Washington State journal. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1907-1911, 1907-12-19


NV the holiday advertisements in
v v the papers and to feel the
Christmas furry in the air, he
announced to his family with an air of
6nality, tinged with defiance, you needn't
expect anything in the way of Christmas
presents from me this year."
"Why. John !" his wife exclaimed. I'VE
are not going to do very much. Just
few gifts in the family to mark the day,
and then the children think so much OF
It," ....
1.-THE children! !" John returned with
fine scorn, they're grown. now and it's
time for them to get over such nonsense.
I positively refuse to have anything to
do with Christmas" 'u
John Raynor persisted in making him
self miserable and in bringing to bear
ell the arguments he could think of
against the prevailing manner of observ-
ing Christmas. Figuratively speaking. he
pounded the table and grew purple in the
face in his endeavors to hammer in his
circumstances against holiday customs.
In spite of himself he could not help
enjoying the sights and sounds, heralding
the approach of the holiday season. The
gala dress of the shop windows appealed
to his cslor-loving eye, and when the
Christmas green's began to soften the
grim, winter streets with their verdure,
they took him back to the days when as
boy he roamed the woods in search of
ground pine for holiday decorations and
the cedar or evergreen tree on which his
mother would hang their Christmas pres
ents. He felt little of the old thrill Of
delightful expectation when these things
came back to. his mind. but his reverse
mood was the stronger and he persisted
in keeping to his decision.
He was firm until the night before
Christmas. Then his wife and children
broke bondage and discussed openly the
coming holiday. In an unguarded mo-
ment his son inquired if set of books
they had purchased had been delivered.
Without being told, his father knew
those books We're designed for him. They
were something he had secretly longed
for, but had denied himself, because the
needs, real or imaginary, Of his family
were his paramount consideration. And
now they were to be his in spite Of his
declaration there was nothing he wanted.
He began to wish that he had some
thing with which to give his family a
happy surprise. 'They will give me
things, and they will give things to one
another and there will be nothing from
me-" he thought.
Sitting alone with his paper, he heard
surreptitious rustlings as of packages be-
ing handled, and the low murmur Of
voices from his wife and daughter, inter.
rupted with little bursts Of gay laughter
that showed something joyous was going
on. He had nothing for anyone. and to-
morrow when they gave him tokens Of
their thought and attention, he should
feel like an exile from home. A sudden
resolve took him in possession.
Alice" he called to his wife, I'm
going out for awhile. Is there anything
can Dc for your" ..... 80,
Nothing, thank you," she returned,
"unless you want to bring home some
candy for tomorrow. Oh, forgot" she
said in the next breath. you won't want
to trouble about it. Never mind, we'll
manage some way"
1t is astonishing how quickly ones
mind can be changed. John Raynor's un-
derwent lightning Transformation. He
boarded q car and rode to the shopping
district with his mind filled with nothing
bat Christmas presents. He felt like a
boy turned loose with money to spend and
none to restrict his fancy. He pushed
and jostled and wrestled with the crowd,
exhilarated by the contact with people
bent on holiday shopping. His past mood
slipped away like a cast-off garment. He
had caught the Christmas spirit and his
revulsion Of feeling amounted almost to
intoxicatiop.
"There yeu are, sonny" he told news
boy, bestowing a dime in exchange for a
paper he did not want.
He helped to keep the kettles boiling
for the Salvation Army Christmas dinner,
and he thought he had never heard a gay
er sound than the jangling of the bells
the Salvation soldiers kept in motion to
ed attention to their needs.