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ECEi-iora 20,1930

," 111176;] tii: Wobbly Wob Wiz- mi, pain-g, Larzti ciaus out cf his . -- n1; iizeis. “I'll finish filling mined on the ‘phonef’ tho bell had already ' <1 itssif ringing him up. He I {ﬁll . r-csiver. 1'23 Santa Claus a ~.;.1 tiic Moon. Who i; 1;; _ _ . The Fudge Family? . , . ‘ s 1 ‘:0, dclighhdf my dczirsi

, \/ What didn't they wont? Tizc viiiaia fudge Family fought for t;:.- rc::.'.'- ‘ ci- .11 the other ezid. ’ . ‘>1 my Santa, i‘: Iuigiicti": 111011;- ' . 1 vxziizt ' .913 ocrcpf-ane that will run along iiic ground and fly

in tiie xiir for ten secs. . . . Lint , 111-11") , , , ltl; [cur shillings 9'11] ‘ fillll']\‘li‘f.‘ . - . "

i --(tii zivixiy, Curt)‘. it's my iiirii . _ . I'i‘|)lill speaking. Da send inc a tit;-

' sciiter iiiotc-i" car. ti‘. "e11 a d1r"i;v! Prcziii ~ that tic

" slmgi. |l'.'.‘i. 1nd up."

I "l" y: :1", n1j' p":~'.‘.j'." rLtioircl

y; "Pvpiin spanking‘! Do scnzl me a two- '

.. stated nicior-czrr! "use you, Cuthbcrt‘) . . . You tent o. model train, do you? Tiirco saloon carriages, eight curved rails, pO\\‘!‘illll loco . . . Couldn't catch the rest . . . Nothing like a bg , noise, is there? , ‘Yliere was certainly one at the Fudge end. -’ "l-liiiio! Hulloi Hold on, Santa. Marmaduke speaking. l ivant n - Noah's Ark with big aiiinnils in it. , And we all want . . Aigy, dent pinch . . . Your Wobbly Wob Wiz- 1rd to play up conjuring tricks."

"M; stars!” exclaimed Santa. “But lie makes real magic, not make-lic- iiere. Sorry, my liearties, lic isn't for hire . . . Oh, what a howl!"

The Wobbly Wob Wizard hcard thc liowi. He was dancing on n piiiin pudding when Santa. put the receiv- er to liis car.

"OW . . . Wow . . . We want Wobbly."

But Santa couldn't stop.

Wliizz! Wobbly was swept liy nits- like inside tiic sack by the Stock- ing Sprites. Millions of tiicni stag- wiua under licavy loads of chi-ist- mas Stockings bulging with toys.

ltlnored to the Moon was nn nir- siiip looking like a stout silver saus- age. only, it wasn't a. sausage.

tliicy stuffed it with stocking": and loosed the moon-ray ropes. Down flew the airship to earth, Santa. Iteci-ing and shouting “Merry Chi-ﬁrt- mas!"

“swine to you." they siiriiled, pelt- 1"! him with crackers.

The first chimney pot. lie reached was the Fiidgcu‘ own. _

"I act out hcrc," said Santa. sheiiirlcring his sack. lic- popprd Y dOWn the chimneys likc n rabbit, up lﬁain. down again, up. ‘Tiicn he ‘WWW! the sausage that w'.".:n'i to the next house.

lileaiinvliilc, itiyjiisiiis Fitdjzi wake "b.

Oo-erl

Running across the floor

°Y his room was the model of a four

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i/i/QBBL y i/VIZARD

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and touipcnny night-flying "m. Diane. ‘ “It's a corkerP-decidcd .‘.'.‘.,u$tu5. It was. It had two red lights in the 1mm. and one green light in the

rear. Whewi it was growing! ltr

wings struck the water-Jug and the bed ixist. Crikey! It was rlsing_ hikher—higiicr. .

He must open the window wider. He did.

Whoop! He sprang into the cock- pit and nose-dived outside. He all but bumped into the ﬂashing head lginps of u. two seater toot-touting at Pcpitafs open window.

Ilcver had Augustus seen a motor- eci- skid down thr- wall of a. house. liii‘. iic did that time.

'14“ a ivbvizsan,“ squealed Pep- \it:i at the tr-cfiff!‘ wheel, landing with :1 thrilling crash, "Bond gnu. riit! ,‘."ltat's that?" ‘ It i‘... if" thundering roar of a.

‘ motive, with three sa- _, .1 on eight curved rails,

.. . n; c;i..ipt1L;'-l;ui1ip-bump down-

_ _. and -. lzlstiiiig furicusly, t Jiiztit yelling; Jar joy in the ten- err.

bi;.ldc".i!y' an invfui uproar shook ti? h; e.

"l c iirc you, children?’ shout- c.! Cncle Thomas, rii ung Aunt Ur- {"131 o 1.n the lawn. “Look at the v.n .... .'

"iivy were wide open, v"i.li l‘( "1' 11g lions. cud or n; tigers from, the Noah's Ari: A _ raﬁe stuck his iiead out of a chimney-pct. Afcirmadukc was hugging a hycna and lctigliinl; 111st liizc him. Thcrc was o. mad stamp- ede down the stairs: then, two by two, oil the animals marched out ‘FJTCUZII the front door. They were as friendly and as froiicsoine as the Fridges. even more so. They ‘made n Jungle of the garden in no time.

The Fuciges fell in love with them all. 'I‘licy had glorious games in the jungle until Santa flew back in the sausage that wasn't one.

"Fiidgcs. ahoy!" ye yelled through a megaphone, "Have you scen—?"

swarming growling bears

What lookcd like a monkey scramb- led up a moon-ray rope

What looked like n monkey in the jungle scrambled up a moon rap rope dangling from the air-ship as it flew up to the Moon.

‘Merry Christmas." he piped in pivsirig.

"It's lvﬁibly Wob!" they scream- “, .

It was. The kindly little Wizard had made them real Magic after all. I-‘or the presents turned into toys

iirain.

Olive Chandler.

Cod Love It

il-‘rom "A Christmas Caroil’)

Once or twteé when there were angry words between some dinner carriers wiio had Joctiod each other . their 800d humor was re- storczl directly. For they said, it was a shame to quarrel upon Christmas Day. And so it was! God love it, l0 i; was!

An old gentleman was returning home after spending Christmas with friends. His host's Brett-Y dnushter had driven him and his con to the

Motion. “Good-bye. ml‘ dllr." h0-

raid. "I'm afraid I can't kin-B Y0". u I've got. such a bad cold." The IZJI. glanced at the girl and naked: “Can 1 do iinyiiiing for you. father?"

' i .1‘??? ‘fliéBi-ﬂlETtlwN GUABRIAN . ____ _-

Santa. Claus, Kris Kringle, St. Nicholas, Father Christmas or Noei-- call him what you will. (‘iiliifllllllg legends are toiii of the origin of ‘Santa Claus, which is a derivation of St. Nicholas, the incarnation of all that was good and generous.

St. Nicholas, destined t0 be wor- shipped in various forms by the child- ren of scores of centuries, was born in Patara,a. town of Lycia, in Asia Minor. From» his earliest _ days he showed a religious inclination that destined him to take a high place in the Church.

As a young man he entered the monastery of Sion and in time ho bo- came Abbot and later Bishop of Myra. His great sanctity and learning made him shine even in the most il- lustrious company, and he was one. of the most notable ﬁgures at that wonderful gathering of 318 Bishops,

.who met at Nicca. in 318 to condemn the heresy of Arius.

While St. Nicholas became famous in the councils of the Church, it was still more as the special friend of the children that his fame spread.

asmasarsrsisrzaiaisisisrsiaasrsscwsosisisiscrssisii»

“He Was Chubby and Plump, A .who Jolly old E1 "

What a. thoughtful old dear was St. Nicholas-the hero of the legend dat- ing." back to the sixth century-who inniigiiraitcli the blessed custom 0i’ hanging up the stocking on Christ.- inas Eve! ’Tis told that, hidden with- in the seclusion of the grim walls 0i} a convent, the young women board- ers each Christmas Eve hung a. silk stocking on tlic door of the abbcss. (lame a Christmas morning when they (liscovcrcd ilic stocking ﬁlled with “swcctsf and their (leliglit was unbounded. Si. Nicholas it was, whom they credited with the happy surprise.

Ovcrtakcn by ii storm (so runs a. story’ 0i‘ the long ago), the 1iz1tr01i saint of little ciiiiclrsii one night found refuge in a convent. The following day hcing (lliristnias, 11c graciously preached a sernion to the nuns, and they in turn, requested that he conic again. Tlie following year he ac- cepted their invitation. and on Christ- nias Eve, before retiring, asked tiic sisters to lend liini a. stocking This lic filled with sugar plums, to the dc- liglit of the young folk residing under the roof of the convent.

P-t-Gl‘ THREE

CHRISTMAS DA Y

By E. M. HARDY

Christmas Day in one country Vic- agare in the year 1865, was started by a group o! little girl: and boy: singing with their small and squeaky voices “Christians awake!” at. about '2 a. m., on the landing outside their parents bedroom!

A couple of tallow candles was all the illumination they had and they shivered as they was! Then 10110"- cd “Harki the Herald" and the" "while Shepherds watched!" The last verses being lamentably flat!

Then came a. rush, and kisses and good wishes for a Merry Christmas" between children and Barents, all rather thankful this prelude to the feast was over.

Afterwards came the excitement of examining the contents of the stock- ings. Mamas and Papa's Present-b however, were most decorously laid beside their plates on the breakfast table. generally with a small Christ- mas card attached to each to convey the donor's good wishes.

Christmas cards in those days were quite :1 novelty and conssicd of small cards about 3 in. by 2 in. In the cen- tre would be ii robin surrounded by a wreath of holly prolific with scarlet berries, generally a Church spire ap- peared in the background and the legend "A Merry Christmas to you" completed the (leslgn. Variety in cards was very rare.

1N CHURCH

The Church Service was an excit- fng incident for everyone, gentle or simple. that could come, did come to Church then on Christmas Day.

The old women in their scarlet cloaks rcncliing almost to the ground (evidence of an ancient legacy" to the worthy and indigent poor of M-—")- with their large black coal-scuttle bonnets. most of them carrying a spotless white cloth ivrapped round their books, mad: ‘a gay procession. Many of them were pattens on their Ice‘. wlrcii lifted them well out of the snow andleft curious oval prints in it. Some of the younger Dames af- fected the more modern clogs.

The women were followed by a number of old men in long smock frocks and trill furry beaver huts, bending low on their sticks with the weight of toil and years.

0n Christmas morning an impor- tant person ivas the Organist-a blind man whose birthday was on December 25th. and whose appropri- ate name =vas Cln-‘stmas Bush. He was led along carefully by the “vil- lugc idiot." wiio was also the blower. Between them. these two afflicted ones rendered the musical part of the service very effectively. Perhaps, congregations were less critical in 1865 than now.

Everybody in Church is now eager- ly waiting the handsome carriage and pair of greys that comes dashing up to the Churclrvarci gates with a great lady and lier son. A stately couple they are as with courtly gracevhc "arms" hcr along the path. Her long satin pclissc with its sable collar, a huge iiinff to match and a wide bon- net with its oinplc lace curtain, were the envy of the humbler folk.

Then followed the servants‘ van from the great ladys house. A strange box-like vehicle, with a tiny square wiiidoii/ fore and nft. From its descended men-servants llild maid-servants. the latter in their prim black bonnets; last of all the stately housekeeper dressed in hum- bio iziiitzxtion of licr mistress.

THE “VICARAGIT ARRIVES

The bells, which iinve been peni- liig nierriLv, stop. and the "five nihi- utes" begins. 1t is the Vicarage children's turn now. First "Papa" in cap and gown, walks sedateiy across the churchyard, carrying the box containing the Communion Plate and liis velvet sermon-case. Tiicn follows "Ma". the governess and cider Vicar- age children, 11nd at tiic same mom- ent the stable-yard gates open and the Vicarage servants wall: behind them into Church.

‘The children arc eager to see the "decorations", although only yester- day they helped to put them up. Thcy hurry through the porch. strangely furnished with its neat rovrs of clogs rind pattens, while the little group of "Dinnes“ stand asdc make their "obeideimcc" to the lVFn- istcris lady as she passes.

The Church is dnrk and cold even on Christmas morning, and there are no lamps nor will attempt be made to lizlit it even on Sunday afternoons in the ivintcr.

The Squire and his two sons. with n sin-‘iiiklinr: oi‘ visitors of "high tic- crcc" are nlreiidv in their places. Standing well forward in his pew. the Squire iwoceeds to inspect the decor- ations through lrc- own awe-inspiring

eye-glass. The Squire is ‘for! l0 WW back-bone. He scans the huge texts of red and white and 201d llﬂiler- The gallery front greets him v h the message "God is Love." Other selec- tions from Holy Writ have UllCLICIQd the arches. Enormous wreaths swathe the slender columns. Holly and vari- ous evergreens flourish on ivindow sills. The Jacobean Pulp; shows woollen Stars of Bcthlt-iiciii, ;-p.. kiing with art ficial glitter. The Squire is reassured! i

THE SQUIRF Opposite tlic survival, a sciuiire ]J . i- its pan- els in line Jacabuni inside, on soft cushions, faciiw \‘.'c~.~,i., JJL Lord and Lady Ch-itiic !~ri.‘.ei~ has said his pi-iv u; p»; r. i-i a standng ' *.~ f1 ?~(['lﬂl‘(‘

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.11_\_r_ THE SIXTIES g

high faid-stoo saint or sinnLr. ‘

At the back and beyond the relic of former days, is a side Chapel ii. which sit the (“ioiiz sciccicd school children and a few young nien and maidens, out of skint but not at all out of sound. bill, the ein-s of the faithful were ::- i. <11: 1i I‘. ‘hcsc tiic

early sixty d j ‘.1 31.1, keynote then.

The two Hymns vurrc r . .cc_i by the Vicar with the svirmile sugges-

tion—"No\v let w; snz to the Praise mid Glory of God, Hymn Iiti-Hark the Herald Angels SingIY-oi‘ “Ilyinn 32. "While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks by NightP-"and to show fur- ther there was to be no hurry in the matter he read out the whole of the first verse.

So, with nil the stops drawn out. the blind organist played and the choir sang fortissirno. and the meas- ure was adagio. Other music there was none, excepting: the three can- i/cles taken to flowery chants with high reciting notes and embeliis-iiii": little runs.

A STRANGE CEREMONY

One unusual littie ceremoiiv which occurred regularly ivns watched with unceasing interest by the congrega- tion. At the commencement cl’ the second Hymn. ialvrays a. long one. because the Vicar had to retire into the Vestry. there to change his very full white surpl ce for the heavy folds of’ his Geneva block gown) Lord G- would quietly open the pew door. hand out his Lady. the two lll(‘ll pro- ceeded towards the Chancel deer. lllf.‘ Lord opened it, my Lady passed through, my Lord bowed, tlicn quietly returned to his ‘praying box’ (as the Vicarage children called lti to lsten attentively to the coming Homily.

The origin of this little ceremony was never known! Not even to the Vicarage servants "who knew most of the gossip of the parish

After the final words of zlisiiilssal. wh lc the organ thundered sonic chorus of praise that so much of the days work was ended. the Vicar again retired to rcappsar once more in the simplicity of his siirpW-c. black stole and crimson acnduiifc hood.

Two-thirds of the convocation hasten out in the frosty ti: Then followed that long ss-ivec in i'ii‘.l and the faithful join in the ftfystery of Mysteries. All the old viii "e foil: are tliere-"tiic-y‘ ﬂl\\'l\_\'.<-' siﬂv :11 the ‘Table?’

When all is over thos: in-irrs of bread which have scented the Church with their nppctisiny! fraeratice. fiilli which have been tlin marvel of the Squire's guests ‘iiiroiiqlioiit the sor- vice, are taken frciii off the alabaster tomb of =1 Lady Roper bv name. rc- latmr to that great liirisii F"li?'l‘- man, Si? Tlionias llfore. wtiiiii ‘Uie rails‘ and distributed to the “needy: and respectable inhabitants of the parish nf M-‘K ﬂCCfifdlli" iii the terms of a great Domr-‘s will cent: < ago. on W110." heart "the r'.'-. ing of the poor" ll“" I‘l"" imnrrrsiian.

The old D1111?" bola and r'::~i c": "1 they accent ther '5 lanai-tr". then fold it in their ll‘ In the slxtim '1 loaf oi‘ l to be s-necwvl at. as f‘" very dear.

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