The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1907-12-20
4 7 HEN John Raynor began to see
IN the holiday advertisements in
Y the papers and to feel the

NM the holiday advertisements IN
w 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. joint" his wife exclaimed, I'VE
are net going to do very much. Just a
few gifts in the family to mark the day,
and then the children think 20 much Of
It,"
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"
John Raynor persisted in making him
salf miserable and in bringing to bear
all 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 color-loving eye, and when the
Christmas greens began to soften the
grim, winter streets with their verdure,
they took him back to the days when as q
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 a set of books
they had purchased had been delivered.
Without being told, his father knew
those books were 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 do for your
Nothing, thank you," she returned
sunless you want to bring home some
candy for tomorrow. Oh, l forgot" she
said in the next breath, you won't wan,
to trouble about it. Never mind, well
manage some way"
1t il astonishing how quickly one'l
mind can be changed. John Raynor's un
derwent a lightning transformation. III,
boarded a car and rode to the shopping
district with his mind filled with nothing
but Christmas presents. He felt like I
boy turned loose with money to spend ant
none to restrict his fancy. He pushed
and jostled and wrestled with the crowd
exhilarated BY the contact with peopl
bent on holiday shopping. His past mooc
slipped away like a cast-of garment. H
had caught the Christmas spirit and hi
revulsion of feeling amounted almost t,
lntoxication.
There you are, sonny" he told news
boy, bestowing a dime in exchange for
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 gay
er sound than the jangling of the bell
the Salvation soldiers kept in motion t,
call attention to their needs.