The Wingham Advance Times, 1933-12-21, Page 6L
HEY did not have
very much money.
In fact, they had
very little. If you
had peered into Mr
Grady's worn poc-
ketbook you'd have
seen only a . two
dollar bill and a
{ few stray coppers.
This represented
threes months of most careful
ing for Christmas, The Gradys were
poor and there were seven of them.
Pa Grady had been killed in an acci-
dent three years ago, since, when Ma
Grady and Susie and Bill had worked
hard to keep the family- together, But
all the hardship in the world could
not dampen the spirtis of that fighting
family.
Susie Grady was a plucky fifteen,
and got smalljobs of looking after
the neighbors' babies, or coming in
as a mother's helper. Bill Grady was
twelve. He picked up odd quarters in
all sorts of clever ways. Ma Grady
that rosy, smiling, battling woman,
had her big amts in the suds from
morning ` until night. She did the
washings of half the town.
And so Christmas Eve carne, And
Ma Grady stepped down to where the
stores were and expended her two
dollars and a few coppers on gifts
for her family. In the meantime Su-
sie and Bill were busy about a Xmas
tree. Bill had bought it at a great
reduction because it was so ugly.
Susie paused in draping a bit of tin-
sel on a branch. "Don't you hear a
crying?" she asked.
"Haven't got time to listen to the
wind," growled Bill, who was feeling
too important to be bothered with
trifles. n
Susie went on with her work.
Then—"But I do hear something,
sure as the world!" she insisted. Bill
grunted and stood off to squint up,
his eyes at some cotton he had just
arranged like snow.
"It's a scratching sound and a
whine. I'm going to see." Susie
slipped into the hall. She opened the
door. There, shivering on the sill, was
the coldest, littlest dog she had ever
geen in her life. It had long, silken
stirs and the biggest brown eyes iirt:.
agfnable,
"Why, you poor little beastief"
Susie gathered Hint up in her arms.
A grateful pink tongue lapped her
,face. A cold little body pressed
against her 'warm Bees;, jibe hltrried
back to the Christmas tree,
"Look! Look what I've found!"
Bill came over toexamine the dog.
"Cute little feller, ain't he?" he con-
ceded. "Guess he's one 6' them new-
fangled kind: a Chinese Pekingese.
Wonder why he came to our door?"
The h children stood patting the new
treasure, And the wee dog made tiny
The Two Children Played With. the
Small Stranger.
snortings •of pleasure, wriggling and
squirming with delight. The Christ-
mas tree was forgotten.
"Don't get him to barking or it will
wake up the other kids!' warned Su-
sie,
For half an hour the two children
played with the small stranger. 13111
and Susie had never seen such a
friendly little creature, They began
to think of him as their own ... as
a Christmas gift come especially for
thein,
A loud rapping on the door. A rap-
ping as of a cane knocked smartly
against the panels.
",Mercy!" said Susie, "who's that?"
And she flew to answer it,
"Piave you seen? asked a man's"
voice, a steep, businesslike voice, "a
nmall dog about here?"
"Why" stammered Susie, "why—
A sharp little bark from the other
pont.
"Ash" said the
stranger, "I petecive
than you have. Allow ni:e to enter and
retrieve my property.
Before .Susie could say a word the
big rn,;;ui had pushed •'by her and was
in the room where the. Christmas tree
stood.
Bill had 'the dog tight .in his arms.
There was an expression 011 the bay's
face of ,dogged determination. He
looked a$ though nothing in the world
could separate him from his new-
found 'happiness.
"Yes," said the stranger, "that is
the little fellow. He got away from
me while it was giving him a "walk.
The mistress would be wild if I lost
him. I"II 'have to teach him a lesson."
He reached for the dog.
"No, not" cried Bill. "We found
him and tool~.' him in. He's ours!"
"Why, Bill;" said Susie, "you must-
n't speak that way 1"
The man laughed. "I don't wonder
you want him—he's a cute little tyke,
13ut I must take him back home. I'M
to drive the family to a party tonight
and I'm late no;v:
But Bill relinquished his hold . of
the dog not a whit. "You can't have
him!. He's mines"
As the big man in a driver's livery
took a step forward Iris glance fell on
a framed photograph. For an instant
he blinked very fast. Then he scru-
tinized the picture more Closely. His
"Could Your Name Se Nora Finne-
gan?" He Asked.
formal speech lapsed into natural ex-
pression. "By gorry if that ain't the
ispittin' image of meoldest brother
Tire. Tim Grady, or I'm a liars"
Bill and Susie stood spell bound.
The little dog made .a snuffling sound
with his nose.
Just at this moment who should
come puffing in the door but. Mrs,
Grady herself her arms laden with
packages, her face rosy with the cold
�otiier. screamedBill and Susie
at once, mother! Here's a man who
lost a little dog."
Mrs, Grady set her bundles on a
chair and came' in. The very breath
of clean outdoors carne with her.
"Mrs, Grady," said the man, "could
your name be Norah Piinnegan?"
Mrs. Grady smiled, "It cel ad ,and
it is!" ,
"Well," said the man, and a queer,
shy look passed over his face, "maybe
you won't be welcoming me -but I'ni
-I'rrr Tim's youngest brother, Tom.
I ran away from home when I was
sixteen. I've been pretty near all ov-
er the country. Just came to work
for Mrs. Platt in October -night here
in this town. I lost track' of my fam-
ily -but I did hear about Tim's death.
I was in California then. I'm awful
ashamed—"
The heart of Mrs. Grady was a
large one. She forgot as easily as she
forgave. And it took ber only a few
minutes to make this youngest bro-
ther of her husband very much at
home.
"You wasalways his favorite," she
said, "and he used to worry about'you
a lot. Are ye married?"
"No,", confessed Tom ' Grady, "not
I. And by the linin' soul of St Pat-
rick, I'll lend a shoulder in this house.
Ye've had a hard time, Norah, and
you've done a fine job by the kids.
It'll be grand to come my nights; off.
I was feelin 'terrible lonesome this
Christmas. I have most of the day
toinorrow and you bet I'll hike it ov-
er here as fast as I can. Will ye in-
vite me?" .
Susie slipped a shy Band into her
new uncle's big fist. Bill roved
nearer, his eyes rbund with bewilder-
ment, He still held the little dog
tight in his arms, "Can you bring the
dog to visit, too?" he asked.
"I don't know about that, but:I do
know that I can buy another dog
just like him for a Iad I've just found
—a boy by the name of Bill.»
The Gradys had a merry Christmas
-the merriest Christmas for years.
I3ig Torn ronrpeci with the children
like a boy. And barking away with
all his exhuberant might was a brown
and white clog with large eyes and a
plume of a tail—"To Bill with a Mer-
ry Christmas from his uncle Tom"
had been on the: tag that came with
the new poppy.
"ileclad, a fine days" sighed Mrs.
Grady. a 'Tis maybe I 'can give up a.
dozen washin's or so and tend to
fancily. That Tont is a whale of a
lad for helpin',"
Happy is the woman who receives
a cash Christmas Present, because she
Willhave a lot, of fun at the )'anuary.
sale counters.
THE WINCHAM ADVANCE -TIMES
Thursclay, ' Dee. 21st, 1933
Roast Turkey
Dress and clean turkey, and stuff.
Tie down legs and wings and rub en-
tire surface with salt. Spread breast,
legs and wings with 14 cup butter or
fat, creamed with •' Ye cup flour.
Dredge bottom of pan, with flour and
place turkey in hot oven. When the
flour begins to brown, reduce heat;
add 1 cup boiling water . and baste
with Ye cup fat in % cup boiling wa-
ter. When this is used, baste with fat
in pan. Baste every 15 minutes until
tender. Do not prick with fork; press
with fingers. If the breast meat and
legs are' soft to the touch, turkey is
done: If the oven is;. too hot, cover
the pan. Turn the turkey often that.
it may brown nicely. Remove; string
before sending to the : table on hot
platter. A turkey weighing -not more
than -8 or 9 pounds (young) is the
best. If you desire to use the gib-
lets, always put them under 'the side.
of the fowl, so they will not dry 'up.
Have left in the chopping -bowl a lit-
tle stuffing, take out the giblets and
chop fine. After taking.rno the turkey
out of the pan put . in a large table-
spoonful of flour and stir until brown.
Put the giblets into a gravy boat and
pour over .thein the gravy. Serve
with cranberry jelly. Turkey should
roast about three hours.
Roast Duck
Prepare the same as for turkey,
adding to the dressing two or three
finely -chopped onions. Serve with
applesauce or, cranberries:
•
Turkey With Chesnuts
Clean and cut a young 8 -pound tur-
key into
urkey-into individual serving pieces, as
for frying. Sprinkle generously with
salt and paprika and: let stand in the
refrigerator for 30 .minutes. Then
place in a kettle with 2 cupfuls of
boiling water, including any juices
which may have been drawn out of
the turkey. Cover closely and stew
slowly for 2 hours or more. At the
start of the last half-hour of cooking"
The Christmas Carolers
Ae Welcome Everywhere
"Here come the carolers."
So it used to be. Young faces
pressed against the windowpanes,
straining to hear the cheerful carols
outside. Perhaps it was the story of
the Christ child put to tune or a bal-
lad of love and cheer•. When the sing-
ers were done the householder invited
them in for a bite and a sup or gave
them a coin or two for their song.
Then on to the next house, to sin„
again under the stars or veiled be-
hind sifted snow.
It was a good old custom, this mid-
night minstrelsy in the season of
peace and goodwill. "With the begin-
ning of Yuletide,twelve days before
Christmas Day, as Percival Chubb
tells us in the Standard, published in
New. York by the American Ethical
Union, "small bands of musicians
went the rounds and in the mire or
on the road or on the steps, played.
the old folk tunes as a lyrical prelude
to the great day. To some of the an-
tique ballad airs, like "Good King
Wenceslaus," says Mr, Chubb, the
singers would add a hymn. tune or
two—"Once in David's Royal Crty,"
or "Hark, the herald Angels Sing."
"Punctuating the bustle of domestic
preparation for the coming .feast,
these ministrations in the still ,night.
add. 1 pound of chesnuts which have
been blanched in boiling salted water
and' peeled. When the turkey is bare-
ly tender, remove from the kettle (the
liquid should be practically gone when
the turkey is tender), flour each piece
and, fry until . crisp and brown. :Re-
move the turkey to a hot platter, add
the chesnuts, roll about in the butter,
add. 2 cupfuls of thin cream, .bring to
a boil, and thicken with 2 tablespoon-
fuls of flour. Pour over the turkey,
garnish 7vitli parsley and serve.
Baked Chicken
Split open in the back,' season with
salt and pepper and plenty of butter.
Pour a little water into a pan, and,
while baking, baste often, turning the
chicken so as to brown nicely all ov-
er. When done,'take up the chicken;
thicken the gravy with a little flour,
and serve in 'a gravy boat. Chickens
are nice stuffed:and baked ?f the same
manner as turkey.
Roast Goose
Two ounces of onion, and hall as
much green sage, chopped fine, and
one e Goff a cupof bread crura
bs a
e ,
lit-
tle pepper and salt, the yolks of twu
eggs. Do not quite fill the goose, but
leave room for it to swell. Roast fromi
one hour and a half to two hours,
and serve with gravy and applesauce.
Stuffing
Chesnut stuffing -Boil the chesnuts
and shell them, then blanch them and
boil until soft; mash them fine and
mix with a little sweet cream, some
bread crumbs, pepper and salt. De-
licious with turkey,
Potato stuffing—Take ?a bread and
1/3 boiled potatoes grated, butter size
of an egg, pepper, salt, one egg, and
a little ground sage; mix thoroughly.
Apple Stuffing—Take half -Pound of
the pulp of tart apples which have
been baked or scalded; add two ounc-
es of bread crumbs, sortie powdered
sage, a finely -shred onion; season
well with cayenne pepper. Tasty with ,
roast 4t k, or goose.
gave a breath of poetry that touched Make Christmas Burden,
the spirit of Christmas with an en
dearing beauty. Day by day the tide,
of joyous anticipation rose until the
cresecendo brokeinto a forte of ex-
huberance."
Those 0
simple days o f'the folk are
p Y
gone, says Mr. Chubb; the glory is
departed.
But the custom of making the
rounds on Christmas eve to sing car-
ols of peace and good will on earth
still prevails here and there.—Liter-
ary Digest.
Plain Stuffing—Take one quart of.
stale bread in pieces, 1 teaspoon salt,
% teaspoon, pepper, 2 tablespoons of
butter' or dripping, /s teaspoon ging-
er, 1/# teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1
small onion chopped fine. Seale bread
in cold water and squeeze dry:"' Sea-
son to taste and add onion fried in fat.
Mix thoroughly;
Giblet Gravy
Giblets and neck of fowl, 3 table-
spoons chicken fat, 2 tablespoons of
flour, salt and pepper. Place giblets,
liver., neck, heart and gizzard in a
saucepan and cover with cold water.
Simmer slowly until tender. Remove,
meat from neck and chop fine with
the giblets, saving the liquid in which
they were cooked. Heat fat, and when.
hot, stir in flour. Cook 2 minutes and
add 1 cup of the liquid left from the
cooking of the giblets, pouring it in
gradually. If gravy seems too thick,
thinwith a little hot water. Put in
chopped giblets fast and season with
salt and pepper.
Spiced Cranberry jelly
Y
4 cups cranberries
'2 cups sugar
2 cups water
12 whole 'cloves
2 inch stick cinnamon
4 all spice berries
Pick over and wash the berries. Put
in a saucepan with the water and
spices. Cook until berries are soft.
Put through : a strainer. Heat. Add
sugar. Finish as cranberry jelly.
Cranberry Jelly
One quartcranberries.
m
Boil 6 in-
q
utes with one cup of water, then add
2 cups of sugar and boil for three
minutes. Set in small moulds.
Cranberry Sauce
use
Wash 1 lb. cranberries, put them
into a saucepan with just enough
water to cover them, add 1 oz. of
sugar, and simmer: gently until 'the
berriesare quite soft. Rub them
through a sieve. Reheat and serve.
Norway, Sweden Babies
Are Loaded with Gifts
In many districts of Norway and
Sweden every baby born on Christ-
mas day is the recipient of many gifts
and bounties from all quarters,' He
receives a bounty from both the ec-
clesiastical and civil authorities, and
in some districts these bounties am-
ount to a considerable amount of mo-
ney, which is usually invested until
the child is of age.
The 'children that are born to some
classes of the people in Naples on
this happy day are visited by "Wise
men"—who are selected by some phil-
anthropic society -and are presented
with imitation stones whieh are val-
ued highly by the children in later
years, even supernatural qualities be-
ing ascribed to theirs.
Be Unhappy Rest of Year
It is so customary nowadays ' to
hear disparagement of Christmas as
a season of vanity, selfish display,
greed and covetousness, that we like
to point out the other side. Some of
our cynics declare that Christmas
gifts are themselves dictated by self-
interest—that they are meanly offer-
ed in the hope of a return—,with in-
terest -or are an exhibition of vanity.
Andoul etwho' dare would da a to say this
of a mother, who deprives herself to
give happiness to her children, or of
the girl who willingly foregoes some
little vanity for the pleasure of her
parents? People who make Christmas
a burden and a tax show the same
attitude throughout the year—their
own false standards of living are to
blame, and not this holy festival,—
Rural
estival—Rural;New-Yorker.
Shepherds and Wise Men
It is not clear from the Scriptueal
allusions that the shepherds who vis-
ited the new-born Jesus were the
same as the wise men who saw his
star in the East. Only Matthew re-
cords the story of the inagi, and only
Luke mentions the shepherds. Mark
and John do not refer to either the
shepherds or the wise men
41
About Old Santa. Claus,
Children's Patron Saint
The dictionary inerely tells you that
Santa Claus is a contraction of Saint
Nicholas (see' Nicholas, Saint). A.
turning of the pages reveals that Ni-
cholas was. bishop "of 1VIyr•a or Smyr-
na in. Asia Minor about 30Q A, D. He
was the patron saint of old Russia
and was believed to offer special pro-
tection and comfort to "sea -faring
men, thieves, virgins and children,"
His affection for children was based on
the assertion that he brought back t6
life three schoolboys who had been
murdered. An encyclopedia attributes
the name by which 11e is known in
America to the early Dutch settlers
who called him San Nicolaas,
But it little matters whether he be
known as Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus,
Kris Kringle, or a dozen other nam
es,'for _the presence, of his spirit on
this climax holiday of th year is the
important thing. It enters every
home in the folia corners of Christen-
dom and touches the hearts of all the
hien and women in thein, Moreover,
it is essentially the spirit of child-
hood, the freshness, the courage, and
the eagergess of, young lives. Saint
Nicholas may seem old, but he has
none of the fears, regrets or preju-
dices of age. He and his children
stand on the threshold of the world.
Their banner is good will and their
goal is peace.
So this clay, dedicated to the Mem-
ory of the birth of a child, belongs
to all children. It is their carols,
their laughter, their happiness which
makes it sweet. And we older folks
should on this day at least share their
lcindliness, their tolerance, their pur-
ity and their Saint Nicholas.—'I'he
Boston Herald.
Protect Children When
Celebrating Christmas
Christmas time being a season of
joy, e'veryprecaution should be tak-
en to prevent any untoward circurft-
stances which might enter into its
celebration.
Too often the careless placingof
lighted candles has resulted in pain-
ful burns, and even death to those
participating in the Yuletide festiv-
ities. "Santa Claus" has been the vic-
tim in innumerable cases.
Tiny electric lights now are most
used in lighting' the Christmas tree,
and that reduces the fire danger ma-
terially. If candles are to be used in
the decoration -and they.undoubtedl
lend an effect not to be obtained,by
the electric lights—they should b e
placed on the mantel and in other
secure locations where contact with
their pretty blazes is not likely to be
made.
In Christmas sports involving the
slightest danger, children should be
directed in their play by an older per-
son who is competent to effect a res-
cue if necessary.—Charles Frederick
Wadsworth,
Great Yule Feast. Given
By King _. Richard in 1399
Christmas in England, of course, is
an old feast day, though the Santa
Claus and Christmas tree traditions
come to us from another source. Wm.
E. Mead's "The English Medieval
Feast" (Houghton, Mifflin) quotes
from Stow's "Survey of London," an
account ofthe great feast which King
Richard gave in Westminster Hall in
the year 1399, just after rebuilding
the hall of William Rufus:
"A most royal Christmas, with daily
joustings and runnings at tilt, where-
unto resorted such anumber .of peo-
ple that there was every day spent 28
or 26 oxen, and 300 sheep, besides'
fowl without number; he caused a
gown for himself to be made of gold,
garnished with pearl and precious
stories, to the value of 3,000 marks;
he was guarded by Cheshire mien and
had about him commonly 13 bishops,
besides barons, knights,' squires, and
others more than needed; insomuch
that to the household carne every day
to meet 10,000 people, as appeareth
by the messes 'told out from the kit-
chen to 300 servitors,"
First Christmas Trees
Originated in Germany
On the wild, sandy Heathland of the
North German plain the dark leafed
fir trees Have flourished for :many
centuries. It is not strange, there-
fore,` that the "Christmas Tree"
should have its origin there. It dates
back prior.to the days of Christian-
ity. The early Egyptians used to em-
ploy decorated trees in; their festive
season celebrations. It is a fact well
known by all botanists that the palm
tree, puts forth a shoot each month,
and at the time of the whiter solstice,
a spray of palm, bearing twelva
Shoots, was employed in the tt nple
of Osiris to mark the conpietion of
the year, Curiously enough, England
did not adopt Christmas trees until
themiddle of the gat cent&.try, `I he
prince consort, after his marriage to
Queen Victoria, introduced thctn into
Great Britain,
Like Colorful Tree
If there are young children in '
the home, you 'should have a
real Christmas tree, as nothing
else can take its place. Older
people may like stunning effects
that appeal to theimagination,
or symbols in a fairy manner
that will do this, but children:
want it loaded to overflowing
with baubles of colored glass,
lopped around with tinseled
strands that gleam and glitter.
Mince Pies Prohibited
in Days of the Puritans
The mince .pie, has had• many en-
emies.
The Puritans would, have none of
it, and even in the Eighteenth cen
tory it was a forbidden delicacy to aa'
large number of clergymen. During
the Commonwealth the holding oft
Christmas festivalswas forbidden,
In 1644 parliament passed an adt
ordering all citizens to observe
Christmas day as a solemn, ast, to be
spent in silent atoneinent for previous;
festivals that had passed in riotous'
living and merry- making. This order
remained in force for 12 years.
The authorities in several towns
tried' to reduce Christmas day to the
level of other days. In: Canterbury, by
order of the mayor, it was:. proclaim-
ed that "Christmas day and all other
superstitious festivals should lie put
down."
People who attended service in the
cathedral were mobbed. The inhab '
tants :Formed themselves into two pia
tie s
and- feeling
in the matter fr
g
quently resulted in the exchange of'
blows.
In 1652 it was proclaimed that "no
observation shall be had of the five
and twentieth day of December, com-
monly called Christmas day, nor any
solemnity used or exercised in
churches."
This order was enforced by sol-
diers. Ovens and larders were search-
ed, and where seasonable dainties or
decorations were found they were
carried off and, destroyed. A chang-
ed attitude towards the Puritan dis-
like of Christmas festivals came with
the restoration on of Ring
Charles.
e
s.
Saxon Words "Waes Hael,"`
Meaning "Be in Health"'
Christmas fare has always occupie
a big part in Yuletide celebrations.
Our . Anglo-Saxon forefathers were -
excellent trencher -men, and eating
and drinking were a necessary part
of every gala day. Stuffed boars'
heads, peacocks, geese, capons, pheas-
ants, mince pie, plum pudding—these
decked the board. The turkey was un-
known. That excellent fowl did not
enter into the bill of fare until the-
discovery of the New world. Of
course, there was drink ;.aplenty.
Punch was the customary wassail'
bowl, This bowl takes its name from
the Saxon words "waes hael" mean-
ing "be in health." It wasa grea
bowl of punch into, which baked alk
p were
les thrown ttoen
enhanee its fla
r
vor. Mince pie originated in 1596. It
first was made from mutton. The,
Puritans condemned it as an ungodly
dish, and the Quakers would have=
none of it.
"Christmas Man," Name
Given to Kris Kringle
Santa Claus does not visit thee•
children. °of Lithuar!ia on Christmas
eve as he does the children in this.
country, but there are all' kinds of
Christmas celebrations in which they
have a part, and many good things to
eat. In Germany and Norway old
Kris Kringle hides gifts for the child-
ren in manyout of> the yplaces,
way
and Christmas day is spent chiefly in ;
hunting for them. In Holland Saint •
Nicholas dispensed Christmas cheer,
but when the Hollanders came to this
country his name was changed to
Santa Claus. In Sweden Santa .Claus
is much like he is in America, but he
does not come clown the chimney, but.
in the night he comesinto the room
where Clic' Christmas tree is and leav-
es gifts for all. His riatne is not Santa
Claus, however, for he is called' "The
Christmas Man,"
*Mr 2020'
The Real Santa Claus t
This Christmas spirit is the
real Santa Claus ---a spirit that
is universal—that grows strong-
er with the years^ ---that brings
out the best in ns—'a spirit that
is made up of kindly thought
and deeds, of hallowed' rumor -
mid ' of "Good Will' to alt.
sdis�s