Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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PAGE 8—SECTION B THE NEWBERRY SUN, NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, DEC. 22, 1960 I V ? -Nz* % DESERT CHRISTMAS May you and all your loved ones be blessed with life’s finest gifts love, health, happiness and joyful succesc,. John R. Frazier PULPWOOD DEALER | I2I5V2 Friend Street Phone 1423 % * I ^ Newberry, South Carolina £ ^ £ £ ^*4 & I* * A $ /ft ft & From oui entire staff to all of our many friends... Sincere wishes to you and yours for a Christmas that's filled with love, peace, happiness, and hope for the future. Odorless Cleaners Newberry, S. C. g A w & Phone 177 By Shirley Sargent W E can’t go home for Christ mas,” Bart Stockton scowled, looking from the check book out the huge window at the Joshua trees so he wouldn’t have to meet his wife’s eyes. Peggy Stockton’s eyes were a deep blue that contrasted with her short honey-blond hair. Usual ly her eyes sparkled, but now they reflected astonishment, sor row and then welled with tears. “Oh, Bart.” she cried, “are you sure we can’t manage a trip to Wisconsin?” Grimly he said, “I’m positive we can’t v m afford a holiday week-end ^*1 Los Angeles. Our first Christmas togeth - will have to be right here ori 'it desert.” K..rd Luck “No snow.” Peggy was staring out at the hot sand. “No family, no fire in the fireplace . . . why can’t we go by bus if we can’t afford to fly?” “Hon, look around you!” Bart was tall, tanned, crew-cut and, at the bleak moment, careworn beyond his twenty-two years. “We’re broke because we bought the air conditioner and the TV and because I’m not a good man ager.” A A A A A A A I £5 A A A A A She clung to him. “Hush! We’re quarreling. We must economize, even if we celebrate Christmas without a tree.” The Stocktons had been mar ried in September and came straight to the modem, cement brick “hideaway” which consti tuted the manager’s headquarters at the big desert trailer park be longing to Bart’s father. They had swum, sunbathed, hiked and rid den horseback, weather permit ting, reveling in the relaxing at mosphere of palms, Joshuas, end less sand, and week-ends at Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas. That and each other had been enough until they had begun thinking of family, friends and winter with a certain homesickness. Once determined on a “wonder ful” Christmas to match the rest of their life, Peggy ordered a tree, greenery, lights and holly and told Bart how much it all would cost. “We can’t do it and send home presents too,” Bart exploded. “We can borrow,” Peggy said heatedly. “It’s bad enough not to go home. At least, we can have a tree. Your father will under stand.” “Oh, sure he will,” Bart said bitterly. “He’ll understand his own son is such a poor manager he can’t even live on a generous salary.” “Hush!” Peggy clung to him. “We’re quarreling! You’re right, we must economize even if we celebrate Christmas without a tree.” Visiting That night she did some think ing about Bart’s job, their future and the need for economizing. The next day she visited some of the trailers and then spent several mornings off on the desert. Surprised He came home early that after noon to find Peggy on the patio surrounded by tumbleweeds, egg shells, pieces of manzanita and tin cans. “What’s this trash doing here?” He sent a tumbleweed sail ing with his foot. “Don’t do that! These things are our Christmas decorations, not trash!” “Christmas decorations! Are you crazy?” Peggy laughed. “I guess it looks like it, but one of the trailer wom en taught me how to scavenge. I’ll just spray this tumbleweed white, then paint these egg shells blue and hang them on it. We’ll make a picturesque candle holder out of crooked manzanita. Then I’ll spray . . ” Bart stopped her again with a kiss. “You’ve convinced me that we’ll have the snazziest decora tions and I have the prettiest wife on the whole desert.” “When we’re through,” Peggy murmured, “there’ll be two good managers m our family, not just one, and we’ll give Santa Claus a hand.” Bart sighed happily. “Hand me that can of spray.” May we rejoice with the child ren in ‘he giving and receiving of gifts, . «d may we rejoice with the angels that the birth of a Baby was i. * greatest news the world has evtr heard. ■*35 ea MS*? .urn >:-C Ml OME FOR CHRISTMAS... where ever^ gleam of candlelight, every crimson berry, every gay and glad "Hello" helps make your Holiday so bright, Your Christmas so Merry! PURCELLS Newberry, South Carolina E. B. PURCELL, President BEN P. STEWART, Secretary KEITT PURCELL, Vice-President ROBERT C. UNDERWOOD Sara B. Frankli in Troxelle H. Senn Ann C. Cromer Louella H. Brehmer