Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-12-19
holiday Thoughts.

With the coming Of the Christmas time
particular spirit of kindness seems TO pre-
wade humanity The rest Of the year may
be given up to the battle Of money getting
and its consequent worry and turmoil; but
not so with the Christmas time, for then
selfshness loses its grip upon the heart, and
general good will for others, and a desire to
do what lies in our power to help along their
happiness. ore the dominating impulses
Well it is that this is so, aud that we should
open our hearts, at least once year, to
that spirit Of kindness which the coming of
Christmas evokes.
For nearly nineteen hundred years the
lessons Of good will which this season
teaches have been enforced, and humanity
has been elevated to a plane to which it
could never otherwise have attained The
skeptic may deny the influence, but he owes
as much to it as does the believer. Aye, he
owes more for he is indebted to it for that
very spirit OF fnrbearance which enables his
hearers to overlook his egotistica assump-
ton Of knowledge and maintain toward him
a kindly feeling, notwithstanding they can
have no sympathy with his arrogant self
assertions.
At this time the heart seems fired with a
holier purpose than at any other portion Of
the year; the spirit of sslf-sacrifce over
rules every other influence, and to do good
to others, to give some tangible expression
to the regard felt for them even though
such expression bee at the Inconvenience Of
the donor, is the artuating principle Of
nearly every one. The individuals means
may he limited they may not be more than
just sufficient to comfortably supply his own
needs but he finds it easy to strain point
at the cost of some little comfort to himself.
that some one else may he the better for
the sacrifice, and that he the donor, MAY
not be recreant to the spirit of the hour.
1t is this prevailing spirit that distin
cuisines the coming of Christmas, that has
distinguished it from its primal dawn, and
that will distinguish it till time merges into
eternity. Men are the happier for its com
ing, for the little sacrifices 1t calls for, and
for those tributes which are the outcome of
sacrifices made in their behalf 1t is dis
tinctively the festival of good will, and
as far-reachng, and as productive of hap
piness, as 1t has ever been in the past
some Inexpensive Christmas Tokens.
Dainty Christmas tokens are little hon
honitrcs that are useful. after their freight
of confectionery is devoured. for Jewel
cases or table ornaments. Some charming
ones are pink or blue satin bags with fiat
square bottom that is fitted to a square of
semi transparent celluloid. which is cut with
turned-up pieces, like the sides of a box.
These are painted with flowers the shade of
the satin, which shows softly through the
crlluloid The satin bag. lined with silk. is
drawn together at the top with "A broad
frill. A model for the cslluloid base can he
found by opening msiium-sjzed note en-
velope fully, marking off the square in the
centre, and squaring off ths points of the
flaps The upright pieces are pierced at
the corners, and held together hv bows of
narrow ribbon By taking a few stitches
the same ribbons can he attached to the
satin bag to secure it in position.
Pen-wipers have had their desirahilitv
slightly wiped out by the rage for fountain
pens, but there are still old fashioned people
who would be pleased To add them to their
desk furnishings An admirable one that
will not tax the makers skill is made of IA
doll four inches tall, dressed like peasant
girl. and bearing on her back "A straw pan
nier or guide basket. such AS are to be found
in toy stores, which is closely filled with
strips of undressed kid. which is said to be
the best absorber of ink known. The tops
and backs of old kid gloves will furnish the
STRIPS, which are third of an inch wide
packed in very closely. and sewed securely
into the bottom of the basket They are
cut long enough to project little above the
top of the basket If the feet of the pan
nier bearer are glued firmly to one of the
small square boxes that are used for hold
ing stamps, the desk convenience will have
an additional value.
Some people even now have liking for a
pretty cushion that is not large enough 70
be over-consplcuous in these days when
pin trays have superseded the capaciuus
and time honored pncushons that till lately
absorbed half the space on "A bureau top
No one could grudge the room taken up by
a dainty, hower-like cushion which looks
like "A large vioiet-hued pansy dropped upon
mat of lace. The flower is three inches
in diameter, and worked solidly in satin
stitch in shades Of purple and violet, with
a little yellow at the heart The material
upon which it is worked is all cut away.
and the flower laid upon "a circle formed by
gathering up hlondlace edging till it lies
smoothly in that form The lace is sup
ported by pale green silk piece of circular
shape, to which Is fastened full edge Of
loops made Of pearl edged baby ribbon Of
green like the silk thus giving a hint of
foliage The cushion below is a much
smaller circle, and so slightly stuffed a.
hardly TO elevate the flower and lace above
the table 1t rests upon. -Hdrper's BGadr.