T heir
Ch ristm as
T urRjey.
By MILDRED BENT
'
PATIENTLY enough the family
bad eud tired Frank Framely'a
fails until tie became i vege
tarian. An overindulgence In
turkey at the Thanksgiving feast had
I>eeii followed by fasting, repentance
mid the adoption of the vegetarian
cult. Steaka gave place tc salads aud
lamb to lentils, wherefore the spare
pennies of the Framely youngsters
were Invested In ham sundwrkbei and
?moked beef Instead of cuke and
candy.
It hud been bad enourh when Frame
? Jy bud adopted the thorough niustlca I
tlon fud and the entire family hud aol
emtily chewed Its food to the loud
click of the metronome It hud been
worn1 when all hands slept in u tent In
the back yard because Framcly had u
cold mid feared consumption, but eveu
with an approved vegetarian kitchen
within half a mile It was dltHcult to
give variety to the menu with only
vegetables us a foundation.
The vounuer i'"r;in.cl v refusi*! to re
jrnrd nut ragouts us fit substitutes for
their mother's savory Mi ?s, and the
hospl ta ble not]I (if Mrs. Framely was
tried l).v the evasive excuses of those
who were invited to dinner. The poor
little woman considered It necessary to
explain that they were now vegeta
rians, and ao anticipatory fin 1 lew faded
from expectant faces as the owner*
thereof mentioned transparent previ
ous engagenienta suddenly recalled
Finally she pleaded with her hus
band for a turkey for Christmas, to his
great horror.
"Just for one day?" he repeated aft
er her. "My dear, would you plead
with me to feed my I innocent children
on a diet of poisons for 'Just one dayT'
No. I have ordered a beautiful mock
turkey from the vegetarian kitchen.
They assure me that It tastes exactly
like the bird, and it is molded Into the
tame shape. The children will not
know the difference If they shut their
ey?-s."
"But they can't eat their dinner with
their eyes shut," protested Mrs. Frame
ly feebly. Her husband regarded her
with mild sorrow.
"If only they might eat with their
eyes truly open," he lamented, "open
to the danger that lurks within the
dead flesh they would stuff their atom-!
achs with. Some day they will thank
me for saving them from the evils and
miseries of the flesh eaters."
Framely adroitly made his escape lie
fore his wife could Bud an answer to
_ /p
"WE'RE GOING TO A RESTAURANT FOR A REAL CHRISTMAS
DINNER."
tills outbreak, uud toward afternoon 5
the mock turkey made Us appearance.
It resembled a gigantic candy favor lu |
shape uud color. The tinting of tLie
"outside hud been ruuely done and by
no tueaim suggested the crackling skin
of the barnyard king bursting troiu the,
pressure of tlie rich Juices within Sail
ly Mrs. Framely shook bjr bead as sl.o
shoved the bird Into the icebox along I
with the rest of the packages whlcb
the wagon bad brought and busied her
?elf with converting some meatless
"mince meat" Into pies.
Christmas day dawned somberly
enough In the Framely household
Frank Junior had thrown bis carrot
cutlet to the floor and bad been sent
from the table in disgrace, and Nellie
bad invited a second outburst by tear
fully pleading permission to go to her
grandmother's, where they would have
a "real" Christmas dinner, (irand
mother was on the maternal side, and
Mrs. Oolford's Intolerance of her son
ln-law'a fads was an ever ready sub
J* ?t for acrimonious discussion.
To cap the climax, the elder Mrs
Framely arrived unannounced daring
the forenoon.
"I was lonesome." she explained as
?he followed her daughter-in-law into
the parlor, "so I Jnst packed up s<>m?
mince pies am! some Jellies I'd made
and broug.it them along. 1 gnesi
A.-ank will Ilk* on? of bis mot her'?
(lira for Christina*, though I will ad
mlt that you do beat me on jourcruMa,
my dear. Now give me an apron and
I'll help you with the turkey "
Mra. Frauiely the yoiuger xhrnnk
from an explanation and. with the
statement that thing* only needed to
"be wuruied up, thrtiRt the mutter ailde
When her husliand came lu fron
hurcb with the children the allpiied
?nt to put thing* on the tahle Wh.n
?he family came Into the tlluluR room
?'ie (uppoaed, of course. that her Iimk
lni:.l hid explained und *0 made n>
comment when the old lady aet n*l 'e
her t' I k vegetable notip with the com
ment that ahe never did like thoee new
I lt>Ted aotlpa
Hut when the turkey win brought In
ami vet upon the tahle the 0I1I lad\
brightened up
"I dou't aec how you get yonr tarfcov
an h on even brown all over." Mm aald
approvingly "Mine alwaya burn* on
the to]) You know I like the fecund
joint and tome of the white meat
Frank."
For an Instant Frnmely went a Rick
ly white.
??There I* no white or dark meat." he
wiliI fnlntly. "Thl* Is n mock turkey,
n mixture of nuts and vegetable*, you
know We have awakened to the erroi
of our wa.v* and eat no more rnrrlon "
"I >ont eat carrion," repeated b!
mother a* (he allced a lilt from tlx
strange mixture "Von eat this sort of
Htllff Instead?"
"Tli* pure product of Mother Nature
of the green fields anil the healthful
sunshine," ?nld lier tun iolemnly.
"The last time 1 was here you were
(hewing your food like a cow thews It:'
cud," remarked the old lady severely
"That was had enough, hut when yon
make a nux li of Christmas with your
rooch turkey It makes me wish you
were young enough to he taken acros
my knee again. Go get your hat We're
going to n restaurant for a real Christ
mas dinner."
"Rut. mother"? began Framely. seek
ing to suppress with a glance the cheer
lug of the children.
"Do you remeinlier when yon were a
little hoy about the age of little Frankle
here?" demanded bin mother. Framely
nodded. "And do you remember how
good a drumstick used to taste, with
some glhlet gravy and lots of stuffing
and cranberry sauce?"
"Yes, mother," he assented limply.
"Then go get your hat. It's Frankle's
birthright," she declared.
"Yes, mother," came for a second
time, but now there was gladness In
the voice, u hungry look lu the eyes
ami Ills wife knew that another fad
bad passed.
Old Christmat Superstition*.
An old German saying is th:it be
tweeu 11 and 12 o'clock on Christina
L>ve water can be turned Into wine.
The lamp or candle must n"t be al
lowed to burn Itself out on Chrlatnui
eve or there will l>e u death lu the
family within the year
A Magyar superstition is that any
one who eats nuts without honey oil
Christinas w ill lose his teelb. Another
Is that a pillow turned at midnight
will bring dreams of a future lover.
H is unlucky to trip on Christ ma*
day.
i im Si> Ulan children place penny
royal In the beds Christmas eve be
cause they believe It always llowerj
at the exact hour of Christ's birth.
All children born at midnight on l)f>'
31 will become great and famous.
Christmas Diplomacy.
Lady?My husband won't wear those
shirts I bought him for Christmas I
didn't think he would. And now I'd
like to exchange them.
Clerk?For what, madam?
I.ady?Well, you might let me look
nt some lace handkerchiefs and some
silver hatpins.?Tuck.
His Popularity Explained.
"I don't se<? what makes tint yonnp
friend of mine so very popular." said
Willie Washington. "He Is In demand
for any number of Christmas parties."
"That Is very easily explained." an
swerel Miss Cayenne, "lie is so near
sighted th'it he Is continually mistak
lug holly f?,r mistletoe." I
SANTA (N BLUE.
Child'* Prayer to th? S?int Aniwirtd
by ? "Cop."
IT was Christ mas ere in a aide
street of the Kreat city and ao
late that the taut customer bad
? ??ft the dingy little ahop, and the
; light from Ita one window streamed
out upon the ulght like a lonely l>ea
con It was a cheerful window as
such things go In poor aide streets, and
a sumptuous Santa Claim, all glitter
ing In cotton aiiow and ralul>ow tinsel,
stood In Ita forefront, loaded with the
I aAft
"AND, OH, SANTT, I DO WANT A DOLLY 1"
pretty things that please children al
ways and especially bo at Christinas
Presently from a darker, poorer
street a tluy slip of a girl came timid
ly around the corner, and, glancing
about anxiously to see that no one
was In sight, she stole up to the win
dow of the little shop and began
feasting her hungry eyes upon its
beautiful treasures. She was very,
very thin and pale, and her clothes
were but shreds and patches, yet her
eyes sparkled, aud there was the Joy
of Christmas in her heart Just to look
at the good things.
For a minute or more she stood with
her wan little face pressed close
against the glass, and then she drop
ped to her knees before this shrine of
Hanta Clans uiul clasped her hands to
gether as we see pictures of children
at prayer. Her upturned eyes were
closed, and the light fell upon her
face very softly.
In the shadow of the houses across
the street a big policeman stood watch
lug. Now he came stealthily over to
ward the shrine, with the child on
her knees before It. As be reached
the curb he heard her voice, trem
blliiLT and uncertain:
"Now 1 lay me down to sleep I
pruy the I.ord my soul to keep. If I
should die before I wake, 1 pray the
Lord uiy soul to take. And, oh. Santy
Claus, 1 do want a dolly and some
candy for Christmas! Amen!"
She had said the only prayer she
knew, a id as she rose to her feet
agalu !>e policeman touched her on
the shoulder. She started suddenly
and would have run away, for these
street waifs fear the big policemen,
but he held her
"Come with uie," he said, and she
began to cry.
He took her Into the little shop, and
when she came out again she held a
yellow haired doll fiercely to her thin
little breast with one hand and in the
other she carried two bags of candy.
As she looked up to the big police
man he saw in her face what be had
seen as she knelt before the shrine of
Santa Claus, and he bent down and
kissed her good night. ? William J
Lumpton In New York Herald.
Christmas Pies.
In England. Yorkshire Is still the
stronghold of vnst Christmas pies thnt
trace their lineage far beyoml the Nor
man conquest Into the dim feasts of
Saxon kings aud Danish freebooters
A rather quaint note, written In 1833.
makes mention of the "wains" (or wag
ons) groaning about Christmas time
under n Joad of these pies and adds,
"At such times the hostess of a well
frequented Inn of the old school will
construct a pie of the circumference
rlvallug her own. and the couuty news
paper will record Its dimensions."
One such "hostess of the old school"
Is Immortalized by a famous though
slightly profane epitaph in a Yorkshire
churchyard running as follows: I
Here lies the body of Mary Ana Shoven.
She w as versed In the arts
Of cakes, pies and tarts
And (ht mystical rites of the oven.
When she'd lived long enough
She made her last puff?
A puff by her husband much praised
Now here she doth lie
And make a mud pie
In the hope that her crust may bo
raised.
?New York Evening Tost.
Rural Repartee.
"Sary," snickered young Ab Corn
tossel, "I kinder think I'll put myself
on th' Christmas tree fer you this
year."
"If you do, Ab," giggled Sary. "they'll
not take yon off this year. They'll let j
you st:iy there till you git rli>e enough
to pick."
"Christmas Children."
In some Catholic countries there Is a
custom "f dressing up pnp|>ets called
Christmas children, hiding them on
Christmas eve. setting persons In quest
of then uuil giving a reward to the
Under
* =? T
A riiDICTM A C We /iai;e yusf f*
J tuKlu 1 IVIAO received a full i>
* DDCCCMTC stock of useful ;
J 1 IiLiuIjIi 1 U? Holiday Goods ^
* ============================== *
t Spiers Bros. |
*< Jjl
| A - Christmas - Gift! 1
A gift to be of lasting appreciation
must be something useful as well
as ornamental, otherwise it will
soon be laid aside and your liberal
kindness soon forgotten. Present
a nice piece of Furniture which will
be used and seen daily in the
home, being of lasting appreciation
and the Donor Long Remembered.
Let this Xmas be a Most
Enjoyable One
m to that good wife of yours by presenting to her a nice Sideboard for the Dining w
Room or hall Rack for the hall.
!?* Our large assortment of Rugs, Pictures, Lounges, Rocking Chairs, Polish- \it
T ed Center Tables, Hall Racks, Sideboards, and Combination Book Cases will
V \v
make most appropriate Xmas Gifts. ^
jf* Yours very truly, i||i
I Rose & Co., Benson, N.C. |
^????????YYVYwyyvyyvwyvyvyvyW^^^A^V
| Preston Lislcn! Look! |
^ T 1 11 Did you know that Preston Woodall had J
V Uu AA/|Q II the prettiest line of Dress goods; the latest ^
? ff and most fashionable line of Ladies, Misses ^
^ and Children's Coats and Cloaks; the best ^
-C aBHBHHMm line of Shoes; the most up-to date and ^
^ gyp prettiest designs, with sty.e, snap, fit and ^
^ ^ workmanship in Clothing in the county? ^
< ^ It's a fact Come and see. ^
Everybody's ==================================== S
! J OUTFITTER PRESTON WOODALL, i
< ? Benson. N.. c
i M|| - Life's - Ambition
H I whs not long in deciding to be a merchant and from
H the time 1 started I wan'ed to be in some town where I
? could carrv a nice line of furnishing goods for men and
W? ladies. When I was seMinc general merchandise 1 often
Jo thought of changing my stock so as to cany a different
line of goods. I finally decided cn Selma as the place to
to! locate.
U In the past it seems to have been an idea of the
A Selma merchants to carry each a stock of general
W merchandise. For this reason no one could carry
? the best stock of /Wen's and Ladies' Furnishing
Goods. So people in and around Selma had to go
elsewhere for some of their goods. We came to
W Selma to sell
% Staple And Fine Goods
V) Our store contains them. On one side of our
P5 double room store are Men's Hats. Shoes, Clothing
54 and other Furnishing Goods.Theother sidecontains
R? Ladies' and Children's Shoes. Dress Goods. Notions
and the .Millinery Department: upstairs are Cloaks
P5 and other goods in large quantities. We carry a
50 large stock of the best and finest goods ever of
r? fered for sale in Selma and can supply all want
50 Ing goods in our line. We want you to come to
K see us. We want you to see our fine store, but
50 especially do we want you to see our goods.
m Come Without Delay
wmmmMMmmwm
W.E. ?
SMITH ?
.jgaj
i
Staple (%
and j|
Fine Goods g
X
Selma, |
IN.C. |