Articles

The season is coming which is marked by beautiful custom and sweet association, in which everybody is asking what presents they shall make to friends and dear ones; and our times furnish an infinite variety of things good for such a purpose. But among them all there is nothing equal to a good book.

In various discussions and observations involved in conducting a Journal, unpleasant things have to be said sometimes of persons, and sometimes of the causes and interests with which they are connected. But these do not always go together.

We extend our thanks to correspondents who have sent us some excellent articles for the Journal, some of which, however, were too late for this number, and will enrich the next. Our first article for this month is a real Christmas Carol, though not so announced, and it will make melody in many hearts.

Somebody who has seen Hungry Joe, the bunko swindler, since he went to prison, reports him as holding an apparently sincere belief in his possession of psychologic power. Asked what was the secret of his wonderful success in swindling intelligent and often experienced men, he replied: "It is mesmerism.

Roger Bacon , the "Marvelous Monk," who seems to have anticipated many of the heretical tenets of his great namesake, ventures the remark that, "according to his honest conviction, a benevolent and absolute monarch could not do his subjects a greater service than to expel from his dominions all physicians and druggists, farca et tridente" at the point of the bayonet, as we would say nowadays. It is probable that such an exodus would throw many honest tradesmen, herb-gatherers, almanac-printers, and bottle-manufacturers (not to mention undertakers) out of employment; but it is rather doubtful if the statistical records, or the absolute monarchy, would not gradually reconcile the inhabitants to their bereavement.

The doctrine that Mind is all, that there is only one Reality and Substance, and this the Infinite God, is easily perverted to the worst of purposes. From this, some force their way to the conclusion that all action and phenomena are good and right and divine.

Many oddly addressed letters daily pass through the post-offices. Several of the rhyming kind are somewhat remarkable for the poetical skill displayed by the writers.

" Max ," of the Buffalo Express, says, the gentleman who has succeeded to President Cleveland's' place in the old law-firm is the father of a pretty, blue-eyed, bonnie lassie, aged four. Sometimes she visits the office, and she has captured the heart of big Bachelor Bissell, the remaining partner.

Mr. Editor: —Will you please (if possible) give a little space to the following: Quite recently, my attention has been called to two or three articles in a Boston magazine, of such a nature as to allow, by direct implication, that my Teacher in Christian Science is regarded as being guilty of doing what I know to be utterly false.

"Oh Ben, 'tis only the first of December, and I've had a letter from Santa Claus already," said Amy Graham to her brother, as they walked across the fields, on their way to school. "Nonsense," said matter-of-fact Ben, "You're always getting notions into your head, Amy.