The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, December 22, 1949, Image 12
v.
Pa^e Four
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THE CLINTON CHRONICLE
Thursday, December 22, 1949
\ o
As the yeors roll by
we realize more and more
i . '
how much it means to have
the confidence of folks like you.
It is a pleasure to wish you
a Merry Christmas.
Chaney’s
Dress Shoppe
Mrs. Ethel Chaney
CLINTON — LAURENS
It won't b« long until
old Saint Nick will be
knocking at your chim
ney, bringing you loads of
happiness and joy. But
before he arrives, we
wont to drop in for just
o little visit to wish you a
JOYFUL CHRISTMAS
H. D. Payne Go.
EVERY
HEART
By Vera Tarplej
«DUT THEY don’t believe In
'B’
Christmas, Jim—y o u know '
that.” Laura wished she hadn’t 1
spoken quite so loudly; her remark
had stopped in midstream three
rapid-running conversations. Her
guests studied the rug pattern. Jim
merely looked at his wife in silence.
*T mean, after all,” she went on,
"it’s not their religion. . . so I as- j
sumed it would be embarrassing— [
to them—to invite them to our
Christmas party.” She swallowed
uncomfortably.
“And I assumed that this party
was for all the fellows in our office,
including Ben.” He smiled then,
but didn’t soften the accusation.
Everyone in the room knew of the
close . friendship between Jim and
Ben—they only guessed at his wife’s i
resentment of the friendship.
i ■
“Say, that’s
was pulling
"He asked us to sing ‘Silent
Night’ and guess what? He gave
us ten dollars! And she invited us
in and gave us candy and
cookies.”
Mr. Adams, office manager, broke
the silence next. ‘T wouldn’t wor
ry about it too much, Jim. After
all, Christmas is . . .” He emptied
| his glass and returned it to the
coffee-table. ‘‘.And we all feel a lit-
, tie differently about the holiday
than they do.”
About nine o’clock carolers came
| to the door, singing lustily and
j slightly off-key, ‘‘Let every heart
I prepare him room . . ." The oldest
caroler was scarcely twelve. H*
rattled a box full of coins. Mr.
Adams snatched the donation box
from him, ceremoniously deposited
nine pennies, and passed from guest
to gqest, bowing after each dona-;
tion. Everyone put in nickels and
dimes. Jim put in a five-dollar bill
and everyone shouted “Show-offI”
Laura was annoyed but kept still.
Laura and Jim’s little girl, Bonny,
; was out caroling too, but her group
covered a different neighborhood.
I No one noticed much when the
telephone rang later in the evening
and Jim went to answer it. But
they noticed Jim’s face when he
returned to the living-room—it was
< white and twitched unpleasantly.
Laura walked over to him. ‘‘Who
was it, dear?”
“It was Ben—he called to apolo
gize for not coming tonight.”
‘‘His daughter’s been in Chil- !
dren’s Hospital for the past month, J
you know.”
Adams broke in.
right—Ben said she
out of it—that was last week I be
lieve. How’s she doing, did he say?”
‘‘She died this afternoon.”
Nobody seemed to have anything
more to say after that. The party
broke up within the next half-hour.
Just as the Adamses were leav
ing, Bonny came in from caroling.
She was flushed ‘with happiness and
excitement. Laura clutched her in
her arms convulsively.
“Did your group make a big haul
tonight, Bonny?”
“Did we!” she gasped. ‘‘We got
more than any other group \ bet!
And Mon, we sang for that Mr.
Ben, at Daddy’s office, and—”
“Oh but you shouldn’t havel”
Laura looked at Jim with alarm.
“Why not, Mom? He asked us to
sing “Silent Night,” and guess
what? He gave us ten dollars! And
she invited us in and gave us candy
and cookies, and gee, they’re nice!
And I told them hello from you and
Daddy, and you know what? She
cried! Isn’t that funny, mother?”
Jim looked at his stricken wife
and wanted to take her in his arms,
but Mr. and Mrs. Adams were
standing there with their mouths
open, so he merely grasped her
hand firmly. Bonny babbled on hap
pily.
“And you know what else? Mr.
Ben asked me what the donations
went for, and when I told him he
took all the money out of his wal
let and put it in our box, can you
imagine? And then 1 asked him if
he had any boys or girls like us
and would they like to go caroling
with us and he said no. And then
she started crying again and we
left. Waan’t that funny?”
Mr. Adams cleared his throat.
“By, the way, Bonny, just what
were those donations for anyway?
I forgot to notice.
“Why, for the Children’s Hospital
fund—or something like that—it
al printed on the box.”
1 V a ,
VOURSjcl
It has been a pleosuro to serve you In times
gone by and it ts our sincere wish that we may
i
continue to have an opportunity to serve you irt
the days to come.
Merry Christmas to you, one ond all.
Cox Home & Auto
201 North Broad Street
Tke JoyA
Olnotken. Gkh.iAtm.a4
Once more, os we proclaim the approach of another
Christmas season, we find ourselves remembering oil the fine
friendships ond courtesies that have made the past twelve
months memorable and enjoyable for us.
Friendships are invaluable—they are essential to a
happy existence and we recall with pride the associations
we hove with a friendly community.
To each of you, we express our gratitude ond extend
best wishes for a season of great joy!
? >
Cooper Motor Company
YOUR DODGE AND PLYMOUTH DEALER^ ~