The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Boy Who Battled for Santa. His nose was bleedin' an* a sight scramble to hia feet it U likely that And blinking, rapid, studied blinking Santa ClauV champion would hav* Kept the tears from o'erflowinc quite. been defeated. As it was, Elmer ad- But his spirit of victory deep was mitted he had been mistaken both drinking, j about the old saint and Darby O'Gill'i He had conquered, conquered with a cow. tied. That evening old Mr. Leahy drop- In the list, 'twas "trial by combat," ped in on Timmy's folks with a "few This bit champion of Santa Claus had bits av things for the childer." To him bled, he was never counted as a regular Sh.^d his blood for a ttaint they said grown-up, for the heart of a boy still was dead. lived In his bosom. Timmy told the Timmy, who lived "down under th' ^ of the fight and its cause the hill" with hia father, Patrick James, ue "tory. When he left he said to his mother, Norah Ellen, and a con- Timmy's mother: "Norah, et the bye stantly increasing brood of brothers *> * P* rt way home. Together and sisters, wa3 at eight almost an institution in our town. He could, so Carted, with the snow squeaking Bowling under the^fe*t and the old Mr. Leehv said: "Whistle loike a ta g.inting in the high sky an' th ; laugh av him is loike 'Tuning- 'Us a nar-r-d task ye've mavs wathcr runrin' over whoite stones." 8et The ladies of the Presbyterian Aid * fi e htln Society said, sometim, and this was usually around Christmas time, "The Bl " can loose-tongued lad that don't seej i yon do. an* I must tell ye . poor little fellow." On other occasions Ier t^" **J don ' t ^v* ir V .* .1.-: -__ . .- *.^ Chnstmastido there's a-> Santa Oius, when one of their offspring came home but disheveled, tousled and tearful from Timmy's hands, they said, "The little b rb-ri " , Timmy took things largely as he fty found them and if apples, for instance, were not easy to gkfl he hunted for them. As for clothes he was a re- plica of Patrick James, for didn t Mother Norah make most of the fath-! er's clothes and then remake them for Timmy? As for the toys of child- / hood, his were the odds and ends that the boys of Centre street had tired of or broken or those which his ingenuity had "toggled up." But don't gather the idaa that Timmy was a pathetic figure. He was far from that and his glorious ability to be sufficient unto himself insulated him from sympathy. Of sympathy Timmy would have none, and overt acts of hostility were thim that do belave there is an "^ " *f ' ** he dont come ekyhootm behind mm and sick loike; he lives in the hearts toke hijl] fer a Unint lad> he Iives in the ftv . {hem that ,,, ^ ye him or , a feu he needs gy EBEN" PR\TT The Birth of a Babe ALWAYS ON TIME. Christmas Flowers from Western Canada. Roses from the Canadian prairie at mas time! Chrysanthemums, met with the spirit that flamed in the K"'" 3 "^ 8 and carnations . lan bosom of Brian Boru. On one occasion tb ?' ** to beautify and cheer the superintendent of the Methodist ^ mts ? n * continent which consider Sunday School had ejected Timmy thwn 1 *. climatically, far more from a Christmas entertainment when it was found that he was the heart and circumstance of a giggle storm which swept a class near where he Christmas, 1923. If for this blessed Day of days Mankind would put away All thoughts of strife and hate and greed. And peace and love held sway, | If this sweet miracle could be. The troubled world would know The blissful joy that harmony And love alone bestow; And all the little birds would sing Paeans of joyful praise. The very trees would clap their hands. A Carol. A little Christmas Carol Stole out on Christmas Eve. And wandered down the highway, A melody to weave; To fill the air. To breathe a prayer. And scatter gladness everywhere. It mounted to the belfry, And joined the bells in play, To sound again glad tidings As on that Christmas Day The Angels told Th story old To shepherds on the hillside cold. L nature! What an anomaly! In the festive season when all the floral decorations to eni- gladden homes, churches Did Timmy go home to weep? If and 3ch()o13 ' a Wwtern Canadian city; he did it was later in the day. for his " d in providing these, 1 next appearance in the public ey*' "" u . " ^" f ^"^, " n . P[ vi S' was as one of "The Little People," S^"*^ *! *?" I 1 ,! ty ol He had tramped a fairy circle in th* Medicine Hat, in Southern Alberta ,now in front of the church, and with. hai "?" a P roft f wn . ot blossoms all a mistletoe bough in his hand. was ; over the continent Not only will they. ..pering about in it singing an eldrich co ; er ^ ada : .? _ nd ** but , song about "Darby O'Gill an' hi- coo "V"?* ** F^**" ^" ^ , th * Rosie." One of the bovs happened to taghter on this holiday for the color- ; glance out of the window and lost in- Joorn^ debate terest in the Christmas entertainment. ; mi. r , , .. , . It wa all make-believe and tinsel and The , Eden *"** whlch *" * owers talk ...yhow. he decided. So he slid .%**?* * ths *?ry out of the pew, crawled down the aisle : LT*'*" yea ,T " w " lttltltuted and slipped out of the door to Join^ ?* * "*** * two Bjrssnhousw and Timmy. Two other boys followed and ' r day 1 the largest producer of; won the crowd grew until the superln- *S"' " C * nadlan W ^ C ff7- tendent realised his entertainmenV had ; anthemums ' <->' violets, bliss. encountered competition which seri-j ously threatened its success. He stop- ped Susie Brown "right in the middle of her song" (to quote Mrs. Brown) , and went out to deal with Tiramy. His own son and two other boys he drag- ; ged back into the church and prom- Beasts happier go their ways! i O Love Divine, the world's heart fill' Ar.d then that happy Carol For but this one brief space, Dropped to the street once more, ' And sailed into a cottage. With all its Yuletide lore: And it eased a pain The beaten paths of strife and hate, i With the ?lad refrain. But led by Love's bright star, Pursue the pleasant paths of peace Through all the world afar. Louella C. Poole. And so benign the influence Man never could retrace As I write this Christinas Editorial, Yuletide i still a few days distant. Another year has practically gone. My rninA leaps oo charge, instability, and mutability. Then, by swift re-' action, it flies to their oppositea, un- changeableness, stability, certainty. We are apt to say of most human affairs, in the words of the old hymn: "Change and decay in all around I see." Looked at from a certain angle. and especially now, it would seem, men and nations are in a state of flux. There seems to be nothing solid, no- thing abiding, nothing dependable. The panorama of "events" is con- stantly moving on and on. presenting startling situations, exciting crises, nine-day wonders! The jazz-band is playing meanwhile, with a bang of drums, the clash of cymbal* and any- thing else that is empty enough to make a big din. SILENT STRENGTH. Have you ever noticed that the mighty forces of Nature are ail silent and slow? Nature seldom howls and hustles. Even when she does she mear.s least. The avalanche kicks up a "dust" as it hurls itself dovm the Alpine steep. But it is futile. Oc- casionally it destroys something, but : usually it docs r.o r hi-T. The glacier, on the contrary, u rh its motion | is so resistless, so implacable, b im- perceptible, carves mountains as a ' sculptor's chisel carves the block of marble. Thunder is only a "big noise." It is "sound and fury, signifying nothing." But the silent frost splits the preci- pices and the hardest rock b a filbert i for its Sngers. The thunderous break- ers dash themselves into futile foam i against sar.d and pebbles, but the gentle rain had delved the Grand Canyon and created the mighty Ama- zon. The sun shines without noise. The stars keep their appointed places from age to age. placid, unchanging. And how silently the seasons come and go. i Thre b no fuss, no commotion. The miracle of spring is a miracle of sil- ! ence and strength. But the silent forces are not all in i Nature. Thy are in the spirit of j man. Not conquerors and demagogues. ; not "wars, and rumors of wars" have i built up the mighty fabric of human society. Of course not. The little things have always in the end bossed Danced through throng, To still a sigh As it hurried by, Or thrill a the to - Cyclamen, flourish throughout the winter; of &*" are g ories Old Friends Are Best Grandpa looked at his fine new chair. On the 26th of December, Saying, "Santa Claus U so good to me, , ^ He never fails to remember; But my old armchair is the one for i _ me," ' _ (And he settled himself in it nicely); , C . ome ' dw * a wlt , h *. ' .?'' And in my heart keep singing, As on this happy day. That I may hear. 'Er it wandered into the night again, the big things. Nobody noticed the silent falling of the acorn; but behold And the winds caught up the echo, j the oak! It grew silently. And filled the air with song. And it is the "continuance in well- As the merry little Carol ' doing'' of simple, normal, unnoticed Christmas : people, their religion, their education, ; their quiet, unobtrusive influence, which changes society from ag to age. and makes good better, and bet- ter best. These have been the primal forces making for stability. WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS And what has this to do with' "I hope he won't mind if I cling to For it fits my back precisely! Father came home that very night. Through all the year, A song of gladness and of cheer. Christmas? Everything, menta may change, bat it mako no change to Chrisnnas. It ia the Festi- val of to* Things that Matter At Christmas we get down to rock bot- tom. And what doea it consist of? Human love and kin'fr' M , charity, family life, home and kindred, little children, joy and good fellowship, and noble and true-hearted citizenship. Christmas stands for these thing* It ia an annual reminder of the big, unalterable, silent force* of life: it ia the salt which preserves Society, sav- ing it from pollution and decay. Christmas stand* for the moral idea. When we get down to that, I say, w are at rock bottom; something stable on which to build the founda- tions of our policies and politics, our diplomacies and our treaties in fact, our whole social and economic life. That is why Christmas is so valu- able, it brings u right up again** unyielding realities, the things that don't shift, and slip and give way. It exhibits in their true light the shib- boleths, the subterfuges, the catch- words, the expedients upon which we set such fictitious and disastrous value. At Christmas we commemorate what counties* millions of men and women regard a. the greatest event in hbtory. And what was it? The birth of a Babe. Think of it! What a trivial incident! Moreover, the Babe only lived to the age of thirty-three, and then died the death of a male- factor! How silent He was! Yet how strong! TKL'THS WHICH ENDim. He disintegrated the mightiest em- pires, shattered immemorial usagw, customs, and systems, and remodelled whole continents of thought and ex- perience. Yes. Christmas reminds u. of ;hese things, and it is well that wi should be so reminded. Perhaps the, terrible experience- of the war has made us trivial We r.eed to get back to bed-rock, we need to build th* bridge which is to carry the world safely across the moraM icto which it se*rt.ed faced to plunge, upon the great verities which never change, the; truths which endure. And it is these things for which Carin:i'.aa stands, however we may canto uftage it with junketings and joviality. I am far from deprecating thM thing*. I love Christmas for its fun ar.d frolic, for it* "fireside enjoy- ments," it* "intimate delights." But, at rock bottom, its meaning is tre- mer.dc-.zs, for. u Kipling says, when: "The tumult ar.d the shouting dies. The captains and the kings depart. Still viands Tsy ancient sacrifice. The hombie and the contrite heart." and. when all in said, if there is not a seriousness; under oar joy then i* no solidity, ar.d i. there ia no solidity there ia no stability. cucumbers and tomatoes are also grown In large quantities, but it Is in' the production of an abundance of rich decorative blooms that the Rosery ised the three who followed Timmy ' S371T *<t ,. , . ... .... . ' has come to be so widely known, and that their "fathers will hear about , , t jjj s ., I created such a demand for Its lovely From this time on Tlramy and hU P"* 1 " 01 - doings on that Christmas day are' EXPANDS RAPIDLY FROM MODEST known to the grown-ups only in suchj BEGINNING. fragments as the three who followed' In the original two small green- kt drop, and what Timmy himself houses, a beginning was made in the told. Patched together, the parents prairie city with hothouse vegetables, decided there had been a fight. There flowers being added year by year as was evidence on Elmer Smith's head the business grew and the possibilities and Timmy's face that this conjecture in this line were realized. The richness was correct ! and excellence of the floral product "But what did you fight about"" -brought about an ever increasing de- questioned Mrs. Smith. "And right raand whkh was met b y the addition N Christmas day too " * ot more aud mor * *re*nhousea, until now ' htfr * ar * h ** of these travel And the Christmas twinkle had left' T A J"* 10 ^ to w * av< ; : ., . . To cheer the weary toller. And his p was tired and slow. - And ~ mfort hwrts that *'* Warming for him his slippers lay. The lovely embroidered-in-gold ones That hung on the Christmas :r-~> last night. But he slipped his feet in th"? old ones! And, as I go. To carol so, I may set other lives aglow. Nell Ruth Roffe. And when little Marjori^'i bedtime A Unique Development. The Provincial Boys' Work Parlia- ment which will assemble in the Leg- islative Assembly Chambers. Parlia- ment Buildings, Toronto, on December 27th, -Sth and 29th, is a unique de- velopment in the work with boys. At the same time Boys' Parliaments will be held in Alberta and Manitoba. Can- ada is the only country In the world where boys meet in such organizations for the government and promotion of work with boys. Out of the hundred and six eor.jti- A n Ancient Carol. Christmas Eve. This is the children's night. Of all tuencies In the Province of Ontario. . the nights in the year it is the only advice has bt*n received to date of Elmer wriggled and swallowed hard buildi averaffing 25 feet i a couple of times before replymar: , "Oh. we just got talkin' out Santa and cw ! nn * ab ^ f ? r and ' Claus an' then we fit an' I was gettinV ~_A 5fi*2*!R*V*! th' best of it an' Timmy he squirmed up an' tumped me 'ith a sled" Now this is what happened: Elmer had declared there was no of the nursery has been the Medicine Hat is situated on a natural gas field, the gas for heat- ing being supplied at cheap rates. S : . \ large boilers of eighty horse-power Banta Claus and backed his assertion each keep the v'a"t at the right de- fcy^ saying : I gree of temperature throughout the! "Think I don't know them lean legs winter, and it is the economic fuelling of Old Tlppett" this was the boys' with gas which permits the product name for a thoroughly detested citi- of the company to compete with th* en, who viewed his chestnut trees as product of other nurseries at very private property -"even if they was distant points. covered up in red canton flannel The status which the business of britches?" j^ Rosery has reached has not been ! Elmer swaggered a little, jostling accomplished without years of infinite the littler boys, and then unbosomed pains and sometimes serious losses, i himself of: i As a pioneer industry, extensive ex-; "An* there hain't no Santa Claus perimentation was entailed in order neither. He's jest a story made up, to discover the best lines for Western! Hke Little Red Ridin' Hood an' all Die Canadian growth, and the possibility MftJSM tomf x>l stories fx- babies.. 'of establishing such an industry on a An' "this was an afterthought ' firm basis must have been at times , "that stuff of Timmy's Tx>ut Darby 'in doubt. Now, however, the nursery O'Gill an' hl Rosie cow, that's all torn- supplies florists throughout the came | one on which children, who are no- seventy-five boys elected to the Par- OR the parlor rug they found cr. : ' or !" sly int * t *l >n everything-- liament and it is expected that prob- The long dark lashes adroop on her ndudln 8 &S* ***! shouldn't be ably ninety will be actually in atten- cheeks j inquisitive about are all concerned dance. The elections were conducted. And her Christmas toys around her ; wi j *hf "? subject. following the usual Parliamentary Neglected Antique's waxen nose. 5*J!?tt " ? "^ ** *' U P"' * and in "*"-' P ints wre The fir* had melted complet-ly. ,*" * essence of centuries of keenly contested. But her old rag doll all ta'tered *2J!^? and b * lwf " Do * s ^ While in the Cit y ot Toronto, the ^j torn nightingale sing until morning? Do boys' time will be fully occupied in the On her breast was retir. sw-?H,! ! th *, f"'*^ 1 at midrajrht? If the work rf th* Parliament or in enter- _ ^ __ j children believe they do, they must, tainment. The boys will be banqueted It's not the rare and costly gift [ And as for that saint who fares by the Rotary Club and also by the That gives complete content (abroad under no stars but those of Ontario Buys' Work Board, at which i The things .that cheer and most uplift, Christmas Eve, this will be a blank they will be welcomed to the city by. Are sometimes never sent: | planet when no ear listens for the the Mayor. Other interesting events^ The soul's desire to aid and bless rustle of his pack in the chimney, j will be pulled off of particular Inter- Let no father fool himself with the est to these Tuxis boys. Peemier H. thought that the world has changed. T. Ferguson will b* present t the There are children in Windsor and | opening of the Parliament and will Warsaw, in Melbourne and in Mon- extend a formal welcome on behalf of It's this that gives us happiness. Is about the way it will turn out. Is that the way with you? Her Christmas shopping early She says she's bound to do; But Dearly Jhe day^ before, no doubt, jtreal who do not know about the war thT province" but who know about Christmas Eve! Great interest is being manifested; and what happens in its still and holy at many points in the province and a nol j rs - ' number of boy loaders are planning on So, in the name of that childhood coming to Toronto to attend the Ses- which keeps alive the faith, let no ?ii>n* of Parliament for observation so-called head of any house dare to' and a closer study of the Canadian; dodge an inquiry to-day or flee before; Standard Efficiency Program in its , When the turkey's on the table. And the mince pie's on the way. An' my plate is tilled with fixin's That belong to Christmas Day. 1 fergit I'm over eighty, An' about my rheumatiz. An' it seems to me that livin', Is the best thing that they is. Arthur Bigelow Paine. foolery, too." Prairie Provinces and many poinU in Timmy never could bring himself to British Columbia. follow prescribed formulas in fighting. I Through Winnipeg. Eastern Can- When he decided it was time to fight ada receives its floral provisions from he dispensed with chips on the ghoul-' the nursery, where orders are also dr, lines drawn for an opponent to 'filled for the United States. The tep across and dares and double Christinas trade this year called for dares. He just fought. On this oc- ten thousand chrysanthemums, four easion Etnwr outweighed him about '. thousand poinsettas, and eight thou- twenty pounds He was forced to ad- f sand carnations. Approximately sixty mit to himself that he had a job on; per cent, of these will be sent to Win- his hands. He was down most of the nipeg for distribution in Eastern Can- tlne with Elmer on top and had it ada. a portion of the remainder cross- not been for a sled, which seemed ing the international line to aid in lh wafted to his hand by the friendly Christmas celebrations of United "little people" when he finally did States citiw. the whirlwind of excited youth. New Zealand has taken the income tax on* farmers, and cue down the en- tertainment tax by 50 per cent provision for the fourfold development of Canadian citizenship. Don't let Christmas on your farm be the only day that seems like it. little toton of IBetfjlefiem, still toe gee tfree lie! , little town of #t ttrtrtwm. $oui still tor 9 ttjttlst! fltebt ft? beep onto bre&mirss elrrp Silent starsgo br; f>tt in tf]t> Dark gtmt siuntth Cfee eber las ting list-'- "lie tiopcs anb fears of all tfct vtarf * art met in ttaee 9 hoi? C toft of He thleljem ! Settenfe to us. toe prar ; ta& out our tin, and enter in. 4r born ,n us to-ta?. 8Be bear tfce Cbmnnas angeU &be great slab riding* tell ; Mi. come to us. afoot toitti us. nr lort < The following interesting carol is preser-red in Poor Robin's Almanac for l$95. It b of interest as throwing light oo the material side of the old- time Chratma* celebrations. "Minced" pies are referred to, it will b* noticed a term never heard nowadays. And Instead of oar plum- pudding there is "plum porridg*" a not so attractive dish, one would think ! Th* carol reveals, too, that th* material for Christmas decorations was fuller in the old days, including holly, ivy. bay. rosemary, and "lawreL" "Now. thrice-welcome Christmas, which brings us good cheer. Minced pies and plum porridge* good. ale and strong beer; With pig. goose, and capon, the best that may be. So well doth the weather and on* stomachs agree. Observe how the chimney dt> jnioah all about The cooks ars providing for dinner. no doubt. But those on whose tables no victuals appear. may they keep lnt all th* rest of the year: With holly and ivy, so green and s ??. We dev-k up our houses as fresh a* the Jay. With bays and rosemary, and lawr^ complete, And everyone now is a king ia con- veit But as for curmudgeons, who will no* be free, 1 wish they may die on the three- legged tree." It is of interest to learn that th% well-known and oft-used couplet, "Christmas comes but once a year, And when it comes it bring* good cheer." originally appeared In a moek Christmas play of the fifteenth cen- tury. Here are the lines: "Bounce buckram, velvets dear. Chri0tma comes but one* a year, And when it comes It bring* good cheer." The chief charm of Christmas la its simplicity. It is a festival that ap- peals) to every one because every OB* can understand it. A genuine fellow, skip pervades oar common life a fellowship whose source is our com- mon share in the gift of the world's greatest Life which was given to the whole world. Arthur Reed KiinbalL