THE ALAMANCE GLEANER
j VOL. L v
o-'. ~u-« •~ i ... .>Y '
H Grandma's i
I Christmas |
|| Frank Herbert Sweel
(©, 1924. Weutern Newapaper Union.)
D O N'T kn o w,"
yfiWQQIf i[ sighed gentle
*ti*£n I I 1 ® rnn^ma Burke. "I
I L A t 'i ou sl)t I was doln'
fßf jjjSjL^right to sell the
*- farm an* bring the
children to. tows
for school an' so
cl a 1 advantages;
bat with picture shows an' dancln'—
I don't know."
She cleaned her wrinkled and capa
ble hands from the dough and turned
to see that the fire and kettle of melt
ed lard were Just right. They were.
Then with deft, experienced fingers she
began to drop twisted bits of dough
Into the hot lard, which In a few min
utes changed them to crisp doughnuts.
•Such appetites," she nodded to her
self happily. "Sue an' Kate an' May
are always just as hungry as Tom an'
Win, or even bijj Sam who's grown up
an' steadied -tfown to regular work.
Five will rush In from School, an' Sam
later, an' all will grab up doughnyts.
An* how they will eat I" She giggled
remlnlscently. "I do wish daughter
Mell could have lived to see 'em grow
lip so, even May fourteen, an' her twin
Win almost as big's his brother. Nell
would have done better by 'em, of
course, but I've done my best."
The outer door was flung open and
a rush of many feet crowded into the
hall. Grandma looked up* expectantly.
Btft the feet stopped nt the parlor
door, and a subdued hubbub of volcees
arose.
Grandma sighed again, N and bent
lower over her work. "Them flutter
budgets, Rose an' Jenny, from across
the way, an' Tom's chum, Andy Smith.
Plannln' another dance, likely. I won
der If any one of 'em remembers to
morrow's Christmas? I do wish the
flutter—" Grandma cut off what she
wlto/ed by closing her lips tightly. But
only for a minute, then her thoughts
went on in a different key. "I won't
be a cross patch the day before Christ
mas," the moving lips emphasized
change of thought. "They're judt
bubblln', healthy children; an' Sam's
already quieted down from a lively
boy, an' the others will in time, an'
Rose an' Jenny an' Andy are flutter
era just because they can't hold in.
-I Wont JM a Croaspatch tha Day Be
fora ChrMnwa."
The ban door opened softly, and a
ifuxsy bead and snapping eyes
• peared. It waa Roae Cady.
. "What does mf noae smell 7" ahc
llftll'lUll ■ilftl|i| i' Tt tells me fa
/hungry. May I come in7"^
"Of course, dear.''
Rose shot in, one hand outstretched
"May I?" she begged.
• "All you can carry," beamed Grand
ma. "They're Just right to eat now
while hot. I wonder why the chll
dreu—"
The key turned, and a few moment!
later the sound of and beavj
steps passed through the front door
way and Into the parlor.
"Gffettln' ready for a dance, an' that*t
the Smith music box they're bringln
In. Likely they're up to a lot Q' deco
ratln', an' ain't give a thought to
Christmas eomln'. I wish—no, they're
Just high-spirited young folks makln'
ready for a good time. That's all."
But in spite of herself there was a
shadow on Grandma's face the rest
of the day. She had hoped for a
big surprise /Christmas dinner, all to
themselves, with no Intruders.
! She mixed and baked until after
midnight, then slipped through the
;slde door to her room. She was
awakened by a slight step.
"W-h-y, Grandma," • reproved the
merry voice of Kate. "Nine o'clock!
and you're still in bed. Not 111, are
you?" with a sudden note of anxiety.
"No," apologized Grandma —"just
overslept."
"All right. Merry Christmas! And
•come right Into the hall when you're
dressed. You may look now."
Grandma rose hurriedly. She heard
the voices of Rose and Jenny Cady,
and even Ed's.
"Not even a, family Christmas to
gether," her thought deplored. "And
here so early means a lot more flxln'
for the dance. I'd like—for 'em to
have a nice time, of course," the
thought 'finished loyally. "Young
folks need pleasure."
As shq opened the door to the hall
there came low strains of music.
Grandma looked .startled for a mo
ment, then a soft flush of pleased sur
prise came to her face. It was a
Christ man hymn they had been accos-
A Christmas Hymn They Had Beeir
Accustomed to Sing,
tomed to sing at home when she waa
a girl, and she bad carried it on wltH
het- grandchildren. Bat she never bad
heard it In music
In her eagerness she stepped to tbe
parlor doorway, which wqp almost bid
den in greenery. Suddenly two psirs
of arms were Inclosing bar neck, and
one pair belonged to Rose, titbtr
arms were reaching for ber; and be
yond, hesitating Sam, who was too
big to kiss anybody, lifted bis arms.
"Why—why, my dears," murmured
Grandma, looking bewildered.
'Loolf up," laughed Sue.
Grandma did, and there was a huge
bunch of mistletoe over tbe door.-
"Lead the queen to her throne and
rehder homage," ordered Kate.
There was a raised chair decorated
with holly and mistletoe, near one side
of the fireplace. Grandma was con
ducted to it deferentially, then the
ushers sank to their knees with grave
faces but snapping eyes. f
"Hall to the queen of love and tbe
kitchen." they chaftted. and Jenny
GRAHAM-v N. C., THURSDAY. DECEMBGB 18, 4924
added, "Including crisp doughnuts."
"Oh, my dears—my dears," softly.
"Now for the distribution of pret
erits," cried May, springing op.
Grandma had noticed rotund stock
ings along the fireplace, with an extra
large one near her end, and sundry
packages on the floor underneath.
The big stocking was laid on bar
lap, and packagflfe began to follow. She
recognized things she had and
books she had mentioned a desire to
read. For Grandma, In spite of her
perfect housekeeping, loved to read.
"I—l'thought it was for a dance,"
she faltered, her hands caressing the
gifts.
"O-o-oh, Grandmal" The Idea! On
this day I If a for all of us, but most
ly you."
Rose and Jenny were dancing about,
as pleased as any of the family.
Grandma's tremulous hands reached
out asd drew them close..
"You must stay with us all day,
dears," she urged happily—"and BIU,
too. There's plenty an' to spare
cooked. Christmas has begun so won
derful that you mugf us carry It
through."
Mother's
Christmas
vr* 1 :
By ETHEL COOK ELIOT , ■
(©. 1924, Wuttrn Nivapaptr U^ioa.)
OINO home for
Christmas?"
. t M nlways go. Great
raw fun seeing each
other again and
exchanging news I
We go back to the
farm."
"Tours must be quite a family now,
with all the children. But 1 suppose
your mother gets Ift extra help, and
you all help, too."
It was not Impertinent, because It
was my best friend speaking. She Is
just frank and sincere. She hffd
dropped Into my office after hours, not
to buy Insurance from me (yes, I am
n female Insurance .agent and not a
failure at It either!) but to say "good
by" before herself leaving the city for
the holidays.
- "No, there's no extra help to be
gotten these days in the country any
more than here. Not any that's worth
while. So mother does It all herself.
But she likes It. Christmas only
comes once a year."
We said no more alfout that, but
after my friend bad gone I remem
bered her clear, frank eyes and the
way they had received my reply. They
had been slightly skeptical. I couldn't
get that skepticism out of my mind.
The result was that, after much
thoaght, I suddenly closed office a
whole week before Christmas, prac
tically kidnaped Ay youngest sister
away from her home In a nearby
city—that comfortable home with its
full nursery, cook and nurse girl—and
whisked her away'to the country to
mother a little surprise.
At first I thought the Surprise was
to turn out an unpleasant one. We
arrived In the early afternpon with
out warning. There was mother In a
huge apron, her hair tied up In a
towel, the front ball full of brooms
and mops, housecleanlng. She could
not conceal her chagrin from us, we
had so suddenly appeared. It certain
ly was different from our customary
homecoming. Then, she met us at the
Wi Arrived In the Early Afternoon
Without Warning.
front door, her arm linked In father's,
dressed In her beat silk, her white
hair freshly curled/ behind them the
bouse shining in spotlcsssess. And
then the pantry filled with pies, cakes,
roast ham with Its doves, and moth
er's aronderful jelly tarts 1 Sorb an
Inviting, homelike, hospitable bouse!
Such a sparkllngly clean pantry full
of good things I
How different today,- six days before
we were expectea? Father hnd ban
ished himself to the barn; and we
found him disconsolately Smoking by
' old Jim's stall. The house wan chaos.
All the rugs seemed to-be up and the
. furniture out of place. Mothor was
1 cleaning!
| "Oh, dear I" . she greeted us. "I
' didn't expect you till Christmas Evol
Nothing's ready! I've Just this hour
started to 1 x for you."
We put down our suitcases in won
derment at tills unheard-of welcome
from mother, our mother!
"That's Just It, mother, dear," I
anlC. a "We didn't want you to do all
this "fixing' alone. We've come to
fix for ourselves, and the horde that
follows on Christ mas Eve."
Well, nt first wouldn't
hear of It. We wfere to be cofhpany
and Just wait till she got the rooms
wo were to occupy aired and made up.
Since we were ull there, well we must
stay. But we shouldn't drudge. She
guessed we worked hard enough, each
nt our own particular kind of work,
all the year, not to have to work when
we came home.
We wouldn't listen. We had came
for one thing. We laughingly over
bore her In all her objections.
More than that, we called father
In from the barn and got him to
bundle mother up and take her off
for a sleigh ride. "A sleigh ridel
Who ever heard of a alelgh ride and all
the parlor furniture In the hall wait
ing for the parlor to be cleaned!"
Well, mother heard of a sleigh tide,
and under Just those conditions /tow.
She beard of It from her two Strong
minded daughters, her youngest and
her oldest. Father caught our spirit
at once and bustled her away. How
merrily the bells Jingled as >sey
whirled away through the snow!
Now for It! Marge and I tucked
up our skirts, draped ourselves In big
aprons and wound towels about our
heads, and fell to. It was hard work,
but what a lark we made of It. And
we had i good supper wafting for
motlier and father when they got back.
And every day that week we did
the same. Father whisked mother off
In the sleigh to visit old friends In
dearby towns, or Just for the ride.
And while they were gone we—
hustled.
By Christmas Eve the house wss as
shining and tidy as It would have been
bad mother been left to herself with It.
And Marge liad proved herself a mar
velous cook, too. There were pies did
cakes, and even tarts, and the bam
with cloves. The turkey wss dressed,
too, and the stuffing' made. And
mother had not so much as put her
nose Into the pantry door.
Then the family arrived Three
daughters, with their three husbands
and several children apiece, and two
brothers with their wives and off*
spring. And mother and father met
them at the Joor, mother's arm
Father Whlakod Mother Off in the
•leigh to Visit Friendai
tucked In father's, her hair freshly
curled, her blsck silk rustling.
"My," cried Brother-in-law Jim,
Noil's bnsbnnd, "but you've lost ten
years, mother! Such bright eyes and
pink eheeka I've never seen."
Marge and I, In the darker back
ground, nudged each other and giggled.
All the others cried the same thing.
It was true enough, too. This was a
different mother from the rather
weary old woman we were accustomed
to meeting at holidays here in the
open door.
Father spoke up: "You're dead
right, children," be Mid. "Your mother
looks like this all the year except 'at
holiday time. Then she Just slavfcs
getting ready tot yon and sort of~gdts
worn out. Thin year was different.
•This year she went honeymooning
with me instead."
Marge and I name forth from hid
ing. "Yea, and hereafter Is always to
be different," we promised.
And beer'M paid! We'd gotten into
the way of AMUng mother was an
old women. Vow we saw her as ber
neighbors and fftber saw ber—hearty,
bright-eyed, uuaftne.
"My, it asms feed to be eattag
other's cooking," eecaped ber that
night, over Margafr apple tarts. "But
you are naughty children Just the 1
same. Marge gad you ahouldn't boss
me sol Bight In ay own bouse, too!"
The reproach in bar eyes; though mild
Indeed, was tor lnstant reaL Marge
caught It, nag than I, got up
and ran aroijnd'to niother at her
place. ' There above her
and gave her one'fcf lee opt Impulsive,
childish bags. "Teft,"mother dear, It's
your e>wn bouse. Butyon're our own
mother. So 'twas fair!"
And'everybody agreed that Marge
had ' justified our highhandedness.
Howe*# that may be, from Christmas
to Christmas mother seems to be
growing younger.
WelT, another Christmas is here, and
this Insurance agent mfist get out her
nprons. The other girls have offered
to take their turns, of course, but 1
am too selfish to let them. I,look for
ward to the annual cleaning spree
with my Jolly little Bister, Marge, as
to a Jollification. And* the best part
of it all is the sound of those Jingling
sietghbells as mother hnd father go
whisking oat of the yard.
Heigh bbl Merry Clfrlstmaal
1 Christmas
I Reprimand |
jrc By Eleanor E. King ftjjj
(©. 1(14, WhIIM Ntwip&ptr Union.)
layp "* F SO many years
l f \ had not a,read *
/ J/gj I I J swept over hli head
J L A —sorrow, great;
worries and time
whitening his hair
—one would have
declared him too
good to live. His
kindly deeds bad made bis kindly
face. His every act, thought or deed,
wus for someone else. Yet, "this man
of God" sat wTtb his head on bis hand,
deep in thought. In these last few
moments he'had lived over ten years
or more; hsd seen twelve little girls
grow to womanhood.
Mr, Baxter bad taken a class from
the beginners'- department, Sun
day these twelve little girls had been
f delight as they nat listening with
eager, attentive fa«& td the wonder
All too soon /came graduation from
grammar sch6ol. The leksons bad to
go a little deeper for tho ugh school
students. The teacher 1 was fully equal
to the task. Finally college took Its
toil.-nntll only three of his flock re
mained, and those "few left in the fall
to start their college career.
Mrs. Baxter came In, Interrupting
his feterle. "Ellen," he began, "I
often think I had sUeh Joy in teschlng
those girts; I wonder if 1 did right In
keeping them under one teacher so'
long. I suggested that I turn them
over to some woman to tea^h; I
*Whp W? •„ This Is No Tim# to Worry
Afcbut That."
thought she might understand their
, needs better but somehow I couldn't
get up much enthusiasm about It."
"Why, B. 8.," protested his wife,
; "this is no time to worry alsiut that."
"I feel rather responsible for the
girls, and the attitude they may take.
I Hbpe they haven't been Influenced
too Strongly by me."
"R 8.. you are In a bad frame of
mind tonight," Interposed Mrs. Bax
ter, alttlng down, on the arm of his
chair, patting his head. "Ddn't you
know thst most people are too busy
tonight getting ready for the Christ
mas festivities to be mooning ov%r
past history? Ton know we have to
get the box ready—"
"Oh. yes," broke la *3. B." "That
' two pounds of pecsns I promised to
take down the street, Ellen; I will go
right sway."
The doorbell rang vigorously, three
tteee. "B. B." hastened to thd door.
If It lant my first lieutenant"—a
pet name he Hid tdr a member of "bis
class. "Wont yon eoare W>."
* "No, thank yon, Mr. Baxter, 1 can't
right now. The girts are planning a
class reunion while th4y are home for
the Christmas holidays. They want to
knew if they can't count on Jhelr
Pill
teacher for one of those ~hnmdlnger |
lessons—like they used to have before
we were scattered to the four winds." |
"B. B." surprised, dazed and happy
oil In the same breath, just chuckled
the way he always did when prime
|BjJ Jr W
"Hart Is Something to Bn«ak Upstairs
With You."
thing pleased hint unusually. "You
surely can count on Vie," was all he
could say.
Ills "first lieutenant" came closer,
pretending to whisper, "Now, don't let
your wife know obout this," and Mie
slipped a J>ox into his hand—"here is
something to .sneak upstairs with you.
Merry Christmas!"
"B. B." stood dumfounded, alternate
ly shaking, turning, rattling, smelling
and fondling the box; he took It tip- j
Stairs. He dropped Into a chair. This
was the first time any of his girls had |
remembered him on Christmas, beyond 1 !
a cord, through alt these years. .Me j
had always made it a point to tend !
to oil graduations and Chrlstmases. '
The girls had appreciated It. This
was the first time, but, he hastened to i
tell himself. It was quite all right—he
had never expected It to lie otherwise.
Unwrapping the tissue paper, the
box disclosed a leather bill-fold with
a hapd-tooled design. "Kllen," ho
shouted In his happiness. "See what
my 'first lieutenant' made with her
own hands for me. The cord on It
»ay«:
"'Just an nttempt to show a free
part of my great appreciation for the
wonderful work you have done In
teaching our class.
'YOl T It»FIRST LIEUTENANT
Hit Reward
"Howdy, Tobe!" saluted an ac
quaintance from Sllp|>ery Slap.
"Ilow'd you come out lu tliut poker
game tuther nlghtT'
"I didn't get no money. Newt," re
piled Tobe Sugg of Sandy Mush, "but
great gosh, look at the exjM-rlence
I had!" — Kansas City Tljnes.
Bqck Number
Grandma®- Do you want to bear the
story of "Puss In Boots?"
Elsie--No. gran'ma. No one wears
'em pow. Tell me olMiut "Piisr In
Black Silk Slippers ajld Galoshes."—
Boston Globe.
I
NO- 46
-F
: A Christmas Greeting |
By W. E.GILROY
is Thm Confrmwatinnafiht
THERE'S not a memory of home, or.
friend.
Be they so far remote, however, 3
lowly;'
No place where new affections richly
blend . •
That does not grow mora beautiful. J
more holy.
At Christinas.
There Is no laughter of a little child.
No fiery passion of Youth's rosy
morning.
No treasure-house of Age. benign a ad ,1
mild.
That ts not sweeter for th« Christ's
adorning
At Chrlstmaa.
There la no depth of love, no pang of
sorrow.
No mlffhty moving In the human J
heart.
No comfort for today, hope for to
morrow.
In which the Christ has not a larger
part
At Christmas.
80, as we send our greeting of affection.
We share the memory of Him who
came;
In fellowship. In happy recollection.
Each fervent wish ia. hallowed In Hie
name
At Chrlstmaa.
CHRISTMAS
was born at JRethle- Q
n UL hem that he might die at S
2 Calvary. This is the rues- 9 '■
k sage und meaning of Christmas. 5
Socrates supposed and I'lato fl
g philosophized and the world's S •
great ones dreamed that mental cj
2 process could save humanity. 8
'i But Jesus came to save us from S '
| the evil that dwells In us, and s '
v In the unexplored field of re- ■- yj
\ demption his mission was new S n
5 und solitary. The sublimity of K ,i
Christ's career s measured by S
i the volume and 'lepth of human »
I guilt.—Herald 'tl Presbyter. Q
' %
■■ j
Throw Hats 4Zt Candidate* .
' The word "hetmaii" is a title given
to the commander in chief of the Cos
sacks, annually chosen from among
number. The pr>>c-e?s of selection
otTers a contrast to tiie American cus
tom ol figuratively throwing one's hat J
its the ring as a sign of willingness Jo
aecept the nomination to office. Among
the Cossiicks It was the custom while >
Ir. assembly to throw their fur caps at
the candidates for whom they voted, ,
and the one receiving the greatest
number was declared elected. —Balti-
more Sun;
Pay Attention to Values
The man who insists on full vslne
for his dollar general* accumulates
wealth. If more attention were
to vnlnes, more men would get rich.
TJie relation of price to value is the
most important study in
Grit
~.. • £