Evening star., 1942-12-13
Now Is the Time Get Busy Making Your Own Christmas Decorations
Just
Between
Ourselves
BY PHILIP HI. LOVE
Junior Star Editor.

Merry Christmas" Peggy said
mockingly. "All these cards say
Merry Christmas just as If prac-
tically the whole world wasn't at
war-just as If there was anything
to be merry about"
With an angry gesture she swept
the little pile of greeting cards from
her lap. AS they scattered over the
floor, her father, seated across the
room, lowered his newspaper and
asked: What are you grumbling
about, anyway"
"Oh, was just thinking how
silly it is for people to wish one an
other merry Christmas" she an
sWered, kicking a card near her
feet. Take us, for instance-our
family, I mean. Bills been drafted
we don't dare use the car any more
than We can help on account of
mileage rationing; we may not get
enough fuel oil to keep warm the
rest of the winter; sugar and coffee
are rationed, and other things prob
ably will be very soon; and I've
heard you and mother complain
how high everything is, including
taxes :"
Her father laid down his paper
and studied her face.
You're just upset because your
brother has been called into the
Army" he said at last. That's
natural. Your mother and I are a
bit-uh-concerned about it, too
But, at the same time, we're happ,
about it, in a way"
Happy to see your only son &c
OF to war maybe never to return
or maybe to come back crippled or
blind or something?" Peggy brushed
a tear from her cheek.
Her father cleared his throat THE
way he always did when preparing
TO say something he thought i'm
portant.
I'm afraid YOU don't understand
my dear" he began, MY son-your
orotier-lSn't Well, I'll put il
olterently. War is a terrible thing
all decent people hate it. Appendi-
cltls is terrible. too-as YOU know
having had it. You had to be
operated on-remember? You didn't
like it--in fact. you were pretty
scared-but it was heap better
than dying-or wasn't it?"
Peggy made face. Yes, 1t was
she agreed.
We'll, the world is having a severe
attack OF appendicitis, her fathe,
continued. The war that the United
Nations are fighting is an emergency
operation. If 1t fails, the world as
we know it dies; if it succeeds. on,
kind Of world lives. It's an opera
ton to save decency, justice. free.
dom-all the things we hold dear.
I hope and pray Bill comes back
safe and sound, I'm sorry about
the inconvenience all Of us are going
to have to put up with-maybe fo1
long time. But those things are
merely the pains Of the operation
ana they are as nothing compared
with the things that are at stake >
You mean" Peggy interrupted
that even if something should hap
pen to Bill ;"
I mean her father went on
that I'm glad Bill is able and will
ing to do something for his country
-for you and your mother and me
tires, gasoline, fuel Oil, sugar, coffee
what good are those things to
slaves? A merry Christmas? I'm
merry about our country being on
the side Of justice. I'm merry be-
cause she's strong and growing
Stron9er-beCause she has the cour-
age and skill to perform the emer-
gency operation that this old world
needs to put it on its feet again +!
Peggy was silent.
Il guess I didn't make myself
clear her father observed. Il
guess :"
Il guess I just never thought OF
things that way before" Peggy cut
in. She dropped to her knees and
began gathering up the cards. ITS
going to be a merry Christmas in
lot of ways" she said.
Her father picked up his paper
and resumed reading of the progress
OF the war on many far-fung bat
lie fronts-Africa, Russia, New Gui-
nea, the Solomons. China
Indeed it is" he agreed. Its
gong to be a merry Christmas in
spite of everything"