The Havre herald., 1907-12-20


v v the papers and to feel the
Christmas furry in the air, he
announced to his family with an air OF
dnality. tinged with defiance, you needn't
expect anything in the way of Christmas
presents from me this year"
why, John!' his wife exclaimed, we
are net going to do very much. Just a
few gifts In the family to mark the day,
| and then the children think 90 much Of
| It." ="
"Tae 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" l".."
| John Raynor persisted In making him
self 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
remonstrances 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 a
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
ants, 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 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 3
happy surprise They will give me
| things, and they will give things TO one
| another and there will be nothing from
4 me-" he thought.
Sitting alone with his paper, he heart
surreptitious rustlings as Of packages be
ing handled, and the low murmur O
| voices from his wife and daughter, inter
rupted with little bursts of gay laughte
= that showed something joyous was goini
- on. He had nothing for anyone, and to
morrow when they gave him tokens 0
\ their thought and attention, he shoult
I feel like an exile from home. A suddel
resolve took him in possession.
| Alice" he called to his wife, I'm
going out for awhile. Is there anything
! can do for you?"
Nothing thank YOU" she returned
! unless you want to bring home som
I candy for tomorrow. Oh, I forgot" sh
| said in the next BREATH ''you won't wan
to trouble about it. Never mind, we
manage some way"
It is astonishing how quickly one
/ mind can be changed. John Raynor's III
I derwent a lightning Transformation. FL
J boarded a car and rode TO the shoppin
district with his mind filled with nothin
- but Christmas presents. He felt like
boy turned loose with money to spend an
none to restrict his fancy. He pushe
j and iostled and wres+;ed with the crow
d exhlarated by the contact with peop
q bent on holiday shopping. His past moe
II slipped away like cast-off garment. f
4 had caught the Christmas spirit and
revulsion OF feeling amounted almost
IA intoxication.
q There you are, sonny" he told q new
q boy, bestowing dime in exchange for
II paper he did not want
y lie helped to keep the kettles boilin.
q for the Salvation Army Christmas dinne
n and he thought he had never heard a ga
d er sound than the jangins Of the be
u the Salvation soldiers kept in motion
call attention to their needs.