The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 19 February 1914, Page 61

The Family Circle

HOW TO FORGET

If you were busy being kind. Before you knew it, you would find You’d soon forget to think ’twas true That some one was unkind to you. If you were busy being glad, ' And cheering people who are sad, Although your heart might ache a bit, You’d soon forget to notice it. If you were busy being good. And doing just the best you could, You’d not have time to blame some man, * Who’s doing just the best he can. If you were busy being true To what you know you ought to do, You’d be so busy you’d forget The blunders of the folks you’ve met. - If you were busy being right, You’d find yourself too busy quite To criticise your neighbor IcJng, ' Because he's busy being wrong. THE KINGS’ CAKE In former times it was customary, on the Feast of the Epiphany, to bake a rich cake, which was called the Cake of the Three Kings. On these occasoins the family would assemble around the board ; and the father after cutting the cake into as many pieces as there were persons present, would set aside what was called ‘ God’s portion,’ to be given to the poor. The youngest child had the privilege of designating the member of the company who should hold the title of King of the Feast. The King would then choose a Queen, and the rest of the evening would be passed in pleasant games, singing, and story-telling. Apropos of this ancient custom, the following story is related. ; he Feast of the Three Kings was being celebrated in a humble cottage in England. The snow fell like a .-thick white cloud over the ' valley ; the wind..blew fiercely, driving it into the hollows. In every cottage a portion had been put aside for the homeless, hungry ones roaming that bitter night from house to house in search of anything reserved for the poor. In the cottage of which we have spoken, the home of Olgard, the sheep-herder, his daughter Editha was preparing the .evening meal. When all was ready, Olgard seated herself at the head of the table, cut the cake, and put aside ‘ God’s portion ’ for the first one who should ask for it. * ■ ■ - Just as they began the repast, some one knocked at the door. ||i Who is;thei;e?’ inquired Olgard. • ;. •£> Kind-hearted Editha, .without waiting for a reply, had already arisen at the first knock ; and in a moment returned, leading by the hand a man covered with show and trembling with cold. If.,The,.master, rose and welcomed him. ‘ It is a bitter night, my friend,’ he said. We thank the good. God who has sent you to us for food and shelter ! Yonder by the huge fire of logs you can warm yourself. Then yout shall share our - evening meal t a slice of the King’s Cake is ready for you,’ | ‘ Thank you, friend : and may Jesus and Mary reward you !’ murmured the visitor, in a low, musical voice. ' ■ '* ”, . ■■■■■■■■■ After warming his numbed * limbs at; the friendly blaze,, the stranger advanced to the table, taking his seat a little apart, :at the foot, where a small bench had been .placed for him. V >*. f : i. { ' Suddenly some one exclaimed: > ‘But who shall be King?’ V

'* Dunstan, said the shepherd, addressing his youngest boy, ‘ whom do you choose?’ The child glanced around the group of relatives and herdsman then he pointed shyly to the stranger. ‘Yes, yes; now, you are King!' cried the family in- chorus. c ' - £ \ y Poor King!’ said Editha compassionately. ‘I am glad for you. Will you not give us a share in your good fortune?’ she added playfully, wishing to put the mendicant at his ease. vV‘I will gladly give you a share of my kingdom,’ replied the visitor, with a grave smile. ‘ You shall be my Queen !’ >- ‘ How good of you !’ answered Editha. ‘My King, it behooves me, then, to attend to your needs. Your clothes are in tatters; I shall have to renew them.’ Rising from the table, she left the room, to which she presently returned, her arms full of clothing. Here, sire, she said, with a charming smile ‘ here is a warm cloak, which will*shield you from the cold and the snow. Your doublet is worn out; I have brought you another. Take them, my King ! I give them to you with all my heart.' The mendicant looked at her gratefully, unable to speak. But he bowed his head low, while large tears glistened in his fine eyes. In his secret soul, Olgard was not entirely pleased at his daughter’s generosity ; but she looked so beautiful and radiant that he could not bring himself to check her. The evening passed very pleasantly. The longer the stranger sat with them, the more his companions realised that he had not always been a beggar, but had probably fallen, through no fault of his own, from some higher estate than that in which he was now being entertained. When he would have departed, after the: feast was over, the sheep-herder said; .... ‘ Nay ! nay ! Rest here by the fire, my good man.. I will throw a couple of skins on the floor— one for thee: to lie upon, and one to cover thee.’ ‘ I thank thee, friend!’ rejoined the mendicant.. * Otherwise, I might have perished in the storm.' But when he looked around to thank his fair young; hostess also, she had stolen away. Although the family of the shepherd were up by candlelight next morning, the stranger had departed. But their wonder at his silent disappearance was soon, merged 7 into excitement by learning, through trusty runners, that Alfred, their King, had been surrounded and defeated in Sherwood Forest by his enemies, the Danes ; and had fled in disguise, no one .knew whither. The disastrous news was for a few days the sole topic of conversation throughout the country, till it was: succeeded by information that the King, in the guise of a harper, had penetrated the camp of , the Danes, which he had reconnoitered so satisfactorily that, having once more gathered his followers about him, he ; had fought a decisive battle, thoroughly routing his enemies. The news was true, and peace again reigned in the kingdom. e , Then one day two fine equipages halted in front' of Olgard’s cottage. A handsome man, splendidly at- • tired, descended from one of them, followed by an; equerry, and accosted Editha as follows: ‘ Do you' remember these, O kind and generous: maiden?’ —at the same time pointing to some garments: the aide-de-camp who accompanied him held in. his; arms. ~ v -• ■ „ < ~ ‘Yes, I remember them,’ said Editha. And me—-do you still remember me?’ , ; ‘Ah, yes!’ once more answered the young-, girl. ‘ I have never forgotten you.’ ’ * As she spoke her voice trembled, her cheek flushed, and her eyes fell before the kindly gaze of the gallant stranger. £■ . ‘ Editha,’ he continued, taking her hand, ‘ once; you crowned me Kingcrowned me; with the gold of your sympathy, the jewelled tears of your generosity and kindness. And on that memorable night, in the spirit of the feast, I chose;, you for. my Queen. . But it was .’ not ,in jest that I did so. ~ Fairest and best tof all

the maidens I have seen in Britain, I here and now renew.my choice of you for its Queen for 1 am Alfred the King.’ ‘ ; i: . ' ( £ . , v / y ' > Happy and virtuous was the reign of Queen Editha. She had given ‘ God’s portion ’ to His poor, and thus He rewarded her. —Ave Maria. r HOME TRUTHS ♦ Those who know little and can do less are theseverest critics. ~ In vain do tlxey talk of happiness who never subdued an impulse in obedience to a principle. . Man is very apt to contemplate himself out of all proportion to his surroundings. ’ Marriage is a short cut from romance to reality. A bright smile will chase the shadows from the darkest surroundings. Love occupies a vast space in a woman’s thoughts, but fills'a small portion in man’s life. After all, the kind of, world one carries about in one’s self is tho important thing, and the world outside takes all its grace, color, beauty, and value from that. Many men might have a hundred eyes, and yet never bo able to see through the wiles of a woman. Never tell a friend of your quarrels with another. It may confirm his suspicion, that you are hard to get along with. Some people seem to reckon their rate of progress by the noise they make and the dust they raise. There are sweet surprises awaiting many a humble soul, fighting against odds in the battle of a seemingly commonplace life. If you would flatter a man, tell him that he is prove against flattery. There is more or less dead wood in every family tree.. The woman who declares that sentiment is a hopeless form of insanity is either a confirmed spinster or unhappily married. Laugh and the world laughs with you —if you are not laughing at the world. , " Some girls are like musical boxes Tull of airs. ONCE A NOVELTY There are innovations introduced nowadays which wo think very startling, but probably the 1 time is coming when they will be regarded as mere everyday things And taken as a matter of course. In the year 1610, Mr. Coryat, an Englishman, travelling in Italy, was much taken with some quaint implements used at table ; he had never seen anything like them before. These were two-tined forks, and he carried some of them back to England, where they were a distinct novelty. People were ' in the habit of eating with spoons, or the fingers, which were ‘made before forks,’ as the nursery rhyme has it. The English thought Mr. Ooryat a terrible dandy, and made much fun of him ; and the use of forks did not become general until well on toward the seventeenth century. AN EXPLANATION v Last Christmas a certain gentleman was invited to a big dinner at the house of one of the leading men in the town. At the dinner table he was placed opposite a goose. The lady of the house was placed on the gentleman’s left. Seeing the goose, he remarked: ‘ Shall I sit so close to the goose?’ Finding his words a bit equivocal, he turned round to the lady, and said, in a most inoffensive tone: ‘Excuse me, my lady I meant the roast one.’ k ' —■■ STRAIGHT DOWN .. Sea! Sea everywhere, as the great liner made her powerful course over the Atlantic. ~ / iTJ / A .£■//.* Oh, captain,’ came a disconsolate ; groan from a

seasick .passenger, half reclining in a deck chair, 'how far are* wo oft land V - J', * >!•••'. ' ,':■ : -\ '■• No answer came to this remark, which had been reiterated several times that day. ;;" ' ■ .'.Oh, captain, do answer•: —how far?' *O, 'Mile and a half,' came the gruff reply. 'Thank Heaven ! In what direction, captain?' A twinkle came for a moment into the eye of the brusque old sea-dog. V ' Straight down !' he grunted. ' POSTPONED ' I want to insert a big- advertisement in your paper,' said a business-like gentleman bursting into a newspaper editorial sanctum. 'lt's about a fine new brand of whisky.' Certainly, sir,' cried.the editor, springing to his feet and rubbing his hands.- ' Excuse me a moment,' and he went to the speaking-tube and said to the foreman compositor, in a whisper: ' You need not set that editorial of mine on "The Curse of Drink this week.' NOT LIKELY A Scotsman was strolling through the market-place in Glasgow one day, and close at his heels followed his faithful collie. Attracted by a fine display of shell and other fish, the Scot stopped to admire, perhaps to purchase. The dog stood by, gently wagging its tail, while its master engaged the fishmonger in conversation. _ Unfortunately for the dog, its tail dropped for a moment over a big basketful 'of fine, live lobsters. Instantly one of the largest lobsters snapped its claws on the tail, and the surprised collie dashed off through the market, yelping its pain, while the lobster hung on grimly, though dashed violently from side to side. The fishmonger for a moment was speechless with indignation, then, turning to his prospective customer, ho bawled : ' Mon, mon! Whustle on yer dogwhustle on yer dog !' . ' Hoots, mon,' returned the other complacently, 'whustle on yer lobster.' . FAMILY FUN What chasm often separates friends?-Sar-casm. How do bees dispose of their honey ?—They cell it. What herb is most injurious to a lady's beauty?— Thyme. ; When is a sailor like a corpse ?—When he is in the shrouds. What grows less tired the more it is worked ?—A carriage wheel. Why is the letter E like death?—Because it is at the end of life. ■ . . ' When does a tailor serve his customers both well and ill?—When he gives them fits. What is that which never uses its teeth for eating purposes?—A comb. What- is more 'foolish than sending coal to Newcastle ?—Sending milk to Cowes. Why are all duels short affairs ?—Because it only requires two seconds to arrange them. When may a man- be said to breakfast before he gets up?—When he takes a roll in bed. Why is a lady in a cotton dress like anything published? —Because she appears in print. ' •: Why is a beggar mending his clothes like, a rich man?—Because he is making up his rents. »' Why is an absconding bank cashier like an air gun —Because he goes off loaded and makes no report.