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SECTION C—PAGE EIGHT THE NEWBERRY SUN, NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1959 Wishing you —our friends — the happiness of Christmas time! SHEALY TRACTOR & IMPLEMENT CO. £ e\ £ MASSEY-FERGUSON SALES & SERVICE ^ Route 1 Phone 1424-J Newberry, S. C. J| v * iA By WILLIAM L. ROPER J AKE YANCY took no part in the holiday merriment on the train. His ears, long accustomed to prison silence, resented the gay chatter of the youngsters going home for Christmas. Even their gaiety annoyed him. For his plans were of a different kind. As the train chugged up the long, curving grade toward Lo- ganville, he stared unseeingly at the snow-laden pine trees glisten ing in the late afternoon sun. His mind was on what he planned to do that night—something that he had been thinking about for a long time. Almost unconsciously, he touched the handle of the small automatic in his overcoat pocket. His lips tightened into a hard line and he half-closed his eyes. It would not be long now. Often during his ten years in prison, it had seemed a long way off. But now here he was within a few miles of Loganville and Big Ben Patterson. He could see Big Ben as he looked that day there in the courtroom, testifying for the State. “It was him—Jake Yancy,” Big Ben had said. “I recognized him by his brown overcoat and hat when he ran out of the bank.” It was that testimony by Big Ben, Loganville’s town marshal, that had convinced the jury. Thinking it over night after night in his prison cell, Jake had often wondered if Big Ben had lied deliberately, or if he had simply been mistaken. The fact that Big He came to Big Ben’s place and his heart beat faster. Ben had married Milly soon afterwards might indicate that it was deliberate. It was getting dark when the train ground to a stop at the old weather-beaten Loganville sta tion. Jake waited for the young sters, home for the Christma.' holidays, to get off first. Then as he came down the steps, he glanced quickly around, looking for big Ben. The marshal used to meet all trains. Tonight his face was miss ing. After a drink of coffee at the restaurant, next to the station, Jake strode past the Christmas tree on the courthouse lawn. A group of children were singing Christmas carols. “Silent night, Holy night!” The voices reminded him of other Christmas Eves when he was a little boy. Memories Somehow these memory flashes of other Christmas Eves kept haunting him as he walked out the tree-lined street to Big Ben’s home. He recalled the sleigh bells and the parties. And several times, he paused, trying to shake off the Christmas spirit that seemed to have come over him. Finally he came to Big Ben’s place. His heart beat a trifle faster. Jake rapped softly on the door. He heard quick footsteps inside. Then the door opened. There in the lamp-light stood Milly,* an ex pression of pleased surprise on her face. “Why Jake!” she exclaimed. “It was so good of you to come. Please come in.” With a puzzled frown, he fol lowed her into the living room. Milly, he noted, appeared worn and tired. Yet she was still beau tiful. “Where’s Big Ben?” he said. “Oh,” she said, putting a hand to her forehead. “Then you don’t know. Big Ben passed away last Sunday . . . drank himself tc death.” “Drank himself to death?” Jake said. “Why, I never knew he touched liquor.” “It was the news that you were innocent, Jake.” She spoke soft ly. “He started drinking the day the news came that another man confessed the bank robbery. He felt terribly remorseful for his mistake.” “Mistake?” Jake said. “Yes, Jake, you don't think he deliberately framed you, do you?” Jake shook his head. “Of course not, Milly. Besides what’s lone is done. And this is Christ mas.” He smiled and walked out into the cook crisp evening. (Christmas'candles ORE SYMBOUC OF THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM AND OF ENLIGHTENMENT. MANY CENTURIES AGO. THE ENGLISH AND THE IRISH LIT YULETIDE / BSfew YEARS WAS A 15- DAY AFFAIR IN OLD CHINA WHEN FESTIVITIES BEGAN ON THE FIRST DAY OF TWE MOON AND CLIMAXED CANDLES NIGHTLY IN THEIR HOMES AND CHURCHES FROM CHRISTMAS UNTIL TWELFTH NIGHT. ON "TENG CHI£H: THE FEAST OF LANTERNS. A " kISS OF PEACE? IN ADDITION TO GRANTING ROMANTIC PEROGATIVES TO WHOEVER STANDS UNDER IT, MISTLETOE PLEDGES GUESTS TO ENTER A HOUSE IN FRIENDSHIP AND PEACE WHEN HUNG OUERTHE DOORWAY. lEGENP NOT ONLY HAS IDENTIFIED THE WISE MEN AS SASPAR.MEICHOB AND BALTHASAR. IT HAS CROWNED THEM AND GIVEN THEM WN6D0HS OF TARSUS ARABIA. AND ETHOWA. IT HAS SWBOUZED WEIR SIRS AS SYMBOLIC OF WHAT JESUS WAS ID BECOME.. 6GU> FORA KING. FRANKINCENSE fORAWSH PRIEST AND MYRRH FORA GREAT PHYSICIAN. _ ‘She word noel is from the LATIN WORD 'NATALIS, MEANING BIRTH.GRADUAUV IT HAS COME TO MEAN CHRISTS BIRTH.OR CHRISTMAS i //v -• ^ FROM THIS MEANING IT ALSO TOOK ON THE MEANING Of ''GOOD NEWS'OR GLAD TIDINGS". Yin it tfitn * tdJMSS in thos* (Mus. ♦ T itlips tfmk m m till III! m •x • mm mmm: •SmfVnv&X/S' ill AW:*: m mm mm ill! ibSS ■sip w \ \ S;-- MHwhhRBS ■fib May the oft-told tale of the Birth of our Saviour bring inspiration and happiness once again to you and yours during this Holy Christmas season. May we express our sincerest wish that it be a truly Merry Christmas . . • bountifully blessed with His gifts of Faith and Hope, Peace and Good Will for all Mankind . . • The Bank of Commerce Browne and Counts, Agents PROSPERITY, SOUTH CAROLINA