The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-12-21


conclusion of the war is C ncerned, the
event may, in this intent, be more i'm
portant than now appears.--Ncw York
Times.
A Budget OF Home-Made Christ
mas Gifts.
Who is it that every year invents the
thOusand-and one new and pretty things
which hangs on Christmas trees, and stuff
the toes of Christmas stockings? Who is
is 1t who has 50 wise and watchful an eye
for the capacities Of little people, and the
tastes of bigger ones, providing for each,
planning for tiny purses with almost 10th
ing in them, as well as for fat wallets
stuffed with bsnk-bills and suggesting
something which can be made, accepted
and enjoyed by every body, large and small
all the wide world over? Who can it be
that possesses this inexhastible fertility
of invention and kindness of heart No
ordinary human being, you may be sure.
Not Father Santa Claus, He has enough
to do with distributing the presents after
they are made; besides, fancy-work is not
in a mans line,-not even a saints But
what so likely as that he should have q
mate, and that it is to her we are indebted
tor all this What an immense work
basket Mother Santa Claus's must be
What glancing thimble and swift needle
and thread Can't you imagine her
throwing aside her scissors and spool bag
to help the dear saint tackle up" and
load the sledge? And who knows but
she sits behind AS he drives over the roots
Of the universe on the blesSd eve, and
holds the reins while Santa Claus dis
penses to favored chimneys the innumer-
able pretty things which he a'd she have
chuckled over together months before the
rest of US knew anything about them
This Is not a fact. 1t can be proved in
any way, for none OF Us knows anything
about the Santa Clauses or their abode.
There is no teIegraphing, or writing to
the selectmcn Of their own town to in
quire about them; they haven't even
postoffice address. But admitting it TO
be a fiction, IS surely a pleasant one; so,
as the children say, Let's play that it
is true" and proceed to see what Mother
Santa Claus has in her basket for us this
year. We viii first pull out some easy
4Inings IUr JItS poItht "a itI-iv ~ 4-4A-'
syho are not yet up to 81 the tricks OF the
Idle; then some little Harder TOR the
more advanced class, and, at the bottom
OF all, big girls not afraid to dive will
find plenty OF elaborate designs suited to
their taste and powers.
A WALL LETTER-HOLDER.
This is something which quite little
boy could make. Cut out three pieces
of thin wood, a foot long by six inches
wide; smooth and sand-paper tive OF
them, bore a hole in each corner and in
the middle of one side, and fasten them
together with fine wire, cord ribbon, or
the small brass pins which are used for
holding manuscripts. The Lieces should
be held a little apart. Cut one 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 hole bored in the top. 1t will
be found useful thing to hold letters or
pamphlets. A clever boy could make
this much handsomer by cutting pat
tern over the front, or an initial, or men-
! ogram, or name in the middle This
wood should be oiled or shellacked
sHoE-CAsEs.
These cases are meant to take the place
Of paper when shoes are to be wrapped
up to go in a trunk. They are made OF
brown crash, bound with red worsted
braid. One end is pointed so as to turn
over and button down, or the top has
strings over the braid to tie the mouth
up. There should be three or four made
at a time rs each holds but one pair Of
shoes; and you will find that mamma ol
your unmarried aunts will like them very
much.
A NEW KIND OF CHRISTMAS PIE.
Nothing can be droller than to hang VI
ones stockings, and nothing prettier o.
more full of meaning than Christmas
tree. But for some of you who may lik'
to make novelty in these time-hOnoreC
ways, we will just mention that it is gooC
fun to make a Christmas-pie in Al
enormous tin dish-pan, with make
believe crust of yellow cartridge paper
Ornamented with twirls and hourishes 0
same, held down with pins, and have
served en- Christmas Eve, full of prett.
things and sugar-plums, jokes and joll,
little rhymes fastened to the parcels
= The cutting should be done beforehand
e and hidden by the twirls Of paper; bu
the carver can pretend TO use knife an
/ fork, and spooning out the packages WI
i. insure merry time for all at the table
$ And one more suggestion. Littlearticle
e wrapped in white paper, can be pu
d inside cakes, baked and iced, and thu
V furnish amusing surprise for the pie {
n the Christmas -tree.-St. Nicholas f
y Nopember.
Love Out Toward the Setting
Sun.
Washita (Ksnsas) Herald: .Th'
were leaning on the balustrade of t
bridge. looking into the water He HI
A hand like palmleaf fan, an ear like
pickle dish, and no collar. She had 70
i;l-o oantar-table and no teatb TIL