The mirror., 1919-12-04
The Month of December

December. the Twelfth and last month, was
named from the Latin word "decem," meaning ten.
as it the tenth month in the old Roman days be-
fore the reform of the calendar. For centuries Dec
ember had twenty nine days, but Caesar added two,
thus giving it thirty Nowadays we think of the
Christmas month the happiest of the year.
but in ancient times it was feuratively, period of
decadence old age, for the usual December wealth
er is cheerless and gloomy.
Were You Born This Month?
If you were. between November % and Decem-
ber Fl, you belong to the sign of Sagittarius, the
archer. People born in this sign usually know
what to aIn al and as rule hit the mark When
they rely on their own judgement they are usually
right, and make mistakes when they listen to the ad-
vice Of Others They are fond of business and must
keep busy They attend strickly to their own bus-
and know how to keep secret. Before begin
ming second thing they wish to finish the first.
They courageous. progressive. enterprsing far
seeing and usually know how to act in emergen-
cy careful in money matters, neat and orderly,
usually have moLey. they believe in laying up for
a rainy day, but are not penurious.
One of their best qualities is their power of con-
centration. They are nataral mechanics are fond of
Among them we find musicians. artists. writer's,
sculptors, inventors and farmers. Another typical
characteristic is their inclination be exacting and
domineering.
The typical Sagittarus person is handsome. with
large eyes. The tall and slender quiet and
have good inteects. The shorter and robust
are very graceful Their congenial friends will
be found is Aries, Aquarius, Libra and Gemini
Their gems are carbuncle, diamond and tur-
quoise their coors. gold, red and green; and their
flower, holly
Famous December Birthdays
Eli Whitney, famous as the inventor of the cot
ton gin, was born Dec. g. 1765, in Westboro, Mass.
AS child, he of mechanical turn of mind, al
ways taking things apart to see their internal work
ngs' One evening while he was a guest in the
home of General Nathaniel Greene, Mrs Greene
complained that her embroidery frame tore the silk
of her pattern. Whitney that he could make a
better frame-and he did. much to her delight. A
year later she entertained three men, friends of her
husbands. who resided on cotton plantations. The
conversation turned the profit and loss of cotton
raising and to the need of machine such the
ton gin. Mrs. Greene mentioned Eli Whitney's
inventive genius the men were interested got in
touch with him. and after years of intensive appli
cation, struggles with competitors. and complexities
of patent rights he produced the cotton gin. He
not to enjoy the fruit of his labors for long. how
ever, for he developed a distressing malady which
ended his life on Jan. 8, 1925.
John Greenleaf Whittier, the famous American
poet, author of Barbara Fritchie,' Maud Muller
and "Snowbound," was born Dec. II, 1907 at Hav
erhill, Mass. Perhaps other poet, not even Long
fellow has so reached the hearts of the people, He
was Quaker in religion. and his whole life a
remarkable example of consistency and purity.
Whittier was one of the earliest and most infuen-
cal abolitonists and was several times mobbed for
his opinions. His death Sept. 7, 1892, at
Hampton Falls, N. H.-Sel.