Dr P2GLHE1K.

J')K3r>ae»* UMAX iuartu If nol liu-111 <-o:ues t*r the yard twisted lu rope to’, , *5 num tongm-s are even now | fasliiou. ami eyougb of It to nse In till* £ L_J * haying "Merry Christum*." ] ninuner enn 1m- procured at small ex- £ . 1 * „ J and the next few days will poriKe. SUWEWHR* be the happiest In all the | The little Norfolk Christmas trees year. Tills is the s?ason when uusel- j add much to the Uhristmas decorafishness reigns supreme, self-forgetful- '-lions. They are. however, uufortunes* Is universal, for everybody is ] nutely quite expensive,* but they last phi lining to give pleasure to other*. |a long time: in fact, longer than the No one is bnsier than the home-. majority of bouse plants, ns they do maker, who has not only her Christ- not require such constaint moistenmas dinner to plan and supervise, but ing. she must decorate the house with sea- j There are Christmas bells fashioned eonahle greens and scarlet berries. In , of luuuoiieiles, also ones of holly and fact, there is no season tha. demands ' evergreen that can be used with good so urgently enilwlllshmenta that be-1 results If suspended In doorways speak the most beautiful of religious from the top of window casements, festivals, the birth of Christ. j If thQre are open fireplaces they Ib-d is pre-eminently the Christmas should be filled with spicy evergreen color, but it is more effective when houghs, and the ehimucy breast propcombined with green. Holly, winter er can be made charming with festoons

| of evergreen. For example, take sev- | oral yard* of the green and divide ; ft, tucking the middle to the picture - molding and at the same time suspend j from It a large holly wreath.. Then i let the rope drop nlmut three feet and I carry It up again to the molding, fas-

i tening It there, and allowing the ends,

! to fall to the mantel shelf. If more | color Is desired the wreath can be tied ' with red ribbon, allowing the ends . ! hang well down on the chimney breast. ! Ijirgimoorwnyi or prelies can be cm | bellisbed In the same manner. | Kven the simplest homes should have some emblem distinctive of the season.

xrarO'X. ! and if wreaths and evergreens ready to be put to Immediate use are too berries, cranberries and the lieautlful the loose holly In large branches polnsettla. which In many iwrts of the . ^ ob ,,| nc< i nIll i „ | t u. world Is known as the Christmas flow- tlM | , n bunches, or ead be made Into

er. are the favorite hits of scarlet that 1 lend bright and cheery notes of color ; to rooms and churches. j And then a hunch of mistletoe must J hang somewhere—this strange little wax berry that lias so many sentimental superstitious connected with it. | Plenty of green should be used In all decoration*, as It higbtens the brill- ! lance of the scarlet, and it should be lu . this instance as In all others nature's background, the setting for all her blooms. - Wreath* of holly tied with rod rib-, bon or suspended by n wire from the j middle window sa*ii lend cheer t^au I

rpartment, dr wmitli* ctf everpeen wreaths by deft lingers and a little

tl*-l with scarlet ribbon can'lie u*cd., wire.

crgreeti lasts longer, and U Isi The market Is flooded with imitation iSly. aroniittlc. J evergreen that looks like stage grass,

long engtigb hut it Is devoid of dither

fixing room or ifeguty. •■onsciiuetitiy If-has

of this poor replica of nature's creation. Nothing is more beautiful or decoratire than the graceful polnaettla and a plant or spray of it In a room brightens It more than a bunch of either red roses or red carnations, simply bees use it Is .distinctly a Christmas flower. It also lends Itself admirably to the decoration of a dinner table. Next to the Christmas tree In-all its splendor and beauty, which Is naturally the most Important ereu of the day for the little ones, comes the Christmas dinner and the setting and’ enriching of the table for the feast. The Illustration furnished presents a timely yet simple decoration for either

And requK Through •< Till echo oi

luncheon or a dinner table. The cloth Is white, the serving plates of «1. gold and white. Jn the centre is a miniature Christmas tree, which was cut from the top of a lafge one. It la decorated with glistening ball*, berries and the usual favors, a bunch of mistletoe tied at the top. About the base of the tree is a wreath of holly and bunches of winter or Her- berries, which furnish wealth of scarlet, which centra*!* xx-ell with the snowy white nape^. From the centrepiece run vines of holly to each cornfr of the table. The candles on the tree and on the four corners of Ibe table furnish ample light and cast a radiant glow over

everything.

A charming centrepiece for a dinner table which Is most seasonable consist* of three or four polnsettla pl.-mta potted In a silver bowl. About the table Is a wreath of the same flowers and their foliage arranged. The silver candlesticks, placed ’gt equal distance. should be furnished with scarlet shades. If fruit Is to be served use red apples and white grapes, and arrange them In low sllvef dishes. simple and inexpensive table decoration can lie made of a medium sited pot of fine ferns, the pot wound with red satin ribbons tied In a large roaette-llke bow on each side. A pleasing Christmas iote' can he glt-en bytbe nse of red shades on the candles and a hall of holly suspended frotp the centre gas fixture. Spicy, red carnations are also much used for tables. They require tall, siender-neckMl vases of either silver or glass. A large one should be placed In the centre on either a red gnd white in all white embroidered centrepiece. and smaller rases at She corners

of the table.

Gorgeous, indeed, will be a table embellishment that has been arranged for a Christmas dinner. Covers are laid for ten. A lace centered cloth, which

>f mire white snow, loo nr ye you. kna ring your chime* for rich and poor. _n crowded town, on lonely moor, 'touch human hearts and homes, and cheei The desolate; andtiid men stay Their angry strife, and live their life Anew; for life is but a day, And soon, too soon, will pat* away; As yonder pathless white will disappear lleneath men's footstepsiatbecomingyear CHRISTMAS. By Lady Lindsay. was a little child He slept on Mary'* knee and smiled— She rock'd Him on her knee. (So pray you hearken, gentles all. And gii-e us cheer in house and hail). She rock’d Him on her knee.

For Beoedicite. (So pray you hearken, gentles all. And gix-e us cheer in house and hail).

The shepherds’ flute gave merry sound, With hollies green they strewed tbground. For joy the Christ to see. (SoTmy you hearken, gentles all. And give us cheer in bouse and ball). For joy the Christ to see. y

A COKNEE or THE TAELS.

rtuM ri-nrwa.

siritif* an

o fleco-

I festoon a

of the r

also has a border of lace inset In the top. the cloth designed to be used on a round-topped table, is to be mounted on an underdoth of scarlet liberty satin. The centrepiece Is to be a Urge uru-sbaped silver bowl, filled with maiden hair fern. Four triple silt "candelabra with red satin lining the silver shades and a few Email silver dishes will be the only other settings. Inexpensive and pretty is a large bowl of holly, used a* a centre beilishment. and over It hung on the gas fixture* four wreaths, tied together with a Urge bgiw of scarlet ribbon. In selecting a menu for the Christmas dinner, select as many rUnds as suggeat the season's color as possible. Kveji the bonbons can he colored red. For Instance. Hungarian peppers/mn lie chopped fine and sprinkled over the anchovy canapes: lobster ford served In Ihe fibril* as o flab course— this naturally following the soup course;,a stuffed tomat? salad, served after the tnrkey and cranberry Jelly, the Hum candied

Now are both welf grown. Of all the trees that are in the wood The h^Jj- brgrs the crown. The riling of the sun.

The holly bears a blossom Aa white as the lily flower, And Mary bore sweet .lesus Christ To be our Saviour. The holly bears a berry Aa red as any blood. And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ To do poor sinner* good. The holly bears a prickle Aa sharp at any thorn. And Mary bore aa-eet Jesus Christ On Christmas Day in the morn. A CHRISTMAS - CHIME.

-— White Church (Bushsirk Avenue" Reformed) the pastor. Hr«. Edwsrd Nile*. bn ‘'Bretd Upon the Waters 1 i, fo. Mr. Nile* The hook of Ecclesiastes is the life p of_ the wisest and richest man of h Every atatemspa baa been tested, young man rmghPJiavr uu j the sai thing with equal eloquence and ronvi tion. but the impression on the mind of the elder.y reader would be, “Yes, hi* ad vice is all very well in theory, but what doe* he khew about lifeV The wolds of the aged Solomon are open to no such criticism. Our text is the tirst of the Abort, pithy .sentences with which the teachings of bis wonderful career are summed up. In thought he goes back to the early dsy* af hit reign. Then hit country was insignificant. Jerusalem itself was a pioneer city only thirty-three years old. Hi* people bore something of the same relation to the surrounding nations as did the Boers of a doxrn wars ago to the Euro pean countries. They were strong, religious tell contained, with few extremes of Poverty or wealth, who had partially enslaved, partially exterminated, the original inhabitants of the land Yet. they were mostly isolated on their plantation* and lacked the polish of refinement and culture which only comes with long settlement of a country and contact with the great world.Solomon recalled hhw ardently be had entered into the work of patting bis sub jeet* abreast of the times.' He had wid cned the borders of the land until they reached the Red Seg. 2'hefr a dockvard was established, a flee! «.f ships ».«» built and lauat-hed. marking the first ventures of the Jews in commerce Human nature being ihe name in all age*, we can be sure th»t many a Jewish fogy remonstrated. “What, •ukr hardearned money, the result of so much toil in • lie fields, and put it in these tubs, to go

o foolish as to throw a

The day when thisr snips sailed off in search of trade and profit was likely made the occasion of great pageant by the Government to counteract ihese grumblings, but as week after week went by and month followed month, nothing was heard of those much discussed ships. The wiseacres became ail ihe wiser, ibook tfccir head* more knowingly and croaked more disconsolately. The rime came, however, when off in the dim distance the watcher by the *c« discerned a white speck upon the w-ater. Looking more intently, he *aw here a ship, there another and behind still more. When near enough to be hailed all were found to be well. Their venture to countries before unknown, had

leen crowned with success.

As the crew* with their rich burdens wended their way overland to Jerusalem the rumors of the profit of over Hl.tWU.OK from the single x'oyagr preceded them. 1 can imagine the smile of the ageu Solomon as he recollected the consternation the ;cvs caused to the conservative croaker*. So evident were the benefits derived from the policy of putting out money for long pei-iods because oi the good return* in the end, that a ship building fever aeised the nation. Three year voyages were undertaken and prospered, until the S uaint, primitive Jewish community wa» tirly gorged with wealth. Silver was as stones in the streets of the Capital City, magnificent palaces and other public building* were erected where the rude hula had »'ood. Palestine ceased to lieflome the -contemn! of all countries. Distinguished royal visitoc* traveled over water and desert to see the grandeur with their 'oxen eves, to tied that it was more remarkable tnan depicted in even the most glowing stories. Such was the aienlal vision that came before the reminiscent writers of Ecclesiastes. The cause was for that truly phenomenal industrial revolution he put into the precept of our text, "Clast thy bread. or thy capital, upon the water*. Invest it in some enterprise that doe*

lepartally Favored. The red immortelles are especiall’ favored for Christmas decorations. an< Itells and balls, large and small, madof them, will finish the ends of ever green ropes and depend from chande Hers and fixtures. Paper Is also usm for balls and bells with much the sam effect

§he—“Sometimes I wish that Christ mas came a Uttle later In the season." He (testily)—“So do I. I wish It camon the BOth of February.” -

onea coa wim to osier sauce. wee, apple sauce croquettes, bsheas, cranberries, meshed potato. * or orange salad, wafers, olives. Minae pie. cheese. Neapolitan ice cream, cakes. Coffee, nuts and raisins. Couldn’t Fool HI to!

Kbe—“Wotcher cbucklln aboutT’ He—“To fink dat Santy Claus'd trj to fool me wll' me old las' year's sled painted rod!"—New York Journal.

imtnrdiatc result; it shall re-

turn unto you as it did unto me. infinitely multiplied, even though it may be after m-ny -lays." It i* another way of saying.

■'Nothing venture, nothing have."

Of course,' Solomon ran many risk*. Hi* fleet might have been shipwrecked, his crews destroyed by the sax-ages visited, toey were in danger of losing their way forever in those nncharted seas; yet. although hi*, eye* were wide open to the chance of lots, he didn't hesitate to act. The rule of greater economy propounded in the advice. "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shall find it after many -days.'' is good for our own age. Those who are content to do aa did their father* may make a living. That is all. The *'i ' less young man who lix-e* from hand . mouth, satisfied if hr barely meet* hit bill*, we recard a*-only le*t than criminal. The father, with a family lookinc fo him for support, who tacitly assume* that he i» tp be well and keep bi« po*i‘ ; — indefinitely, who by* up nsJhmg in bank, make* no investment, ;oin* no terns! order, pays no insurance, has r ready money than be who. is -looking for the return after many days of the *ub- - stancr die is now casting upon the water*. Which one is wire? The over *300.000.000 we annually spend on life insurance premiums *how* how thoroughly belief in Solomon's precept has taken bold of the

American people.

Men without the yeast of imagination ncx-er riae in the businrsi world. A abort time ago a salesman in one of tbe large notion house*, after telling me of the prestige held by hi* firm ten rear* ago. raid: "Now, 1 want to leave. They don't seem to knoa' how to accommodate themselves to changed condition*. They refuse to spend money unless they cun *rcoming hack, and our trade is simply — ning away from ns to other firm* who all these veara bare been working for. the 'TVovidence" 'conics from pro. bef. ... video, to look. Looking before jrou„ It is the banc of the poor that in some cases they cannot, in many cases they will not do so. They buy their coal by the bucket

instead of the ton, and pay o

mucu time gone . dtale, possibly no ultimate, advantage to yourself, bat the return will be ;n tha character of him jou hire been training. The agony of prayer* for wayward gogs, straying daughter*, indifferent friend* are all heard, and will be answered if wa on easting our heart allies our time and our longings upon the sppMirntly unbredflow many are Ihe temptations to diarMUragrmriU experienced by the I nnstian worker. The SundayIsacleSf < oroes home tired out by the reemingly unsuccessful aAtempl to impress ut even n those whom she ha* been teaching A whole church year pa»sc* and. what has I wen areomplishrd* In the eyes of t worldly economist. «.u-h wruriag and ‘ ing labor i* very foolish. Anordisg ti method of computation nothin* o*v« what bring* in mstenal profiti conception merits Solomon * tion. "All this is vanity and striving aircr

wand."

The pinion of the worldly economist i» not a supreme court whose derision* are binding on the Ghrutisn Nothing done for others is ever lost If performed for God end humanity with faith in result* the reward will be inevitable Iletter men and purer women are the certain products of every teacher’s spiritual venture, in lasting her bread 04x111 the waters, for tbe return it may sometime It is aot to be a lar err to the rothifestation of result*. The msny day* of our text may mean never on this corner oi tb* universe, »o far a* the poeketbook. Ihe standing in the rummmiity. the tangible influence upon others 1* concerned. Yet

Such like

"Ours is tbe ci

e*. dsy day. the n

Tbe hope, the tni*t. the purpose staid. The fountain and the noonday shade! And were this life the ctmo*t span. The only end and aim of roan. ' Better the toil of field* like the*e Than waking dreams sod *.o:hful ca-e.” Though the recipient* l*e unworthy of

our chanty, unappreciative of the value we attach to time, abuse .nir benevo'em-e, t* money we give, the li..ur. We use. the thoughts we devote to them prove to us

who hare tried it that "What we spent, we had. \Yhat we saved. w< lost. Whst.t.r gave, wc have."

The bread we have east upon the w-itcrs rgtuins to u. Ill a different form, hut inso

t that

ailed t

give away the le»* remains ia our banl; count, the more sunxlunc is in our f and heart*. The more intelligence wc scatter abroad the more we g.ean for oursclves. The wore prayer* xve offer up for' others, the better i c know how -o prav for our ouu need*. The more out hearts sympathize with the pam* of other* the Isrccr will our heart* become. disregard the worldly wise Hand: "Give and spend. And be sure that God will send. For only in giving and spending. Do you fulfill the object of Hi* sen ding.' Now xve enjoy the interest. The time •jx'ill be whim the accrued principal of our courageous investment in stock will finally come to maturity. In that great day we shall find that every cup o! cold water, every old coat, every niece of bread, every kind word, every call on the sick, if impelled by lovq. was done oaly incidental!* to the unworthy and really to the All \Yortbv. \Ve shall hear the voice of our tieloved Master aay. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of there My brethren, even these least, ye have done it unto Me.' Then will the truth of the oid Turkish proverb be manifest: 'What you give in charitv in this world you take with you alter death Do good. Throw it into the water. U tbe fish doc* not know «t, Uod

r knur

ho*

Doing as well a- — -

dinarily considered a pretty crelitanic j-er-formancr. One who can honestly say that lie ha* done cs well a* be know* how is likely to Uke credit to himself for hi*

doing: and. in passing judgmiti

other for hit conduct, v

commend him if he. or il wc. can «*> <■•*» he has done as well a» he know- how Yet just here i* a common mistake of mankind. All of us ought to do better than

c inclined t

t well a

a failure a

serve fruit for tbe win{er, when it will add

so much to the x#*te of a meal.

It ia peculiarly difficult for a- child to grasp this idea of foresight. He does not see any use in learning the old arithmetic. Tbe boys are out on the street. A football

A walk can be bad

> H*;

efit* to*fee thrown away. so rral. so patent, lor the sake of abstract knowledge that old- r i-erson* tell him .may prove helpful year* and year* from now? Is it not a marvel that tbe present being so vital, the future *0 intangible, *ucb a large pro|KWtion of our boy* and girls are persuaded

to study as much as they do?

Those who are far sighted in I heir business are often singularly near sighted whin earing for the best iaterrata of Ilnur children. Oaly at one stage of their Urts can they go to .school. Take a boy of atir talent early a why from hi* book* and («ti ; hire to earning the very little that he can 1 make. The preb* hill lie* are lh.*t be will 1 remain a amall wage .sn-.cr lor life. Civ. '

fack and a

our part. , . Doing better than one knows how. dome better than one's best, is the duty and the practical attainment of every i-eraon •wno want* to fill hi* place m the world and to help hi* fellow* as he ahould. One who exuecta to be limited, in hi* v ;°r< and in hta endeavors, by tbe best that he has done, or by tbe best that otners have done, or by what be ran do. is practically without the noblest ambition. an-Tcertain-ly without the highest aspiration*, lo be stopped by the thought of the impossible is to he h-Id withiu thr bound* ol the ordinary and the commonplace. All substantial progress - by doing better than one know* how Every great explorer and diaenverer and inventor and pioneer and master Hmiionaryl in all land* and on all sea* and in all the has secured to the world ami Jo In* fellow* results and advantages of priceless value, and has proved bim»e.l a bcnetector of hi* race, bfigautc he w*g not limited be precedents anrf poreiMrtre*. iu-t waa determined to do better than hn beat, better than be knew how. S-reugth For To-Day. God promises us strength-to ensb'e n* to do our present duty/ If wc believe that, and act accordingly, we shad never, never fail. "As thy day* so ►hall tby strength be." That is the 'premise-* promise that nex-er fail*, icsterdsy baa gone, not to return. To morrow h*. not come to us, and it may never com*. Todav is our day. and it is the only portion of'lime that ia. Men w ho regret t hat they t do their work of yesterday, 'ore

»w a work are losing 10-uay. ere nm getting ready for to-morrow, God dor* not promire strength for yesterday which is gone, nor for to-morrow, which hist never come, but for to-day which ia here. Let us therefore truat, and use while we hare it. God's promised strength

y assy for the lime

- Grace Far Grace."

The lesson, “grare for grace" is lUat on* grace Is gixen .natead of another. \x« cannot lire to-day on the siren*-h of ysaterdav's food; each day-has 1 portion of itj own. Yesterday's sunshine anil not light the earth to-day. but there 1* other sunshine ready each new morning. \V ben were in sorrow a while ago God cam* ,11. and it »* very certain that the only safe way be which wr ran learn to tommanu it to begin by learning to obey.—

Sir Edwin Arnold.

With lalelllgoal Eric*. The wore wt look at the wwW with ir«. -iligcul and ioviug eyes, the more Um _-or<d luraus lu jus. The inure n-r h>uk at each-other's fare with intaihgsace and tuVa, the more hnman l-eings mean to u*. The more xve think *if tbe faxliamhas depths .ind the lofty licichtx of beiP;;. and oi the Ih-mc that fii’.s being and la th> source of it. the more it will mean to use—

Cbirl« G. Arne*.