dm*
HANTme a rhyme of
Christmas —
Sing me a jovial song,—
And though it is filled with
I laughter.
Let it be pure and strong
S ing of the hearts brimmed over
\Vith the story of the day—
Of the echo of childish voices
That will not die away.—
Of the blare of the tasseled bugle,
And the timeless clatter and ueat
Of the drum that throbs to muster
Squadrons of scampering feet.
ButOJet your voice fall fainter,
Till, blent with a minor tone,
iou temper your song with the beauty
Of the pity Christ hath shown,
And sing one verse for the voiceless;
Aid yet, ere the song be done,
A verse for the ears that hear not,
And a verse for the sightless one.
For though it be time for singing
A merry Christmas glee.
Let a low, sweetvoice oi pathos
Run through the melody.
JAMES WHITCOMB RII-EY.
-•'* . 'a
LL around the sonson of '
the Coming of I ove as j
a little Child there have
sprung legends and lie- .
liefs, like blossoms in j
gracious clime, which testify with
ihtletv to the depth of the appeal of j
le birth of Christ. Here divinely j
nritual symbolism and there sweet
itnan tenderness and pathos appear, |
id, blended, they evidence the world's
elief that this was both Son of Man ]
ad Son of God.
An Irish legend tells that, on Christ
ian eve. tlio Christ-Child wanders out
t the darkness and cold, and the
easants still put lighted candles in
leir windows to guide the sacred lit
‘^WKO*?f-t*V'*?th^“V
heir tenderness for the Child they
pread feasts and leave their doors
pen that He may enter at His will.
• bile throughout Christendom thei,- is
belief that no evil can touch any
hild who is born on Christmas eve
The legend which tells how the very
ay which lined the manger In which
he Holy Ilabe was laid put forth liv
iig red blossoms at midwinter at the
ouch of the Babe's body could only
tave arisen from belief in the renewal
if life through the Lord of Life.
Thom.
tv
/
/■
T is not so many centuries
ago since there was that holy
thorn at Glastonbury which
>losEomed every Christmas, and, so
•s.j the legend, had done ever since
st Joseph of Arimathea. having come
is apostle to Britain, and, landing at
iJlastonbury, had stuck his staff of dry
jiawthorn into the soil, commanding it
,o (nit forth leaves and blossoms. This
:he staff straightway did. and thereby
tvas the king converted to the Chris
»i;tu liiiui. int? iunu 11 I'UMi I * t.
life from (loath.
The holy thorn of Glastonbury flour
jshed during the centuries until i!.e
civil wars. During those it was tip
•'noted; hut several persons h.el h e |
trees growing from cuttings from the j
original tree, and those continued ;<> j
bloom at the Christ season. Just as
their parent, which had grown from
Bt. Joseph's staff, had bloomed And
nbout the middle of the ISth century
it was recorded in the Gent) ‘man's
Magazine how the famous holy thorn
would not deign to recognize the new
style calendar, which had then come
into force but would persist in bios
somlng as of old on old Christmas
day!
In those days the anniversary of the
advent of the Itahe had certainly
meant more to the common people
ban merely a time for feasting and
revelry’, for giving and receiving; it
had been also a season for holy oh- :
i'j-ervances, for they refused to go to ,
• •hurch on New Christmas day. the
,ioly thorn not being then in blossom
.-!o serious became the trouble that the
clergy found it prudent to announce
that Old Christmas day should also
be kept sacred as before. Only an
other story of men's weak, supersti
tious minds? True, perhaps; hut they
are better who evidence some spiritual
weakness than those who wallow in
the wholly material, and when we
cease to be careful of the cup and the
platter, we become not over careful of
ti*lr contents.
■Tiie :Ftr^€hristmas Rose.
NOTHER of those spiritual
parables is the legend of
the Christmas rose, and It
tells how good things, lit for giving
spring up ready to the hand which
earnestly desires to £ivo to the Chilli,
.-aid that i< certain maiden of
n„, .lehem was so poor that she had
nothing to give to the Uabe to whom
kings brought wealth from afar. and.
as she stood, longing and mourning,
ami angel appeared to her, saying:
“Look at thy feet, beneath the snow.”
ami lo! on obeying the maiden found
that, a new' flower had miraculously
sprung up and blossomed at her needs.
Every since then, runs this story, this
exquisite flower, with its snowy petals
just touched by suggestions of pinkish
bloom, is to be found at this season;
and. indeed, its b- lf-opi • ed cups arc
like chalices of love, and its fully
spri ad petals are like a happy inno
cence. fit symbols for the gifts for the
Babe of spotless innocence, who?'
heart was the ves el of love.
V'ChvjifiTmas Eve Legends.
HEItE are several exceed in
■ *ly touching legends c< nc<
ins hells, which are K-a
ringing from buried cities and tiling' -
at Hue 0*.«*ou. Oue b longs to a v :
hire. and the stor- rmy
where there is now hat a valley, then
was a village -'.hie . with every tract
of lilt* and habitation led been svu-,1
lowed by an earthquake; but. eve:
since, at 01 ristm .s, the bcMs of tie
buried church are heard to ring as <•'
old.
A : imilar legend is told of Preston
in Lancashire, and yet another ami
more moving one copies from the
Netherlands. It is : aid that the city
of Peon war notorious for its black
and shameless sins, as well as re
nowned for it. ho ut> and magnifi
cence. To the Scdom of the middle
ages came our Savior on one aani
versary of liis birth, and wont us a
beggar from do... to door, but not ot
in ail tlii ( ‘ # teas la > ’ " ■-j1
gave the slasii r of the abu ..: .1: E:n.
he saw rampant on every side. 1 ;i not
.. t r.p y : i •; 1 v ;lud o:r
wii| ,md he called to the r • a. which
as of old, oh-'..' 1 fils voice, cal P
t! ■ city of sin. wan buried d et 'dean
out of sight, hen* -Ph the waver lb;
ever at Curb :,ias ;o» from beneath tit
covet in'? wat* ; eotr.cs the sweet call
in*r of chtireh hells buried i.i 1!«. :i. It
is a legend which appear; to ft 11 in
parable that nothing which ever be
longed to file Christ, and was dcdi
1 eted to ids service, is ever wh illy lo-i
iron, him and alienated from service;
mat eve"-jind again something of their
Inherent beauty and cotn;K .’ting swee*
ness rises from the depths through all
reentihg ruin.
s uThc 'Conger.
f;*\ , K-Mcnox declares that
X y \ ;■! hi the stone manger
*- th.re was another one
>f ood, and that ti e stone cradle in
Chapel of the Nativity is, indeed,
he outer manger. Splendid is that
■ ’ !e stone Iron ah now with white
ua’ ale. softly rich with costly dra
•‘•riea. and radiant with a silver star,
which is surrounded by 1 c lumps. e\ * r
i lit llut yet more glorious is the
*> ood.*n manger at Rome, held to be
h ■ veritabl manger in which rh<
> mt-child lay. It was removed to
lo ne in the seventh century, during
•he Mohammedan invasion of the Holy
r*..nd. and thee it is preserved in a
'■tong brazen chest, from which it is
■ ught forth on Christmas day
' n it is -plac'd on the (Irand Altar
t i mounted upon a stand of silver.
' hich is inlaid with gold and gems,
»ii(l the shrine in which it rests is oi
uirest rock crystal. Tn the days in
'hich this was accomplished mi
viiat soever may have been theii
-hoiHomings in other directions, gave
i'" l3.-r-»vly to the Clvivch Visible
Blfris trims Bells.
HADITION says that the
M hour ot the Babe's binh
was the hour of midnigh
md legend adds that from then until
;i cocks crow, la trihijid it is
h whoso looks into ;i mirror or
this rvr will see the devil or .Tudto
1-carlo*. looking over bis shor.ldri
snrelv thought sufficient 1*> driv. t>
hardiest soul to a thou: 111 of 11.• * itiiio
(•♦•id i’abe.
Another legend tells fit- t. 0:1 C'hr! 1
nuts eve, Judas Iscariot is rtilcasc
from Hint hell- "bis own place"—
is allowed to return to earth that 1
may cool himself in icy waters.
Wild end imiirohable although suck
and such legends appear on tlici;
faces, tl > > boar t;iv tv til 1 !■ : tty i'
for wo then t ee tl at thev are full o;
subtle s' iiitttal cxnrt .eeou, its i>. wre
that they tire p...rabies of ( ■ ': ’ s; it
it uni facts. ;t:;tl it will he ili for us
should the Christ:; st d :y ev-r tic.,!
on which such t'o of tea* r k '
and wonder shall ate.car to us t
more than dry <m: 1 i'Hucps free
the dead roots of mo r: ; it ion.
U.Mwt .
a* *
Christum; mesne he. ; e
its realisation. The
grows e;.:: , ’ expectant
the time approaches for C *
visit of S: ’ ta Cite s. V.
this fiction rem;era ur.*yu
Honed, *be i..i: • ..
opens new and wider wo*b:
and ideals become so t:i;
a part of the mind that the ,
and comtaenplare can m.ver c.-.c
them. 1'ntil the youth re-.ehes me
hood and inu" end-nee, Chri.-tmas 1
the linpiiiest day of the year, its -iff
and hearty good eh* r unpre: s ft nil
affection. parental thoughtfulness and
brotherly love. 'I he dullest and mn
i ?’ CMifFfi'i-t-.’ct o f t’n ? 1 - 1 • C . t < i n t / \ 1 1 ' r> 1 •
are uplifted to a vision o£ hi ;l or lit
by the iulfti liani;':' of souvi-u . ;,:id
the merry meeting with chiitP n aiin
grandchildren at the table and fir'’
mile. Few can escape and ali enjo
the meaning of the festival, the b
sons it conveys and the inspiration
it gives, and \v. enter upon a brighter
future and a fuller appreciation of tin
beneficence of the practice of faith
hope and charity. The loved om-.
v ho have crossed to the other si*!
tiio loved near and far who are still
with us, the old homestead with its
precious memories, tiio old elm ret
whose sacred associations tie togeth
er childhood, maturity and age. love
marriage and death; the schoolhoust
where the beginnings of educatior
were so painful, and the ever-increas
ing pleasures of the pursuit of learn
mg through the high scliooi, aeademt
and college are recalled and recited
and there is exquisite delight in these
oft-told tales, and new experiences eu
liven this blessed anniversary.—Les
lie’s Weekly
“AS YE DID UNTO THEM*
So he died, and they said unto him:
•'ll is v ntton against you that yoi
heeded not the sorrow and the wani
,pot w»r«?.#i.r.iefee|| UkthOVcl'.tJ
And lie said;
"That is unfair, for all my life lonj
1 noted especially the suffering am
want of the poor, and not a Christmai
went by that I did not say over am
over that I was sorry for them. Xe
one gave them more sympathy than 1
no one showed more eommiseratior
for them. Why, lots of times
thought of them on cold wintei
nights, and said to my friends that i:
was too bad they had to endure pri
vations.”
"That is correct,’* they said unto
him. "Ilut it iB written that you did
not materialize your sympathy—you
simply sympathized in words, and
words are not eaten, nor arc they
worn, nor are they burned in stoves.’1
So ho was abashed, and stood silent
for a space. Then he said meekly:
“And I must not come tn?"
As to that, they did not answer, but
they said again unto him:
"All those that you sympathized
with are here, and now they will sync
patbize with you."
Wilbur D. Nesbit.
Hi* Hard Work.
Mrs. Wunder—Does anybody ev<
read those Christmas poems in th
papers?
Mr. Wunder—Oh, yes. The editoi
nd the t roofrenders have to
n
-T
! i Christmas Day
i;
4 To rule and reign with. gentle
* sway,
( The Kmg of Love was horn
i today.
J No palace walls enclosed him
! round,
t Tint In a manger was he found;
| 7 hat so the boastful world
might see
4 The greatness of humility,
t He came, a child, in lovely
* grace,
J That so a child might seek his
* _ face;
* So poor was he, the humblest
4 born
' Mi;ht come, without « fear of
4 scorn,
* To all mankind he showed the
way,
4 And ushered in the dawn of
t day.
4 And so, with' grateful love
and praise,
4 We hail this blessed day of
’ The children’s joy, the poor
4 ^ man’s feast,
* Tie of hope- -i■,
* least;
4 When holy angels came to
* earth,
J And sing anew a Savior’s
4 birthI
/3 Christinas Carmen
Johti fireenkaf IU> :ie?
Sound oo:r all waters, reach <?*?t Trcrr.
a'l lands,
the (.term of yokes, flic clasping of
Sing hymns that were sung 1'V <’*•
stars of the racrn,
Sing scr.s of the angels when 3es::$
was torn!
UJ-tb glad jubilations
Bring hc>;e to me nations!
Cite C.:rk night is catling wnd dawr
bus began;
Hise, hope of the ages, arise, lilte
the sun,
Jjl speech flow tc music, ail beam i
beat as one!
Blow, bugles of battle, the marches ol,
peace?
Bast, west, north and south, let the
long gnarrel cease;
Sing the song of great joy that the
angels legan.
Sing of gtory to Sod and of good will
to man:
baric, joitiihgTni chorus
the heavens bend o’er us!
the da:*H night Is ending and daum
tv s begun;
Hisc, hope cf the ages, arise like
the sun,
MU speech flow to mask, an heart?
beat as one!
TJJ 1' S he i '' tl I In all \\ I ii I tun i
ot ' ill ill'
I-- 'e cornin' temight. mammy T Coinin'
terniglit
: Kn di u o.) I.twd Knows, dough I «z
"Not y t,"
Dey’s i i'iin me still whut dey gwnie
ti r git
Kn I (* it i.jii k in plan, on I skimp «n
SqUci 20,
Kn I hurries apas’ ail 'I' winders I secs.
! 'Case di■ ildltuns esjH-v's dat In 'll bring
'elll II lot —
Kn d- time-. !.i''s de same dat de White
Folks got.
j "Is 'i •oinin' terniglit, mammy? Cornin’
tcrnigiit 7"
| I.awd. I wislit in mail soul dat 'o would
cn lie might 1
; I wlsiit in mail soul dat 'e'd come down
• I de flue
: I.ak I u set if believe dat 'e slioly would
*: T'Tl-th. -o Hunt* u„. „„ ...
to b id,
l Kn 7 tuck up de quilt 'roun' each pn‘ li'l
| haid,
, .Den I s. t down en w ; h. on T wish Ink I
pra'-.
Dat ’<■ laid out de place To* hit come
■ : Chris’mas Day.
Wby. dr chilluns believes! I)ey is sho’
dat hit so.
Kn dry oountin* on him lak a man dat
dry know,
, Kn dry talk cr de things dat ho sutfon
tor bring,
Twel! dry .si t up in l»ai«l on doss hollor j
t n sing.
: Kn I t 11 Vm w’y sho’ good ole Sanly ’ll j
\\ id r .loll on a slod on a railroad . n
drum.
Kn dev drif’ «.fT tor si. . p wid a snide on
dey fare—
En d« ain' not a c*'nt I kin spaih in do
pin* o!
1 Kit’s 1* 1: ’ fl ing T hcah \\ 1 • ♦ ri I ton out
do light:
"Is '* ooniirf ternight, mammy? Coinin’
ternight?"
I Kn 1 laughs wid dom all w’on dry plan
wliUt dry do
id «1< things dat la ’ll bring—en 1 sav
lilt's all true!
Kn do white ohillun up t hah I’s wtikin’.
dry 'low
Kat oh Parity he'll come, on won’t miss
'om nohow.
"Is V matin’ ternlBht?” T.nwil. I wislit
liit ’lid he
Dnt h ’s com liyuli en fi\ up .IIs ’poblem !
for mo!
f!
Except ye become os a
little child ye shall in no
wise enter into the joy
cf Christmas time.
l.ow your advertising can be
| made a source of profit to
you, and how its v dm can be
measured in dollars and
cents. If you have not, you
sue throwing money away.
Advertising is a modern
business necessity, but must
be conducted on business
pi' nrjples. If you are not
to!': tied with your advertising
j v at should et aside a curtain
leant of money to be spent
1
:r_
annually, and then c&iefuliy
note the effect it haa la In
creasing your volume of buai
ness; whether a xo, ao or 30
per cent increase. If you
watch this gain from year to
you will become intensely in
terested in your advertising,
a.id how you can make it en
large your business.
ff you trv this method we
believe you will not want to
let a single issue of this paper
go to press without something
from your store.
We will be^pleased to have
you call on us, and we will
take pleasure in explaining
our annual contract for so
many inches, and how it call be
used in whatever amount that
seems necessary to you.
If you can sell goods over
the counter ve ran aKo shtfVv
you why this paper will best
serve your inteiests when you
want to reach the people of
this community.
5XS' VKSSSSSSSSm®;'''
K’.zywr/Mwwwrt'-'ffiz''/ ■/""**/$: >•-;;•<■ Kimmjwmwxmw'.n
/fca
//m
md.
■■
\-/y.^‘
j'j ‘ jjiJ} 1
rcW/AP/M'//s///////,
^mxmw***
full of life and action, filled with the
fire of fine inspiration and followed
fcy 250 short stories of adventure, g
will make 1
TiieYOUTH S COMPANION
Better Than Ever in 1915
I
Then the Family Page, a rare Editorial Page, Boys’ Page,
Girls’ Page, Doctor’s Advice, and “ a ton of fun,” Articles of
Travel, Science, Education. From the best minds to the best
■i minds, the best the world can produce for you and everyone
9 in the home. There is no age
limit to enthusiasm for The
Youth’s Companion.
52 Times a Year
— nut 12.
Send to-dav to The Youth’s Com
panion, Boston, Mass., for
THREE CURRENT ISSUES-ERES
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CUT THIS OUT
and send it (or imme of Hiis pn’>er)
with $2.00 fc r The COMPANION
FRFF All the issues of THE COM
I tvEE PANtON for the retraining
weeks of 1914.
FRFF the COMPANION HOME
1 1XEL, CALENDAK fo. 1915.
THFN ^ f>2 Weekly Issues of
I l 11^1 si ThE COMPANION lor 1915.
-A Doliar
soont ut home reacts in its beneir.s
vith unceasing general profit.
Sent out cl town it’s life is ended.
Kept with the home merchants it is a messenger of continuous
enefit. Business m^n should awake to the importcnce of keeping
_tiii3_doMar at home and make a bid for it by judicious advertising.
WHY THE RABBiT AT EASTER
Pretty Legend of Olden Times Con
nects Bunny and the Eggs It Is
Supposed to Lay.
So many have asked. "Why Is the
rabbit so closely associated with East
er?” Each year at this season the
cunning little bunny appears in the
hop windows beside downy chicks
and gayly-eolorod eggs. The legend of
tho Easter rabbit is one of the most
ancient in mythological lore and is
closely related to the folk tales of
southern Germany.
In the beginning of things, it seems,
the rabbit was n bird. As a great fa
for the goddess Ostara, who was the
patron of spring, gave it four legs, for
which the rabbit was deeply grateful.
In remembrance of its former life as a
bird, when the spring or Easter season
comes it lays eggs of gorgeous colors,
and the egg has always been a symbol
of the resurrection, and therefore used
at Easter time when we look for tho
life everlasting and all things made
new.
It is ;i Gorman custom for children
to go to their godmothers at Easter for ,
tlie gift of colored eggs and a baked
rabbit. Just before Easter the chil
dren are sent to the garden to build a
nest for the expected rabbit, and early
Easter morning they go with great ex- ,
peetations, and are never disappoint
ed, to get the eggs which the rabbit
has laid for them. Even in Africa,!
among the heathen tribes, worship of
the egg is common. No altar is com
plete without its egg decoration, and
most huts have at least one sacred !
egg. On all the eggs devoted to the ,
rites of worship a verse from the
Koran is written at each end, while
the sides are ornamented by scenes |
from the Nile.
A rare specimen of these eggs is to,'
he seen in the Detroit Museum of Art. |
The etchings on the shell follow close-!
ly the same general design as the
naintings of men and women that
were recently found in Cairo.
\\
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