Silence--Bane or Blessing? (W. E. D.) "I think the first virtue is to re- Strain the tongue; he approaches near- est the gods who knows how to be Silent, even though he is in the right." Thus wrote Cato, Roman praetor, 200 years. before Christ. And silence has been on the pedestal of praise ever since. Scholars have commended it. Poets have sung its glory. Its excellence has been de- clared in the subtle authority of fam- iliar proverbs. "Still waters run deep," and "silence is golden." These are the grounds, or perchance the de- lusions, (upon which reputations for wisd0m have been built.) And everybody will be quick to ac- knowledge the value of silence, every- body who has been bored by proud parader of encyclopaedic knowledge. everybody who despises the idle gos- siper, everybody who tires of the thoughtless chatterer. There is a well-known river which is 2,000 miles long, six inches deep and widest at the mouth. People who are built on similar proportions are as valueless to society as the river' La Platte is worthless for commerce, But silence is not always golden. Sometimes it is empty and ignorant. Sometimes it betrays a _ disposition that is cynical and weak and _ sour. Sometimes it is the mark of lurking suspicion and contemptible forboding. "The hates and antipathies that bury themselves in silence are deadly and cancerous." Silence is oft-times the cloak of fear and weakness-- the wise "They are slaves who fear to speak For the fallen and the weak; Hatred, scoffing and abuse, Rather than in silence shrink, From the truth they needs think." After all the praises and glories of silence have been sung, we must ac- knowledge the fact that it is speech that reveals the speaker. What great- er gift has man than the spoken word? "There is a time to talk,' says the wise writer of Ecclesiastes. When words break the silence of thought great souls become discovered treas- ure chests making the world rich. When the dreams and visions of great poets, statesmen and thinkers become articulate in speech thirsty multitudes drink at the refreshing fountains, and the arid fields become pools. Through the enduring power of speech in the literature of the world nations rise to greatness, religious creeds are dis- semenated afar, civilization moves for- ward on a rolling tide. But the faculty which is the great distinction between men and brutes may be abused. There are times that call for silence. It is better to be sil-. ent when it is another person's turn to speak. There is no greater folly than that of one person in a group of half a dozen monopolizing the whole privilege of conversation. It is better must Make Your Gift Electrical Beauty and utility combined, with just the right price range, make the purchase of an electrical gift something to be recalled with pleasure by both donor and recipient. More and more the tendency is to give presents that last, and what to be silent when a meaningless con- versation is holding up the traffic of great ideas and busy plans. There is no person quite so annoying as the person who holds you in suspense when a dozen duties call you, branch- ing out into endless digressions, one story reminding him of another that he will tell when he gets through. It is better to be silent when self is the topic of conversation. Nobody wants to hear the whole history of an- other in a single sitting, including the various rheumatic symptoms and the endless affairs of home and work and love. It is better to be silent if there is nothing good to be said. Dean Swift used to say that nobody in con- versation should every say a thing which one of the company could rea- sonably wish had been left unsaid. Let silence hold back the empty thought, the evil word, the uncharit- able statement. But let the slender wires of speech communicate with candid and straight forward expres: sion, the convictions formed by seri- ous study. Let living words tell of friendship, of love, of great longings, of noble thoughts, of high and bene ficient purposes. gift could give more lasting service than one of our electrical appliances? We would like to call your attention to the new line of coffee percolators, which we have just received. These are made in the well-known and artistic Grecian Urn design and are lower in price this year than ever before. From the guaranteed electric curling irons, selling at $1.50, up to our batteryless radios, we have a stock and price range which are unequalled. A special display of table and boudoir lamps at surprising low prices, complete one of the finest displays ever shown at the Hydro Shop. STORE OPEN EVENINGS HYDRO SHOP Phone 1278 The People's Store. wooD gis COAL «x: COKE) Our Stock is the Newest and Best a use That We Have Ever Shown Do your Christmas shopping here. Come in any time 198 Nelson Street Phone 176 and look around. People say that our Prices are most Reasonable. Highest Class Christmas Cards and Freshest in Moir's EULUNATTNAEEEEEATTUUET THEME ||| Chocolates. = Peter & Sylvester WAHL PENS SONY ODE = Will do your Repairs in CHRISTMAS PAPETRIES amteiiae Sesrouieh = Plumbing Heating = YARDLEY'S "TOILET GOODS COMPACTS = Electric = PERFUMIZERS CIGARS AND CIGARETTES : Phone 210 12 Ontario : : ? PTC BARKER S DRUG STORE SEE AND HEAR THE NEW C. G. E. MODEL 17, 6-TUBE A. C. ELECTRIC RADIO Complete with tubes $215 Complete with tubes $215 This is the first showing of this wonderful radio. M. 1. Higgins Electric and Radio Co. Phone 30 151 Qntario St. FOR REAL RADIO SERVICE Se a ---- ooo Humor Hits in Little Bits By "Doc" ------ i 'There should be "no parking" signs for shoppers placed in the Stores and on the sidewalks during the Christmas rush. * * * Just seven more shopping days and as usual we don't know what to buy for the wife. * * * We used to know a girl who was so disobedient that she wouldn't even mind her own business. * * * One of the greatest games during the Christmas season is trying to live within your income. * a * Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight. We just read a mar- ket report of twenty years ag0, which included turkeys at eighteen cents per }b., and at that they were considered dear. * * * If you are in love you cannot ex- pect to get much advice or sympathy from a bachelor or spinster. * ca * "Did yer 'usband get the job 'e went after?" "Naw, 'e went and yawned just as 3 ? they were about ter give it to 'im. * * * The police arrested a local motor- ist the other evening and when the magistrate asked why the Man was arrested the policeman said because the driver was lit up and the car wasn't. %* * * Mother told Tommy he had been @ very bad boy and that she had pun-|. ished him to impress it on his mind. "But, mummy," said Tommy, "aren't you mistaken as to the posi- tion of my mind?" * * * If your lips would keep from slips, Fine things observe with care; To whom you speak, of whom you speak, And how and when and where. cd me * Lawyer--"The prisoner claims his wife was intractable, your honor, so he beat her into subjection with a golf club." Judge, very much interest--"In how many strokes?" : 6. 8'.s A son at college wrote to his fath- er: "No mon, No fun, Your son." Father replied: "How sad, too bad, your dad." "So you wish to marry my daugh- ter? Are you able to support a fam- ily?" "Yes, sir. "Now think again, There are seven of us." a What a great difference one let- I think so." young man. liner wirelessed that they had passed through a terrible storm and were singing, but when the bulletin appear- ed it read: Passed through a ter- rible storm and are sinking. * - ™* And that's that! -0.K. Repair Shop 16 Douro St. We will gladly call for your shoes. Skates Sharpened and Galosh- es Repaired. NORMAN HOHNSTEIN Phone 1154W A CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE That contains delightful dainties formulated and made with the greatest care is our Christmas Fruit Cake. Then you are made happy by the thought that the worry in the making it is left to someone else. Our name is in itself sufficient guaran- tee that it will be all that yourself or your guests will expect. Use Order now for delivery any time before Christmas. the phone or leave your order personally. T.V.B. BREAD CO. Phone 2345 56 Huron St. "Just over the river" FUNERAL SERVICE R. WHITE & CO. 80 Ontario Phone 33 Night 376, DON'T SUFFER EZO Will positively relieve the worst case of ECZEMA J. S. RUSSELL Registered Architect | Phone 1533F Gordon Block C.C.M. Tube Skates McPherson Hockey Shoes. Grinding Skates a specialty. Open every evening Phone 781j W. E. McCARTHY ] ) Phone 781J "Wellington St. ) --~-- Let us figure on instal- COAL ANTHRACITE COAL POCAHONTAS, Egg Size Red Jacket, Egg Size Solvay Coke Cornish Coal Co. Phone 44 ling a New Furnace - for you or replacing your old one, at prices that is right with workmanship and material the best. = --| L. COOK 110 Downie St. Phone 175 Plumber and Electrician Paper Hanging and Painting Wallpaper at all prices. Just now we are offering some Down&Fieming Funeral Service Rooms 94 Ontario St. _DOWN fel. 308 Phone 314 ME Peemane Tel. 311 special bargains. C. MACE 157 Front St. READ Phone 810F THE ADS. ter will make. For instance, a great ) D THE ADS. The Quinte Gold Mines, Ltd. Authorized Capital $1,000,000 Just a few days ago our mining superintendent re- ported that at the 200 ft. level ore is to be found in solid masses, and stock selling at only $1.00 per share at present. An opportune time to buy. We have also a limited amount of stock in the Kingston McRae Mines Ltd. ee Get in the ground floor at 180. ve D. A. McCLOY, - Mining Broker ' Rooms 3 and 4 Gordon Block, Stratford = emt re a ees Telephone 2367