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i-r'.’ . r -l:-rv!:~uf 'one cupful of granulated sugar. Dis- .40? four eggs. lllllltll 7 till PWWNVWWM/WWV CHRISTMAS CAKES. Farmers’ Fruit. Cakeâ€"Chop fine half :21 pint of dried apples; cover with half a pint of cold water and let them soak over night. The next morning add a CUDful of golden syrup; simmer gently for one hour. Stand aside to cool. Beat half a cupful of butter to a cream; add solve a t-eas-poonful of soda in two tablespoonfuls of water and add it to half a cupful of buttermilk or sour .milk; add this to the batter; add two teaspoonfui’s of cinnamon, half a tea~ spoonful of cloves, and one egg well .beaten. . Sift two cupfuls of flour; add a little flour, a little of dried apple mix- ture, and a little more flour until you have the whole well mixed. The bat- .ter must be the thickness of ordinary cake batter. Pour this into a well greas- ed cake pan, and bake in a moderate oven for one hour. Poor Man's Fruit Cakeâ€"A delicious cake, but must be made most careful- ly to bring about good results. It, like .all fruit cakes, is the better for stand- ing. Seed and chop fine one pound of layer raisins. Dissolve a quarter of a .ieaspoonful of, soda in two tablespoon- -fuls of warm water; ,then stir it into .half a cupful of New Orleans mloasses; add to this half a pint of thick lsour pream and a cupful of dark brown sugar. Sift three and a quarter cup- ifuls of pastry flour; add to it the mix- ture, and beat. thoroughly; then add a tablespoonful of allsplce and a table- fipoonful each of cloves and cinnamon; add the raisins, floured. Turn. into a square or round pan and bake in a moderate oven for one hour and a half. Domino Cakesâ€"Dominoes are not difficult to make. Beat half a pound of butter to a cream, adding gradual- iy two cupfuls of sugar; add the yolks Beat thoroughly; then iold in the well beaten whites and dhree cupfuls of pastry flour sifted with ilwo t-easpoonfuls of baking powder. Pour into greased shallow pans to the depth of half an inch. Bake in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes. .When done turn out on a cloth to cool, and when cold out with a sharp knife .into oblong pieces the shape and size of a domino. Cover the top and sides with white icing; when this has hard- ened dip a wooden skewer into melted chocolate and draw the lines and make .the dots of the dominoes. Children at- .ways are delight-ed with these little cakes. . Sand Tarts-Beat half a pound of butter to a. cream and add half a pound of granulated sugar; then add the yolks 0' three eggs and the whites of two, beaten together; add a teaspoonful of vanilla and just a little grated nutmeg. Mix in sufficient flour to make a. dough. “Whew, here I am with presents needle, and place again on paraffin paper. ‘ Nut Bolls.â€"â€"Take equal parts of what- ever variety of nut meats you prefer ,and fondant. Mix well and form into a roll. Cover this with plain fondant, .roll in granulated sugar, and let hard- PLUM PUDDING. One pound of butter, one pound of suel, chopped and free from strings, one pound of sugar, two and a half pounds of flour, two pounds of raisin-s, seeded and chopped, two pounds of car- rants, stemmed and washed, one-quar- ter pound of Citron, shredded, one doz‘ eh eggs, yolks and whites beaten sep- arately, one pint of milk, one cup of brandy, one-half ounce each of cloves and mace, two grated nutmegs. Cream butter and sugar, add the yolks of the eggs, the milk. and brandy, and spice, after that the fruit, dredged with flour. Last of all pour in the whites of the eggS. alternately with the flour. Steam for five hours. ..â€"_. ,CIIRISTMAS IIINTS. Raisins for Plum Puddingâ€"Remem- ber that inuscatel rats-ins will give the Dust your baking board thiqkly with puddings a richer “m0,- and better. :gmmllilied 5119’“?- Tflke out ‘1 piece of color. You can buy them Cheaply if “dough, roll with a lillll sheet, cut \Vfih loose and not, in bunchcs_ giround cutters and bake in a moderate When Choosing the 'j‘uj-1\-ey,_Mcdium ‘oven until a light brown. Dust the top szed turkeys many are m1. mom ten, of the sheet with sugar instead of flour, {10.1. than 11105.3 gigantic birds so proud. -l_o prevent the roller from sticking. By W dispmyed by pouiterers. adding half a pound of cleaned cm‘ranls Christmas Puddingâ€"Allow the Christ- 10 the ODOVC VCCiI)e YOU W111 have mas pudding to stand for at. least five Slll'clv-Sbm'y CUI‘l'ant cakes- minutes before turning it out of the basin to serve; it lessens the chance of it sticking. Currants.â€"â€"â€"When washing the cur- rants for mince meat and Christmas pudding bear in mind that if left all damp they cause heaviness and if they are dried in ‘a hurry Lefore a quick fire their flavor is spoiled. For the Boysâ€"When the housekeep- ing purse will allow it, an extra batch of ref-haps plaincr mince pie, etc., give great pleasure to the various errand CHRISTMAS CANDIES. ‘Confectionery is one of the prere- quisites of childhood and is looked for at Christmas by people of all ages, and as choice French candies are beyond the capacity of many a purse, and cheap ones are. often made unwhole- some, if not positively dangerous, by adullcralion, home-made candies have become popular, many delicious and attractive varieties being as easily made as any other toothsome dainties. A preparation called fondantâ€"made .by removing boiled Syrup from the fire just. before it will harden is the foun~ ,diation of nearly all French candies, land when once the art of making this is mastered, a large variety of candies are easily made. Fondantâ€"To one pound of sugar add one-half pint coldwatcr and one- ;fourth teaspoonful cream of tartar and boil rapidly for ten minutes without stirring. Dip the fingers into ice water, drop a little of the syrup into cold water, then roll it between the fingers amtil it. forms a soft. creamy. inadhc- sive ball. If not hard enough boil it little longer, and if too hard add a. lit- tle water, boil up, and test again. Set aside in the kettle to become lukewarm, then stir the mass with a ladle until it is while and dry at the edge. it should then be taken out and kneaded, exactly as one would knead dough, .until it is creamy and soft. By cover- .tng with a damp cloth and keeping in a cool place it will keep well for sev- eral days, and Several times this ,amount may be made at one time. In .making several pounds it is better to divide the mass before kneading, and each part may be flavored differently. Chocolate Creamsâ€"Dust the mold- ing board with as little flour as pos. ethic and roll a piece of fondant into a cylindrical shape. Cut in into regu- lar Shaped pieces. roll between the .palms ‘of the hands until round, lay on .parafin paperuand let. harden until the next day. Melt a cake of chocolate in a rather-.(ieep vessel that has been set in a pan of hot water. add a piece of paraflin half as large as a walnut, the same amount of butter, and one-fourth tenspoanful of vanilla. Roll the cream in this by using a steel fork or among: Mr. Christmas Shopper suddenly year's coal bill. .. en until next day, then cut crosswise. shrivel; dip them in oiled butter, sprink. I mas pudding: l l AN AFTER THOUGHT. +++++++++++++++++++++- FUN rat (tannins i tilll‘llllilthtS. t ++++++++++++++++++ The following jolly game was recently played after this,fashion:‘ The guests were arranged in a circle around the room. One young man occupied a re- velving chair ‘in the centre of the circle. so that he could easily face any one in the room. 7 “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I am. here for criticism, advice and con- demnation. I am not sensitive, and it doesn’t matter what I get, but the prin- cipal words of your answers must begin with my initials, J. C. F.” Turning to the first one he said, “What sort 'of a chap am I?” ’ ' “Jolly, careful and frisky,” was the prompt answer.‘ ' _ To her right-handed neighbor he'saidz' “\V‘hat'sort of a wife ought I~to have ‘2” ‘ “Jaunty, cunning. and fast,” was a other disconcerting reply. “What ought l to eat ‘2” he asked the next person.- ' ' “Jam, custard and fish,” she answered. “What profession am 1 best fitted for?” was asked the next person. “Janitor, carpenter or fisherman,” was the reply. ' “I don’t. agree with you," he exclaim- ‘cd. Appealing to the next person he said: “What do you think 1 am best fitted for?” ‘ “Judge, commercial lawyer or finan- cicr,” was the more flattering answer. . And so the game went. on. When a person failed to make an answer he was obliged to change placesjwith the ques- tioner, and, giving his own initials, ask questions about himself. No question 15 allowed on any other subject or about. any one else. Only two minutes is al- lowed for thinking of an answer. DUMB CRAMBO. ++t¢+++++++ for little boys and girls.” boys and messengers who may come to the house during Christmas. To Frost Ilolly Leavesâ€"For dessert dishes pick some nice leaves from the stalks of holly and wipe dry, then place them on a dish near the fire to get quite dry. but not too near to To play this game the guests are divi- ded into Companies of six, who take turns in leaving the room. When the first six go out those remaining select a word, then a word rhyming with that one is; mentioned to the OUISIGC party, who then reâ€"enter the room, one or more, or all at once. and proceed to act other rhyming words, until they find the right one. For instance, the company who first left the room were told that they must. act a word that rhymed with. “dell.” Out;- of them immediately came in ring- int: a tea bell. . - “No,” said the audience, “it is not bell.” ’ i It will be observed that. the audience is obliged to guess what word the com- pany is acting. while the company must guess the word the audience Wishes acted. Sell, well, tell and Neil were acted to 330k Sim“ he ‘le’Cd fill, no purpose, but when “cell” was repre- Ilis wife she longed for lean, sentcd it was pronounced the right For he was as thin as a rail, and she word. Weighed two hundred and seventeen. In over them some coarsely ground sugar. and dry them before the fire. Puddingâ€"A good recipe for" Christ- One pound of raisins, one pound of currants, one pound of raw sugar, half a pound of sultanas, .one pound of finely chopped suet, one pound of flour, one pound of bread- crumbs; two ounces of candied peel, half ounce of bitter almonds, one ounce of sweet almonds, four eggs, one tea- spoonful of allspice, one pint of milk, one gill of brandy or rum. All mixed well together and boiled for eight hours. do...» .â€" AT LAST! EXPLAINED. RIIYMING COURTS. tr 7 MI The layers in this game choose a OMJ “AS EKOUGH' judge had a sheriff. The judge takes a 3’1113- A'IGBlfillg01’â€"”m I Should (3'10 seat and the sheriff immediately runs you would never get another wife who amp the rest of the players till Cite is would look “fl-01‘ 5'0” 35 1 hich (10110." caught. The prisoner is taken before the Mr. McStingerâ€"“No, not if I could judge and the sheriff makes a charge. help “h” The charge may be anything. Mr 1n- -â€"â€"- stance, the sheriff may say: TIIE CHRISTMAS TABLE. “I caught this person stealing some . . hay.” - Do not overdress the Christmas table. The prisoner must answer in such a Ilolly is always beautiful and appro- way as to make a rhyme. Thus he may priate, while wlii'e Chrysanthemums reply; 'Seem the WW best Possible flower. A “The sheriff’s brain must be astray. ihandsome centrepiece is a high dish. The sheriff must respond at once silver or glass, piled with several col- with testimony, as, for instance: pairs of grapes, or other fruit, with leaves “Why, I saw the prisoner do it.” And if possible; nothing is prettier than rosy the prisoner may answer: ‘ " apples, with a few green leaves. The “He wasn’t there, and he knew it. . cloth at. the bottom of the dish is This continues till the prisoner falls wreathed with holly. This is about as to find an answer that rhymes, when be ,simple as possible, but it is good_ n or she is thrust into adungeon. If,liow- flowers be desired, a while Cill'ysanlhe_ ever, the prisoner answers in rhyme at mum at, each cove;- wm serve. least six times, the judge thunders some- thing like: _ “Discharge the sheriff for not being right.” And if any of the other players can respond immediately with a‘ rhyme, as, for example, “Give me his job and I'll work day and night,” that player gets the otllce, while the prisoner is re- leased and promoted to be assmtant 'ud re. . 1 Thus the game continues till all the players are either in prison or promoted to be assistant judges. MAGIC CIRCLE. Tell your audience that it is in your power to place any person present in the middle of. the room and draw a circle round him, out of which, although his legs and arms are free, it will be im- possible for him to escape without taking his coat off. . “I shall use absolutely no force to de- lain you," you must» say. “and 1 shall not bind you in any way, but all the same you will not be able to get out of the ring, struggle as you will, wdliout partially undressing.” . Your audience will be consulerably puzzled. and some one is sure to offer to be put in the magic ring. Place the per- son in the middle of the room, blindfold him, button up his coat, and then take a piece of white chalk and draw a line right around his waist, outside the coat. When the handkerchief has been taken off ‘his eyes he will see that it is impos- sible for him to get out of the “ring.” without taking off his coat, and the audi- ence will laugh heartily at the joke. BASTE TIIE BEAR. To play the game of “haste the hear,” one of the players is chosen bear. lle sits on a stool with a rope about four yards long tied around his waist, the other end being held by the hear’s inas- ter. The other players run around them, remembers that he has not paid last flicking at the bear with. their handker- 11 chiefs. the master trying to catch them' without letting go the end of the rope or putting the bear over. Should he do so, he must give his place to the player last. touched. Each player captured takes the bear’s place. _, ..._._.._.1..._,___. DICK’S MODEST \VISH. I wish I had a rubber sock And it was ten foot long, And big around as sisters frock And everlastin’ stroiigl And then when dear old Santa came He’d laugh and say, “110 hot That’s pretty big!” But just the same Ile‘d fill it up I know. You know dad said .last Christmas time That why there wasn't all For me that I had wanted was My sock was lots too small. But if I had that whopping sock I’d sit. up nights to write A list of things I’d like to have Put in it, Christmas night. I’d wish an autoâ€"car for dad With lots of gasoline, And for mamma the very best Piano ever seen. * And sister should have lots of dolls Packed round in all the cracks ‘ And I would have a bicycle. Just like my cousin Jack’s. Last year I wished it rocking-home But seven's too old for that“ Id rather have a real live one; Sis wants a long-furer cat. If all the little boys and girls, Yes, every single one, find such a dandy sock as that, Say, wouldn’t it be fun? a-‘z‘fl -â€" \\“I-IAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO ME. By Mary Baker G. Eddy, Founder of‘ Christian Science. To me Christmas involves an open- sccret, understood by fewâ€"or by none â€"and unutterabfe except in Christian Science. Christ was born of the flesh. Christ is the truth and life. .born of God â€"born of Spirit and not. of matter. Jesus, the Galilean prophet, was horn of the Virgin Mary’s spiritual thoughts of Life and its. manifestation. ‘ God creates man perfect and etcr-, nal in His own image. Ilence man is- the image or likeness of peifcctionâ€"an: ideal which cannot fall from its inher- ent. unity with divine Love, from its spotless purity and original perfection; Observed by material sense, Christi mas connncmoratcs the birth of a Illl-' man, material. n‘iortal babeâ€"a babe born in a manger ' and herds of a Jewish Village. This homely origin of the babe Jesus. falls far short- of my sense of the etcrâ€"‘ ‘nal Christt, Truth. never thorn ail-iii never dying. I celebrate Christmas with my soul, my spiritual sense, and“: so commemorate the entrance into hu” man undenstanding of the Christ conâ€" ccive-d of Spirit, of God and not of a, womanâ€"as. the birth of Truth, the dawn of divine Love breaking upon the gloom of matter and evil with the- glory of infini'e being. lluiu'an doctrines or hypotheses or vague human philosophy. afford little divine cffulgence, deific presence or power. Christmas to me is the remin- dci of God's great giftâ€"Ills spiritual idea, man and the universeâ€"a gift which so transcends mortal. material, sensual giving that the merrimcnt, n'iad ambition. rivalry and ritual of our- common Christmas seem a human n'iockery in mimicry of the real. wor~ ship in connncmoralion of Christ’s coming. I love to observe Christmas in quie- tude, humility. benevolence, charity, letting good will toward .man, eioqucnt’ silence. prayer and praise express my conception of Truth appearing. The splendor of this nativity of 'Christ‘ reveals infinite meanings and gives manifold blessings. Material gifts and! pastimes tend to obliterate the spiri- tual idea in consciousness, leaving one alone and without His glory. we!“ ’l‘lIE SIGN OF PLENTY.. Master Tommy followed in the footâ€" steps of that patron saint of feeding, Jack Ilorner. of Christmas pie fame, but instead of retiring to a corner, Tommy made a. little glutton of himself at the family table. llis uncle one day noticed Tommy gobbling up mince-pies, jam, and cake with alarming rapidity, and thought it: time to interfere. “'l‘ommy,” he said. “you are a very' greedy little boy. if I had eaten like- you do when l was your age, my mo- thcr would have spanked me. Do you: ever feel as if you’ve had enough?” “on, 3'05,” replied Tommy, “often.” “flow do you .know when you’re Sat-- I isned?’ asked his uncle, with consid~ erable anxiety. "I just keep on steadily eating till he got a pain; and then I eat. one- niorc rich cake to make sure!” _,1,_... p_. GEOLOGICAL. Miss Doraâ€"Papa, Jack told me the other day that you wouldn’t believe he- had money enough to support me tin-4 less he showed it to you. Has he done it? l’rudent Papaâ€"Yes, dear. I‘le proved‘ it by the testimony of the rocks. Some men'have such weak eyes they actually couldn’t. tell the truth if they saw it. v amidst the flock.s-‘_ *2 ‘9. an“ r-nnmw-zr-wâ€"» .S__....- .