The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-03
One S Sense Of Humor

one SenSe OF F1umOr
Some lovely cynio In petDcnata. de-
void OF laurel wreath and other per.
sonal ndornments If tnma and such.
has set loose on the public the fact
that TO the person who doas not pus.
sess one. sense OF humor !s most
arritaiing, and one does not doubt that
strings OF long-suffering men and wo-
men Will rise up and call her blessed.
And Its true, every word of IL. 4
sense or humor has been called tho
lhnsuase OF the tribe" and a whole
lot OF pretty names that ono cannot
for the life of them remember just
at tho minute, and II also is that
charming light that breaks over tho
ruined pie burned to crisp while
hBht-hehrted hostess made merry In
the pnrlor Horror Is In her soul when
Bho returns to tho Kitchen. drawn
thither by an inner warming that the
children are committing cxtravuganccs
on the chocolate cnke In the pantry,
and subtle odor Of burning that ono
cannot quite place as tho little sons
petticoat or the asparagus tin thrown
Into tho range several minutes provi-
GUS And tho senHa of humur makes
tho Dis Look 90 funny with its crinkled
and black uxterinr and trIcklas of
Juice all orisped TO the side of tho
Laws arc To he antertnined and tho
turkey Is 70. little und there IL much
oh, much--bo much cranberry sauce
And instead OF being nice and 1rm tho
jolly careers In such a hopeless unsup-
ported attitude ind tna an gle-food cake
might ne azprnteh tn shortly make
angela OF any who dared to partako
Of Its hardnHas. Some OF us laugh
with PUN In rite henri and others
look dump, and II doesn't renlly parti-
cuiarly mntter after all. But thaY are
occasionally dbiccu1ua h1s-thess peo-
Ple forever In mnusY. waving their
emp end heIls tn your serinus face.
Ard person too subtle ie ED, To
hugh morn often -ar'- than with
one. and II Is not pleasant Some ono
mas said IA very serious minded but
nevertheless great and distinguished
parsonage, that Joke In hia mouth
was no Laughing matter So 1t Is, al
@ays- and but for the sober faces
around as the laughing crew you'd
make ducks and brakes of the world
one Eupposes. but Isn't II g comfort to
surn eyes to some one who also
catches the thought ind looks back
10 you with the Same silent laugh :
the EuEgesucn? Oh the weariness OF
come ono who laughs. when you dom.
want them to Taught
ChriHtmna Reform
Again approaches the merry Christ
mas season." said Mr. FatherIy, land
once more comes the heavy demand on
the paternal pocketbook; our daugh-
tiers have begun their shopping for
Christmas presenth- tell them 10 go
light and they say they will be as
economical as they cap be. and know
they mean well: they won't spend any
more than they can help: but when
they get out where they see the pretty
things they can't help buying them.
and simply have TO get out the
chcckbook.
m y tell them. and I try to Interest
them In the story. that when wns a
boy 1t didn't cost my father q quarter,
not hundreth part es much as we
spend now. We children In those
Gays used to hang up our stockings.
SUCK steel forks through them and
In between two bricks in the chimney.
and then Christmas morning when We
und In each stocking an orange and
popcorn ball and come candy, and
few toys below each stocking on
the hearth. we were as happy as any
BODY possibly could be. But when +
tell them that story our girls beam
me and say:
why. father. we couldn't do
things like that now. could we? We've
got TO give to SO and SO. and SO ana
SO. haven't we?' and they cnumerate a
long list OF people to whom we've got
to give things and they say we couldn't
give them oranges and popcorn balls
could we? No. really And say
NO. l suppose not, and draw check
number one. and l smile as l hand It
over. don't groun until they have
gone away.
But 1 do sroan. Just little then,
when stop to think 1t over We've
got little more money than than my
father had, but good gracious. how
many more folks we've got
to give IT tol When was a
boy our Christmas gifts. modest at
the best. were confined to relatives
and friends. Now we have TO make a.
regular list OF people besides. 10 whom
custom requires that we shall give
presents; to everybody that does any
thing for US of any sort and don't
mind saying to you that before we get
through with 1t all Christmas is a
pretty serious tax on me.
But what can do but put a cheer
ful face on 1t? l say again to the
girls when they come around for more
money: Now girls. you musr'-and
they say:
YES. father, wen be Just as eco
nomical as we cam and when / fork
over what they call for. and groan in
wardly and they go away joyfully.
fun OF the Christmas spirit and the
Joy of giving.
And. of course, we mustn't curb
their joy. we must help to make them
happy; and we want to make every
body happy; but personally. II 1t could
be done without upsetting things too
I'~ch, would favor a movement look.
ing toward the celebration Of Christ
mas. say triennally. or perhaps bien-
nialiy. instead of annually. as at pres
en-, Not that i lack the Christmas
spirit; far from it. But IL is such n
drain on the pocketbook"
Dishes for the Winter.
Two excellent salads are available
with the pears still in market ana
with red winter apples. For the an.
Piles hollow some pretty ono. o,,t IN