This joss was considered the luckiest man in the world. His personal name was Quock Gee Yee. Around the rooms are smaller banners bearing sentences in Chinese characters. If translated they would read something like this: "May I never be without wealthy customers," "Love one another," "May the God be good to me for one year more," and "Welcome, good friends." Soon all trading shops are transferred into truly beautiful reception rooms.

Bundles of silver paper, made up in odd shapes are taken out on the curbstone by chattering women gowned in magnificent brocade robes and burned for the benefit of those spirits which have left this earth. Toward midnight every household sits down to a feast. Food is taken with certain ceremonies. Mock money, gifts, red paper with prayers and other things must be burned in front of their favorite family gods, to deceased ancestors and to heaven and earth.

A procession of robed priests, each carrying lanterns, may be seen walking in single file along the streets. They are making a tour of the temples where resident priests receive them.

The exploding of firecrackers has now

begun. So great is the noise that one cannot hear another speak. The more wealthy merchants thrust out of two and three story windows great lengths of costly woven firecrackers. The end is ignited and lowered until it is within a foot of the sidewalk. As they explode, the rope is unwound until it is all consumed. Some imported ropes of crackers have been known to reach a length of one hundred feet, and to contain more than twenty thousand miniature rolls of explosives.

The Chinese say that it is necessary to unite and make this great amount of noise so that evil spirits will be driven away from the birth of the New Year. It will also be noticed that many Chinamen have their queues braided with expensive bright red silk. This is worn to prevent malicious spirits from cutting the hair off.

Banqueting parties sit down to feasts at midnight and often do not arise until six or seven o'clock in the morning.

Calling begins soon after the birth of the New Year. Men of high social standing engage carriages and make calls, even if their friends live but a block away. The caller generally remains

ing the term of their celebration.

The sixth or seventh day finds many of the smaller stores hauling down their shutters, and rearranging things in general. The tenth day heaps of waste red paper, exploded firecrackers, empty wine jars are discarded and scorched lanterns are swept into the gut

T

The

HERE is no sunshine in the world like that of California skies. yellow glow of Italian or the steely fire of northern skies, pale before the serene, illimitable California blue. This splendid warmth of sunshine lending its glory to vast tracts of land, to mountains, lakes and rivers and gilding the calm waters of the Pacific with its far-reaching, translucent light, pictures not only the outward aspect of our Golden State, but typifies also the minds and hearts of its people.

The International Sunshine Society was founded in New York in 1896, and was incorporated in 1900. Its motto is "good cheer;" its emblem, the coreopsis; colors, yellow and white; and its club song, "Scatter Sunshine." It was founded with the idea of giving sunshine and pleasure where there was nothing else to give, and with the motive of reaching people who were, perhaps, well-to-do, but whose lives were saddened.

The work began with the passing on of Christmas souvenirs and so much pleasure and satisfaction was found in this experiment that the work was continued, and from this small beginning has grown this wonderful society, now international in character, with two thousand well-organized branches, over one hundred thousand members and over two hundred newspapers giving regular space to the work. The object, as set forth in the constitution, is "to incite its members to the performance of kind. and helpful deeds, and thus to bring happiness into the greater number of hearts and homes. The membership fees shall consist of some act or suggestion that will carry sunshine where it is needed."

The California Sunshine Society was founded by very modest individual effort, but has met with so much encouragement and interest that different branches have been formed and much good has been accomplished among a class of people that could not otherwise have been reached. The Alden Club of San Francisco, of which Miss Mabel

Adams Ayer, state president of the International Sunshine Society, was the founder, is one of the principal branches. This is a club composed of young girls, who are willing to devote their time and interest to the furtherance of the sunshine cause. Many meetings have been held and much organized work performed. The club holds bag and handkerchief sales to obtain money for charity. These have been most successful, but expenses go on, and the wants of the society increase. Headquarters are needed, a stamp fund should be created for answering the thousands of letters that arrive from all parts of the state, and there are innumerable other demands upon the funds of the society which will be cheerfully and willingly met when those of the members who are able, lend a helping hand. The society does not wish to belie its motto; the chief thing is to lend a helping hand, and any little act of kindness, no matter how small or obscure, will serve as an initiation fee. The California motto holds good for all dues and fees:

Have you had a kindness shown? Pass it on.

'Twas not given for you alonePass it on.

Let it travel down the years,
Let it wipe another's tears,
Till in heaven the deed appears,
Pass it on.

Some two years ago this splendid work was first begun in California. But little was known of the society then, and, like all work in new fields, there were trials and difficulties and discouragements to be overcome. But today reports from the different branches show how much has been accomplished. Everything is recorded from the writing of a friendly letter or the passing on of a lovely flower, to the larger and broader work of the organized branches. Some have thought it a waste of time to consider these slight actions of importance. Ruskin says: "Do not think it wasted time to submit yourself to any influence

which may bring upon you any noble feeling."

The junior branches are not to be passed over lightly. They are doing beautiful work. The influence of sunshine upon the children is sweet and wholesome. It teaches them to be cheerful and happy and thoughtful of others. The reports from the little ones are always interesting and sometimes amusing. One small child asks if she may become a member by doing things for others which she doesn't want to do. This reminds one of the little maid who defined duty as "the thing you don't want to do, but you know you ought."

The children of the Golden Corner branch in Los Angeles-thirty-five of them some time ago gave an entertainment the proceeds of which support a bed in an institute there. They have also sent flowers, provisions and books to invalids and hospitals, and are always planning little things to make some one happier. There is a busy little band in Berkeley, another in Corning, and, in fact, you will find them almost everywhere. A recently organized branch in Santa Barbara is doing active work, and a junior club is soon to be formed here in San Francisco.

During the past month the members of the Alden Club have cared for a welleducated, refined southern woman, who has met with one misfortune after another till now she is entirely dependent upon friends. The Alden Club has given help without knowing her name, or her history. The members ask no questions; simply assure themselves of the woman's need, and bestow a little sunshine to light her on her way. She travels a rough and thorny road, but the brightest. memory in it will be the one of those young girls, who, perceiving only her need, gave of their sunshine store and silently passed on.

Perhaps the best work that was done this past year was in aid of the Indians. The condition of these former holders of our soil is pitiable, but Charles F. Lummis is doing a tremendous work in that

direction, and the California Society of Sunshine is helping. In a letter received from the superintendent of the Indian School at Mesa Grande she says:

"The sunshiners are indeed making my path easier, and are dispelling many shadows."

The greatest need of the California Sunshine Society at this present writing is the lack of suitable headquarters where the work can be conducted on a larger scale. Just how this is to be met the sunshiners do not see, but they are certain that it will be met some day. Looking back upon the year's record in this state, and realizing how everything has broadened and deepened through the initiative of one girl assisted by others, anything seems possible. They have not yet found the magic lamp of Aladdin, but they have three powerful talismans— faith, hope and courage; faith in the success of their work, hope for its best development and courage to overcome every obstacle. All this proves what Phillips Brooks has said, "no man or woman can be really strong and pure and good without the world being the better for it."

This society is not a charity; it is merely sunshine. The sunshine which means so much more, in many cases, than material help. Every one who joins adds. to the sunshine of the world. A kind act-a cheerful word-that is all; but who can estimate its influence? Like the stone thrown in a river, creating ever-widening circles, is the reaching power of a kind word. Do what you

can. Nothing is too small, nothing too feeble to help in this great work of bringing sunshine into California homes. The sunshiners want California to be a leader in this, as in other things. The Sunshine Society has come to stay, and your name, as a symbol of our glorious sunshine must be on the rolls. It is true that

It is easy enough to be pleasant,

When life goes by like a song, But the girl worth while is the girl with a smile,

When everything goes dead wrong.

F

IFTY miles southeast of Portland, as the crow flies, rises Mount Hood, the pride of every Oregonian. This magnificent peak is noted for its striking features and its characteristic grandeur. On canvas, in song, in poetry and labored prose, this mountain has been immortalized.

The name, Hood, Hood, is indissolubly blended with those of Oregon and Cascade mountains. More pictures of it are extant than of any other peak on the Pacific coast.

An excellent wagon road leads from the Willamette valley to within five miles. of the summit. To reach the top involves much toilsome climbing and no small amount of danger. Despite these obstacles, the peak has been ascended by thousands of persons, and only one fatal accident in making the descent has been

recorded. That occurred two years ago. Although the air is extremely rare and the temperature low, a number of persons have passed the night on the topmost crest.

From the summit the scene is one of indescribable grandeur and beauty. Here you are lifted above the clouds so far away that the world lies remote beneath the eye; cities and towns shrink into insignificance. Vast indeed is the panorama outspread to view. Forests, mountains, plains, valleys and streams grow indefinite and unsubstantial-like a subdued picture floating in the sky. An allpervading sense of the unreal takes possession of the soul. Above the ethereal strata of the clouds you can gaze down upon them. The cloud effects are wonderful. Looking in all directions, you fancy your eyes are ranging over a