The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-12-25
.COD BLESS Us. EVERY ONE!'

which at this time Of wear gath
cred about the fire and listened
To mother while she read, with
much feeling and precision. that
admirable poem; The Night Be
fore Christmas.
The children sat aWe-cycd ana
expectant. lingering on each Word
aud repeating the names OF the
reindeer, with quick giance> al
the chimney place. After tune.
father slipped out Of the room
and the climax came with rat
Ting Of the stovcpipe above. a
chorus of childish cries and a
rllsh to the fireplace. There was
no Sleep in one room that night
Well. this beautiful custom pre-
vailed until one year when son,
who sat mnicrc-tcd and cynical,
interrupted the reading: There
amt any Santa Claus. he sad,
That's just big joke to foot KIDS
With.
OF course son was wrong.
There j. Il Santa Claus: everyone
knows that. Sons herc~y was
stornlv rchlked and h. finally
admitted that he was IN error,
under the fear. perhaps. that ne
would be passed up By Santa
CLANS who loathcs unhellcNcr>.
But the bubble had been
nricked. The illusion was lost.
THE Night Before Christmas
was packed Away for the next
generations. and the next year
when the family met at the
hearthstonc dad brought forth
the immortal classic OF Charles
Dickens. ~ Christmas Carol.
and read in Sonorous tones ~
the circle about him.
All. those We're golden days.
How the kids laughed and cried
as the strings Of their young
hearts were swept by the master
hand, How they drew closer at
the approach Of M-a-r-l ley :
g-h-o-S-t. and shook at the sound
of the 'cIanking chains. How
they danced in glcc with The flZ-
ziwigs and wept With Tiny Tim.
And their little fists clcnrhed and
their eyes danced with anger
when Srroogc'S nephew was
treated 50 cruelty Oh Christmas
eve. "Oh, hate that old Ebcnc-
yer Scrooge. cried son. "oh.
would like to Kill him cchocc
sister.
At the end. When Scroagc'.
heart melted and she'd happiness
and Bob Gratchit got his Mage
raised and Tiny Tim did mol die
do we recall the ineffable GLOW
that settled on that little groul
by the hearthStonc'
We do. You bel yOm. TIL
Christmas spirit WAS there, tina
instant. radiant and shining. witt
the last words of Tiny Tim. 'Go
bless us, every one.
Once-and we hate Ia tell it
dad had read to the entrance q
THE Ghost Of III" Christina
Past" when sister. who Was i
high school interrupted lo sa
that Dickens was mlShy. lie
teacher in English had said ;,
Henry James, the teacher sal,
surpassed Dickens III his psychl
insight Of life, or something G
that sort And yet, when the te>
came later. there was sister, 4 hi
girl now. laughing and Weepin
With the others
The Christmas spirit, What
IT. Dickens tells lis in his Won
derfnl atlcgory that ii * the spin
II of Kindness, of cheerluIne>>, {
human sympathy. ii forhcaranc,
ii is free Ia everyone. 1t is i
the air, if We Will breathe it.
i III every heart. if we Will tur
the key. II should hc With u
always. bat an Christmas We ca
hardly miss it.
The conversion Of Mr. ScroOG
to the spirit of Christmas carrie
a series of morals. the most in
pnflant of which we think. j. tn;
we should 90 about doing goo
While there j. yet time and ol
portunity.
You remember that Scfong
under the bed clothes. quailin
before Marlcy'S ghost asked IL
significance of the chains:
You are fcttcrcd" ne san
TELL me Why"
Il wear the chain | forged
life" said the spectre. Il made
link by link, and yard hy var,
! girded it OF OF my own free wi
and OF my own free will ] VOL
it, oh. captive, bound and do,
ble-irOncd, not 10 know that al
inii al. /