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In 1830. at the peak of his fame| Dickerns made a triumphant tour of i 1 America, offending the Americans on | a his return by some of the descriptions | R of their life in his book "American | s Notes." But the squalid life he had | is led as a boy not only gave him the g qualities which made him famous, they |C gave him another quality which killed | w him. Haunted by the fear of poverty.| u. (By Douglas Donald) There was never a greater apostle of good cheer and kindliness than Charles Dickens, whose neglected boyhood of debotors‘ prisons,. of hard degrading work in a blacking factory, taught him what the Christmas spirit ought to be, by the bitter conrast of what it never was for him. He was born in 1812 at Portsmouth, of lower middle class parâ€" ents. His father was a goodâ€"natured ne‘erâ€"doâ€"well, always in debt, like the famous character, Micawber, in "David Copperfield." His mother was a real life version of the silly, fiighty Mrs. Nickleby who appears in another of Dickens‘ great books, "Nicholas Nickleâ€" by." Poverty was their inevitable lot until â€" "Pickwick Papers" brought the twentyâ€"fourâ€"yearâ€"old Charles Dickens fame, and the beginning of wealth. standards of Christmas And it is to "Pickwick Papers" and his later books, particularly â€" "The Christmas Carol," that we owe much of what is most typical of our Christmas festivities. Dickens there were no universally accepted "standards" for the English Christmas. Dickens in his books chooses from many old Engâ€" lish customs, and invents others, and describes Christmas festivitiee time after time, which by their jollity, their spirit of kindliness, their appeal to the British charceater, took a lasting hold on popular imaginration. It was the immense popularity of Dickens‘ book which did this, and they Dickens Father of Christmas Jollity Apostle of Good Cheer and Kindliness, Thursd HEAD OFFICE To make sure tha Merry Christmas, a through one of our The policyholders are the owners of this Company, and they or their beneficiaries have received Sixtyâ€"Nine Million Dollars in Dividends and a totai of over Two Hundred and Thirtyâ€"One Million Dollars in death claims, matured policies and other payments. How welcome this income must have been to families and individuals in time of need! England, who distributed 1,000 copies. This year The Mutual Life of Canada reproduces this design as a warm greeting to policyholders and friends. Its beautiful theme "Ffeeding the hungry" (left panel), "clothing the naked" (right panel) and "creating good cheer" (centre), portrays the spirit of MUTUAL effort, not only at Christmastime, but year in and year out since 1869. Decen Es h WATERLOO, ONT. "Owned by the Policyholders"? at your family wil! always have a arrange for life insurance protection r representatives. Established in 1869 Christmas Shakespeare Yuletide wa Pailier Christmas or Santa Claus is dentified with St. Nicholas or Nicolas, ind also with Knecht Rupercht and iobin Goodfellow. Grimm says that in ome parts of Germany Knecht Nicoâ€" as is merely an attendant on the real iftâ€"saver. who is sometimes the Infant hrist and sometimes Dame Bertha, but ho is also frequently conceived as an gly dwarf. called Krampus. war. What there is is confined largely to remotée rural villages. The oldest carols date from the middle ages, and all of them reflect a deep religious feeling. Latterâ€"day music of this kind is in lighter vein and sung to sprightâ€" Origin of Christmas Carols in Middle Ages e@l SHARESFPEARE AND CHRISTMAS® 11 ristmas is mentioned but twice by espeare and then incidentally. tide was, however, an important in his life, because it was then his plays were produced by comâ€" d at the courts of Queen Elizabeth James I, with Shakespeare in the Ever since that time gifts given in th» spirit of St. Nicholas have been deprsited in stockings hung up before St. Nicholas went to extraordinary! lengt)‘s to veil in secrecy his deeds of charity. Once it is said he wished to give a dowry to a poor girl whose father could not afford to give her the req‘asite aid to enable her to marry. No# wishing to let the family know who tha benefactor was, St. Nicholas climbâ€" ed to the roof of their humble abide on | Christmas Eve and dropped the purse oi ~old down the chimney. It happenâ€" ec¢ to light in the stocking hanging in front of the fireplace. | His name has come down to us im the Dutch form Santa Claus. probably through the influence of the Dutch settlers in New York. Many years ago in the old world there lived a man who was both wealthy and kindly. He was so noted for his charitable works that after his death he was known as St. Nicholas. The origin of the custom of hangin: up stockings on Christmas Eve is wrap ped in obscurity. One legend offer this explanation: Then there is the delightful certainty that jolly old St. Nicholas will drive up in his reindeers, and tumble down the chimney with his pack of toys, leaving some for all wellâ€"behaved children. And at Christmas time it is difficult to imagine any youngsters who feel that they have not been able to qualify. However, there are enough doubts to add to the interest of the cecasion by furnishing some measure of suspense. (Chronicle) Nearly all of us like to hang up stockings at Christmas time. Not all homes have fireâ€"places, but the old tradition persists. One of the thrills of the Season is to prepare one‘s stocking, or that of an older person. if one‘s own seems too small for the anâ€" ticipated Christmas gifts. Origin of Custom of Hanging Stockings Legend Explains the Well Known Christmas Cusâ€" tom. White as an altar hewn upon a hill And hoar with age, yet gently touchâ€" ed by Time. There stands within Judaea, lovely still, Amid the clusters of the fig and lime The hallowed shrine that still can move and thrill f The soul of unbelief and shake the will Around the holy place the throngs of earth Assemble to adore. to venerate A day which dawned in splendour for the birth Of One divine! while angels opened the gate Of Love in life, and, with white peace begirth, Gave to the world a song of hope and mirth. } (By Loonard A. Barrett» Oover Judea‘s hills the Star shone reâ€" The ancients believed that stars were windows through which God glimpse of the shining glory of heaven. They regarded the stars as guides and when the stars could not be seen it was a token of impending danger. On the first Christmas Eve a star shone. Kepler, the noted astronâ€" omer, calculated that conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn took place. The star attracted the attention of three wise men who followed it. Tradition informs us they were three kings and Tradition tells us of a Roman prince| lovelier who, while feasting in his palace on ! People Christmas Eve, heard a rap at the winâ€"| People dow. Looking toward it he saw a beauâ€"| People tiful face of a little child and then| People heard a voice which, like music. whis-l People bpered, ‘"The Christ Child is hungry."l People Angered at the interruption, the p:*ince! People ABCA, CLAJICUIG@EU UI@AlL CONnjunction of] Jupiter and Saturn took place. The star attracted the attention of three | wise men who followed it. Tradition informs us they were three kings and | People whose hopes always bloom anew at the approach of a New Year. Mothers whose eyes still twinkle and laugh when they talk to their children. Fathers who like toâ€"surprise mothers "in one of the cathedrals of Europe! with presents they really want. can be found their skulls. each adorned with a jewelled crown." Another traâ€" | dition says they were three saints, reâ€" presenting the three great families of the earth. They came from the Fast, | perhaps from farâ€"away Arabia. brought costly presents with them. The first held in his hand a casket of gold; the second, frankincense, and the third myrth. Some persons have seen in this threeâ€"{iold gift a beautiful symâ€" bolism; the myrrh having been offered to a mortal, the gold to a king, and thei frankincense to a God. They ' Brothers who appreciate sisters. Sisters who don‘t try to economize on brothers‘ ties. Children who want to leave sugar for Santa‘s reindeer. Houseowners who do not forget that the mailman is entitled to more than the bag of presents he carries for others. People who never think decorating is any trouble. People who just love the smell of Christmas greens. Pennles uTha thintk +hara in _ A t i:a m "in one of the cathedrals of Europe can be found their skulls. each adorned with a jewelled crown." Another traâ€" dition says they were three saints, reâ€" presenting the three great families of the earth. They came from the East, perhaps from farâ€"away Arabia. Thev The Prince Who Won the Joy of Christmas Brought Needy Children to is Palace and Joy Came With Them Bethlehem THE PORCUPINE ADVANCE, TIMMINS, ONTARIO together e Lhe! week. ‘ food These peopel seem to belong to the Again| Christmas season by nature. Child | The decoration of churches with mistletoe is a pagan survival. Tradition has it that the first turkey was brought to England by one of Sebastian Cabot‘s chief lieutenants. This is supported by the fact that Wilâ€" liam â€" Strickland who accompanied Cabot on several of his voyages, adoptâ€" ed a turkey rampant as his crest on being granted arms in 1551. At any rate, the popularity of the turkey as the principal item in the Christmas dinner menu has lasted well over 300 years. But if you think that the little "turkey" has anything to do with the country of that name you are mistakâ€" en. The bird is a native of North America, where it was discovered by the early Spanish navigators. Exactly how it got its name is a mystery. People who never think decorating is any trouble. People who just love the smell of Christmas greens. People who think there is nothing the fireplace on Christmas Eve. So it is apparent that fireplace is a Santa Claus and that he actually fills the stockings today carrying on the selfâ€" imposed task of the old world saint of bygcne centuriecs. He is the spirit of 5:. Nicholas, whatever form he may assume. and his gifts do not bar the namies of the donors, but of St. Nicholas lC hristmas Peoplé | People who think there is nothing velier than holly. People who love candle light. People who are coy near mistletoe. People who like Christmas cards. People who like calendars. People who like nuts and raisins. People who like turkey all the week. People who like plum pudding all the Pine Street North Phone 100 T immins Toronto Ottawa Montreal Hamilton Sarnia Owen Sound Timmins Cobalt Noranda Sudbury Kirkland Lake North Bay Bourlamague When the stork does visit a houseâ€" hold on Christmas Day, its other comâ€" ings also are sometimes peculiar. In a London, (Eng.) family there are four persons whose birthdays are respectiveâ€" Visits from the stork are comparaâ€" tively rare on December 25th. A wealthy North Countryman publicly inâ€" vited to dinner on Boxing Day all who. like himself, were born on Christmas Day. Only two persons accepted. Similar was the result of a quest by the Society of Noelites, membership of which is confined to those born on Christmas Day. Some years ago it offerâ€" ed to adopt every child in Dr. Barnarâ€" do‘s Homes whose birthday was Deâ€" cember 25th. At the time there were 6,000 youngsters on the books,. and it seemed, therefore, that the society was about to enter upon a big undertaking; but out of that number only one was found eligible. ( From Weekly Scotsman) Why is Christmas Day so little in favour as a birthday? A child born on December 25th soon finds that the two presentâ€"receiving occasions of the year are combined in one, and in later life there is a sense of deprivation, not to say of rank injustice, when birthday and Christmas presents are received in one parcel. If the Stork Comes on Christmas Dav! Few Children are Born on December 25th. The Toronto Stock Exchange Winnipeg Grain Exchange Montreal Curb Market anadian Commodity Exchange Chicago Board of Trade Canada Northern Power Corporation Limited Controlling and Operating Northern Ontario Power Company Northern Quebec Power Company Despite the comparative fewness of the stork‘s gifts at Christmas, there have been some eminent Noelites. Among those born on December 25th were Sir Isaac Newton, Dorothy Wordsâ€" worth, Samuel Smiles, ard Henry Rusâ€" sell, author of "Cheer, Boys, Cheer." A few years back the father of a Noelite wished to have him christened King Wenceslaus, under the impresâ€" sion that that monarch, if not a saint, was little short of one; but in the erâ€" he was persuaded to substitute Joseph. A child born to a couple named Day was registered Pudding Day, as Mr. and Mrs. Duck named a daughter Yuletide Duck. In after years she beâ€" came plain Sarah. Holly, Merry, Hapâ€" py, Carol, Almond, Valenciaâ€"these and other names have also been used, and at least one person appears in the reâ€" gisters of Somerset House as Merry Christmas. In some hospitals all babies born on Christmas Day are given Noel as a second name, and it is customary in others for girls to be named Christine. Mothers in a provincial hospital are advised to call baby girls Mary. In the same district there is a family which has a birthday for all the Engâ€" lish quarter days (March 25th, June 24th, September 29th, and December 25th), as well as the Scottish quarter day, August I1st. One of its members who died in childhood. was born on St. Patrick‘s Day, March 17th. ly December 25th, February 29th, e April 1st, and November 5th. Thus one| | actually has a birthday only every| | fourth year. The birthday, however, is ? always celebrated on February 28th. | Limited Limited law To work for the Christ he never saw Stav. They had watched in vain {for the caravan Of the greatest magi and the fourth wise man; But he never came. He was not with them On the night by the Crib in Bethlehem. Yet the Saviour, knowing all things, knew That the absent prince to his tryst was true: In mercy‘s name, from his wealth and prids, When he saw the fuie of tortured beast And toling man in the pagan East He had left his throre and his magian Hawkâ€"eyed, for the royal caravan. But the desert paled from dusk to ~â€" fawn As the groaning camels rose at dawn. Balthazar, Casper, Melchior, Went on, with the day, toward the The Fourth Wise Man Christmas Section