HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1947-12-18, Page 2J3y DANIEL F. LINDSAY
Tom Larkin opened the kitchen
door. His wife looked up with a
hopeful smile as he entered. He
just shook h , head.
"No mail at all?" she said as
she:: went on fixing dinner.
"Oh, there were a couple of
ads and a bill from the seed com-
pany." He hung his hat on a hook
and crossed to the pump. His
white hair was damp around his
face when he straightened up
again.
"It's just not like Bill," she
sighed.
"Bill's got an unforgivin.' streak,
always did have, even when he
was a little feller." Pa's old briar
gave off a pungent odor as he lit
it.
"But this is different, Tom,"
she said, putting a pan of biscuits
hi the oven, "tomorrow is Christ-
mas. It's a long way to the coast.
Maybe he wrote but didn't mail
it in time."
"Ma," his tired old voice was
filled with bitterness, "there's no
need to stick pins in yourself by
hopin'. Christmas or no Christmas
. that boy is still mad."
The old lady's eyes shone with
faith. "He might stay mad all
year long, but when Christmas
comes ... he'll write. I know. I'm
bis Ma."
"Don't forget," Tom said as he
blew smoke at the ceiling. His
eyes crinkled at the corners, "Im
his father."
"Dinner's ready, Pa," she said,
filled with a deep longing and
fought to keep the tears out of
her voice.
"I c'n understand that boy still
bein' mad :.t me, but why does he
have to take it out on you?"
"You're wrong, Tom," Ma re-
plied as she lifted her head and
smiled. "The day after Christmas,
first delivery, we'll get a letter.
You'll see."
"Not • from him," he shook his
head grimly.
The bringing in of the yule log
originated in England during medie-
Ival times. The log was dragged into
the great hall at the beginning of the
Christmas feast and was the ocea-
cion of the rendering of the Christ-
mas toast, which is, in part: "This
yule log burns. It destroys old,
hatreds and misunderstandings. Leto
your envies vanish, and let the spir-
it of good fellowship reign supreme
for this season and through all the
year."
The yule log represents "Peace
on earth, good will toward men."
Surrounded by myth by primitive
'peoples, the mistletoe was taken
over by Christians who also wove
;fanciful legends around it.
In ancient mythology, the mis-
tletoe was the instrument of evil,
The Druids of Britain believed the
plant possessed healing powers. Oth-
er primitive people thought that mis-
•tletoe found growing on oaks had
!magical powers.
Taken over into Christian tradi-
tion, the mistletoe was dedicated to,
,the Christ Child. Adopted as spiel,
bolical of the healing power oi
lour Lord, it was used to adorn they
;altars at Christmas. Monks of the1
tnonasteries called it the "wood of,
the cross" and attributed supernat
,ural powers to it, The white berries,
`were said to reflect the radiance
eeoght from the guiding star when:
f tl• ' Wise Men were led to the
imenger.
"You're forgettin' Judy," she re-
minded him as they sat down.
"She's a good daughter-in-law."
"Oh, I'm not blamin' her," re-
plying as he covered his biscuits
with gravy, "Judy's a fine girl. It's
his bull-headed pride."
She got up and taking the cof-
fee pot off the cook stove filled
his cup. They ate in silence. Fin-
ally he pushed his plate back.
"You aren't eatin' much," he
scolded.
"I'm just not hungry, Pa."
"I see," he stood up. "I'm goin'
out and turn the heater on in the
"She could see Pa striding into
the living room."
hen house. It'll be cold tonight",
His old shoulders slumped for-
ward as he went outside. She
shook her head and started pick-
ing up the dishes. Her mind sank
back into the past. To the days
when Christmas was alive with
the excitement and laughter of
young voices. She could see Pa
striding into the living room bear-
ing a large evergreen on his
shoulder. Behind him there was
always a highly excited little boy,
bearing an axe. She wondered if
the little boy ever thought of it.
Pa came back on the porch. She
smiled as he kicked his toe against
the threshold. It's a wonder, she
thought, 'that .there's any thres-
hold left .after all these years. He
came into the kitchen, dumping an
arm load of kindling in the box
behind the range.
"Snowin', Pa?"
He shook his head and took off
his wraps, replying, "Stopped."
She hung the dish towels up to
dry. He pulled a rocker in from
the living room and sat down.
"Everything all right in the
barn?" Ma asked as she threw a
few lumps of coal in the fire.
"Sure," Pa said. A sad smile
crossed his lips, "what's the use
pretendin', Ma? We're both feelin'
blue."
She sat down at the old kitchen
table and started peeling apples,
uttered, "I know it."
"Gonna bake me a pie?" he
asked.
She nodded. "Apple was always
Billy's favorite, too."
"Now, Ma, what's the use of
. .. ," he stopped as they heard
a car drive up in the yard. ''Must
be Jim Rogers. Said today that
new calf of his was sick." He
opened the kitchen door and peer-
ed out into the night. She could
hear him catch his breath as he
watched a man and a woman get
out. "Ma, who do you think?" his
voice was low.
"I knew," Ma laughed as she
laid the paring knife down with
a happy smile, "I knew it all the
time."
Which 1
"Of course, I must ask you for a
deposit," said the landlady.
"Certainly," replied the new ten-
ant, handing over the required sum.
"Thanks. Now, shall we trust
each other or do you want a re-
ceipt?"
CIu°fcI,"en
Cd
.1 /9 aid ai
THERE'S more to buying toys
than merely getting something
for e youngster to play with.
,dome management specialists
emphasize Ave points worth remem-
bering in purchasing playthings for
children:
1. Safety. Keeping the age of the
child in mind, youngsters should not
be given a sharp knife, chemistry
19et, air rifle or a tool kit until they
are old enough to handle them with
care. Electric train equipment
should be kept in good repair to
prevent shock or burn. Infants
should be guarded against whist.
with removable mouthpiece:
Muffed animals with pin or button
eyes, wheels and strings not secure•
ly fastened, and small nailing.
2. Cleanliness. Toys should lend
themselves to being cleaned with•
out damage.
3. Construction. Well made toys
are capable of much wear and tear,
with fragile playthings encouraging
destructiveness in a child.
41. Versatility. A toy that offers..
many imaginative uses will intrigue °
a child longer. Blocks of various
shapes and sizes have more con-
struction possibilities than the usual
sets.
b. Variety. Toys of different sizes,
shapes, textures and colors develop
different muscles and different
kinds of interests.
Too many toys, like no toys at all,
are a mistake. The child is dis-
tracted by the variety and not given
the opportunity to develop the po-
tentialities of the toys he has. It
must also be appreciated that the
price of a toy does not determine
its real value since a cheap play-
thing may provide a youngster with
as much enjoyment as a more ex-
pensive one.
A department store Santa Claus
listened to a long recital of requests
by a tot, assuring her he would do
his best to meet her requirements.
Before she left, Santa handed her
a bright red apple. "What do you
want Santa to do now?" her moth-
er asked.
The moppet promptly snapped:
"Peel it!"
sass
7:117SZh'IICl'0177 'PlI8lle
THE BREADMAN
The Breadman is an example of the
cheerful efficiency' which we have come
to depend on and which means so much
to us. Foul weather or fair, each day brings
him to our door to serve our needs.
Men like this, some of Canada's finest,
are in the public's service—at your
service.
DAWES BLACK HORSE BREWERY
mawsas
One of a series of advertise? lents in tribute to those Canadians in the service of the public
0011•011101 insadoMalliti
The Quaker Ful -O -Pep Feed booth was a very busy spot
during the Royal Winter Fair. Everyone expressed keen inter-
est in the two valuable heifer calves on display, before being
awarded to the two outstanding boys or girls in junior dairy
and beef cattle work. Many feeders stopped by to talk about
the much discussed feed situation. The general opinion seemed
to be that, although things look bad at the moment, most farm-
ers are optimistic and expect a favourable adjustment in prices.
Many farmers made enquiries about the availability of Ful -O -
Pep Feeds in their particular districts, Now that supplies are
easier we can make more Ful -O -Pep Feeds but as yet we are
not at peak production. However, the high quality standard of
Vitamin -rich Ful -O -Pep Feeds is being maintained regardless of
shortages and new developments in the commercial feed pic-
ture. 1%1 -O -Pep feeders are protected because, with Ful -O -Pep,
quality aways comes first.
REG'LAR FELLERS Hold It
e 0I-1 Ti lAT
THA'3 JUST
BECAUSE. 1
TORED SOME.
EXTGA LEAVES OFF
r3hr MISTAKE'
•AM' ME WORKJN'
LIKI✓ A HCIii��$r
*WNW ts1' CRIS'MUS
WA5 JEST AROUND
TEA' GO aN r ?
By GENE BYRNES
"-= WELL I AIN'T
001 1\11 ALL 'MAY
WORK FOR, NOTHIN'!
I'M ,'AKIN' ALL "THIS
WOOD AN' COAL BACK
WHERE IT fl LONGS)
.laade I:,,,. n11 flg5re'