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Seasonable Stories.
How Animals Observe Christmas.
Among the most pleas
ing features cf the uni
versal good will that pre
vails at Christmas! ide in
the old world is the kindly
disposition shown to ex-
tend the enjoyment of the festivity to
the dumb animals, which just at this
season of the year may te said to Le
brought into more friendly and intimate
contact with their masters than at any
other time of the year. Throughout
Scandinavia, Germany and Austria the
peasants are accustomed to erect in
front' of their cottages'' on'Christmas
day a pole to which is fastened a large
sheaf cf oats or corn for the benefit of
the little birds, while in many districts
grain is spread outside on tbo doorstep
and window sills on the evening of Dec. ’
24. The Albanians, the Montenegrins
and in fact neatly all the races of the
southeast of Europe, irrespective of
creed or nationality, make a point of
distributing their first large Christmas
meal cake among the cattle, after hav
ing broken it on the horn of an ox,
while during the siege of' Paris, when
each soldier of the beleaguering Ger
man army managed to have his little
Christmas tree, however scant or poor,
set up on Christmas eve in remembrance
of the loved ones at home, nearly every
trooper made a point cf leading up his
horse to see liis tree and to receive his
master’s ration of bread in honor of the
occasion.
Only in certain districts of southern
Italy and in the isle of .Man are excep
tions to be found to this rule. Thus in
Calabria it is customary among the
peasantry at Christmas time to place
cake updn a table and to'drive the oxen
around it, those who attempt to taste
the food being -slaughtered on the spot.
In the isle of Man the cruel pastime
known as “hunting the wren,’’ and
which dates back to pagan times, is
still practiced every Christmas morning,
all t o villagers turning out, every
one armed with two sticks—one for
beating the bushes and the other for
throwing at the birds. Theorigin’of the
custom is to be found in the legend- ac
cording to which “there formerly lived
in the isle of Man a very beautiful fairy
who exercised great influence over the
male population by means of her voice,
enticing them into the sea, where they
were drowned. So long did this continue
that fears were entertained that the is
land would be depopulated. Eventually,
however, a knight errant of King Ar
thur's Round Table appeared upon the
scene,' and he, having discovered a
means cf overcoming the fairy’s charm,
pressed her so hard with a plot for her
destruction that she could only save
herself by taking the form cf a wren.
While she was in this form a spell was
cast upon her which compelled her to
assume the bird’s form on each Christ
mas day and decreed that she should ul
tiniataly “die by b’-i -i-tn bauds;.;” hence
the crutThunting cf t'lih wren is kept
up, and after the birds have been killed
theyhildren place them on ivy'bushes
and carry them around in procession.
But it is in France, especially in the
western and southern portions thereof,
that the peasants made a point of intro
ducing their domestic animals into the
celebration cf Christmas not only at
home, but also at church, on the ground
that the poor creatures having partici
pated in the joy of mankind ut the
birth cf Christ should participate in the
annual commemoration of the event.
Thus in Brittany cattle and sheep may
be said to form part of the congregation
that attends the quaint yet thoroughly
reverent mass performed in most of the
churches of the seacoast villages on
Christmas eve. On the right side of the
altar a bower is constructed of fragrant
pine and fir branches, with great bunch
es cf crimson berried hollies and mistle
toe glistening among the verdure. Un
der this canopy there sits the most
beautiful maiden of the village, her
hair falling on her loose white gar
ments, while in her arms there reposes a
young infant Beside her stands a young
man wearing a gold embroidered robe
and leaning on a stall, wjiilp ,(px,; a
donkey and four sheep'qniffly hi’iiudh
corn from a couple of mangers. As
soon as the gospel has been .read a
small chorister concealed in the card
board figure of a rooster begins to chant
the verses, “For to us a child is born,”
imitating cleverly at the close of each
strophe the crow of a chanticleer. The
deep bass voice of another grown up chor
ister hidden somewhere in the fir branch
bower above described “lows” the re
sponse of “Übi?”. (where), which sounds
as if it proceeds from the ox. A tenor
chorister concealed near the sheep baas
the word “Bethlehem,” and then a
baritone voice, apparently proceeding
from the donkey, brays “Eamus” (let
us go thither). Thereupon the rector,
his acolytes and the entire congrega
tion form a procession and march from
the altar to tne bower where the repre
sentation of the nativity is arranged.
The priest, having sprinkled the mother
and child as well as the animals with
holy wutnr, thereupon makes his way to
the chief entrance to the church, the
doors of which are wide open, looking
usually out on to the sea. All the cuttle
and thq-flockshf..tJie village have meatJ
while been driven into the churchyard
and stand crowded together in the sil
very light <f the moon around the por
tal. Taking up his position on the top
most step of the porch, the rector ex
claims: “God in his mercy, my dear
children, has sent me on this radiant
night of the nativity to bless your cat
tle and your flocks, because it is only
right that the animals which constitute
your greatest help and source of pros
perity should participate in the joy
which fills all our 'hearts. Now lead
your flocks past me. ”
The. shepherd and cattle herders then
begin to drive the animals past, while
the priest, dipping the sprinkler into
the silver ewer of holy water, showers
the latter upon the horses, the asses, the
oxen, the cows and the sheep. The
clang of thp bells around their necks,
their lowing, their baaing, their bray
ing and neighing, as well as the cries
and words of command of their drivers,
create a tremendous din, above which
ever and anon rise the solemn words cf
the priest, “Benedicat Vos omnipotens
Deus, Pater et Filins et Spiritus Sanc
tus!” the choristers bringing the bless
ings to a close with a resoundin?
"Amen I”
Every one who has wintered in Spain
will recall to mind the “Missa del
Gallo,"or “cock’s mass,” celebrated in
all the churches on Christmas eve, or
rather Christmas morning. The chanti
cleer being the bird that is first to her
ald in the advent of the morning light,
the Spaniards, by a happy and quaint
conceit, like to imagine that he is anx
ious on this night of nights to call upon
them even at midnight to be awake and
to salute the happy morning. In the
principal churches of Madrid and Seville
this midnight mass in honor of the
“Dios Nino” is rendered with exquisite
pastoral music, castanets and tambour
ines playing an important part in the
orchestra, while now and again, by
means of a special instrument, pathetic
and birdliko notes swell up with pecul
iar,beauty, as if some midnight bird
had lent its voice to mingle with the
angelic psalms to herald in the mystic
coming of the babe of Bethlehem. In
the churches of the small provincial
towns and villages the instrumental
bird notes are replaced by those of an
ordinary rooster, which by some device
known to the peasants is made to crow
at the appointed period during the cele
bration.
Not only on the continent of Europe,
but also in the southwestern counties
of England a superstition prevails to the--
effect that animals possess the power of
speech at 12 o’clock on Christmas eve.
Inasmuch, however, as only those per
sons who aro entirely free from mortal
sin are supposed to possess the privilege
of understanding their utterances, there
is no authentic record extant as to the
character of their remarks on these oc
casions. Ex-Attache.
Johnny’s Christinas.
Johnny Blank is under
very high pressure i j an
effort to be good, if his
own statement is rtf be ac
cepted. He met a friend
yesterday and made hie
companion’s eyes bulge
with his story.
“I hain’t had no fun
-<!•> •t ji
lately, Jim,” he said, glancing around
to see that none of his relatives was in
sight, “but I’m in it this time. Pop’s
promised me a new pair of skates if I
get 85 on my December report, which’ll
be made out next week, you see. It I
don’t miss Sunday school and kin tell
what the text is, Mam she eez she’ll
get me an air gun. Whoopee!”
And here John’s exuberance was
given vent in a series cf whoops with
gymnastic accompaniment.
“But that’s not half of ’em, Jim,”
he continued. “ You know, when sis’s
beau comes I hang around and work
him for candy and sich, but she has
promised me a dollar es I keep off her
territory on beau nights. Then my
uncle and my aunt, seein I’m tryin to
be good, are goin to chip in, and as I’m
goin to two Sunday schools I'm strictly
in it, and don’t you fergit it.”
THE SKATING LESSON.
How Thornley Fulfilled His Hash Christ*
mas Promise.
She was a beautiful girl,
and Thornley was the hap
piest man along the Hud
son river because she was
paying his sister Emily a
two weeks’ visit. There
was a stretch of glassy ice
below the house, and when
Thornley jokingly asked
her what Jie should give
her for Christmas she
smiled sweetly and re
plied :
“Give me a few lessons
in skating. I have never
.'Mm® J I
g||
BE,
learned, and the ambition of my life is
to glide over the smooth surface of the
frozen river. ”
“I shall be delighted to instruct you,
Miss Lakeside,” Thornley said eagerly.
And he meant what he said. He little
dreamed then that she weighed 180
pounds—little cared, perhaps, for love
is reckless and unreasoning. Thornley
himself, when equipped with an over
coat, a pair of rubbers and his everyday
clothing, tipped the scales ut about 120
pounds.
“Do you think you can support me,
Mr. Thornley?” she asked coyly.
“Support you?” repeated the gallant
but rash Thornley as ho rose from his
knees and grasped her hands (o begin
the lesson. “Support you? Why, I could
support you for—for life, Miss Lake
side.”
“Oh, Mr. Thornley!” she cried,
blushing like arc e. Iler eyes fell, and
a moment later she and Thornley fol
lowed Item. Grasping herby the arms,
Thornley tugged until the veins sdood
out like whipcords on his brow and
finally raised her to her feet again. She
made four desperate strokes with her
wabbling skates, quite unintentionally
kicked Thornley’s feet oat from under
him. and then aat dow.n aastn with a
THE HOME TnIBUSE, SUNDAY, DhCEMfttß 5.0. 1896.
vehemence that called iort'i a crackling
protest from the ustnaiohed ice. Thorn
ley picked her cp once too -o. They struck
out a seccntl ti;ne. Lruory repeated it
self, and the I:;,!.:, toon became chronic.
Thornley’s brew v.'ub Loaded with per
-1 epiration. It began to dawn upon him
I that sho must weigh at least 180 pounds.
I When ho picked her up for the seventh
j time and attempted to guide her wan
dering and irresponsible feet, he changed
his mind.
“If she weighs an ounce, she weighs
800!” he thought, with a gasp for
breath. “This is positively dangerous.
The ice is only about six inches thick,
and there isn’t a life preserver within a
mile of us!”
He paused for a moment to rest the
right arm that had been holding her up
for half an hour and to get the numer
ous painful kinks out of his back.
“You are tired, Mr. Thornley?” she
murmured.
“That’s—that’s right,” he panted.
“Are —aro you still sure, you could
support me tor life?” she asked mis
chievously.
“Support you for life?” he gasped.
“Os course I could if I only had a der
rick!”
And that night 180 pounds of offended
loveliness started for home.
Eakle 11. Eaton.
Charles Dickens on Christmas.
w
currence of Christmas. There are people
who will tell you that Christmas is not
to them what it used to be; that each
succeeding Christmas has found some
cherished hope or happy prospect of the
year before dimmed or passed away; that
the present only serves to remind them
of reduced circumstances and straitened
incomes, cf the feasts they cnee be
stowed on hollow friends, and cf the cold
looks that meet them now in adversity
and misfortune. Never heed such dis
mal reminiscences. Look on the merry
faces cf your children, if you have any,
as they sit round the fire. One little
seat may be empty. One slight form that
gladdened the father’s heart and roused
the mother’s pride to look upon may not
be there. Dwell not upon the past. Think
not that one short year ago the fail
child now resolving into dust sat before
you with the bloom of health upon its
cheek and the gayety of infancy in its
joyous eye. Reflect upon your present
blessings, of which every man has
many—not on your past misfortunes, of
which all men have some. Fill your
glass again, with a merry face and con
tented heart. Our life on it, but your
Christmas shall be merry and your new
year a happy one.
Tough on the Turkey,
ffl &
Landlady—Aro you ill, Mr. Middle
age? You 00 not seem 10 be enjoying
your Christmas turkey with Mr. Young
blood?
Mr. Middleage—No, not ill. But I’m
not so muscular as I was once.
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Diploma of Honor
AWARDED TO
A. K. HAWKES.
BY THE
Cotton States and
International Exposition
For superior lens, grinding and excellency
in the manufacture of
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D. W. CURRY, Druggist,
Has a full assortment of these famous
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A. W. HART,
231 BROAD ST , ROME, GA.
(Hoyt’s Old Stand.)
Practical Boot and Shoemaker
Leather and Shoemakers’ supplies.
Fully prepared to furnish anything
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to a ladles* fine shoe. A good stock
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best style at reasonable prices. Only
bouse in Rome that sells shoe lasts.
Christmas time! That
man must be a misan
thrope indeed in whose
breast something like a
jovial feeling is not rous
ed, in whose mind some
pleasant associations are
not awafcened, by the re-
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