The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 15 March 1917, Page 61

The Family Circle

'THE ONLY SON OF HIS MOTHER.' (Killed at Gallipoli.) Ah ! smiling, dimpled baby boy ! Ah! nestling, golden head ! Since first I saw and worshipped him Twice thirteen years have sped. I looked into his limpid eyes— A crystal gazer I And saw him. reach the shining heights Where fame and riches lie. What fame ! what power! what honor his ! He'd fill the nation's eye ! And in that dream of future years How proud a mother I! O luring hopes ! Betraying dreams That gave the Judas kiss, And led me through the swift, bright years To sorrow such as this ! Why in those bright deceptive dreams, That came unbid to me, Was no dark presage woven in Of sad Gallipoli? Ah ! can it be that all I dreamed And all my proud heart willed, For him, my son, in that grim trench Was utterly fulfilled ? That there he felt the highest thrill Allowed to mortal man— And there he grasped the noblest thing That sons of woman can. And in that sacrificial hour Of horror, death, and pain, His eyes beheld the Bright Unseen— Its triumph, grace, and gain. - B. Shaw. A USEFUL SPICE-TREE. 'The very first one I ever made !' exclaimed Marion as she rolled out the upper crust for an apple pie. ' Is everything in to make it taste nice?' asked Cousin Laura. ' I think so.' ' Any nutmeg ?' _' Oh my, no ! Where is it ?' Soon she was grating carefully on the top of the pie a fine dusting of it, which would add much to the flavor of the apples. while when it is baking,' warned Cousin Laura. ' What a funny hard shell the nutmeg has,' said Marion, ' all covered with fine veins! Who would suspect, to look at it, that it would be so spicy and nice when rubbed on a grater?' Yes and you know that when it is freshly picked it is in a case of soft, red veins, through which the seed peeps. These veins become at first yellowish brown and then dry and brittle; then it is called mace. The nut inside of the mace is hard and thin, and inside of that is the nutmeg, which you have just been sprinkling on the apple pie.' ' Why, isn't that queer I didn't know it was made like that. And when is the nutmeg ready to gather, Cousin Laura?' ' I think I smell something burning !' she cried in answer. .' Oh, my pie !' And Marion tore open the oven door. ' It's only some of the juice running out; that doesn't matter. But what a fright you gave me You must never forget anything when you are cooking,' reproved her cousin. ' But as I was going to say, the nutmegs are ripe at all seasons of the year*, and yet they are gathered in July, November, and

March. The natives of the tropical climates where the nutmeg-trees grow gather them on a spear which is attached to a long stick. Then the mace is immediately taken off with a knife and sprinkled with salt to keep it. The nutmeg within is dried over a fire until the nut rattles in its shell. This takes nearly eight weeks, when, of course, the shell breaks easily, and then they have the nutmeg as we see it.' ' How I wish I could see them grow, Cousin Laura ! Have you ever seen them V ' Yes, I picked a few of them from the lower branches of a tree one warm morning in Porto Rico and brought them home. The red mace was upon them when I picked them; but in three days it turned brown and dropped off, so that I could not show the pretty red veining to my friends at home. The leaves of the nutmeg-tree are spicy, and the white flowers very much like the lily-of-the-valley when in blossom.' ' Why, I had quite forgotten my apple pie again !' said Marion quite vexed with herself, as she flew to the oven door. ' But it's just exactly done; and when I eat it I shall think of the little nutmegs way down in the tropics just to help to flavor the pies that I am going to make.' HE HAD HAD ENOUGH. Young Dodkins came to the conclusion that city life was unsuited for his special abilities, so he applied to a farmer to give him a job. The farmer was willing, and set Dodkins to clear up the farmyard, clean out the pigsty and cowshed, and generally make the homes of the animals sweet and comfortable. The young man from the city set to work with a will, and presently the farmer left him and remarked to his wife that ' that town chap warn't sich a bad fellow to work, after all.' A few hours later, when the farmer was at dinner, the door burst open, and in tumbled the new hand, his lips swollen, both eyes almost closed up, and red lumps protruding all over his features. 'Ere, guv-nor,' he gasped, 'gimme my coat; I'm off.' ' Why, what's the matter?' said the farmer. ' Matter ? No more country jobs for me.' ' What's up?' ' Blessed if I know quite; but it happened when I started to clean out the bee-hive!' HOW HE FELT. In one of the suburbs of Belfast trade was dull, and the chief grocer in the district found his earnings becoming smaller day by day. One morning an old customer entered. In expectation of something good, the grocer jumped up from his seat and, rubbing his' hands, said, ' Well, missus, what can I get you?' ' A ha' pennyworth o' soap,' was the reply. ' Oh,' said the disgusted grocer, ' ye'll oe for washing the canary to-day SHE UNDERSTOOD. A venerable old English lady lately went to Paris on a holiday, and was greatly confused at the babel of tongues she heard there. At length she heard the cock crow, whereupon she joyfully exclaimed: ' Thank goodness, I have heard a bit of my own English at last!' ORIGIN OF THE WORD DOYLEY. The word doyley, now so familiar, is derived from the name of Robert D'Oyley, one of the followers of William the Norman. He received a grant of valuable lands on the condition of a yearly tender of a tablecloth of three shillings' value at the feast of St. Michael. Agreeably to the fashion of the time, the ladies of the D'Oyley household were accustomed to embroider and ornament the quit-rent tablecloths;

hence these cloths, becoming curiosities and accumulating in the course of years, were at length brought into use as napkins at the royal table and called doyleys. HE OBTAINED JUDGMENT. A Washington attorney is rather noted for the facility with which he forgets financial obligations. He has owed a certain grocer eight dollars for a year or two. The other day the merchant concluded to try a new course' with him. Meeting him in his store he said : —■ ' Judge, I have a customer who owes me a small bill and has owed it for a long time. He makes plenty of money, but won't pay. What would you do?' 'l'd sue him,' said the lawyer, emphatically. ' Well, I will put the account in your hand,' and the merchant presented a statement, of the account against himself. 'All right, I will attend to it,' said the disciple of Blackstone. A few days later the merchant received the following note from the lawyer: ' In the case of against , I took judgment for full amount of your claim. Execution was issued, and returned "no property found." My fee for obtaining judgment is ten dollars, for which amount please send cheque. Will be glad to serve you in any other matters in which you may need an attorney.' v FULL PARTICULARS. The prosecuting witness in the damage suit against the city was giving in his testimony. ' Now, then, Mr. Bleedem,' said his lawyer, ' you will please tell the jury where you were injured.' ' On my knee, in my feelings, and right in front of the City Hall,' rapidly answered the witness, fearing an objection on the part of the other attorney. THE PITFALLS OF POLITENESS. Mr. Phizzidore Tarara (after his song): ' I must beg of you to excuse my voice, Lady Jasmine, but I really ought not to be singing at all. Indeed, I have a doctor's certificate with me to say that I cannot sing.' Hostess (gushing over with sweetness) : ' I am sure a doctor's certificate was not in the least necessary, Mr. Tarara !' WHERE HE WAS BORN. Little Hattie, determined to give her hero full credit for his achievements, wrote the following in a history examination : ' Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809, in a log-cabin he built himself.' The young lady from town was spending a weekend in the country, and she discoursed glowingly to the buxom landlady of the rustic inn on the delight that real country butter and real new-laid eggs gave to a jaded Londoner. Her faith in country produce was destined, however, to be rudely shaken, for, on coming down to breakfast next morning, she was greatly shocked to overhear the good landlady say to her spouse : ' The lady from Lunnon's mighty keen on fresh eggs, John. Run and get half-a-dozen from the grocer's while I go out into _the yard and cackle.' A Kansas school teacher recently gave her pupils the task of writing a sentence to illustrate the use of the word 'heroes.' Little Willie handed in the following sentence: ' A man sat down on a chair. There was a tack in the chair. He rose.' Cheerful One (to newcomer, on being asked what the trenches are like) : ' If yer stand up yer gets sniped ; if yer keeps down yer gets drowned; if yer moves about

yer gets shelled, and if yer stands still yer gets courtmartialled or frost-bite.' ' ' Now, Adelbert, have we any idols in this country?' .; For a moment the boy hesitated, and then replied : ' Yes, ma'am. Me dad's idle, and me nncle, #*- too.' Angler (in deep water): 'Help! help! I can't swim !' . Country Gentleman (on shore): 'I can't either, but I ain't hollerin' about it.' •' I think I'll start a magazine to be called Umbrage.' 'Why that somewhat unusual name?' ' People are so apt to take it.' The Smart Man burst into the room. 'Heard the news about Dickenson getting shot?' he roared, red with excitement. Club members dropped their papers and sprang suddenly to life. 'No!' they cried. When ' About half an hour ago,' gasped the Smart Man. ' I was there and saw it.' ' Where did he get shot V gasped another. ' Down at the ironmonger's,' chuckled the Smart Man, slipping into the best chair. 'He bought two pounds of it.' In a certain Sunday school on a hot 'Sunday afternoon one of the teachers became somewhat faint, and was placed upon a form while the usual restoratives were applied. Suddenly a little girl stood up and persistently called 'Teacher! Teacher !', in order to attract the attention of one of those who were attending to the unfortunate invalid. At last the little one was heard, and the teacher, turning round, asked in a somewhat liastv manner : ' Well, what is it?' ' Please, teacher, ' replied the child, ' my father makes coffins.' Mr. Phunny: 'Do you know that Mrs. Ransom chews, my dear V Mrs. P.: 'The disgusting creature!' ' Not at all, my dear,' said Mr. P., with his usual grin : ' she's obliged to do so in order to masticate her food.' The jury brought in a verdict of 'not guilty.'' His lordship said, admonishingly, to the prisoner: ' After this you ought to keep away from bad company.' ' Yes, your Lordship, you will not see me here" again in a hurry.' Magistrate: ' What's the charge V . Witness: 'The prisoner is my husband, and he 1 hasn't given a penny towards the support of his family for six weeks.' Magistrate : ' Have you any money V Prisoner : ' I've got ten shillings.' Magistrate : ' Ten shillings fine. Next case.'