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Mr. Burton says, "When this story was 

 first told me, by my father-in-law, Mr. Pearse 

 the elder, it was his 'pass it on' which gave 

 the keynote to my song, the song which 

 has since become a new commandment to 

 so many thousands of willing hearts and 

 hands," 



Before this time many people have their 

 Christmas giving all settled. They know 

 what they will give, and to whom. Others 

 there are who are only now beginning to 

 think about Christmas joys and responsibil- 

 ities. For these last Sunshine has a special 

 message. To them she would say, "Remem- 

 ber Lowell's word, 'The gift without the 

 giver is bare,' and let love accompany thy 

 gift, and remember kinsfolk and friends, but 

 forget not the poor and the stranger within 

 thy gates." 



Readers who have consulted me with re- 

 gard to the disposition of their Christmas 

 boxes and barrels have been directed to the 

 presidents of Sunshine in their respective 

 states. If any prefer to write to headquar- 

 ters a card to Mrs. Alden, 96 Fifth avenue, 

 New York, will receive prompt attention. 



Some of our readers feel they cannot do 

 much, but they would like to do a little. 

 Here are some "Sunshine needs" for these. 

 From Logan, Ohio, Miss Lulu Orn writes 

 that her crippled brother has never walked 

 a step in his life, and needs constant care, 



having even to be fed. In Diana, North Car- 

 olina, lives a cripple, Ben C. Knight by 

 name, whose case is very similar — a little 

 more pathetic, perhaps, in that he has no 

 loving sister, and but recently lost his 

 mother. In Wellington. Missouri, is another 

 afflicted "shut-in," Thomas F. Lockhart. the 

 saddest case of all, because he suffers 

 acutely most of the time, and is threatened 

 with loss of his eyesight. These "shut-ins" 

 need sunshine sadly. Suppose we each take 

 one of them and do what we can to brighten 

 their sad lives. I have left a fourth case to 

 the last — because m^^ heart is very tender 

 for an old woman struggling to support her- 

 self and her invalid husband of seventy-two 

 years of age. Mrs. J. McBride, Pike, Cali- 

 fornia — writes the friend who reports this 

 Sunshine need — does anything and every- 

 thing that comes to her hand to make ends 

 meet, among them is making the popular 

 shoestring bags, for $2.00. These bags make 

 pretty Christmas gifts, and orders for them 

 will be a godsend to this brave woman, who 

 will gladly accept gifts of warm clothing 

 for her husband, though asking nothing for 

 herself. This old couple recently lost the only 

 person upon whom they have claims — an 

 only daughter — and as they live in a sparsely 

 settled part of the country their lot is surely 

 dreary enough. I trust it will appeal to 

 many of us — for our sakes as well as theirs. 



With the New Books 



THE life beautiful, which has its highest 

 flowering in the home, is dependent 

 on the relation of husband and wife 

 perhaps more than on any other one fact or 

 relationship. Given a healthy man and 

 woman who love each other intelligently, 

 and you have the foundations of a happy, 

 beautiful family life, no matter how fate 

 may buffet or fortune may deny the physical 

 comforts. But the man and woman must 

 both be healthy physically, and they must 

 love each other intelligently, unselfishly, 

 understanding fully the sacredness, the 

 wonderful, beautiful possibilities of the 

 closest, tenderest relationship which one 

 human being is capable of sustaining toward 

 another. 



A vast number of books have been written 

 on the relations of the sexes, from purely 

 scientific, psychological, social, political, 

 medical, economic, even artistic points of 

 view, "Creative Science," by Dr, Fowler 

 (Fowler & W^ells). not a new work, but re- 

 cently brought before the reading public 



in a new way, is perhaps, on the whole, the 

 most satisfactory of these. It is written for 

 the man and woman who needs to read it. 

 It follows the boy and girl from their birth 

 to their death, and points out how the 

 physical life may be made glorious and 

 fruitful. Love, the author contends, is the 

 compelling force throughout all life. It pro- 

 motes physical health, brings happiness, and 

 moves the w^orld. 



John Lane announces the publication of 

 "The Book of Climbing Plants," illustrated 

 by S. Arnott, being Volume X of the "Hand- 

 books of Practical Gardening," under the 

 general editorship of Harry Roberts. 



Tlie Toutli's Companion continues its com- 

 mendable efforts in the direction of public 

 beauty. It has just issued a neat little illus- 

 trated booklet bv Warren H, Manning, sec- 

 retary of the American Park and Outdoor 

 Art Association, entitled "Suggestions for 

 Beautifying Home, Village and Roadway." 



