The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-11-30
4 Budget Of Home Made Christ
mas Gifts,

Who is it that every year invents
the thousand and one new and pretty
things winch hang on Christmas trees,
and strfT the toes of Christmas stock
ir,Us7 Who is il that has so wise and
watchful an eve for the capacities of
little people, and the tastes of bigger
ones, providing for each, planning for
tinv purses with almost nothing IN
them. as we'll as for fat wallets stuffed
with bank bills, and suggesting some
thing which can he made accepted and
,nioyed by everybody large and small
Ali the wide world over VINO can 1t
be that possesses this iEeNhaustIOle
fertility of invention and kindness OF
heart? No ordinary human being,
Won NAV be sure. Not Father Santa
Claus! He has enough to do with
distributing the presents alter they
are matte besides, fancy-work Is not
i'm q mans line,-nOt even saint :.
But what 50 likely as that he should
have mate, and that IL is to her We
are indebted tor all this? What an
immense work basket Mother Santa
Claus must be! What n glancing
thimble and swift needle and thread J.
Can, you imagine her throwing aside
her scissors and spool bag to help the
dear saint tackle up and load ;he
sledre And who knows but she sits
Iehind as he drives over the roofs OF
The universe on the blessed eve, and
holds the reins while Santa Claus dis
renses to favored chmnevs the innu-
IuerIble pretty things which he and
she have chuckled over together
months before the rest of Us knew any
thing about them
This is not fact. 1t can't be prov
cd in any way, for none of. us knows
ANYTHING about the Santa Clauses or
their abode. There is no telegraphing,
or writing to the selectmen OF their
town to Inquire about them they
haven't even p)st-ollice address.
But admitting it 70 be fiction, 1t Is
surely a pleasant one so, rs the chIt-
dren saw. Lets pray That IT is true,
and proceed to see What Mother Santa
Claus has in her basket for us this
wear. We will first pull out some
easy things for the benefit OF little be-
ginners who are not yet up to all the
tricks of the needle; then some little
harder for the more advanced class;
and, at bottom of all, big girls not
afraid to dive Will find plentyiot elaoo-
late designs suited 10 their taste amt
powers.
WALL LETTER HOLDER
This is something which quite little
bOv could make. Cut out three pieces
of thin wood, foot long 10y six inches
wide: smooth and sand,paper two OF
them, bore hole in each corner and
in the middle of one side, and fastcn
them together with fine wire, cord,
ribbon, or the small brass pins which
are used Tor holding manuscripts.
The pieces should be held a little
apart Cut Cne end of the third piece
into some ornamental shape, glue it
firmly to the back of one of the others,
and suspend it from the wall by a hole
bored in the top. 1t will be found a
useful thing to hold letters or pamph
lets A clever boy could make this
much handsomer by cutting a pattern
over the front, or an initial, or mono
gram, or maine in the middle. The
wood should be oiled or shcllacked.
SHOE CASES.
These cases are meant to take the
place of paper when shoes are to be
wrapped up to 90 in q trunk They
are made Of brown crash, bound with
red worstcd braid. One end is point
cd so rs to turn over anh button down,
or the top has strings over the braid
to tie the mouth up. There should be
three or four made at time, as each
holds but one pair of shoes; aud you
will find that mamma or your unmar-
ried aunts will like them very much.
NEW KIND OF CHRISTMAS PIE.
Nothing can be drollcr than to hang
up ones stockings, and nothing pret-
tier or more full of meaning than q
Christmas tree But fOl some Of you
who may like to make novelty in
these time hOnored wavs, we will just
mention that it is good fun to make a
Christmas pie" in an enormous tin
dishpan, with a make believe crust of
yellow cartridge paper, Crnamentcd
with twirls aud flOurishcs of the same,
held down with pins, and have it serv-
ed on Christmas Eve, full of pIe'ty
things and sugar plums, ckcs and jolly
little rhymes fastehed i'll the parcels.
The cutting should be done. beforehand
and hidden by the twirls of paper; hut
the carver can pretend to use his knife
and fork, and the spoonirg out of the
l,arl,aUeS will insure n merry time for
all at table. And one more sugges-
tion. Little articles, wrapped in white
paper, can be put inside cakes, baked
and iced, aud thus furnish another
amusing surprise for the pie" or the
Christmas tree-S. Nicholas.
WATER PROOF Doors A cores
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