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Show I PIUTE COUNTY NEWS. JUNCTION. UTAH mr WMMM Kj A QlIHlui J9utanv c Christinas Story by Robert Stead NDRE SANDERSEN strobed tlie lean barrel of bis rifle as be sat in the window of the little shanty on bis The prairie homestead. full moon of a Christmas Eve ponred Its white light on illimitable wastes of snow. A shaft of that same light fell through the window, gleamed along the rifle on Andres knees, played about the great hands that fondled its barrel. But Andre was not conscious of the moonlight, except as It served to accentuate his loneliness. Across the prairie, half a mile to the southward, lay the shanty of his brother. Axel, and his brothers wife, Olga. A point of yellow light shone from Axels window like a star on the horizon. Half a mile! Andres rifle would carry two thousand yards, but it would need a rare marksman to hit that point of light half a mile away. He sighted the rifle carefully, estimating to himself whether there was an possibility of finding that little target Then, as though convinced of the futility of such a purpose, he returned the weapon tenderly to his knee. For exactly three years the Sander-se- n brothers had lived aa strangers, although their homesteads adjoined each other. It was three years ago this very Christmas Eve that Axel had brought Olga, his bride, to share his shanty and his life Olga, who, in far-of- f Scandinavia, had pledged herself to Andrei Axel had met her at the railway station, thirty miles away, while Andre lay at home, burning with fever. Then, when she came, It was as Axel's wifel Andre never had asked, and never learned, what had happened at the little prairie town when the lonely, tired girl rushed to the arms of Axel, his brother. The three had been playmates together, but Andre never had guessed that his brother loved her, too. If, in that moment. Axel had taken advantage of her loneliness and her delight at meeting an old friend to force his suit to Instant decision, Andre saw in their action nothing but treachery and deceit Never since had he stepped on his brothers farm, and he had given Axel to understand that if either he or Olga crossed the dividing line the rills would bark and bite to kill During the short but busy summers Andre managed to drown his anger in work, bnt in winter the pangs of loneliness were upon him. They always were worse on moonlit nights. Then he would sit In his window, fondling his rifle. Especially on Christmas Eve. the anniversary of the blighting of his life, his loneliness and rage were unbearable. Andre sighted his rifle again, but it was against all reason that he conld find a target so small, so far. Very well he could go to the target It was a plan that long had simmered In the back of his mind; tonight be would put it into effect He drew on his heavy coat his cap; he drove a bright brass cartridge into the barrel fair-haire- d, By ELMO' SCOTT WATSON HRISTMAS would not be Christmas without Santa But who Is Claus and why his name' Whateer name he Is called S a n t a Claus, St. Nicholas, St. Nick, or Kriss Kringle he Is the personification of the Christmas spirit and the symbol of childish faith. Claus. Santa Santa Claus, originally Sinterklass, pet rame of the Dutch children their friend and Bishop St. Nicholas, came to America fcy way of New Amsterdam, now New York. December 6 was St. Nicholas day, and on St. Nicholas eve he was believed to make his rounds on a fiery white charger, leaving gifts for good children and a birch rod for the bad ones in the woodeu shoes or long blue stockings which they put in the chimney corner. When the Dutch customs began to merge into the English in the colonial days, the observance of St Nicholas day gradually merged into the Christmas and New Years after the RevSoon holidays. olution Sinterklass began to change and to become Santa Claus an Amer Instead of being a lean character. solemn person with long robes tall, popular tradition made him a fat, jol ly person wearing knee breeches and hoes with I Hitch buckles. He also began making Ills rounds In a little wagon drawn by a fat pony, and his visits occurred on New Year's eve In stead of December 5.' Washington Irving had something to do with the change in Santa Claus, History for in his Knickerbockers of New York he wrote a description of this friend of the children which made him look much like the Santa of today However, it remained for Rev. Clement Clark Moore professor of oriental literature In the General to describe Theological semihary, Santa Claus minutely and to give him eight reindeer and a sleigh for mak ing his rounds ou Christmas eve. In 1822 Professor Moore wrote the now famous poenv which he called "A Vis but which is it from St. Nicholas, better known as The Night Before as a Christmas present Christmas, for his children. A niece who was at the Moore home ttiat Christmas cor led the poem into bpr album. The next year it ap reared anonymously in the Troy ' (N. Y.) Sentinel and was widely i the for r. Asphalt Long in Use days of the ancien the Assyrians, tlie Pei Sumerians, were plans and the Egyptians, they iuhI rustle bouts their waterproofing walls with asphalt ; they were making pavements wiih It; they weie ii.irai tnd with ing enduring monuments of all the most Important probably, in It the nil) Egyptians had . found, eta nee which enabled them to pre for all lime their Back 'ervo in the ou The Night Before Christmas WAS the night befon Christmas, whan all through H Not a creature waa stirring, not even a mousai Tha stockings were hung by tha chimney with carat III kf In hopes that St. Nicholas toon would ha thara the children were nestled all snug in their bads. vfigs While danced through their heads! visions at Aigar-pluAnd mama in her "kerchief, and I in my cap, Hid Just settled our brains for a long winters nap Wins out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to eee what waa tha matter. Away to tha window I flew like a Bash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash, snow. Tha moon, on tha breast of the new-fallGave a luster of midday to objects below; When what to my wondering ayes should appear. But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. With a little old driver, so lively and quick I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came. And he whistled and shouted and called them by name: "Now, Dasher I now. Dancer! now, Prancer and Vtxanl On, Comet! on, Cupid, on, Donder and Blitzeni To the top of tlie porch, to the top of the wall I Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all I As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly. When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky. the coursers they flew. So, up to tha house-to- p With a sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas, too. And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing at each littla hoof. Aa I drew in my bead and was turning around. Doom tha chimney St. Nicholes cams with a bound. Ha was dressed ail in fur from his head to his foot. And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle at toys ha had flung on his back. And be looked like a pedlar just opening his pack. His eyes bow they twinkled! his dimples how merry 1 His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry; His droll little mouth was drawn op Like a bow. And the beard on his chin was aa white as tha snow. The stump of a pips ha held tight in his teeth. And the smoke it encircled his bead like a wreath. Ha had a broad face, and a littla round belly That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly He was chubby and plump a right Jolly old elf And I laughed when I saw him. in spits of myself. A wink of his eye end a twist of his head Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dreed He spoke not a word, hut went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk. And laying his finger aside of hit nose. And giving a nod, op the chimney he rose. He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, nd away they ail flew like the down of a thistle; But I heard him exclaim, era ha drove out of sighti Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night- !" Clement C. Moors. & upon NIGHT hadof descended Judea. All was hushed and still ; the earth and heavens seemed resting in a I great, deep calm. No sound came to break the stillness. Even the humble shepherd men who watched their flocks were silent they, too, felt the deep thrill and mystery of the night, Humble and uneducated as they were, they could not fathom I what it all meant, but in their hearts was a sense of awe and J wonderment that kept them si-- jj U J fj! MARGARET BWJCE J fJ jj lent Then on the darkness of the jj night there came out of the light and jj heavens a dazzling were the shepherds frightened. But an angel of the Lord was standing beside them and in a voice that found Its way to their $ very hearts told them to fear not, rather to rejoice instead, ii and saw that there were others in the for he was bringing them tid-- l magazine, and set oat across the snow, ings of great joy, that the silent save for the crunching of his Savior had been born that night In Bethlehem of jj heavy boots and the strange clamor of his heart. Judea. And when this angel had A At first he walked hurriedly, but ii finished speaking the glory of Jr heaven shone brighter all tbout Ijl as he neared the window he reduced his pace. Silently he crept up, in the them, and looking up they be- - jff held a multitude of the heavenly ij 6hadow, along the walL Three years i host praising God and singing .jj ago this very night Presently he was at the window. ji the song that has echoed since J? through all the ages: Glory to f Stealthily he raised his head until ,' j God in the highest and oa earth he could see within. (, In a corner of the little room was JJ? peace to men of good will. After the angels had departed Jjj a small spruce tree, which Axel, no jjj - t jj and the dazzling light had vandoubt had cut somewhere by the river. fj Ished from the hillside the shep- - jlj And Axel and Olga, very happy. It herds whispered among themseemed, were knotting it with bits of selves, and they decided to leave colored paper. On a table, full In Antheir flocks and go to the little fj dres sight a baby ) town of Bethlehem, as the angel jj clapped ber hands with glee. Andre watched the scene, spell- Jj had told them. Over the hills and valleys they went, never .fj bound, for a moment; then slumped J until they came to the pausing to the ground. For a long while be humble stable where the Savior fj jj . to oblivious the fight-there, cold; lay There they prostrated jK Ing, wrestling. Then, leaving his rifle j lay. j on the snow, he made his way to the Jj themselves at His feet, praising Jr God for the thing that had come $ door, and knocked. U to pass, and telling Mary, His 12 Why, Andrei they exclaimed, as ji mother, and Joseph of what they 'A be stood on their threshold. seen and heard that night. ?j It Is the jj had Peace!" said Andre. Then they departed from His J Jj Night of Peace. I bring you peace U presence and went their way, f! and forgiveness." ji teling all whom they met of the jj The Christmas sun was shining Saviors coming. when Andre retracted his steps across jj So was it at the first Christ- Jj the snow, to feed his stock. W V mas ! Katherine Edelman. 1927 . or i. yellow-haire- ristraas HERE is one jaunt I hope never to deprive mj youngsters of, said a business man the othes day, and that is the an? nual trip to the woods after Christmas greens for the house. Every year since we were married, my wife and I have bundled ourselves up in warm togs and gone out a day or two before Christmas and gathered armfuls . of spruce and hemlock branches, sprays of ground pine, and occasionally some mistletoe, though this Is rare in our part of the coun- try. After the children came, this excursion into the woods became as much a part of Christmas as the tree, the stockings, and the dinner. When we were living out in the suburbs, near the open woods, we used to go out Rnd chop down our own Christmas tree and bring it home on a low sledge. Then the time came when we had to move into town, because of my d having a good deal of night work, and It took too long to get way out Into the country late at night Wo couldnt bring home our own Christmas tree any more, of course, but wo could, and did, take a whole day to -go out and get our Christmas greens, and we do it every year. If the weather is open and there Isnt too much snow, we take the car and drive out to the woods. If there is a great deal of snow and it is Impossible to take the car out, we go on the train to a convenient country station, get off and tramp through the woods, and collect our Christmas decorations. If we have too large a load to take Into the coach, I find that the baggage car will bring it in to town for a half-dollor so. The spirit of Christmas Christmas in Spain comes back with us from the woods, In Spain the children seek secret and the twining of our own greens inplaces among the shrubs and bushes to wreaths and festoons means a hunIn which to hide their shoes and on dred times more than if we bought Christmas morning they go out to find them out of a wooden packing box at them filled with fruits and candles. the florists." Farm and Ranch. (OopjTisht) -- Soon it became known all over the country and had found its way into the school readers. Professor Moore was the author of the first Greek and Hebrew lexicon published in America and had hoped that his name would become famous because of it As such. he did not want it known that he hud composed what but he he called this silly Verse. finally admitted ' Its authorship ant presented the autographed original tfl the New York Historical society. Ell lexicon is forgotten, as would his name probably have been, if be had not written the poem that Christmas in 1822 which is now looked upon as the "birthday of the American Santa Cluus, known and beloved by all American children. Nature herself, many thou mummies. sands of years earlier, was employing it in the extraordinary La Brea as pirn!' pits of southern California. level, when they were caught In a storm violent electric Lightning s ruck the peak and the steel in theli The rope conducted the electricity priest, leader of the party, was killed and eight others were very seriously in lured Fatal Experiment a priest Nine Alpinists on of rhe e .victims of an odd accident re ntiy while mmintaii elimhing in the ,rol The party was experimenting ith a new type ,e containing a They ha i man ,liahle steel timid umil nf Marino he i rear to s, ,ged "',l t'''"1 shove Inde mountain 1 Human Signal Tower There s a traffic cop six feet ten inches tali in Minnesota. Be may b a good cop hut a guy as tall as that must be awful high handed. Farm and Fireside. (, Western Newspaper Union.) On Christmas Eve A German legend is that on every Christmas Eve the Savior comes to earth in the guise of a very poor boy, who asks alms at every door, testing the kindness of human hearts. Naturally on that day no beggar is refused food and shelter. Farm and Ranch ar |