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Show BEAR RIVER VALLEY LEADER, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1930 . L PAGE FIVE '"'' SW, r'r : 1 ' ZH9 1 l if SO U. 4 z-- II Truth About The "X Saint A - NICHOLAS AJAJl ; r 4 HERE was Christmas music everywhere. The pines were singing softly to themselves. It seemed as though they sang great long notes filled with melody. Blue, curling smoke could be seen from the chimneys of houses, and great old trunks of trees made crackling sounds. It wns a world of white and dark patches, of lights and shades and of tli, sounds of the wind and the ice-coate-d trees. w J aha c 'rv f V - if: 0 . -- i tit seemed - kvv -- like a background of mu-l- c to Frances and Floyd as they walked up beyond the town to the woods to gather Christmas greens. They wanted a great many greens. The house expected them. Every picture wanted its spray of green behind it, every window wanted its wreath, and the house wanted its big tree, and its little one for the center of the dining room table. "You're coming to Christmas dinner, jou know," Frances told Floyd. "Yes, your mother did ask me. It was so good of her. Of course it will be my first Christmas away from home, but we never celebrated Christmas much at our house. Not the way you seem to do. "Why I never knew people to celebrate Christmas as you do and there are no young children in your house." J . "We've always done : it that way," Frances answered. "Mother always has Christmas celebrated as though every one of us was a child. "Maybe it's what keeps us feeling so young and merry all the time. in -- n 1 graceful of these. "Look at us, all our branches are graduated so that they make a nice point on which to place a star. We all have straight trunks, too. We'll mos$ (blmlSTMA A LAN ,M O be taken, that's sure." The baby spruce had littlest finsithAf. rtn oof Inn -- to ask the old tree, one about which he was not by MARJORIE m it ft , very clear ti'.'Why BROOKS weren't you ever taken?" he said. "Shi" warned the tall pines once "You're Sure It's Not Just the Family did more. They were very much afraid trees nodded It You Love?" other warnlngly. iT WAS early evening and the do to interrupt when the old that the feelings of the old tree not air was frosty in the forest. We're such a family for games and might be hurt spoke. The full moon shed a white spruce fun all by ourselves, too." old spruce was kind, he did tree the But old answered the "Because," light over everything and the not mind a bit "It means," he said, What a beautiful walk they had, I've wasn't beautiful "I sadly, enough. s twingay little how Floyd did enjoy helping and e from twenty-fivnever rest been straight like the of days that exactly kled on every bush. them decorate later on. Christmas." is would who want a and you today gnarled Only the trees seemed .Since his business had called him "Christmas?" again queried the lit- old thing like me to dress with bright alive; they stood sentinel- tlest baby spruce, "What Is that?" and since he had seen so much here ornaments? But I don't mind. I like, auiet guardsmen. The he had never felt happier. Frances of old the spruce replied. know there are a great many others Patiently spruce on the right At first, as he went inside with the huge In the I'll tell and to do story. their share toward 'Listen, you spreading seemed to be the authority. To him he felt a bit of a a11 the happiness so I am content to stay in Christmas greens, the others all looked for wisdom. He nearly jstranger. counChristian forest." the had seen many, many winters come tries of the world Their voices were all louder than The littlest baby spruce was silent and go, he had been buffeted by the one of the symusual, They were calling directions to a sudden he looked up, and all of were laughing over great North Wind until he was twisted bols of this day startled, as the big fir towerlng above each other.- ..They and bent, he had felt the eold strike called Christmas his head began to speak. "I, too, may the things they were doing. 60 deeply into his They were so enormously busy over is the Christmas go this season," be said with pride, such details. They took as much time heart that 'be tree. Now this "now that com groaned every wrapping up a paper of pins for one ChristChristmas tree is munity time a breeze of the members of the family as they a plain evergreen mas trees are would have done had IT been A "Tare his swayed tree, Just like one of us, and on it are getting so popu aw wv branches. necklace." "colored ones aa ornaments, even hung brightly ry lar; etlll he survived, "And ,'about-evelittle detail they sparkling garlands and gayly wrapped big as I get care. the greatest, the took same the So much and -peace chance." happiness gifts. most powerful of The- -' Christmas . decorations were does this tree bring that to be chosen "Oh, my, oh, trees there. the finished, The wreaths were up In the be for whether the it this for I" the walled purpose, my windows. Every picture had Its' spray Suddenly the winter silence waa richest or humblest home, Is Indeed a baby "broken aa a light wind rustled through of green behind it nnd they were all , great honor. "Suppose I'm not chosen I spruce. y how ft would look ' on the forest and the old tree shook him F 'SometluVe tlinoat any day they won't want such tiny talking of elf awake. With the sound all the aew. men win come into ue loresi Maybe Christmas day.ones!" sure was other trees bent toward Win alertly. Hand Floyd they would all act beat, will take "Come now, never mind, don't worplckiaf, out a were as It great surprise to "Today," said the old tree eoleninly, thetn ftwayTMnf.the adventure bethough :,r. ry," soothed the old tree. "The bouses them. ,' That was how they entered "la the first day of December." gins. First the chosen ones will be ax so small nowaday! that a great Into the spirit of their Christmas. The pine trees, both big and small, tightly and very carefully rolled up many people have to have table "Come ery early in the morning," sighed in unison. Neither December branches tied to keep them Christmas trees. Perhaps you'll be and the nor any other month meant anything from getting broken, and then they one of those. But I think we've talked Frances' mother was saying to Floyd. special to them. But the youll be here In time to help will be sent enough for now. Let us all go to "Then the open presents and empty the spruces were attentive at once. They miles many, many sleep, it's getting late. Tomorrow they were wise in the wsys of the forest stockings." must we over and us probably look come .to away, may and they knew that the oldest spruce Floyd accepted gayly. It was really te a great city. look our best" ., could be relied his first Christmas like this. And In In that they more fell dry So perfect silence once upon to keep in will be Just as over Christmas Tree Land. The full the center of it all was Frances-Fran- ces touch with the. whom he loved so much. moon, now low on the horison, abed seasons. he said to her aa he was They "Maybe," and then stood a light over everything and the gay be a knew perfectlyI could leaving, "maybe mo inai on up peopie little frost-star- s still twinkled every member of this family nextreally well what his anDo year. see. may bush. Everything waa in readiness love me enough to think could you you set are eve Christmas On up they and waiting for Christmas. r meant and they take mer the homes of those who nave 1119. WKra Nwppr Unlea.) waved their In "You're sure It's not Just the family chosen them and late that night the branches about you lover she asked, smiling. loving hands of one who lovea the EagUaa Halted CkrbtM "I'm quite sure of the member of merrily. Only the baby trees failed to children will decorate them." ChristTor twelve years, from 1644, understand and join in the glee with trees sighed sorrowfully. mas was not kept In England. The the family I love best," he returned, The pine and she burled her head In his heavy the others. Even the very beautiful, "They never choose us," they said. Puritans, deeming It a pagan festival, overcoat and said: were perfectly-bapelarge tree "No, nor us," whispered the birches passed an act of parliament abolmoved to delighted expectancy. "Well, I think lfs a very good adly. ishing it and directing that Decemre"The first day of December," and firs ber 29th aaould be a day of fasting Ideal",, . Tha spruces peated the very littlest baby sprue. drew themselves up proudly. "We and repentance, Charle XL I sat erst I There waa CMstsjM sawdc every "What does that meanr i .. 1 sure to be token," said the Christmas. cautioned the pines, and the art pretty Hfvjd 5HEPPARD v frost-star- - A. But 1 I littlest - I . - . - . half-grow- n dfofriCy Ajjfl-wfcu- (. fTTAfW. . . , d, half-grow- n v-- "tt," Mh MM. WtjtWiywmr Oatea.) . the children, however, 'it fcnnrtrlB f TPArs chll-- inrougu became known in the towjv and story "H dren everywhere have loved as the Nicholas ton I Santa Claus. And.no won-- J tinued to help the needy in secret' givder, for Santa Claus is a ing away the entire wealth he had,,!b t cm retu terun, herited from his parents, people' soon tain John Smith, General learned to say whenever a gift3 had Grant, or our beloved George been left during the night: "Saint ' Washington, only his real Nicholas brought HP name was Saint Nicholas. Nicholas continued as he had be-Ages ago the Germans called him gun, and devoted his whole life to the Sankt Nlclaus, which their children good of his fellow men. He visited turned into Sankt Claus the Santa the sick, and helped the needy both Claus of today. with money and good advice; Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of Six hundred years later when Kmc children, was a Greek who lived in Vladimir of Russia came all the way Asia Minor about sixteen hundred to Constantinople to be baptized Itq yeanLago, and his life was so spot- heard the splendid story of 'Saint less and his good works so enduring Nicholas. And from the king and' hla ' that he is even now beloved In all Russian the story spread to the)' lands. Many churches have ieen Lapps inpeople the far north. These simple, named for him. folk believed that the good saint lived The parents of Saint Nicholas were at the North nop umld the wnndrfnl a in lived city northern rich and respected and and that be came ttf called Patara at the southwest cor- them withlights, in a sled drawn gifts by dwelt ner of Asia Minor. Long they reindeer, the common way of travel in. their but at length childless, together, their country. So has the story come prayers were answered and the little down through the years to the chilson Nicholas was sent to cheer their dren of ." today. loneliness. It Is said that from the Yes, Indeed, Nicholas, or Santa St very first he was the wonder of all Claus, as he is better known, was a' was friends and neighbors, so different very real person I A very good and his se he from loving friend to all who needed himl At school he was one of the bright1930, Western Newspaper Union.) est and best scholars, and so great so was his love for the church, and anxious was he to serve Christ, his master in all things, that his father and mother willingly allowed him to Nature Provides Things studv for the priesthood. Thus it That Make Nice Presents came that he was sent to the home of The birch, when it gets too big for his uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patara, Inits cracks the bark a few clothes, was care he whose tinder loving structed in all the wisdom 'of the layers at a time, and the wind pulls off long, thin streamers of exquisite tlntd church as known in that day. And now we come to the story of of silvery white or dusky brown, froa how Nicholas, from the kindness of which boxes and baskets may be fashhis heart, first brought gifts to chil- ioned for Christmas which are out of dren while they lay asleep. It so hap- the ordinary. Rustic looking place, for the friend who pened that In the city there dwelt a cards may be made luncheons, says Nature gives his man unique with and learned very good three young daughters. This man had Magazine. The camper friends might at one time been very rich, but by find napkin rings made of It conveThe locust thorn which is found taking bad advice from one he thought nient In Middle West makes a good stithe Now his wealth. his friend, lost all he was bitterly poor, and as he was letto, in, fact It is sharper than, one.' too proud to beg,-thfamily had no made of silver. You can make it a to eat Good bit more decorative by having a sliver crust bread of a longer Nicholas" nMrdnrfMr,n mHrfttrt, and fitted to it by the local Jeweler heart was greatly troubled. So he on which Initials inav be en craved filled a purse-witgold and went by house though, man's to the poor bight deliver be had no Idea how he should his gift without being ' seen. Thf moon was shining brightly and by Its light be saw a trellis which was bult HIS FIRST CHRISTMAS against the house for a grapevine tjo grow upon. . This he ' climbed,' and peeping through the window saw the three hungry children asleep on their bed, their cheeks still wet with tears. It made hie heart ache to see their distress and tears came Into his own eyes. Gently dropping the purse j of gold on the floor he climbed again 'to ATI I kind-hearte- d I u : tii-- t other-childre- , e h - the ground. The next morning the4 poor 'man rejoiced greatly when hi daughters brought him the purse of gold, and for time the famiiys troubles were; at " i an end... When the money waa at last all spent, Nicholas again climbed ' he trellis by night and dropped a second purse, and later a third. You an fancy how astonished the poor man was at this unexpected help, and after the second purse he determined to watch for the generous giver. This he did and the third time caught Nicholas In the very act The poor man fell upon hl knees and thanked him with tears for his act of mercy, hut Nicholas earnestly begged hla ntrfr to teU' who had befriended W r. - : - : |