The National tribune., 1906-12-06
THE FAMILY.
BY SENORA SARA.

The happy holiday season approach
es, and what are you doing to make the
season a happy one for others? Re-
member you cannot live to yourself
alone. You were not put on earth for
that purpose. An All Wise Creator IN
tended that you should take an active
part in all that goes on around you.
and He IN a measure made you keep
er for your brother. Not that you are
to answer for his morals, his general
conduct. or anything of that kind, but
you are to watch yourself and be ex-
tremeIy careful that you do nothing
that will lead your brother-and broth
er means your neighbor and all in his
house-to break any of the Command
ments or the chiefeSt of all Command
ments, that ye love one another. of
course being ones brothers keeper
can never be taken literally, and yet
it should be more literally construed
than occurs to most people. We are
our brothers keeper to the extent that
we must not be unkind to him unnec-
essarily. We must not do those things
in his presence which will make him
stumble if he is weak. If We see him
doing wrong, or taking steps that Will
lead him to wrong doing, though he
does not. intend it perhaps. We are our
brothers keeper so f,,r that we should
Keep MIN tIctli tilc "fOh5 NohAo, - -
lies in cur power.
But that was not what 1 meant to
say when ! spoke of the HAPPY sea-
son. I really meant to ask if you were
thinking how you could make your
brothers OF your sisters load lighter
We go our ways in life too much alone
and with too small regard for the other
fellow in this hurrying age, when every
minute counts for a day with the busy
man and woman who parcel time out
in homeopathic doses, and must do SO
# one duty is not to infringe upon the
duty. of another minute. OF course,
you are doing things for home folks
we all do that; and you are douptless
thinking Of the dinners that you intend
to give several who are upon your
bounty. and you will give to the church.
and to the Sabbath school, and to the
charities of the town, and to the ser
wants ard to the friends within your
gates. and that is all right, IL the Civ
ing is done with a loving thoughtful
ness which does not SAVIOR of giving to
get back, or because you must; but
that is not all of giving, it is scarcely
the beginning of it. Possibly you
know a "shut-in" who cannot walk
and who never gets a breath of Gods
good sunshiny air, except some one
comes along and acts as escort and
guide, prop and stay. Can you not
this holiday season, give to that lonely
creature an hour of your time, and car
ry with you into that home some of
7 the joy of real life? 1t will be worth
more than all the presents you could
buy with money. for, after all, there Is
no cheer in the world like that which
comes from a heart brimful OF JOY
ed love of living.
How about the houseful of little
children over the way. where Grape so
recently hung upon the door, and a
new grave in the cemetery, where a
simple stone bears the name Mother?
Do you think that a wagon load Of
presents which the father can buy
them will be worth to them an hour in
your little home, where you can talk
to them and cheer them up? What II
they were your children, and you lay
under that mound? Would you not
wish some blessed woman to go TO
chem and cradle them in her arms and
talk to them of you, and show them
how to live to honor your name? ?
Maybe It is a lonely girl far away from
her home and friends, struggling to
care for herself amid the most griev-
Gus circumstances. To her you can
carry simple Christmas card, a slice
of the homemade cake, box of
sight better, show by your call that
you have human heart I'm your breast
and that you want her to feel that
though in strange land she is not en-
tirely among strangers.
Or, perhaps you have in mind a
young man who has just come into your
horizon, and who is away from every
body he has ever known, surrounded
by manifold dangers and temptations
to one who is little worldly wise. He
is desperately homesick, possibly, and
the turn of a word might make him
fly to embrace some temptation to rid
himself of the horrible feeling or
"aloneness," than which there is moth
ing in the world so hard to endure.
Men and women have died of it, You
could invite him to your home for an
evening during the holidays, and make
him feel that he is not an alien, but
one of you. See that he is invited 10
your little club meetings. your church
entertainments. Possibly there is a
lonely old woman, who, though well
fixed" Is grieving her heart out for
lack of human companionship which
she does not know how to invite. Go
Sit with her little, and carry to her
the news of the day, and let her know
that old age is not unlovely. Indeed
It should be the very best part of the
Ire. having lived well, and obeyed
with willing heart all the commands OF
duty and humanity, when the autumn
of age comes there should be large
store of sweetness in the heart,
ripened judgment, a faith, a hope tina
ripens and enriches all the years tha
lead to the winter and the chill shad
ows at the end. But all do not live 81
wisely, and do not reach this beati
tude Of existence. You can help then
little. If you will. Young or old, al
you may happen TO be, do seek ou
those who need-really need-Christ
mas cheer. and fill them full OF II from
your own overfiowing heart.
One who observes closely boasts thai
he can tell womafI's character from
her walk. A listless way of lifting ones
feet indicates a lazy disposition.
shuffiing, dragging step denotes indo
1ence of mind and body. A heavy fiat
footed walk means a good housekeepel
and an aggressive nature. He further
asserts that the woman who likes mar
nish shoes and boots is never dainty o.
feminine, and that the ideal woman
wears pretty shoes IN the street am
dainty slippers in the house.
Potatoes au gratin may be made o
cold boiled potatoes diced or freshl
boiled and mashed potatoes. For th
former make a good cream sauce, usin,