I
Your Invisible
^ Christmas *
l Tre^ * * $
Sharks- Fwtferick'UfttJswortk
AUK settles down on Christ
/ B iiius eve, and the tree has
l J gf) been appointed to Its plnee
r_( i n before the big window.
Decorations are unwrapped
“"Z7kT** aui* suspended among the
green branches. Strands of
“V' colored globes are fes
tooned over the tree and plugged into
the socket. Mysterious-looking pack
ages are hung in the tree and idled
under It.
The light Is turned on, and little feet
dance and little hands clap for Joy!
A Christmas tree Is a wonderful
thing!
lint at about this same time, out
over the country and perhaps even
across the sens, another Christmas
tree, invisible but no less real. Is be
ing set up In your Mouse of Friend
ship.
On n framework fabricated of ko<><l
will, friends, relatives, loved ones,
puls of oIhe r
days, business as
sociates, iriules
nt e n, college
chums, church,
lodge and club
members. frater
nity brothers nnd
sorority sisters —
everybody w h o
knows you nnd
your family Is con
tributing’ to your
invisible Christmas
t ree.
There tuny be
some vvTmi could
not even expend a
dime for a mate
rial gift who are
thinking of you
with gratitude for a service rendered
or u helpful word spoken In time of
discouragement. The gifts they place
on your invisible Christmas tree may
be heartfelt wishes or fervent prayers
for your happiness nnd prosperity.
Some of these Invisible gifts tuny
take the form of a desire to be with
you and your family, to share In and
contribute to your enjoyment.
Others mnv he wondering If you are
In health and how your business or
crops turned out during the past year.
Still others may be thinking that
you are entitled to advantages and
privileges that you have not enjoyed,
and speculating how they may alii you
In reaching your aspirations.
Or, having achieved under ditlicul
ties and handicaps, you may have in
spired others to give you a thought
of appreciation and admiration.
Every kind thought of you. every
conscious remembrance of you. a!
Christmas time, whether in your own
household, among the ice does of the
Arctic or the Jungles of the tropics.
Is a gift to you to grace your invis
ible Christmas tree.
The conventional Christmas tree Is
a wonderful thing, but the invisible
one is far more wonderful!
Pc' ’9^1. Western Newspaper Unlim )
Her Christmas Wreath
‘•I would not wear the laurel,” said
the dear, coquettish maid, "for of the
pathway leading unto fame 1 am
afraid. The cedar Is too somber, the
holly Is too gay. 1 will not wear the
v.illow, and I cannot wear the bay.
The rose is out of season, nnd the
Illy, tom And 1 think, on Christmas
eve. I'll wear—some mistletoe."—The
Country Home.
I
I**'- Poinsetta, a symbol of
i yv\ (be Cbrlstmus season on tbe
ly J Puclllc coast and wblcli has
rW.] become generally accepted
us sucli In the Eastern states
ulso* derives Us peculiar
jBHjft* name from Its discoverer,
—* Joel Roberts Poinsett (177!)
18ol), wbo found it In Mexico early In
tbe Nineleeentb century and brought
lo tbe attention of tbe botanical world.
Doctor Poinsett (for as a young man
,he studied medicine abroad) was quite
a fellow In various ways.
He was appointed special minister
to Mexico in 1S!!2, after be bud execut
ed for this govern
ment an important
previous mission to
Chile and other
South American
countries; and in
ternal difficulties
prevailing In one
or two of tbe coun
tries below the
Isthmus at the time
of Ids visit, bis
leadership was rec
ognized and made
use of In restoring
order.
From 1 825 to
IS!!!) be adminis
tered the regular
portfolio of minis
ter lo Mexico, and published two vol
umes of his experiences and observa
tions in that country. -
Doctor Poinsett mIso was a member
of the South I'tirollmi legislature, a
congressman from that state for four
years, and was secretory of war in
President Van Huron's cabinet from
it:::v to is-ii.
Probably one of the world’s greatest
outdoor displays of the poinsettia is
that maintained by the city of San
Diego in P.alboa park, site of the P.tlo
exposition. The planting occupies an
urea approximating two acres, and as
some of the stalks reach a height of
fourteen feet and a diameter of more
than three incites a foot above tin*
ground, the garden Impresses one as a
.voui'jl forest of green with s brilliant
red top. Full effect Is attained about
December lrt and continues several
w t el s.
I®. 1331. Western Newspaper I'nloa t
Christmas
A KICK
F!i:s—Oil shucks, why don’t they
put scmcthing cn Christmas trees that
files like!
CHRISTMAS PROVERBS
T > is u ■ an invitation is to mak
sir; lv s responsible lor our guest',
happ.iuss as long as he is und.r ou
root.
it is a sin against hospitality t
spoil ycur iloor and shut up you
e..unUuonc>!.
The giver makes tin gilt precious
A gift with a kind countenaca is t.
double meant.
The charitable give out at the door
and God puts in at ti.a window.
There is no graca in a gift that
=t cks to the fingers.
Hearts alone buy hearts.
K ndnesj, like grain, increases by
sowing.
m
/„11 through the lai d they are hanging
tonight,
Placed by wee fingers in breathless
delight,
Sure to be ready when Santa Claus
knccks—
Gay little, plain little, patched little
socks.
Santa Clauc, come, while the little heads
sleep,
And little hearts flutter and little stars
peep;
Fill with your apples, your doilies and
blocks
The gay little, plain little, patched little
socks.
Leslie Davis.
ffi,
While tender retro
spect arrays
With glamour every
toy,
We’ll wish you
happy holidays
And every Christ
mas joy!
Rocs an For December ' 5 Beipfe Christmas Day
E >
It Is not (1 jfnitoly known when
Christmas was first celebrated. The
Institution of tho festival is attributed
to Tolosphonu, who fourished in the
reign of Antoninus Pius (131-161 A.
D.). This, however, is not historical.
It has often been objected that De
cember 25 cannot bo the true data oi
tbs birth of Christ, for it is then the
rainy season in Palestine and shep
herds would scarcely have been
watching their sheep by night in the
fields. The reason for tha final choice
of December 25 cannot now bo de
termined. A widespread feast of the
Great Mother may have influenced
LIGHTING CANDLES
Tha »u tom oi lighting candles at
Chiistmaa is an ancient one. Ac
cording to the old idea, these candles
were to bo lighted on Christmas eve,
placed on the window sill, and left
burning all night.
the docision, also the desire to place
a Christian feast in opposition to the
Roman feast of "Sol invcctus” at the
winter solstice. The Gormans then
held their Yule feast in commemora
tion of tho return of the fiery sun,
and many of tho beliefs and usuagos
of tho old Germans and Homans re
lating to this matter passed from
heathenism to Christianity and have
survived to the present day. As
Christianity spread, tho winter sol
stice, tho time when tho day begins
to increase, and light to triumph over
darkness, was changed into the Feast
of Christ, the Light of Life.
GIFTS AN ANCIENT CUSTOM
The giving of gifts at Christmas
probably originated in one of the
Christ Child stories, that \>f tho Three
Wise men who brought to the Holy
Haby gilts of gold, frankeneense and
myrrh.
Good 1o Us, San
4
4
1
ic^e’cc’c.
'a ^ -• ^ -- »* '* v. - viV* ** * - '•' >» w«« X. v§ *- X, x* *x* Vi v*
A Christmas Sennet For One In Doubt
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r.v EDWIN' ARLINGTON' ROBINSON
While you that in your sorrow disavow
Service and hope, see love and brotherhood
Fur off as ever, it wili do no good
For you to wear His thorns upon your brow
For doubt ot Him. And should you question how
To serve Hint best, lie might say if ho could,
“Whether or not the Cross was made of wood
Whereon you nailed Me. is no matter now."
Though other saviors have in older lote
A legend, and for older pods have died—
Though death may wear 'he crown it always wore.
And Ignorance be still the sword of pride—
Something is here that was not hare before.
And strangely has not yet been crucified.
Merry Christmas!
We like this town, we like
its folks,
They give us smiles instead
of croaks;
We like the whole wide
country ’round,
And that takes in a lot of
ground!
BANK OF IIA’ 1 >ER I
K. I>. IIADIHI.V, MAN At; Kit 9
ipr
■‘Zen a
?G:bc WSfBy Martha**
(tbristmae/iSannina
>IPrc8cnrjms(D)oma8
<4
Zf
P^: / : l ; :
I' WASN’T In the least like
Chris turns. Sally stood at
the window and surveyed
the dripping trees, the soggy '
road. A gray fog lay upon :
the hills; the sky was the !
color of gun metal. 1
“I wouldn't care about '
any old weuther," thought
Sully dismally, “If Krle were here. Of !
course 1 understand that he had to go
to town to meet Ills cousin l.ena. lie
couldn't decently do unythlug else, but
this Is our first Christmas together ,
. . . and It's sort of lonesome out here '
In the country."
Sally was twenty-three. She nnd
Krle hud been married a little less than
a year. For months they hud specu
lated on the best way to spend Christ
mas together. At first they hud de
cided to go to New York, only 40
miles away, have dinner, go to the
theutcr and then some exciting night
club. Hut gradu
ally they discov
ered that they were
not as interested
m 1,1 ctdebrutliig the
holiday In this
manner: Sally and
Krle had been to
plenty of dinners,
plenty of dances
and plenty of night
clubs. They were
a bit fed up. After
considerable argu
ment nnd trying to
tlnd out wlmt the
other really want
ed, they came to
the grand conclu
sion that they
would get a thrill out of Chrlstmus at
home in their little house in the coun
try.
"No party,” said Krle.
“No guests," chimed in Sully.
“Nothing . . . but Christmas and us!”
Thiy hud shaken hands solemnly on
this.
They hud talked over the dinner,
which Sally wus to prepare herself
(the maid having begged to be let oft
to go to Ijer family for the day). They 1
: had decided on the kind of Chrlstmus
tree they wanted; Krle hud gone out
j two days ago Htid chopped It down. :
; They had trimmed It with the glitter
of muke-believe Icicles and silver-blue :
lights. They had shopped furiously,
buying quantities of Jokes and silly
presents. These two young things, j
very much in love und tall of zest and ;
Ideas. swept away the more obvious ;
entertainments in oue gesture. They !
were as excited as children.
Then at ‘JUKI o'clock of the after
noon the day before Christmas, while
Krle was chuckling to himself over
some ridiculous gift he was wrapping •
up for Sally, the telephone rang.
Krio talked very hurriedly Into the
, transmitter. And in a low tone. Sally
! could hardly hear what he said. When
he hung up the receiver he announced
that he must leave for town nt once.
“But why?" asked Sally.
“Well." he hesitated, “you see I've !
got to meet l.ena. She's Just come.” I
"Lena! Who in the world is she?”
Sally’s voice became a tilt edgy.
I “Oh. er . . . a sort of cousin. Ter- .
rlbly sorry, old girl. I'll tear over in |
the buzz buggy and he back in no j
time."
So, tie had gone. And the trees !
dripped. And the sky grew dark. And ,
Sally cried a little und decided this
Have Von Seen
S/IMTAL?
« $
"THE STILL, SMALL VOICE"
Christmas season is, hallowed by!
the small gift, not by the princely j
gift, and "the still, small voice" re-!
maius the hope of the world.
Christmas eve rvns the horrldest she'd
ever si>eul.
Sl.e tried to reinemher If she hod
ever heard Eric speak of Lena be
fore. “A wretched name.” she suld
aloud, “and probuhly a perfect nit-wit
of a Kil l. One of his odious relatives."
She wulted and waited. Christmas
eve wus going u, be spoiled. She
could tell that. Why hudu't they gone
to New York like everyone else? Then
this I,enn pest would never have roped
in Stic.
At 0:30 the telephone Jingled. Sully
Hew to answer It. ‘•Sully, darling.
I'm a ld( delayed. Just called up to
tell you not to worry. Traffic heuvy
“Oh yes.” said Sally In a cool po
lite voice.
“I'm bringing Lena home, dear. 1
know you'll like her. Expect us about
quarter past seven.”
Sally was In a rage. How dure tie •
spoil their cherished Christmas by
bringing home u strunger? How cruel
. . . how thoughtless!
At quarter past seven she heard the
car rush into the drive before the
door. Her bedrt
hardened. She
went to the kitch
en und looked Into -
a closet.
The front door 'V
hanged. “Hey, Sal
ly! Hey! Where
are you? Come
here and meet
Lena !”
- She heard foot
steps In the dluing
room. The swing
ing door pushed
open. Then before
she could catch
her breath. Eric
bad lien by the
hand. He literally
drugged her Into the dining room,
through the living room to the front
door. “Got to meet Lena right away,”
he laughed. He thrust her out of tlie
door on to the tiny [torch. “Lena!”
shouted Eric, “God bless 'er—there she
stands!”
Sully blinked. Teurs of rage dried
in her eyes. “Lena?" she murmured
iu a foolish little voice, "Eric . . .
what have you done?"
A small, smurt car stood by the
steps. Light from the house (lowed
along Its polished sides. It panted
gently with a quiet engine.
“Meet tlie wife, Lena,” said Eric
and made an elaborate gesture of In
troduction.
“Whose?" demanded Sally.
“Yours, woman ! Christmas present!
Delayed In delivery! Had to go In to
get her. Thought I'd give you it whirl.
Like the looks of the dear girl?"
“Oh, Eric . , . she’s superb. You
wonderful hoy!”
The trees dripped. The fog closed
In The country road became soggier
than ever . . . but Sally declared It
was perfect Christmas weather.
“I feel 1 really ought to offer her
a piece of turkey," said Eric uj din
ner, “with a little gasoline gruvy !”
05: lull. Wontern Newsuaoer Unftm.l
r
l
Jolly Good St. Allofus
It Ik Christmas time anil the world
is telling aguin the legends of good
Saint Nicholas. That good old saint
may have climbed upon the house top
and dropped happiness down the
chimney into the stockings of the poor,
hanging above the fireplace to dry.
r.ut that was a long time ngo.^ Saint
Nicholas is dead and good Saint All
ofus carries on his work.
It takes nll-of-us to wrap the world
—the modern world in Christmas
colors. To give it the cheer and
warmth of red, the immortality of
living green and the peaceful purity
of white. Christmas belongs to all
of us. It takes all of us to wrap the
homes and stores, the schools nnd
churches with the spirit nnd mantle of
Merry Christmas. It takes all of us
to love mankind. It takes all of us to
give the gifts that Christmas brings.
It takes all of us to feed the hungry;
to clothe the naked and to till the
homes of earth with the laughter of
the children.
Shout a Christinas welcome to Saint
Allofus. Each of us today is repre
sented by good Saint Allofus.
C.c) by Western Newspaper Unton.)
FOR KIDDIE RELIEF
On Christmas, soon as breakfast's o’er,
A lot of dads squat on the floor,
Wind up a train to see it run,
Or monkey with a wooden gun, .
Or build a bridge or fly a plane,
While kiddies stand and wait in vais.
To such big boys, old Santa dear,
1’lrase bring a batch of toys each year!
Charles Frederick Wadsworth.
(S' by Western Newspaper Union.)
FACTS AND FANCIES
A fall of snow on Christmas day
is regarded as the sign of a lucky
New Year.
Turkey first became the Christmas
dish in the reign of James I, who
could not eat the boar’s head usually
provided.
One kiss for each berry was the
original mistletoe ritual, a berry be
ing removed as a kiss was taken.
The first Christmas card was pub
lished 80 years ago.
Christmas carols originated in the
Eleventh century, being sung between
the scenes of the miracle and mystery
plays of the period.
Christmas trees originated In Ger
many, and crackers in France.