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R" -andmylnindilmuchtauken upwnthboth. Sallielto the Ioenerof nrethodlltlutuhhiurfeaturesofthe-Chrietmatinood. _ L ` *' -L I am oittintr bi 8 hearth-re: undtll hearth am h_a`ve,'Iomewhere in their Irlowinc boaom, the ember: of theedeyn of ;Quitg_u'g]'3g'.id, quite HIS II-the homing season. Also the time when photokmhg abund._: other d;IyI_,' and Innpehote of. faces, some erstwhile foravotten-e-'-these deant of the order of time or place, these chrimmg reveriee n1ednder,.theae' me. ` tide vicnetten ash upon memory o screen and digappear. Fragmentary, unauo;-ggd, they yet marl: the trail of the friendly years. . ID]... 4...; I... 86: upon: in ffnuvnn unar an line at ...... `...3-!.-..2__I nu`. ' :4, "2, dlrahle n t ox1;:mtuu:Jia:n1a A Ghtintman ltzuetit horny` dlltlumu ago;-n1n-11.ss suvra com; YET?` j long isprec N"'tpwnatan_e leg;tiI17_f' , ` J-.o,fVthe' M . T__; lopen Ldoop nth; "me down . 1. _ A % ' It-.Ldormgnt f ` ling: and/gspirations 1;vhich:;the,clamor_of wbrdly life -it:z1e9%:ixd~?rIee:dens. 1 % ; ~ f - It j lI_fgher1_i09d `jlid 19`v..e. ;fi'_cgm.,\ ?v_!g`ene_ aw uw-v---vw vv w--wiwud ZIVIIOICVX T33`! . .. . ,.-A" _. v , .. , W -v- .-- '.-.`.->.u---`.1 no _nn-v yiqvwusu` Illlvusll I-MU Gui Nineteen hundred and twenty-ve` ndqzyg _vilco_'n_1ing: it as heartily as did` `a,thoi1s gnd~y.earsA ago, `before :railways7,:-"tlep,!_ions, radios qr auto. 4.'Rmed rabgutf V ~ - - - ' ~ - . ~ ' `E '--..` I.d` `_ -_I-.._.`~_[`_'4. I.-_*I!,-', A , 1/ . 0" It " . .~. -,"` - ' - `of. gobd}ill,..;gi56c`lfe116`wfhip,'_ ind` peace "has loaf noize" 0f itlpopulTa1fity'in `its-pusagemough the`agesg 7 . j- ' V -'-kl/IQADQA anal, 6'-...._L.. C--_- ...I- -;- __1'I---,,v , , F o ..-.-.... .....- V. .- war nu. ysywiislyii vs vssnu vvvuusu svucu su vvuuc pnsylug auenuy ' and; in turn, kissing the.staLr. _ I followed, and found the slab glistening with tears. ' Indescribsblyssd is it thatthis sanie silverstar has a tale to tell not altogether of ."`pesoe'and 'good-will to men!" That it should have been used as: a wedge for sun- 7deri'ng the peace of the world by war is` one ofthose episodes the world would will- inglyiorget togday. ' To-day we_stand with the wondering shepherds and worship- ping magi by, the spot where was witnessed the greatest event of all t_im'e-`-the Divine assuniption of humanityf` The world will never permit" the tender idyll of Bethle- `hernvto die; " May it not forget the truth enshrined.in.the quaint old lines-- Wrhugh Christ 3 thousand tirnesin Bethlehem be born, ._ If Hefs notiborn in thee, thy soul is stillforlorn, Oh, would thy heart be but a manger` for His birth, God -would Vonoe more become a Childupon the earth." . ` -`ICC CI 1 ITO U5 $9570 G II? II? central doorway has been` almost entirely built "up, leaving the only entrance by a "needle's eye, which symbolically teaches each worshipper, at least, the virtueiof "humility. The interior is spaciousbut bare. The aisles have at roofs above the pillars of red and white marble with Corinthian capitals, bl. t thenave has a demo- tory, with walls thirty feet above the capitals, and a pointed roof.` AA wall, built `across the east end of the basilica, cuts of! the chancel. Evidently` at one time the entire" church wasrichly adorned with gold and mosaics, of which some remnants still exist, but theravages of time and the hand of the spoiler have left their marks. .Underneath`t`he choir, bya staircase of thirteen marble steps, the crypt containing tlie',Ch'ape_l,,of the Nativity" is_reache'tl. The Chapel-once'a rude cave-is now _pay"ed'andwalled with marble, roofedwith` gold and silk, and lighted with fty-three. -clamps. if ilnimediately to the left -is the shrine, unspealrably sacred to Christendom- Fr_6m;an arch'about- fourfeet high .-hang fteen silver lamps, and in the centre of the qo`r.i_s a'silver`,star*with;t_he inscription -Hic de Virgine` Maria Jesus Christus Natus p_...n"' -_ ' -. . . ` ' ' "The site mi.-1_r, is inniteb}. tol.1c_l1:in,.b_ut as .I gazed upon it an unspeakable ten- derness invested It by the presence of egghtwomen robed in white praying silently nnrl_'in turn Ii-inning H... .+..'.- I, c.sIIA..Z'..I ....A t.;.....: 4.- ..|..:.. ..n:.......:.._ __:..|_ ----_ -...-.,_--, ,...,......., nu... spun; sssvssy pw.1ua_arB piougnea 101' cereal Cl 0p8. ' - The town is solidly and closely. built. The. streets are generally narrow, with houses of, two or three storeys, constructed of yellowish-white limestone, and `topped with flat roofs. The central thoroughfare is occupied by workshops, `whose floors are strewn with men and material. Thechief industry is the manufacture of articles de touris ." _ Souvenirs in olive wood, medallions from mother-of-pearl, engravings on shell and stone of incidents from the life of our Lord, with other similar curios, are everywhere conspicuous in almost embarrassing. profusion. In this art alone . _one-third of Bethlehem ,nd.employrnent. The remainder are shepherds,- quarrymen`, * h'usbandinen,. tradesinen and- merchants. The population, which is estimatedvariously fr,o'm5,000' to 8,000, is almost entirely Christian; and, apart 0 from the occasional outbursts of sectarian animosity, the Latin, Greek, and Armenian . Churches are on enviable terms oi'friendship+for_ Eastern comm`unities.. V ' Boasting a strain of Crusaders blood, the Bethlehemites are altogether the finest h_u'man'type. -to be met with in Southern Palestine, and their sartorial appear- ance is primly picturesque. Themen dress in a bright-colored gown over a white _ undershirt, the head being covered with a turban or fez. , The women's chief gar- ment is along narrow tunic of blue cotton, tied at the waist, and relieved with a red embroidered stole. ` The matrons are distinguished from the maidens by a differ- entiating arrangement of headdress; the married ladies wearing a sort of cap adorn- ed with gold and silver sequins--their only dower-while the spinsters `display a _ ribbon in their hair. All the women have veils, but these are thrown back so as to fall inclong, graceful lines, about the gure, to which they lend a charming dignity. Theexposed face of the Bethlehemite woman is distinctly beautiful"--not a brun- ette, but with a bright,.clear complexion, large eyes, and delicately shaped mouth . -and_ she carries `herself so admirably as to appear taller than she really is. " ' `Of course- the nunreme nlmu-4-`no dnfnrnnt :. n..n.r.L-.;. 2- 4.- __,_,-_ _. . . . Away to the horizon stand the purple hills of Moab, at whose feet in` solemn- scixme-sg1ie,'the. blue` waters `of the Dead Sea.: Almost immediately above the town 'towers,Mount Jeliel-Fureidis,jonithe`summit of which is the tomb or Herod - the Great, of enecrated memory, who, in Bethlehem at least, needs no such monu- ment in memoriam of the Massacre of the Innocents. For miles around may be seen rich olive and g groves intermixed with apricot orchards and xgineyards each with its `watch '. tower as in ancient times. The hillsides are cultivated in terraces of . hanging gardens, and the stony plains are ploughed for cereal crops. The solidlv and closelvlnnilt-_ '11.. .9... ...... ......---n-- _-__- n lions will turn to it ..ia'tsnderut;'. I Jg,\n`m = Of all the elusterina clouda of ravishing assoeiated .with_ a world- a tour of 85,000 miles, rnernory holds no other com quite so delivhtfully exquisite aa that of a visit to Bethlehem. No other spot on earth is richer in religious treasure or more radiant with romantic and well authenticated tradition. Viewed fromyany standpointf"tP|zraphlcel. historical, social or rellioua-Bethlehen1 is s_imply"en- thralling. Every change in the kaleidoscope is wondrously fascina.ting,- ~and'dis-3, closes a perfect picture of idyllic grace and charm. ` Once more. as The Season of the Birth of .Christ draws near," the imagination of thesyorld will be centered there, catching overtones of its pguoratrsygapiiony-,`1g: 1" i i ' i , _ I of-iiio`-A` `f civilized manavrahes imystlc Twondet;1%f!1d{iIls `therprimitive... Judean shepherd;saying",e_45`Lstus`now`go _ "l . A; /;.. Thad - - _ v--',"V"`Q-_"". -IV!-ll. Guru` IIIUIJIITIII lac. - ' Ontliese plains, too, were the shepherds keeping watch over their ocks by night when the Angel of the Lord, accompanied by the Heavenly Host, announced the birth of Christ the` Uitd." ' M. +Ajway horizon whose otillnebe iie,fh19l5 blue Dend A`lmotA inunediately fnnrnlnuunvn Ilnngs I.I'..I t.-.__-.2.!!_ A co-tliepouch are the plain: in elds she gleand amid Jabo David 1'valked--`-In glory` and in joy.) " ~ sheep along the mountain side."`v nil .kQQ -;'a-:_- 4.-- -4----- 4' Wwi Nttmiiv .-~., -- -v lwuvv -v-v-v- And is it not wonderful how. when we ransacls the byrone years, we nd, not the mat and momentous thlnes unladed, -but , mostly triing little episodes embalmed in love, and nearly _ V s lin to the vision o so ' . " _~ - ' . cli1lildis`l`:el'lace. i m. = V ' * `I `"1 m-"""" `.'""" Gone now, and far away, are those childish features, and the wonder of life has retreated before its strunle. In a home of her own, too. another are lirhted upon .3 new-laid hearth. Thus the holy cycle its way. '1-`hosecurls have disappeared, and the locks are darleer, yet no less dear. And surely,` surely, thereis no reason why she should not nestle as of yore upon that street throne of childhood,,,e_father's knee, and surely those locks could rest min where they reposed of. old. . lam sorely tempted. The birds and that Southern peth--and why`not-VI? ~ . * fe "c;iaIfr'ch of the Ngtivity. presents. the outward appear- .Va1,1e'e of a fortress. The huge generation c am_idst the alien oorn;" whgre '.-. 1 7 fhe.;Roinson 3 Hardware L #13 M*P' A- Six more years have fled, after their relentless way.` I am sitting before my, own lire, north again, in the `hill-girt town." We are at family worship, and in . my lap there nestles a golden-curled virl of four. For nearly a week sheand I had followed the course of Santa Claus: North Pole, Ft. Churchill,,Hu1.o,,,.3,w' V Temarami, etc." I reported from time to time. But ever eomimr ucloserl `Our readinv that night, that trembling stocking night, is of the feeding. an ',`,,_'},,,_ sand, and the dialogue was as follows: ` ' V - A Wasn't that kind of him, my darlins, to feed-all those poor, bun ` Yes," the glowing eyes` averted one brief moment from there do you suppose Santa Claus is now?" .' - p _.g Yet four more years have gone. It is Christmas here again, and I am driving _back to town from a farm-house where the head of the home lies ~ ' ` in agony, his last Christmas al- most at the door. The same V childish, form, taller and de- veloped now, is beside me in I the cutter. as we glide along, sleigh-bells" merrier than their _ wont,g stars a little brighter, mantle of snow 'touehed.with .a holier sheen. Suddenly I feel - the tremblingof the girlish figure a little hand plucks at the " " sleeve of my coonskln coat, a 3 curl-clustered head isburrowing ' into my side-and the sobbing . ` i of a child mingles withthe music of the bells. I ask why, darkly suspecting that the cause is what I fear, that someone has given her to eat of the tree of the knowledge of fact and phan- tssy. It is even so-_-and the little form is quite shaken with crief as This is the first` Christ- mas that I didn't know -' comes from the trembilng lips. lean only , _ comfort and caress and murmur: Life is full of these awakenings, my darling," and we go on thru the night that has lost, never to be restored, the wonder and the glory of a year before. and best wishes for a full measure oi pros- perity during the coming year to all our customers and other friends. At the same time we wish to say td you how highly we va1.ue..e.iyour, business and trust we may be faavorediwithivit<`in'[eVe.n larger measure in Appreciating our pleasant business rela- tions with '-you during the past, we wish youlthe compliments of the season, sin- cerely trusting that the New Year will bring you- greater happiness and prosper- ity than you have ever. enjoyed before. Sarj(a`nt King Limited Vlulvhv (rvvtinga .May your Christmas be a joyous one and may Satisfactionand Contentment share with Prosperity in all your efforts throughout the coming year. FISHER FLOUR MILLS __._--o\I\v. EVERYTHINVG IN 'LUMBER'* Phone 109 % Bayfield St'., Barrie. %TheOTT(3N HARDWARE co. i _.The season prompts us to express to you our appreciation of that tangible and invaluable asset -- Goodwill -- that you have so kindly bestowed on us during the past year and which we fully reciprocate. +18 I1I\It LL- -A4-- ` _ _,V _ --- --_-.. .. -_.->v.A.-. vv \/ 1 L415 1 pblyl upa LC.` We extend -to you all thejcompliments of theseason, wishing you a. Merry Christ- mas and a Happy, Prosperous New Year. One year later still; and the peaceful happiness 7'oi;a" Christmas_.morni,nr \ avain before me. Breakfast over; a little hymn, a little~prayer;}=;"little vloatini (thank God) over the rapture which I l:now'the hurryin..yearsare;b_ound`to;shatter'_ -end we stand athrill before the door of the room within which the.-laden'tree:a w,'aits` us. Entrance delizhtful as of yore--and then begins. the zivine _and receivincy Some really beautiful gifts, no-doubt, all forcotten now-but unforgotten, and un- loot or mislaid throuzb the years, a `little knitted baa (to holdisome articles of toilet) handed to me by proud llttle.dauhter'a hands. Theveryvret'1hin'z I `did, daddy." face aalow with childish` pride, mine with fatherly-coxnpaesion-.. Surely _a reassurinmparable of all our poor gifts and aervice, yet precious in" other` eyes than ours!-R. E. Knowles. -,' ' 7?` -71:7 . \ Ere the N'e"\;r_Year-dawns, I desire to convey to ryQu,rny"Vhearty` thanks for the co-operation. given in carrying on. the afairs of the town during 1925 and for the" cordial relations that have existed be- tween "us. ..This is the day of co-operation and only by all pulling together can we promote the best in- terests ofour beautiful town. May this spirit more than `ever, mark the eorts of the people of -Barrie in the coming" years. Iiil I-I 4`-ma- -- -CHRISTMAS GREETINGS T 0 THE CITIZENS OF BARRIE AND BEST FOR 1926 THANKl_NG ouk MAM! 1:.1'Ro_Ns Extend Christas Greetings G. SMITH & CO. : _-- `-x:- v 7 -u -vj I Q 3 G52 DDT L L % we wish: each and all A V6179. Mei-_'ry Christmas and .[ A Prosperous and Happy New Year. V%or their'Flvbyal suppor-t in ,the past?` >` bring you best wishes in true "'Sinc.erity, for-a Merry Christmas and a'Happy and Most Prosper- . ;_. ous New Year. ' 1bholiba;2 (Btfeetings `O Our Friends gnu;--yupu auupuvo .VIIvICruv -- -nv.'vww-I Four years have passed: and the scene is meryelously changed. No snow now, not chiming sleigh-bells, nor resonant sidewalls, crisp beneath the hurrying feet. But the December sun is pouring down upon _a pionicfparty in the pine wood; `of. North Carolina, those woods re-echoing to the shout and laughter oiimerry voices, most of which are silent now. Soon the stroke of en axeis heard, wielded by a burly negro-and, a few minutes later. a tall holly tree crashes to the mossy ground, its deep green iolieee and cleaminw berries vlisteninv "in the sun. Later still, at "couple of loededlike beasts of burden, the holly-laden party, a few with: - treat bundlei 0` *9 mY' llliltletoe. are in Indian le mekins their `way to the boats, sons: re-echoing as we cross to the stately southern home, its replgoe lightgdt` tor the last hundred years endrnore, that crowns the river's'ferther benls. - ,---- __-_.._ L_--- n-.I -14.-.. s.l.'.!.. _-I-..4.l-'.'._ __,__ wawvmwv Coobwill QQVQ BARRIE JOHN F. CRAIG, Mayor. 00060 guy W. VIC? Ulli CD I I W 7 The first has its Icene u":'oE':Iwa; 'y'e:r:.the lrst o_fm;Im1ni.,m_1'`,_ `V Amgn . my room in the Victoria Chambers, seated in an armchair, and it i. Chtigtmag En, _ Knock at door: which. evened. rdmito v 'mi.dart of a b,_eil.-boy with two little parcels in his hand, said parcels containing two pathetically cheap preaenta: `.`For "Mr. Haley and Mary (elevator man and his charing dauvhter)--Just aiittlo Christmas- rift, `cause I can't aord WW much. YOU Gee. bein'-`as -how I only vet four doliarsa week and no ireep-an'. besides, me chum borrowed thirty cents off me to so to the lacrosse match last fall anf he ain't paid me hacir,_' the `childish `face ahowinaequal - ports of benevolence and nancial care. Beautiful, this--andaa"common as beau. a.::..I_aI.l. mus-mal aonmnnifu of Hm nnm-, III VI Iiulivvnvldvu UV tiful-this mutual gen;)s.i.ty of t.l1`e".';<:r.- ~ -- ~---- I.--.. _----.I. -...I a.I.-.'...--