Illustration: BEGGING FOR CRUMBS. _See p. 368._]

[Illustration: THE EDITOR'S POCKET-BOOK.

JOTTINGS AND PENCILLINGS, HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE]

About the Mistletoe.

The mistletoe is a shrub which grows or lives upon certain trees, such
as the apple, pear, and hawthorn. It is found also on limes, poplars,
firs, and sycamores, and, more rarely, on oaks--contrary to the popular
belief. The white berries are full of a thick clammy juice by which the
seeds are fastened to the branches where they take root. The mistletoe
has been the object of a very special regard for centuries, and traces
of this high esteem still survive in the well-known Christmas custom.
One variety of this practice has it that each time a kiss is snatched
under the mistletoe, a berry is plucked from the bush, and that when the
berries have all been removed the privilege ceases. The Druids thought
that the mistletoe which grew upon the oak possessed magical virtues,
and they valued it accordingly. One of their priests in a white robe cut
off the precious bush with a golden knife.

Badges of the Apostles.

The painters of the Middle Ages used to represent the Apostles with
special badges which were generally symbolical of some incident in their
lives. Andrew was depicted with a _cross_, because he was crucified;
Bartholomew with a _knife_, because he was flayed; James the Greater
with a _pilgrim's staff_ and _gourd bottle_, because he was the patron
saint of pilgrims; James the Less with a _fuller's pole_, because he was
slain by Simeon the fuller with a blow on the head with his pole; John
with _a cup and a winged serpent flying out of it_, in allusion to the
tradition that the apostle was challenged by a priest of Diana to drink
a cup of poison. John made the sign of the cross on the cup, whereupon
Satan, like a dragon, flew from it, and the apostle drank the cup with
safety. Judas was represented with a _bag_, because he bare the bag and
"what was put therein;" Jude with a _club_, because he was killed by
that weapon; Matthew with a _hatchet_, because he was slain by one;
Matthias with a _battle-axe_, because after having been stoned he was
beheaded; Paul with a _sword_, because his head was cut off with one;
Peter with a _bunch of keys_ and also with a _cock_, in reference to the
familiar episodes; Philip with a _long staff surmounted by a cross_,
because he died by being hung by the neck to a tall pillar; Simon with a
_saw_, beca