ammo-

Fish?

i

s?

PAGE TWELVE

Dot Finds Her Lost t Spirit

i 1

i».

(l H, yeah?" '

"Oh. decidedly yes." re- plied Air. Burton, gently- "You think you are vory iiard-ilvlll-‘li and ultra-modern, no\v that you art! u. pretty young miss of ttventy-one years, But don't for heaven's sake e! so cynical that you don't believe fin any Christmas spirit"

"Christmas spirit be hanged." snap- ped Dot. the pretty young daughter. "All everybody docs at Christmas is buv a whole lot oi things ior their friends Just because they know their friends are going to buy something for them. And enrryiiiidy lives ini agony ior rrlil‘ they have forgotten to send snnit-ooiiy a (Jhrisinins card. I say Chflallli‘ is the bunk —it's just

'1

v lie Wise Men

anivher

. "l Eflpllibg piyd he perfectly

happy i1 l\l\l.'i‘ iii your fiii-iiils or

any of ihi- Linzilv ever wve you . anything lhz: thrhiiiiis‘. iisliid

bi-oimi- m: 1.1-... viit- i1iii~i 51.11. oi

liic iiilit‘

l!u.i'»n ;ii ~ i-i1.11r fil‘<| 111-- 11'i. ill.‘ lie i.'i.!. l’

' ll i (‘l‘\l'(i he . a1tit tin .. inc‘ liiiiilli iiiitlici ‘

r- l ew ear l l i

that bind Scots to their .\'e Iiiiicl are never so rliiiiii» iii-awn together as at Jllllilllii iesilcal of New Year. For giiii-nitions the cclcbrzitlon of ",',L‘iii-1='.iii:1s in Scotland was prac- 1 lly ignored, but tlils is no ignored, but. this is no r tiuo the recngiiltloncf llilllkl I t_'.' and tho holding .1‘ s nnd festivities at this

H151

' 1 i .\'i.ri-. mu’ il~.1' r-r» .".L iii on it. ‘ m “"113, I (ilillt thiiilt ili z v.1..-.' _ “Don't gi-t exc-irrd. i- in ‘.\'l"1t l, called you hcre iili‘ uni. to d-\1~'-- some selienie whereby v. e lllillll .‘<l.|\ti,] 1 .e11iling rilpiill)‘ llll'0ll.l-,'l1- ifflilPk a bit of that cynicism from li-sr out ‘rot (illtl. Yet it ‘ still true to hwid. It's iii-coining a little too‘ v ti: t ln most hum 'ihc New Year strong in one so young." iitiiiirs liolil-thti fiiviii-ite place.

Illlii

"ll. r11 t‘: diiilu-oiii," szild Bill (sia hi‘; ll i111 Ni w Yc'ir's Eve or in 1d. llli- iiii11:i_v. n: it is‘ ('.'llil'ii. Every >1 n txillicti in tiic lib- hiilil l|\.s in 1 l.'.l in hilllllliLii iii ii11-.ii. nnd :ii'l mamii r 0i‘ cakes and

iwinfii-iioiis it i"ill ailoril, "ilflllillfi of u lacy ilflli port wine.

I ii k0! wise; l‘ll l .11 i11i1i: afii-r; ii.-i'i'l,1' for '.'llllilii< Iillli . pt (if - i: hi: cr-ls-cil ‘i‘.1 on: llzc

.'\ w Yciii"! I£\'ii'_v exile f-imily riri-li‘ is present if

fi§t§t

M

( g ADDY_ who is Santa Claus?"

What a simple question!

But how difficult to-anavrer!

it is a question that has boen naked

oy Ohlliren-Bnd not a few grown-

ups-for more than fifteen hundred years.

Think oi it! Fifteen hundred years old. and still a new queationl ~

And why?

Because Santa Claus il tho most. famous, the most widely known and the most beloved of ail legendary characters the world over. We 1n‘ Canada call him Santa Claus: Olhflll call him St. Nicholas or Pore Noel.- or Krlss Kringle. They all mean the same.

Do you know who he is? Can you answer this childish question?

Suppose w. try.

In the first place, it must be made clear that Santa Claus. or St. Nicholas cannot be associated with Christianity Just because ho hop- pens to pay us a visit on the day we celebrate the birth of Clirlst. Strange as it seems, Christmas and the Santa Ciiiusiau festival, now so inseparable, are nevertheless quite unrelated.

Christmas. as the very name im- plies. is distinctly a Christian rite. although a similar day, under a dif- ft-rent name was celebrated long tie- fore the birth of Christ. The ancient Druids in England. long before ‘the conquering hordes of Romans and

Norse, hold feasts and festivals at about the some time of the year that wo look for the appearance of Santa Claus.

In other countries too-in Greece, Rome, in Egypt. as early as iiis-

tory records. the winter solstice was “l” 1mm“ S"""'>* the occasion for revelry and festivity.

All oi‘ which doesn't tell us much

"5 “"91 n” about Santa Claus.

Suppose, for a while, we change

1"“ “h” """"'i- it"s” his name to St. Nicholas.

Patron Saint of Russia Some time in iho fourth century

: t ll l l , . . '1 i ."

pm ‘UH, ,1" pm‘; .,'.',:‘.,,',.‘8m,§,y fliiugpgzf, (the actual date is not known), there

i l iiii . 11 \\' . - lived in LyClIl the Archbishop oi‘

-. l l 1 5111i -l.~l1. ~ ' _ _ ¢ w Myra. So i, it-heurtcci a miin was ’ ' l l \ K ' hr,“ l "flunk _ he that he b umc the patron Saint

{we (“ILIITS ‘on. P31: oi’ both Ru a and Italy. _ i H " i‘ m 0"" m This man vi. s of huge proportions

.liil'i\'ii crow, whichever is ~ llilhllllf ground 'I'l| '

iuzrhing grou 1 i ‘q

if‘ uimation and hanged between ‘ of "Aulil

1.11 G111» or parcels

|_\' oifuriugs such iihuu-is hot li~ .\h11i:l .~.-iil, e.- tr. fruit. wine. and m, .11....“ i'i'\‘ll a pltrc ni‘ i-iiiil which is con-

i-:il.-r1 ll to bring gin-d lur-k. Sumo

1' Si... ,-\_.k,».d_ ‘lull must be taken, luiwi-vcr modest, ‘ .11 ' ' ' rive without it would he sure

1' ill-luck on the house isltcd. 1, j ..\ lil it. must hr» 1i dark person who ll.~' throat ziuil ill‘ ist-lrioi." for only such l. who \Villlt-_1i] lll'l: r lcil as bringing giioil luck. v _ lTlll‘ flTFl~i<1llYf‘l‘S nrekiut for a night 11.11." 1.» ii", I tlimk we all have _.i.1i Ii. and piocred from home to 1.ou.~r~, niiil lterp up their iriuitlly ‘ lls until the tnrly hours of the Hiiizi-iiiiig. For those oi‘ more serious iiiitl 1k. there " wirh-night scr- liut after the

_ .. 1. l1. iinc ll mt ii. ut

1.- ~ inn the w rshili :i-11-t their mix-i 1

tho. i.uu" s for ‘i - \‘ilillll.‘li. and a constant. round of lting goes on among ri-litllous and ' nlliziil matches and otlici‘ s arc also on the day's . , custom all works iii-c » ‘l llll‘ ll \\'l"1l<. but for some years 11 lvis lwon on incr rising desire i) iiiluiiz the holiday pr ‘od.

'f‘.\l.\.‘§ l.\' J.-\.\'l’.»\R\'

' not recognized as """i oi‘ Dcceinhcr r-iccs. such as irate January G

lug happiness in his woke, whoro

E7719 Christmas Yvlirocle

nirilti- p.11‘ the Sqllfli-o, town He was bcmwd because he protect“, the weak against the strong: the p00!‘

gainst the rich. the good agninsq

the cvil.

All through the land he ucut ieav-l

Over flic riir came n Christmas

TOOHI. e o s o

"P" l‘ l‘ ‘l 1"l‘-1'l1111lv.=a\-.-i. 1'11 go coo- <1i1i1 I i.i.1.y iii. '

_ goorl idrri," said ill v.':‘ll drive you ..t- two of tlhcm left

' \\'1-! 1' sour for nh: ui an hour ‘- L.’ lll-' il‘~‘.‘ii Linc about get~ . iinil Lack.

1 l .\'1 l- lit tililll‘ fiiini the front room

v._i1 ll ihrv r-rimc lil'ii\ll]ll io the frint; i1i ll - .hi1'1-i~ and i‘l‘il' 1 i’: ihc

a bit Sud- !" \\'-"f= [lowing the wide Ill! into the front room. on. File Jumped simultaneously s and laughter

_ 1 '1 ll] lli|llt"’ll!(fll. Thcrc i 11! loom >h~ .~ iw n huge .- i|'1 i1. all (ll'i"ll'.'iil'(i tvith

<11. illlq‘ niiil l1; its. with , 1 '“‘_*'."l'11‘1l :~ll :ii'ou1i<l and ‘ 1' :1 \‘.El|l Iiwyrqic \\-.--..,I,,~..| i“ ., ‘_ ‘ _ _ w‘ ill \\'illlt' i ~- -i.- ‘r1..- I .,_,__,> , Y‘ u “m, the trio \'.'.'iS liticrrti

f. 1.1." .

' - Miiiiiiil the room sat slilll u .~1 ' or more of her "HQ.

i'li1i.iiii:i.=,"

F 1‘ ~ ' 1 ' lip F“? luliw 5Y1» “firs;

L 1 l 1..

they cricd in

..,...---_

.. , ‘hi, !.-,,.\,

HEY hail forgoitciit All iliiy the thought was light- ing its way to the surface of John's mind hut for Anna's sake he ill-ill it iiiilklUfl. Now, out under the stars. ot burst forth in all the tor- ment of a disappointed heart. Christmas Eve-nnd they had'for- gotten! The words stood out Ililillfidl)’ be- fore his iviuntcil eyes. lt must

tgvcs. Anna still hr‘? \'(‘ii in miracles. g1... thduulit they \'.l‘1llili come. hlirat-lcsl , Johns tlilii lure quivr-rcil and his mouth set in lines til‘ liitti-rnrss. He pnsscti a weary hand nvcr his eyes. Miracles tlld not. happen in the hills.

High on the topmost bench of u llriiish Columbia volley John Morri-

Caml frilling soflly info flm

t .1‘.

mmstlsr F‘! loot-Wu inertia- nivJL

ERRY "

A The

b-

i-"ircss and misery had been before. llut on Llcccmtier 6. 1H2. so history records, ho died-in the flesh, but

1:0

t in the spiiit.

For many years iiftcr. great feasts were held in his hnnor on this data.

iifl

wi he iviis drawn tightly biick from a pliiin

br

d the spirit of Soini Nicholas was

supposcil tn return and leave gifts on

ih strong brown hands and quick‘ avy movements. Her grey hair

own furs. wrinkled in a fine net-

work —a heritage of years lived in the crisp outdoors. v

When John came in she smiled.

Anna's smile had brought him by

many and varied milestones.

\vl de

Still, icn he saw it something stirred ep down in John's being and ha

be silently worshipped.

fuccd John could light iin longer. Now he shut the door carefully Ile hud come nut. to the burn to. and sat down with a low sigh. gi-t away from the look ‘iii Anna's. "Lovely night, mother. Real

Christmas weather." She turned ‘hack to her trce and

hc could not know that the smile had vanished and that her lips qulvered.

Mother Saves Trinket:

"I'm glad. John, for if the children are com-u‘ it will be easier for them than if it was deep snow."

John looked ut her. wonder in his

l . I. . . ,, I‘ w, _. . i... m. .H __;,..V >. ) son hail lorwtcil his fiirm. Crazy "rm 1.3mm . - . 1.‘. I iii.» i..'v ll" 1r. iiitvlliyfii.‘ n H“ Sh‘ llllgl’ lllld "Pl-Tl! 71"" will?" h“ “ml “Anna, you aren't still expectin‘ _ y! ..,_,,p ,'_,. Ab. W] H! um I t v climbed an r up the hillside, crazy them?" _ . h . I, m‘ .. hp m" M1‘ , l“ "llmlif- to plrint his ii'l‘i'.< so nr-nr the clouds. she mmed shay-my’ bu", "and. l 1 ill iii . l- 1, .1.:i1r iillv‘ \'\lr....|‘.:|_-ll""s H“ HSNYW" i" n" PM» H9 Wflllifid hard down nn the table behind her. , 1 111 1-.‘ 11. I-l l V l‘('illl’iiigu\‘\l-hrjlr““_ if‘; freedom for his chililrcn to grow. "Expocun. them? o. course I am - lmiii. {i5 ' i .1 fir], “w, ‘,"' ‘MP0 "l <|l'\'l'lllll Fl lllfm W "N"! M5 John. It's Christmas. They won't ‘p. s, .. . . ‘ ‘ ' ,' " _"‘." 5"" lllllf" "l9 llrillll‘? time lllllm- forget The night train is ust in; l I 1 1r B 11.» i‘ ..1..~ vimiii. .1 lllfllulllli \\"ilt‘f%ll_“pu m" m- Ilihe m“? M" °"m.‘.‘:'.‘.'.!.‘!.. ">‘?§°‘l: they might have been on that." .lil lll s...‘ hut U In“, , v _ H iiiirm "ll" "PQ-‘l ‘Y9K’ 5m n‘ 1 John stirred uneasily. Anna _ 1l\rl.lvr l1i1r voice. ll-lcrry hut the chiliirin were ‘gone. Gone, mughem .i.| shc cried. "iivllm brcause they rliil not. like the lonell- n“ they wow “ken, may gm o“

ii.i\en't sun you i-n -i- you t Ilr-llo, Mary. f7 1m,- .t surprise, all rltrht.‘ m.»

s...‘ i-“vr l‘~ pii- v 11 '.1..11< toiciiih-

iwldculy and iniil:r~.| ,1» '|...|. - ~11. hor eyes biilillll.’ ‘lliit ill‘ h1- 11 ll'll'i'l me to sit llilllilll "mi

‘ "lifiibll WM m“: "HT "I ‘iv-ii _\l1|r ortnxcntziiilms l ll t m‘ H: ' ‘rm twirr itllli int ymi enjoy 31M. ..1,,.“. ' - FYI ..;,.. f! mini '1" '\‘11.~ \1.-1i-o misty wiih ti 11., 1-]; . !.'"‘n m son“, 2\ii~.~= lluiionspukc up "ftiiiig ]i-..| n. m,“ M,” 3.0%.. l think \ "e cnrrird this thing tun 5;”. jmphm-L “lxl"iv\u V, h" (“hwy far lint she said. tuiiilui; lo hi..- "uill |l'i\'l" tn piv ifll‘ 11,. _.,,_ m,’ il-iiiqhtt-r. "all the (fl 1-1 ~....» |,.._\-.,

Frrvos you rlcht lur not letting n1 ""11 Fml “'('i'E so nn. . in give

in on your llli; iwiii-i " F-‘NQ tl|l't1r1) l“ v “cri- not \'|'|I r11 y wt -.1|l. um! rrin out of the room. Mi. lluitoii l'm“) will l)" lleli\'t1ri.-vl llllif |1»»."-_1 lu smiled. a few minutes. You I"i]\ pun m me Quit-t firming at Ilonm Mme us tho rest. it '.\'i-- all ll mi; Phrhinitis do)’ iirrivi-l nt. last. hut “wk” "m" "mwr n” "'1 "i "ll

ihiit we were not

It \\'|'< i. qiii-v 11.1.; it] ill!‘ iiui-inrii . Pr‘ .11 fir-cuts

‘ l!" lJ-t i-l the u-hiilv (illY tho evcn- ' ihlftvsfoflr‘ The "Ems ‘m "M" “Tr? Y\'.'l.‘~ till‘ \\lli"l fiii‘ Dot, t“! d In!“ to ‘hi3 lmliv ‘r

.|i-1 four oi iii. i wore sitting in RM Ml‘- Bllfilln <llll persisted

".- tlrn. Not a sound came from "wdl- H Fl"? COW" in hrrv‘, she's my ,.| m...“ grit. to seriously iiilmlt that there i; ililfliiflfliitl Dot jumped up from her swimming to Christmas alter all." T'l'lli' rmi throw hcr hook on the "Oh. l do!" cried Dnt, betwun tJl-lle. I V‘ laughter and tears. "I really do, i

c-int stand this any longer. nover realized until l thought l w“ slic sni-i in iii-spervttion. "l'm bin); going to miss it l'm ton-um. !5r|\y_

m-ss of clouds and ltlllside, because they could nnl Pill)’ with stare.

John's heart nclicil with mcmnrlcs 0f them.

A soft thu-l 11ml the sohlilng sigh oi u cow in tlii- atiililo I1i united across his thoughts.

(‘hristinus iCw-h

Anna. bcllcvmi in Anna was wrong. gotten.

Trrlln Conn-s and (iocs

Par riou u the valley a faint clear whliitie sounded. The night train! Ji= ‘I stlllencd. The snoitlng and pa. ‘ing oi’ the iron monster came lo ly U! nls ears but tho whistle (iiu not sound again . it thundered nn H's iigzlre sag 10d 'illl.l the light fu it'd from his eyes.

It Wilt-i perfect Chilstmns weather. S"l‘l8 snow had fallen lint now the stirs shone bright mill close. Over

mirrirloii hilt They iind for-

of the silver birch in lines. John's heavy tooiate crunched wearlly on the fro en ground as he started down to the house.

Anna was dflfwrating ii t." , , , a fir tree standing in a pot in the centre of a great round table.

iinld bright

to deliver those Christmas presents I think tho Ch-Lt _ to the relief headquarters. I‘. don't derfulil! x q m“ ‘mm " “on

.. W "'- Lnrch llill a moon cl hcd the trunks "any" 1 remqmbe, when w‘ so‘

at

Salmon Arm to get Laura. You

know Jim would huvo to bring Laura. They might all come bust- lin' in that. door . . ."

ER eyes were bright. John could not know she was praying tho

door would open. He leaned forward

his chair and his worn hands hung

hopelessly between his kmea

think they could. they have. matter now?

"They've tori-tuition Anna. l didn't but l'm afraid What do you and i They're on thrii feet." Ha Itoorl up and lonked at the

little tree.

"You fixin’ all this for ‘em.

wit“. Even aiivln all thaae pret-

ti . little tinleled star

to

Sin was a biz raw-boned won»!

H, isn't fiilr."

His eyes misled as he fingered a hanging at the of the tree. it was tistiered and

ryr,‘ y“, >-._ vi. l ‘he! i1- " ~ . 541l- éitw 1a».- ~..s- u...» 45-» 4-.» haw‘ 4-»-

1' Y» 1

w

an oi tie Hour

fir.» b-Ls- ~...- \...--\~..1

it“

\ I 4f 1 ‘.. <. i‘ ‘ i:

,0}.

yoflh

_ fora children wore stockings, they would place their "solicits or wooden shore by the fireplace for St. Nicholas to fill. it they had been good boys and girls thmughout the year. their shoes were stuffed with

- tusytiiiiigs and nuts and cendyi if they were naughty children. a small rod was placed hesidu tho shoe as a lesson to the child.

l

_.., ~-<|n- s».

. V-rhi- aiiefiufh

i

fir... First

l. Christmas

Treel '

an iiiinit i hi... ' found its way tlirou] e tress and But its iaht upon the little outings in the clearln . maitlu it bright and cheerful in c auroutidiu] gloom of the forest. ' inside tii eottng all s bu"; and only ‘The fla.inu s71?! sparks. danceovano crackled merrily in the _ fireplace. shedding a soft. shadowy [low about the mom. Seated in front of tholflrc lau. II old mun alt reading. On qth gi- n". eat tivq small chit-iron. sir s s; lirigh" {lube s en‘ t - d

NicllU Q8. o . P‘. o‘ ‘m’, o‘ Elia bid a sto d

raised his fit: to liilitemuwu‘ ‘n.

Strange how" we. l. uu , y highly civilized people. atili celebrate occasions as old as time itself. bt. Valentine's Day. H l | | ° W 9'”- Thankagivlng Day and Christmas, all were "holidays" when men clad in skins roamed the woods in search

of food. Santa's Wife J

But wait. We've forgotten some- thins’-

Who was Santa's wife?

Now there is a P059"

In Italy, the children. while they believed Saint Nicholas was their piitmii saint, worshipped his wife instead. Rather a shill 111 U" m" for good old Sniiit Nick.

Unfortunately. her story is con- siderably more legendary than the story of Santa Claus. in her youth. when told that the tin-ca wise men were passing by her window, she refused to look. Just why she re- gretted this so much is not quite clear, but at any rate. she fried i0 atone for her mistake by making the Ii-fliiflh chiiiiieii nnimy- Al“! contrary to most goddesses she was reputed to be very ugly.

Rather than steal any of her hue- bnnd's thunder, she holds her own littla celebration on the tlth of January which was her birthday.

There is a Santa Claus

And here 1a a question for the grown-ups.

Is the Clauslan festival dying out? Why should this race, with all its culture and education and lack of superstition, believe in Santa Claus! Because industry won't let it. Because children will always he-

But gradually ill in favor of ti He is no

such occasions.

celebration faded festival at Christmas. known in this country. tinder h

German "iium do plume", Sam Claus, and his spirit returns 0i Christmas (lay laden with gifts t1-