CASTLE NEWS, CASTLEGAR,. B.C.

ier rich abundance ‘all the good,

‘hinge i in life—and may they remain, :

» with ‘you throughout tha New. Year.

tl and Tommy ag ‘worried... It

* |Mont

| basket-of frult and one filled ‘to

hadn't snowed. at all, and if there
was. ‘no: snow to ‘shovel, ‘how
could’ he make any money for
Christmas?

‘Tommy lived in the ‘neat “farm

cottage’'with his Uncle’ Pete ‘and
Aunt: Lucy. Aunt’ Lucy. had: just
told’ him ‘he .could go ‘over; and
see’ Jimmy Reeder but ‘be sure
tobe ,back: by. five o’clock.’'So
Tommy started walking ‘slowly
toward the Reeder farm, as, he
had a lot of thinking to!.do.
. In the small sitting room ‘Aunt
Lucy and Uncle Pete were talk-
ing. Aunt Lucy insisted that two
dollars: was an‘ awful lot to’ pay
for a dog. They were poor people
after ‘all .and could. only. afford
to give Tommy. sensible : things.
Uncle Pete ': thought ' Tommy
should’ have the:puppy he want-
ed, He was only seven, and need-
ed’ a playmate.

Tommy was walking along still
slowly, trying not-to think how
wonderful it-would be ‘if ~ he
could have this little puppy.’ His
name was Blaze, and he wasia
Tunt; that’s. why he cost..only
two dollars. ‘Tommy thought how
the pup would frolic along be-

— © KINNAIRD, B

side him and’ wag’ his: tail, ‘and
how they'd race over the fields
when’ spring was here. But no
use thinking about Blaze: ’ He
had to get a job.

It was. when “he ‘was- passing

Thatcher lived, _that.- the

Thatcher was sald-to'be a bad
tempered, © stingy” old - man, but

‘The old man asked grumpi

the big house where Mr.’ Robert).
ide

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1955.

‘Aunt Lucy; han you a mil-/ ne

‘But: that ° wasn’ vail, An hour
later ‘a: car stopped’ outside and
@ ‘chapifeur \ brought" in a big.

the. brim‘;with .wonderful’
to eat.'Even'a. turkey. There “was

Aunt’ ‘Lucy: ‘and “Uncle. Pete
looked ! at-each: other in’ amaze-

Robert Thatcher \certain-
ly did get: the: Christmas, pe
didn’t he?” =.

“Everybody. is 80 good,
my said. He‘looked down: ot the

: “ potiday Season be the vaso 3
4 est one ‘you've ‘ever. enjoyed.

pao
ee your Christmas Fea! ‘Mery
and your New, Year aspera e

CHUCK'S TRANSFER}

ily,
“What do° you: want for: Christ-

mas?”

at your house’ be filed ae
with good cheer.

His “Xmas Wish
*-Tommy : explained about the

dog and Mr. Thatcher: said, “AN,

right, you can go. to work -in the

< Te all our * eado
wish a Christmas
that ie a merry one ;

RETAIL SOOIETY.

‘| softly.:.“Glad- you ‘reminded me,

| prised’ for 'a “moment. they didn’t
speak. Then ‘Aunt: ‘Bucy’ nodded i
‘at: Uncle’ Pete.‘ He’ left: the room|:

big: hug.* ‘Gack Meets cleared hig
throat.

out under the

trees, i
Tommy found. the | ‘rake and

other tools’ and went ‘to work
with. vim. A: little’ before five,
the job was - done.' Mr.” Thatcher |
took a look at-it, and said he'd
earned'.the ‘two. dollars.

“Could: you give it to me in
new: shiny dollars?” Fommny: ask-
‘ed.

The old: inan nodded: “Thought
oing® buy a ‘pup-

tt have the Puppy
Christmas is” for .giving.” i
C:The “old man ‘put’ two. silver
‘dollars: in. his hand.’ He. said

Tommy... Ld::almost forgotten.” ;

Then -it\was Christmas. After
breakfast, Tommy’: -proudly laid a
shining’ ‘silver ‘dollar’ in Aunt,
Lucy’s “hand «and: one: in Uncle,
Pete's, "They: were both. so sur+

and they heard the. chugging of
the old-Ford: as it-went:down the

“The dollar” shines .- pretty;

doesn’t it?”. Tommy. asked,
“It's beautiful, Tommy. ‘Thank
you.” Aunt Lucy's voice sounded

“Tommy, your real
present is on: the back. porch
in “a , basket.”

tt was Blaze, the puppy Tom=
my gave: ai cry, ot: Joy. He. san
back to, the sitting room. “Oh

oe _ home this glorious,

business during the year:

thank you. Uncle E ‘Thank you,

of peace: and joy ete your

We: were ina” “ust veovered
box, that sat Sin the ‘corner’:’ of

about us, but now, at’ Christn

traction.” Grumbling - “and” ‘grunt.
ing,’ Mr. ° Barker “lifted ® our’ “box:
into : his ‘arms and.” ‘started: ‘down!
the attic’ stairs, :

with. a»

time, we knew: that,’onée again’. hi
we ‘would .be ‘the center’ of” ate:
vin’ a. warm house |. instead:: of

Being a father: plump fellow f

my.
lights, “was laced at’ the” top
of ,the, tree. and; the :.rest: were
‘wound in: and about: from, top to];
bottom. Then, the. tree was, plac-
ed..in the front window and | for];
the first, time. in. my ‘life I. was
given. the. task ‘of Mghting ; an|;
entire tree. ;/-.': ;
snowed and, the “wind whistled!
arshly. about ‘the .corners of. the];
the house. .I,-was glad that I was

fing: on ,the .trash! pile! in the
iid al

A Visitor: Comes if

so'far he’ ‘couldn't. ane hig feet, he
was, I regret to-say,;somewhat
clumsy.:, About. half way: .down
the. stairs, hej stumbled ‘and.our

i Bork
this “string of!: Thin: Sand ‘thi
string’-and, .oh! We .don’t:.want
to. use’. this; old. string again}
John\ ‘They've. been :arounc here}

the trash: with :these other _things|
that were. broker when you fell’!
“I was.» ‘shocked! For: years. T
‘used '.to decorate:
now, simply. ‘because. was \get=
ting _ ‘were

aL little old,
tirowind me. “utt It‘ is
‘with ‘the

‘afternoon’ and hasn’t come’ “home
mi. vet. We* think! he's become’ 1

j| out ‘looking for, hi
| like to help,

ital They. had’ been: gone only : ‘about

deni: ‘Ser was Gu 19D}
on the “door. “When "Mr. Cullen
opened it I heard a@ man’s ‘voice
ask, “Have you'seen the Granger
boy?, “He ‘was ‘out® playing" this|:

i) ‘That, ‘evening it. snowed. and)

Hin’ the storm. The whole town is

Mr. Cullen quickly : his]
| coat and scarf and Yollowed. the}
use| an into the dark‘ cold’ night.

twenty. ininutes “when ‘again
there : was a knocking .at ‘the|.
door. : “When: “Mrs. Cullen: opened

had. declined: through" the years.
‘When’ Iwas new I was ‘used ‘at

the foe ‘but each year.
find: myself Blnced: lower and
‘lower: on. the tree.