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r 7 k EDITORIAL PAGE THE SUNNY SOUTH DECEMBER 22, 1906 U/ye SUNNY SOUTH Published Weekly by Sunny South Publifhing Co Busine/s Office THE CONSTITUTION BUILDING ATLANTA, GEORGIA i iIpJm I® I conquest—if peace and contentment and happiness, do not sit at the heart's gates? . i j What avails the smoking, steaming plenty at our I own tables—if crfi the outside the children of the I poor shiver in the cold, and look with dim eyes on the joy of other people? # Do' you not see why you should live,in the next j few days, in. Chris'* las-land ? Why you should lay I aside self-indulgence, and sharp criticism and lack J of charitv—and just take the world as you find it? | tic Keal j n the yard. He had been won. I Look at the mirth ot the child, as lie seampt rs . j )a y attention, just then tiio | across the cold floor of Christmas morning, and j young enamored edged u.p closer. Entered at the yostofflee Aflnnra, Ga^Maecond-class mail matter drags dowll^ the lieavil y-wcighted stocking to ex- | half ghd .^‘y’ will haveto penalize 1 you Warned. (’From Puck.) -the two—were sitting on the rus- niarch iii, 11101 * j The Sunny South is the oldest weekly paper of Literature, i Romance, Fadt and Fiction in the South It is now re* j Stored to the original shape and will he published as for• I merly every week Founded in IS74 It grew until 1899, I when, as a monthly, its form was changed as an experl* j ment It now returns to its original formation as a • weekly with renewed vigor and the intention of eclips• ' ing its most promising period in the past• In Christmas Land FEW DAYS—and we will all be in Christmas-land. It is not a far-off country with a separate sun and solar system. We need not go down to the sea in great ships to reach its generous confines. Xol trans-continental train stands, with impatient puffing engine, to whirl us away over hill and vallex and broad .prairie, and finally land us dusty and begrimed under strange skies and a new flag. Christmas- land is—just the whole world, at tins season, of ihc year. Laws, ' es, it has a code of its own. But the code docs not repose, volume upon volume, in some dim library, where scamper rats and beetles and where plods the weary student, trying to find a meaning out of the confusing mass of statutes and contra dictory pronunciamcntos. It has just one law. has Christmas-land. And that is—love. Under its single heading, there arc grouped divisions innu merable. But. one by one, they surely find a com mon meeting place and merge into that force! which, with gentle rule, governs the world! of today and yesterday and tomorrow—j all one under the eves of that Father in whose' sight Time is but a name and Eternity a mvstcrv I past the penetration of human ken. If a man love.j--a if a woman love, neither one will offend, i i, through impulse, through misjudgment, through human weakness, they do offend—love is there to repan ilic damage done, to heal the hurt, to hide the wound with roses and to scatter bergamot. Thai is the law of love, the law of Cod. the law of Christmas-land. Except that Christmas-land is all about us. T to north, th plore its bulging recessed. Did you ever see a more perfect picture of happi ness, of innocent satisfaction reaching its highest development ? And what made it possible? The love of someone else. ! The love that looked ahead, and denied itself, ! perhaps, and. made preparation lor the pleasure of i others. 1 That is the chief lesson of Christmas, and the main law which governs in the holly-girdled pre cincts of Christmas-land. Love for others. Forgetfulness of self. Ignoring, for a little while only perhaps, the sordid cares and ambitions that sit too heavily upon us, and that are often not worthy the attention we give them. Invade Christmas-land today and tomorrow and as long as the blithe spirit of the holidays reign with a care-free supremacy. Swear allegiance to the yulelog. and Kris Kringle and—the Christ—and catch the true spirit of each in their varying mirth and their sweet lasting- reverence. JI 'Belated Divorcee ELL, the divorce evil has reached a climax. W e were under the im pression- that it had wreaked about as much mischief as fell within its possibilities and that, henceforth, the pendulum must swing back to ward a wholesome reform. But our hearts are assailed with a grim foreboding and our optimism dealt a blow in the solar plexus bv a story that is going the rounds of the press. It is to the effect that a ladv some what past the tender age of to;, years has applied for—and obtained Let the thought seep gradual!v into •our mind and play ping pong with vour peaceful '.low ol thought and your niekle plated ideals, it ‘ltd with ours. Yow, if the lady in question had been twent} or thirty <>r fortv—in our exuberant generosity, we would even have conceded her half a century—we would not have been so cverlasting- at this season. My kflummixed had she waltzed blithclv into the the cast, to the Moil! where separations are granted while vou wait ] three feet for holding Gulf. (From Exchange.) “They are distant relatives.” “Indeed! Ahotit how distant?” “According to Bradstreet’-s latest, they are about ten million dollars removed.” The Origjjial Politician. (From Exchange.) “Who was -the original politician?” a-sks aeorrespondent. Why, old man ■Noah. He. controlled the floating vote. Taking- His Pleasure Sadly. (From London Paper.) From an advt.— “If you shoot yourself and have not used 's Ammunition you have missed one of the pleasures of life.” A British “Jungle? 1 ' (From Punch.) Chicago must look to its laurels. The Strand Magazine publishes the following advertisement of a maker of pickles: “During the year 1905, 126,000 visitors passed through our plant.” In Trade. (From The Cleveland Leader.) Mr. Hans—Doc. I ain'd got much money. Vill you dako my hill oat in tirade? Dr. Gans—Why, I might. What's your business! “I'm del- leader off her liddle Gherman band. Ve'll play in front off your house effry efening.” Measure for Measure. (F-rom London TitTBils.) “And the name is to be—' asked the suave minister as he approached the font with the precious armful of fat and flounces. “Augustus Philip Ferdinand Codrinton Chesterfield Livingston Snooks.” “Dear, me!” Turning to the sexton: “A little more water, Mr. Perkins, if you please.” * Mech?.nic?.l. (From The San Francisco Call.) “That's my best work." said the .poet, after reading the verses to Critiek. “I'm flunking of having it copyrighted.” "Copyright?” said Crittiek. "If I wore oil"I'd have it patented.” The Bells of the Christmas i. These are the Bells of the Chritsmas— They are ringing the wide world along; From many a steeple They call to the people In rhythmical echoes of song Over the cities and sunshiny jdells The musical notes of the Bells—of the Bells. II. These are the Bells of the Christmas— They ring o’er the wearisome ways; They are ringing of love From Faith’s Heaven above— Of joy for the incoming days. Over cities and dreams of the dells The musical notes of the Bells—of the Bells. ITT. These are the Bells of the Christmas— May they sing to the sorrowing breast; May they claim all the strife— Mav they sing of a life In beautiful gardens of rest. Over the cities and sunshiny dells May we drift to sweet dreams with the Bells- with the Bells. —By FRANK L. STANTON. Chrisfmas in the South Yesterday and Today - & By GERTRUDE ASKEA. Written for Tlie SUNNY SOUTH. - - p and down the negro The Waiter. (From The Washington Star.) Of a political transaction that had a suspicious look. Senator Beveridge said one day: west. to north, the south—in tho mansion with iisUold her woes, “knocked” her ‘"oid man" to her' " Tho ."f h in 'be thing there is nothing . , . , . I, r w ion which wc can lav our hand, it certain- mam twinkling lights, and the' cottage with > content, «i n c 1 I lopped oitt «i 111 with a dc-jiy appeal**? fishy, fi reminds me of a steady-beaming ravs, Christmas-land stretches its! erc.e in her hands Washington waiter. t ^ • * _ , ” | * , ii,- 4 . , - j “A gentleman, after eating- a good din- Dcnign government. l>iit that a woman, presumable a great-great* Within the personality of Christ—the greatest grandmother, crowned with grav hairs, so feeble gift in the history of the sad, glad ages—love) that she had to be assisted into ihc courthouse. I [should find it necessary to recite her marital in- jjuries. ;tnd demand restitution from a gaping jury —the thought gets out an injunction against our [appetite for Christmas turkey, and makes the glad- ■■ags of our best girl look like the bespattered apron which covered the cook of the four hundred and fifty-filth wife of the renowned King Solomon. \\ hat s to become of- our reverence for age. If jage is so frisky as this? Must wc revise our traditions which picture the -cached its climax. 11is was the love that knew all, that understood all. That could reach down and quiet the child, crying vaguely for what it knew not. ! hat could enter ilic- heart of the embittered man or woman, sorrowed bv loss, hardened bv pQverly. calloused by wrong—and work therein a transformation only possible to the \ll-Knowing Lower that set the stars in their places and that transcend human understanding at its most sublime heights. * In Christmas-land there is—there should be, I lady past the eightieth year as sitting bv the tire- ratlier—no sorrow, or stinginess or suspicion or [side, toothless jaws wagging, wrinkled” hand ex shadow of sin. The sun that shines from its bright pended in maternal blessings on the head of everv- blue heavens, is the sun of the Christian religion. ; body in general and nobody in particular i hat fact does not moan that it shanld not shine [ \\ ltilc in its place wo see an alimonv-huntin 0 - over Hebrew, and Mohammedan and Pagan and j dame, striving In put salt on the tail of a fast-van- Buddhist. as well. hslting matrimonial alliance, exposing the injuries For what more desirable than at one time in the clone her pulsing young heart to a hardened mob of year the world, without regard to the boundaries of; court room spectators and giving a slv wink to the creed or country, should lay aside its pursuit of j beau of 150 years of age. who sits in the far corner selfish interests and join in a celebration the end j ogling sympatln from his spectacled optics? and aim of which is the happiness of other people? 1 Down with divorce, if it has reached this degen- AX hat avails wealth, or ambition, or bcautv or crate stage! Leaves from 1 an Old $crap Book By A GEORGIA COLONEL. { FIND nothing move interesting' in tile ol.l war scrapbook than an account of the siege and l'all of Vicvksburg in July, 1853. T reproduce the clipping in full: THE SIEGE AND FALL OF VICKS BURG. "The southern papers publish some ac counts (die first front southern sources) received from -■onfeiiorat-- officers who But help I j a besom of destruction. (.uuld reacli them. “To add to the horrors of die siege some of die enemy's gunners took spe cial pains to level their pieces at the buildings which were marked by yellow flags as hospitals. The shells, indeed, spared no house in the devoted city. .Mon on their knees at public workshop were killed lty diem, the sick w< re killed on their beds, and many who lay down a . night to sleep, undis turbed. slept die sleep that knows no were paroled at Vieksbm-g of the suf- ' waking. I tie women and children, who feeing there before the surrender. The j Persists in remaining in the <'ity dm- ! mg t.u* siege, :u ted m a m-roi-* man- Atlanta Intelligencer publishes a highly nPV01 . disturbing die officers with interesting narrative from Colonel Wat- ! their fears and alarms, but shared in kins, who participated in the defense i die hardships and dangers of lie gar rison. A kind Providence, however, threw his broad aegis over them, and scarcely one of them perished. “One night the colonel was wakened out of sleep bv the sound of a coming Pemberton’s army commenced entering [ shell which, in his excited condition, 1 icksburg, until the 4th day ot July, I j ie imagined was going to fall on him. when die place was surrendered, an in-j He quickly hobbled out of bis tent, in of the city, from which we make some, extracts: “Night and day for forty-eight days, j counting from the I7di of May. when cessant bombardment was Jtept up by the ! enemy, both from die gunboats in the river and die land batteries which Grant had planted in the rear. On several oc casions die colonel counted die number of shells tiiat fell in die space of five minutes, and there were 65, or 13 a min- uate, constantly falling into the city from the 300 cannons that was pointed against 1 it. During the whole of these forty- , eight days die men remained in the ditches with no other shelter from die rain or the fierce rays of die sun, witli the thermometer ranging at from 90 to' 100, but such as a blanket afforded, and living the whole time on one-fourth ra tions, or four ounces each of bacon, pea meal and rice. The severity of hunger led to the issue of the flesh of die mules ills wounded condition, and saw about 50 feet over him a large 200 pound shell, whicli fell some 10 feet I into the ground, tearing out a hole in ; which a wagon Tiiglit he buried, and j shaking the earth for a considerable dis-I tanee around. As a general thing, how-1 ever, the bursting of shells in the city j did not in'terefere wid.i ordinary busi- j ness, and but little attrition was paid j to them. Before die capitulation the miners and I sappers of ihc enemy and own army had got within 10 paces of each other.and whilst they were working under ground the picks of each could be heard by die other, each striving to get his mine in readiness before die other. The colonel says that when die enemy- sprung his mine, which produced such whicli had been left in the city, the most disaster, in two hours more ours would of the mules and horses having been have been sprung to die great detri- driven out in order that the provisions of the garrison might last the longer. The men during this long period_ of suf fering and anxiety, were not without https trt renef, but me nope was of that Ena srnicn being long deferred “mak- rth r.ie heart sick. " They well knew the importance of the place they were garrisoning and defending and rumors would often arise which their own ex erted imaginations greatly magnified, tiiat Johnston had an'army of 100.000 men, tiiat. Longstreet was in tiiat army, •occupying the center of it. as is the cus tom of tiiat distinguished general, and even at times it would be imagined that the reports of friendly cannon were beard, and that. Grant and his whole army would soon be swept away as with c-ers in Grant’s army. From those ne learned that the ditching and mining ol the enemy had been performer- exclu sively by negroes, there being as ltjany as 5,000 in tiiat army. General McPher son. tli« general who superintended *-*e departure of our men from tne city, was w iling 'that all tile negroes who chose might accompany their masters. It was nothiftg but right, he said, that freemen, as he contended they were, should make their own selection to go from or re main in tlie city; but in this determina tion lie was overruled, and only the ser vants of the officers were allowed to go out if they chose. Colonel Watkin's ne gro man was offered every inducement by tiie Yankees to remain with them. Finally, on being promised, if lie would remain, a plantation on tlie Mississippi, after the war was over, should be given him. lie replied, as any other negro would have done, “Of what use would a planta tion here be to me without negroes to work it-V So he accompanied his mas- P ass | ter out of the city. “With another negro in the employ ot the yankees the colonel conversed, and learned tiiat. although he was in that service, his heart was not in it. He complained bitterly of tlie heartlessness of tlie yankees towards himself and his family, and expressed his determination to run away from them on the first op portunity that presented. “Colonel Watkins, in these conversa- hose of ourj tions, had an opportunity of learning tlie falsity of a report tiiat lias been circu lated to tlie effect tiiat Grant had sent in a flag of truce to bury tlie dead ot the federal army tiiat fell in tlie first as saults on the city. The flag of truce was sent out first by General Pemberton, who offered the previlege td the enemy ol ■burying his dead. "Wo came near overlooking a fact that the colonel corroborates by his testimony —that the men, much as they had suf fered. were opposed to the surrender ot Vicksburg, in many cases denouncing it, or else complaining 'bitterly of it.” LONGSTREET’S ARMY. I find tlie following clipping in the old which was taken from The Courier and was part of a letter written on December 11.1863. from have been sprung meat of tlie enemy. “On tlie 3d of July, General Pember ton determined to hold out no longer. The food was nearly exhausted, and the soldiers Had become worn out from ex cessive fatigue. To cut their way out was impossible. No help was at hand. He therefore resolved to obtain me best terms in a capitulation, and accordingly j scrapbook sent a flag of truce for tiiat purpose, it j n, ar i e .ston is not necessary to publish the honorable terms which' General Pemberton oh- - near Hogersviile, Ten.: tamed from the onemj-. J hey orm one om> to calI lhe at _ ol tlie relieving: features ol tins other- ; . , ^ . wise wholly lamentable affair. These; tention or our people at home. There terms being arranged, the men stacked l a ' -e at Utis moment from three thou- their arms on the 4th. i sa ud to thirty-five hundred barefooted “Colonel Watkins had an' opportunity i men in this army. Some of them are offi- after the yankees reached the city ot I ■* conversing freely witli tlie federal otu- ’ Continued on Fourth Page. said to this waiter: “ 1 am sorry 1 can't give you a tip, but 1 find I have only just enough money to pay ihe bill.’ “Tlie waiter seized tlie bill hurriedly. " 'Just let me add it up again, sir,’ lie muttered.” Needed It Badly. / j From Life.) Spirit—Is tills heaven? St. Peter—Yes. “1 was afraid of it. Goodby.” “Why—aren't you coming in?” "No. thanks. During my life T played ;he harp on an excursion steamer, ami I want a rest." Caution. (From Exchange.) “Sister Henderson," said Deacon Hy pers, "you should avoid even the appear ance of evil.” “Why, Deacon, what do you mean?” asked Sister Henderson. “I observe, tiiat on your Sideboard you have several cut-glass decanters, and that each of them is half filled with what appears to be ardent spirits.” “Well, now, Deacon, it isn’t anything of the kind. The bottles look so pretty on the sideboard that 1 just filled them half way with some floor stain and fur- ! niture polish, just for appearances. - “That’s why I am cautioning you, sis ter.” replied tlie deacon. “Feeling a trifle wpak and faint, I helped myself to a dose from the big bottle in the mid dle.” And So It Goes. (From Comic Paper.) First Automobilist—What was tiiat place we just passed through? Second Automobilist—Rhode Island. A Slight Hitch. (From Life.) Stranger—Sir, do you remember giving a poor, friendless tramp 50 cents one cold night last winter? Jones—T do! “Sir. I am tiiat tramp; that 50 cents was tlie turning point in my career; with it r got a shave, a Shine, a meal and a job. I saved my money, went to Alaska, made a- million dollars and last week I came back to New York to share my millions with you. But. unfortunately, I struck Wall street before I struck you— and—have you another 50 cents that you could conveniently spare, sir?” •\Vigg—The last I saw -Toungpop was talking yon to death about his baby. ■How did you get rid of him? Wagg— Git. some fellow came along who had just bought an automobile, so I intro duced them, and made my escape.—Phil adelphia Record. r ‘Is Muffler getting a pretty fair salt ary?” “Oh, t yes; enough to keep body and soul and automobile together."— Life, Caslteton—About how much does it cost to run .a steam yacht? Highblower—If it makes any difference to you. yon can f afford it.”—Judge. Mr. Widwer (introducing the second Mrs. W.)—Come, children, and kiss your new, mama. Elsie—My gracious! if you took her for “new” they Stuck you, pa.— Philadelphia Press. Ethel—Bob asked Edith to marry him and go to New Zealand. Jack—Not a bad idea; Bob intends to stay in Eng land, I presume.—Illustrated Bits. "A New York magistrate sentenced his cook to jail for ten days.” “He deserves to rank with tiiat stern # old Roman fa ther who sentenced his own son to death'.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer. “Pop!” "Yes, my son.” “What is a grass widow?” “A grass widow, my son. is. one who makes hay while the sun shines.”—Yonkers Statesman. Mrs. Jenner Lee Ondego—Have you ever tried to <si g\ h friendly relations with! those pale, overworked salesladies in t”e j big stores? Mrs. Seldom-Holme—Ob. yes; especially tlie givis at the bargain count ers. I’ve tried to get close to them many and many a time, but tlie crush is al ways too great for a little woman like me.—Chicago Tribune. | themselves, although the slrangei %\us given a cordial welcome, and made 11 ; feel at home. The pleasures were sint- ) t ]e but more enjoyed than if character down tne negro | .' ze j ])y the )l£lIvl work that home people quarters goes tne glad i ; 11in!, necessary to have a good time, cry tiiat tomorrow will . \\> may say that this old south fos- l_>e Christmae. The pick- tered indolence, and was marked b\ a annies with each little i .‘lowness that never counts for much m pig-tail s.Pktng straight : money-making, bur we should remeuibct out from the round, black j fhat U ’“^i o firm sTnd noble , , ! is todav. It gave us oliLalrors and noote .leuus. echo tin- jojoue , men . u sUosvp(1 us tender and true wom- sound and wonder what i n _ wh(J s< , nt Uleir sons forth to battle will be their share of the | wI ’ th smjIe on their lips, although tlteii .gifts hanging on tlie tree j ncarts lU ere bleeding. Washington and in o!' masr's home. They ; T.ee were of this hallowed time, and 0,1 i iheir Christmas celebrations were lust be a | such kind and beneficent masters to all ' the country round. But while there were slaves the poorer white people had little showing. I licit gifts were necessarily of the very hum bles kind. The country was chiefly agr ricultural in its pursuits and the negroes did the work. Now the children of that very class give the nation its vitality. Tiie poorest mechanic gets pay for his know tiia! up at the “big house” there general jollification and giving of pres ents and file slick little faces fairly shine with anticipation as they try to obey the command to be good or "they won’t git nothin"tall fur Chrismus Icssn't hit be a switch." At the “big house" all is excited com motion. In the old-fashioned kitchen with its sooty, wide-open f rcplace and immense Dutch oven ihe turkey is crumpling up its slowly browning skin and tiie dressing sizzles and pops in the hot gravy, while mince pies and cakes ot all kinds are spread out on the side table ready for icing. The young daughter of the house flits about from parlor to parlor, first placing i piece of mistletoe over the door and then racing away to taste the creations of tlie kitchen, much to the outward dis turbance of Mammy Jinny, who, how ever, thinks there is nobody in the whole would like her young mist is. At last the day diaws to a close am* nil is finished. The tree is loaded down, the walls are covered with evergreens and vines, Uio pantry is full of good things to eat, and as tlie snow begins to fall slowly the plantation people fall asleep to dream of the morrow and its gifts. Christmas morning dawns slightly cloudy, 1ml the sun struggles forth and shows a world covered here and there with patches of glistening white. i ms was all needed to make it an ideal day, for seldom have wc a white Christmas in the south. The servants gather about the parlor doors and in the halls, anxiously waiting for tiie master to begin tlie distribution. There is candy for the pickaninnies, blue and red calico dresses and gay ribbons for tlie women, perhaps a little money for tlie men, and eggnog and brandy for all. Inexpensive presents? Yes, but it is not tit*' amount of money spent that counts for most. It is the loving re membrance, for the “gift without the giver is bare.” And besides. In those days the demand for handsome presents was not so great as it is now. with many bowings and scrapings of their thanks the darkies go back to the long line of cabins and proudly show forth to (•aeli other what they have received, with hearts full of love and an earnest desire to serve this kind master who looks out for their wants as if they were little children. HOME PRODUCERS. In those ante-bellum days there was wealth, but not as .we look upon it now. Every plantation produced almost all it consumed, and the owild* was referred to as a good liver. Elegance was more sought after than gaudy luxuriance, an.i good solid home comfort and hearty hos pitality than style and show. Million aires did not hang on every other bush, out the gracious invitation and the whole- souled welcome more than made up foe the display tiiat so often marks the Christmas celebration of later days. Then, the huge fireplace that took up half the side of a room glowed with thu light from an armful of pine knots, and was the radiance less bright than now, when the candelier throws out countless scintillations of gas and electriciy? Pei- baps there iwere move shadows on the wail, but they only made the fire briglite- ’>y contrast. The decorations were holly and vines fresh from the woods, symbols of that Cld pagan idea of joy. and never was a prettier picture than that furnished by the dancers as they went gaily through the Virginia reel to the Inspiring strains of the fiddle in tiie tiands of a black expert, whose bow seemed call forth all* the wild spirit of frolic crammed into Lhe toes of the young people. “Pardners all!” oallea out the master of ceremo n es, an imposing old negro, in his eve ning dress of mas’rs’ second best. ‘‘Ro,\ ir. your lady!” and then a generhl sachet- tng follows all around he room. Little they know of the modern German, and loss they cared for the. orchestra of out- day. The ^cavalier spirit of Hospitality and love of fife, for its own joy made the •plantation tlie center of social life. Towns were few and far between* Neigh bors came from miles aroiinjl to join !:i ihe parties, to ho in the hunt and to help decorate the ■church, for the master al ways insisted on a strict observance of the religious part of the day. It was a continual house party for almost a month*, and little wished tlie happy farm ers for the far distant town with its | [heaters and other attractions. They Railroad Travel In th& Mountains, High • Above the Clouds IlfeRE is a dizzy, thrilling time in store for the in dividual who travels ove r tiie new Argentine Central railioad, which lia.s just been completed in Colorado and which climbs up one of the shoulders of Gray - peak until it reaches the appaling altitude of 14.007 feet above sea level. Aside from a railroad l ;i South America widen crosses an Andean pass some 500 feet higher than tlie end of tt -■ Argentine Central, this Colorado road s tiie highest actual railroad in the wo It i- nearly as high as the world-famous cog road up Pipe’s Peak and is more r.i.n.i 400 feet higher than the celebrated June Iran railroad in Switzerland, which is the marvel of European engineers. Gray s peak, whose grim ton this n ew railroad comes within 200 feet of scaling, is high er than Pike's Peak and is one of t'.e mightiest mountains on this eonthien:. Years ago it was used as a government weather bureau observatory and the ruin ed building is still on tlie peak. Ad joining Gray’s Peak is Torrey's. SIGHT WELL WORTH JOURNEY. These giant peaks, of exactly tlie fame height, are connected by a slightly de pressed ridge, making- a great saddle, and the sight of these mighty twins of tiie range, streaked witli huge banks of eternal snow, is alone worth tiie journey to tiie end of the new railroad. This new railroad to cloudland if th lesuil of the foresight uuq piuek of on-, man. E. J. Wilcox, one <•• Denver's s,; •- eessful mining magnates. Six years ag.> Mr. Wilcox began buying up and develop ing mining properties in the Cray's Peak region. Soon he controlled a large num ber of properties under > •■ name of (ho Waldorf and Manhattan g mips. The problem of transporting lire v. • c a, serioiig one and Mr. Wilcox began t fig ure oti a railroad conm ■• g with Colorado and Southern a; s ivpr pi :i; , , 15 miles away. It is ai S. ver Pin e that tlie Colorado and Sou::,, ru makes :. • celebrated Georgetown b#m. which whi always be regarded as one of tiie great est feats of engineering in the world. Silver Plume is at. the bottom of a an- yon, tlie mountains rising . hues: -in.cr to a tremendous height. In order to make this tir.-t < zz . out of Silver Plume. Mr. W ux la d his tracks in a series of swip-i '.cards, h tiie trains literally climb a :i g • of •: until they reach the top ol the vnllr overlooking Silver Plume. And :i... top of the climb is one. of t he grand-st sights ever vouchsafed to man. After a pull of several miles .;• s ift grades tlie train reaches Commo: . ■ n tunnel, one of tiie Waldorf prmc near tiie timber line. Here tiie crow g difficulties of travel begin Mount M Clellan. one of the shoulders of G y's higher aild ;• impo.- th Peak, rises some 2.000 fee, to scale it looks like a sin it.\'. But the engine rush-- per cent grade and the Just begun. There are four swile! the Commonwealth tunnel •• labor on Saturday night and on Christ- j the mountain, and the grade- mas eve we may see him on the streets, j age nearly 8 per cent. This his pockets bulging with inexpensive j the train climbs 8 feet on: ■>: toys, liis hands full of bags containing dred ii advances. In fam. gaily painted candies and alluring min-j road from Silver Plume t iature Christmas trees. He has a lioli- ! top averages a 6 per cent g: -.0 day and lie and his family, in their best j is something hitherto unheard attire, wander forth on tlie thorough- j i ailroad construction. Tin- •■■..!'■ fares and gaze to their hearts' content! are s.> numerous as to leave ;. v at the shop windows and have a smile | s ' on 'bat there is not n stra:g.. for their richer neighbor as he enviously watches them and wishes that his joy could be halt' so real. ~ IN THE COUNTRY. Out In ihe country lhe children of the humblest farmer in the little log' cabin hang up their home-knit stockings and can hardly wait for day to come lo view the contents. They know that a gen erous being. “Santy Claus,” by name, will come down the chimney with a big pack of goodies on his bach, and their f.-iith in him is supreme. For weeks be fore his coming they are seized with an unn countable desire to keep clean faces j jes, and some and to fill the wood box daily. Con 1 - I Denver can br m- the entire railroad, average 30 deg; - AMID A SEA OF PEAK,S. Soon the train is above timber line a a veritable sea of peaks bursts tlie vision of the beholder. On cv» hand the gaunt granite heads of mo . tains lift themselves like petrified wa Far to tlie nortli can be seen tiie in- tains in tlie adjacent - s tate of Wyomii while to tlie west can he made out : Gore range, well toward the T'tah ! If the day is elc-ar a bright yellow str- can be discerned between the utb-rm- peaks fifty miles to tlie east. Th streak is the vast plain east of tiie R- lays the smoke 1 discerned. As tr.inj pany manners are much in evidence to- 175 snow-capped peaks have b* - i: - wards the home folks. They invest their I ed from the end of tiie Argentine (”--i'. before irksome duties with a pleasure i toad, to say nothing of numberless ot.. .- never dreamed of before. In fact, they j peaks above timber line, had no idea that work could be so pleas-; Tiie bald side of the mountain has bee a! -t. j honeycombed with mine tunnels an And when at last the long-hoped-for! shafts. Some of the properties .-r i . morning comes, the little tow heads are j the “iprospect" stage, while others ar- in ecstatic raptures over the mucli-covet-! paying as high as S500 a day. Th. g i ed nuts, the highly prized "store bought” 'he mine dumps tiie train threads its candy, ihe French harps and the woolly | way and soon the last switchback - frogs and mice. No household is too j been made and the last grade climbed. The passengers tumble out and are es poor to forego Its annual cake—molasses though it may be. and tlie luxury of bis cuits three times for this day of days. In homes such as these is found the true ehirstian spirit, for every neighbor, or even passerby is invited in and given some of the cake, and tlie precious candy is divided. Tlie young people ga tiier nightly for candy pullings, and if the preaofcer is not too strict, for' an old-time “breakdown” dance. The married women have quilt ing hees. and the men gather for one grand hunt. So often those who are possessed of more money than otherwise lose sight of the true meaning of tlie time in their strenuous endeavor to give costly gifts and to outshine each other socially. But tin's is not always tlie case. The religious significance of tlie day is beginning to lie more appreciated and every cjiurch lias exercises to commemorate tlie birth of the Christ-child, and every city gives to its poor and unfortunates. The street waif verted to an bandoned mine whose work ings, owing to the -dripping of water and the constant action of frost, have become coated with snow and witli crystals of wonderful formation. Tlie gleam of candle light against these crys tals makes a wonderful sight. BREATHING IS DIFFICULT. This mine was tiie first silver mine opened in Colorado. Ore from it w: - shipped across tlie plains by ■--; it > transportation long before tlie first sr., coacites were run. Tiie pioneer miners who were looking for silver only, had ii" idea, they were working in a dislri -t which would some day become a great gold mining center. So quickly has the last ascent been made that tiie traveler hardly realizes that lie is 14.000 feet above sea level. But as soon as lie takes a few steps alonig tae side of, the mountain he finds out. His breath comes in sobbing gasps, his knees grow weak an 1 his heart is remembered and pinched little faces ! b° a ts as if it would lea]) from his breast. brighten with joy of a lost or never known childhood as they receive presents that they Tiad looked at with longing eyes in the shops but had never dreamed of having for their very own. As southern prosperity increases, more general becomes the custom of giving gifts. Vigorous and alert, the' young na tion makes of its Christmas a serious matter of one (Thy in the year remember- its friends and also a joyous time of He must stop and rest every few feei. Even old and experienced mountaineers cannot climb without stopping to breathe at such a tremendous altitude. This little fifteen miles of railroad cost more than $250,000 to build. It is nar row gauge and every foot of the road bed has been firmly ballasted. The en gines are of the Shay-geared type—a kind ot engine that, like Kipling's -crew guns, can “climb up the side of a sign-boar« throwing aside fTs work and relaxing a . nd trust b° stick to the paint.” The into a spirit of hospitality and love to all. While we can never quite appre ciate the Christmas of days “befo’ do wah,” we can approximate its generous heart by putting the spirit of good fel lowship into our gifts. COMPARISONS. A New York lawyer wa s cross-ques tioning a negro witness in one of the justice courts not long ago. says The Philadelphia Press, and was getting along fairly well until lie asked the wit ness wliat his occup-a tion was.. “Jse a carpenter, sail.” “What kind of a carpenter?” “They calls me a jackleg carpenter, salt.” “What is a jackleg carpenter?” “He is a carpenter who is not a first- class carpenter, sail." ‘Well, explain fully what you under stand a jackleg carpenter to be.” in sisted the lawyer. “Boss. 1 declare I duniio how to ’splain j ; ny mo’ Yept to say hit am jes’ the ! same diffunce ’twixt you and er tir.st- and their ftienils were sufficient .unto class lawyer.” eight drive wheels are geared together so the pulling power is enormous. And in •case the engine should leave the track tt always leaves away from the outer edge, so tiiat it will not plunge into an abyss. This makes travel over the dizzy railroad absolutely safe. COULDN’T HELP IT. A well-known Allegheny clergyman re cently spoke at a religious service in tiie pententiary in Woods Run. He noticed that one of the convicts seemed extraor dinarily impressed. After the service he sought him out and continued the good work by remarking: "My friend. I hope you will profit by my remarks just now- and become a new n.an.” “Indeed T will." was the cheerful reply. “In fact. I promise to you that I will never commit another crime, but will lead an exemplary fife to my dying day.” “I am very glad (b hear you say tiiat,” said the clergyman, "but are you certain you will be able to keep the promise?” “Oh. yes.” said tlie convict. "I’m in jail for life?'—Harper’s Weekly. 'I