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at It was the weex before Christmas, and the First Reader Class in a lower East Mide school had almost to a man deâ€" dided on the gifts to be lavished on Temcher." she was quite unprepared for any such observance on the part of ber small adherents, for her first of her small adherents, for her study of the roll book had shown ;li;oi;; roll book had shown her that its numerous Jacobs, Isidores and Rachels belonged to a class ‘to which Christmas Day was much as other days. But Morris Mogilewsky, whose love tor Teacher was far greater than the combined loves of all the other chilâ€" dren, had udct no present to bestow. That his "kind feeling‘‘ should be withâ€" out proof when the lesser loves of Isiâ€" dore Wishnewsky, Sadie Gonorowsyk and Bertha Binderwitz were taking the mibh but surprising forms which were y exhibited to his confidential gaye was more than he could bear. ‘ _ The knowledge saddened all his hour, and was the more maddening because It eould in no wise be shared by Teacher, who no.:tc:; W;;v;lm'b:uring and tried with all sorts of artful beguileâ€" ments to make him happy and at ease. But her efforts served only to increase his unhappiness and his love. And he loved her! Oh, how he loved her! Since first his dreading eyes had clung for & ZUPRY MmV Te CZCT T breath‘s space to her "like man‘s shoes" wnd had then crept tmidly upward past a black skirt, a "from silk" .Eon, a red "jumper," and "from gold" chain to her "light face," she had been mistress of his rt of hearts. That was more than three months ago. How well he remembered the day! His mother had washed him horribly, «nd taken him into the big red schoo!l house, so familiar from the outside, but so full of unknown terrors within. After his dusty little shoes had stumâ€" bled over the threshold, he had passed from ordeal to ordeal, until at last he "Why, my dear little chap, you mustn‘t ery like that. What‘s the matâ€" ter t The hand was gentle and the question kind, and these, combined with a hlng l2 Bineaian l 2. 0.0.4 Dt tm c atie i s P+ Whaiintnn C’r::-.' suggestive of drug stores and r shopsâ€"but nicer than eitherâ€" made him uncover his hot little face. Kneeling beside him was a lady, and he forced his eyes to that perilous asâ€" cent; from shoes to skirt, from akirt to j ,ho-ljumrtoh,they t.rde E dread unedr{:lnt{w"}\(lt the fuce they stopped â€"they hadsfound rest. Morris allowed himself to be gatherâ€" ed into the lady‘s arms and held upon her knee, and when his sobs no longer rent the very foundations of his pink und wide spread tie, he answered her question in a yoice as soft as his eyes, and as q:ntly said : "I ain‘t so big, and I don‘t know where is my mamma." air from his mother‘s skirts. He was then dragged through long lis and up tall stairs by a ‘"Y boy, ho spoke to him d{oddnlu ly as So, having cast his troubles on the shoulders of the lady, he had added his throbbing head to the burden, and from that safe retreat had enjoyed his first day at school immensely. Thereafter he had been the first to arrive every morning, and the last to leave every afternoon; and under the care of teacher, his liege lady, he had grown in wisdom and love and happiâ€" ness, but the greatest of these was love. And now, when the other boys and girls were planning surprises and gifts of price for Teacher, his hands were as o-‘ty as his heart was full. Appeal to his mother met with denial, prompt and energetic. "For what you go and make, over Christmas, resents? _ You ain‘t no Krisht ; you ncould better have no kind feelings over Krisths, neither; you papa could to have a mad." "Peacher ain‘t ne Krisht," said Morâ€" | ris, stoutly, "all the other fellows buys l her presents, und I‘m loving mit her ; |« it‘s polite I gives her })rnent- the while | i l'nJo'. such a kind feeling over her." |« "Well, we ain‘t got no money for buy |! nothing,"" said Mrs. Mogilewsky, sadly. | "No money, und you papa, he has all | times a scarce he shouldn‘t to get no | more, the while the boss""â€" and â€" here | followed incomprehensible, but depressâ€" | ing, financial details, until the end of | the interview found Morris and â€" his | mother sobbing and rocking in _ one | another‘s arms. So Morris was helpless, | his mother poor, and Teacher all unâ€" | knowing. | And now the great day, the Friday | before Christmas, has come and the | school is, for the first half hour, quite mad. Doors open suddenly and softly | to admit amall persons, clad in wondrous ways and bearing wondrous . parcels. Room 18, generally so ?luid and â€" so | Christmas Present For a Young Lady 2eeeetet wis, Ah . 205. t itP T cmlul. is a howling wilderness full of ightly _ colored, quickly changing grour of children, all whispering, all gurgling and all hiding queer bundles. 4& newcomer invariably causes a diverâ€" sion ; _ the assembled multitude, abtirst for novelty, falls upon him and clamâ€" ors for a glimpse of his bundle and a statement of its price. & l At » C rbglifhannp s e 0 B pnts c aunmeinioihe mraniy ~< lt + poxealP weangitiny Anll e nds s , he interview found Morris and his | Teacher‘s aspect is quite changed, and nother sobbing and rocking in _ one | the "blue long down like a lady dress" mother‘s arms. So Morris was helpless, |is almost hidden by the offerings she ris mother poor, and Teacher all unâ€" \had received. _ Jacob‘s comb has two nowing . | massive a}ul bejewelled rivals in the And now the great day, the Friday | "softy hair." ‘The front of the dress, vefore Christmas, has come and the | where aching or despondent heads are | choof is, for the first half hour, quite | WONt to rest, is glittering with campaign mad. Doors open suddenly and softly | buttons of American celebrities, beginâ€" o admit small persons, clad in wondrous Ni"& With James G. Blaine and extendâ€" ways and bearing wondrous â€" parcels. | ‘"K into modern history as far as Patâ€" Room 18, generally so placid and . so |rick Divver, Admiral Dewey and Capâ€" aceful, is a howling wilderness full of | ‘*‘" Dreyfus. Outside the blue belt is ci(ltly colored, _ quickly changing | a \.\.'lnte one, nearly clean, and bearing groups of children, all whispering, | all | in "sure ‘nough golden words" the curt l"rl’ri‘lg and all hiding queer bundles. | but stirring invitation, "Remember the & newcomer invariably causes a diver | Maine. Around the neck are three tion! ‘the mesmbles muititude, antiset [Fhebiets of bruils ArQuONT OS chublt for novelty, falls upon him and clamâ€" |fingers and ‘emb(.)dymg much love, while ors for a glimpse of his bundle . and ‘“.“’ waistline is Aurther adorued . by a statement of its price. tiny‘ and beribboned aprons. Truly, it Teacher watches in dumb amaze. [** :\.g“’ of trm’mph. What can be the matter with the chilâ€" | en the waste paper basket . has dren?> They can‘t have guessed that the [been twice . filled with wrappings and h ;cmthing 1z the ine | twice emptied; when order is emerging fl‘ndq“.d-u tree?" What nak‘aun"them | out of chl_oa; when thg Christmas tree behave so queerly, and why do â€" they “:':i;“b:e; d“:.‘;:f:;dh‘"‘; its l":l““"s di;‘ 4* 3 ed, a timid hand is laid on teachâ€" look so strange? “‘{ seem ':’ “:;; | er‘s knee and a plaintive voice whispers, #rown stout in a Nee .. . "i" » 800 |"Say, teacher, I got something for you," P“ stout In eacher, as . she greatly. The explanat it comes in alar of revelry are p yell, and a pair 120 TB . Ahcamdrcicas ul We‘ !N'll stout in a single night, and eacher, as she notes this, marvels greatly. The explanation is simple, though it comes in alarming form. The sounds of revelry are pierced by a long, shrill yell, and a pair of agitated legs spring euddenly into view between two Lb. Teacher, rnhin’ to the rescue, . notes that the legs form the unsteady stem a# an unturned mushroom of brown a fat child â€"and Bertha was best des eribed as ""skinny‘‘â€" in a dress of the Otuart tartan, tastefully trimmed with and whitefaced de | purple. Investigation proves that Berâ€"| | tha‘s accumulated taste in dress is an | established custom. In nearly all cases the glory of holiday attire is hung upâ€" \ on the solid foundation of everyday : clothes, as bunting is hung _ upon & building. The habit is economical of time and products a charming embonâ€" point. Teacher, too, is more beautiful than ever. Her dress is blue and "very l:lg down, like a lady," with bands of i and scraps of lace distributed with the | eye of art. In her hair she wears & bow | otf what Sadie (Gonorowsky, whose father | "works by fancy goods," describes as |\ "black from plush ribbonâ€"costs ten | cents." Isidore Belchatosky, relenting, is the first to lay tribute before Teacher. He comes forward with a sweet smile and a tall candleâ€"stickâ€"the candy has gone to its long homeâ€" and Teacher for & moment cannot be made to understand that all that length _ of bluishâ€"white china is really hers "for keeps." "It‘s to morrow holiday," Isidore as ures her; ‘"and we gives you presents, the while we have a kind feeling. Canâ€" dleâ€"sticks _ could _ to _ cost twentyâ€"five cents." "It‘s a lie. Three for ten," _ says & voice in the background, but Teacher hastens to respond to Isidore‘s test of her creduilty : ‘‘Indeed, they could. This candleâ€"stick could have cost fifty cents, ud it‘s just what I wont. It is very good of you to bring me a present.‘" "You‘re welcome," says Isidore, retirâ€" ing, and then, the ice being broken, the First Reader class in a body rises to cast its gifts on teacher‘s desk, and its arms round teacher‘s neck. Nathan Horowitz presents a _ small cup and saucer; Isidore Applebaum beâ€" stows a large calendar for the year beâ€" fore last: Sadie Gonorowsky brings a basket containing a bottle of perfume, a thimble and a bright silk E:ndker- shief; Sarah Schodsky offers a g’enwip- er and a yellow celluloid collar button, and Eva Kidansky gives an elaborate nasal douche, under the pleasing deluâ€" sion that it is an atomizer, Once more sounds of grief reach teachâ€" er‘s ears. Rushing again to the rescue, she throws open the door and comes upon woe personified. Eva Gonorownk{, her hair in wildest disarray, her stockâ€" ing fouled, unâ€"gartered and downâ€"gyved to her ankle, appeared before her teachâ€" er. She bears all the marks of Hamâ€" let‘s excitement, and many more, inâ€" cluding a tearâ€"stained little face and a gilt saucer clasped to a panting breast. "Eva, my dearest Eva, what‘s hapâ€" pened to you now*" asks teacher, for the list of illâ€"chances which have befalâ€" len this one of her charges is very long. And Eva wails forth that a boy, a very big boy, had stolen her golden cug““what. I had for you by present," and has left her only the saucer and her undying love to bestow. Before Eva‘s sobs have quite yielded to teacher‘s arts Jacob Spitsky presses forward with a tortoiseâ€"shell comb of terrifying aspect and hungry teeth, and an air showing forth a determination to adjust it in its destined place, Teachâ€" er meekly bows her head; Jacob forces his offering into her longâ€"suffering hair, and then retires with the information, "Costs fifteen cents, teacher," and the courteous phraseâ€"by etiquette, prescrib. edâ€""Wish you health to wear it." He is plainly a hero, and is heard remarkâ€" ing to lessâ€"favored adnfrers that "teachâ€" er‘s hair is awful softy, and smells off iof perfumery." Here a big boy, a very big boy, enters hastily. He does not belong to room 18, but he has long known teacher. He has brought her a present; he wishes her a merry Christmas. The present, when produced, {roves to be a pretty gold cup, and Eva Gonorowsky, with renewed emotion, recognizes the boy as her assailant, and the cur as her propâ€" erty. Teacher is dreadfully embarrassâ€" ed; the boy not at all so. His policy is simple and entire denial, and in this he perseveres, even after Eva‘s saucer has unmistakably proclaimed its relaâ€" tionship to the cup. Meanwhile, the rush‘ of presntation . goes steadily on. Other cups and gau cers come in wild profusion. The Lesk is covered with them, and their wrapâ€" pings of purple tissue paper require a monitor‘s whole attention. _ The soap, too, becomes urgently perceptible. _ It is of all sizes, shapes and colors, but of tunilorm and dreadful power of perfume. "l‘eucher's ei"es fill with tears of gratiâ€" tude as each new piece or box is pressâ€" ed against her nose, and teacher‘s mind is full of wonder as to what she can |ever do with all of it. Bottles of perâ€" \fume vie with one another and with the | allâ€"pervading soap until the air is heavy | and breathing grows laborious, while pride swells the hearts of the assembled multitude. _ No other teacher has so \ many helps to the toilet. None other \is so beloved. "Say, teacher, I got something for you," and teacher turns (g;ickly to see Morris, her dearest boy charge, with his poor little body showing quite plainly beâ€" tween his shirtâ€"waist buttons _ and through the gashes he calls pockets. This is the ordinary costume, and the funds of the house of Mogilewsky are evidently unequal to an outer layer of finery. "Now, Morris, dear," says Teacher, "you shouldn‘t have troubled to get me a present; _ you know you and I are such good friends thatâ€"â€"" "Teacher, yis , ma‘am," Morris interâ€" rupts in a bewitching rising inflection of his soft and plaintive voice; "I knov: you got a kind feeling forâ€" me, and I couldu‘t to tell you even how I‘m m kind feeling for you. _ Only it‘s that kind feeling 1 should give you a present. 1 didn‘t"â€"with a glance at the crowded deskâ€""L didn‘t to have no soap or no perfumery, and my mamma, she couldn‘t to buy none by the .w-;o,l know"â€"and truly, God pity him! he is Ml:fie'mallâ€"“it ain‘t for boysâ€"it‘s for s. Over yesterday on the night comes my papa on my W‘gd he gives my mamma the present. Sooner‘ she looks on it, sooner she has & awful glad; in her eyes stand tears, and she says, like thatâ€"out of Jewishâ€"Thanks,‘ un‘ she kisses my papa a kiss. Und my papa, how he is polite! he saysâ€". out of Jewish, tooâ€"‘You‘re welcome, all right,‘ un‘ he kisses my mamma & kiss. o my mamma she sets and looks on the present, und all the time she looks she has a glad over it. Und I didn‘t to have no soap, so you could to have the present." "But did your mother say I might!?" ‘Peacher, no, ma‘m, she didn‘t u’ like that. She didn‘t to know. But it‘s for ladies, un‘ I didn‘t to have nothing. You could to look on it. It ain‘t for boys." ish watches her with eager, furtive eyes, dry and bright, until hers grow sudâ€" denly moist, when his promptly follow suit. . As she looks down at him he makes his moan once more: "It‘s for ladies, und I didn‘t have no “fiut, Morris, dear," cried teacher, unâ€" ‘ steadily, laughing a little, and yet not far from tears, "this is ever so much nicer than soapâ€"a thousand times betâ€" ter than perfume; and you‘re quite right, it is for ladies, and I never had one in all my life before. 1 am so very thankful." "You‘re welcome, all right. That‘s how my papa says; it‘s polite," says Morris, proudly. And proudly he takes his place among the very little boys, and loudly he joins in the ensuing song. For the rest of that exciting day he is a shining point of virtue in a slightly conâ€" fused class. And at 3 o‘clock he is at Teacher‘s desk again, carrying on the conversation as if there had been no interruption. L 4" hi. 0% MRsip ESCRET "Und my mamma," he says, insinuatâ€" ingly, "she kisses my papa & kiss." "Well?" says teacher. "Well," says Morris, "you ain‘t never kissed me a kiss _ und I seen how you kissed â€" Eva Gonorowsky. I‘m loving mit you too. Why don‘t you never kise me a kiss?" "Perhaps," suggests teacher, mischievâ€" ously, "perhaps it ain‘t for boys." But a glance at her "light face" with Its crown of surprising combs, reaséures him "Teacher, yis, ma‘m, it‘s for boys," he cries, as he feels her arms about him, and sees that in her eyes, too, "stands tears." â€""It‘s polite you kisses me a kiss over that for ladies‘ present." _ Late that night Teacher sat in her pretty roomâ€"for she was, unofficially, a greatly pampered young personâ€"end reveiwed â€"her treasures. She saw that they were very numerous, very touchâ€" Ing, very whimsical, and very precious. But above all the rest she cherished a frayed pinkish paper, rather crumpled and a little soiled. For it held the love of a man and woman and a little child, and the magic of a home, for Morrie Mogilewsy‘s Christmas present forhd‘lee PPDWe oC ons Seeee °t TH was the ;emipt for a month‘s restn for a room on the top floor of a Monroe street tenement. One time there was & little boy so naughty all the year His record was denominated shocking: So good St. Chris. observing this, remarked ‘"Too badâ€"dear, dear! I‘li have to put a switch in Willie‘s stockâ€" "He leased | "He leased his ma, displeased h come in late to school, And dropped his grandma‘s sp bust ‘em: Although I ain‘t a peevish saint I the rule And punish him acording to the So Christmas eve, with g:ck on @!0DY®, LBC Saint came down the flue Aâ€"blowing on bis fingers all aâ€"tingle; His beard was white, his smile was bright, as cheerful to his view He saw the stocking hanging by the ingle. He left a doll for Baby Moll, a book for sisâ€" ter Janeâ€" ‘Then suddenly his face grew sterm and chil‘a C y P e rne e pome tor As p&c CCC A wicked looking spanker labelled ‘Willte." "The Baint looked sad, ‘‘Too bad, too bad!" ha murmured with a sigh, U A moment through the bedroom peeping Where Molly lay and Jane the ga his cot nearby The naughty, naughty Willie was ""Think how forlorn toâ€"morrow . morn PRTTT PCO We Mttle chap will look.‘‘ He l:.M a teardrop down his nose ;-roll-s "A child enjoys a lot 0‘ toys, but ‘less I am mistook, A spanker ain‘t so awfully consoling." He thunk and thunk and wunk and wunk and hufied, "It‘s all a jokeâ€" ‘They un'fi sad when Santa Claus comes knoc t" ‘Then lustily @cross his knee the . wicked switch he broke And dropping a ellver watch in Willie‘s Then up the flue and up the flue ewift leapâ€" ed the sprightly elf To gere his merry relndeer stood aâ€"feedâ€" "T u)_’mfifl.hl:a,ith bgn." he said: "I‘ve i here Morris opens a hot, wet and discloses a tightly fo_ldcd Polâ€" We‘ll sing a song of Christmas, Its berries red, its bills. Its sloppy mud, its rain, its snow, Its many thousand ills. We‘ll eat the hot plum pudding, All floating in blue blazes, Which mystic light does burn so bright, Our eyes it almost dazes, And underneath the mistletoe We‘ll kiss our aunts and cou,inl, 4 A d . s8 . ca Bd Parwrast T Our wife, and all the pretty girls, We‘ll osculate in dozens, "Tis Christmas! Merry Christmas! And we‘ll assauge our grief By amply eating cold mince pie And underdone roast beef. We‘ll stand beneath the mistletos, We‘ll sit upon the holly, wWe‘ll fill the children‘s stockings full, And shout that we are jolly, And cheer to think it‘s Christmas, And eat all we can stuff. Till indigestion seizes us, And we cry, "Hold, enough!" So when the doctor calls next day, He finds us very queer; We give a groan and feebly moan, Then it is very clear, If Christmas daÂ¥ were once & week | We shouldn‘t long be here! . â€"Illustrated Bits. A bottle of milk, con! stocking 11 d cA i is dh c ol n nc h ts ctne i cth minnow, was recently delivered by Pittsfield, Mass., milkman to ome of epeeding! YULETIDE DOGGEREL. A Timely Hint. his back he took & â€"New York Globe. the gay, and io the custom." was aâ€"aleepâ€" must Obey the night is , the The Birth of Christ.â€"Matt. 2: Iâ€"l4. Commentary.â€"1. The coming of the wise men (vse. 1, 2.) 1. When Jesus was boruâ€"While the exact date of Christ‘s birth is uncertain there is NO reason why it may not have been on December 23, B. C. 5. But why do we say that Jesus was born "before Christ 2/ Simpâ€" ly because our calendar is incorrect. For some centuries after Christ‘s time there was no calendar in general use, but each nation dated from some event in its his> tory. Finally, in the sixth century, & learned monk, Dionysius Exiguus, Was uppointed to ascertain the time of C.hfllt’l birth, and it was ordered that history should be dated from that time. But Dionysius, who first pub‘:inhed his calculations in A. D. 526, put the birth of Jesus about â€"four years 109. late.. in Bethlehemâ€""House _ of br:,fd." *J > _ lotussa ASE CUTTORTEIRE _ RRCTCC T t name properly applied to p’plm‘e where the true gtesd was maniffested for the life of the world."â€"Clarke. Of Judeaâ€" To distinguish it from Bethichem in Galilee, mentioned to Josh. 19; 15. Herâ€" odâ€"â€"Herod the Great. He was an Idomâ€" ite, and although a proselyte to the Jewish _ religion, was notorious for his wickedness and cruelty. <HMe reigned 37 years in Judea and died a few months after the birth of Christ. Aty this time "the sceptre was departing from Judah, a sign that _ the Messiah was now at hand." â€" Wise imenâ€"Orâ€" magi. â€" "Originâ€" ally a class of priests among the Perâ€" sians and Medes, who, formed the king‘s privy counsel. ‘They were men of learnâ€" ing ‘and wealth. Augustine and Chrysâ€" ostom say there ware twelve bagi, but the common belief is that there were but three. But why were these magi sceking the Christ? "We know that the Persian three. But why were these magi sceking the Christ? "We know that the Persian magi believed in a Messiah or future Saviour, who should in the latter day appear and renew the world in rightâ€" eousness."â€"Whedon. IFrom the eastâ€" Perhaps from Media, or Persia, or poSâ€" gibly, from Arabia. Jerusalemâ€"They seemed to suppose _ that . when they reached the capital of the Jewish nation they would have no trouble in finding the object of their search. Ee oi ane eb o. 2. Where is heâ€"Thig inquiry in Jeruâ€" salem brought Jesus into popular notice and called attention to the fact that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. Born King of the Jewsâ€"This was title unknown to the earlier history of srael and applied to no one except the Messiah. 1t reappaers in the inscription over the cross.â€"Carr. Notice that Jesus was "born"‘ a king. His starâ€"Many inâ€" terpreters, especially those who seek to eliminate the supernatural, explain the "star," or "sidereal appearance," by & conjunetion of Jupiter and Saturn, which oceured in May, B. C. 7, and again in December with Mars added. Jt is. however, much more in harmony with all the facts to believe that the star which attracted the attention of the magi was provided for the ocasion. To worship himâ€"To do him homage. They were bold to confess the object of their coming. i TORONTO 1II. Light from the scriptures (vs. 3â€"6). 3. Had ienrd~The magi had created no small stir by their inquiries which imâ€" mediately attracted the attention of the king. â€" Troubledâ€"Herod, now sunk into the jealous decrepitude of his savage old age, was residing in his new palace on Zion, when, half maddened as he was already by the crimes of his past career, he was thrown into a fresh paroxysm of alarm and anxiety by the visit of these magi, bearing the strange intelliâ€" m:;x; {h;z'th;;' had come to worship a newâ€"born Vl_tiin_g.wFarrar. Herod feared a rival. All Jerusalem with himâ€"Fearâ€" ing that he would make this an occasion or renewing his acts of bloodshed. 4. Had gatheredâ€"He assembled the Sanhedrin. â€"Lightfoot. Chief priestsâ€" This exâ€" pression probably comprehends the actâ€" ing high priest and his deputy, those who had been high priestsâ€"for at this time the office was often transferred by . the Roman authoritieeâ€"and "the heads of the twentyâ€"four sacerdotal families, which David had distributed _ into so many courses." Scribesâ€"The learned inâ€" terpreters of the Mosale law, and the collectors of the traditions of the elders. Many of them were Pharisees. _ Deâ€" manded of themâ€"Because they would be most likely to know. Where the Christ (R. V.)â€"Or the Messiah, the ofâ€" ficial title of the promised _ deliverer. "©The wise men had said nothing about the Christ, or the Messiah, but only about the King of the Jews, But Herod saw that this king must be the expected Messiah." 5. By the prophetâ€"Micah 5: 2. Matâ€" Â¥ thew does not quote the exact words | , found in Micah, but the & nse is given. | , It was an accepted truth that the Mesâ€" siah must come from Bethlehem. 6. Art | , is no wise least (R. V.) â€"Micah says, I "Though thou be little among the thouâ€" ( sands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he * come forth unto me that is to be ruler | i in Israel." This made Bethlehem "in no wise least." Although Bethlichem was y little, yet it was exalted above all the I other cities of Israel. ‘The princesâ€""The thousands" (Micah 5: 2). The tribe had ‘ been subdivided into thousands, and over | each subdivision there was a chieftain | or prince.â€"Morison. _A governorâ€" To |â€" control and rule. Who shall be shepâ€" | herd (R. V.)â€"To feed and care for, as a shepherd his flock. _ Christ is both shepherd and king. My people Israelâ€" Israel was God‘s people in a peculiar sense. They were his own peculiar treaâ€" sure. TII. The intrigue of Herod (vs. 7, 8). 7. Privily calledâ€"Herod desired to keep the time of Christ‘s birth as secret as possible lest the Jews who hated him should take occasion to rebel. Enquired of them diligentlyâ€"*"Learned of them exactly."â€"R. V. He enquired of them the exact time and received positive positive information as to the time the star appeared. Assuming that the star appeared when the child was born he would thus have some idea of the a of the child. 8. He sent themâ€" ]5: assumed control; but they followed the directions of the Lord. Search diligently â€"Herod was honest in making . this charge to them; he greatly desired to receive definite word concerning the new King. And worship him alsoâ€" What hypocrisy! He only wished to find the child in order to: murder him (vs. 13, 16); he was crafty and subtle, saying one thing and meaning another. IV. Guided by the star (vs. 9, 10). 9. the star. . . . went before themâ€"The same star which they had seen in their own country now again uppears. The star disappeared for a time and this led them to inquire in Jerusalem for the young King whom they sought. Supernatural helps should not be expected where orâ€" dinary means are to be had. stood over â€"The star pointed out the ve%‘houge.â€" Benson. 10. they rejoicedâ€"The Greek is very emphatic. They rejoiced exceedâ€" ingly because they saw they were about to find the child and because they had such unmistakable proof of being in diâ€" vine order. That alone is enough to cause rejoicing. 0 00â€" V. The child Jesus found (vs. 11, 12) Quontinniw\\'lwrv was 08 When? Who was the king What was ®ae character of Who came to Jerpugalem Jesus? From whence did _ Why was Jesus called King 0 How had the wise men been seapch? _ Why was Hero Why was Jerusalem trouble did Herod gather together" purpose? What. charge did the wise men? Why? Hog proach Christ? After leaving did the wise men do? PRACTICAL APPLICA The Cradle of Chr 1. A place of salvation. Jesus was born" (V. 1). "1‘14 his name Jesus" (Matt. 1 :2 name represents his charact name is a synonym of er ham‘s for faith, Stephen‘s dom, John‘s for â€"love, Jesu tion. His name has poWCr II. A place of obscurity. psee d y o a cottage surrounded by I in a limestone cave, did child open his infant eyes ho Gnbmiweit > t DPÂ¥ this to t ternals? III. A place of cruelty. "In the days of Herod the king" (v. 1)« Jesus came a stranger to this world ; there was no room for him in the inun (Luke 2. 7). Herod hunted him (v. 7). His own parâ€" ents "understood not" Mis youthful asâ€" pirations (Luk@®2. 49); His own townsâ€" men rejected Him (Luke 4. 29); He had not where to lay His head (Matt. 8. 20; John 7: 53 ; 8. 1); Jews and Gentiles conâ€" spired to cn\lcify Him (Luke 22. 66; 23. ul dastsiadii Or 40 ©pis. Wnasia 4d 1, 12). All the way from the cradle the cross He met with cruelty. : IV. A place of royalty. "Born king of the Jews" (v. 2). The gospel _ of Matthew is the story of Jesus as King. Its keyâ€"phrase, "kingdom," _ is found fiftyâ€"six times. Its keyâ€"phrase, _ "kingâ€" dom of heaven," is found thirtyâ€"two times, and nowhere else in the New Tesâ€" tament. Mathew gives His legal geneaâ€" logy, his royal pedigree, from David, source of Jewish rule; and Abraham, source of Jewish blessing (Matt. 1 1). Jesus was born king, but He waitedâ€" He is waiting still for the kingdom (Luke 19. 15; Matt: 26. 29). The prayer. ‘"‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth‘" (Matt, 6. 10), has never been literally fulfilled. It will be some day. Christ rules His own toâ€"day as a Shepâ€" herd. V. A place of prophecy. "It is writtem by the prophets" (v. 5). A study of proâ€" phecy gives a miniature life of Jesus (Isa. 7. 14; Michah 5. 2; Isa. 9; 1, 2; Gen. 49. 10; Hosea 11. 1; Zech. 11. 12, 18; Zech. 13. 7; Isa. 53; 12; Psa. 22. 18; Psa. 22. 1; 60. 21; Zech. 12. 10; John Psa. 22. 1; 60. 21; Zech. 12. 10; John 1. 45; Acts 13. 27; 1 Cor. 2. 8). A special blessing is promised to those who read and hear and keep the last great proâ€" phecy of His second coming (Rev. 1. 3; 22. 18, 19). VI. A place of guidance. "The star.. came and stod over where the young child was" (v. 9). Heralded by a star, Jesus ushered in the day of grace at the beginning of this dispensation. The star which illuminates our pathway and goes before us to guide us to Jesus is the Holy Spirit, of whom Jesus says, "He shall testify of me‘"‘ (John 15. 26). VII, A place of rejoicing (v. 10). The wise men, rejoicing at the cradle of the infant King, carry our thoughts forâ€" ward to another day when a multitude of redeemed men and angels shall ery with a loud voice (Rev. 5. 12). VIII. A place of worship . (v. 11). They gave themselves, then their gifts (2 Cor. 8. 4, 5). They saw, they "fell down," thus presenting their ‘"obdies a living sacrifice‘"‘ Rom. 12. 1); _ they ""worshiped," pouring out their souls‘ adoration ; then "they offered unto Him gifts‘"‘ (R. V.) o t An‘ nen I laugh, but he don‘t speakâ€" ; A grea‘ big tear was on his cheek! Bubcause my gran‘ma‘s gone away * To some place where the angels stay; 0 An‘ so I hug my gran‘pa tightâ€" An‘ next we know we‘ve slept all night! An‘ I got lots o‘ things, because )+ ‘My wrea‘pa knows Santa Claus. IX. A place of presents. ‘"They _ preâ€" sented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankâ€" incense, and myrrh." _ As a Saviour, Jesus is God‘s great gift to us (John 3. 16); as saved ones we are God‘s gift to Him (John 17.6.) > On Chris‘mas eve, my gran‘pa he He‘» me set up my Chris‘mas tree; An‘ non he laugh an‘ shake his head Au‘ say it‘s time ‘at I‘m in bed; But I say I‘ll not say goodâ€"nightâ€" I‘:: go‘ sit up, pa said I might As long as I want to, buhcause I‘m go‘ to wait for Santa Claus, ‘ Nen gran‘pa he«ist laugh again An‘ say he enâ€"vy me; an‘ nen He get a grea‘ big rockin‘ chair An‘ sit down in it over there; An‘ take me on his lap an‘ say It seeme ist like it ‘twas yesterday When he would wait by candlo light For Santa Claus to come at night, So all the folks they go to bed, But me an‘ gran‘pa, wait, instead, An‘ he gets taikin‘ ‘bout the time When he‘s a boy, ist same‘s if I‘m To A grea‘ big man like him, or he Ist a little boy like me; An‘ how he‘d watch for Santa Claus Nen I tell him how some folks say ‘There ain‘t no Santa, anyway! Au‘ he stomps ‘at lame leg o‘ his is HAMeC M2" P°0 00 lae place of obscurity. ‘*In Bethleâ€" v. 1.) An insignificant village, ntioned among the" many towns time of the div’isfun of the land. manger‘‘ (Luke 2. 7). Not in & not in a house of luxury, not im ge surrounded by brighiness, but mestone cave, did the _ Christâ€" pen his infant eyes to earth. Was teach how little God cares for exâ€" Ap" saye: ‘‘You tell them folks there ie!" An‘ nen be tell me how he brought ‘The bestest gift he ever gotâ€" ‘At Santa on one Chris‘mas Day Give him my gran‘ma, anyway. P Gran‘pa‘s Christmas Eve. WILBUR D. NESBIT, (The Pilerim for December.) down where their fireplace was. > was â€" Jesus \mru‘.“ the king of Judea® racter of this king? rugalem seeking . for mnee did they come? ed King of the Jews? men been led in their as _ Herod troubled? m troubled? Whom together? For what harge did Herod give hy? How did they ap: er leaving Jesus what ENTmH TCO frackincense, is 4 from a tree. gashâ€" rrowing in Arabia is also a guUM olb A vahia "â€"Whedon. ETL Tooteie »yed. another WaYy ro oast from Bethâ€" . Terusalem 0n the PLICATION®S of Christ IH L IV dream.â€"â€"}9° to them in & ood, and the was so Cleat . "Now when ]‘l{m shait call :A). A man‘s Aoter. Herod‘s fod Claus | #1Â¥08 time ho gets the things th to children part in the there in ho part. pait. In toy making Germany . there @ne, to be sure, many toÂ¥ factories in which | toys of one sort and another are made completely, and then there are some sorts of toys that art made in the rough factories and then sent out to be finished by workers in homes, as cutout clothes might be, and on the other hand there art toys that aAre roughed out by home workers and finâ€" ished in factories: but there are still other toys of kinds long familiar that are yet, as for hundreds of years they have been, made entirely in homes, the whole family, old and young, being ©D> gaged in their pruduction, each doing what he can, homes in which the art and custom of making these things have been handed down from generation to generation. 6 0 C (hoves cmotnve »Wliiie ate, Aur Amon F4 t()_" 8 instance, the raged in thelt PPX Ts 0 what he can, homes in which the art ind custom of making these things have been handed down from generation to generation. Among toys thus home made are, for instance, the animals to be found in the Noah‘s arks, many of which are made by dwellers in the mountainous parts of Saxony. This is a region much like the Catekill Mountain country, with mountains and hills and valleys, tree . clad and streams, and with villages O" isolated dwellings here and there. In summer the dwellers in this region eultivate little farms _ Of patches of ground for their â€" subsistence, but _ in winter they â€" devote their time to toy making, year after year regularly, and one family â€" makes always, year after year, toys of the same kind. Bo in a family that makes the little wooden animals â€" that â€" come in the Noak‘s arks, when the summer‘s work out of doors has been ended they all settle ‘down at â€" the winter‘s . work within, " s _ little wooden horses, cows, tigers, In summer eultivate â€" lit ground | for â€" winter â€" they making little wooden horses, cows, UEC", elephants. Thus they work the winter through, by their combined efforts turning out animals to a great number, It might seem â€"that even with their combined efforts. with every member of the famâ€" ily doing something at the work, it would still be impossible to turn out a great number, there is so much cutting and carving to be done upon even the these wooden animals; that it would take considerable time to hegin with just to rough them out from the wood in snair‘first stape: but at this stage mmtels n T and carving to be done upon even the these wooden animals; that it would take considerable time to hegin with just to rough them out from the wood in their first stage; but at this stage the work is by very simple and yet inâ€" genious means greatly facilitated, The home worker, the head of the family perhaps, and skilled by experiâ€" ence in that sort of work, takes a small squared block of wood, cut out not lengthwise, but across the grain, and upon one end of this block he draws the profile outline of, say, a horse. Then with a scroll saw he saws away from the block, down through its whole length; all the wood outside the line as drawn on the end of it for a lgllllli:ie.." So“nm; he has a block of wood in the right outlines of a horse, very thick bodied. B Then from the block he splits off, down through it with the grain, as many sections as the block will permit, three or four or maybe half a dozen, each one of these containing the makâ€" ings of a horse, a little horse in blank, and then these blanks are taken in hand by the members of the family, and each fashioned into its final comâ€" pleted form. In this way much labor is saved at the beginning; but there is another way of preparing the material that is far more advanced. In this part of Germany there are wood turners who make a business of surplylng to home toy makers what are called animal rings, these rings being rings of wood from each of which many animals can be cut. The ringâ€" maker cuts from the end of a stick of round timber a disk of wood of a thickâ€" ness equal to the height of the animals to be made from it, and then mounting the disk in a turning lathe he begins work on the body of wood at the disk‘s outer part around its rim, turning away the material in such shapes that when the ring is finally finished and cut apart it will show, and of course the same wherever &t, the outline of the animal thus fashioned in it. The turning of these rings is the work of specialists who attain in it great skill, which indeed they need to have to follow it successfully, for a good part of the results of this work can be seen only when the ring has been finished and cut apart. They must turn away the material not only from the outer side of the various parts of the animal, but from the inner sides as well, and they must do this in such manner as not only to produce a lifelike shape when the ring is cut, but so as not to leave some parts of the animal too thick or some too thin, A good part of the result of his work as he goes along he can‘t see until the work is finished, but by the aid of long experience and by the exercise of care and skill and judgment, and with an artistic taste and a nice sense in the use of his tools, the ring turner turns out rings that are well proportioned as well as lifelike. L cat many Of the toys gives 10 children . @ « gets in Germany, & ngs that he brings at dren in homes here i the work of prox in homes with _ chil All specialists, the'ring turners indiâ€" vidually specialize on particular animals, one turning only cow rings or horse rings, another sheep rings, still another foat rings, and so on, There are rings or grazing animals, for walking aniâ€" mals, for jumping animals, for all sorts of animals, each produced by the turner who makes that animal his specialty. When a family of animal makers that uses this material is about to start on its winter work it buys its rings from the turner, ordering so many cow rings, so many -uior camel rings and so on down through the list of animals they are to make. At home the animals, which are made in various sizes ranging from half an inth to as much as five inches in height, are ehoprd off from the rings and then the work of shaping and finishing the animals goes on. . The general outlining of the o::r of the animal in the manner desecri has of course forwarded the work substanâ€" tially, but still these chopped off secâ€" tions are as g;ct only so many blanks and now, with deft cuttings on these, o i d oo mt ie e d features and contours are produced, btir;sring the animal into a lirelike reâ€" semblance, the measure of this dependâ€" ing of course on the skill of the carver and on the grade of animals rod\ted Many of the cheapest forms of animals are only roughly sha out, while othâ€" ers &re wrought to lfih degree of natâ€" \ urailness. The most expert member of the famâ€" ily does the carving on the animals, all the rest, including the children, qoing what work upon them they can. Thus the whole family is employed. toys that ganta en at Christmas 1y, and many of s at this season here were made producing them children taking ho m ooo Een mt O i i o many in which the toy production is largely these â€" homeâ€"made wooden | anâ€" imails from Noah‘s arks they make year after year these animals only; but in the same regions there may be found families that devote their time in like manmer to the making of toy wooden furniture. _ _ And there are homes in which whole families engage in the making of aniâ€" mals that are to be eovered in some way, perhaps with fur or with fleece; as for instance sheep. Rome such are made â€" in factories, others in homes; and iu the hbomes where these are made &e whole family gathers around ’ the table, each doing some part of the work. M mUioc es c us® Perhaps one may fashion . part a plaster face â€" an give the animal a more }« unother may paint the ey« pecially eompetent for sucl fSuyt dn Jetet aninr meemee : 9Y WEDTC Perhaps one may fashion on the head part a plaster face and mnose to give the animal a more perfect finish; another may paint the eyes,. . One es pecially eompetent for such work may cut out the coverings that are to go on the body, and _ still another put« some finishing touch. . The sheep goes around from hand to hand until it is completed. i " Agor _ G4c0tâ€"â€"4t.n be the rinle in lnr-lut. wpecialization is the rule in toyâ€"making Germany, one locality or dis trict producing only certain â€" kinds of toys, _ and another locality producing certain other kinds and those _ only, while in single factories or in . homes they might produce toys of a single kind and keep continuously at work on that. To be sure, like ways prevails as to many articles of production in many parts of the world, as in one or an other country, one locality may be !n mous for its jron mills, another for its thinji toy making is IGI0WEE M al MAMT .0 Idustry the finished toys are carried into towns in which are located com missioners or agents who buy and ship them, and who may indeed have fu! nished a part if not all of the supplies from which some of them were made The way in which these toys are brou{:t in from the mountain homea in which they are made is almost as interesting as the manner of their mak ing. The family‘s finished production of toys may be gathered up and packed in a cart drawn by dogs, or it may be brought in a wagon drawn by a horse, or by m horse and a cow; or it may be brought in a bulky loadâ€"though . not quite so heavy as it looks, for the toys are lightâ€"in a great basket carried on the back of some member of the family. In the towns where they are thus gathered these home made toys . are sorted and packed in whatever manner is appropriate to their several kinds, and then they are ready to be sent to trade centres or shipping points whenee, with myriads of other toys of many kinds, factory made and otherwise, a«â€" sembled from the various _ toyâ€"making parts of the country, they will find their way finally to ghddon the hearts of children throughout the world. A handsome sofa pillow can be made by using discarded hair ribbons. If soil ed, clean with gasoline if they are not wash ribbons. Arrange them in harmon izing strips, joining x:m together to fit your pillow. Finish with cord to corre spond with one of the strips, and you have a pretty pillow at a small cost. By featherstitching each joining in bright eolors an Oriental effect is given and produces a pillow much richer looking in the families of that part of Gerâ€" in which the toy production is ly these homeâ€"made wooden â€" anâ€" ‘from Noah‘s arks they make year year these animals only; but in ame regions there may be found ies that devote their time in like er to the making of toy wooden A ribbon roll round which ribbons wre wound, and thus kept smooth and tidy, and at the same time out of the way, may be made of a large pasteboard tube covered with a layer of scented wadding, and then with a piece of silk some long er than the tube, the ends hemmed and drawn together with baby ribbon, giving the npg‘u'unce of & small bolster, Around this the ribbons mare wound, and each pinned separately at the ends. c Take a big stretch of deep cream col ored blanket material of firm consisten ey so that it lies as flat as a rug. Em broider with a seattering of gay colored worsted animals and birds. Birds and animals are drawn on any scale and are rlued at generous distances apart to nvite a creep from baby from one to the other. The centre space is left for baby® name in casy Ill:wing script. The ar mals should be worked in the fas=t, brightly contrasting worsted colors that endear toys to baby‘s heart, for of course the blanket needs many cleanings The d&“"lt babies take in these bla: kets justifies the work upon them. They pat and rub the vivid hued animals with lhlorbed interest or crows of glee "The blanket has saved me no end of efforts," says a mother. It always J lights baby and keeps her busy for an hour at a time when I can get a deal 0 mending done while she is patting and scolding her embroidered pets." Meats hard to digest are: Sausage, salt meats, pork, goose, heart, brain, liver, veal, duck, lamb. Meats easy to dirt are: Venison, sweet bread, turkey chicken, partridge, beef, mutton. Fish hard to digest are: Eels, salmon salt fish, lobsters, crabs. Easy to digest are: Trout, pike, oysters. Vegetables hard to digest are: Cab bage, celery. Easy to digest are: Pota: toes, lettuce, beets. Fruits hard to digest are: Di pineapple, cherries, plums, pears to dmn: Grapes, oranges, pea stra w Bet a wash bow] of water under bed, put a few drops of carbolic acid eut a raw onion into the water. 1t draw impurities to it. Change it « ten hours. Do not throw away collars worn ®t the edge. They make excellent bandages. First soak out the starch and then teat into Itflm Each collar makes four nice 'tal. which are always in readiness. t m proove mlong the side of the cork of a medicine bottle; put back in ::e :ottl-. and it will be easy to count e one by one, without pouring too fast, _ .. _ P Burn some paper on the flat side of an axe, This causes a kind of oil to form on the steel. Dip a bit of cotton in this oil and insert in the ear, and it will give a‘most imstantaneous relief CHRISTMAS CHEER. ears. Easy Pick] the and will very at BUn ADnd to lit fle d w Bre his der H n« How Christmas C in Fa 1 A LFSS FURS, Re