The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, December 22, 1950, Image 15
- Ar. t:..
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1950
THE NEWBERRY SUN
By Leo West
# m
WE'VE SOMETHING FOR YOU
That jolly old man with the long
of Christmas Greetings. We hope
whiskers is here again. As old Saint
you do have a MERRY CHRISTMAS
Nick makes his rounds and stops at
I ✓ -
your house, we hope that he will leave
. . . merry in every respect. We want
you to have everything you so richly
with you abundant joy for the Christ-
deserve and that will add full measure
mas Season. We are sending along
»_
somethi ng for you too — our message
to your happiness through the holiday
season.
1^1
m
lv |
i
1
AMERICAN LEGION POST NO. 24
J. D. CALDWELL, COMMANDER
I
B eautiful nola Hampshire
was alone for the second suc
cessive New Year’s eve. As the
hands of her plain electric clock
in rare wood neared 11. she put
down the new novel by Many Jerplt
and looked at the sleepy flames in
the grate.
Someone In the party on that
New Year's Eve 24 long months
ago had suggested charades. Nola’s
soft grey eyes filled as she remem
bered how on Impulse she had
thought of reenacting a scene In
Jerry Pitman's college life which
had anchored him ever since, pre
venting any real progress in his
chosen field
"Maybe.’* she thought, "it will
wake him up. make him know that
he can’t go on forever living in
the past."
The word she chose to dramatize
was "hero." She could do the "he”
easily, with a borrowed hat and
coat, and she could pretend for
the second syllable to row a boat
—. Would it be too strong for Jer
ry? She looked across the room at
his dark, good-looking face, the
black wavy hair His ready smile.
That decided her. Jerry had
never stopped living the moment
when his Harvard oarsmen had
defeated Yale and he had been in
the Number 2 slot. It was simply
a case of arrested development she
had been fighting vainly during the
year of their engagement. He
couldn’t even settle down to what
he claimed he wanted to do—write;
Whereas she was a highly paid
I
I
1
m
1
When ahe had opened the door
and stood face to face with him,
she couldn’t believe her senses.
laboratory technician in a steel
plant. She flushed angrily. What
he needed was a shock treatment.
What he needed was a charade.
When she had finished rowing
madly in Jerry Pitman’s most ex
hausted style, an odd electric
silence built up in the small audi
ence. Quietly, fighting the tension
in her body, Nola slipped back to
her chair. Jerry was staring at her,
a weak, sickly grin on his hand
some face.
"Oh, forgive me, Jerr^ forgive
me,” her heart cried out, wishing
desperately that she had chosen
another charade. Furtively, she
looked around her. Everybody pres
ent, it seemed, understood. Oh, it
was too, too awful. She put her
head in her hands.
T HERE WAS the sound of a chair
crashing to the floor. She
looked up Jerry had risen, resent
ment burning in his brown eyes.
That had been exactly two years
ago. She had not heard from him
since.
Nola Hampshire sighed and
looked at the clock. Soon it would
be another New Year gone. She
had hoped that he might seriously
take up writing but although she
had watched the new writers one
by one appear in print she had not
once encountered his 1 name. But
moved by some mystic presenti
ment, she had reserved.each New
Year’s Eve for him. He might not
overlook the dramatics of return
ing on the anniversary of his self
banishment. Not Jerry Pitman!
(When the buzzer sounded, and
she had opened the door and stood
face to face with him, she couldn't
believe her senses.) This tall, hand
some man with the new, purpose
ful shape to his mouth and jaw
couldn’t be Jerry Pitman.
"Thanks for the charade. Nola.**
"Come in.” she said huskily. "I
want to get a good look at you.'*
Something inside her built up
during the two year's he’d been
gone collapsed then. *T don’t care
if you’re a tramp all your life, Jer
ry. Life without you is no fun—no
fun at all, Jerry.”
She’d support Mm herself if she
had to.
Smiling, he turned from her and
picked up the novel she had
dropped.
"Scramble the syllables in Jerry
Pitman. What do you get?” ‘
"Pitjer Hyman," she said won-
deringly.
His grin widened. "Try again.’*
Many Jerpit—Jerry Pitman—Oh,
no, Jerry I"
He nodded. Outside the night was
suddenly filled with the sounds of
bells and whistles.
"Happy New Year, darling,"
they said together and watched the
hands of the electric clock wuoh. *
{ Qrand pa 3 roi t' JUps
(ttuAUan* Celebrate
Midwinter 9estival
Although Christmas is no long<-i
* holiday in Soviet Ruf 'o.i a non
religious midwinter festival is
celebrated and children receive
gifts from ‘Grandpa Frost."
In Czarist Russia, it was custom
ary for well-to-do families will,
large homes to entertain lavishly
on Christmas day. The invita
tions were extremely formal and
begged the Invited to consider that.
”. . for thousands of years it
has been so; with us it has not
commenced, with us it will not
cease. Do not, therefore, disturb
the festival; do not bring the good
people to despair Without you
there will be no maiden festival at
Anna Karpowna’s.’’
In planning these houseparties,
hostesses gave particular attention
to the selection of partners for the
young ladies. The selection was
sometimes very satisfactory and
sometimes left something to be de
sired.
Arrival of the "fair maidens,”
each with her mother and retinue,
bringing cake and sweetmeats and
gifts for everyone, proceeded ac
cording to prescribed ritual; the
' guests sooner freezing in their
sleds before the gate than to alight
before receiving the greeting of
the host and hostess.
Having been ceremoniously wel
comed. the guests offered prayers
before the icon (sacred picture)
and then proceeded to the feasting
and festivities arranged for them.
Santa Claud. Jlit
/U 'SuyaA ^baxtdtf'
Ouitead o/ Saint
Assailing the Santa Claus myth
as foolish fiction’ and rival of the
Holy Child, the Rev. John S. Mar
tin, editor of the Catholic Review,
declared in a 1949 editorial that
Santa the saint has been lost in
Santa the sugar daddy—and that
the whole idea is bad psychology
and bad pedagogy
"Our children learn about the
reindeer, but have never heard of
the ox and the ass," Father Martin
continued and recommended that
we:
"Leave the man in the red suit
to those who have nothing better
. . . for whom life must end in
disillusion and despair."
Father Martin’s sentiments are
reminiscent of Martin Luther's
vigorous campaign against neglect
of the central idea of Christmas,
which is the birth of Jesus. So,
German children have been taught
that the Christkind brings the
presents—Christkind being depict
ed as the messenger of the Infant
Jesus sent earthward at Christ
mastime to bring happiness to
good children.
The modern conception of Santa
Claus is, of course, 99 per cent fic
tional and strictly American. But
the spirit of generosity and
thoughtfulness as typified by San
ta Claus is neither sugar daddy-ish
nor essentially American. Unfortu
nately not all chldren who await
Santa have learned from their
mothers’ lips the story of the Holy
Child.
Santa's Requests
Santa Claus still gets letters from
youngsters with the same cherished
requests—bicycles and dolls. But
Iasi year a child wanted a live* cow.
He told a department store Santa
so. - *
Another kid wanted a new daddy
because hers was "wearing out on
top."
"ALL HE WANTS" . . . Young
Edward Hespiaa of New York
makeo known to Santa his
Christmas wish. He ssid, to
eoin a phrase, "All 1 want for
Christmas Is my two front in
cisors.” Whether he’ll get
them Is another story.
i
i
?
t
?
7.1
A.
;V£S
<ak ’ ™
Each day of the year we are
grateful for your fine friend
ship and patronage but as
Christmas day grows closer,
we just want to pause and
say 'Thank You. /y We truly
appreciate your confidence
and good will.
That your holiday season will
afford you every happiness
is our whole-hearted wish
for you,
SMITH MOTOR COMPANY
1109 COLLESE STREET NEWBERRY. S. C.
Zhe 3tin of
EMEMBER the thrill of find
ing those treasures and sur
prises under your tree on
Christmas morning? Do you
recall the supreme happiness
of your first doll or train?
Those were Christmas thrills
so delightful they can never
be forgotten. v
Although you have outgrown
these childhood joys, we Ye
certain you recall them vividly.
And that’s the kind of happi
ness we’re wishing for you this
Christmas time.
CHAPMAN LUMBER CO.
NEWBERRY. S. C.