THE CENTRE
LR
CENTRE HALL, PA.
T WAS early evening and the
air was frosty in the forest,
The full moon shed a white
light over everything and the
gay little frost-stars twin
kled on every bush.
Only the trees
alive; they stood sentinel-
like, quiet guardsmen. The
huge out-of-shape spruce on the right
seemed to be the authority. To him
the others all looked for wisdom. He
had seen many, many winters come
and go, he had been buffeted by the
great North Wind until he was twisted
and bent, he had felt the cold strike
so deeply into his
heart that he
groaned every
time a breeze
swayed his
branches. But
still he survived,
the greatest, the
most powerful of © UW,
the trees there,
Suddenly the winter silence was
broken as a light wind rustied through
the forest and the old tree shock hime
self awake. With the sound all the
other trees bent toward him alertly,
“Today,” sald the old tree solemnly,
“is the first day of December.”
The pine trees, both big and small,
gighed in unison, Neither December
nor any other month meant anything
special to them. But the half-grown
spruces were attentive at once, They
were wise In the ways of the forest
and they knew that the oldest spruce
could be relied
upon to keep In
touch with the
seasons, They
knew perfectly
well what his an-
nouncement
meant and they
X--/ waved their
branches about
merrily. Only the baby trees failed to
understand and join in the glee with
the others. Even the very beautiful,
perfectiy-shaped, large trees were
moved to delighted expectancy.
“The first day of December” re-
peated the very littlest baby spruce,
“What does that mean?”
“8h,” cautioned the pines, and the
seemed
ih ©. MW
did
old
other trees nodded warningly, It
not to Interrupt when the
spruce spoke.
But the old spruce was kind, he did
not mind a bit. “It means,” he said,
“that exactly twenty-five days from
is Christmas.”
today
again queried the lit.
do
“Christmas?”
tlest baby spruce, “What Is that?"
Patiently the old replied,
“Listen, and I'll tell you the story. In
nearly all the
Christian coun-
tries of the world
one of the sym-
bols of this day
called Christmas
is the Christmas
tree. Now this
Christmas tree Is ute WW,
a plain evergreen
tree, just like one of us, and on it are
hung brightly colored ornaments,
sparkling garlands and gayly wrapped
gifts. So much happiness and peace
does this tree bring that to be chosen
for this purpose, whether it be for the
richest or humblest home, Is indeed a
great honor,
“Sometime soon,
now, men will come Into the forest
and picking out the best, will take
them away. Then the adventure be-
gins, First the chosen ones will be
tightly and very carefully rolled up
and the branches tied to keep them
from getting broken, and then they
will be sent
many, many miles
away, probably
to a great city.
In that city they
will be just as
carefully unrolled
and then stood
BWA, 1p so that people
may see,
“On Christmas eve they are set up
in the homes of those who have
chosen them and late that night the
loving hands of one who loves the
children will decorate them.”
The pine trees sighed sorrowfully.
“They never choose us,” they said.
“No, nor us,” whispered the birches
sadly.
The half-grown spruces and firs
drew themselves up proudly, “We
are pretty sure to be taken,” sald the
Spruce
almost any day
The
baby
another questi
to ask
tree,
which
littlest
spruce hat
weren't you ever taken?’ he
“Shi” the tall once
more. They were very much afraid
that the feelings of the old tree
might be hart.
warned pines
the old tree
sadly, “I wasn't beautiful enough. I've
never been straight like the rest of
and would want a gnarled
old thing like me to dress with bright
ornaments? But I don't mind. 1
know there are a great many others
to do their share toward spreading
happiness so I am content to stay in
the forest”
The littlest baby spruce was silent
and all of a sudden he looked up,
startled, as the big fir towering above
his head began to speak. “I. too, may
go this season,” he sald with pride,
“now that - com-
munity Christ- >
mas trees are
getting so popu-
lar; even ones as
big as I get a
chance.”
“Oh, my, oh,
my!” walled the Tl NY Sa
littlest baby
spruce. “Suppose I'm not chosen!
Maybe they won't want such tiny
ones”
“Come now, never mind, don't wor-
ry,” soothed the old tree. “The houses
are so small yowadays that a great
many people have to have table
Christmas trees, Perhaps you'll be
one of those. But I think we've talked
enough for now. Let us all go to
sleep, it's getting late. Tomorrow they
may come to look us over and we must
look our best.”
So perfect silence once more fell
over Christmas Tree Land. The full
moon, now low on the horizon, shed
n light over everything and the gay
little frost-stars still twinkled on every
bush, Everything was In readiness
and waiting for Christmas,
(®, 1930, Westorn Newspaper Union.)
England Halted Christmas
For twelve years, from 1044, Christ
mas was not kept in England, The
Puritans, deeming it a pagan festival,
pasged an act of parlinment abol
ishing it, and directing that Decem-
ber 25th should be a day of fasting
and repentance, Charles II restored
Christmas,
“Because,” answered
you who
by Marg Graham Bonner
Christmas musle
The pines were
HERE was
everywhere,
singing softly
It seemed as
to themselves,
though
sang great long notes
with melody,
Blue, curling smoke
from the e¢}
of houses,
be seen
and great
trunks of trees made crackling
It was a
patches, of lights and
the wine
world of white
the sounds of
conted trees,
It seemed lke a backgroun
sle to Frances and Floyd
beyond
“You're Sure It's Not Just the Family
You Love?”
and
for
We're such a family games
fun—all by oursel
What a beautiful
and how Floyd did
them decorate later on.
Since his business had called him
here and since he had seen so much
of Frances he had never felt happier.
At first, as he went inside with the
Christmas greens, he fit a bit of a
stranger,
Their voices were all Jouder than
usual. They were calling directions to
each other. They were laughing over
the things they were doing.
They were so enormously busy over
such details, They took as much time
wrapping up a paper of pins for one
of the members of the family as they
would have done had it been a rare
necklace,
And about every little detail they
took the same care.
The Christmas decorations were
finished. The wreaths were up in the
windows. Every picture had its spray
of green behind it, and they were all
talking of how it would look on
Christmas day.
Floyd was sure they would all act
ag though it were a great surprise to
them. That was how they entered
into the spirit of thelr Christmas.
“Come very early in the morning”
Frances’ mother was saying to Floyd,
“Then you'll be here in time to heip
open the presents and empty the
stockings.”
Floyd accepted gayly. It was really
his first Christmas like this. And in
the center of it all was Frances—
Frances whom he loved so much,
“Maybe,” he sald to her as he was
leaving, “maybe 1 could really be a
member of this family next year. Do
you think you could love me enough to
take me?”
“You're sure it's not just the family
you love? she asked, smiling.
‘I'm quite sure of the member of
the family I love best,” he returned,
and she buried her head In his heavy
overcoat and said:
“Well, IT think it's a very good
idea!”
There was Christmas music every-
where !
(@®, 1930. Western Nowsvaver Union.)
had,
helping
walk they
ats Lover
enjoy
very fi
4 in
riend
1 of his age.
» of the bright
he from
At school
and
was his
anx 0Ous
est
gerve Christ. his
if nl that his father
and mother will allowed him to
study for the priesthood. Thus it
came that he was sent to the home of
his uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patara,
whose loving care he was in-
structed In all the wisdom of the
church as known in that day.
And now we to the story of
how Nicholas, from the kindness of
his heart, first brought gifts to chil.
dren while they lay asleep. It so hap-
pened that in the city there dwelt a
very good and learned man with his
three young daughters. This man had
at one time been very rich, but by
taking bad advice from one he thought
his friend, lost all his wealth. Now
he was bitterly poor, and as he was
too proud to beg, the family had no
longer a crust of bread to eat. Good
Nicholas heard of this and his kind
heart was greatly troubled. So he
filled a purse with gold and went by
night to the poor man's house though
he had no idea how he should deliver
his gift without being seen. The
moon was shining brightly and by its
light he saw a trellis which was built
against the house for a grapevine to
grow upon. This he climbed, and
peeping through the window saw the
three hungry children asleep on their
bed, thelr cheeks still wet with tears,
It made his heart ache to see thelr
distress and tears came into his own
eyes, Gently dropping the purse of
gold on the floor he climbed again to
the ground.
The next morning the poor man re.
Joiced greatly when his daughters
brought him the purse of gold, and for
a time the family's troubles were at
an end,
When the money was at last ail
spent, Nicholas again climbed the
trellis by night and dropped a second
purse, and later a third. You can
fancy how astonished the poor man
was at this unexpected help, and after
the second purse he determined to
watch for the generous giver, This
he did and the third time canght Nich.
olng In the very act. The poor man
fell upon his knees and thanked him
with tears for his act of mercy, but
Nicholas earnestly begged him never
to tell who had befriended him,
under
come
n King
way
ed he
Saint
ng and his
ito the
ce simple
saint lived
derfal
me to
1 drawn by
vay of travel In
h story Come
to the chil-
las, or Santa
OW, WAS 8
real person! A very good and
ing friend to all who needed him!
Western Newepe por Union.)
(BD, 1930
TSG
7
Nature Provides Things
That Make Nice Presents
The birch, when it gets too big for
its clothes, racks the bark a few
layers g and the wind pulls off
f mers of exquisite tintg
Ivery white or dusky brown, from
which boxes and baskets may be fush-
foned for Christmas which are out of
the ordinary. Rustic looking place
cards may be made for the friend who
gives unique luncheons, says Nature
Magazine, he camper friends might
find napkin rings made of it conven-
fent. The locust thorn which i= found
in the Middle West makes a good sti-
letto, in fact, it is sharper than one
made of silver. You can make it a
bit more decorative by having a silver
band fitted to it by the local Jeweler
on which initials may be engraved
long,
of si
Fil Tl oil
HIS FIRST CHRISTMAS
oo eit ; ince : SR &.