go no further,"

old Farmer

Benson yelled,

curving his mit- tened hands to his mouth so the words would reach the mail carrier, five or six‘ feet on the other side of the fence. At the same time he nodded sig- nificantly toward the road farther on, where - ' the snow had drifted" entirely across. covering fence on either side. "Five foot deep an’ still drifting,‘ an‘ plenty more places on ahead jest like it. Dont see how you got this fur. Well, we'll shovel out the gate, an’ then you can drive in under my shed. It's three miles back to town. an’ you can't return any more than you can go ahead. I never see snow fly so fast. Mebbe it'll ease up by tomorrow so we can start to plow the roads out. but 't ain't likely you'll get the mail round under two or three days, or perhaps a week. You'll drive right in."

It was trying, for this was the last day of rural free delivery No. 3. The route had been started as an experiment, but now was thought to hardly be worth while, and was to be dropped. John Holden had been one of the t advo- cates for it, and had obtained tha route, leaving his oldest boy to look after thefaml. The salary was not large, but in a year or so would enable him to stock the farm as ha had wanted tosiock it all his life. _

At length the snow was cleared

from sufficient space for the gate i

to be opened and mm: back. Holden led his horse through the shed, then unharnesscd and took him to the stable. where he fed him generously with the hay which Benson threw down from the mow. Then the two men returned to the wagon. and Holden quickly arranged his mail into a‘ compact package.

"We'll take it right into the house,“ said Benson. "It'll be safe there till you're able to go on."

Holden smiled and shook his head. "l shall go right on now." he said. “Mail mustn't be delayed, you know. Besides, a lot of this is Christmas mail."

"But, man alive, you can't do it!" expcstulatcd Benson. increduiously "It's half a mile to the next house. and that drift right ahead is up to

your armpits, an’ foo soft to stand . on an’ too cusp in push through. '

You're crazyl". . "Mebbe." laoonically, to be done.‘ All this time he had been fas- tening the package securely upon

"but! it's got

his shoulders. Now he straightened .

v .~\-

w

W}! \

"Look Here, Holden, Dent Try ii." , He Bald.

up, taking the broken half 0! a rake handle he saw near. '

“If you don't mind, I'll take this along," he said. "It will help steady some."

Benson placed his hand upon hi5 shoulder.

"Look hare, Holden," he said.

earnestly, "don FY li- Th}

Christmas names ovary year.

the

Our Christmas Dogs

c]

as Tim: Used to Bu,“

011171211‘ it seems as if tbs “older days" were the belt. Think of their Christ-- mascsl Where is the grace of those

the

than is a romance, a delicate, fins flavor of something which ' deed scans lost to us now.

How the neighbors rods through the snow on horseback to large gatherings! How the pretty girls

~ were muffled in rug: and furs,

skimming ovarftha mad in slsighsi How the bolls rippled and rang! And how the wide doorsflew open to great than guests! x "

Light of-candlel . . . breath of pine wreaths’ ; . . apricot-holly -. . . and the hid: thrill of holiday thoughts. . . ; »- l

Laughing faces’ x .1 . gracefu and the lIirKi-Ilia rael- in the even- -

"H315 a hcartsome-thing to think about. Let us try to insert some of . this gentle beautyancfspirit into cur Christmas day. We have not the leisure and , ciousness of

those times. but hearts can reflect

Just as truly the invisible yet in- vincible power of love and loveli- ncssI-Jvlsrtha. B. ‘Thomas.

thing's nothing more nor less than suicide, and you know it."

Holden mat his neighbor's look squarely and smiled. "I don't think sc," he answered. "l shall try to creep along the fences where it's bad, and stick mostly to the high, windy ground across lots, where tho snow will be less deep. I wouldn't wonder if I could make it all right. It's only a half mile to the next house, an’ not more than that be- tween any two places, an’ only fourteen miles round the whole route. Then there's another thing, the main one," his face becoming grave: "you forget the folks who are waitin‘ for their mail. espec- ially a Christmas one. 'i‘hc' ones away are vvritin‘ to their folks then. What will it mean to them if I don't "get ‘round? Of course I don't know much about what's in the mail, but there's the Widow' Cross. livin' alone. Yan’ "her son workin‘ up country in a mill. I've got a letter for her this mornin’. Mebbs ‘t ain't, the one, but I

'__wml_idnr. be surprised if she was _ without wood or coal to kee

her ' warm an‘ a scrap fo oat. an that this latter will fix her up "all right. Them there's Johnson an‘ his wife, who have a sick son off in China. They're out to the box every inornin‘ waitin‘ for me. I've got a letter for them, an’ it's from China. An’ there's Almy Rose, whose hus- band is of! to sea, an‘ little Nina Clark, whose fellow is up to the mines workin’ hard to earn enough to start houseksepin‘. I've got let- ters for both of them. An‘ ‘t aint' all the mail, either. I do errands for a good many. You know the Watts‘, whose boy is so awful sick. They ain't ndbcdy to send for a doctor. What mightlrt it mean if I didn't get there in two or three days? No, no, Benson, I wouldn't dare to stay if I wanted to, I'm only one, an‘ thbyke a good many. ' Good-by"

Usually it required less than five minutes to drive between the houses, but it was two hours later when Holden struggled up on the piazla and knocked on the __docr, locking more like a crudely made snowman than anything human.

"For the land sake!" cried the woman who opened the door, "if it isn't Mr. Holden! Howki you ever manage to get through? But come right in. You can't go on any more

to go to the barn. Oomc." throw- ing wide the door, "don't stand there in the cold. Take your wraps right of! and act right up to the fire and warm."

"I haven't time now, thank you."

- Holden replied, as aoon as heoouid intarpoae a word. "I. must gat on to Watts’. I have some medicine for the sick boy, an‘ he may need it. Hercs your mail. Merry Christmas, ~ ‘Ibeaking ahead." And once more he want out info the storm, dis- -- appearing- in its blinding whirl almost ‘ 4 tly. -

It was scarcely half a. mile to Watts’, but it took him twice the time to roach it. And when finally he stumbled up the steps, he had to pause to catch his breath before he could summon strength’ to knock.

"NI-merry Christmas, an‘ here's your mall, an’ medicine," he gasp- ed. as the door was opened. "No, I- can't stop, I'm a good deal behind time, an’ must reach the widow's v tonight, an‘ Johnson's, an‘ Roses’ an others. They all ain't much over a quarter of a mile. ‘rhe storm's something terrible. Goodby."

When he reached the Widow

Dy fdclwan in the Christian World, (London) \

It: is interesting to wands: amongst the "ifs" of possible his- tory. If a microbe in Babylon had not killed Alexander the Great. all Europa might ‘have been complet- elv 1111811894 "hi" OriBfll-Q-l cul- ture. If George . had been a wiser mau thanhc was. America. and Britain mhht always have been one- If the car of the Grand

. Duke of Austria had not stopped in s. side sir-set in, Sarajevo, a

. frenzied lad on.th_a curb .might nevelabavasbat , and DflhlpL there might have __ no Great W

. nut. the moststartlfng_,specu1s- ‘tlogn 01.811 is fatty to what . .. . .. m» Jaw _ badglsver burn. ust over ,_ hill _. Nasal-sill. the Romauroadujan , Eat to Wcsizand 11s,!- boxy little esus _ must have saiiiheze U pand seen ._tha world__go_.b -mcrci'ls.nt_a from the East perch ._o|i._th_a_lr bales of carpets and fine silks; tired‘ pil-

oddest collections of ideas; strol- llns cqmmlflel- cf players: blind. men tapping out theirway; Ro- ~man soldiers marcbiuspllok men and women hobbling from shrine to shrine.

In some ways that ancient world was not very different from ours. Under the dust of Pompeii, mlurg- ed in rod paint upon the walls, are the election notices, “Voias for Paquis Proculus. the man for the bakers." "We crave your votes for Pronto, who will look after the public funds." Wilorc theatre queues waited-bowie have scrib- bled their names cnthc pillars. In out-of-thc-way corners lovers have written their messages"

It is strange tofdnwup the. cur- . tain and. try in sac some of the faces of that anciantworld. Here. for example. is-a slave. Everyone, save the vsry poorest. had a slave.

Jvhilst awealthy. man. might have asmany as eight hundred ca: his estate. You bought them in the market. All ordinary slava- might cost twenty pounds; a skilled baker fifty pounds; a ooachman. too deaf

Saxon Words "Waes Hail” Meaning “Be in WHealth”

CHRIBIMABfars has always oc- ' copied a big part in Yuletide celebration. Our Anglo-Saxon fore- fathers were excellent treacher- men, and eating and drinking were a necessary-part of ovary gala day. stuffed boars inadm- peacocks,

‘oapons, "pheasants. mince

The turkey was un- known. ‘That excellent fowl did not enter into the biiluofefarc until the discovery of».fks_.lvew.vorld. 0f course. drink aplenty- Punch was-the . wruall

wakes ts name

Saxon ‘Iwds, ."waes

in health." ft

which baked apples werawihrown to enhance its flavor, Jllncc pie originated in i596. It first was made from mutton. The Puritans condemned it as an ungodly dish, and.’ the Quakers would have none of i . .. -_ .

' 1 today. m folksarc almost mreu... um,,o,___ “lawn...”

went by. -

Thethird day tho weather turn- ed colder and tho moist snow crust- ed enough to boar 0110's weight. The snow changed to a_ bitter, driv- lng sleet.

Itwas much harderqhivalkll. but the crust enabled-one» to go more swiftly." This day Holden complet- ed his delivery, and returned to the post "office with theimail he had collected on the

11mm daysJsicntilemQdl We"

open so he could go for his wagon. .. ' in theafterrlom ‘hewent back to

his farm.

Rural free delivery No. 3, how- ‘

ever was discontinued only a month. Then a letter came to the post

office and.» was sent put to John .

Holden. It read: ~- ~

0"" "° m?" “mm” W" “most distinguished ‘by birth‘ or

‘ ~ lowing in dvc order.

Oross‘ it was aha who heardhlm‘ ‘,

fumbling about the dccr, and open-

editthinkingitwasacatordcg" "

wanting shelter.

At first he could not speak, but held out her letter.

"If it's the right one,” he whis- pered presently, _"l'll take it down v

to the store an’ get your supplies "

in a few minutes, soon as I'm resi- ed. It's only a few rods. An'-I hope you'll have a Merry Ohrist- ‘ mas"

."You'll stay all night. of oourse."_ she said. anxiously. "You're com-

pletely used lip an’ it won't be safe,‘

to attempt. going any fumes."- "Only to Johnsflfs an’ Mae's an’ one or two more, lust beyond the

‘ , and. f-hl-lflftl much deeper. ~hl started elfly and the snow until

next “it stiilancw-

ff waoliti and the Drift: __f_na_tion__in_ _, to-‘rouia ffo. sf » "and io-lhb‘ z of m semi-

w the

t. more 0mm!!! lacgacara delivery.

.lohn‘llfldaliil

Ir cualsl tail?

0f All the "Mi bt-Havc-Beens" of History Here is

ie Most Stupendous

to bear conversation in the car stage behind him, a hundred and fifty pounds. An amusing dwarf, or a beautiful woman of marrilgcabls In. might cost a thousand pounds

You. bought them and you set your brand on their forehead or back. Some ware cared for; some were not. A girl drops a ‘dish at n banquet, and her mistress sends her with a note to the flogging shop, and the note aaya thirty lashes. Algustus finds a slave in the larder eating a quail left over from luwll‘. Ind as an example has him crucified. It is dark tn think what would have happened to the world's chains and chained. if Christ had riavcr, been born.

And hers is a woman. Amongst theftofnans they were liven a fairly high position; in other races they were, 9mm treated as cattle- Ovid the poet goes _abrocd on. State businaas,_a.nd writes to his wife. "I address thee absent. Never night and never day comes to me without the thought of thee." But taken on the whole, woman were of secondary or third-rats value. "We have courtaavls for cur pleas- ure," writes Demosthenes, "concu- binu for the ordinary Inquire- mants of the body, wives for the procreation of lawful issue, and as confidential ’ tic guardians."

Woman were looked down upon. and looked down uponthelnsclves until Christ cams.

And hare is a child. Some of the vary tcnderest letters in history are letters written about little children. In many homes they were loved most tenderly, and often when the angel of death touched a child, hearts wore broken. But usually, children waro locked upon in rather s. utilitarian way. They ware nacess y in order to carry on a family, or to provide farm hands. slaves and soldiers. But, if they were not wanted, they were destroyed like puppies or put out to die. Hilarion, a corn merchant. goestolgyptandwritestohis wife, who is expecting _a child, a vary homely letter telling of the condition of the corn market, and of the sights of Egypt. He. ends

flflfiflflfififififlfiabllfi?

Christmas Greens

III-m custom of hanging g evergreens in the house during the Yuletide origin- ally had a purpose beyond that of decoration. In olden days each kind of evergreen was believed to confer spe- cial blessings on those who passed beneath its boughs. ‘Do pass under holly insured good fortune throughout the year. blw meant victory. while laurel was supposed to impart a spirit of beauty and poetry-Missouri Farmer.

Qisblififliidifi-‘Iifififiififi

ceseeaoeaceaseaasoe

Peacock Dinner English Custom Many Years Ago

FASHIONS in Christians dinners

come and go. In olden days at -

a Uhristmls feast in England. next in importance‘ to the boar‘: head _ ~ss ,a Christmas dish was the pea- cock. To prepare the bird for the table wsa a task entailing no little trouble. The skin was first care- fully stripped off with the plum- agoadhering. The bird was then roasted: whsndqne. and partially cooled it was, sewed up again in its feathers, its beak painted with gilt and so sent to the table. Some- times the whole body was covered with leaf gold and a piecaof cot- ~ , tun saturated with spirits placed in ta beak anddighted before the carver commenced operations. This "food for lovers" and meat for lords" was stuffed with spices and sweets, bested with yolks of eggs

and served with plenty of gravy. The noble bird was not served by common hands: that privilege for the lady guests

cf music. the rest 0f the ladies fol- Ths dish was

Jet dcwnbefon the nlaater of the ' "house or his most honored guest. ‘ “the latest instance cf peacock ' eating recorded was at a dimler

j_ _ given to William Iv. when duke of .

. Clarence. ' Granada.

' Receiving Chrisfmus Gifts Is a Fine Art

r cooper, every gift given ueana also s. gift received.

by the governor of

rmristmal always has two. sides. and oertatinly there is great y in receiving the tokens of lcvo and friendship that come to us, not beams of their money ‘value. for most gifts arc

bought for small sums. but because...

they convey to us an expression cf someones afloction. I heard a young girl remark when a little gift came ‘to her. "Well. that

-. lcdidn‘: brea anyones bank", What . I piiv- M 1 Chrlctmalmuli b!" -. lllalfrflfllb joy=for anyone who looked for the price; tag on a gift.

l Oulflcharacter is’ likely to be ra-

fvd- receiving nvailnihat ‘will not only be ocn- ..

make Qbrhimq-ihs mow Joyous, but wiiLlln be an all-ml- virtue. if it cultivatlid in

NEVER coma!

uo*e*aeeeeaeees#es~e

'12!“

our hsartar-l". v

might do for slaves. If they were fair little limbs. they could bc reared as prostitutes; If they were frail, they loft them on the damp flag stones to die.

‘Phat was the world into which Christ cams. '

And here is an man.

frensy and. .i.error- 'l‘hen came the gladiators, and little lads ayrlngcd the hot air under the red. and blue awnings to drown tho reek of blood. Then they watched the dwarfs, the woman, and the da- formod fight, and trailed home wearily debauehe din mind.

The next day they were working attha counter of their shop. But what life meant was all bewilder- ment. You bowed in the tzmpls, offering a lamb to the dying gods for luck. but questioning every- thing. You were initiated into re- ligion by learning mystic sentences. ‘ a white robe and then, when the trumpets blow, plunk- ing down into a hols full of bull's blood. The drulna beat. and they said that you were saved, but you left no diflerent.

And then law!‘ in life Perils?‘ sickness would come. You strus" gled to a temple of healing, where the god was a snake with a man's face. You lay there, face to the ground. and prayed in agony. A rustle told that the god moved and the devout and simple prayed harder. But. if you opened your eyes and looked, you could ass the string fastening the mask to the creature's ugly stupid head.

That was the world into which Christ was born.

If Ms had never ccme._wilat

than?

Great Yule Feast Given bv Kins Richard in 1399

CHIUBTMAS in England. of course, ,is an old feast day though the Santa Claus and Christ- mas tree traditions coma to us from another source. William l!!- Mlcadb “The English Medieval hast" (Houghion, Mitflin) quotes from stove "survey cf bullion." an account of the great feast which King Richard gave in Westminster Hall in the year 1899. Just after re- building the hall of William Rufus: "A mflt "Ell Christmas, with daily- icustima and rurmlnga at tilt whore unto loscrted such a num- be: of people that there was ovary dayspcnilfldorfloxcmafldfloo sheep, besides fowl without num- bar: he caused a gown for him- self foba made of gold gar-rushed with pearl and precious stones. to the value cf 8, marks; he was guarded by (Iluhiro man and had about him conlaimlly is bishops. besides barons, knights, squircs. and others more than needed: inso- mum thatin the household cams

- We?! day to Inset 10.000 people, as

appearoth by the maaaaa told cut from the kitchen to 300 serviicrs."

The Poet's Christmas

Christmas is a poem in iiself_. the loveliest letting in which any religion has had its birth. Many a child has first known beauty thrcufll being suddenly moved, on somrhappy Christmas live, by a thought of’ those starry hap - ings "in the bleak mid-winter, long ago." A group of travellers under the Eastern night-c dark road winding into lantern-lighted Bethlehem-tho homely warmth of the Stable-tho whispering group of plasants and shepherds-and, all around. the stern and sombre grandeur of Imperial Roma: who can forget how all this poetry and romancs first floated into his heart to the music of the carollers? '

Carols are still the best Ohrist- mas poetry. There an no bad aar- cls, for no carol la bad that drawn the imagination to the first Christ- mas Ive. It is lust a matter of early amociationl. of course, but I still find that iha surest Christ- "incsntaticn" is "Silos in Royal David's city." There is magic, I think, in the "anew-tho Won- der so far away, get find like a star in history.

The poetry of Christmas nlns- eapccially-Abrco poetical avoca- tion: of "the “Christmas Iva feel- ing." lhahospaacs. who has every- thing, has Christmas live too:-

Bome say. that ever ‘gainst that season comes

Wherein our lavioilfl birth is cele- brated

rm bird of dawning singeth all_

night long:

V‘ And than, they say. no spirit can walk lbfolfl’

The nights are wholesome; than no planets strike. '

fairy takes. nor ‘witch hathif - mar w charm. , lo aaltlgc and so gracious u m

"Homo say." "they lav." r like u‘

1100i‘ 9w world's greatest genius ‘$13.34?’ am: a - at u: