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A PLUM PUDDING PARH HY MARGARET M. SCOTT. A Plum Purfdinjc Paityl Pon't you want to start !t this miiiuto? Hut sinto guest* do add to a purty it miRht be a gw)d thiiiff to invite sotnc This little verse on brown wrapping pai>or could be used for the invitation: The Plum Pud(fiiiK Fairy will Ije In town, ThurFffcay, four hours past »iindr)wn. If jt>u would sen this jolly Bprito Don't forgot to come that niffht. Name Date P'.ace Then fold the pjiper and tie It up In a four-inch s<M:aro of white cotton to represent a pu idinij l)aif. Bare branches cun soon be chanjjed Into sunnr plum trees. Just hanjjf stickA of candy, K>llypops, cookies, strinpi of raisir.s, and pleceo of cin- namon i>ark on fhom find watch the transfo-mntion. Narrow Htripa of bright-colored paper could tako lh« plac<' of l<>:.ve8, and you mi(^ht pin some cut ou» birds on the curtains and draperirit and ha'.g itomo from the chandelier. If you prefer, you might invite the guests as early as six or se\'en and serve the refreshments as the evening meal, and thf^n follow with tho pro- gram. As a supper party yo;i might serw a more Bubgtantial nvnu. But in either case serving at ?"vt«n, pro- 1 ceding the pro-rram, or at U:.i. follow-: ing it, the ceremony of the fuiry and, her pudding can be madi; specially' de'iuhtful and entortainii.tr. The sugg<?»tcd decorations nre not hard to obtain or to nrranf^e, and should enable the hostess to (jive a different kind of Christinai party that will Ik- quite aa enjoyable as the time-hrmored kind with a Christmas tree and a !>anta Clau«. MP, Nil. Cheese Sandwiches Heat or Peanut-Butter Sandwiches Pickles Olives Plum Pudding CV)ffce If supper is served at seven you i might add a salad or a hot vegetable like baked beans, eacalloijed corn or; potntoea, or .something even more elalorntp. Il'.re's t'.a recipe for Scotch I'l-um Pudding (for 20): One pound Kceu<-d raising, 1 pound currants, 1 pound diced suet, 1 pound granulalf-d s':fra.r, l',4 loavci bre.id-j crumbs, 'i pint milk (enough to moi.s-; ten arvd "bind"), •} ounces grated! orar./e I>«-1, " ounces ^rnted lemon, pwl, 1 pint ."tfu-d while flour (<n<nigh; to "bind"), 2 ounrps chopped figs, 3 eggn (well be!'.t<n), 1 teaspoon (henp-i Ing) g-round cinr. union, 1 t*.;;sp«on , (level) ground cloves, 1 tablespoon' vani.I;i extract. I Mix ingredients well; mould into, round shape. Il.aving boiled % yard; of new muslin (iinb!€:ich<>d) ton min- utes, wrinj; out, sprr;)d on table; ."/ift flour 1-10 inch dt>ep and 11 inches in diameter in centre of ckilh, deposit mold; gather up edjrcs of cloth tight-! ly and evenly (allowing fi '• pudding •w«llin<r a little) and tie with %-'nph-| wide stiip of muslin in a vlijik'iot. ' Put in deep pot of >M)iilng water, and ; boil for four hours briskly; ke<!p cov- ered with wat»>r nil the time. An old plate in bottom of the pot will prevent! puddint; from stickitig to Ixitloiu o pot. nKCIPK roR SAUCE. Two ounces butter, 2Vi pints inili*, 2 heaping tablv'si>ooM» sifted white, flour, 1 lipuping lal)l«.-si»<)ii grat«^l ; cocoa (or chocolate), I ounce grntod â-  crystallized ginger, 1 tublespooti van- 1 ilia extract, sugar (to .suit taste). ' Bring milk in sauiepan almost to; boll; add butter .-ind slowly stir in; thickening (which has l)f«n mixed, with cocoa); ad^l gingx'r and sugar.' Bring just lo boil a inoni<-nt; remove; and add vanilla. { (Note â€" To rc-l.e;:t whole pudding,; boll I'-i hours.) i CO.N'TKST dl' SIMCK.S. j A good wa;, to "hrcak the ice" at The Plum Pudding Fairy. Thv plum puut-liiig fairy's a t)oau- tiful iiu«K>n Who posi.sesseu the magic key Of the wwtidrou.s land of cookies and cukes Where sugar plums grow on a tr-,-t'. This wonderful land just out of our reach Has trees that are very handy; They all are covered with cinna-j mon bark | And twigs that are made ofi candy. I The toadtitooLs are Jumbles; the springs, root beor; i Flower cookies are found with | ease, j While squirrel.H and birds aro fat' little cakes, | And Jellies ooze out of tho trees, j In tho very mld.st of this wondrous grove, On a stalk tluxt's not very tall. There grows tlie plum pudding, spicy and sweet. The best ar.d tho gi-andest of all. ope in rotation, and writes his guess on his paper. When all have one this, i the judge collects tho papers and) awards a prize of an apple stuck full 'â- â-  of cloves to tho player ha\nng tho| keenest nose. No player is allowed mo!<; thiin three rftinutes to examine the envelopes. PLUM PtDPING SPELLING BEE. This lii^t of words is suggested: Pudding, sugar, candy, jellies, sauce, gninultttcd, bark, .xpices, ingredients, nutmeg, crystuUizod, sifted, cloth, string, rai&ins, nvold, walnut, milk, lomon, butter, pound, stir, level, grat- ed, loaves, qua-rt, extract, seeded, bat- ter, plums, cinTiamo.i, jumble.'!, cloves, sweeten, ginger, Hour, diced, muslin, sift, currants, slip-knot, suet, orange, vaitilla, eggs, shapo, heaping, boiling, boaUm, crumlx), .•vinooth, flavoring, thickening, teaspooiiful, dromedary dates, bablespoonfu'l. Christmu in Olden Time. Sir W;i!t«r S'ott wa.-^ knowm far and wi<iu un a poet long before he won fame as a novelist. Tho following I'ines are taken from "Marmion": â€" Heap on more wmxII the wind is chill; B-ut lot It wh'.stle as it will. We'll keep our Christnm.H merry still. Each age has deemed the new-bom year The fittest time for fostnl clieer. And well our Christian sires of old, lioved when the year its course had rolle<l. And V)rought blithe C'hristma.s back again With all its ho.tpitable train. Forth to the wood did nverry-men go To gather in the miBtJetoe. Then oixsncd wide the l>aron's huH To vassal, tonunt, .serf, and all; Power laid his i-od of rule aside And Ceremony doffed his pride. The fire, with well-dried logs supplied, Went roaring up the chimney widei. The huge hall table's oaken face, Scrubbed till it siione the day to grace. Bore then upon its mas.^ive board No mark to part tho scjuirc and h>rd. There tho huge sirloin reeked; hard by Plum ponidgo .stood, and Christmas pie; Nor failed old Scotland to produce. At such high tide, hor sjivoury goose. England was merry Kngland, when Old Ch'istnias brought his sports again. 'Twas Christmas broached the mer- riest taJe; 'Twas Christma:^ broached the might- iest ale; 'Twas Christma-s told the merriejrt tale ; A Clii i.stmas gambol oft could cheer Tho poor man's heart through half the year. Itttte toton of ^ettU^em; iioiD Ml toe itttiitt lie! (â- ^ little toton ot ^ttJjUljem, (1^ jl^otD mi toe see tfjee liet fibobe tt? beep anb breamleiEtfi! sleep Cije silent stars go bp; i>et in tt)p barb street sfjinetb tCt)eeberlastins1listtjt; Cbe bopes anb feats of all ttie pearf ^ 3re met in tbee to^iiott. ©f)oIpCbiaof?8ttbleljerat ^escenb to us, tue pra? : Cast out our sin, anb enter in, 9e bom ai us to-bap. Me bear tbe Christmas angels W.^t sreat glab tibings tell ; ^)j, come to us, abibe fcoitb us, <^ur lorb Cmmanuel ! . this i"!irty would lie lo ho'd a "Con- 1 teHt of SpiiH's" (ir;.t Appoint a judge! to keep the score. He sits at a table I on which arc arrange;! lix i.r niore numbered envelopes e:K-h containing a iiiffcr<i>t spice. The players arc pro-' vided with p:ip<>r and pencil, eachj papet having a column of numliors corresponding to tiiose on tho en- velopes. Tbe player writes his name on hiH paper, approachts the lablo, BmeHs (but may i\ot sw I o.ich enve!-' THE FLUTTERINO KIBBON. Players in this n'^me are arranged in a line according to size, the largest on one end find tho smallcit on the other. Each player stands with his hands on the shoalders of the per.son in front of him. .\t a sigr.u! the ijamc btgin.s, the largest player tries to catch th'.' smallest one and tho others att-enipt to prevent It by twisting, coilii'g and turning about. The line must not h-8 broken. The antics cau.s<;>d by keeping the tnds apart f';rrl,<h no tr.d of e.Kcit^'- ment and fun. When the smallest player is caught the gpme may l>e re- versed, the largest player being pur- sued this time. WliT. th;' game is over, plnce a small table in the centre of the room and then bring in what appears to t>e a pudding. But instead of savory htoam, red and green rihb.ins come from the top. Fastened to the rib- bons are iittle packages, two of which, one red and one green, contain a few raisins, two oiher.i a c'u1h> cf ."^ugar. You might fill th<' rest with nutmegs, orange peel, tigs, hard candies, cur- rants, nuti, or litt'o cookie.s, but there must be a red to ninlch each green. Give each girl a red ribbon and the green ones to the boys, and ;is the large pudding is untied tb.o guests pul! I.'onlly. Thi> litle )>ackago8 are open- («1 then, and th<' matching contents de- cide who aro supp.or partners. Serve tho sandwiches, .salads, and coffee, or wluitever you decide upon, foi th<' fir.<t coursi'. .'Vnd now is tlie time for th« fairy. Yotir little si.ster will enj'iv ini|:ers(:ii:,tirig her. To her- ald her coming, "The Plum I'udding I-'airy" is read aiond. The fairy Is dre^sT-d in a li^'ht brown costunu' to which are sewed raisins, candy, and small cnokie.t. She carries a wand witli a small pudding bag on the end. .\s soon as the poem is llnished the fairy come.s in ;>n<l liows to tho com- pany. Th'jii si.;' wjives her wand over the table, atui two of her attendants appear. One carries the puilding, the oth<-r th;> S'iuice. Th.'y place them, 1k>w, and disappear. Th'.'n the fairy tiows and |i.o,s i>ut, and the guests find that fairy!nnd pu(!dins;s are n-; goxl :i« they'd dreain"! they would be. MY GIFTS. My gifts arc niado with my fingers, For my dollars are' too few And so I'm going to stamping, sewing I''or you and you and you. My gifls are made with my fin^rs, In the old-time women's art: My giftt^ are made with my fingers. And u-ith my heart. â€" Mary Carolyn Davies. In addition to measurements and fingerprints of criminals, phono- graphic records of their voices can ROW be taken without their knowledge. There Is a Room. The little King ha.s come, has come! Ilast thou a guest ixjom in thy home? Send Him not forth witl. leasts to lie, Seest thou? Hia star .shines in the sky; Welcome Emmanuel; ne'er depart Theie is a room within my heart Watching their sheep on d'iatant hill, .\ngelic strains tlie shepherds thrill, Joyful they haEte to .•^ee the Child, The promised Saviour, undefiled. So would i hasten, glad to greet And kneel Christ-child, at Thy feet. Alas! World, turn not ;iway Thy Sacred Gue«t, this natal day, Too oft in ig:norance and sin Have nations turned Him from the inn. But from me. Saviour, ne'er depart, Dwell in the room within my heart. â€" Emma Watt Easton. GAMES FOR THE CHEDREN'S PARTY Getting Ready. Mr. Bug-â€" "M.,, I never saw little Johnny so Indiustrkxua befoav." lyaidy Bug â€" "Why, don't you know Christmas Is coming 7" *_ The fool wonders; the wise man asks. ChriatjRas Company is played thus: I Stretch a sheet across a doorway and j behind it place a bam lanteim or elec- Itric light (do not use an oil lamp). I I<et a group of young folks dress in I various grotesque disiguises, and ap- pear, one by one, behind the screen so that their shadows will be thro'wn upon it The other gruests then en- ! deavor to recog:nize the "Christmas company" by their shadows. Noses can be built "up" or "out" by means of wax, in order to change the pro- files ; pillows will change the slervder to stout; and it will be no easy prob- lem to determine the identity of the various shadows. Christmas Presents can be made a jolly game. The players sit in a circle and the leader asks a player ♦'What did Santa Glaus bring you?" Thej pJayer ntMiy reply (for example) "a ukulele" and immediately pretend he is strumming one. In answer to the same question, the next player may mention "a vacuum cleaner" and be- gin to roll an imagfinary cleaner. Who- ever names a gift that can not be pantomimed is "out." The leader goes 'round tbe circle until all are panto- miming their presents in an absurd manner. Tho question is again asked the ukul'ele player, who ntay then ani-w^r "hair-brush" and try to brush his hair and piny the ukulele at the same time. The questions continue j around the circle and it will not be long until the game breaks up in a gale of laughter. For the Christmas Candy Box, cut cardboard into oblongs the shape of candy boxes and write on each the fol- lowing rhymes. Have pencils in readi- ness and award a box of candy to the person who first writes the coerect answers. 1. "Tis in the mouth, to this add a fall. And now you have candy for chil- dren .so small. 2. Sometimes 'tis foolish praise ('tiS' true) And sontetimes it's sticky candy> too. 3. A word for nonsense you'll oft ex- claim And thus a favorite candy name. 4. Your Christmas-candy box may hold A meadow flower, bright as gold. 5. The first a dairy product 'Tis always on the table, Tbe next, a people o'er the sea; Now giiess if you are able! 6. Where they make money, so shining and bright, And so as a candy it must I)e all right. 7. The second is a color, the first, a chilly season. The whole, a candy old folks like, of course "there is a reason!" 6. A French wtird meaning g<x>d, Suppose you say it twice, And you will have a candy That's always very nice! 9. To make this good cnndy, two words you must take: The first is a nut, the next "easy to break." 10. A slangy word for vrhip, A vowel, then a food. You'll have a candy that is bia-'k But also v->ry good. Answers: 1, Gumdrop; 2, taffy; 'i, fudge; 4. buttercup; 5. butterscotch; (), mint; 7, wiiitergreen ; 8, bonbon; i),' peiinut brittle; 10, licorice. Just About. "I want a shirt for little brother." j said tho child In the dry goods store. 1 "What size, my dear? How old is When It Runs. "The directions say ti' l';ni tha handle clockwise. What docs that mean?" your brother?" •'I don't know 'zactly. He's not very I "How absurd! Don t vou know liie old. He Just takes two steps an' nen I way your clock runs?" ho falls down.' "Sure, it runs down.' THECIFTS BY JEANNIE PENDLETON HAT.L. STEAMER LOOKS LIKt: ARCTIC EXPLORtF! CmUe-.l In ieo from how lo slorn, an 1 from wat(rlin«' lo the loi.-; of linr rlKtting i.t 111' (I! I of li; r last laUo trip for tlie »6;iso>n. tho Caaiada Steam- ships Lino, .l.tMH) Ion bulk frrl»!hti v, "MapUlon." rre-.viKs ii frigid appear- iiiic<> ns slio llos docked lU Toronto. The "Mai'.vleton." which Is coniiiiandod by Capuiln Dan Conir tl. led Wallaeoburg with a turgo of 2,0i>0 tons of sugar for the Dfiiuiiilon Sii«iir ("cuiir-an>'. !"•»• Thui>:,lay. and biit\ve^-.;i forcing a pass- iiKii throupli llie rapidly closing Wellfliul t'aiia! and nutling wntli tlie waves en the hikes, look uiilll s'lorliy after midnight .Meiiday to comploto a niM lluil Is norni:illy ma;! â-  in two-and-uhalf iIiivh. T1i,> "Mapleton" is the last liul tine of the coini'iiny "s boat.-- to lay um for the winter. The little Jisus dropped the ^ylistening thin;;'-, (The place smelled sweet of frank- incense and myrrh), And Mary pressed her darling close to her. It te^rmed so vory strange! Like any other baby's were the rings Of soft damp hair upon his tiny head. And yet â€" those Three, the .stately camri-tread. The Star that did not change! She hid the Magi gifts half tenderly. Half jealously, for Joseph in dis- tress Groaned of their splendor and their i Worthy a prince, delight:'on«> to a iiselessness child, And would have proffered them , The myrrh, the yellow gold. Back to tho givers, could such rude-: ness be. j Whore now? Wore they caught heav- Rut they were gone; the rested cam- enward, glowing, hung. As was the Holy Grail that none might see Except the knight of stainless pur« To lade tho Ix^aKt." saith he, "with, things so rare. When : hall our Sonling need that in- cense there?" Saith ihe, "When He is crowned," Wlwre were tho gifts those three •sharp, crowded years 'Twixt wilderness and Calvary? Mayhap His mother kept them; sometimes would unwrap The covering ar.d b<hold The well-saN'ed treasures through her lonesome tears : The little censer, deftly v,-rought and filled. els sped j Busily eastward now, and rumor said Not by Jerusa'em. ity? The warning came, "Tt '";ypt!" and No matter! Far away within j The winds of centuries the .shards Her simplf bundle Mary stowed the h.nve flung gifts I Of I-.vrger trophies, but thes.- eenturtes (They scented it like apple-blossom! keep drifts j The Magi-thought, and wliilo the Cjio- In May), but Joseph frowned. .*ar8 sleep I "I fear it is a menace, half a sin, Our htwrts :rive jrift." to-day. MUTT AND JEFFâ€" By Bud FUher. m. r t 1 '4 \ ♦ f r