Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1909 — Page 14

The Deacon's Christmas Lve.

7* bls very nlgbt they're coming borne. Cbelr faces will appear Once more around tbe Yuletide feast, Our sons and daughters dear. Cben tbere'll be all tbe babies, too, Co Jolt upon my knee And make our big, old fashioned bouse A scene of revelry. T*be hemlock wreaths bang on tbe wall. Chat spray of mistletoe Recalls, old dear, our sparking days, Some fifty years ago, Cttben first I kissed you underneath Cbe bougb of fateful pearls. I seem to see you once again, Cbe sweetest of all girls.

MRS. SANTA CLAUS.

By ELLA E. BARNES.

(Copyright, 1909, by American Preaa Aaaoclatlon.j

FOR several years the proverbial Santa Claus with white beard had visited our Christmas tree to distribute the gifts and dispense his mirthful cheer. Last year he could not come, and as the age la one of womanly achievement he asked permission to send his wife. Of Mrs. Santa Claus we had all heard, but none had seen her, and the announcement of her coming provoked great Interest. Many were the queries remirding her appearance, but none could be answered. A knock at the door announced her arrival, and In came the kind old lady, covered with (cotton) snowflakes, rosy and animated after her long journey, but radiant with loving good cheer and affection for all. she wore a long cloak of bright red homespun (a real antique, borrowed for the occasion) and a wonderful poke t>onnet. an ancient calash, trimmed with gleaming holly and adorned with flowing strings of red and green ribbon. Upon her bands were huge fur mittens, and beneath her cloak, which she threw back from her shoulders, we saw her spotless crossed kerchief and a wonderful lawn apron with green sprigged border. These she was pleased to exhibit to the ladies, for she took a womanly pride In her dress, although she confessed that the styles did not change

IN CAME THE KIND OLD LADY.

very often at the north pole, and, anyway, she was too busy to think of ■uch things.

Afer a short rest, through which she rather gasped her Christmas salutations, she stood to make a short speech before beginning her gracious labor of distributing the gifts from the laden tree. She saxu in part: "Ever since I married Mr. Banta Claus, over 150 years •go, Pre tried to be a real helpmeet . to him. But I’ve never gone around to entertainments before. I’ve done the work In the background, so to •peak, an a good wife should. How•ver. this year Santa’s been dreadfully overworked. Why. just think of all

BY GERALD PRIME.

those Philippine children added to the American list not so long ago, not to speak of the Alaskans and others. Then there’s that bothersome crowd at Panama. So Santa said to me. real coaxing: ‘Hannah,’ he said, ‘this year I’ll have to ask you to help me out by going once before the public. There’s

MRS. SANTA CLAUS GAVE THE PRESENTS.

a tree I’ve always attended, but I can’t possibly gtet there this year. I’ll send the presents as usual, but you go down for me, won’t you, and distribute them for me? A great many ladies speak In public these days, and you needn’t be afraid.’ So, though I’m bashful, I’m here, and please excuse any mistakes I may make. Santa sent his love and best wishes, and I’ve brought you each a polar snowball as a kind of curiosity. I picked them up just before I started out. They’re In my bag here. Thin bag was one of my wedding presents, and I carried It on our first journey. Of course it’s old. but I think so much of It I’d never give it up. See the letters on it—H. S. C. They stand for Hannah Santa Claus. ’Twas the first monogram I ever had.”

The old lady proudly exhibited her old fashioned sole leather satchel and from its capacious depths distributed the polar snowballs. These were formed of white cotton, and each when unwrapped was found to contain a tiuy numbered star. The gifts upon the tree had been previously numbered, and the snowball indicated to each person the gift to be received. Mrs. Santa Claus herself gave the presents and kept the company amused by her comments upon the beauty and usefulness of the various articles. The evening was one of great pleasure and merriment. At its close Mrs. Santa Claus was Invited to come again; but. while she thanked the ladles for their kind thoughts, she said. “I’ll have to see what Mr. Santa Claus says, for I always do exactly as be wishes.”

If Christmas day Saturday be A great winter that year you'll see And full of winds both loud and shrilL But in summer, truth to tell. High winds shall there be and strong. Full of tempests lasting long. While battle* they shall multiply. And great plenty of beasts shall die. They shall be strong, each one. and keen. He shall be found that stealeth aught. Though thou be sick, thou dlest not.

7"* be pantry shelves are loaded down Cttltb every kind of cake And pies of mince and pumpkin such As only you can make. Beyond tbe close shut parlor door An angel bright and fair Is looking down upon a tree Chat stands all ready there. Put up your knitting, mother, dear. “Che tinkle of the bells Across the snow clad upper road In welcome warning swells, for here are Dick and lack and 7ess And Molly, Com and Sue And all tbe merry, dimpled, cute, Mischievous youngsters too!

THE MOTHER OF THE TEDDY BEARS.

(Copyright, 1909, by American Press Association.)

ONCE upon a time—not so many years ago either—there sat In the doorway of a small cottage in Germany a young woman with smiling eyes, a child loving heart and an invalid body. The children of the little village all knew her and sat in groups around her doorway listening to stories, telling her of their childish adventures, and then, greatest joy of all, receiving in turn some delightful toy that her deft fingers had been fashioning while they, talked together.

Day by day the children gathered about this doorway. They told of the latest flower that had blossomed on the mountain side, of the wonderful span of horses that Hans, the best carver of the village, had cut from a single block of wood, of the dear little blossoms that baby Gretchen had painted upon the set of wooden dishes that were to go to the Christmas market. And to them all the young woman listened, smiling, while she plied her needle or cut—snip, snip—with her scissors.

And while they talked or while they listened the eyes of the children rested eagerly upon the busy fingers, for they firmly believed that in those fingers lay a magic which none others possessed. And why should they not believe it. for when the sun began settling down toward the mountain crests and it was time for them to run away home to their suppers of bread and milk the fingers were always stretched out toward some new member of the group, and upon them rested a wonderful animal—a kitten, or a rabbit, or a duck, or a tiny bear—and the likeness was so wonderful that the children always breathed forth deep “Oh’s” and “Ah’s” and knew for a certainty that there was magic tn the maker’s fingers. No one else in all the country could make such animals as these—not even Hans, the marvelous carver.

Always the busy worker sat in her doorway, where she could see the rugged mountains, the green grass, the nodding flowers. Perhaps It was the strength, the grace and the beauty of these that wrought themselves into her simple work. Then it came about—and no one was more surprised than this child loving young woman herself—that she found herself making hundredsand hundreds of toy animals, for toy buyers from England and America had heard of her wonderful ducks and rabbits and bears and they wanted them for the children of their countries too. And who. do you ask. was thia young woman in faraway Germany? I can only tell von this: Rhe is known now far and wide as the “mother of the Teddy bears.” JULIA DARROW COWLES.

Humor and Philosophy

By DUNCAN M. SMITH

THEORY AND PRACTICE

IVE’RE very fond of winter ’ ’ In theory, don't you know. We say it la so iWalthy To wrestle with the enow. It’s such a splendid tonic, The wind that’s cold as ice. But still we always dodge it If we have got the price. To hear us tell the neighbors How greatly we admire ▲ fine, old fashioned winter A listener might inquire If we would eat a ticket That called for transport free To some fair summer climate Or pack our trunk and flee. When August winds are scorching And grass Is dry and sear The claim to dote on winter May then be quite sincere. But when we view the picture At cooler, closer range The feelings are subjected To something of a change. It’s just a superstition. • Some people may declare They like the cold, but would they Hold up their hands and swear? If they had wings for flying. With leisure, too. were blessed, Where s would they spend the winter? That’s quite the proper test.

Such a Waste.

Just as we are getting deep into the canal business word comes from Mara that they are discarding their waterways. Perhaps they have taken advantage of the nearness of this season to discover our railroads and imagine they have found something larger in the line of transportation. If they must go out of the canal business instead of throwing their canals away on the old junk heap it is a pity they couldn’t tie a stout string on them and drop them down to us. We might be able to use several secondhand canals for awhile just to see how we liked them before digging new ones. Will some of the flashers who were going to do such wonders flash up for quotations?

How They Know.

“Women are always talking about human nature. 1 should like to know how they know so much about it.” “That is easy.” “Is It? Would you mind elucidating then?" “Most of them are married to a bunch of it.”

She Knew.

“Scrlbo is a rising young author.” “Rising, did you say?” asked his landlady, with the tone of one who knew. “That is what he is.” “Well, he is fooling you. Some days he don’t get up till noon.”

Certainly. “My dressmaker says that airy robes are bound to be fashionable.” “Does she?” “Yes; says it is absolutely certain.” “I wonder why.” “To wear on airships, of course.”

Effective.

“Brown’s income is so small that I don’t understand how he manages to save any of it” “1 do.” "How?” | "He borrows a portion of mine.”

New Record.

The heights that great tnen reached and kept Were not attained by sudden flight. That might have been in years gone by. But it’s not so ot Wilbur Wright.

PERT PARAGRAPHS.

Many a man who is playing a part wants to be the whole show.

Beauty is only skin deep, but at that it is no more shallow than some other qualities.

Microbes are ungrateful creatures. They do not appreciate sanitary plumbing, no matter how expensive.

Women admire strength in man, but she seldom calls him her onion.

You can get it straight from most any woman that a bird on the Gainsborough is worth two in the emporium.

Ever notice that the woman who has a very narrow income hasn’t got her face all wrinkled up over the servant girl problem?

It is remarkable how blithe and spry Father Time la considering there are so many time killers in active operation.

Ore reason why the laxy man doesn’t like to work is because work seems so obviously to belong to the other fellow and he la conscientiously regarding property rights.

Imagination to truly remarkable in • its results, but It has to be first tran* muted Into coin of the government

THE SPORTING WORLD

Lunghi, the Speed Marvel. Emilio Lunghi. tbe fast Italian runner who beat Kilpatrick’s record in tbe half mile? is getting ready to do some great work here next season. Like Dorando, Emilio wants to make his pile, go back to Italy and settle down for tbe rest of his life. Lunghi will not be seen in any of the indoor games during tbe present

EMILIO LUNGHI.

season. The Italian has reached the conclusion that be will never be able to make fast time on a board walk. At home he ran entirely out of doors, last year winning the Italian cross country championship. He is devoting all his time to training for the cross country runs to be held here this winter. It was the intention of Lunghi to stay in this country for a period of two years. As he has now been here only six months, he will probably do some great work next season, for by that time he will have become used to our style of running.

Another Indian Runner.

Reports from Canada state that a recent long distance race held in Canada unearthed a second Longboat in the person of Jimmy George, a Canadian Indian and a member of the Beaverton Athletic club, who won the race in such fast time that be has attracted the attention of Canadian athletic sharps. George won from a very fast field. He won his race in such a creditable manqer that his manager has decided to enter him in the Boston Marathon next spring. The Indian was alsto 1 shot on the betting books, and those who made a wager on his chances to win scored a killing. Men who have watched George run declare that with more training he will become a record breaker. Had he been pressed at the finish, it is said, he would have broken Sam Mellor’s record, made last year.

St. Louis Gets O’Hara.

William O’Hara, who played centerfield for the New York Nationals last season, will be a member of the St. Louis club of the same league In 1910, Manager Roger Bresnahan of St. Louis having refused to let the player go to a minor league. It had been the intention of Manager McGraw of New York to place O’Hara with the Toronto Eastern league club next season.

Cartmell to Coach North Carolina.

The University of North Carolina has secured the services of N. J. Cartmell, the former crack runner of the University of Pennsylvania, as coach. Cartmell is one of the world figures in athletics and served on the fast American team that attended the Olympic games in London last year, Cartmell will enter upon his duties next spring.

Judge to Load Coast Ball League. Superior Court Judge Thomas B. Graham of San Francisco was recently elected president of the Pacific Coast Baseball league to succeed J. Cal Ewing. The selection came after a protracted session of the league directors in annual session and was the most important business to come before the meeting.

Tony Acte Quits Turf.

A. L. Aate, known as “the bootblack king,” has retired from the turf. He will sell hto string of sixteen racers. He will retain a alight interest in racing by keeping Gold Lady, now a brood mare, r.-il by sending JacqueUnu. hie fast filly r' Inst season, to the stud.

fl Spring, Summer, I Autumn, Winter. At any and all seasons yon will fl And ns doing our best to deHI serve your patronage, fl-We know of no better way of deserving it than by running H the best sort of a grocery that fl We know how. I That means never relaxing our ■ watchfulness of this, that and H| the other thing. It means being satisfied with fl modest profits. fl It means many other things fl too—but chiefly it means ■ GROCERY GOODNESS. fl To-day is a good time to put S us to the test, and the article fl may be whatever you happen fl to need. ■ McFarland & Son Reliable Grocers, You take flfflFjfli Pains to make the chillfl ‘ dren lo °k n!,Cft ■1 just tor a day - ’fl L__: Why not pres- •£<' *** serve the memf / | ory of their pret/11 • tiness by means ■ 'X i of our Wlo' PHOTOGRAPHS ? Our p ictures » i C’WYiy j either of IndlvldHliWi aHk?' uals or group8 ’ i 1 are 80 exce^lent that they rival j the Bte(d engrav/T* lng ln 80ftne86 and far excel in faithful portralture the work of the most skilful artlst - Sharp’s Studio f Near the Bridge, | . VW Rensselaer, Ind.

BLACK LANGSHAN CHICKENS AND M. B. TURKEYS Won 3 silver cups, 15 specials 1908 shows, Ist, 2d, 3d, 4th, sth cockerel, 1 year tom; Ist, 2d, 4th, pullets, $64 (cash $10). Silver cup on M. B. Turkeys and Ist Pullet. 3d cockerel on Black Langshans, in the largest show ever held in the United States, 5,281 birds. Write me your wants, I can please you. WM. HERSHMAN. Medaryville, Ind., R-R-l. Majority Rules At any rate its opinion m worth careful consideration. The opinion of the majority of wagon buyers is that the Is the best and most economical wagon. That is why more Studebaker wagons are sold every year than those of any other make. % A great many mere; Almost twice as many, ' Over 70,000 a year Farm Wagons Alone Fact —easily —very easily proven. - Ever since you were a boy the Studebaker has been the most popular wagon. It’s more popular today than ever before. If you think the opinion of the majority is worth anything, come in and see us when you need a wagon. We gaarantoe and sell the Studebaker. C. A. ROBERTS, Wagons, Buggies, Fann Implements. TRY A WANT, AD. If you want a situation, want tohire a man or woman; want to buy, sell, rent or exchange a farm or other property, try The Democrat’s ■ Want Column. Only 1-cent-a-word for first Insertion, H cent for sech additional Insertion. Genuine “Quaker Parchment” butter wrappers, blank or printed, forsale at • The Democrat office in any ■ quantity desired.