THE TRIBUNE, WILLIAMS LAER, B.c.

Thursday, December 28, 1984,

CHRISTMAS
CHEER

Dorothy Boys Kilian

N“4N RAYMOND, seated in white
starched loneliness at the hall
desk of Ridgedale’s ten-bed com-
munity hospital, stared discon-
solately at the tiny table tree whien

she had just finished trimming.
“Would it be just too much to
ask you to take Christmas Eve
duty for me, Nan?" Grace, the other

“Why, yes,"" Nan had answered
slowly. “I suppose 1 might as well
be on the job as anywhere.”

The urgent ringing of a bell
broke in on her lonely dreams—the
handbell of the patient in room two

“Old Smithers! I wonder what
long-winded complaint she'll have
now," Nan groaned.

She opened the door. “Mrs.
Smith, every grey hair in place.
was sitting holt upright in bed
“Tm expecting a visitor tonight.
Where is he?” the old lady
“Tf anyone asks
course Tl bring him .up,” Nan
forced herself.to answer politely,

“t's almost nine o'clock, and Al-
gernon wrote definitely that he'd
make it for Christmas Ev :
Smith glared. at Nan. “It’s bad
enough being here, let alone trying
to celebrate alone.”*

“I'm not celebrating either, Mrs
Smith." Nan tried to sound’ sym-
pathetic.

“Oh, “you,—you’re young and
strong, and well, this is your job.”
The woman sighed. “How well I
cemember Christmases when I was
your age! Sit down a minute and
-"ll tell you about the time we—”

“I'm so sorry, Mrs. Smith, but 1
have some things I really must do.”

The old lady ignored her excuse
“The time we invited the church
choir to supper and to help deco-
rate our tree before choir practice,”
she went on. “Well, somebody be-

gan a carol as he tied a popcorn smiled at Nan. “This young lady Gaming the See oe FROM

ball to a branch, and, do you know. sat here this evening and put up so lufiy snow aBLeas, you use soa; e ;
before the last apple was hung on cheerfully with my long-winded flakes. it won’ ‘t melt either, THE MANA 3EMENT AND STAPF
the tree, we had gone through our reminiscences, that I talked myself Here’s how it's done: Use three OF THE

whole blessed program.”

“Did you always put a star on
the top of your tree?”

“Oh, my, yes,” Mrs. Smith smiled.
TH tell you just exactly what we
id use for decorations. Let’s see
tow. There were the popcorn balls
nd cranberry. chains .. ."*

When the doorbell downstairs rang
iddenly, Mrs. Smith brought her-

Ask for

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British Columbia.

and chuckled,
ening to an old bore, my dear. Now
you just go see if that isn’t Alger
non."

A young man, bare headed, wit
coat collar turned

“Are you the
unfortunate gal who's taking care of
my Granny Smith?” he asked

An imperious voice called from
upstairs, “Is. that you, Algernon?”

The young man grinned at Nan
“Awful, isn't it, but it does help to
shorten it to ‘ay,

‘Im expecting a visitor to-
night. Where is he?” the ola
lady snapped.

Nan led the way upstairs. As they
entered room two Mrs. Smith hela
out her arms affectionately to the
visitor, saying at the same time.
“You look startled, Miss Raymond
fll wager you never dreamed -an
old fuddy-duddy like me could have
such a personable relative.”
“Well, I guess 1 did expect—

“I can imagine what you did ex-
pect,” Mrs. Smith laughed. Then
turning to her grandson, ‘You won't
be able to stay with me, as we had
Planned, but luckily, there's a de.
cent little hotel downtown.”

“Couldn't I stay at your house.
anyway, Granny? A hotel’s such a
lonesome place at Christmas tfme,'
Al pleaded.

“The house is all closed up," Mrs
Smith answered. “But, never fear,
Just this evening I have found ¢
local cure for loneliness.” She

tight out of @ horrible mood into a
Pleasant glow. If you go at it the
tight way, I'm sure she can do the
same for you.”

Al said quickly, “Would having
Christmas dinner with me at the
hotel be a good beginning, Miss
Raymond?” :

“TI think it would,” Nan agreed.

“Take a ‘Tip’ from me-try

Bonded Stock

Quaint Rehearsal
Of Christ's Birth
Found in Old Carol

‘Aula Lang Syne” nas pecom
such an integral part of our modern
New Year's eve that no celebration
however gay would be complete
without it,

Lang Syne was not exclusively ¢
Burns’ product, nor did he claim-ti
to be

in a letter to George Thomson, s
publisher, Burns explained:

“It is an old song of olden times
which has never been in print. |
took it down from an old man’s
singing.”

Modern scholarship has discov
ered that Burns was wrong when hi
told Thomson “Auld Lang Syne’
never had been in print. Its refrain
at least, was printed obscurely long
before Burns heard his “old mar.
singing.”

Further, the original song offer
has been credited to Sir Robert Ay
toun (1570-1638). Aytoun was one of

symbolizing mankind’s hope for s
bright future, the nostalgiast of
“Auld Lang Syne” summarizes an

ever promising, may not be more

Pleasant. Thus, it remains a part

of the English speaking heritage to
“Drink a cup of kindness yet
For Auld-Lang Syne.”

Soap Flake Snow

of tree,
scattering it on with hands,

For sparkle, spread on some artic
ficial glistening snow.

‘ed tacked by a wild boar some 500 years | the ceremony remains uni nang 5
Feast Originated : mas ae

480, While studying Aristotie durin:
@ Walk. He killed his formidable ad-
versary by thrusting the volume
of a student who wa at-|down the animal's throat. Toa:
College, Oxford Univer-| papier mache head replaces the 90-
Head Feast ou | pound specimen under the \ jeght of
tmas Day, which originated in| which two attendants used to stag
the story of a student who was at-| ger in bygone days, but the spirit of

500 Years Ago

the stor

oe ee

LAKEVIEW HOTEL

y a|cipal of the College.

| Werittiag Uiyocate ee
“and hoping that thie happy Christmas season
brings to you good cheer,

ny good health and good fellowship.
: A Merry Christmas and
Heppy New Year to All,

| As the choir sings the last notes of a

traditional carol, the head is placed
on the table of the Provost, the Prin-
The Provost.
then presents the ornaments and em-
bellishments one by one to the choir-
boys and visitors, the solo singer
receiving the orange.

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Whatever else might be lost among the years,
Tet us keep Christmas. Let us hold close this day, remembering
family and friends. May yours be a very joyous Holiday,
surrounded by all whose love and friendship you cherish. Z

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This advertisement is not published or displayed by

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eee