Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-06-28
Their "Poor''
Christmas
How 1t Came to Be an lnsti-
tuition In the Family
By F. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
ciation. 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 Df seven, was lying ill, and the
doctors gave slight hope Of his recov-
cry
| On Christmas eve Frank lay in
stupor. His brothers and sisters were
sitting in an adjoining room talking
| In low voices. but he could occasionally
hear a word or part of 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
| 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:
at 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"
81 never thought of that" said Joe.
when was little kid soon ceased
| to believe in Santa, but If | 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. If
| he passed the crisis. whether be would
| be we'll 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 10 enjoy it with her.
1t must not be supposed that Frank
| listened to all this as another would
| listen to 1t. He was IN high fever.
and it seemed to him that he was In
| the midst OF turmoil. What the
children said seemed to pass by him
| like bits of mist scudding before Q
driving wind Then all was still for
awhile Possibly the poor boy fell into
a sunber He saw something white
| bending over him. great wings extend
ing from its shoulders. The figure
took him up in its arms and rose slow
| Iy with him. The ceiling opened. and
Frank found himself passing out un
der the stars.
~ have died" he said to himself
'and an angel is carrying me away
Now that ! am a spirit, wonder If
| shall be. permitted to visit live people
| on Christmas eve"
Now, Frank had not died at all. He
was in 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 Tho
time occupied is but fraction of n
second And while don't know
whether this was dream or n condi
ton occasioned by the boys weakened
der its influence | am not prepared
to say that there was nothing in it
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 n
sight into things that are hidden from
men.
Be this as it may. Frank was car.
ried in the angels arms out into the
night. He looked down upon the
| lights ant 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 banging 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 couHorters. In
the closets were innumerable pack
ages that had not yet been opened
while. tables were heaped with can
dies and fruits.
Take ME where ] can see the poor
children" said Frank to the angel
.These have so much that it tires me
to look at II all"
Then the angel passed over thai
part of the city: where the poor chill
dreu lived. and Frank was astoniShpd
at their humble. many of them suual
id. quarters In their larderS he could
see nothing for Christmas dinner
and hut few OF them had any toys
And Frank saw something that made
him wonder II was himself in din
gy room with 10 furniture in ii eXcr?r
q chair and II snail table Hr was
lying IN Il corner on Il mattress GOV
cred w,rh = fh'n worn blanket Ills