The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-23

night The Silvery moon spreading its radiance ana was flattering the white in the fields and chnglng to the tree branches and shrubs. AS we rounoeo
 curve in the road clock in the distance began to strike twelve radio in a nearby house sounded sort of nice so slowed up bit to listen 10 Wnat other folks liked to listen to few nights ne1ore Christmas. It was chorus or other fnlShng up
 carol program and as we passed along we hearo tne words - Ut upon midnight clear" - ana the volume became lesser and lesser as we moved along. We pictured each one of us so 1t turned out when we started to compare notes midnight two thousand so years ago. and in the short space o1 time of the pictured thought the clock was not yet finished striking That would be twelve, one ot us
 said. Right, said another no sound except tne hum of our tires was heard. And in the silence of the night we looked at the lights the other side of the city, view and scene on clear cold winter night not to be equalled; the lights shining like jewels their twinkling mingng with the twink ling of the stars above. Someone said-tS jewels for Christmas this year. As we snorted in to our garage the echo of the carol was sounding in Tt upon a midnight clear. ..."
 TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS .. That sublime moment has come when we experience a sense of fulfilment sense of job well done, and have that feeling that relax after days and weeks of tension; tension and unrest brought about by material things such as the right size in gloves enough presents for each anticipating young ster in the household and nothing forgotten that should be remembered. In short it's "the night before Christmas" at long last That unnatural feeling that is with for days has left us; hiding things and hoping they will stay hidden; wrapping and sending; receiving and unwrapping; decorat- ing and cooking; puttering and stewing = that feeling has left us There's nothing now but to wait for the morrow. Tomorrow is another day, so they say. And when tomorrow's Christmas there is that feeling with us at any other time of the year. "And all through the house, not creature was stir ring not even j." That's fact and the stock ings have been hung by the chimney with in hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there. That's the way it is with you and you and you, when finally comes the night before Christmas How about 1t? LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM <. That would be Bethlehem in Judea which is Palestine. Picture it n town town fixes itself in your mind except that remote of it where like all small towns, there was an empty stable. That establishes the setting for you for the great event commemorate in another day. The night, we have been told in the narration, bright with stars. Perhaps this week, perhaps last night and maybe tonight and tomorrow night you will have heard and will hear the story told in the words of Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) The simple words repeated each year in Christmas programs Tonight, if you down town, singers may be gathered at some of the churches and that will be program number. The closing day of school found the youngsters singing it in the Christmas school programs. 70 Little Town of Bethlehem how still thee lie Above thy deep and dreamlesS sleep the silent stars go by!" One is reminded of another hill town nearby, little town too, Bethe- hem in Connecticut, little farther away than Jerusalem is from Bethlehem in Palestine On starry night in this small town - smaller than the City of David = there is calm and peace of Christmas Up there you have typical Connecticut country and it is sparsely settled Sometime or other in our his tory it was given the of the town where Christ was born - commendabe thing to do And not many years ago folks got the idea they would like to send their Christmas mail from the little town of Bethlehem we know it in these parts so they iourneyed the ten miles up there and gave the postmaster good Christmas job of mailing. This job has grown heavier with the years and this season. it is said, the mailing from Bethlehem (Conn) has broken all records. 70 little town of Bethlehem how still we see thee lie!"
 0 COME LET US ADORE HIM And when young and old gather at Christmas morning Mass and service the hymn that will fill all hearts with joy and glad ness, mixed with sadness for material cause, will be