, the outline body of a| arms, made from one of the split ends) doll six inches long with hands and] cut in two, Mark on the smooth en 2 peat clothespin thé” doll’s face and it in.some thin white material, in long clothes. exact: and placed in a tiny cradle irl. girls ae make these dollies for ‘thelr friends, \ Long, long years ago when the days/ all ere getting the peopl young man a travel through} oak seeing altars to be guarded ‘by the mighty | home ar Oak, a Ken bright fire burned; in the ke: 4 youn boy about to be sacrificed to then Thor. In the midst of the cae of} gar’ to cut down| eut fartacr and farth-| they re 1. ald Kill Pui Mecchonmat swags the cnipy tow hem shorter and shorter, the) heard in the top branch requires not ‘asccificas: around, A somes Lat groaned and with a ioe crash fell t the sun would cease tol to the rae split in four pieces. . But just ind the tres a aie} had been. before. Straight, and | graceful was the fir rah its F rgaeed “hie He 'txea. to. the fered sacrifices to their: god, young man, to spend hig life teaching ea ‘fake, child: of the Tt shall be your nt Many years preaching and] tee; it i neal of peace! For teaching, but few gt up their rel-| Your houses are built of it, igion. One cold winter's night toward “Tt is the eign of endless life for the e year, he went into the, its leaves are green.* See! It points forest par the people gathered to) heavenwai celebrate, and were about to offer) “Gather about it, ae fn the ah pet under thé Thunder Oak, be-| woods, but in your homes, where it 0) Take it t> the f the chieftain. You shall no Milger' go to the shadows of the forest cep your festivals, You shall keep at home with laughter and song.” )So they took the little fir tree to Ei nie of Guiidhar, the chiof, where set the tree.in the Aste: Ss the Winifred stood \ a! fe the ‘hall and told the ee. of See te- while the people listened ! silence.