Show Spirit of Christmas Like an angel of peace the tile Spirit of Christmas entered the little village and walked unseen up and down the streets Instantly green and red lights bells and stars sprang up tip in the business district Santa Claus with his merry laugh came to the big store Many Man villagers felt the presence of the gentle Spirit and their hearts were filled to overflowing with will good-will so that they hasten hasten- hastened ed to buy gifts for their people But Dut some were poor There was a large family that lived in a rented house The man was only a store clerk The rent was due One of the little girls was wasill wasill ill There would be no money to buy gifts And tie the t e Spirit of Christ Christ- Christmas mas hesitated on the th threshold of that house then sorrowfully away In a crumbling mansion on a wayside street lived an old old lady Alone except except for memories of the past She spent the day da ram ram- I bling in an ancient ancie t trunk up in in the thea attic a looking at fine clothing yel yel- yellowed yellowed el lowed with age In the very bottom of the trunk was a small jar con coil containing containing taming a few pieces of jewelry she thought too good to wear Now as the shadows of night descend descend- descended ed she sat in a rocker before the tile big place fire-place sipping tea too absorbed in dreams of her youth to observe the arrival arral arr al and depart depart- departure ure tire of the Spirit of Christmas Across the tile road in an unpainted ed shanty lived a squint eyed miser Also alone except for a half stan starved starved ed dog Drawing the window blinds seated he-seated he seated himself h before a table and began to count his money greedily Three times the Spirit of Christmas knocked on the Hie door dor but the miser paid no heed Only the half starved dog growled deep in his throat In the church the village choir was practicing Above the pulpit was the picture of a Star guiding three wise men riding three snow- snow snowwhite snowwhite snowwhite white camels over a desert waste When the Spirit of Christmas en en- entered entered the church a new glory seem seem- seemed seemed seemed ed to radiate from the Star and sublime faith filled the hearts of the singers until they said We will go serenade the town I ISo So they went from street to Street singing Holy Hob Night Ave Maria Iaria and Hark the Herald Angels Sing The old lady heard and forget her dreams long lon enough h to send one of her jewels ewels to tho little tick lick girl The miser heard He fed his dog and gave g ve a large piece of money to the man in the rented house to pay his big rent And nd the t e villagers which had plenty pl nty gave to those tho e which had not 30 so that all were were ere exceedingly happy hapy The Spirit of Christmas linger linger- lingered ed awhile then went joyfully on to toward to- to toward toward ward another year yur Author LilLIAN LILIAN GUTHRIE I Clearfield Utah |