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PART TWO.
MARGARET’S SURPRISE
CHRISTMAS.
A Holiday Story for Girls.
By Gertrude Smith,
"I am suing to have a Christmas party
and Invite the boys and girls I love the
most.”
Margaret threw down her book and
sprang to her feet, clapping her hands.
“Oh. what fun Aunt Helen! Who shall
we ask?”
"I shall ask Mary Carver and Danny
Came and Wisley Brown and Debby
Madison.”
‘‘Why those are grown up. You said
boys and girls.”
“Well, they were boys and girls Just the
other day,” replied Aunt Helen.
"It is no time since Debby Madison and
I were wading in Hickory creek and Wis
ley Brown was throwing stones and
splashing the water over us. Except for
a few gray hairs and important wrinkles
between our eyes we’ll dress up very well
for children.”
“Oh, will you dress up like children?
Oh, oh, won't that be fun!”
"Yes, I’ve just about bubbled over keep-
• •
Reading the Telegram.
lng the surprise from you for a week past.
The guests are invited and the costumes
are planned. I tried io think of some
thing entirely new and different so you
would be happy and contented this first
Christmas you were every away from
home.”
“I’ll be happy, I know, Aunt Helen. Of
course, I’ll miss mamma and papa, be
cause we’ve always been together Christ
mas, but I can write to them about our
party and they’ll send me a present. I
want Hope Sargent because she’il make so
much fun; I don’t know who else.”
"Well, I’ve made out a list for you there
on my desk. You may invite twelve.”
Aunt Helen bustled out of the room to
answer the door bell, which rang at that
moment.
“Here Is Mrs. Madison, Margaret,” she
cdlled from the hall. “We have some
work lo do on her costume. You may
come with us, or you can ride over and
Invito Hope, and tell her about the party.”
"i ll go and invite Hope,” Margaret an
swered, running to the door. Her aunt
and Mrs. Madison were ascending the
stairs with mysterious bundles under their
arms.
"Oh, wpn’t Mrs. Madison make a pretty
girl. Aunt Helen?” she exclaimed, ns the
little old lady turned and smiled down at
her.
"You used to he called the prettiest girl
on Williamet river, didn’t you, Debby?”
“Yes; just wait Margaret till you see
me dressed and my hair in curls. You’ll
choose me for your best friend, I know.”
"I’m sure I will; isn’t Aunt Helen good
to plan such a nice time for me? I’apv
will bring her something splendid when I
write him about it.
’ I AII I want your father to give me is
himself home again safe and sound, and
that closed house open once mote. Now
go and see Hope and bring her home with
you if you can. Tell her the party be
gins to-night for her.”
Margaret took her hat from the hall
rack and went out of the front door. In
•he adjoining yard was a b.autiful big
stone house. The blinds were closed and
• here was a deserted look about the entire
place tiiat was very said at Christmas
time.
Margaret’s mother and father had ben
traveling In Europe for nearly a year. It
1 ad not t>een thought best to take the !It
ib- girl out of school, and so for the first
bme In her life she was to be sepnrat and
from her mother and father on Christmas
day.
H”r own little black pony wa< In Aunt
Helen’s stable and she went around and
’ ‘ idled and bridled It herself and in a
f "' v minute* was galloping along the real
that bordered the WlUamet river.
It won’t be like Chrlsunas at al with
out skating, Margaret said aiouJ. looking
1 ros the dark flowing river. "I never
*oew It to be so warm in December.” As
‘to spoke the wind suddenly wheclel
"‘•ft to the northwest, und by the tint'
in- had reached Hope's house, a ml e
the mercury had dropped to t a
ft "•sing point und all the little pooli
*"ig the road were eruetel with white
Hope ran down lo the gate in m red hao I
“ and rape to meet Murgare .
''H, Margaret," she called, ‘’such e
’"“i-Jerfui thing happened Just now. i
was wishing it would freeze so we could
have 6kating Christmas and tho wind
turned and it began to freeze!”
"I was wishing the very same thing
when it happened,” said Margaret, laugh
ing. "I wish I could have everything I
wish, as quick as that.”
"Perhaps, If two or three wish at exact
ly the same minute, exactly the same
thing, with all their heart and might it
comes true,” said Hope, bobbing about to
keep warm, wiiile Margaret was tying her
pony. “lad's both wish for something
else as hard as we can and see if it hap
pens.”
”1 wish with all my heart and might
that mamma and papa were going to be
home to-morrow, but it won't bring them.”
said Margaret, sadly.
“I wish with all my heart and might
they were going to be home, too,” said
Hope, with a little scream of laughter.
“iVhat are you laughing at?” asked
Margaret, quickly, turning to look at her.
“Oh, nothing, you musn’t ask questions
Christmas time. I know what you came
up to see me for. You came to invite me
to the party.”
"Why, I didn't know you knew about
the party!”
"Yes, we all know. My costume is all
ready. I’m going to be Topsy, ’cause
I'se so funny end so wicked, you know.”
“Oh, oh, what fun! Aunt Helen didn’t
tell me you were all going to wear differ
ent characters; Who am I going to be?”
“You are going to be little Red Riding
Hood. This is your hood and cape. Mother
made it. She had Just finished it when
we saw you ride up to the gate. Aunt
Helen kept everything from you so there
would be more fun in a bunch, but you
mustn’t ask me any more questions, for
I’m not going to tell you another thing.”
“All right, I won’t. Can you go home
with me and stay ail night?”
“Yes, that's all planned, too. Mother
told Aunt Helen I could go.”
Mrs. Sargent met them in the doorway,
smiling. “Every one has secrets that I
don’t know,” said Margaret, kissing her.
“You don’t know haif i You don’t half!”
sang Hope, dancing about the room. Mre.
Sargent rolled up the bundles with the
costumes for Topsy and Little Red Rid
ing Hood, and very soon the two little
girls were on Margaret’s pony galloping
back to Aunt Helen’s.
"You must tell me one thing,” said Mar
garet, “are we expected to give presents?
I only have one for you and one for Aunt
Helen, and that wouldn’t seem fair.”
Santa Claus is going to bring the pres
ents. He’s going to fill your stockings
and—oh, I mustn’t tell!”
“Oh, are we going to have a Santa
Claus?”
“Yes, and you musn’t ask another ques
tion. I’ve told you mere now than Aunt
Helen said I could.”
“Let’s get the key and go over to my
house. I want to get something out of my
rcom,” said Margaret, as they rode into
Aunt Helen's yard.
“Oh, no, I hate to go into a ©,'o.ed house
where it is so dark!” said Hope, in a tone
of great alarm.
“Why, we’ve been in there lots of limes
when it was nearer dark than this,” re
plied Margaret.
“I don't care, it’s awful spooky. I
wouldn t go in Christmas eve for any
thing.”
Al that moment the p ny stopped before
the door and Hope stopped off and ran
on before into the house.
“Oh, Aunt Helen,” she exclaimed, bourc
ing Into the roam where Mrs. Madison and
Aunt Helen were still at work on the cos
tumes. “Margaret says she's going over
home after something. If she do s she'll
guess the biggest. beat part of the secret.
She wanted me to go, too, but I toll her
I was niraid when it was so near dark.”
“Now, Topsy, you musn't tell fits, even
to ke p a secret,” said Aunt Helen, laugh
ing. "Go and tell Margaret I want her 10
make a cup, cake for supp r. The only
thing to do Is to keep her busy every min
ute until the party begins.”
11.
Margaret made cup oakc for supper and
afterwards Hope proposed making mo-
I,inset* candy, and so ail the evening was
full, and at 9 o'clock Aunt Helen sent them
to led.
"To-morrow H* going to b* the happiest,
funniest Christmas you ever had." raid
Hope, when they were cuddlid down in
!•■ and.
■ It may be the funniest, but it can’t he
the happiest, wlihout mamma,” said
Margaret. A moment later Hope felt the
bedclothes rl re and fall and knew thru
Margaret was cr|n.
“It * 100 bad fob her to cry *0 on Chrfaf
mas eve," she thought. ’’l n * good mini
to tel! her, then she’ll wake up hat py In
the morning. TU tt4 1* tm much going to
SAVANNAH, GA., SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24. 1891).
happen any way to-morrow eho’ll have
enough. If I was going to be, oh. aw
fully happy to-morrow and I felt bad now,
■wouldn’t you tell me something to make
me happy a little now if you knew it?"
Hope asked, slipping her arm around Mar
garet.
“I don’t want you to tell me anything
and spoil the surprise. Aunt Helm
wouldn’t like it." sobbed Margaret.
“Oh, even if I tell you this, there will be
iots left that’s going to happen. Does
Aunt Helen know how bad you feel?”
■ “I haven't let her see me cry, because
she'd think I was ungrateful, when she's
so good to me.”
“Well, you can pretend you're surpris
ed about this. You might as well pre
tend you don’t feel bad, when you do.”
Hope sat up in bed. “Margaret, jour
mamma and papa are coming home to
morrow!”
"Oh, Hope are they? Are they?” cried
Margaret, sitting up and throwing her
arms around her little friend. “Oh, Hope,
you're not just making it up, are you?”
"No, of course I’m not just making It
up! I knew I’d a million times rath- r
know, if I were you, than to cry mvs If
to sleep Christmas eve.”
“Oh, yes, I’m so glad you told me. How
do you know they are coming?’ ’
“There's a telegram for you. Aunt
Helen is going to put it in the top of your
stocking, so you’ll get it the first thing in
the morning.”
“I want to see it to-night! I want to
see it right now!” said Margaret, spring
ing out of bed.
She lit the candle, and on tip toe the two
little girls stole out of the room, and down
the stairs to the library.
There were her stockings hanging at
the side of the fireplace, stuffed to the
toes.
“I’ll find it,” said Hope, running for
ward. “You mustn’t look at your pres
ents.”
The next morning Margaret was hold
ing the candle close to the telegram and
was reading;
“Will be home Christmas morning, Mar
garet, darling. Mother and Father."
“They’re in New Y'ork now. Aunt Helen
says they sent the telegram the minute
they landed,” said Hope, capering about
the room.
"Oh, this Is the best of all my Christ
mas,” said Margaret, hugging the tele
gram. “No matter how many surprises
Aunt Helen has for to-morrow, this is
the best!”
Very early Christmas morning Aunt
Helen’s surprises began.
At 7 o’clock little silver bells woke Mar
garet and Hope from trappy dreams, and
the next moment there was a knock at
the door, and then the door opened and
there stood Santa Claus with a pack on
his back and a powdered wig and such a
funny mask on his face that both the lit
tle girls broke out laughing.
“I have found so much to do through
the night, I couldn't get here a moment
sooner,” said Santa Claus, in a high pitch
ed, unnatural voice.
“Oh, who do you suppose it is?" eaid
Hope, clapping her hands. “I guess it's
Aunt Helen.”
"Why, no, it’s a man’s voice. Can’t
you tell it’s a man’s voice?” snir Marga
ret.
“There ain’t very much left in my pack,”
said Santa Claus, throwing them a kiss
and making them a splendid bow, "and I
all I have here is for Miss Margaret, but
she must share with her little friends—
I didn’t expect to find her here."
Santa Claus swung the pack from his
shoulder to the table and began carefully
to uniie (he string which bound it.
Margaret and Hop© were sitting up in
bed watching him.
“Who do you suppose it is?” said Hope,
giggling. (She knew very well who it
was.)
“Now here is a locket and chain tiiat a
certain little girl has been wanting for
several years,” said Santa Claus, speaking
in the same funny high voice. He held
the locket and chain out before him.
“Oh, oh, isn’t it lovely!" said Margaret,
standing up in the bed and holding out
her hands for the locket.
"In the locket you will find a picture of
your beautiful mother,” said Santa Claus,
coming over to the bed.
“Oh, I know you! I know you!” said
Margaret, throwing her arms around
Santa Claus’ neck. “The minute I saw
your hands I knew you. Oh, papa, papa,
papa!”
Santa Claus sat down on the edge of the
bed and tore off his mask and kissed Mar
garet again and again.
* “Come in Mrs. Santa Claus,” he shout
ed, “the fun is over. She knew me right
away.”
And then the door opened, and with a
glad cry of delight Margaret was in her
mother’s arms.
“Yes, you've guessed part, but that Isn’t
half," said Hope.
And so they ran downstairs and across
the yard and into the big stone house.
"Oh!” cried Margaret, clapping her
hands, “Oh, it looks Just like a fairy
house, doesn’t it?”
“There, I didn't tell you the best of
all. did I?” said Hope.
“Oh, no, isn’t it lovely?"
It was indeed a sight to remember. The
large hall, and all the beautiful rooms on
the first floor were decorated with cedar
bows and holly and bunches of little red
berries; and in the drawing room was a
big Christmas tree loaded with presents.
"How can we ever thank Aum Helen
enough for this beautiful Christmas sur
prise?” said Margaret's mother, coming
Into the hall to meet them.
"Isn't she good? Are there presents for
all the party on the tree?" asked Mar
garet.
“Yes, presents for ail. Now come out
to breakfast,” replied Mrs. Graham, and
led the way to the long dining room at
the end of the hall.
And when they went Into the dining
room there was the greatest surprise of
all.
“Oh, oh, the party is here now! The
party is here for breakfast!” cried Mar
garet. ”6h, how beautiful you all look!”
There were twelve children dressed in
costume and six grown people dressed as
children; and, oh, they were the funniest
of ail. Every one laughed to see them.
“I’m so surprised and happy!" sitd Mar
garet. looking, fiom one dear face to the
other.
"1 101 l her about the te’egram because
she cried last night," sail Hop*. “You
said we wouldn’t tell,” laughed Margar
it, “Hope can’t keep uecie-* at all.”
“Y'ou Just watt ands elf 1 ean't keep
a secret. I didn t te 1 you that your papa
whs to be Hama 8 bus and the o are lois
of things I haven’t tod." said Hope,
"Aunt Helen ha* our house all In order
and the fires started so we can go right
over home the minute you are dressed,”
said Mrs. Graham.
"Oh, 1 can’t to home! We’re going to
have a party. Didn’t Aunt Helen tell
you?”
“Yes, but she expecie us to go home to
breakfast.” replied Mr. Ora ham. Hug ta
li'*.
“Yes, si e does, Margaret, and I'm going
with you.” said Hope, aid thtn put her
hard quickly over her mouth. "Oh, I al
most hi another kitten "U- of the ha*!”
Whin Margaret waa dr vised she exumla-
ed the pack that Santa Claus had brought,
but she found it was only a large rod of
cotton cloth. The rest of the presents
were to come Inter. And when he ran
down Blairs to examine her stockings she
found nothing In them but r. sy cheeked
apples. And when she went to Aunt Hel
en's ro tn to say good morning and "Merry
C hris mas ” she tound the 100 m empty and
the Ih.U all neatly made.
"Oh, I've guessed! I've guesstxl! The
party Is going to be over at my house,
because it's faiger and Aunt Helen Is over
there."
Aunt Helen wore a blue sack apron, and
her hair was curled and tied with pink
ribbons on each side.
"I can think Just how you looked when
you were a little girl," said Margaret, ad
dressing her.
“What do you think of Debby?” a ked
Aunt Helen.
Mrs. Deborah Madison tripped forward
in a little white muslin dress, flounced to
the waist. She wore a blue sash with a
large bow, and her white hair hung in
tong curls and was bound w.th a blue rib
bon.
“Oh, you are so little I ran see Just ex
actly how you used to look! Isn't s e
lovely?"
"Y'es, it is just as though little Debby
Madison of HO y< are ago hud come back to
us.” said Aunt Helen.
The two men. who were <lr sred a lit
tle boys, acted very much m re ike boys
than they looked, but they were wry
funny.
Margaret and Hope ran away !o put cn
their costumes of Topsy and L’ttlc Red
Riding Hood, and then they ad sat down
to the Christmas breakfast.
And this is only the beginning of a long
da.v of rollc and fun. Skating and danc
ing and singing, and the good Chi Ist mas
tree in the evening".
"It is the best Christmas I ever hid,”
said Margaret, when she kbsed her moth
er good night, "but the best of all is hav
ing you home again uni to think I can
sleep in my own little room once more.”
Gertrude Smith.
PECULIARITIES OF THE STATES.
Some of tire Physical Feature* for
Wiileli Commonwealths Are Noted.
From the New York Press.
“Has It ever occurred to you,” said the
committeeman from Powesiek, “that lowa
is the best watered slate in the Union and
has less sterile land than any other?" No,
it has not. Never thought of it. In fact,
we don’t know much about lowa over here
Festivities 1 n tile Cave.
in the East. She gave us some clever men
tn Alilson, Frank Hutton, Postmaster Gen
eral; Horace Boies, W. W. Belknap, Secre
tary of War; James Harlan, Secretary of
the Interior; George W. McCrary, Secre
tary of War; Senator Gear and Gov. Kirk
wood. Jeff Davis, a lieutenant in the Unit
ed States army, thrashed a lot of white
folk in Dubuque and the Mormons settled
at Council Bluffs. Another thing—lowa
passed a law prohibiting liquor dealer*
from making more than 33 per cent, profit
on sales. What else is she famed for?
The Powoshieker’s remark led lo study
of the physical peeuriaClties of several
states. In proportion to size Georgia has
a great many more counties than any oth
er state, the liresent number being 137,
with promise of anew one to be named
after Lieut. Brumby. Texas, with nearly
four and a half times the area of the
“Cracker” slate, has 244. Georgia has
no lake, and her rivers and creeks are not
above the average. Massachusetts has
208 ponds. 122 rivers and more coves and
harbors than any other state except Flor
ida. Hard to believe, isn’t It?
The average leader will be amazed to
learn that little New Hampshire, with less
than 14,000 square miles, ha* no less than
4C6 lakes and ponds, 154 brooks, 58 rivers
and 2M mountains. This makes lowa
uok small. Colorado, a big slate, has
CM creeks. Texas hss comparatively few
rivers, lakes and creeks. Alabama has
Ml creeks am! 87 rivers. lows cannot ap
proach that record. Minnesota has 222
iskes and 140 rivet*. t
Pennsylvania, one of the biggest, richest
states, has altogether only 10 river* and
not t* creek. Kentucky, also a big state,
ha* no creek* und only 23 river*. Tennes
see has 31 rivers slid creek* ad told. In
diana ha* 8 creeks, 2 takes and If rivers.
New York, . #iat of modest size, 1* well
equipped with rivers, lakes, island* and
mountain*. Louisian* Is nearly nil rivers
and bayou* and Florida t* largely mod*
up of creeks, islands, lakes and rivet*.
CHRISTMAS AT CORAL MANSE.
By L. H. Tupper.
Three little mermaid >, playing on tho
yellow beach of a little leanl in the
North Atlumlc, lo'ked up wistful!)*, and
era Id:
"Shall w© have a Christmas tree this
year, Aunt Margaret?”
“Aunt Margaret was a mid Me axed mer
lady, who acted as a cha ire lone und gov
erness for young m rmalds. She glanced
over her spectacles, and replied:
"If your depcrlment continues to Ire cor
rect, we will have a Christmas tree at
t otal Maine. All who are in Ihe swim will
be invited.”
In her youth "Aunt Margiret" hud filled
a holiday engagement in 1 ar,urn's mu
seum, at New York. She saw m ny Chris
mas trees in the metropolis, and on her
i eturn lo her ocean home t id the mor-peo
ple all about them. They thought it a pret
ty custom end wi re al out to adopt t
“And now, little mermaids,” said thi
n orgevernness, "you may return to c oo
and resume your basons in reash'll . '
The three little meimal ls uivO into the
blue waves o:i their way io tile lilt e lod
coral school house.
Aunt Margaret sliil s t on the b u h
knitting. Hhe was knitting glows, f t- the
mermaids do n t wear h se. And ,t wit ;
1 reoisefy because they have n> sto k ngs
to hang up, that they were all so eager to
have a Christmas trie.
II
Christmas eve came. Cora! Manse,
which was an 011-fashloned house, witli
seaweed growing on the roof, was bril
liantly illuminated by an electrical-eel
apparatus. Us old red wails, whh many
a tower and angle, were ruddy witli cheer
ful light. On the green lawn grew many
dellcat© sea flowers and rare submarine
plants. In the garden beyond the manse,
flourished sea-cucumbers and other ma
rine veretnbles.
Tho Christmas tree, a handsome pink
coral, with many delicate and airy branch
es, stood in the middle of the drawing
room, mellow with Hi. Elmo's lights, gill
ie ring with star-fish, and gleaming with
pearl! Boughs of mistletoe und bunches
of rixl holly berries, drifted hither by the
Gulf stream, added to its beauty. It hung
fu!) of toy drum-fish, tin sword-fish, and
wooden sea-horses, and whales, that had
been saved from the Hood, paided from
its branches. It had many Ingenious me-
chanical toys, such as toy lobsters, that
walked backward; toy oysters, that open
ed and closed their shells, arid toy fish
that really swam. Toy pirates looked
grimly down from the coral bough*, und
mermaid dolls smiled radiantly beneath
the soft St. Elmo's lights.
"All who were “In Ihe swim" flocked to
Cora! Manse. At an early hour the house
was crowded with sea-urchins. Dainty
mermaids and merry mer-boys came In
laughing throngs. Marine debutante*
floated Into the drawing toom, escorted by
howling ocean swells. Even gouty old
mermen arid stout mer-dowagers eagerly
Joined the merriment.
Some of the mermaid rosebuds looked
very preity and qualm in Spanish gowns
of the Court of Isabella, with old India
gems and Moorish Jewels as ornaments.
These picturesque costumes had come
from a Spanish galleon, wrecked in the
Atlantic centuries ago.
Of curious appearance, too, were some
of the mer-matroivs, in poke bonnets, Eliz
abethan luffs, enormous hoops, end gowns
of tile seventeenth century. These fas*i
ion cam* from the ancient wreck of an
English colonial ship, and the stately mer
matriarelis wore them, quite unconscious
that they were not modern.
Six of the handsomest young mermaids
in deep-sea society, al! daughters of old
blue-water families, received ihe guests.
Each had twinkling green eyes, and shin
ing golden half, caught in psyche knot
with a golden comb. Tliey wore ultra
marine gowns, trimmed with sea-foam
lace, atal carried bouquet* of choice sea
flower*. Green and pink pearl were their
ornaments. Their names were: Miss Di
ana Dac*. Ills# Grace Mullet, Mia* Tlllla
Tarpon. Miss Ethel Hass, Mias Edith
Hereto and Mis* Saille Salmon.
111.
The distinguished guests did not come
till late. Among them were Aid. Turtle
of Barbados*; Cap*. Hwotdfisli, with many
haul, gears; Hlr Gregory Grampus, genial
and poni|toua, an.l a fine old family of et-
Jlel rfpuu.sli mackerel, that tied left the
We take this method
of wishing our friends
and patrons
A Merry
Christmas!
E^^^S^BHmuinuuais,
shores of Ctilxt. at the close of the war be
tween Hie United Stales nn<l Spain.
Neptune, with Jon*', foam-white beard,
entered the manse, hun* his crown and
trident In the hat rank, putted the sea-ur
chins on the head, shook hnnds with ttio
little mermaids nnd the exiled .Spanish
mackerel, and said a pleasant word to
everybody.
“(live me a small seat In the corner,”
said the whale, as he rattle in. puffing
nnd 'blow'ln*. He shook hand with tha
little mermaids, naked the Spanish mack
erel if they had lost much properly In
Culm, by the war, and wished all a happy
Christmas.
The devil-fish pronil.tfd to be sool if
they would let him come In and see the
Christmas tree. He folded all Ids arms, and
oat In a corner, as quiet us a church
mouse, thlnkin* how good lie was. *'ho
Hit e sea-urchins amused them-elv< s by
counting the arn.w of the oel pus.
Santa Clous came in a rainbow-tinted
a a-shell, dtawn by six dappkd set-horses.
He rnld;
“Merry Christmas, little mermaids. Its
a tiltle damp on the way to Coral Marne
Thera must hav betn a heavy dew In the
oceen this evening.”
The fit tie n.etnvultls laughed, and said it
was as dry in the ocean as It always-was.
Tim s> a-urchins eiioke up and said they
had never known the ocean to be <lr.er,
Suddenly all the lights went cut nnd
Jell the cirul Chrt-lmas ire in the dark.
"What is the matter with the eo a?" unit
ed Santa < bans.
The eleettlc eels w're turmd on again.
Some sea-robit a settled In a coral light
tree, an ler a w n low of the Manse, and
sing Chrit* man carols.
l.a er cn to U iiua dlsir huird the
gifts. To every si a urchin, he gave a
Noah's Ark, fall of marble animats l! at
had been saved frcm the flood; and to
evi ry member of the school of tish, a nau
tical dictionary. Then he presented lo each
little mermaid u golden comb, a ne k ace
off ear s. a mer doll Htid many oth r beau
tlfcl pusnis.
As t: e ilalmy llitle m< rmalils walked
home ah ng the ce an 1100-, the moon
shone down through the waves, and gl til
ed on thdr golden combs and t ( in me red
in ih lr pearls. They felt sorry fir Ihe Ills
tie earth-ina ds, who live where pearls are
si nice, and hate no Christmas tree—only
stockings to hung up.
PAWtOTS AT fMHOOI,.
When They Swear nt ft Preacher It
In to tin- Credit of Their Tcnelier
in One Way.
From the New York Sun.
"If you was to Judge by what you can
hear almost anybody say.” said the little
old man In the bird store, “even If you
was to take the word of lots of them that
sells birds there wouldn't be any need of
my business, which is teaching birds to
talk and sing. I guess If I was a younger
rnnn with a good deal more push than I've
got now, I’d call myself profeirsor find be
running a Conservatory of Hlrd Music. As
It is, I guess I get all the promising birds,
and when I rend them back to the dealers
It’s not until I'm sure they'll do me credit.
Take parrots. There’s plenty to tell you
that all the education any parrot needs la
to put it In a cage for a few days an t
swear at It regular. I have known deal
ers who would pay $2 for a bird on the
docks here, give It a regular cussing every
day, ami fit the end of a week charge J. 7)
for it as an educated bird, nnd what’s
more, get It, too, and no questions asked.
Now mind you, I'm not denying that there
Is something educational In swearing at
a parrot, but that's only one part of the
business and a mighty email one, at that.
"A parrot Is a mighty sagacious bird.
IPs got Just as much intellect ns it has
beak, end it uses both for the same pur
pose, namely and to wit, improving Itself
and taking unexpected nips out of some
body else. You can't begin to teach a par
rot without recognising its intellect and
devoting your attention to that In order
that you see how you can best bring It out.
The first thing I do 1 to feed the bird
properly, for on Jhe ships which bring
them here they get almost anything and It
most likely disagrees with them. You've
got to remember that the parrot is a fruit
eating bird and It's strong beak was not
given to It for nothing; so don't crack the
nuts first; let the bird do that, and it will
be so much the better for his health.
Brazil nuts is what I give them, and I let
them feed hearty until they are plump
and in good feather. When the bird 1*
content with his material surroundings
then's the time to begin his education.
“Just about the strongest sentiment
there Is In a parrot Is curiosity. Did you
notice how a |arrot acts when there'*
anything new about? Itoesn't he sidle up
and examine first from one side and then
another, first with one eye nnd then the
other? Well, that'* hi* curiosity. When
I have a parrot to teach I put a light bag
over his cage. It should lie thick enough
to keep him from seeing through and at
the same time light enough to give a
p.enty of light. Whether there's one or a
dozen birds in a class it's ail tha same.
Each bird is in * cage by himself, end a
PAGES 9 TO 1 6.
bag over that. Then I speak distinctly
the sentence I want the birds to learn. I
say it over once u minute, and it may bo
that I filive to keep It up aa much os ant
hour before a single parrot does anything
but Bcream. llut all the time the birds
are devoured by curiosity to know what's
going on outside of Their own individual
bags. After a lot of figuring the parrots
begin to repeat the sentence to themselves
In what you might .nil u whisper. As
woott as one Of the birds gets so he can say
ine sentence without an error my work is
done, for that parrot will leach all the rest
and I cun go away and leave them In the
Imga all day, without a knowledge that
their education will go on.
“Then comes the very Important thing,
and that Is the application of the lesson.
We'li suppose I've been teaching the class
the sentence, 'Come, kiss me.' 'l'fie birds,
we will say, are all letter perfect in their
parts, but they have no idea of the.busi
ness. The (tret Impression when the. bags
are lifted off the cages i what docs the
application. For that sentence 1 have
young girls come In and lift oft the bags.
That fixes that sentence in the parrot's
deep brain with pretty girls, and he uses
It ever afterward In the right place.
When 1 hey've been learning to say, ‘Gran
ny, where's your specs?' they learn to as
sociate It with an old woman with glasses
and white hair. Then, of course, peopla
have ti right to expect that every
parrot Shull have a few phrases
that are unfit for publication. Well,
when I've been giving n lesson in
the damns and dashes I uncover them
with a very exaggerated clerical make-up.
That's the real reason why most birds
fairly rip and tear when the minister la
making a pastoral call; they've been
taught lo do It as a part of their education
But most i**opl** think it'* natural, and
I've had ’em tell me It showed the old
Adam in the birds. It didn’t do anything
of the sort; It only showed that they was
a credit to their teacher.
"Sometimes 1 have sijeclal orders, and It
may be that I stated as much as a year
teaching some |*articular bird. Hut thg
most of my work comes from dealers.
They buy up the young birds ami send
them to me to work over. That takes
aIKJUt four monihV nnd in that time I
figure on leaching them twenty phrases
with the words and business complele, to
scare a cat and a dog, to whistle fivg
ways, and to sing one line of a and
that's the hardest thing Ihero Is to learn
Is my academy. A bird with those accom
plishments has olso acquired a groat deal
r.f self-confidence, and that makes it easy
for him to pick up a whole lot of things
apparently without teaching, and that
makes the parrot seem like a member of
the family. Borne things they teally do
Invent for themselves. Iv;ok at this old bird
of mine. She's so wise that you might
almost call her a professor in the academy.
Now, listen, will ,vou, to what she aayg
when I show her this tin pall and say,
"Polly, ohus the can.' Would you lis
ten to that, now? 'To hell with the beer.*
There. Hint’s not nice language for a gen
teel bird, but somehow or other she learn
ed it for herself, nnd site's proud to teach
It to the other birds. She well knows
whul she’s about.”
I.ong-Toed Shoes.
From the Gentleman’s Magazine.
.Front the reign of William Kurus to that
of Henry VII, fashion uiqtears to have
played ihe most remarkable freaks with
shoe* nnd boots, all the more remarkable
because played In a practical very much
out-of-door and athletic-recreations age
with articles of drees which were neces
sities for use, not mere accessories capa
ble of any amount of grotesque absurdity.
Fashion dictated as cnorrooua absurdities
ns tl did, say, among the grandfathers in
ihe days of the regency. Especially dur
ing the reign of the Plantagenets, the ehos
craze at mined its most extensive dimen
sions. Richard ll—who was, however, in
'"his earlier manner” a far more strong
minded nnd clever Prince than usually •
deemed—had later a good deal of Georgs
IV in him as regards interest In matters
sartorial.
Probably the high-water mark of shoe
folly' was reached at that Plantagenet
period when the leaders of fashion had the
points of their shoes turned up much In
the fashion of a ram’s horn, and linked up
with golden chains to the knights knees.
Grim-visaged war had here. Indeed,
smoothed his wrinkled front, for the
doughty warrior, however renowned in
battle or at the chase of the tall deep—the
only occupations for nous autres for cen
turies—could not, when wearing these up
to-date shoes, get his feet into the stir
rups. And walking, except on the most
level surfaces—which in the days of rush
strewn floors and roads of the most rudi
mentary kinds, such as Arthur Young hun
dreds of year* later execrated, mint hava
been rare—difficult. Indeed. Fulke, fount
of Anjou, Is credited with having origi
nated the fashion, to hide an excrescence
of one of hla feet, Sometimes at tile ex
treme point of th shoe In ultra-faahlon
able wearer* some fantastic device, as tor
instance n bird, was carved.
—A bullet fired at King George of Oteeea
by a murderer Imbedded Itself in tha
framework if hla carnage. He had It eg.
traded and mounted as a wateh charm,
and think* it ia a (auxinon for hi* safety.