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> THE WHITE EERE GIFT RRO IIIH SIRES CHHFNS RNS RRNNSRIRR CRRN Sidney Elliott, seated at ome of the gong tables in the reading-room of ol blic Library, laid down one hea p. volume with a sigh of relief ked up another. . e last one, thank goodness!" she said to herself, glancing at the list of references she was to consult and make notes for her mother's club paper on "Early Venetians" She looked at the tiny watch fastended to the front of her shirt waist and felt to work with a will, thinking: "I'l have time to run into Morris' for half an hour and look around a little, Then when I come down town again, I shall know exactly what I want." She scribbled away busily, turning leaves and dipping into the book here and there in a way which betokened a high-school girl's skill and practice in the "gentle art" of taking notes. Half-way through the book her eye caught a paragraph which she read with mopé interest than she had be- stawed upon any item so far record- ed, "How quaint!" Seizing her perngil and a sheet of paper, she wrote rapidly until it was ull, and turned it--to discover that she had been makimg notes on her carefulliprepared Christmas shop- ping list] For obvious reasons, it would never do to turn it over to her mother as memoranda of the "Early Venetians," and Sidney proceeded to copy the paragraph again, after fold- ing the shopping list into a minute square and depositing it for safe keeping in the steel-beaded bag that dangled from her belt, "That will liven up the venerables a bit," she remarked with much sat- isfaction, "It's such a dear little bit of sentiment, preserved like a rose- leaf in salt, No offence, Signor Mar- co Polo, Salt is a very excellent _ thing, as everybody knows, but not so sweet as roses, 'White gifts!' Mo- ther'll like that, I know. But who would, ever have suspected Kublah Khan* of any such amiable idiosyn- crasy? Though 'it's greatly to his credit™m-m-m-m-Kublah Khan." Quite unabashed by her utter fail- ure in "adapting" a strain of "Pina- fore" to the exigencies of the mom- ent, she gathered up her notes, fold- ed them inside her music-roll and hurried down the broad stairs to the street, The extra copying had clip- ped a precious ten minutes from her half-hour at Morris', but she made the most of her time in the art-room and the needle-work department. When she left the big store, there were a dozen bright new Christmas dope stowed away under her jaunty walking-hat, destined to take shape in the near future in dainty gifts for the cirele of friend which, at Christ- mas-time, Jack, Sidney's lawyer bro- ther, declared was as elastic as "a rubber hand or an alderman's con- science." Sidney never dreamed. of denying the truth of the statement, hut stoutly defended her conduct say- ing: "I gant help it--and I wouldn't if I cold] When once December comes, that Christmasy feeling just goes to my head. I'd like to be able to stand on the corner of Broad street and Wealthy Avenue on Christmas morning with a gift for every man, woman and child that passes hy!" "Precious little your head has to do with it!" retorted Jack. And since to tease is considered the special pre- rogative of big brothers, he did not add his thought, "It's your heart that manages the job, sis, and that's all right, too." Sidney turned over her notes on the "Early Venetians" that evening, but the Singing of the door-bell pre- vented her telling her mother about the "dear little bit of sentiment" she had discovered and she never thought of it again until several days later, when she fished the shopping-list out of the depths of the Hu bag te consult it before starting down town, "Banish every though of care, Let every heart be gay; Decks your homes with garlands fair To greet the King's birthday," she hummed as she released t per from its many. creases,' a strain from one of the ¢ es the Sunday school children Were prac- tising, but the lilt and swing J the music had caught Sidney's fancy, A phrase on 'the paper repeated "the King's birthday," and she paused t read again the rose-leaf tale Which quaint old Marco Polo has presery- ed: " A "This strange eountry {s called Cathay, and the ruler thereof is. one Kublali Khan, a mighty warrior, who by reason of his strong will and trusty sword has made himsell lord of the whole land, His government is both wise and just, and is admin- istered to rich and poor alike, with- out fear or favor, On the King's birthday the people observe what is called the White Feast. Then are the King and his court assembled in a great room of the palace which is all white, the floor of marble and the walls hung with curtains of white silk. All are in white apparel and they offer unto the King white gifts, to show that their love and loyalty are without stain. The rich bring to their lord pearls, carvings of ivory, white chargers and costly broidered garments. The poor present white pigeons and handfuls of rice. Nor doth the King regard one gift above another, so long as all be white. And $0 do they keep the King's birthday." Smiling" to herself, Sidney turned the paper and read her Christmas shopping list, [And so do we keep our King's birthday," she said softly, a note of tender reverence in her voice. Then, as a sudden thought flashed into her mind, she re-read the list. Her face, grave. as a girlish countenance can be, looked back at her from in the mirror as she asked her heart the question ; "But where is the 'white gift';" Where, indeed, was it?--the giit which had in it po thought of self, the gift which was solely for love of. the King? The list abounded in loye--unstinted love for kindred and iriends, sweet and beautiful and holy. Nor were the poor forgotten, Sidney looked eagerly forward to the mom- ent when she should see with her own eyes the ecstatic capers of the seven little Haggertys as they cut the browncrust of the Christmas pie she was preparing for their delectation. And jn crocheting the little shoulder. shawl for "Grandma" Judson, had she not smiled a dozen times in anticipa- tion of the delight the poor old crea- ¢ pas At was First Aid Dominion Champions vy : | § R ¢ - i 13 if i i Rp Hit iE i be Hl gatherin pan; officials of the St. John yo a Association. The Monti. gzambert Trophy and medals were presented to the various members of LJ of officers of the Com- ture would feel--and show--in having for once a gift that was absolutely new and pretty? For the lacy black web was enlivened with an of "lavender" in memory of grandma's comment on the eternal fitness of Solorah an' pia. 'Blues an s for young ti like you, my J but when a nine a leetle along in years, there ain't any color that gives such a nice, gen. teel air as lavender." Giving for the pleasure one has in seeing the happiness of others is cer- tainly a mild form of selfishness and one not common enough to cause anxiety among students of social ec- onomics, but, with spiritual vision suddenly made clear, Sidney knew that her Christmas-giving, loving and enerous as it was, was weigh the balance and found wanting, There was no "white gift" for the King, The little bag that glittered at her side held the precious Christmas hoard, not large, and long in aceum- ulation. Sidney was no pampered child of Fortune, and the modest sum which she had gathered represented many girlish sacrifices and economies. She knew to a nicety just how it was to be expended to make it go the farthest, Not for nothing had she planned to make dimes--assisted by deft fingers and clever wits--do the work of dollars, Disarrangement at that hour meant more than she cared to think, Indeed, she did not stop to consider her plans at alll When was an eager, Joung heart ever known to haggle for ways and means when challenged to prove its love and loyalty? A birthday gift for the King--a "white gift" -- this was the one thought in her mind, A goodly silver coin was transferred from the bag to a little vase that sat on Sidney's desk underneath a photo. graph of "The Adoration of the Ma- gi," but the prayer that accompanied it- rose, fragrant as incense, to the very throne of the King: "Not gold, nor frankincense, nor myrrh--only a little gift, a pigeon, a handful of rice; but it's white, dear Lord, all white," Then, though she had added ma- terially to her Christmas responsibili- ties by subtracting the coin from her hoard, Sidney danced down the stairs with a heart as light as air, "That Christmasy feeling seems to have gone to your heels this time," remarked Mr, Jack Elliot, as he struggled into his overcoat prepara- tory to walking with his sister as far as the office. "Heels, head, hands and heart," answered Sidney, nodding blithely ; "T feel absolutely saturated with it, Jacky. O-oh!" as a gust from the west met them at the front door; "isn't this a glorious wind, though?" "A sane person would call it cold, I imagine," grumbled Jack, turning his storm-collar up around his ears, And cold it undoubtedly was, But Sidney only laughed, bent her brown head a little and pressed forward joyously, as hecame one "absolutely saturated" with the spirit of Christ- mas and blissfully impervious to all atmospheric freaks. It was Christmas morning and the Elliots, as was their habit, lingered over a tempting breakfast, admirin, and discussing the many beautif gifts which each had received, It always seemed the happiest hour of the day to Sidney, and usually she was the gayest of the party; but this morning her gladness was tempered with a certain gentle gravity which Jack was quick to notice, "What's the matter with you, sis?" | he demandci; "has that Christmas; feeling evaporated, or are you suff- ering from the reaction?" "No, no," Sidney shook her head vehemently; "I think this is the very loycliest Christmas we ever had, I was just thinking." been," teased her brother. "Thinking --and on Christmas morning! Pre- posterous!" He put on an expres- sion of great severity gad continued: "Prisoner at the bar, you have ack- yourself guilty of a grave misdemeanor, but in view of your youth apd since it is your first of- fence--and likely to be your last-- the court is disposed to be merci- ful. You are therefore sentenced to promiscuous , whi guarded skilfully from Sidney's attempts to recover them. court n , slipping her marquise ri as far as it w go on his finger and filling his gaily beribboned 1; 2 3B38 2 3: 1 forts to control it. But when the story was ended, Sidney's £ounage had wisen to the emergency, and 1 was thinking that me, too, should keep the King's birthda with y a a i a We give to each other because we love each other--and we have as much enjoyment in the pleasure we give others as in receiving our own ios | "A 'Herculean effort' it must have | h t's . each other and do hm phd know that: but 1H her fruit-knife, H beautiful story," she ads and her voice was ve 1 Ya He " Ag think--" a paper made her to see her husband tear a from his cheque-book and hand saying with suspicious 25 -~ "There, child, there! If you are so on it, take that and send it to China, or anywhere else you please --and give me another cup of coffee; this is as cold as a stone." "But, he added gravely, "perhaps it's the only real Christmas gift we've made. in|. Jack: had deposited Sidney's be- longings on a chair and made his escape, It her happiness a little to see that he looked bored and uncomfortable, but after break- fast he waylaid her in the upper hall and pe a bill.into her hand, say- ing, * that for your precious p sis, if yeu can manage to ansform a dingy greenback into a Hehite gift." For. answer, Sidney threw both arms around her tal brother's neck and looke: into his eyes, * ie ee Lan she whispered; # Ay Jack! it's Christmas--the King's birthday. Can't you--won't you give him something else?" : For one long moment John Elliot looked through. his sister's eyes deep down into her loving heart, and what he saw there made him say very ravely: "Yes, T can--and I will. It isn't white, God knows, but perhaps he'll make it so." : *The cheque, the bill and the silver coin joined forces to aid a Chinese boy through his last year at a Chris- tian school, Every year, at Christmas. time, the Elliots make ready their "white gift." "And so do they keep the King's birthday."--Central Christ- ian Advocate. CATTLE EXPORT TRADE PROSPECTS United States Takes Lead: ing Place as Market for Animals faint John, N.B, Dec. 14-- That Canada's cattle export busi- ness at present was in the most encouraging condition in the his- tory of the Dominion, with great possibilities of further advances within the next few years, was the statement of G, B. Rothwell, Do- minion Animal Husbandman of the Ottawa Experimental Farm, who with Alexander McKendrick, direc- tor of horse breeding at the Do- minion plant, arrived In Saint John on Sunday, Their visit here, Mr. Rothwell explained, was for the purpose of looking after a fine thoroughbred Prench Percheron stallion which will' arrive here on. the Canadian Pacific freighter Bosworth, It is to be taken to the Experimental Station at St, Anne de lal Poca- tiers, Quebec, to head the Percher- on breeding stables, idea of importing these thoroughbreds periodically, he sald, was to bring fresh blood Into the stocks, The last brought here was in 1923. Canada had not advanced to the stage yet, hie 82id, where she was exporting horses to any grea; ex- tent, merely breeding enough for oF OWA use * CHRISTMAS CAROL I saw three ships come sailing ji On Shri Day, on Chinas I saw three ships come sailing i On Christmas Day in the ok. And what was in those ships all three On Christmas Day, on Christmas y, uth and And what was in. those ships all ee On Christmas Day in the morning? Our Saviour Christ and his Jady, + Og Christmas Day, on Chrismas Our Saviour Christ and his lady, On Christmas day in the morning. ee, Op Christmas Day, on Christmas Day, : Pray whither sailed those ships all ce, 4 On Christmas Day in the morping. O they sailed into On Christmas Day, y, O they -sailed into Bethlehem, On Christmas Day in the morning. And all the bells on carth shall ri 0 Seismie Ny, on Sst And all the bells on earth shall ring On Christmas Day in the morning. And all the angels in heaven shall On hristcuns Day, on Christmas ; OR Chrisie Day in the miming And all the souls on earth shall sing On Christmas Day, on Christmas y 5; And all the souls on earth shall sing On Christmas Day in the morning. Then fet us all rejoice amain On Christmas Day, on Christmas Ly 3 Then let us all rejoice amain On Christmas Pay in the morning. on Christmas Pray whither sailed those ships afl} RRR RRR RR RRR RRR RRR RRR achieved a reputation A ny MEN'S SHIRTS Madras, Zephyr, Broad- cloth, Silk and Fancy Mixture, $2.50 to $5.00 Men's Fancy arate Collar, Special HANDKERCHIEFS in Plain White, Pure Linen and Initialed Linen 25¢, 35¢c, 50c, 754 4 3 aS MEN'S NECKWEAR Ne are showing an ek- clusive range of import- ed "English" Ties in the new Ascot Scarf and the Silk Lined Silk Scarf * $1.00, $1.50, $2.00 In Plain y in and Fancy, Wool Cashmere pa Wool. Yarns and Pat- terns : 75¢ to $2.00 Silk : $ 1.00 to $2.00 MEN'S GLOVES in fine Suede, Mocha, Cope, English or Buck, lined or $1.50 to $5.00 If he is particular--thiy i in fine Stripe with Sep FROM THE STORE OF HIS yi a CHOICE the particular store for you, They say men are finicky--this store has catering to finicky men. There's a growing sentiment that a Man's Suit or Overcoat is a fine, practical, ap- * preciated way to say: Merry Christmas To make this more outstanding and ap- preciative we have prepared a special selling of Men's Suits and Overcoats $29.50 gularly priced at $35.00 to $40.00, Bundled snugly as they a-coatsing 0 in our Overcoats Protected from Winter's cold to enjoy safely all sports thet Boys like. These Coats you'll find, mot only the utmost in Value, durable Cloths, splendidly. tajlored, but also of that natty style all boys want now adays. Sizes 4 years "i $7.50 10$16.00 Store Open Every Evening Until 10 o'clock from Gost deliverad at any time during business bowrs. JOHNSTON'S We are known to have that distinctive, that fiiner-than-customrv tvde of merchandise that critical men demand, BOYS' MACKINAWS In 82 and 86 oz. 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