JiJJ:c living tlung thejitrajght;;,?
-rails sing - '"wSav 'tf
4 llill. t.uiiu .-iiitiiir
TliCcoachcs reel o'er Ua "shin-
Miicr steel r . V?tWl
- .1 i..-.r ..-- u j'Arf'svf fluiH,yyi
vc leap away
JVith ;ratllc2andj:rasli vand
T.....,i -
And J Christmas-, comcs'btico. .
J more..
.'AlME
ABEL GIFFORD was
of sorts. There was a
happy cxpressiou el
approaching a scowl
ABEL GIFFOED was out
an un-
elosely
upon
her fresh, young face as she gazed
moodily from the kitchen window upon
a scene bright with the glitter of sun
light upon fresh-fallen snow. An open
letter lay upon her lap. Her mother
glanced at her anxiously from time to
time on her short journeys to and fro
from kitchen to pajitry, and at last
said gently;
"I am sorry about your disappoint
ment, dear, but I suppose it -could not
le helped."
'"It is all Helen's selfishness' burst
out MabeL hotly. ''She promised last
summer to spend Christmas with me,
and now because she has had an in
vitation that suits her better she ac
cepts it, no matter how I feel."
Mabel thought of the rows of mince
and pumpkin pies on the pantry
shelves, the plump turkey waiting to
be stuffed, the numerous other dainties
prepared for the Christmas holidays,
and of the zest and energy with which
Fhe had swept and dusted, putting the
house in perfect order from cellar to
attic, eren to decorating the pictures,
and every available spot with ever
greens, hoping to make the old farm
house attractive to her fastidious
guest Everything was done, even to
the stoning of the raisms for the plum
pudding. JShe was aroused from her
reverie by her mother's voice, saying:
'"Well, I declare, if there isn't Maria
Church plowing through the snow,
.with a market basket on her arm. I
know it must be heavy the way she
carries it. Hob,"' to her sou, who had
just come in, '"if the team is still there
and the load off, go after Miss Church
and drive her home. It's enough to
till her to get her skirts so drabbled."
"All right, Muz," said the good-ua-.
.iured Hob. "Come along, sis, and
don't sit mooning there any longer."
They soon overtook the solitary spin
ster, who ejaculated with gratifying
emphasis:
"For the land sakes! Is that you,
Ttob Gifford? I guess I'm in luck this
time," and depositing her trembling
form upon the board with a sigh of
supreme satisfaction.
After driving a couple of miles they
stopped before a small frame house
of forlorn and dismal aspect, doubtless
owing in part to its aloofness from
neighbors.
"Wait here until I come back," said
Hob. "I'm going to drive over to see
Tom "Wilson. I won't be gone long,"
IXECOBATIXG THE HOtTSC.
and Mabel followed Miss Church into
the house.
It was very scantily furnished. The
floors were bare, but white as &oap and
water could make them. The table
i.Tv3 sp&tle. in its purity Xjt a
The! smoke Hung back on tht
shining track
Like a banner floats and furls.
With a leap and bound, like aa
7 unleashed hound. .
The engine forward hurls.
Beside us fly the field and sky
.And the woods with echoed
roar,"
And our hearts beat fast as the
ft. miles sweep past..
ror Annstmas comes once
more
DoruThy Oeane.'
H WooDKUrR
speck of dust could be seen anywhere.
Hugs and mats of all sizes, shapes and
colors were spread here and there,
seemingly for adornment rather than
use,
"They're hern," whispered Mabel's
companion, noticing the girl's eyes
fixed upon them. By "her" Mabel un
derstood Miss Church to mean the sis
ter who had lived with her aud had
died a year before.
"Martha had a wonderful gift that
way," she continued. "It's surprisin'
what she could do right out of her
head. They're all her make. I never
had no taste for it."
Mabel murmured something inaudi-
BRINGING HOME THE CHRISTMAS TREE
(Drawn by Sarah S. Slilwell for Harper's Bazar.)
ble as she contemplated the works of
art before her. Scroll work of extra
ordinary design, bouquets of wonder
ful flowers of enormous size aud pain
ful colors, and. animals und birds of
astonishing proportions.
"Jt must be very, very lonely for
you," said Mabel with ready sym
pathy. "Yes, 'tis," replied Miss Church. ' I
don't know how to stand it sometimes.
When I found Christmas was conun'
it pretty nigh made me sick to think
of it. When folks git old and uniuter
estin' people don't hanker alter bavin'
'em round much, and I'd'no as I blame
Yin any. Hut when you git used in
yet own you miss 'em when they're
gone."
"Yes, indeed," said Mabel, fervently,
swallowing the lump in her throat with
difficulty. "I'm so sorry you have to
live here all alone, Miss Church."
"There's them as has ast me to live
wilh tbm," she said, "but I somehow
can't leave my home, where I've lived
all my life, and I'd'no as I could git
along with 'em if I did. There's yer
brother come back."
"Did you notice that rooster, Mini?"
he asked with a snort when they had
started homeward. "Wasn't he a cau
tion?" but Mabel was in a brown
study and did not respond satisfactori
ly. Her abstraction continued until
after supper, making Bob uneasy at
such unusual conduct, and giving her
mother real concern. Then came the
unburdening, followed by consultation,
with the result that Bob was dis
! patched in the morning with the cut
I ter wilh a note to Miss Church, which
rend thus:
'Deal Friend: I, too, am lonely this
Christmas Day, and disappointed, for
the friend I expected has "wt come,
and I hope that you will do me the
kindness to come in her stead, Please
do not disappoint, me. Your sincere
friend, MABEL GIFFOED."
Miss Church was sitting at the win
dow, with her steel-rimmed specta
cles astride heir nose and her Bible in
her lap, when Rob drove up. Curiosi
ty quickly brought her to the door.
Utter amazement was depicted upon
her countenance when she had read
the note.
"Mercy me!" she said, "I don't see
what the child wants of me. But if
it's a-goin to be any disappointment
my not goiu,' why I'm a-goin' to go,"
and she put on her wraps without an
other word.
Mabel devoted herself to her guest,
who enjoyed the day immensely. She
was interested in everything Mabel's
fancy work, Mrs. Gifford's recipe for
ginger cake, Itob's account of how he
caught the mink that had been robbing
li is henroost, and Mr. Gifford's politi
cal views. It was intelligent interest,
too, with a touch of quaint humor that
made her company very agreeable.
"I had no idea that Maria Church
was so well informed," said Mrs. Cif
i'ord to her husband, discussing her
afterward.
".She's just like her father, old John
Church shrewd, honest and plain
spoken," said Mr. Gifford.
The dinner was pronounced a great
success by Miss Church, whose opin
ion was of value from the fact that
she was a judge of good cookery, and
was never kuown to pay undeserved
compliments. The crowning part of
the day's pleasure was the Christmas
tree entertainment in the church in the
evening. She beamed on the minister
when he made the customary remarks,
and rejoiced audibly when little Tolly
Pratt, a yellow-haired tot, screamed
with delight over the huge doll pre
sented to her. She was nearly worn
out with excitement and pleasure
when the evening was over, and said
to Mabel when putting on her wraps
while Bob was getting the horse ready
to take her home:
"I'm real glad I didn't disappoint
you. I never had a better time in my j
life," and Mabel answered earnestly:
"I am so glad you didn't, Miss
Church. I never bad a nicer Christ
mas either, and I'm coming to see you
often if you will let me."
"Com.? along, my dear," said Miss
Church, heartily. "The oftener the!
A..-: S
aw:, ., v.-
rOLT.i' SCKL-AMSD WITH WE LIGHT OY1IK
TEH BIG DOLL.1'
better. I d;m't seem to feel nigh
lonesome as I did. I will let you take
off the pattern of them mats when
you come. I'd just as lief you would
a; not. A girl as smart as yen be had
ought to copy 'em iu no time. Is that
you, Eob? Whatever Is the matter
with the boy. I guess he's got the
high-strikes. Good-night." Chicago
Eecord-llerald.
St. Nick by Automobile.
Good old Saint Nick comes to one of
the up-town stores this holiday season
in a sadly unpoetic vehicle. There will
be no clatter of light hoofs or jingle
of sleighbells to mark his passage over
rooftops iu that vicinity on the night
before Christmas. No wicked chil
dren, who lie awake to catch him, will
hear that jolly old voice urging on
Dasher and Prancer, Donuer and lilit-
rzeu, aud all the rest of the famous old
four-times-four-in-hand team.- In other
words, reindeer as a motive power are
out of date, and the metropolitan San
ta Clans comes this year in an auto
mobile. Nor is this all of the new rev
elation. The store's decorators have
pictured Kriss as coming, strange to
say, from a southerly direction and
not out of the frozen north, as he used
to appear to the watchful parental
eyes of generations gone by. His new
fangled vehicle seems to follow a route
that lies over the hills of Staten Island
and just touches a corner of South
Brooklyn before it leads up toward
Liberty's little island and the sky
scrapers of Manhattan. To the youth
ful "higher critics" of the Christmas
saint, these disclosures ought to fur
nish new material for reflection. New
York Sun.
In Santa's Doll Factors'.
He prepares to make glad the hearts
of good little girls.
BPING1NG. TMF. CHRISTMAS' TREE1
(Wf il fnorr.ing long the heavy sky
( W it ns seemed to threaten snow.
And over bleaV and wintry fields
Th "cws are flapping low
The children's voices carry far
On tuch a winter's day.
And you can hear the hatchet sound
Almost twn fields away.
To-n:crrow night the sturdy fir
Shall decked and lighted be,
And it shall shine with toys
jys and Sifls.t'.!
A lovely Christmas trct.
All Alike.
Husband "Do yon think we can af
ford to give away so many Christmas
presents, dear?"
Wife. "that's no argument. The
people who give r.s presents can't af
ford it, either." Puck.
I
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A--J-,
MRi
wm
SOUTHERN INDUSTRIAL
New Enterprises That Are Enriching.
Our Favored Section.
A Sheet-Steel Mill.
Additional impetus will bo given the
increasing industrial importance of
Cumberland, Md., and its vicinity by
the equipment of the steel-sheet mill
which has been definitely announced
during the week. The new plant vill be
established by the Maryland Sheet &
Steel Co., just incorporated under
New Jersey laws with capital of $UH,
000, and 'the mill's annual capacity
will be 9,000 tons of sheet steel. The
Crucible Steel Co.'s plant in South
Cumberland has been purchased at
$05,000, and will be remodeled and
improved with modern machinery to
comprise the new plant. Howard H.
Dickey is president and manager;
Harry E. Weber, secretary, and A. F.
Baumgarten of Pittsburg, Pa., is x'v e
president and purchasing agent.
lining Transfer.
According to a dispatch from New
York, the Norfolk & Western Railroad
Co. has made arrangements to on
trol the interests of the Pocahontas
Coal & Coke Co., and will purchase
the property of the company for $20,
000,000, paying this amount in t per
cent, bonds of the Norfolk & We'tern
system. The Pocahontas Coal Co. re
presents a combination of mining pro
perties in West Virginia, recently re
ferred to in the Manufacturers' Re
cord. It is understood that the Nor
folk & Western will conduct its o::n--ations
through a subsidiary organiza
tion. The property is estimated to
contain about 300,000 acres of coal
land.
To Enlarge Plant.
A dispatch from Parkersburg, Y.
Va., states that the Parkersburg Iron
& Steel Co. has contracted for the
erection of an important addition to
its large steel mill, now nearing com
pletion. The addition is to be a f .;rge.
mill to involve the expenditure of
about $100,000. Messrs. Wm. H.
Scaife & Sons of Pittsburg, Pa., have
contract to manufacture and erect
structural frame building for the
plant.
Textile Notes.
Mr. George P. Hiss of Charlotte. N.
0., has been elected chairman of the
board of governors of the Southern
Cotton Spinners Association in place
of Mr. D. A. Tompkins, who has oc
cupied that position since the organi
zation of the association. Mr. Hiss
has been identified wjth it an secre
tary, and has rendered valuable ser
vice as such to the association and
the textile industries generally of the.
South.
t
A similarity of titles caused an er
ror in our recent mention of the con
solidation of two knitting mils at
Chattanooga. Tenn. It was Ihe
Ocoee Hosiery Mills of Chattanooga,
Tenn., and the Richmond Hosiery
Mills of Rossville, Ga., two milea from
Chattanooga (and not the Richmond
Spinning Co. of Chattanooga), that
consolidated. The plants will be con
tinued under the Richmond title.
The court has ratified the .sale of
the cotton-mill property of the Great
Falls Manufacturing Co. at Rocking
ham, N. C. to D. L. Gore, recently
reported as having bid $37,245 for the
property. Mr. Gore is of Wilmington.
N. C, and it is said that he intends
to expend about $4000 for improving
the plant, and is to then put it in
operation. The spindles number
4500 and the looms 134.
Atlanta (Ga.) Knitting Mills has de
cided to double the capacity of its
plant by duplicating the present equip
ment of machinery. This action was
taken at a meeting of stockholders
during the past week. The mill now
has , fifteen knitting machines, thirty
sewing machines, etc., in operation.
and inds its capacity inadequate, to
demands for the product.
It is announced that a contract has
been definitely closed securing 1'or lo
cation at Huntsville, Ala., the cotton
mill recently mentioned as proposed.
This will be the tenth mTU ih the city,
and land for a site has been purchas
ed. Particulars will be anno irn e I
soon. ,
Lavonia (Ga.) Cotton Mills will
double, -it is reported, its plant of
2500 spindles, which just began oper
ations sfime weeks ago. The present
building Vwould accommodate the in
crease. Messrs. J. Irwin Bitner and !I. J.
Crosson ht Ilagerstown. Md.. who
leased the Valley Hoisery Mills at
Mechanicjsburg, Pa., will remove their
machinery to Hagerstown. there to
enlarge the plant. A building will be
erected aud machinery added to in
crease capacity daily to 500 dozen
pairs of hosiery. Lace goods and line
hosiery will be manufactured.
William M. Magee of New lo. iij.
La., has addressed the Chamber of
Commerce at El Paso. Texas, relative
to establishing a knitting mill at FA
Paso. A $16,000 plant to work both
cotton and woolen yarns is coatein
plated. Dwight Manufacturing Co. of Mal-.a-ma
City has commenced the erVjn
of a one-story brick clothroom 100x18(1
feet and a cloth-storage room 50x100
feet.
Endeavors will be made far iho
erection of a cotton factory at l a
Porte. Texas, and G. E. Keppl will
lead the movement.
Messrs. D. C. Oiddings, Jr.. Tl. A.
Rchm-enbcrg and F. W. Wood of ( : cn
hani, Texas, will organize a company
for the erec-ion of a cotton Tnili.
Clayton (N. C.) Cotton Mill lmr de-'
cided upon an increase of capital from
$100,000 to $120,000. This company
is operating 5000 spindles on yarn
production.
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