All Sorts

New Zealand Tablet, 24 December 1908, Page 46

All Sorts

. A town in North Prussia has decreed that any woman - who promenades the streets in a trailing skirt will be fined. 'I see that Sir Joseph Ward is busy at his trade just now. 'A tradej x I didn't know he was a mechanic.'' Oh, yes r He is a cabinetmaker.' 'I never saw such a storm in all my life.' 'Pardon nie, my friend, since you " saw " the storm, no doubt you can tell us what color it was.' ' Certainly 1 The wind blew and the storm rose ' Mamma— 'And what did you say when Mr. Titewodd gave you a penny?' y: ■ Tommy— ' I was as polite as I could he and didn't say - nothm'. ' • .■ . •* • The Christmas customs at the present time appear to . have been drawn from all the nations. The Christmas tree as German, Santa Claus is Dutch, the stockirig\is Belgian, and the 'Merry Christmas' is English. , ' What business is papa "in, mamma?' 'Why "he is a tea sampler ; he samples the different kinds of teas/ Mamma. ' Yes, my boy.' 'Do you know what I want to he when I grow up?' 'No. * What, my boy? 5 <A pie sampler.' . • ~ c. -, H H e \ s an extract from the prospectus of a hotel in Switzerland: ' Weisshach is the favorite place of resort for those who are fond of solitude. Persons in search of / solitude are, in fact, constantly flocking here from the four "- quarters of the globe.' • Scotsman: ' Hae ye ony hair restorer,, mister? ' Chemist: 'Yes, I have—something that will make the hair grow 111 twenty-four hours.' Scotsman : ' Aweel, gie yer am heid a bit rub wi't, an' Ah'll look back the morn, an' see if ye're telling the truth.' ■ Since' early days, it has been the custom in Scandinavia to observe what is called the Yule Peace. This lasts from Christmas Day to the feast of Epiphany, and is proclaimed by a public crier. Any violation of this peace is severely punished. All quarrels are adjusted; and old feuds laid aside during the period.-. , l ' ' ■ Sand falling on a wheel has for years 'been used in operating various small toys. The natural curiosity of the child, however, as to the motive power, often leads him to destroy the toy in order to discover the secret of its action. This has suggested an improvement in toys of this kind, which consists of a glass back by which the flow of sand may be observed. The inventor has v also patented an arrangement that prevents the clogging of the wheel. , The ■•; Christmas season is the season, as Washington Irving says, for gathering together of family connections, a *? drawing closer a S ain those bonds of kindred hearts which the cares and pleasures and sorrows of the world ar» continually Operating to cast loose; of once more calling back the children of a family, who have launched forth in , life and wandered widely asunder, to assemble about" the paternal hearth, that rallying place of the affections, there ta grow young and loving again, among endearing mementos of childhood. . . A juryman came breathlessly into the court. ' Oh your H ,° nor ' Jjoa can excuse me, pray do. I don't know which will die first— my wif e 01^ my daughter.' 'Dear me, that's sad,' said the innocent judge. ' Certainly, yoa are excused.' The next day the juryman was met by a friend, who, in a sympathetic voice, asked : ' How is your Tt?' ■ « 'J? h ? S S ll . Hght ' thank y° u *' ' And y°«r daughter? 'She's all right, too. Why do you ask?' 'Why !. yesterday you said you did not know which would 'die ' 1 first. 'Nor do I. That is a problem that time alone can solve.' ■ <. Tke i custom of putting, various greens in the churches on Christmas Day is a very ancient; .one (says the Ave Marta). It would seem to be strictly in accordance with Holy Scripture • for we read in Isaias (lx, 13) : ' The glory of Libanus shall come to thee, the fir tree and the box tree and the pine .tree together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place of my feet.* An old Saxon couplet ran — -Whosoever against holly doth cry, In a rope shall be hung full high; . while a fifteenth carol begins, •• \ - Holly and ivy, box. and bay, . Put in the church on Christmas pay.