The Clinton News Record, 1938-12-22, Page 6.PAGE 6
THE CLINTON
NEWS-RECORO
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Movie From Handel's "Meesialt" In
Special Christmas Broadcaet
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp
oration announces, as a special Christ-
mas broadcast for listeners to its
xuttional network, a performance of
Part the First of Handel's "Messiah"
one of the majestic works in the his-
tory of music and sometimes called
the "King of Oratorios". The broad-
cast, on Sunday, December 25, 9.09
to 10.00 p.m. EST, will be given be-
fore an invited audience in: Convo-
cation Hall 'University of Toronto. It
will present ' the lVfendelssohn Choir
of Toronto, supported by orchestra
and soloists, under the leadership of
Dr, II. A. Pricker. Charles Warburt-
on, guest producer of CBC's Shake-
spearian cycle, vvill act as "lector"
and the soloists will be Eileen Law,
contralto; Frances James soprano and
Albert Kennedy, baritone. The pro-
gramme will be produced by John
Adaskin.
Written by George Frederick Han-
del in 1741, the "Messiah" was given
its premiere in Ireland the following
year and its first pereormance in
London on March 23, 1743. During
the London performance, when the
music reached the "Hallelujah
Chorus", the King (George 11) rose
to his feet in: tribute to the majesty
of the work. This precedent has been
followed, with few exceptions, ever
since.
Handel wrote two Italian oratorios
and one German oratorio before com-
posing any of his seventeen EnglIsh
works he that form. He first went
from Germany, his native land, to
England in 1710. There he reMained
to enjoy honour and affluence for
the fast of his life and to add some
of the richest pages to the realm of
music that any man. has penned.
It has been said that nothing more
beautiful has ever been written than
the reiterated major chords which
succeed the wailing minor of the over-
ture in the introductory symphony to
"Comfort Ye My People."
In addition to Part the First Dr.
Pricker will present the Choir and
soloists in the "Hallelujah Chorus"
which first caused a King to stand
in homage and which bee inspired
audiences wherever its has been per-
formed since that day.
Hall, Toronto, on Tuesday, December
27. The concert, which will be brelat-
cast to the national network of the
CBC, will be heard between 9.30 :sad
10.30 Pm. EST under the conductor-
ship of Sir Ernest MacMillan. William
Morton, tenor; Amy Fleming, contral-
to and Erie Tree.dwell, baritone, will
be the soloists. Dr. Healey Willsui
will play the cembalo, anrthe produc-
tion will be by John Adaskin. '
The "Christmas Oratorio", to be
broadcast for the first time in Canada
was written by Johann Sebastian
Bach in 1734, for his owe choir at
St. Thoxnas church in Leipzig. It is,
in reality, a series of six cantatas,
the first two which will be presented
by Sir Ernest. They were conceived
in order that one Would he performed
for Christmas Day, one for each of
the two days following, and one each
for New Yards DaySfor %he first
, Sunday in the new year and for the
first Sunday in Epiphany.
The Orriterio tells the story of the
birth of Christ as related in the New
Testament by St. Matthew and St.
Luke. The first cantata ,deals with
the journey of Mary mid Joseph to
Jerusalem to enroll for the Roman
census and the music suggests also
the joyous mood of the Christmas
Festival. The emend cantata tells of
the shepherds in the fields and the
coming of the Angel to announce the
birth a the Christ child with the
Promise to all men.
Belgian Organist To Play
Yuletide Music
The spirit of Christmas, expressed
through the eloquent tones of a mast-
eeful instrument, will be presented
Christmas Day, Sunday, December
25, 1200,to 12.30 p.m. EsT by the
Belgian organist Dr. Charles M. Cour-
boin, when he is heard over CBC's
national network from MBS, New
York.
Among the compositions to he in-
cluded are, "March of the Magi
Kings", "Noel Breton", "Silent Night"
and "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,"
. Performing at the console of the
organ in the auditorium of the Ameri-
can Academy of Arts and Letters in
New York City, Dr. Courhoin will, in
addition, be heard in his native Belg-
ium, where the short-wave relay will
he rebroadcast in Brussels.
"Christmas Oratorio" to be Broadcast
from the Vatican
An impressive programme of sacred
music, all from Part 11 of Dom Lor-
enzo Perosi's "Christmas Oratorio",
will be rebroadcast by the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation direct from
the Vatican at Rome, Italy, on Christ-
mas day, December 25, 1.00 to 145
p.m. EST. The broadcast will be und-
er the direction of Father Perosi, the
composer of the work.
Father Perosi, who was appointed
"Perpetual Master of the Pontifical
Chapel" by Pope Piue X in 1905, will
direct the famous Sistine Chapel
Choir, of which he has been musical
, director for 40 years. In addition,'
the programme will peesent Christ-
mas music by Palestina. The Red-
den Radio. Corporation's Orchestra and
as group of soloists also will be heard.
• Bach's Christmas Oratorio on OW
Tuesday December 27
The Toesento Conservatory Choir of
200•voices, an orchestra comprised. of
50 members of the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra and four vocal soloixA will
be heard in the' special performance
ssof Cantatas One and Two. of Bch's
'".Christina,s Oratorio" at Convocation
"Snow White" to be Boxing Day
Feature of CBC Network
All the elements of comedy, trag-
edy, song- and °gaity which made the
children's fantasy, °Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs," a favourite adult
'motion picture will be recaptured dur-
ing the first full-length radio drama-
tization of the Walt Disney produc-
tion, over CBC's commercial network
Monday, December 26, 9.00 to 10.00
p.m. EST from Columbia's Hollywood
ICrowding around the microphone
will be the jocular "Happy", the
'spasmodic "Sneezy", the blushing
I"Bashful", the dour "Grumpy", com-
placent old "Doe", somnambulant
"Sleepy" and the cat's -got -his -tongue
"Dopey", who will keep in character
' by not saying a word.
IThe year's puzzler for radio pro-
duction men—how to make "Dopey"
Ia radio character—has been solved by
the simple expedient of a bell around
his neck. This guarantee that he will
be able to satisfy all his fans by
appearing on the broadcast. When-
ever "Dopey" ib involved in the pro-
gramme a little bell will tinkle.
The dramatization, presented under
the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, will
have Walt Disney on hand in case
the dsvarfs become unmanageable. Lou
Silvers' Orchestra will contribute the
musical background,
SON OP GODERICH CLERGYMAN
DIES IN MONTREAL
Jerry Calder, aged 23 years, son of
Rev. A. C. and Mrs. Calder, of God-
erich, died in a Montreal hospital on
Wednesday, December 14th.
The young nsan was widely known
as an outstanding athlete. He played
football at Chatham prim; to the
time his parents moved to Godevieh
and also starred on the Chatham
Cricket team. He was' also, proficient
in many other foems of sp,ort, and
was active in A.Y.P.A. work and in
amateur dramatics. Of late he had
been employed in the publicity de-
partment of a Montreal firm.
Surviving are his parents, els*
three •brothers, Franklin and Jack,
Toronto, and Philip at home; two, sist-
ers, Mary and Marjorie of St. Jos-
eph's Hospital, London.
Attended by dignitariee of the
Church of England, a large congrega-
tion representative of every walk of
life, the impressive funeral service
Was held in St. George's church, God-
erich, on Saturday. The service was
conducted by Rev. W. T. Doherty.
Arehdeacon of London, assisted by
Ven. Archdeacon, Perkins, of Chat-
ham; Rev. 'W. Bugler, of )3ayfield.
Rural Dean; and Rev, Mr. Gallagher
of Winghem. Interment was matte in
Maitland cemetery,
tatEiottwNote
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Chr mas Meditation
ist
George Giseing's "The Private Papers
of Henry Ryecroft" an English
classic', first Printed in 1903. George
Gissing was a distinguished Brieisiti
novelist whOse books continue to be
read by the disconcerning feW.
The Christmas bells drew me loath
this -morning. With but half -formed
purpose I walked through soft, hazy
sunshine toWarde the city, and came
into the cathedral Close, and after
lingering awhile, heard the first notes
of the organ, and so entered.
r believe that it is more than thirty
years since I was in an English
church on Christmas Day. The old
time and the old faces lived again
for me: I saw myself on the far Side
of the abyss of years—that self which
is not Myself at all though I mark
points of kindred between the beings
of then and now. ' He who in that
other world sat to hear the Christmas
gospel either heeded it not at all—
rapt in his own vision—or listened
only as one i n whose blood was
heresy. He loved the notes of the
organ, but, even in his childish mind,
distinguished • clearly between the
music and its local motive. More than
that: he could separate the melody
of word and of thought from their
dogmatic significance, enjoying the
one whilst wholly rejecting the other.
"On earth peace, goodwill to men"
—already that line was among the
treasures of his intellect, but only, no
doubt, because of its rhythm, its sop-
ority. Life to him was a half-con-
scious striving for the harmonic in
thought and speech --- and through
what a tumult of unmelodious circum-
stance was he beginning to fight his
way! -
Today I listen with no heretical
promptings. The music, whether of
organ or of word, is more to me than
ever. The literal meaning causes me
no restiveness. I felt only glad that
I had yielded to the summons of the
Christmas bells. I sat among a con-
gregation of shadows, not in the great
cathedral, but in a little parish church
far from here. When I came forth,
it astonished me to see the softly
radiant sky, and no 'tread on the
moist earth. My dream expected a
wind-swept canopy of cold grey, .and
all beneath it the gleam of new -fallen
snow.
It is a piety to turn a while and
live with the dead, "end who can so
well indulge it as he whose Christma,s
is passed in no unhappy solitude? I
would not now, if I might, be one of
a joyous company. It is better tc
hear the long -silent voices, and to
smile at happy things which I alone
remember. When I was scarce old
enough to understand I heard read
by the fireside the Christmas stanzas
of "In Memoriam". Tonight I have
taken down the volume, and the voice
of so long ago has read to me once
again—read as no other voice ever
did—that voice which taught me to
know poetry—the voice which never
spoke to me but of good and noble
things. Would I have those accents
overborne by a living tongue, how-
ever svelcome its sound at another
time? palously I guard my Christ-
mas solitude.
Christmas Trees for Unite'd
• States Christmas
For years Canada lies been the
only important exporter of Christ-
mas trees to the chief northeastern
cities of the United States, although
in, 1937 quantities of Newfoundland
trees made their appearance in. Chic-
ago, shipped through Montreal and
Philadelphia. Most of the Canadian
trees impotted into the United States
are shipped by rail, bath in open flat
ears and in box cars. The box cars
do not hold so many trees as the
open cars, but because the trees in
the box ears cannot be strapped down
they arrive at their destinations in
better condition; For this reason, the
trend has been the greater use of
box cars.
It is estimated that the flat open
ears carry b.etween 450 to 550
bundles, as compared with 325 to
375 bundles in the box cars. There
is a small movement by boat, but
many dealerdo not favour this
method on account of the possibility
of heating. New York is the most
important outlet for tne Christmas
trees, but nearly every large eastern
etty, particularly Pliiladellphia, De-
troit,. Pittsburg, Cleveland •and Chi-
cago, accounts for substantial quant-
ities.
The Nova Scotia halsam is prefer-
red to all others, although balsam
firs from, New Brunswick and Quebec
have large sales. Spruce is little
used, especially in New York, and
it brings prices considerably under
those for balsam. Douglas fir Christ-
mas trees are also imported from
British Columbia by the 'United States
and come as far east as Cleveland.
Trees must be put up in bundles, the
number to each bundles depending
on size. Bundles may eonsist of one
to seven trees, with sizes of 5 te 6
feet high representing the bulk of
the trade. For the 1937 Christmas,
5,299,295 trees were exported to the
United Stakes, the number exported
inereasing year by year.
Many farmers in ehe 'districts
where evergreen trees grow which are
used as Christmas trees, benefit by
th1 trade
3..gmarxmov-v:giNtA=mcwsx:40
Journey to Bethlehem
Not Like Today'siTravel
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ccusTomEn to dur swift and
modem:, transisortation, it is
difecelt to visualize the hard-
ships -Of that journey from Nazareth
to Bethlehem, or the great fatigue
end weariness suffered by May and
foseph. Consternation filled their
hearts at tbe deeree of Caesar; yet
tbere was nothing to do but obey
the summons. They rnust make the
tong, tiresome journey and at
oece!"
No shining motor car waited out-
side their gate; no silver -winged
plane stood throbbing in a nearby
field; not even the meanest ox -cart
was available. While others rode
by in gorgeous caravans, a patient
little donkey was their only means
of transportation. We can imagine
the tall and bearded Joseph leading
the animal along, glancing back ev-
ery now and then with, words of
cheer and encouragement for Mary,
or pointing out some landmark
along the way.
Behind them now was the Sea of
Galilee and Mt. Tabor. Through
the plain of Estraleon they labored;
then came the rough and uneven
trail through Samaria, where even
the sure-footed donkey stumbled at
times. To the west, the Jordan ran
its course, to empty farther south
into the Dead sea. Along their way
they passed many places whose
names would be known and revered
around the world in the dim future
. Did Mary have a vision as
she went by that one day the Son
whom she was about to bear would
go up and down this country preacn-
ing a new Gospel of love and peace
and hope for man, and that His
birth would be held in happy and
blessed remembrance by all the
peoples of the earth until time would
be no more?—Katherine Edelman.
ihisrAirsiSnasoic/cRiMraiscargir*SYMICAN
First Christmas Carol
When Christ Was Born
ifSleMiclairiallsiMIRIFMMOMMIKERM,
CHRISTMAS is the time when
men are drawn together in a
great unity. 1,2uch of this may
be attributed to our response to fa-
miliar songs, sung year after year
to commemorate the advent of a
little Child on earth. The first
Christmas carol ever heard, we like
to believe, came over the fields of
Bethlehem, when Christ was born—
"Glory be to God on high, and on
earth, peace, good will toward
men."
But it was 1,200 years later that
St. Francis of Assisi and his broth-
ers took up the singing in public of
carols at Christmas to combat the
unbelief of their time. With lighted
tapers they went about the streets of
the small Italian village pouring out
their hearts in songs of praise. In
the 800 years since then the singing
of Christmas carols has gone around
the world. Wherever Christienity is
known carol singing follows, t,
The simple vision of a mother
lulling her babe to sleep gives
Christmas music its strength. Some
sing as a tribute to their religious
faith, others as a custom they en-
joy. But whatever the reason, the
important thing is that more and
more people do it. From such wide-
ly different sources as churches,
theaters, schools, clubs, radio sta-
tions, come the words of "Away in
a Manger," "Silent Night," "Joy to
the World," "Little Town of Bethle-
hem," "Hark the Herald Angels
Sing," and "Come All Ye Faithful,"
sung by soloists, choirs, choruses or
the voices of school children. So
each year new joy is expressed
through old channels. — Frances
Grinste ad.
Vftlf:2
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
TF YOUR Christmas tree is a
balsam --and that is the love-
liest kind of all, both for appear-
ance and for fragrance—then
when you first light it a cheerful
old superstition urges a glance at
your shadow on the wall—if you
dare. Should it appear headless
you will not live to see another
Christmas. Then, later, when the
tree is burned, another tradition
suggests keeping a partly burned
stick to ward off lightning.
Paint Brightens Toys
In the basement or the attic many
of us will find old toys the children
have discarded. Christmas is al-
most here' and much joy can be
brought into the lives of less fortu-
nate youngsters if we get out these
toys, give them a coat of gayly cob
ored enamel and distribute them
ourselvesor turn them over to a
social agency to be handed out to
needy youngsters on St. Nick's day.
In England's Wassail Bowls
Brewed in England's Yuletide
wassail bowls are baked apples, hot
ale seasoned with spice, orange
juice and rind and whipped eggs.
Plan Christmas Dinner
Plan to prepare as much of the
meal as possible on the day prior to
Christmas so that the housewife can
enjoy the day with her family.
TOBY BARNES, just home
from the office, stood regard-
ing his wife with amusement..
"You have the manner, Kay, of be-
ing about to leap up and wave a
flag. What's' bappened?"
"I've just discovered something
important about myeelf." • Kay's
short, light curls were becomingly
haphazard. Her eyes were of an
intense blue. She was slender and
young and vivid. "I'm supremely
selfish." She rose to her feet and
gesticulated with both hands, "I
Want to be utterly, gloriously en-
grossed in ME!"
They both laughed. Then Kay ran
forward and dragged her husband
down into a wide, comfortable chair,
squeezing in beside him.
"You're e perfectly grand guy,"
she smiled, "but this Christmas, my
man, I'm going to be superbly self-
ish, as an experiment. Will yoU
try it too, Toby?"
"All right," he agreed, "I'll take
you on."
The next morning Kay tilted a
pert gray hat on her curls, and
walked imperiously to the shopping
district. "I'm fed up with being
poor, and scrimping and saving so
I can be generous in mean, little
ways. Today I . . , spend on my-
self!"
She felt guilty and ridiculous, and
she turned her eyes away from a
haberdasher's window where gentle-
men's furnishings were invitingly
displayed. Toby needed masses and
masses of things. No, just this once
she would spend with a bang all she
had on something frivolous for her-
self. Toby had promised to do the
same.
At noon she happened to notice a
tall person standing by the next
store windowlie was absorbed in
thought. Kay hardly breathed while
the man suddenly plunged into the
store door. She crept close to a
sheltering pillar while she watched
what happened inside.
She saw the roan point to a wom-
an's rich, quilted housecoat. She
saw him pay for it, and leave, but
without a package unitlerehis arm.
Just the sort of housecoat for which
she had yearned hopelessly.
She gasped in dismay. For one
hot second she was possessed with
anger. Toby wasn't playing fair.
He had no right to make her feel
ashamed and abject on Christmas
morning 1
When Toby's flapping overcoat
was out of sight Kay slipped into
the same shop, going straight to the
counter her husband had left, "May
I inquire," she asked crisply, "if
that quilted housecoat just pur-
chased, is to be delivered to MIs.
Toby Barnes?" She gave the house
address, The clerk was startled into
admitting the fact.
Kay threw up her chin. "I asked
my husband, Mr. Barnes, to step
in here today to buy that for me.
I've changed my mind. May I ex-
change- it for something I prefer'?"
The clerk weakly nodded.
Christmas eve found Kay a bit
cryptic. Toby carelessly inquired
if a package had been delivered
that efternoon. Kay said yes; it
was waiting in the closet. As it
was, though not quite what Toby
supposed.
Kay was excited as a child on
Christmas morning. There were
waffles for breakfast and especially
good coffee. Afterwards Mrs, Toby
Barnes shoved her tall husband into
his big chair, "Sit there," she com-
manded him, and len the room.
"When is this fine exhibition of
selfishness going to begin?" he
shouted after her. "I want to see it
in action!"
Kay returned with a large pack-
age elaborately wrapped. Toby
'looked pleased. "There you are,"
he said. "I'm sorry, Kay, to fall
down on our agreement, but I knew
you wanted the darned thing."
"There you arel" cried Kay hurl-
ing the box at him. "I simply will
not let you squander your money on
expensive things for me, Toby."
Toby opened the box, drawing
forth a manly, well -tailored dress-
ing gown for a tall gentleman. "You
knew," muttered his wife in a small
voice, ,"you haven't a thing to sit
around in at home,"
"So this," he raved, "is the great
.exhibition of selfishness! And where
• is your housecoat, I'd like to know?"
, Kay, in a thin, quivering voice,
!begged him to be kind while she ex-
plained.
"1"-wo
Little Doll's -
tri Blue
'95
hy
ALICE
THURS., DEC. 22, IS
anng
thriot
gi REN'T the dolls beautiful?"
exclaimed Joan to her
mother, as she , gazed upon
the finished product of the "Two
Little Dolls in Blue" which Dorothy
May had ordered from Santa Claus.
"They are quite the loveliest I
have ever seen," spoke mother. "I
do believe that you have put your
very heart and soul into their fash-
ioning. •
Joan had spent many days and
nights, too stitching a loving holi-
day thought into each tiny garment.
The dainty materials had been
tranaformed into thing e of beauty.
The dresses 'of pale blue silk with
bonnets and slippers' to match, had
proclaimed them the "Two Little
Dolls in Blue!" • sl
"Oh, won't Dot love them!"
beamed Joan, as she again eyed the
dolls from head to foot with a happy
smile of complete satisfaction.
"I dare say this will be her hap-
piest Christmas, one that she will
never forget," said mother.
Christmas eve, with its bright
lights and cheer, was in full prog-
ress and the two
little dolls in blue
were being fon-
dled by one of the
happiest little
girls in the world.
Rocking in her
own tiny chair
Dorothy May be-
gan singing a lel-
laby to the dollies,
wholly oblivious
of the attendant
surroundings. It
was such an ador-
able sight that the
others had stopped
their celebrations and were beam-
ing upon her with transformed emo-
tion.
The spell was broken when Doro-
thy May suddenly stopped singing
and called out, "What shall I name
the 'two little dolls in blue'?"
"Well," said Joan, smiling
thoughtfully, "since they are
dressed in due and are two very
important little ladies, why not call
one Alice Blue and the other Elinor
Blue?" And so the dolls were
named.
On Christmas morning in another
house around the corner, Bonny
Jean awoke with the joy of the hol-
iday and shouted, "Mother, did San-
ta conie and did he bring me a
big baby doll with curls and eyes
that open and shut?"
"Yes, dearie, Santa came and
brought you a very pretty doll."
Then spying it, seated beneath
the tree dressed in scarlet finery,
Bonny Jean clasped it to her breast.
Upon close inspection she soon
learned that it was the same sort
of doll she had always received,
only with new features.
Just as she was about to burst
into protest at her bitter disappoint-
ment there came a rap upon the
door and a kindly neighbor was say-
ing, "Merry Christmas." Then with
a happy smile—
"What is the matter, little girl?
Hasn't Santa Claus come yet?"
"Oh, yes, he carne, but he broiled
Inc the same old rag doll again. I
thought sure it would be a real one
this year, because I'm nine, you
see."
"Oh, I am so sorry," said Dorothy
May, with true feeling and thinking
of the two beauti-
ful dolls which
Santa had left for
her. Then with a
happy Christmas
thought, she whis-
pered something
very lovely to her
mother.
They all went
right over to the
big house on the
hill nestled under
itsburden of
Christmas snow.
Bonny Jean forgot
all about the rag
doll when she glimpsed the great
tree through the holly wreaths in
the window:But when she saw the
two little dolls in blue sitting be-
neath it her joy was unbounded, She
dapped her hands and danced with
glee. "Such darling dolls!" she
gasped, breathlessly.,
"Their names are Alice Blue and
Eleanor Blue," said their little mis-
tress, proudly.
"I want to give you one of them,
Bonny Jean; which do you like?"
With unbelievable surprise, her
eyes fairly dancing with joy, she
clasped the beautiful doll in her
arms and asked, "Is—it—really—
/xi ine—for—keeps ?"
"Really and truly for keeps," said
Dot.
Dorothy May explained it all to
her mother after the happy little
girl had left, that somehow she just
did not miss Eleanor Blue very
much when she saw how happy she
had made Bonny Jean,
In her heart she felt that it was
truly "more blessed to give than to
receive," and hugging the one little
doll closely, she whispered, "Mer-
ry Christenea Alice Blue."...
-b.,
webi, pears,„
IAM a haplen little tree. I stand "
beside the front: entrance of sae
white cottage on allele street.
Each Christmas time 11 bloOnt out.
In beautiful coloredlights, and all
who pa*$, s.hare reay beatity •and I
catch something of the joy of Chrfete
But I was net filway,s happy like •
this. Once I lived in a great forest,
surrounded by trees so tall I caulli.
only catch a glimpse of the blue eky
above me, and I felt very small and
lonely. 1, too, wanted to be tali: to.
'look out on the big world like the
others and feel the sun sinning
through my branches. I would
stretch out my limbs as far as
cbuld, and send my roots deeper in-
to the earth, but my progress was
so Slow I ,grew discouraged.
One day I saw a man and a boy
corning through the forest: The man,
carried sornething over his shoulder .
and they seemed to be looking
for something. Then the boy saw. •
me and cried; "Look, father, there,.
is just the tree we want." Ile ran
over to me and fairly hugged rue in
his eagerness. The man looked me,
over. "Fine," he said, 'But when
he began digging with the thing he •
had carried on his shoulder / be-
gan to tremble. I felt my roots
snap one by one and soon I lay a
tumbled heap on the ground. Life
seemed over for me,
Next I was tied to a funny looking
thing on wheels, that sputtered and
growled when the man and boy
climbed in and we started off down
a twisty little road that wound
through the forest, then out on a
big shining highway until we came ,
to a wide driveway that led through,
a sloping lawn to a white cottage.
Here I was untied and put into a
large earthen jar filled with sand
and carried into the house, and set
in a corner of a big room beside a
sunny window. Oli, the joy of hava -
ing the sun on my branches, I be-
gan to feel less scared and to look
about me.
In a big .mirror opposite I could
watch the man as he fastened me •
upright. Then he put a string of
Two Little Faces Pressyd Against
the Window Pane.
lights from my top to my toe,
whistling softly as he worked. Then
I heard a door open and a rush of -
feet—a little boy and a girl dashed
into the room crying: "Marrone,
come quick, and see our Clirtmes
tree." They clapped their hands
and danced about me. Soon the. •
mother came with a box filled with
shining lovely things and my plaisi.
green dress was covered with.
sparkling jewels. I hardly dared •
look in the mirror for I remem-
bered I was only a humble tree •
after all, and what I saw could not
be me at all; but the great silver
star on my topmost branch made.
me feel very happy. I seemed to .
draw courage from just looking at
it.
After a time I was left to myself.
I was glad, as I needed to rest UP '
a bit and get used to my (strange •
surroundinge. It grew dark outside •
and snow was falling; but ireekle
my star shone and a quiet peace,
came over me,
Then once more the doors opened
and a merry group of people came
in. This time there were Father
and Grandfather and Grandmother,
too; and Mother leading the little
boy and girl. Everyone was saying •,•
how lovely / was; but I aid not wart
them to look at me. I wanted theta
to see two little faces outside
pressed against the window pane,
The boy saw them first "Look,
Daddy, Mammal" he shouted and
pointed to the window. 'Mere are
two children out there. Bring thera
in, Daddy; give them some of our
Christmas." And the little girl
clapped her hands and cried: "Oh, ,
do, Daddy, it's cold out therei"
When they were brought in look—
ing, rather scared, but glacl, I was •
so happy I almost shook my baubles
off. Than Mother made music on
a big box with shining keys and
everyone sang Christi -nes carols,
Then Father told the old story of "
the Shepherds and the Star that Zed
to the Christ Child, Than .a jolly
man with a red coat ahd a pack on
his back gave everyone presents,
including the little strangers. There
were candies and nuts, plenty for
all, and such a babble of happy
voices. I felt the thrill of it MYsele '
and the big star glowed in sympa...
thy.