Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1940-12-24
Closs's Column

Americanism: What beautifuj
weather. l feel fine! Let's go Kill
something" -Robert Quillen.)
Another: Silent Night, Holy Night
Lets shoot firecrackers.
How she spent Christmas was the
; topic Of recent article by widely
travelled woman. In the jungles OF
! Africa she had been awakened by
| singing - African natives singing
Silent Night. Holy Night as dawn
broke. In China she slept in stable
on bed Of straw. In Brazil she at
tended d service where children gave
sacrifical offerings to those who had
less at Christmas time than they.
and the offerings consisted OF such
things aS 4 handful Of rice or SIN
gle potato. In America-the traveller
was crushed by crowds of tense shop
! perS, too worried by their shopping
problems to smile or nod in return
for greeting.
5: s. :: =:
How they spent Christmas was topic
ri group of women al recent
! meeting. Christmas was not ncccS-
sarily the present Christmas Du!
some Christmas or some aspect OF
Christmas that had especially touch
ID them. Among the Special Christ
masses" were the folloWing
Cd Her oldest son had been S%r!-
cusly i'll, with little hope held FOR his
recovery. On Christmas Eve, the
doctor said the boy. had passed the
crisis and would probably get well,
He did.
(2l She lives across the street from
Il hospital and every Christmas three
groups of carol singers can be heard
from her window.
90 As a child she quite naturally
wanted to see Santa Claus. so she
and the other children decided to
stav awalle-the family found it i'm
possible to get them into bed. Final
~ Grandfather went outside, tllico
Il wheelbarroW full Of bricks and raj
il into the chimney with d terrible
CHATTER. The children thought it Wa
Santa and hastily fled to their beds
a. Hers was d community in the
country. Each Christmas families
gathered together to walk the two
miles through the woods to the
church. and sang Christmas carols
all the way. She remembers how the
carols echoed through the trees. ana
how it sounded when people drop
ped off at their own homes alter
ward-each singing as he lett the
crowd and turned to his own home.
90 She remembered visiting the
neighbors and seeing their trees: and
how she discovered a Santa Claus
when she saw WheelbarroW tracks
leading from one shop to all the
homes nearby.
co Her most vivid memory was OF
the Christmas tree at the churcn,
each child eXpectantly waiting his
little bag Of candy and fruit and nuts
and gift. She wondered what her
Gift would be-Waited breathlessly-
# VISA a bottle Of perfume and 4
handkerchief. The perfume was
Hoyt's, quite strong, quite sweet, and
&c her the most wonderful gilt she
could have received. (She says she
can smell it YETI
CO There are nine children in tn"
family, and her feeling was one o.
wonder as she gazcd at nine stock
ings every Christmas, hanging tron'
the mantelpiece. :,
(8) With her small sister she had
slipped down TO discover what Santa
had left He had lett the requested
doll carriage but alas, it was lett 1or
the small sister. She was sure there
had been d mistake. Small sister Was
sure there had not been mistake
They began to quarrel. Brother dis
| covered the trouble, threatened mat
Santa would return and take away
everything if they did not stop INC
quarrel. They were uncon%lnced
Brother confiScated a harness with
bells on it, ran outdoors and gaIlop-
&C around the house, shouting
whoa, Blitzen!" which frightened
the two girls into rapid compromise
en- the subject of doll carriages, and
Christmas ended happily
co She remembered the Boy Chor
at Trinity church, in Boston-carry-
ing lighted candles, and singing
carols-and the groups that gathered
on Beacon Hill to sing beneath the
windows Of the old, old, houses on
Louisburg Square-a >ChriStmas card
10 life as strangers sang together
! "GOOd will to men"