MAXIMS

or A MERCHANT

. Q ' ~ _ b f Unto us a Son is born who shall 1 ' w I s?” lighten our worldly burdens and

point the way to heavenly lclicltles.

MAXIMS

OF A

MERCHANT

"Give till 1t ham" nDlllll“ 10 "l" Prinqv of Pent-c as wcli as tlw (lull ' of War. ~

Covers Prince Edward Island

CHARl.()'l"i‘i*1'i‘()\VN, CANADA,

Annual Nlllmcrlpllunu Delivered $11.00

i T Byami, (‘Mmldlu and c. s. A. $4.50 ‘ "mmm M

1 ioilviuun rflumlfll

ma; t-unt-li-nu.

SAT! Rik-FY, ill1](‘l*I.\'li§l*IIt 2i, H127

tiaaiisn-nwpn winnings-o»:-

mgalegtzg

'~.

X-mas in I

l Ffbiil time immemcrial Ireland l" enioyea a. reputation for lQg. (‘llilfliy associations. Stories wov. en around the (lhristmns festival are still told in muuy of the (inci- lc districts but the old folk who are the chief historians anti custo- dians of ancient t'oikl0re have it». gotten utmost as many as Hwy n». lflie- They declare nun Christ- mas customs of the c-ld days imvn been stamped cut to a great ex- tent by changed agricultural roudl- tions. cattle markets and railway; lit ls a curious fact that in lirc~ laud as in most Christian countries animals are closely connected with the celebration of tbc holy festival One tradition that still persists has it that animals kneel in their stalls on Christmas night as they knelt. round the manger in Bethlehem. On this night. says the legend. they have tbc gift oi speech with tho i11- tant Saviour b\1t no human may hear zbem unless he be without sin, in many old-tithe districts it was the custom to give the ass and the cattle n specially warm supper and comfortable bed on Christians night. Tho latter was honored by being present at Ills birth and tho other was chartered to irrlng him into Jerusalem. Many old log- ends have it that a light was sl- tvays left homing in the stahloal- ler tbc farmer bluiselt hnd bcddctl down ‘the beasts comfortably. Apart from the purely religious celebration thorn arc many hospit- nhle old ctrstoms. For cxnmilie. a week or so bcloro Christmas lami- ed proprietors always killed n lat wubuligvclt for distribution to their tenants. A farmer who bad ten act-cs or more c-f land killed n File!‘- inlly fnttenerl pig. This he distrib-

rish

1 _ _ 4 a, v uted to his poorer neighbors nfter looking after his own table, Spc- ciul Christmas tipplos were picked from the best specimens at harvest 12nd kopt in thv hnyilcks from the limo these were made 11p in the Full of tbc y'ear.

Whon take-u out thoy had n dc- iicious flavor from tbc uovr-mown buy. in river localities wborc salmon were to be found the larg- cst fish were .“ll->]i‘i'l_(‘ll in August or September, pickled in vinegar, gingci- and other spices and kept. until (‘brislmns for a brcakfztst. dish. Large trout w'ere trt-atctl m the saute way. Eggs car-mark- ctl for Christmas were first rilbbed in llllllfi-i‘ and thou presoivctl in corn chaff.

“Mummers" Make Merry.

tin tbc bettci" triuss rcsiticittlzil districts fantastically drcssed youni: mcn snliicll forth with fifos and tirums tc- seronndc anti stiiutc the inhabitants. for which they werc generally rcwwlrtietl with gifts oi eggs. butter and bacon. ‘Phone they sold and staged a, drinking bout with the iaroceetls, Thus young mcn were tealicd “hlunnncr

Old records show that it. was quite a common trusto-m for peoplc to make ouch other lllYl-‘lelilbl ill itomemndo xvhisky, beer, flue flour. gcosc. turkey 11nd intros.

Tho most. imnullu- lllluk W118 ll bovc ‘nilelvttllctl “mead" which wus- n liquid extracted from the honey- comb after the honey hnd boon pressed front it. Old writers any’ that. when mint-ti with alcohol, this driirk was seductive and intoxicnb lntZ- it was used lii lkIPFIQ flllflllll‘ ties umoug tho lrish in tbc old days.

(Continued on page 8)

Although Winder-r Castle is ihc (driest iububiteil palace i-n the world its history has left it curlousy frco of ghosts. indeed beyond Iierno tho Hunter there is butdly one which will stand close examination. Home himself has been active ev- or sinco the ‘day whcn ills corpse swung from tho great oak. liis exploits in lilo were nothing to his parser after death. Curerut gus- sip has it that he still roatus tho 1117-1113 park and it is tmt innny months since somconc rs-ymitcll having bcniti ihc buyiui: of the bounds.

linwovcr. limnc himself ltus not ull the itimnutwo" for bisfuzit bus an equally (lfllfllilllt- story to tell; ‘so much n story of tioubts and misun- derstandings that tbc Ilritisb l‘ub- llc Works iiopariitieul bns tict-ltit-ti to add s solid cugrnvod tablet to lbo fence about. "\llcruo's Oak" and make its story u coucn-tt- thing ior all lime. '

Tho iuvertctl commas about "llc11'|1c.’s link" n11‘ of imporittutec; for tho trot». cxlsis in name nud not i." fact. ‘if you ll'i\(‘t‘ tho story of tho iliterry Wivcs of Windsor. you can nee the track ivhoro tin-y cur- 1iccl ‘Falstaff like sr- much dirty lin- en in tbc ignommious dumping in the water at llulcltoit, And you can stop on lilo wny uud sun tbc‘ actual gpaik pit from which iii" fnlpkyfl art,“ m t-ntuitnin tho kitigbt in his hall sloop, .

it was there that the first ilorucis Oak was planted moro years 111w than anyone can toil. nntl sitiod nu- til i793. willie lieruo ltlmsoii‘ bov-

WINDSOR GASTLES GHOST TREE

cred about in ghostly ft rm ‘sfllllfi- limos making oxcursions to lbo very (‘zistltn Aiuswtlrth llItS it that he zippeniotl in tho Norman tower when Surrey was lmprisrrncti thorn. and bc also startled many bravo uobicmcti in tbc ball rcmom- beret! ycstordttys by appearing bc- fnrc them. phospht-rcscout lichl and flames from his ivurniitg lmrn ou- banciug ‘the iticturc,

in i793 George ill was induced to destroy the oak ltccatrse it “'11s uccd 11nd ugly. lio did not reni. izn his iuistlrkc until ton late and ‘when he did ltc ltrrncrl lo nnotbci- troo and vowr-d ibut. this was “Home's 011k" illlil that tin» one ho had dcstroyctl was spurious. 'l‘bc King was loud in his assurance 11nd his fodowors wr-rc silent in their wisdom. for they kuetw the genuine trot; had bot-u on tho shit» oi‘ tho chalk pil. of Shakespearean-n associ- iilion,

Tho iit-tltituig ouk was blown down duilnr: a halo in i363 hull (Jitceu Victoria itluuicd uuothor in itn plnc.c——l.hl\ third to cnjty Ibo uumo oi‘ "Home's 011k". ‘Stili_t'ur~ ibcr to kccp llcrticfs memory allvo she turned the chalkplt into a Hknt‘ iniz pond with a twoncrcit‘ boll.

ll was King Pidwnrrl who adjllfil- m] tho rr-nfilsctl identity’ of tho hun- ter's ouk. H11 was planting Qllilfli) itilizabr-tlfs Willi. which curiously cncugb bnd fun ussociniioti with Elllllllfllll. and found that ilcruofs Oak in the wroni: position bud to be removed. This hc did. plant- iurz still nnc-tbcr, but. in ll!" T1811! position on lilo sldn of l|r~ trlmllc pit.

_0HRISTMAS ON

One needs a vivid imagination to picture Christmas when swoitnrimz in a minimum oi ulotbi-ux and won~ tier-lug whet er time ice simply Wlll hold out. no for skating, but for cooling drinks.

The cocoa season is now in lull swing on the (‘told Coast, and De- cember is considered the most pros- perous month in the v88!‘ l0!‘ ‘lllllk ing, Merchants try to attract their native customers by dllilllly" oi new and striking designs in cot- ton garments and silk hamlker- entails, vying with one another in produclill’ the latest patter-n st the omspest price. Their stores con- lain Almost n! new s "PM! "i good. u gny wgll-kntrwn depart- meat Itore in s iarse Cnnfldlflu "W-

011 Christmas Eva the main streets and market illicit “l “Y in" w"; ppzsent an interesting spectacle sud their ls a veritable Babel ot tongues. it there is our thing a West Ail-lean can do well is to nun a noilii witch" "t"

THE GOLD COAST

joicing or sorrowiug hc likr-s to loll the wr-rlti."

it in u practical llllllfitltlllilllly to net any work tiohc; tbc oniiro. pop- pimlou vwauder about greeting irionds and trcquaintnnt-tas with rrit s of "Compliments," uud visit tho various stores after rcutilniz through nil the ads in lbc lt-cai Dil- pm‘. These visits arc tisuuily ac- companied by plenty of refresh- ments and a Hill"! "l KT?“ Kellml’ ity prevails, T9 the European or American tbcrc is a sense oi un- yggllly about it all. The weather is hardly what ntiizht he telmfll seasonable~ is ll!" ti"! "m9 Turk" ish Bath everywhere-and for au- othor the condbicna o! social lilo do not conduct» to any Renew‘ jnlliflcntion. lip country there are no clubs or meeting places for tbc public: u ilovernment official mu" give a Dart)’; but apart from that thine is Jnnt casual visiting amongst acquaintances, The mall from home bus nrilvcd n wcolt belon- nnd has been digested.

t e

."'/

'l‘l1ougl1 i1 is contrary; Io what most poopit- will oxpw-l it Vllilfillli-‘IH tsiiclil ill lilo birlllplitl-t- of (‘lirlsl i‘: really tho grt-ziirst dlszippt iiilllitlill lmngiiiilblo. lll‘lll't’llt’lll is ilu- 1:11- placo in iltc whole‘ world Wllvrn ill!‘ festival is coniutcnuirntoil in ii sci- tliti] oi llll'(‘tll<'lllill( crowds and armed guards.

The Church oi tbc Nativity’, by common consent zitlmttrctl l‘) b~ ill" nutbcntit: silo ti‘ l‘b.isl'.~4 birth. looks more likt- u ioriniduiiic mu. ross than a (‘li1'i'~'ti1111 church, 'i‘l11- dark ibztssivo walls with v ~i heavily barred windtrws, zsl in u, roughly pitvcd squ duruncc vile ratbm than roll iacacc. Tho illlij.’ floor-w _\ : small lloio in ihc git-at tbicltzt . iho wall. so it.1\\' 111.11 om- l‘ 1-4 i-- stoop lo puss titrtuigb. 'i'l|~ w i 1m spirv or tiouic; t-uiy an m7; lnoliltii: bell i1.'1tliy' pnriecllrn: iimim mctiiovui llliliililll‘_v which ltlnl i: capable ti‘ rinsing out cliui lust 1;."

r--.._...__......._..__.._.. ._..._...._..._..l l

l iii E

——-~—<»o>-- e ~ ~

(in l‘i1rislin:t> i-Iu- grt-ni crowds touu- iruiii Jt'lll‘liilt'lll ztmi line sur- iountlurc viliaul <. to lil_ll‘llll 1l1»- ini¢l~ nich: |n:-~.~' lit-bl 111l|i1~ ltoinaii (‘nih- nlit" part of lll" "liiLvll. till" iTHl of tbl builriiiiil bolus i‘l‘,\i'i'\'l‘il for lliu 4§l'|i'l\'.~i 14ml ;\l‘ll\|‘lllll'|S who bold ii1l-i1‘i'l|1'i.-t1ii:ts all a tliifviw-iii lliiil‘.

Tho lillt‘l'l1'l‘ oi tho t'lllii'l‘ll which tntbt-v rlrsoiiibirs nu r-nt-ltisctl untr- kt-t with 14111211 pillar; and bugl- ilncstout-s. pin-souls :1 t-ultl utui cluw-ritss st-vu .\ ‘slliiléiiig i-Iush t-rn mob lit-straws tbc iillilfllill-i‘. pushing 11nd iicbtini: tor plows. wbiit» llli‘ nislcrg urt- lluziriloti by pu~ tic» with gleaming lli\_\'illiL‘li4 to pro- voni disdurbauw-n lu-uvcon religious factions.

llc lfivus nutuuottisiu is so bitior that should it lit-cult or Ailllvliltili i|i'l\ st sci. foot on :1 czirpvi bvioiiiy- lug- to lllc Lztiiiw, ul‘ \it-<- vorsn. it is vnoucb to 1 tisl- it- riv-t p1 ruling; in bic-iitltdictl. ' h; our); t'l’llll'l'li of its 1u|i't1('11it11' bounds that at. 1h» bortlr-i’ iiiit- ihc

LY Niorrrm

RISTMAS AT BETHLEHM

null ltancincs are i-vou pluucti but-k to i|l'i‘\'\"lll tin-in swinging txvcr foi- vigil ground.

.-\l miilniphl there is :1 pioccssioit 1n tbc vlmpt-i of tlic .\litll);t'.l‘, Wllllfl.‘ llmru tuvtw small iiigbts of stops in :1 ‘small lamp-lit crypt. is tbc lum- i-ns "Star of llt-tblobvm" illlli‘|(ll)§! tho pctuztl spot win-re Christ is said in bnvl- boon burn. This is in ii small rocoss r-t‘ tbc wail over which stands an ziiinr short-d by all ihrcc l'lllll't'llt‘h‘ t‘ilt'll contributing its Sllflft‘ oi‘ titmly burning lamps; hero in ihc holiest spot ra-t‘ all (Zbrisicntiotu it '.\'t'llll_ tauds by tiny and night lo roscrvt- rtsliglnus yicacc.

(‘lose by is u small ietine on which tbc maugci- is suid to have. rcstctl but the mount-r itstilf is now locked up in tho church of Santa Alzuizt dlagciortv in lioiuo. it is tuziy on tbc lonoly bilisirlo of Juden whom dwells tbt- peaceful sbcp- herd with his tlock that tbc truc atmosphcrt‘ of tbc first. Christmas is lo be t'rit1i1d.

From (Iorrrggftfs Famous‘ Painting

“And shc brought forth bt-r iirsiborn son, and wrnppt-tl him in swntltllitig clothes 11nd laid him in a manger. bccuurat- iht-rc was no

room for ihcm in ihc inn.

“Anti tbt-rc were in lbt- suuu- country sltcphcrrls abiding in tbc iit-iti. which ovcr ilicir iluck by ititibi.

“And lo. ibt- angel of ihc Loni twn-iu- upon ihcm. and tbc glory of ilu- i.<~.~.t round trboul ihcm: and lint-y xxt-rt- afraid. "

“And ilu» angel: liil untoilu-in.l*‘t'trr|1ul: for. bcitoill l bring you good tidings u‘,

Morass

Before we nrc in u position to really interpret Bctulcbcui and its mangerwc tuust soc it in all its un- adomed reality To do that it is trcccssory’ to clltuinalc from our minds the‘ imprcssitms which bavc been made by works of nri. on cau- vas and stained class windows. When wc look at thcsc tbc view we receivc is quite pivlltfflSqllfli but tbcrc “'11s nothing piciurcsquc in tho ur- iginal. We are not brought to tlir‘ fcct. of a Quccn of Hcnvcn or a new born Prince with a magic bnlo around i111; head. We arc bciorr a woman whosc hour oi nced has com:- and who lllllnl shift for ltcrscii. ivlarj;

becomes a representative of motbcr-

Lord.

lat-oping

about:

hood as tbc poor know it and th“ Christ-cbilri is tbc l‘(‘|)l'i‘Sl‘lll.'tll\'i‘§¢ of nli liitJo rhlitlrcn who itrrr born to want and suifcring.

If wc nrc not mcrc li0lllllllCl\l.lll' istx. when wc come to Bctblchcmthv worship wc nib-r thcrc is certain to have practical result. Marvslotu/as not more intolerable ibnn many mo- tbcrs in hcr tiny and since hcr tiny. and if tbc Christian spirit is in our hcnrts we will be ready to abolish the cottdttlctrs ivhlch crcntc ihc slum and ihc rookcry. and make it impos- ribio for any mother to suilcr as Mary did in tbc loniz ago.

It is :1 \'(‘l_V simple thing to decor- ntc our church windows with lowly pirturrs of ihc Madonna. and tr: bang upon our walls pictures of the

‘grout joy, whit-in “P or unio you 1s born of David 1t Saviour, which 1's Christ ihc

shall be lo all pcoplc. this day in the city

“And ibis shall bt- n sign unlo you: Yc shall iinti ihc bubc uu-appt-ti in swntltiliti; cloihcs, lying in 1t uinngter.

“And stitidt-uly lhcrc was with ibt- angel u multitude of ihc bt-aycnly host praising (loll. and shying.

“Glory to (itui in ihc highest, and (ill carlb pcucc, good will toward mcn.“

AND units"

Babe oi iictblcbcm; but whni: is the im- of all this i1‘ thcrc is no sympn~ thy in our bcnrts for children any~ wbcrv. and we are unwilling to lift cvcn a iimgci" to abolish the systems which create millionaires at oneend and at the other little bare-footed cbtidrcu who cry out for bread?

Herc arc bcatitiftti lessons to bc icarncd from Mary and Jesus. and wt‘ gaze upon pirturcs of the Madam no sud Child. and stand in imagina- tion curt‘ again in Bethlehem on that first Christmas nicht. until looking upon mother and Child wc nccd nothing more to urge us to so strive that the world will bc kindli- cr to all mothers and llttlc children. 'l‘bcn will Cbrtstznos bring to us one cf its aren't lessons.

tele-

Xmas Customs

In this matter-of-fact age super- stitutions which troubled our fore- fathers, no longer exist. Neverthe- less msny of the ancient rites and ceremonies connected with Christ» mas are still faithfully carried out. For instance, bow many remember when they burn the Yule log in the open fireplace or. Christmas night. that tbc ashes should be collected and preserved so that the house and its inmates may be secured from evil spirits throughout the’ coming year?

The burning of the ashcn faggot on Christmas Day is an old West of England custom that has pretty well dlcd out now, though it held the field for many centuries. There are two explanations of this old custom. One. still believed in by tbc gypsics. related to the tradition that when Christ was hiding himself in the Garden of Gethsemane all trees rc- mained silent with the exception of the ash which told udicrc He was hiding.

For this reason it W85 birrnt nt Christmas. The second stiizgcstitm is that tho (irigin of tbc practice lics ih t-hc fact that it was by 2m ash-wood lire that Christ W115 first washed and (ircsscd oi Jlctblehl-nr.

Our Santa Claus is possibly but another name for tbc giant god

that was worshipped winter festival of the solstice. He got ills name from the old German “Zuntc Kins mmznlng the "big Dicty." though by Lfnciitioii he is St. Nicholas.

In some places the belief is still firmly held that (lit cattle go down upon their knees at tnirinight and in Cornwall it has bot-n hold until quite recently that at tho some moment nil tbc water in the well was tem~ i1orarily' turned into urnc but that anyone tasting it would be instant- ly killed. Anoihci" old superstition in the cider districts 0f tbc West of England was in tho cfiicacyr of “was- Sflllllls ihc Apple trce." On Christ~ tnas Eve after a goodly least of cider and cakes, all tbc lads and losses wcnt into tbc ort-brtrtl and :1. rake was placcti upon tbc first fork oi the lilo-it Productive apple trcc and a llllCllPl‘ of cider poured ovrr it. Sing~ mg an old refrain they ucuicl tbcu (lance round ihc troc. Thif; sim 11L- ritc was believed to ensure a isrg: crop ihc foiioxvimg- 1r.

Iii Ireland it is still lal-iicvod by many iocopic that on Christmas Fri- Jutins Iscnriot was nllowcri to l‘(‘ll. ' tlu- earth and anyone tool‘ mirror on tbnt nicbt would Judas or tbc Dcvii iit-rrins shoulder.

THE MARIONETTES anoint/Tile “

In no region of Europc is titcmztr-nnt alike 11.1w llllllll)‘

itmcttc so beautifully simple and yrt so technically iacrior-t as in Naples and Sicily. In the region of the "Tvro Sicilics“ thc mnrioucttcs per- form tho most bloodthirsty epic known to man, tbc iilOff/ of tbc \\‘z1i‘~; bctwccn tbc Christians and tin: Saran-mist. n1 which their mv11co111t~ try was >0 blood-sonklrtl at battle- lirld. —

An CXll‘il0l‘(lll‘llU‘_\' inns t-rc takcs place nightly‘ on the tiny stngcs n1 the nmrlonctlc tbcntrr‘ ~ Tbc su- prcmc Christian iu-ro llfilldlllilifl‘? about him like a wiurlxviud with hie word and tbc loppcd hoods oi tbc infidcis gatbcr about his shoulders

l' pyramids. It is not all

sailing. however for Orlando and his comrades. Devils rise from inferno. dragons belch rcnlistic iirc. magicians cxcctztc biood-curdlingz szpclis and sirens latiguisii seductive- ly lmdcr poisonous trees.

On the Evc of Christmas tide tizc mnrionctte put aside their helmets or turbnns. their swords or srimi- tars. Now is tbc time to toil a gen- tlci" and :1 ioreltcr talc. tbc talc of the inlaid Christ and the Shep- bcrcis, the grtnvn Christ and his. companions. The sword has been coitvcrtcd into the shepherd's crook and the scaly dragon into a mild- cyed cow knot-ling beside a tnangcr.

The talc oi Christ may be seen DCTfOPillPfl in several 1nodcs~iu tbc medium of ihc flcsb as in ihc Miracle Plays or tbc Passion Plays oi Obcrnmtnrrtzriu. Clerk and peas~

kiilctt pcrlniw mzrnccw 11ml 1t is inn-xi. it: think u‘ ihcm as {Dtltldllll}; to their ticxic-s u: their pio\v.~:. '

On lliC lilm tbc talc become; much W'- r-zvlorfiii 1111c to tbc l('t‘-l'l‘t".iill

and _\;<»ll<:;<\ of "tiatiirui" plin- totzr-apiiy. lint out 1111mm: tbc r1.’i'~ mil of Paiczzxit: illlil Nnplr» ill ill‘; liicntrt- t tiu- (lnll- tiu- mind l~1 ti.» lucrlutilrlf.‘ l'0ll"lli('(‘ti ‘hr. is. not. r-i l1ot-:_lu$t' Ci ,1 or John or ro rr-ncit-zv-il‘ 11111 devout duff _ - " 11L 1i mnizc-iip that 1m)’ liviip; atria" Plfllill t-iivy. Soon throuvli iltc 132w. w tbc uudicnt-r‘ tlu~ at": 11.111; more than tin“ . ‘ccl 1m: iiivy imrl all tlxcu“ lives lachclt cncry church and n! _ Htlllfl‘ c\'crr my. liic iiirlht-i" f-.lt't1.~ iy oi ccsturo and speech.

Nothing on ill" orttznnry" Slflli? t-trrizl bc more inovin}: than tbc - 11c wbcrc Christ aitct" tbc Lust

‘tor bcrwerbcs Jitrius to lci Him

1 lilt» foot. ilVitii iuiinitc ccntic-

JPhllF tum :11 ihc ll'illll(‘.\ of Ju- dnr.‘ izormonts. 'I‘hc rbcutttntic liar- uwninnt solicits into a melody that sccms more cxquisito in that ictlci air tbnn tbc .~ rains of :1 great \iolmi.~;i. 131:! Jmin»: mills ills: garment nutty o 11d kit-ks ihc bnsm over. Even more trotablc was tbc moment when Mary kncclcd bcsidc hcr child in the man- ucr. clmllviuu bnu. A hundred mur- dvrtius bands that yesterday flash- cri a stilcttn upon ihc air wiped away a trar. Likc ('llil(ll‘(‘ll they wcptand :ilill(‘d. tliosc tinrk-skinncd despera- doc.»

“TERILS 0N THE EMPIRES BORDERS '

Canadians who have had any ex- pcrlcncc of travcl in the great North- land will not need to be told that iitc for tbc cnrricr of tbc Christmas mail is one long battle with darkness. cold and itungcr. Isolated scttlc~ mcnts in thc great lonc land to tbc North oi this Dominion often rc~ ccivc their mail but oncc a year nutl that delivery is usually’ about Christ- mas time. it. has to be carried by slow stages front tbc point wbcrc it loaves tbc railway by snow sbocs and dog sleds for 2.000 miles across ihc snow-swept north.

Few people have any idea what a lottcr may lmvc to go through in reaching its destination or what un- forstrcn fate may ovcrtukc tbc i1ost~ man who is cwtrrydng it. Tbclcticr carriers job on the outskirts of cir- iiization is arduous nt all tunes.

A well-known big game hunter rc- latcs nn interesting cxpcricncc Wlllll‘ on n sbootint’. trip in the Jbngics; 0i Northern 11mm. Ilc was sitting inn trcr one afternoon whiting for tiizcr wbcn hc beard a slight rustic in tbc rivcr bctl bchmd. Presently a pnn< tbcr with that ominous siieucc char- acteristic ot 1t. crouched on n irticc nbovc tbc forest path that was with~ in viow of tbc trcc. The rcasoti was soon apparent. Along tbc trail cnmo tbc postal coolic. droning to bimscli after tbc manner of tbc. Indiauvib ingcr, nil uucotiscioils oi ihc danger. ‘Thnt postman owes his life to tho chance waiclicr in tbc ircc who izol tho panther with a wcli placed shot in the nick of timc.