The Family, Circle

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 48, 6 December 1923, Page 53

The Family, Circle

MA’S TOOLS. At home it seems to be the rule Pa never has “the proper tool” Or knack to fix things. For the stunt That stumps Ma, though, you’ll have to hunt. < The castor on the table leg Fell out. Pa said a wooden peg Would fix it up. But Ma kep’ mum An’ fixed it with a wad of gum. We could scarce open our front door It stuck so tight. An’ Pa, he swore He’d “buy a plane” as big as life—- . Ma fixed it with the carving-knife. The bureau draw got stuck one day, An, push or pull, ’twas there to stay. Said Pa, “some day ’twill shrink, I hope.” Ma fixed it with a piece of soap. The window-shade got out of whack, ’Twould not pull down, nor yet roll back. Pa says, “No one can fix that thing.” Ma fixed it with a piece of string. I broke the stove-door hinge one day. (’Twas cracked before, though, anyway.) Pa said we’d put a new door in. Ma grabbed her hair an’ got a pin. The bath-tub drain got all clogged up. Pa baled the tub out with a cup — He had a dreadful helpless look. Ma cleaned it with a chochet-hook. One day our old clock wouldn’t start. Pa said he’d take it all apart Some day an’ fix the ol’ machine. Ma soused the works in kerosene. The garden-gate latch broke one day, '.Cows' ate our sweet things up. An’, say, Pa scolded like a house afire! Ma fixed the latch up with hay wire. So when my things get out of fix Do I ask Pa to mend ’em? Nix, But Ma just grabs what’s near at hand An’ togs things up to beat the band.

A DECEMBER SAINT. St. Sylvester (December 31) was the Pope raised up by God to preside over the peace of the Church, assured fcy the conversion of the Emperor Constantine, whom he baptised. Having himself been a witness of the horrors of the persecution under Diocletian, he was well fitted to heal the wounds inflicted on the Church and to reorganise her discipline. The task was not easy. Pope after Pope had been done to death; bishops and priests had perished by the hundred; no church or Christian building had escaped destruction; and, a disaster of which we still feel the consequences, all the Sacred Books and all the records of the Christian past had been diligently sought out and committed to the flames. St. Sylvester, supported by Constantine, put new life into everything; built churches worthy of Rome (become the capital of the Christian world), among them St. Peter’s and the Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran and provided generously for the poor. One of his achievements was the holding of the great Synod of Nicaea, in which the then nascent heresy of the Arians, ♦r, as we call them, Unitarians, was victoriously exposed And confuted. St. Sylvester’s Pontificate was a long one, v £.'■■ v r; ! 'v : ■■ i>': 'V: v

lasting over twenty-one years, during which he had con--secrated no fewer than sixty-five bishops. Ho died Decemher 31, A.D, 335, and was buried with his predecessors in the Roman Catacombs. THE CATHOLIC PAPER. I am the left arm of the Church, of which the Bishops are the head and the clergy and religious the right arm. I am the best friend of the State. I am ever the exponent of the purest patriotism; loyalty to law of God and law of country. I stand ever ready to defend the teachings of the Church; always on guard to promote her welfare and do not suffer her to be slandered with impunity. I am the means of making the Church better known and more respected by those who know her not. I am the mirror of moral philosophy. I am the friend of the poor. I am not the enemy of the rich. I am the bride of truth, and cannot be the friend of wrong, injustice, or tyranny. I am the guardian of the home. I am the best friend the missionary has. I carry the stories of his labors to the farthermost corners of the Christian world. I am the power that supports the work of the pulpit most directly. I carry the sermon and words of admonition into the homes and to the masses of the people. I tell of the good the priests are doing, how they risk their lives to minister to the dying. I tell of the Sisterhoods who spend their lives in teaching the young, nursing the sick, and caring for those who are bereft of parents, and shorn of human sympathy and love. I am the exponent of religious education. I am the one who is always ready to applaud every and any man, whatever his politics or his creed, who stands up for what is right and just. I give you the important Catholic news of the world. I give you variety, entertainment-hut no scandal and pagan example. I am the clean breath to brighten your life, the sunshine that radiates Catholic tone in your home. I am in need of your good influence and worthy, help. I am dependent upon your financial support for assistance. I am worthy of every good you can do me, every support you can give me. Will you not do your part by opening at least one new mind and home to me ? Do it now 1 Buy every week or subscribe to the N.Z. Tablet— (Adapted from the Catholic Standard and Times, Philadelphia). WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? hat have you done to-day, my friend, To make some sad heart lighter? You say your business is on the mend, And the outlook’s growing brighter; But what have you done or tried to do To banish care and to lessen sorrow ? Is the sweetest thought that has come to vou { The thought of gains you will have to-morrow ? * You are on the road to success, you say, And your doubting days are ended; But where have you given cheer to-day, hat struggler have you befriended? Have you had a thought for the fatherless Whose joys are few and whose days are lonely? You’re as far as ever from sweet success If your mind has been ,on your profits only. You think you have done a good day’s work By making your , profits greater, But near you troublesome spirits lurk, To plague and to pain you later. There’s loss in the gain you think you have won If. your vision is narrowed by selfish blindness For never a good day’s work is don© ’ Unless it adds to the worker’s kindness.

’ - BOBBY’S REASONS. Bobby was dictating a, letter, explaining why he had not been at school, to his sister, whom he had squared into writing for him. ' , ■ i “Dear : Miss Jones, — excuse Bobby for not bean at school since Tewsday, as he add twothake since Tewsday and on Wensday he broke his harm and he add to go to a party yesterday afternoon. If he does not come to-morra it will be cause a boy thrue a stoan at is I.” A TRICK THAT FAILED. A farmer was taking his son, aged ten, to town. Whilst in the train he attempted to amuse the lad by showing him a few tricks. Snatching his son’s cap from his head he pretended to throw it out of the window, at the same time, unknown to the boy, hiding it under his arm. Now, ’ said the father, “watch daddy whistle your hat back.” To the astonishment of the boy the hat reappeared. Before the train reached its destination the little boy jumped up suddenly, snatched his father’s hat from his head, and, throwing it out of the window, said triumphantly, “Whistle that back daddy.” GARDEN GOSSIP. Over the garden hedge Mrs. Auburn and Mrs. Elmwood were discussing the qualities of their respective husbands. Do you know, Mrs. Elmwood,” said Mrs. Auburn, “my husband is terribly tender-hearted.” “Really?” “Yes,” said Mrs. Auburn. “Why, he simply can’t bring himself to the point of killing a fly, and I can’t even get him to punish our son when he’s naughty.” “Well,” said Mrs. Elmwood, “he’s very much like my husband, And with a sigh, “My husband is so. tenderhearted that he won’t even beat the rugs.” SMILE RAISERS. Mother (writing): “Now you must send a kiss to daddy.” Doris: “I’d better not, ’cos I’ve just been eating onions 1” V “Willie,” asked the teacher of the new pupil, “do you know your alphabet?” “Yes, miss,” answered Willie. “Well, then,” continued the teacher, “what letter comes after. A?” “All the rest of them,” was the triumphant reply. ? The teacher was trying to impress upon her pupils the importance of doing right at all times, and to bring out the answer, “Bad. habits,” she inquired: “What is that we find so easy to get into and so hard to get out of?” There was silence for a moment, and then one little fellow answered, “Bed.” V A Little Emmeline was on a visit to her grandmother in the country. They had chicken for dinner, which plased the little girl very much. “Oh, where did you get the chicken, grandma?” she asked. “From the chicken yard, dear, ,It’s one of those you saw this morning.” c “What, o#fe of those I fed?” “Yes, dear.” “Did you kill one?” “Yes, darling.” “Oh, did you?” said Emmeline. “At home we buy ours ready made.”