By CAROLYN GRANT

laundry whcre he worked, and

less jostlin" hastc on \

l":

'. ilikes toll against his

aiul .i.tri' l.’ ftllllC

\\li‘ s v lights sccm

'.' maltcs the cr in the store

cclar trcc. We > Christmases. ' It sccnled

ntcd to close his soft music that along the streets s carols, and

"\'. - Ch as"—the song ltlag~ gic lilvcii best. Chri. mas had come again. But

for him thcre'<i be no Christmas-

He stopped in front of Carter's store, but minutes passed before he realized that he'd stopped there.

not any more. 'l‘here'd be only memories of other Christmases ed- dying about him es the swirling snow, and the plans he and Mag- gie‘d made for this Christmas even

carry them through.

together for others.

ere ours." been one of giving at Christmas.

T WAS late when old Dan left the

snow fell in great flakes from the dark sky. Hr: slnppcd for a moment along the street, unmindful of the eager passcrslzy and their thought- walnst him in their last night before lifted his face so

lot it had bccn . cl stood at

looking out at l .i..tl hlaggieh said

before they'd carried out the last. would pass without realization, now they-Maggie wasn't here to help him

He stopped in front of Carter's store. but minutes passed before he realized that he'd stopped there and was staring without actually seeing the array of Christmas toys behind the big plate glass window. His mind was going back. Ho was seeing again the glow in Maggie's face as each Christmas they'd shop

Last year it llfifl been the widow Benson and her SlX little Bensons, who would have been forgotten by Santa if they hadn't bought them gifts. Long ago they'd begun the ritual. They had no children of their own. But hlaggied said, "\'it'e'll -pretend that the children about us And her whole life had

This year they'd planned for the O'Shays. They lived in a little house down back of the old depot. “Littla

[T WAS enough to put a fellow in a morbid state of mind. Last Christmas he'd thought, when he gave Sally the inexpensive little china dinner set, next Christmas I'll give her something really nice. Something she can wear and enjoy. Something expensive. it'll not be practical to tit our Christmas budg- et, because by then l'll be making more. The tide was bound to turn by nextChristmas.

Well, it had turned all right. Fate could have bccn less callous in the direction to which it had turned the tide. lt was evcn ivorse this Christ- mas than it was last. At least Sally

his over- "lley, be careful!"

Bill looked up from coat collar. he shouted.

wasn't out making the living and he, a big hulk of a man. staying home.

The doctor had said he'd wer- come the heart condition with pro- longed rest.

People were talking. Bill knew. He'd been standing near the living room door the other day when he'd heard Kate Tyler, their neighbor, talking to Sally in the kitchen. “Well, it just looks a shame that you, such a frail little thing, must work. Bill looks the picture of health. He weighs something near one hundred eighty pounds, doesn't he, Sally?" Kate said, and Bill had visioncd with burning resentment her sharp, ln-everybodyfi-buslness nose twitch with lnqulsitiveness. Bill vlsloned too, Sally's pretty proud head lift when her voice bed come in quick sensitive rebellion. "I believe it's my aflalr about work- ing. I really don't need to work. We have plenty saved up to take us through until Bill is able to go beck on his job. I'm working becaus l want to."

He'd felt like t-‘gad. ‘fliers wasn't another guy in the whole universe had a wife like Sally, who through her loyalty would even tell a false- hood. Sally didn't deserve the hard- ship be was giving her. And now with Christmas upon them and no money of his own, unless he sold his best suit to the re-sale shop down the street, he felt it would be even better for his old heart to quit tick- ing than to face it and have Sally say, "Oh, you didn't need to give anything, Bill. All I want is you! We'll have a real Christmas when you get well."

Bill put on his overcoat, hat and galoshes. It was about time to meet Sally coming home from work.

Cold rein interspersed the snow and already the highway in front of their place was getting coated with ice. Cars moved along cau- tiously.

Their neighbor's boy, Pike, eleven, slid by him on a sled. "Whee-e-e. watch me, Mister Bllll".

Bill looked up from his overcoat collar. "Hey, be careful!" he about- ed and went into action with a leap

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By JESSIE WEST MY looked out at the bright day and was about to decide it was the loveliest New Year's Eve she'd seen in years when she saw Clara- belle Carter crossing the street; and then she thought the day wasn't lovely at all. She could hear Clarabelle talking to Mille as she had that day in the store when she'd been standing be- hind shelves lined with groceries deliberately eavesdropping. "l do declare, it does look like Amy Wells could get someone," Ciarabelle had said. "l suppose she'll die an old maid." Clarabelle hadn't said anything degrading of course. But from that moment forward, Amy had \von- dered if people generally didn't as- sume that old maids just couldn't find any takers. She took her eyes from the win- dow and Clarabelle going down the street to look at her reflection in the dresser mirror. At almost forty- five, she didn't think she was being egotistical in appraising herself as actually looking thirty-five. Slie liaa very little gray in her dark hair, and the faint lines on her face were unnoticcable against the startling blue of her eyes and general pret- tiness of her features. There'd been a time when she reigned as the most popular girl at Obane; she'd been pictured in the college year-book as "the girl all men want but only one can have." Of course Clarabelle and the populace of Donovan, a little town of three thousand, didn't know these things. Amy looked out the window again, and not seeing Clarabelle on the street now, the day rcsirrneiksome

She was startled when someone stood at her shoulder suddenly.

of the brightness that Clarabclle's presence had blighted, and she got to thinking about a trip that 20 years ago had been scheduled for tomorrow. Memory of the tryst had come to her with the approach of another New Year, but she had not planned to enact a promise that years of separation had cast into youth's frivolous dreaming, disap- pointments and temperamental pride. Yet, seeing Clarabelle rind remembering what she'd said about hcr somehow filled her with iulex- pected sentiment.

She had nowhere to go on New Year's day, and thought of the trip suddenly became entrancing. It would be emotionally uplifting to go back to the old haunts, and no one would know of her foolish liv- ing just for a day among memories of a past that through her own foolhardy pride. had led her into her present state of lonely maiden- hood.

"lf anything ever separates us," Lance bed said that night long ego, "it'd be fun just to meet again, sort of e tryst affair, 20 years hence.

Bucitlanmt T overturn I Pamnteam irvingtoslow

mountim and all

While padunq the box . ForUncloJolvnb folio i, Dadoctehimeclf all __ Tangled npintlve ropes. I

It's

; Wham ti.“ .. m a...“ Cid ti!" W! l" thought’ ‘lit-H ' Person had ceased toexiei".

Mdlpahwposailile ‘Ear

allfoeqrea lien frimminqflnlree. ’ _ O

W

HavcTree Base Stand In Water

Christmas trees, like flowers, will respond to being kept with the base l in the “utter. Herc arc two simple things to do if you want your tree , to stay grccn and fresh. .

Buy a trcc which has been cut as recently as possiblc.

Cut of! the end of the trunk disg- onrilly, at least one inch above the original cut. This will expose a moist surface which will absorb wa- tcr. Stand the trunk of the tree in water at once, and, if it is not to be taken into the house for several days, keep it in a cool place.

December Dates

There aren't verymimy famous birthdays during December-too near Christmas! However, s few of history's prominent people

Cannon Fire Hails

Christmas in Rome a

A cannon fired from the historic. Castle of Sari Angelo at sunset on Christmas Ere proclaims the be? ginning of the l-loly Season in Rome. By nine o'clock everyone is in church to witness the colorful and solemn processions of ecclesiastic dignitaries which precede the elab-g crate midnight Mass. i

Since everyone has fasted forf tlventy-founhours. festive banquets are in ordcr aftcr the religiousl solemnities. It is a gala aftcr~mid-' night ln Rome: hotels and res-l taurants remain open, families and‘. friends gather around sumptuous‘ tables in gaily decorated homesil and ln anticipation of the festivities, many people attend church dressed in formal attire. l

Between Christmas and Epiphany, the Calabrlan shepberds-Plflerani -—revisit the homes whcre they were:

proachlng her. Barbara! Ob-h, it's mowing tifully outside!" She looked down at the snow on the toes of her small white boots. "l hate to track it in," she said.

"Don't worry about that. I'm so " Barbara smiled and helped Avis remove her snow- covered garments.

“Oh, Iwouldn't have missed com- ing for all the world," Avis said, and meant it, now that she was act.-

happy YOU Cllflfi.

By PATRICIA SINCLAIR

AVIS stood Inside the spacious hall of the Carron home with her small overnight beg at her feet and greeted the slim girl Ip- "Merry Christmas, beau-

By CABLE FREEMAN THE little gift shop was crowded when Nancy entered it, but al- most immediately she noticed Larry Bryant. She sensed the usual disturbance at sight of him. and recalling the trend of her tbctllhts for the pa st several minutes broulllt. a fiush of warmth to her cheeks. She'd been thinking, somewhat re- sentfully. as she went along the busy streets 6f the little town. 110W unfair it was that Christmas had come before she could Bet "qlllihle ed with someone in Davenshlre- Larry Bryant, for instance, de- partmental head at the electric plant where she worked. (Ilarlstmas wasn't, Christmas unless it could

EVERY day for a week old Giver bad been passing their house in his wagon loaded with pine and cedar trees.

"Christmas trees cheep!" he shouted. "Oar-lamina tr-e-es-two dollars. On-l-y-y two dollars. . . ."

He was passing now, and Marge, washing the few dishes she and Denny bad soiled at their noonday meal, wished she couldn't hear the sound of his shouting voice.

Joe always bought old Oliver's’ trees. "Old Oliver needs the money," he'd say. "Arid our old car just wouldn't take the bumps of a hunt for a tree in the country around here."

Old Oliver hesitated in front of

ually there. Her clerk eyes swept the attractive. decorated home, and the inviting tire that roared

and her eyes glowed as they lifted to meet Steve's.

Avie laughed,

about huge logs in an immense fireplace in the room beyond.

"I hope you'll enjoy yourself, Avis," Barbara said. "My guests have not all arrived. Would you like to go up to your room first and—"

"Take the shine from my nosel Yes, thanks so much." Avis re- sponded eagerly, knowing that she needed a few repairing touches after the long trip out to the Carron home by bus.

Aa she ascended the stairs she thought, bow right Barbara had been when she'd told her the other day, after inviting her to her home for the week-end and a Christmas party, "You can't stay in your apartment alone on Christmas. You can't become e recluse just be- cause some fellow preferred an- other girl to you. You should start all over again."

Barbara was like that. At times Avis couldn't help envying Bar- bara's carefree, unstable attitude toward men. Barbara would never know the sting of loneliness, the bitter yearning for someone who had become the purpose of life it- sclf.

Avis hadn't told Barbara, nor anyone, everything about her ac- qaulrltance with Steve Ross. She hadn't even told Barbara his name. There was no point in going into detail and revealing: "l crossed three states just to get sway from the sight of him constantly with the new blonde who came to town." Avis could hear Barbara's re- sponse to such a revelation, "No battle was ever won by an army of cowards!" But Avis wasn't built that way. She had pride, and from observa- tion she'd learned that one-sided marriages never panned out. As she ran a comb through her short dark hair she thought of

pair pepper shakers. particularly that he'd bu shakers-aside from the signifi- of such an ect~but she'd lad her own heart set on them more or less for a week. Larry had been in the shop every afternoon that she'd been there, but this was his first time at the dish counter. The little shakers were as good as gone.

The other day when she'd looked at them, the sales girl had said, “Better buy them. These are the last ones, and they are a bargain at eight dollars. They came all the way from Sweden."

"I know—" Nancy had said, but she had thought they'd be an ex- travagance and look out of place on the little table in her corner

CHICO

The other "W"! It them- "w "l" Ii" her, she'd had difllculty 1.. looking had said, "Better buy them."

be shared with someone.

And now Larry was standing at the dish counter deciding about a of little green rabbit salt and it didn't matter y the

day when she'd

she For a moment. She tgke lng on the ladder to put the s

Tomorrow mas tre

the little house, repeating his chant til Marge thought she must go to e door and tell him to stop. She

“Denny, dear," she said thick- ly, "we're not going to have I. tree this Christmas. Daddy Isn't here to help decorate lt, and besides- Saute will come without a Christ- mas tree." ‘

and Joe bad explained to him the first time they'd bought a tree just the kind they liked. lt had to be so tall and so big around. It had to be cedar with clusters of blue berries on it. Old Oliver always had the kind of tree they wanted.

Little Denny ran into the kitchen from the front room.

"Mommy, there's 01' Oliver," he said. ‘Mommy, he has our tree. "

Marge dried her hands and knelt to gather little Denny in her arms.

"I know he has, dear," she said, making herself look at him. Since last January when the horrible car accident had taken Joe ewey from

at Denny. Denny‘ had Joe's rumpled dark hair, his dark eyes, the deep

kitchenette at Lil Ransom's old ch“ m h,‘ chm A lob mush, ‘n

"They might be gone the next time you come," the girl had said when Nancy left the counter.

But they'd been there the ne time Nancy went back to the little gift shop. Every afternoon for a s week they'd been there, as if awaiting for her to make up her mow, mind to buy them.

Nancy held her breath es watched Larry from a distance. now she knew that if be didn't the shakers, she'd buy them her- iielf.

But even as Nancy watched, she saw bim band the shakers to a clerk. ,

She tried to push her disappoint- day, deer merit aside and select en inexpen- sive little gift for one of her co- why workers at the plant. was Christmas Eve, and the em- ,.loyee| and ntllclals of the plant had drawn names as part of a gift-giving program they'd planned 101‘ I to have about the huge, gsyly dec- orated tree in the arched entrance.

said thickly, "we're not going to have a tree this Christmas. Daddy isn't here to help decorate it, and besides-Saute will come without

x; a Christmas tree."

"I'll help decorate it," Denny aid. "I did last year.”

Marge pressed Denny close. “I dear-J’ she said. Poilififlfl‘ memories of last Christmas crowd- ed her so that she couldn't talk for could see Joe teeter- tar in the top of the tree.

"I can help, Mommy. . , ." Denny insisted.

"You could, dear, but we don't. went e tree with Daddy gone. Some- , I hope it never comes to you-you'll understand Mommy didn't want n Christ- el". She rose to her for! hurriedly feeling a rush of tears. "l'll get your wraps, Denny, and you can play outside in the snow while."

O I

Shadows lengthened in the little

house‘ before it came to Marge with

-..

i

9

n

d? ‘it’

Maybe in Park Rendezvous where

we first met. . . Nancy dreaded the occasion,

more so now than before. Shs re-

most cordially welcomed during‘ Advent when they came down from

Billy's just four and he's never had when h, "w m; fled carrying the V _ s ‘ were born in December andhere ‘elm It hid bee" W9 mlmu" higmenmg reanzauan that n Md

l wagon. Dan." 318821911 laid. boy from the sidewalk into the di- Th 1d; lkeduk m g f; m _ _ t

'- {Iéinnilkilg theven as ‘lllllflyh trudged rection of an approaching car up the lwgggd_baecause smyakxfevjnlheyig ihgtcnrg‘ E“ Whitney mum" "P “i351!!! lttlhly $51111‘ “Etna? lip-p‘ x3‘; an; 19g‘ a; mlilwelsrznfi pa,“ the day ‘new l.“ h" hum. been 311 o; three hm." m.“ Den-

oug e snow wit t elr gayly Mghwam never separate someday ‘heyd - v ‘ v pipes c ore c s es o e lI-I ny-d 1e“ m‘ hon"

, . _ ,, . f u, t, _ rled now of course. They'd spend town to take a better job in Daven- -

“rapped gm“ m‘ m” Benmm‘ AM I‘ ‘u bWPm“ l" ‘ h“ l! 3m marry. But they didn't marry. Too o De; i‘; grdfizvon Beethoven f‘? {h}: fmginfl 3i“ iirchtheit" met; a"; 5mm“; together, shire. Why hadn't she waited until "Denny-DENNY!" She ran out ‘ ' vm o‘ a "n" e p“ ' m 'i after Christmas to make the on tbs porch and down the steps,