The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-12-22
Mseful aud Curious.
THE CHRISTMAS TREES.
Hsw % Plant a.a Decorate rhen.

All over this extensive country these trees are
pianted-not only in private homes. but also in
Sunday schools and day schools; and it would
seem rs if hardly any child conld live so poorly
that would not be the recipient Of some longed-
for toy or sueetmeats In the cities, one can
purchase these trees already planted in bit of
plank, and partly decorated or entirely filed
with toys, and ready to be brilliantly lighted at
any moment Yet, in the country, where one
must contrive and save, and make many of the
gifts Of the tree, and bake many cakes, which
are covered with frosting and sugar plums, and
drive ont into the woods and select o tree, and
cut it down and bring il home, there is quite AZ
much fun in the preparation, and quite as mneh
real satisfaction, as in the city. Several days
before Christmas it is well to bring home the
tree, lest deep snow should fall, and it might
not be easily obtained, and all the children must
help carry it home. Select one that has regu-
lar cone from base to summit, and is of the prop
er height for your parlor, and chop off any
branches that may interfere with its beauty;
and while selecting the tree you can also gather
quantities Of running pine, coral pine, and
princes pine, wherewith to make garlands and
crowns, and wreaths for adjoining the halls, par
lors, and dining room. Also bring home large
branches of laurels and clusters of swamp elder
berries, and boughs of bitter-sweet berries
Plant your tree in q small wsshtub. filed in
with briekbats, hod full of hard coal, or
anything that is heavy and will keep it in place
fafrons will do if there Is nothing else at hand
afghan, or fur robe, or flag, and upon this
base many of the larger articles, such as books.
desks, etc., can be arranged.
Those of our readers who are the fortunate
possessors of long purse can purchase at the
fancy stores every Imaginable device for decora-
ting most artisticaily and beautifully-such as
silver doves or stuffed doves, colored glass halls
flags of every kind, gilded stars, tiny looking
glasses that, if suspended behind the candles,
will reflect their light and make il twice as
bright, bells, woolly lambs, and bonbona of
every description; while In the toy shops are
whole regiments of dolls, from the most elegant
Parisian bellies to the knitted sailor boy for the
little baby, and vast caravans of animals, and
Noah's arks, and toys that surpass description.
But in thousands of village homes these articles
are not obtainabe, yet the children can manu-
facture many beautiful decorations for the
Christmas tree, In which they will take quite as
much pleasure as If they were from the fancy
| shops Of the city. With a few sheets Of gilt,
blne, scarlet and silver paper cut into tiny
strips four inches in length aud half an inch in
width, you can make long chains to entwine
from bough to bough of the tree. With a bottle
Of mncilage paste the two ends Of the strips to-
gether, until half of them are made mp into
rings; then make up some more by slipping one
end through two rings and joining them togeth-
er. Let the three rings become dry, and Join
them into long garlands. Suspend around the
outer branches of the tree from top TO bottom.
Twenty yards will be- needed TO trim large
tree, twelve for a small one. These paper chains,
when once made, can be kept for years, if care
fully handled. Parch large pan of popcorn,
and string them into chains with needle and
coarse thread. Entwine them also about the
branches, and after the presents are distributed
break up the chains into necklaces, and throw
around the necks of all the guests. If You pos
sess broken looking glass, carry it to q glazier
and have it cut into bits three inches by two.
Paste bit Of brown paper over the back of the
glass, and bind the edges with strips Of gilt or
scarlet and blue papers, and paste bit of rib
bon or paper ut the top to suspend them from
the boughs NOu can not have too many tiny
mirrors Purchase pound or two of English
walnuts and cut them into halves, and take out
the meats. Save them to put into the middle of
each small frosted cake. Puschase also pound
of sugared caraways and fill half of enc of the
nutshells with them, and paste on the other
half. Use common glne or gum tragacanth for
paste. Insert bit of narrow ribbon of any
color at the top of the nut. Cut small round
of gilt paper and cover it with paste, and wrap
it carefully about the nut, letting the folds of it
lie evenly about the bit of ribbon. Make as
many as you can of these, for they are the pref
tiest of ratte-boxes, and everybody likes to pos
sess such trophy. Little lace bags made of
bobbinet lace or wash illusion, by running them
together with scarlet, blue, and gold colored
worsteds, and using bit Of it for string to
draw them together. are also very pretty and
desirable, when filled with nuts, raisins and
sugar plums for the children. Small apples.
closely stuck with cloves, are also nice to per-
fume bureau drawers, and dozen or more will
not come amiss upon this wonderful tree. A
Christ child, or angel, made by dressing doll
in lace and silvered wings, is very decorative
when fastened to the bough of the tree. Small
candles can have n bit of wire thrust through
the lower end by heating it, and then fssten it
securely to the boughs of the tree. Apples and
oranges can also he suspended with thread WIRE
Cut rings of cardboard and slip over the can
dies, and they will catch their drippings.-La-
dies Floral Cabinet.