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Show Page C--4 Christmas Is A Time To The chill winter wind was howling around the old house. It picked up dead leaves from the lawn and threw them against the window. Once a walnut ricocheted off a tree limb and banged against the front door. Inside Aunt Agatha was almost hysterical with fear. When the walnut struck the door, she jumped to her feet and had she not bit her lip she would have screamed in terror. She sat down again in the old rocking chair and listened intently to the sounds outside. Since Uncle Jim had died suddenly a year ago and left her alone Aunt Agatha had developed a terrific complex. Not once since her husband's death had she undressed to go to bed, but half the night she would sit in the old rocking chair wishing in the silence of her heart that she would pass beyond the veil and join him. Then, in utter exhaustion, she would lay on her bed, pull a cover over her dressed body and fall into a restless sleep. Agatha loved the dawn with a deep passionate love, for when the sun came up over the distant hills flooding the world with light it washed all her fears away and life became bearable. Tonight her fears were almost more than she could bear. This was the first anniversary of her husband's death. The fact that it was just two days before Christmas didn't seem to make any difference for her personal sorrow and fears left no room in her heart for the spirit of Christmas. She had not thought of gifts or even of sending cards to friends and neighbors. In her house there was no Christmas tree to brighten the drabness of the old home and the feeling of fear and emptiness was present in every room. Friends and neighbors had long ceased trying to help her for a heart that is cold and fearful is not conducive to friendship. Not that Aunt Agatha was normally that way. Before death left its mark upon her home she was kindly and generous. Having had no children of her own she delighted in giving Christmas presents to the children of the neighborhood and to each one she was their Aunt Purify The Hear? at daybreak. "Aggie, it's me, Jim. I've come to talk to you." "Yes Jim, I know it is you and I am so happy to see you. But you haven't kissed me yet" "I am sorry Aggie," he answered. There was sorrow in his voice. "I cannot kiss you, except perhaps with my breath." Then Agatha felt the warm breath upon her lips and the feeling of strong arms around her, but only for a moment Then the feeling was gone. "Jim," she said, "You are different, what is AT' Her eyes followed him as he walked across the room to the same corner. For a moment he stood with his back to her then he turned and faced her. "There is no Christmas tree. There is no gift for the little crippled boy, and where is the basket for our blind neighbor? It is only two days to Christmas and there is no candy for the children." Agatha felt the uneasiness in his voice and she tried to justify the things she had not done. "But Jim, you were the one that started these things. Yes I know I loved to help, but you were the one that bought the Christmas tree and brought it home. It was you who thought of the crippled boy and the blind Mr. Shepherd. It was you who told me what to put in the basket. You left me Jim and since you have been gone I have been afraid." When Jim spoke again his voice was vibrant like a chord from a great organ. "Of what are you afraid? Did God put evil in the wind that blows? Does he fill the night with he poison the white snow that falls in the night? No Aggie, these things are a product of your own mind. When I was called away you became like a river in the valley that winds around rather than overcome an obstacle. You have let your heart become a work place of the devil for fear is not a product of heaven." He reached out and took her hand. "Walk with me Aggie. I want you to evilness? Did see something." Agatha. Uncle Jim had been her lifeline. She had depended upon him to make all the decisions that affected their lives. Then when he was gone and the lifeline was severed, she was like a rudderless ship on a stormy sea. She wished for death so she could find the tranquil waters of eternity where she could find Jim and where there would be no decisions to make. Only Jim and peace. About midnight the wind quietened and a gentle snow began to fall. Flakes fell against the window as gentle as the flutter of angel wings. Now that the wind was gone Agatha sat back in her rocking chair, her gray hair shining like silver against the black shawl about her shoulders. Outside the snow had brought quiet, and though she listened for sounds there were none. It was a night when angels could walk abroad in silent footsteps to touch the hearts of the children of man. Aunt Agatha heard the sound, and for the first time in the past year was not afraid for the sound she heard was a familiar one. It was the sound of buckled overshoes being kicked against the step to shake free the snow. Jim was always careful not to bring snow in the house. Then she heard him close the door, gently like he always did. She waited for him to speak. "How's my Aggie?" he would say, then he would place his arms around her and for Agatha the sea of life would become calm and the cares of the day the market she bought a Christmas tree. Then there were games for the crippled boy. For Mr. Shepherd this year there would be a turkey with all the trimmings. For the neighborhood children there would be candy and nuts. That night was Christmas Eve and the Christmas tree in the corner by the window gave off an aura of peace. Agatha had worked late decorating the tree and wrapping the gifts and now she was tired. For a moment the old fear returned and she started for the rocking chair. Then she changed her mind and went to the window. Eagerly she pulled aside the curtains and there like a lamp of God in the sky was the moon and in the east was the star. Tonight it shone like a million fairy candles telling of the birth of the Christ Child, of peace in the hearts of God's children, of the driving away of fear. and Agatha undressed and donned her nightgown climbed into bed. She lay for a few moments listening for the sounds in the night but the night was peaceful. As she fell asleep she heard a voice, a voice she knew and loved, that said, "Goodnight, my Aggie, and a Merry Christmas." New Arrivals Babies born at the American Fork Hospital recently, include the following: Dec. 9 Girl to Mark and Diana Peterson Goodsell of Am. Fork. Dec. 9 Dec. 10 and Cheryl Watson Gordon of Am. Boy to Frank and Gail Diener Ballard of Provo. and Lynette Butler Duersch of - Dec. 10 Am. fork. Boy to Robert Dec. 10 Girl to Mark and Marie Nelson Taylor of Lehi. Dec. 10 - Boy to Don and Colette Larsen Perry of Mapleton. Dec Grove. fear." Grove. Then, as if God stilled the clouds, the snow ceased and the moon came forth flooding the world with lighted silver. Provo. 11 Girl to - Dec. 11 Girl Dec. 13 Levoted and Jill Varney Roberts of Am. Fork. to Jack and Anne Schofield Hill of PI. old-fashion- ed Am. Fork. shines tonight and every night for those who Dec. 14 - Girl to Dean Boy to Buddy Dec. 14 and Gay Kennedy Fotheringham of mean so much at Christmas. and ReNee Brown Nielson of Lehi. and Abigail Keewe Manuela of Harding Realty Co. Boy to Ronald Agatha looked into the heavens and there, shining million diamonds was the star. The scene was one of breathtaking beauty and all that Agatha could say was, "Jim, oh Jim.' Together they walked back to the rocking chair and Agatha sat down. She laid her head back and Jim tidied the shawl about her shoulders. "I must go now," he said, "but want you to remember that all of our life together I loved you and I love you now. Remember, too, that no sacrifice is in vain. was called away from you and you found the meaning of loneliness. But God saw His only begotten Son taken up to Calvary's Hill and slain upon the cross." He walked to the door then turned to Agatha again. "My Aggie," he said, "Go to sleep and when you wake remember that Christmas is a time to purify the heart by casting away your cares and by thinking of others." Then he of Highland Dec. 15 - Twins, girl and boy to Gary and Jalaine Bezzant 756-357- Specialized Class Offered At Utah Tech i was gone. ;'! When Aunt Agatha awoke the sun was shining. About the house there was a feeling of peace. She looked across the room to the corner by the window and saw how empty it looked. After breakfast she dressed and went to town. At A series of specialized classes designed to sharpen and enhance skills already possessed in the field of and secretarial training office education is planned for the winter quarter of Utah Technical College at j joy fill your according to Mrs. Helen Ashton, coordinator of Utah Tech office education. "Our aim in these special programs is to make people employable in the shortest Provo-Ore- possible time, depending skills and experience they already have," said on Ashton. Mrs. classes offering "We Year End GE SALE Appliances and Furniture WLA U are to make you employable in three, six, nine or twelve months based on the knowledge and work training you now have. Beginners of course must start from scratch but people who already have some training and experience need not begin at the beginning. We can start you from where you are now, and take you to a - A , yur holidays he adovued with the welcome sights and sounds eer ei (?r .f) '!nS'''US''i point where you are qualified to enter the job field. It will be a joint effort of both student and teacher to determine at what point schooling can stop and a job begins. "Winter quarter office for registration education will be conducted Jan. 5 and classes start Jan. 6," she said, "along with all other departments of the college. Between now and then, we in are available the office department of education for any inquiries concerning our specialized courses, or in any phase of our whole department. office in "Tuition education at Utah Tech is lower than most business Mrs. schools," asserted Ashton, "particularly for Utah residents who enjoy much lower costs than Pleasant Grove American Fork 9 I Tonight it was different. Even his voice was changed. It was not the weak voice' of the Jim who had been ill, but a man's voice touched with the full throated music of a lark 4 - 12 North Center Am. Fork. I would be gone. y friends, here's to a holiday ( filled with the sentimental and joys that and Dianne Oscarson Adams of Girl to Craig - Dec. 13 look for it." Kenneth and Lynda Kelly Slater of PI. Girl to Craig Dec. 12 "And God made the sun to shine by day and the moon to shine by night." It was Jim speaking. "The star of like a Girl to Wesley Fork. Together they walked to the window and as they stood there Jim pulled aside the curtain. "Look," he said, "and let what you see fill your heart so there is no room for Bethlehem December - American Fork students. "In brief, we offer quality education at low cost," she concluded. Rhodes Tunnel Watch for our big After Christmas Stale Starting the day after Christmas Holed Through Hades Started its way on Chomping target to complete the excavation of Rhodes Tunnel, a tunnel-borin- g machine "holed through," completing the 0.8 mile tunnel which is part of the Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Project. LEHI PLEASANT GROVE T V AND NTFRFO 18, 1980 |