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Show Page Four SOUTH HIGH SCK1BE Friday, December 17, 1943 a By Margaret Phillip . HONORABLE MENTION 6 .. .. .. . I the last two lines were lost com-pletely. Events during the next two 6r three hours happened fast and without interruption, so as to seem like some terrible dream. Landing on their objective, the radio base on the small Japanese-- held island, chased away the sick feeling at the pit of their stomachs and thus calmed they did the job to be done." Miracu-lously, as though some unseen hand were guiding them, the huts were destroyed and what few Japanese had been stationed there were now gone no more to see "the rising "sun." When exalted, but tired to the point of breaking, the four surviving Americans were making sure of complete destruction, a wounded Japanese soldier, shouting some-thing in his native language, used his last ounce of strength to throw a grenade at the ad-vancing heroes. Mother Earth shivered once and then lay quiet. The silent white stars looked down through the cool night and suddenly one shone brighter than the rest and seemed to envelope the torn bodies of those brave six. And it was as though hundreds of angel voices joined by the soft strains of music sang in that quiet air "Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Sleep in Heavenly Peace." The bright star winked; then was gone. "Somewhere in the Pacific" isn't a very definite address, but it was the best those boys down there could have given you that night of December the 24th. Being the night before Christ-mas, it was a happy one. Oh, there wasn't any snow, or pine trees, or mistletoe. Oh, no! But all through the encampment men were munching cookies or candy from Mom, exclaiming over snapshots of newly arrived bab-ies, or reading letters from loved ones. It was into this picture that Major Kanard stepped At his approach the men had jumped to a salute and stood now at at-tention ready for anything As though looking for some escape from this thing he must do, the major scanned the group o full minute before speaking. Sudden-ly, without warning, his tired mouth opened and the group heard him say: "Men, we need six volunteers for a secret mission. I had bet-ter warn you that as most se-cret missions are. it will be dan-gerous one chance in a hun-dred of corning back. Volunteers will please raise their hands." A stunned silence followed broken only by the clatter of tin-wa- re as the cook washed the dishes several yards away. Then up went one hand, soon two more, and . so on until the requir-ed number had been picked and their leader chosen. A Christmas Delusion (Continued from page 3, Col. 5) a dreary hallway of an apart-ment house. He thought he had seen them somewhere before. , Then same the realization that they were his own family who he thought was safe in Ameri- - ' ra. He hurried nearer, terrified. He saw his mother drawn up into a heap near the entrance, embracing his brother Sammy, who lay lifeless in her arms. He could scarcely believe it. Then he saw his sister, Molly, stand-ing near his mother. She had a dingy shawl about her shoulders and a dress that was, for the most part, rags. His father was leaning pathetically on crutches. As he looked closer, he saw a stream of blood trickling from his little brother's forehead. Max couldn't stand it any longer and he started to run toward them, but as suddenly as before, his family, the streets, and the wandering men and women, all vanished into thin air. He awoke with a start to find himself again in the Roman church. He heard the Chaplain concluding His sermon. "We Americans, with the sup-port from the home front, will end this war soon, and when that day comes, we shall all be home for Christmas, that year and for the Christmas seasons ,to come." Max McCurday was listening now, and he began to feel ashamed of himself. Within himself he was glad that he was here in Italy this Christmas day so that he might be home for future Christmas celebrations. He sincerely felt the Christmas spirit, for he knew that he was participating in a war, to in-sure the safety of his own fam-ily and all other families throughout the world. You will have two hours. At the end of that time you are to proceed straight to the beach where further orders await you. Good luck to you." With a salute the officer turned on his heel and strode rapidly away. "Xank you, sir," the doomed men replied. But their words were lost to the retreating fig-ure. Two hours! Not a very long time not long enough to live in the air castles you had built And it was Christmas Eve. Two hours in which to live a life-time of Christmas Eves. "Well, now I won't have to go back to that naggin' wife of mine," one of the six joked. But the joke was not a good one and drew only a few polite laughs before the boys returned to their candy and letters. Withdrawing at a distance the chosen six discussed what they were apt to need and after pre-paring it, rejoined the rest of he camp who by this time had gathered in a circle for a make-shift Christmas program. The men soon got the spirit of the ill-gott- en program and laughed as heartily as the rest. It was after prayers with the chaplain that singing was suggested and before long the woods resounded with the- - words and music of carols. Without goodbyes the six comrades quietly left the circle upon the appointed hour. As they walked along they could hear the others singing, "Silent, night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright, Round yon virgin mother and Child! Holy Infant, so tender and mild, But at the bend in the trail By VELDA SCHOFIELD I SECOND PRIZE STORY low him. But how, he wondered did this shepherd know him by name? The shepherd continued, "It would be very wrong to take these sheep, for their real shepherd is in the city, paying homage to a new King. I only stand guard while he is gone. Why have yoiy not gone into Bethlehem too, Joseph, to see Him? It is not every day that a King is born. Surely you heard the news of His arrival?" "No, Shepherd," replied Jos-eph, "we speak not to those who come from the town." "But surely you heard the car-ols of the angels who sang in the sky and saw the light of the star above Bethlehem, for all the shepherds did," said this strange Shepherd. Joseph fhought deeply for a few minuses and reasoned as best he could. How could he have missed these things? Then the answer seemed clear. "We were sleeping. My father and his men wrork hard and long. Our eyes had been closed for many hours." Sadly the shepherd said, "The eyes and hearts of your people have been closed for many years. Perhaps the new king can help you to open them. But to do this Joseph, he will need help. Per-haps even you will some day help the king." ' The small fire gave a last, re-luctant sigh and nearly perished . entirely before young Joseph stirred from his scant bed of brush and leaves and threw an-other small piece of wood upon the dying coals of the last one. The older men, three of them, didn't stir, but slept on with the peace and assurance that comes from the possession of a clear conscience. Joseph looked at the three huddled figures and spat contempudously upon the hard ground beneath his brown feet, saying: "This shall not go on forever! Am I not as strong and as brave as these men who claim to be greater than I? If I had my chance, could I not steal as many sheep or perhaps even more than they? Why should I tend fires, when I am as clever as even my father, who steals more sheep than any of them?" Young Joseph's questions were answered by a threatening grunt frorn the mound which was his father. Silently, the boy slid back into hia make-shi- ft bed and busied his ten-year-o- ld mind with thoughts of becoming the great-est sheep thief in all the coun-try. Slowly, vecy slowly at first and then gaining momentum a9 it grew, an idea formed in his mind. In painful silence, he slip-ped again from his bed and fell upon his hands and knees', squirming, this time, away from of the night, he saw the star, far, far brighter than any other star, hovering above Bethlehem, and far off, he heard the heaven-ly voices singing their joyful carols. Drowsily, the happy child told himself, "My heart is open, for 1 have seen." i Him i i mamt fr - la Joseph laughed in a puzzled way. Surely it must be a joke. "How could I help a king to open hearts? If I were older, I could help King Herod open the purses of the people, for he does it with a sword. It is to pay hia taxes that people have met in the city tonight. But surely, I could not open the heart of the peo-ple." "It is done very simply, Jos-eph," said the Shepherd. "The father of the King, whose name' is the same as yours has open-ed the heart of the people, for he is good and kind. He is gen-erous. He is only a poor carpen-ter, but he has been a friend to people." Eagerly, Joseph said, "And when my heart is open, may I see the angels who carol the news of the king,-- and may I see the star?" The Shepherd smiled. "Yes, Joseph, when your heart is truly open, you may see." With excitement in his dark eyes, Joseph moved to thank him, "but even as he turned, the shep-herd had disappeared Fairly overflowing with the news, Jos-eph turned and almost flew back to the hidden catnp of his fath-er. Arriving just in time to re-fuel the fire Joseph leaned over the still-sleepi- ng figure of his father, saying, "Please, father, do not waken all the way, but only enough to hear me when I say that I am going to be a carpenter when I grow up and not a sheep theif. I shall be good and kind and the hearts of the people will open to me because I am a good man. Even though I may not see the king, I still shall help him this way. You see, father?" Having thus expressed him-- j self, Joseph again crawled into j his bed and sought sleep, but i when he turned to take a last view the fire. Safely away, he stood and began running, jumping joyfully over the dim outlines of the lowgrowing bushes. Tonight is his chance ! Tonight he would prove to all his disbelieving eld-ers that he could steal sheep as well as they. He woud steal some sheep all by himself. Hearing a sound, Joseph stop-ped, and throwing himself to the ground, he listened. His alert-ness was not gained suddenly. His life as a fugitive had begun long ago. In fact, it had begun as soon as he had grown enough to be carried over his father's shoulder. His mother had died far in the dim past, when they had lived in the small cottage by the city wall. Tensely, he wait-ed for the sound again. There it was the far-o- ff tinkle of a sheep bell. He sprang to his feet and rushed on toward the d. Suddenly, he saw the sheep scat-tered along the hillside. These would bring an excellent price. Surely his father would be proud to know that he had a son who was skilled in the art of steal-ing sheep! But where was the shepherd? A flock like this would not be unguarded,, but if it was true, his luck was even better than he had imagined. Boldly he walked toward the nearest group of animals, when suddenly he saw the shepherd. Indeed, who would not have seen the shepherd? His flock was or shining white, the color of a new lamb, it seemed to Joseph. When he spoke his voice was like all the music in the world blend-ed into one. With a slight smile, he said, "You were going to steal my sheep. Joseph? Joseph, unable to speak, nod-ded a miserable yes to the ques-tion and heartily wished that the earth might open and swal- - 1 I Cfjrfetmasf, 1943 j By Lou Dods . j Second Prize Essay j When we celebrate Christmas this year, let us' remember that it is also Christmas in other parts of the world. If we get near the point of wasteful ex-travagance, let us think of the peoples of the earth that depend on the United States for food-stuff that is life itself to them. If at any time this Christmas we use our cars wantonly, let us remember that all over the world our fighting men are staking their lives on the same materials we could waste in unnecessary pleasures. If we go out for a "good time" this Christmas, let us try to think of that boy who is standing in water up to his knees, in a jungle foxhole, pray-ing to God for the safety of his life, on Christmas. Try to think of the other American lads, our friends, brothers, cousins, and sweethearts, that will not be home for Christmas this year; try to think of the boys who will never return for Christmas. Should we make a single soldier, sailor or marine endure these things an instant longer if we have the power to prevent it? None of us would do it knowing-ly, but it is so easy to slip just a little. But when you make that little slip, multiply it by one hundred and thirty million, and then think of the result. Christmas is not a period for somber gloom. It is set aside as a period of recognition to our Lord. We can all have a good time this Christmas, but let us also firmly resolve that Christ's motto of "Peace on earth, good will toward men" will rule the world again at Christmas as soon as possible. Let's have the boys home for next Christmas. I GAMES GAMES j GAMES i i J BASKETBALL j J FOOTBALL j j j Parlor games, loads j of fun, realistic, I scientific j 81.25 and y J I Also Table Tennis, Bingo, j Rook, Pit, Authors, Jig-Sa- w, I Chess, Checkers, and scores j I of other wholesome fun ! makers. I j DESERET BOOK COMPANY 44 East South Temple Street Salt Lake City, Utah |