The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-12-12
Their Poor
Christmas
How 1t Came to Be an lnsti-
tuition In the Family
By r A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

I Copyright by American Press Asso- i
q citation. 1911.
Christmas in the Ripley family was
coming on. but there were none Of
those delightful anticipations that usu-
ally attend the approach of the day
which marks the birth OF the Christ
Child. Little Frank. the youngest, a
boy of seven, was lying LII, and the
doctors gave slight hope of his recov-
cry.
On Christmas eve Frank lay in a
stupor. His brothers and sisters were
sitting in an adjoining room talking
In low voices. but he could occasionally
hear word or part Of a sentence. The
word most used was Christmas Frank
had passed through four or five Of
these joyful anniversaries after he was
old enough to appreciate them. and q
faint interest. notwithstanding his con-
dition. was awakened
Then he heard the word death spoken
almost in a whisper, and the children
wondered whether the dead can enjoy
Christmas One said that the dead
were everywhere at Christmas. but
their enjoyment consisted in giving
presents to the living Another de-
clared that these spirits visited only
the poor Then Frank heard his old
est sister say:
1T may be that Santa Claus is one
of these persons who lived, but have
become spirits This would account
for his being everywhere at once"
Il never thought of that" said Joe.
when was a little kid l soon ceased
to believe in Santa. but II | had
thought of him as spirit might have
believed In him till today"
Frank was approaching the crisis Of
his disease and was very sick child
The doctor had told his parents that
during the night he would either die or
in the morning be much better
Among other things the children talked
about was this crisis. some speaking
of Frank dying. others wondering. II
he passed the crisis. whether he would
be well enough the next day for them
to celebrate Christmas And Alice, the
girl next older than the sick boy and
his inseparable playmate. said that she
shouldn't enjoy the day anyway unless
Frank were able to enjoy it with her.
1t must not be supposed that Frank
listened to all this as another would
listen to it. He was In a high fever,
and it seemed to him that he was in
the midst of a turmoil. What the
children said seemed to pass by him
like bits Of mist scudding before
driving wind. Then all was still for
awhile. Possibly the poor boy fell into
slumber. He saw something white
bending over him, great wings extend
ing from its shoulders. The figure
took him up In its arms ana rose slow
ly with him. The ceiling opened, and
Frank found himself passing out IN
der the stars
Il have died" he said to himself
land an angel is carrying me away.
Now that am spirit, wonder If
shall be permitted to visit live people
on Christmas ever
Now, Frank had not died at all. He
was in a very low condition, and his
nurse, clad in white. had bent over
him and lifted him up In her arms to
change his position in the bed
Dreams sometimes lead US through
long chain of events. though the
time occupied is but a fraction of a
second. And. while don't know
whether this was dream or q condi
ton occasioned by the boys weakened
faculties Frank was a long while I'M
der its influence. am not prepared
to say that there was nothing in 1t
which we call supernatural The i'm
mortal world lies all about and very
near US. and it is not impossible that
an innocent child should be given A
sight into things that are hidden from
men.
Be this as 1t may. Frank was car
ried In the angels arms out into the
night. He looked down upon the
lights an6 the throngs who were pass.
ing along the street going in and out
Of the shops. for though it was dark,
the people had not finished their buy
ing for Christmas The scene was
busy without and busy within Frank
could look at both and at the same
time
And be saw the tired clerks In the
stores waiting on customers and the
children hanging up their stockings
The angel took him to the homes of
the children of we'll to do parents. he
saw them all in their richly furnished
rooms going to bed In embroidered
nighties. many of them crawling In
under silk and down comforters. In
the closets were innumera BILE pack
ages that had not yet been opened
while tables were heaped with can
dies and fruits.
Take me where I can see the Door
children said Frank to the angel
'These have so much that it tires me
to look at 1t all"
Then the angel passed over that
part of the city where the poor chill
dren lived. and Frank was astonished
a. tACAt uULAOtCs LAdAy "a |nCuu oQudl
ID. quarters In their larders he could
zee nothing for a Christmas dinner
and but few OF them had any toys
And Frank saw something that made
him wonder. II was himself in din
gy room with no furniture In 1t except
q chair and a small table. He was
lying in a corner on a mattress COW
cred with a thin. worn blanket. His
mother had put over him so much Of
her own clothing to keep him warm
that she was shivering with the cold.
Frank knew that the child he saw
his other self-was sick. because he
was white and thin and he rolled his
head from side to side as II In pain.
The invalid opened his eyes and said:
Mamma, | want some grapes"
The mother moaned that she had no
grapes to give her boy and no money
to buy them with. Frank asked the
angel why some of the grapes and 9th
er fruits he had seen 10 the houses Of
| the rich could not be brought to the
child. and the angel said:
These persons cannot look through
each others walls as we can. Rich
people cannot give what they have
to the poor or they would be poor
and the poor rich. And fear that
those who had been benefited would
be ungrateful and. keeping what they
had gained. would turn away from
their benefactors. Nevertheless more
than 1900 years ago on Christmas
morning child was born who when
he grew up set an example to all peo-
pie. telling them that the giver is
really more happy in giving than the