The Exeter Advocate, 1918-12-19, Page 7'Enlivengig the Childless Bowers
13y Edith Brown Kirkwood.
The Bowens were chiidiesS• It' was
notthat they believed in 'race suicide.
They were ,devoted to all the young-
sters who cane their way. .Anyone
:passing their yard,on a bright summer
day, never would .have guessed that
the dozen. bare-footed boys and girls.
beneath the Bowen, trees belonged in
nearly half a dozen other homes in the
izeii;*hberhood..- It seemed that Natuure
in:Planning- the division :of the 'next
generation just forgot the) Bowens,
• For years the ,3o ,vene, had been the°
nlajeets or: the neighborhood's holiday
sy1npathy. Tho overflow .of feeling in
their behalf started in about the week
before Thanksgiving and from that day
until the New Year had arrived such
were the looks of eotiimiseration be-
stowed upon them that the .Bowens all
but avoided the highways and took to
the alleys and theerear gates. From
,lanuary second until, about October
first no one in the ,neighborhood
seemed to :mind the .childlessness of
'the Bowens. If anyone, thought of it'
at all, it was to consider" 'int- a con
a enience,
"You won't miiul keeping, Billie, and
Mary after school until L"oa,n,gotback
'from the city, will you?" queried little
Mrs. Jordan 1 ) of NIrs. Bowen -just as
regularly as shopping;, days came.,. "I
'don't°like to ash. Mrs. Morrison for she"
has se many .f her own, you know."
. Mrs.,rov knew.. She kept the
lilorrisoiBi's o regularly. • Also the
. 'Leonard's three and the ,' Thompson's
two; The little. recitalthat went with
each teque:it was thes ame"in each in-
-stance, except in the case of Mrs.
.Thompson; who always 'added sweet-
ly:::
"You know, I don't mind asking this
-favor 0you offor children rare 'such . a
sent to -}hove' ;into the neighborlibo 1
perhaps it would furnish us with the
turkey !'
This,'year the parts had'been play-
ed with the usual accuracy. Nothing
lied been` omitted. In fact the ;forties
bow had seemed a bit bigger and the
Leonard plc somewhat juicier than:.
ever before, if possible. According
to custom,- also,. during the, nfternoon
the families had trooped into the
Bowen house in turns or:in groups
as the notion "not to be .selfish With
our . children" .entered:' the minds : of
the commiserating double quartet of
parents.
Each gorged child, in turn, told
and retold the tale of the annual on
'alaught of:thankfulness and four
o'clock found Mrs. Bowen cutting out
pictures for the' sleepy Thompson
twins; (released from their daily nap
for the Oay) and Mr, Bowen blowing.
smoke. ;rings, with the Leonard's
second , and the' Morrison's fourth
perched one on either:knee.
Now evening had come and two
fagged,- childless individuals:' had
'seated themselves- at their favorite
table, each turning to the individual
diversion' which gave nerves oppor-
tunity for relaxation •before •seeking
bed at an earl' - hour.
Y
For a whole i nonth; the,-neihbor-`.
g
hood returned to a semi -normal': state.
The oldest of `the • Morrisons'T east
knowing glances at the elders in the
group while the • tots 'prattled. of
Santa Claus and his expected visit.
Father, Morrison, true ,to role, always
winked an' ,. other
d M
Morrison carefully pressed- her ; fore,.
ringer to her lips and shook her head
in warning. This meant that,the
'Holiday Spirit''' had 'started'et n,' hits
Will you? You see she has no other
Place. Everyone else ' in the neigh
herheed, 1�as-
"Children!"-finished, Mr. Bowen
with emphasis, `-"13y Cleorge•—°,
Wkio's •that?a,
A • sharp whistle' sounded in ' the
front hall,
"Halloo-oo-oo! Anybody' at home
up there?"
It was Morrison. Boiveir, turning
toward his wife, was met ily an`
"Ill
dare -you -not -to" smile.
"Yotir turn" she announced m.en
ingly.
At the feet of the stairs stood
Morrison, hardly, visible ;behind <
moui)tainous',package.
"Say, old man," he called, "the
wife's been shopping to-day.',,You
'can't chuck this under something, can
you, and . keep it until Santa Citrus
and his reindeers come along? . It'.
a big red engine, for 'J ick. Say, he'll
go ,,straight. up when he "sees it on
Christmas morning., Bowen, old man
you ought to know the fun of playing
Santa "Claus .;yourself. Here, take
this ,engine and make believe you
have somethingto it to. Just
give�
stick •if under anything. Well be
r�
over 'on Christmas eve. Much obiig-
o.
ed."
,'bars. 'Thompson and Mr. Morrison
were merely the forerunners. One
by one the families carne. No one
dared touch -the Bowen sofa in the
fear of disclosing hidden treasures
and danger lurked behind everybook.
in the. case. . Nightly` Boiven jabbed
his 'toes 'against the prancing front
foot Of Bill Jordan's hobby horse ox
the handle •of Tom Morrison's ex-
pres•s wagon, concealed for the, time
beneath the 'bed:
In. time, also the Bowen' attic
�, al ,
came to res`enb e between
l a cross betty e
evr seen forest and a carnival.
8'
Four big Christmas ,trees: stood ex-
pectantly in the iniddle of the floor;
hedged about by boxes of red and
green andegold balls and yards and
Bowen sug,gested at the breakfast
table, "Maybe we'1l not have the
chance soon ;again,"
"But the �>TI)orz}leone. and Jot:-
49'710"
or-
49'71 " `Ntzs; BetVen put the -question
anxiotjsiy. '
"To :be.sirro," answered ZJan,`�`hike-
wise the Morrisons ,and Leonarcls,"
Bowen pivoted the salt shaker about
ing ,meditative play and 'then loolced
up geiciciy at his .wife, "You won't
mind if I -can't bring your 'gift out
for tonight.,; Nan? ^ T had'' hoped' to
- have it here' for° Christmas eve but
it—it—well,• ' it isn't quite 'ready
and--" -
'i "Then `w'e're even, dear." 'Mrs.
i;owen flushed 'and laughed, • "I've
beeniyondoring how' Pd tell you •but
u they couldn't ---mine's been' delayed,
too," ;she finished. "But you'll love'
s it, Dan. It's worth waitin(-lar."
It's Dan inwardly thanked the rulers
of his good fortune that a Christmas
gift for him could still bring to the
, eyes.of his `wife such a light as: he
saw in them -this morning.`
Every youngster in • the neighbor-
hood had been bribed into bed, by
nine o'.clock' that evening ;but quiet
did not come to the household•of
Bowen. If the three weeks°=had been
busy ones; „Bowen wonderedthat so
` much could have been crowded into
three hours. It was a three-hour
marathon..
•
t1
5
3 J :. site. •a
"Bowen, old man, You iudht to know the fun of PlaYing Santa Clans y urSelf." _
narpelty When one Hasn't a houseful of
one's own!"
"It was only after the calendar, .had
slipped past October first and the
ulurr,L,�1IG_djngs were stored away and
the price list of tprkeys Was being
scanned, that the Jordans, the':Mor-
tisozis, the Leonards and.eth; Thermo -
sons in turn laid down their,pape'is:and
•teniaikati:
,,"Don't you feelsorry for th
: e
,r,tteus . with an emphasis ons:,lie
coir t, that ca Tied the aorriiw of the
year'
?rdm that time the shrinkage 'Of
:Bowen neighborhood-importance,,'was
equalled only by the inflation of B3owen.
1
syin ath3. Phaiks iving morning
aI-
ways
found the oldest Morrison. tear-
ing across 'lots with: a pan from ychlch
, oozed the steam of a small pudding.
The ` littlest Jordan casae lieoring, a
dark brown dish tied with a pretty bo,y
• of red anti 'Mr. and: 1Vic,s. Bgwen knew,
before lii.arin:g the lid, that within was
confined deli ous,oranherry ;jelly: The
riiidcllt~ Leonard could be seen.creep-
ing through the fence, both hands
holdirg,firrlly oa :two plates turned
!together :thus imprisoning a juicy
mince' pie, and the ;. Thompson twins
toddled in, one carrying a small sack
of `ndts and the other' ono rf raisins,
' p
After this =Lie telephone i°ang four
times: When •Aalrs:'Bowerr had turh-
ed; from the last conversation Mrs.
jortii:ii, Mrs. 1orrison,- Mrs, T]eonard
and 'tixrs, li'hom 1ion each had ftidslzed
her inquiry:
,
Did the dreit get over with -
spilling everything ?"
A',•id each ch hacl •aclde '
d.
11: ou don't know the Tull you are
you
_m•,.,,tn }, not :;lilvJia r ciilcii,..ii
Y,t.
around at'this tame!"
,
Annually,: ovaer. .. Mrs, l,a,ven'; face
-thor•e stole :•look'of t•oriy <cs it she
was being eccuscd of' having bribed
, n it
:Ste•; Y
1 .. :. ,r 1. a Mazy :'av�.i v. �.nutiai,,y
MYlr, 13atvetr.'only Smiled oy ecmarked:
"Not half bed, eh, littlegist? Now
if argil et- nice big family would arra-.1
a aminal dash and was due .Co spring yards and yards Of: : gilt: and silver
into the neighborhood at any mo-
ment.
`Three weeks before Christmas he
arrived at the ..Bowen door in the
person. of • Mrs. Thompson. There.
cane a staccato "knock. and before.
Mrs. Bowen had time to pat her
stray locks into place, Mrs. Thomp-
son slipped into the room and thrust
two long pasteboard• boxes on to the
nearest chair. The pupils of her eyes
were big with excitement and she.
was.. breathless when she- tar'a.}ed ori
tiptoe to explain:
"Oh not a rninute!
Can't stay
'a
minute. I've sent the twins to the
Jordans on an errand so I 'could -slip
oyer hdre;an,l I mustget back before
they rett't:t'n. Will you hide these
boxes some place? It will be so dear'
of you!" She was at the door with-
out waiting for an answer. At the
steps she turned to wiiisper to Mrs.
Bowen, standing in the door:
"They're dolls for:the girls, you"
know. 111' have to dress them at
yourshouse i • you • don't mind. I'll
k
be over every day while the ,twins
take their nap." ''She added the last
few words as site flew acrose. the
road to her home. Mrs. -Bowen turn-
ed' back into the room, . s!tiwly picked
up . the boxes and wended her way
upstairs, When Mra.Bowen sought
his closet that evening two long
boxes teetered oh the shelf,
" ",
What thehe began.
"Dolls—for the Thompson twins"
Mrs, • Bowen interrd;ted. t
„Then it's here!"
"It is. Mrs. 'Phom:son brought
l g
them over this morning. She's to
come here to dress them every day
to 'csnne every, day twitil iiio'S
sisessed ,''tlieitr.. :I'm tnot sure' which
,She said but to be mere
every aftezttoon virliiie the tv✓in 4
talon • theii> na, i, :Wht,T• ? " ri1. d r,v.
Vous' closet as the ord - pl,ace in the
house the :twins don t :hive,, tigwf;e, I
keep; thaat .leaked, • i'au "suon't niiiari,
li
tinsel. Every geek arid cornet of the
house held mysterious packages in
original wrappings. Chiffonier
drawer"s-"swelled;.with doll dresses• and
hats, new shoes, baby: rattles ' and
treacherous jumping -jacks. When
Susan. Leonard's' miniature playhouse,
furnished completely' froth cellar to
attic,, and •Bill Jordan's modern''.tun-
nel with river beds and lookouts and
revolving' lights arrived, 'the door to
the spare , bedroom , upstairs was
opened, the two 'boxes pushed -in and
the key carefully turned.• There was
room for no one to enter.
"There are .the coal thin and the
hayloft left," remarked Bowen' face
Y
tiously. "Who : cares for a quiet
smoke in his own house, anyway!"
There - remained two ; days before
the momentous • day. No ''"Leon-
ard . nor Thompson nor Jordon
Nor Morrison offapring was per—
mitted to poke i is :'nose beyond
the Bowen kitchen: Mrs." Bowen, be-
tween answers to the doorbell, :was
making iiut ca :dies and cakes,, her
annual contribution to the Chrisstnias
hoards of the four households. The
small visitors, cracking the nut.i and
picking, them out of the 'shells; won-
dered why the Bowen doors suddenly
were locked against then, If cities -
tions became too insistent Mrs, Bow
en tactfully answered
"Well, I ant keeping the house
cl:oan for Santa Claus. - You Wouldn't
want him to pass r); by just because
the hotise was all niussod up, would
you?"
, Four times ,he • assisted in .,carrying
a nicerick tree`: down tvvo flights
,P pricklyh
-of stairs;' one hundred times; accord-
ing to his own coniputation, he dined'
under beds,; behind 'dressers and into
closets. .W hen the Last package had
left,, the house it was midnight.
Strewn over the floor were the books
grabbed from the library in the
package hunt; scraps of paper, cord.
and tinsel with a trail of pine needles
than marked: the Way from the attic
to the= front door.
"Suppose we celebrate to -morrow
by having a cleaning bee and invit-1
ing our thoughtful, unselfish • neigh=
bors and their -children in to help?"
queried Bowen. in a'weary. voice. "Not
another thing• toy night. We're going
to creep into bed this " very minute.
I'nr dog tired. • To -morrow we'll
The telephone bell jingled. 'It was
Morrison..
"Say, Bowen, you 'and' the missus
still u:p? Well, get on your bonnets
and shawls and join the crowd, We're
all going around to visit each others'
Christmas trees. Aw, come`- on.
What's the matter with`'you? It'll
do you good. We want to give you
two forlorn folks a taste ofwhat it
means"` to have children at Christmas
-time!"
Bowen pushed the receiver into its
holder : and , stood ' lovolcing' at the
instrument as if ,it• were 'the sohred
,of his troubles. Then he whir=led from
it determinedly.
"Little gr.l;" .\he announced,.; "if
you don't -mind I• think I'd ' like to tell
you right now what I have for your
Christmas =present: --,e I've' made ar
rangements"she paused—`.`don't say
a word: until Tye finished—I've made
arrangements to adopt the cutest lit=
tle blue-eyed .:girl you ever saw, abut
she can't. get here until tomorrow
evening., , The thought came to me
that eveninb . Morrison brought Jack's
engine—and—why=why what's
what's' the matter?' I thought you'd
like "
r"0 Dan!" Mrs. Bowen was laugh=
ing, while unbidden and unwonted
tears stole down her cheeks. "Dan,
you dear old love! Like it! You're
late! I'll tell you. what I've got for
you, too, Dan. I've made arrange-
ments to adopt the darlingest brown
eyed boy you ever laid eyes upon, but
he can't get here until • to -morrow
afternoon.' That was ,the notion that
came to me on Thanksgiving night.
You said the beginning sounded good.
h
TIo`v does the: end sound?"
For just a second Dan and Nan
Bowen stood looking intently at each
other. : Then with one accord they
opened' their • arms.
"Dan!" cried Mrs. Bowen.
"Nan!" exclaimed 'Bowen, :fervent-
ly. •,.-
"Isntt it glorious?" whispered Mrs.
`.'Bowen.
"We'll adopt the " ;whole orphan
osyluin. if you say the word, dear"
Bovti en whispered in return. "I
thought we'd wait until to -morrow
morning but out in the barn I've' hill
den one grand- Christmas tree with
the 'tinsel, gifts and. everything to
go with, i�y . You see, they've v.e made us
experts in hiding presents! Morri-
son wants us to go out with the rest
of 'cm to `do' the .trees_ Let's, go."
He reached for his hat and coat.
"Arid when we come back "
"We'll get, all tian Junior's toys
up from the cellar," Mrs. Bowen
interrupted joyously,o"and "
:"Decorate that tree to -night!"
finished Bowen. "Come ' on, honey.
Gee, isn't this great.? Don't know
why I thought I was tired!" It was
real Chris -lases joy..
Perhaps' ; es+- Iiousehdids,appia eiate
to 'Ole full the 'Ecres of the,.coini?iie'd
holioaly activity. The : Bo\Veilswere.
<anieng t:Yie ,few. Throereeks as:
re-
ceivers
for the lerg1.a,naael
absorbers thi.,.c vviceics as the a>a.oibi:rs •of t.iie
neighborhood's ei thusi'asni:z, and m-
ei teineut
-eiteineut reacli'ed its , eltn. ix,r,y:ir
Christmas eve,
"Let ;" f esiI tit' to -.right. ail:
a cltliet dinner all to war;ewesy.
i•, -e:
os
May the Giver of Gifts give unto you
'.?ha; vthtrlb' .is Good and thatwhich --is
The Will to help and the Cortragc to
elo;
Aheart that ,can Sing the whole year
, 1 �„ . €,
• throirglr
'Whether the dries be gray or bine.
tYay the Giver -ai Gifts give these to
Yell. -
The earth has rf ro'avu olcl vuii;l:t its dui•
den of care,
Put at Christmas it always is'young..
'rho heart of the jewet burnt lustrous
and fair,
And its soul fult of music btnasts forth
i n the air.
WCrheia, the song oi the angels is eung.
-Phil] ins 11 rooks.
etsaisl
WHITE; CORN .SYRUP: CONFECTIONS.
`(From left to..right.)
1. 'Glace .nuts and fruits. °2. l'Aexican candy., •3; Peanut b-itt`e.
PEANUT -.BRITTLE. MOLASSES TAFFY.
2 :cups 'white corn syrup, 9/ cup . 2 cups molasses, 1- cup corn syrup,
shelledpeanuts, 1 tablespoon vinegar. 1 tablespoon oor vinegar.. Bollnolass s
Boil 'syrup `without stirring until it will and corn syrup until brittle ,when
crack rc wlien dropped in cold water water dro,pped in cdidwater.
.Add v€uei
as
(temperature, 354deg.-F�:hr:). Add 7ust> beforereioilng fnc1in the lire.
vinegar and stir in itterustbefore re- I ur into a greased pan. When cooI
`..
moving front the fire. Pour ong:eased euou h to handle,
until light
ht
pan. Break inPieces when cool, colored Cut in small pieces with
MEXICAN CANDY. large shears or a sharp1:ili„ andplace
(Divinity' Fudge).
in waxed paper to'cool;
2:cu s:whit corn :'MAPLE CREAM.
p e n syz;up, 1 to 2 egg
, ', .,: a 2_,:,.. „
whites, 1 .teaspoon vanilla. Bot1. the 2 cups tn,rpir, sugar, Ya to N � ewe
syrup to 248 deg. -Fahr,, or until it • `m'ilk, Iii teaspoon' butter. Stir 'sudat
makes a hardball when tried in cold and milk over the lire until -sugar is
water. Beat• the egg . whites stiff and dissolved. Thenboil without stirring
pour in slowly the boiled syrup, beat- to 238 deg. Fahr., or, until mixture will
ing all'•the time. Add vanilla and: con- form a soft ball when dropped in cold
tinue beating until of a consistency to. waster. Remove from dire, add butter
keep 'its shape when' dropped on waded and:, beat until thick and creamy, -Pour
paper. Nuts or fruits may be added into greased pan and mark 411 squares
when nearly done. when nearly coal.`
And Shall 'I Silent Be?
The shepherds sing; and shall "I
silent, be?
My God, no hymn for Thee?
My soul's a shepherd too; a 1iock it
feeds
Qf thoughts, and words and deeds.
The pasture is Thy word; the 'streams,
Thy: grace
Enriching all the place.
Shepherd and flock shall sing, and all
my powers
Cut -sing -tae daylight ligurs. -
Then we will 'chide the shit for letting
night
Take up his place and right:
We, sing. one.conimon Lord. wherefore
he should
Tbimself-the candle hold.
I:Taih go searching, till I fhrd -a sun
Shall stay till we have hone:
A, willing _shiner, that shall„ shine as
gladly
As frost-nipt suns look sadly. '
Then we will sing, and shine' all ,our
own day, '
And one another pay;
His beams: shall cheer my breast, and
both so twine,
Till even his beams sing, and my music
,. shine..
-George „Herbert.
A Christmas Heaven.
A gambrel roof .in a sheltered lane
And a laughing group therein.
The winds niay bellow with night and
main,
And the storms may clash, and din,
But it's Christmas, Father Christmas,
Rath the keeping oi' his kin.
Outside, a travel'er in the snow,
And a glad "Hello!" office more;
Within, a hearth lire all aglow
And a dear face at the door.
And it's Christmas, Father Christmas
Giveth greetings o'er and o'er.
The circles wonderful circles, where
They are gathered to -day;
n naas • beautiful
The' ' ltl d kindness,
. there,
Az d the welcome vTordssay.,
,
y y.
For. it's Christmas, Father Christina's
Turn norodigal away,
P .
The Next Year.
No -backward, glances: shall: hinder .or
appall .me,
A new life is begun,
And better hopes and better motives
call me „
Than those the past has won.
The Origin of the'Christmas' Tree:
'The history of the Christmas -tree is
difficult to trace.' It•has been connect-
ed With ;Ygdrasil, -the great tree'. of
Norse mythology"; and "Christmas -trees
and Maypoles are known to be relies;
of"tbat famous •Scandinavlan Ash. -"The
roots and branches. of Ygdrasii, .,. the
world-tree;'or as it is soznetinies called;
the Tree of Time, bound together::
heaven, the earth, and lull. From it
all tribes of nature received nourish-
ment. According to' a Scandinavian
legend of great, antiquity the 'Christ-
irias-tree owes its origin to the service
tree which sprang from soil, that had
been drenched with the blood of two
lovers who had been foully murdered.-
During the: Christmas season:.
lights that no wind could' extinguish,
sprang mysteriously from its branches
at night, and the practise of illumina-
ting the Christmas -tree may, perhaps,
be traced to this tradition, which no
doubt was strongly influenced by the
'fact that lights were (and still are) a',
feature of the Jewish feast . of the
Chanuca - or Lights (December 10)
Among the Greeks Christmas is called
the Feast of Lights.
Sir George Birdwood has traced the
'history of the Christmas -tree no the
ancient Egyptian- practice of decking
houses at the time of the winter sols-
tice with branches of the date -palm,
the. symbol of life trininphant over
death, and therefore of perennial life
in the renewal of each bonnteons year.
Meeting at Bethlehem.
So dark the stables by lantern light
That'I cannot tell who is here to -night;
I do not mind, for I need not see
The people I love who are here with
n .,
They know the road. to Bethlehem.
And the Star ,and the , singing have
guided them.
Out the press of horror and pain
'They have sought the promise of nease:
again.
They have hastened in by the humble
• door,
And °have, knelt with us on the "Eastern
floor.
1 do not need ton ut ont my hand
To clasp in theirs, for they under-
stand.
do not need to greet them aloud
For •our silence speaks, in the kneeling
crowd,
And, kneeling before the little Son,
Our hearts and our lives are grade one
--nude one:
PEACEA SONG OF
]slow, whistles o' the world ; ring, ' c'h.urcli b 1ls loudly ring,
For Peace, on joyful wing, •
At bl l h'dawn
l S. of . her prized doves set free,
7
Heralds of Liberty,
,Above this war -worn', weary world to brood.
"•
The universal deluge rude
That flooded mother eal't1'l;.with,hriet' ,,1?.cl pain
1 .s ies: , 5 see
Vii. 3a.,1d.,5 . and on the mount o� Promise seL
JDivillest Liberty!
Blow, whistles o' the world „ring, churchbells,loudly
ring,
s „ l ring,i
filow �`v�llis �le,�. o the i�c�xld . ` ring, churchLt.11, ' �1al.iCi�, .
This is a`tla; of joy air's merry `niri;ll,
For 1 naxte•dn tends to earth,
And hopes anew in troubled jleeuis illi-sp:riitg!
The streets With ',flags are gay,
The ;.o .hofarid ,'pray,.
For , felled to -.1atiz _yi,
l „
Andours the Victory
Floti,v_lstic5 o'11ewo11c"ring,
i >;
churchbells, loudly ring: