The Altus Times Democrat (Altus, Okla.), Vol. 20, No. 51, Ed. 2 Thursday, December 28, 1922 Page: 3 of 8
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MD^CTOU^EyS
«dtnl chatter. w„,f , ,
Those poor children! Surely there
muat be some good ones! Oh dear
what fun will Christmas be to ua if
all the children In the world down
there are unhappy!”
“What indeed!” Mother Nicholas
■hook her head and looked often at
llie Altua 1 imes-Democrat, Altus, Okla., Dec. 28, 1922
His la a story of last
Christmas day; and I will
tell you right away that it
ended happily. But It be-
gins sadly. It was Christ-
mas day up at the North
pole, and as usual on the
day before Christmas, St Nicholas
had been hurried and rather grumpy
Only this time, Mother Nicholas
thought to herself that he was just
a bit grumpier than she had ever
known him. And at suppertime she
found that she was right.
He came into the kitchen, closing
bis workshop door with a bang, and
sat down with all the little Nicholases
to bis porridge.
“Well. I’ve said it before,” he
growled, “but this time I mean it. The
children down there In the world will
get nothing from my pack this night.
It’s time they were taught a lesson.”
All the little Nicholases gasped, but
Mother Nicholas only asked calmly:
“Why, what is the matter now, fa-
ther? After you’ve been working for
them the whole year, you wouldn't
go and disappoint the poor dears
would you?"
“Yes, I would," declared 8t. Nich-
olas, swallowing his porridge In great
gulps, and pretending that he was not
a saint at all. “Half of them go around
saying that there Isn’t any St. Nicho-
las, poking fun at me, and laughing
in their sleeves. And the other half
think It makes no difference whether
they are good children or not, I’ll fill
their stockings Just the same. It’s a
thankless Job, I tell you. And I’m
too old a man for it. So!"
“Come," said Mother Nicholas, sooth-
ingly, “here Is a plate of griddle cakes.
When you have eaten you will see
things differently.”
"No, when I have eaten I shall go
to bed. That’s where an old fellow
like me belongs, an old fellow who
children don't believe In."
Mother saw that he was determined,
and that there was nothing to do for
It, since griddle cakes wouldn’t help.
So she put her finger to her lips to
motion the children silent, and went
on quietly about her work. And when
St. Nicholas had finished his supper,
he did roll away to bed, only telling
the little Nicholases to be sure to hang
their stockings, for they had been good
children all the year and still believed
In him.
The minute the door closed behind
him the Utjtle Nicholases burst Into
mm k w
ft*
"Yas, I Would,” Declared St. Nicholas
the closed door, behind which St. Nlch-
olas could already be heard snoring.
*nd t!le.re,ndeer!” "led the old-
est boy, what will they do without
their yearly exercise? it seems as
though father might have gone, if only
for their sakes.” r
Mother Nicholas thought so, too
And at that minute they heard the
reindeer’s little hoofs beating on the
hard snow crust at the door Wise lit
tie beasts! St. Nicholas had never
delayed the Chrlstmus-Eve Journey so
long before, and so here they were
to save him the trouble of going for
them. The Nicholas children felt that
they never could face the poor little
reindeer’s disappointment.
But what was Mother Nicholas do-
ing so busily over there by the cup-
board? The children looked In amaze-
ment. It was seldom that mother
left the snowhouse at any time of day.
And here she was, after dark, and
Christmas Eve, too. putting on her
hood and cape, and pulling on her
gauntlets I
“Are you going to drive the rein-
deer back to the stables?” asked the
oldest boy. “Oh, please, let me. Fa-
ther always lets me, you know.”
Mother shook her head. “I’ll not be
driving them back to the stables un-
til tills night’s work Is done,” she said.
'“If you’re awake when we get back,
you may do It as always.”
How the children stared I “Was little
old mother going all alone on that
long, wild jdrive over towns and for-
ests and oceans and up and 'down
chimneys, und goodness knows where,
without asking St. Nicholas if she
might?
Yes, that was Just what she was
going to do! “For, when a good
thing needs doing,” she said brightly,
“no permission is needed.”
.. Keep the fire going, be sure that
the baby has the fur rug well up
around his chin, and give your father
a good breakfast when he wakes,” she
called over her shoulder and was away
out of the door almost before they
had realized that she was going. They
heard the scampering of the reindeer
hoofs, faster the dimmer they got, and
then Just the stillness of the North
pole.
That was last Christmas Eve. And
if you ask any child who lay awake
to see St. Nicholas, and peeped out
with one eye, all the time pretending
to be fast asleep, he win tell you that
It wasn't St. Nicholas he saw at all.
It was Just a tiny, sprightly old lady
with frosty white curls and a red hood,
who filled naughty Willie’s stocking
Just as full as good Marguerite’s, and
6t Nicholas Welcomed Her Back Af> 1 L
fftCtlhnafnlu I ”
An Ideal Everyday Gift
GOLD AND SILVER PENCILS
GUARANTEED FOR EVER
fectlonately.
left many more bon-bons In both than
was usual. That i>eeping child will
also tell you that before she went
back up the chimney, she gave baby
a kiss on his pink cheek, a thing St.
Nicholas (who Is as afraid of babies
us a burglar is, and for the same rea-
son) has never been known to do.
And mother, will you believe me,
In spite of having stopped to kiss all
the babies, was back at the North
pole a whole hour earlier than St.
Nicholas had ever been able to make
It, even in his younger days. Her
work was well done, too! But In
spite of the eurly hour, she found the
children and her husband waiting for
her. St. Nlcholus welcomed her back
more affectionately than the children.
“I woke in the middle of the night,”
he said, “out of such a horrid dream-
all about crying children and sad
mothers. Bless you, good wife, for
not letting that dream come true I”
“Oh, don't mention It,” said Mother
Nicholas. “It was no trouble at all.
Indeed, it did me good. I think, fa
ther, since you are getting so old, I
will take over this Job myself from
now on.”
St. Nicholas looked thoughtful at
that. He paced up and down the
floor. Theu he came and stood In
front of Mother Nicholas, straighten-
ing up and looking almost as young
as In his early days.
“No, mother,” he said firmly. “A
woman’s place Is In the home. I’ll at-
tend to the business hereafter, thank
you.”
And mother, who, after all, only
wanted everybody to be happy, made
him some griddle cakes for bis break-
fast.
But that was last year, the year
you got a stocking full, even though
you hadn’t been so very good. This
year you had better watch out, for
It Is old St. Nicholas himself you have
to deal with.
Christmaa Treea and Stacking*
Two Christmaa practices, both old
and very pretty, that havo come dawn
to us are the Christmas tree and the
hanging up of children’s stockings on
Christmaa eve. Each provides a way
of making gifts, and th« way provided
by the stockings Is especially pleasing
to children. Perhaps It is going out.
but In homes where It is still followed
there are delighted children on Christ-
mas morning when the mysteriously-
filled stockings are examined In some-
thing like awe blended with great
pleasure. The (Tiristmas tree sur-
vives. and no Christmas school festi-
val Is complete without one, brilliant
with lights and loaded with presents,
presided over by a merry yet vener
able Santa Claus
BURNS
EIGHT
TO TEN
HOURS
ON A
GALLON
OF
KEROSENE
THERE ,
WILL BE
NO
SHORTAGE
OF
KEROSENE
EASY TO
GET AND
CHEAP
No Need To Worry
About A
Coal Shortage
mniTToc!____o_____ ... ....
A UTHORITIES say there will certainly be a coal shortage this winter and in
«»s,r “ "■**”■— — ^ ~"
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It takes the kerosene and trans-
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cent of air passes into the burner
and burns just like natural or arti-
ficial gas.
The EVERBRITE burner is so
improved that the perfect combus-
tion and air mixture consumes every
particle of the gas—and when prop-
erly operated is absolutely odorless,
smokeless and sootless.
The EVERBRITE is a complete
portable unit—with the fuel tank
and all working parts concealed in
the heater. It may be carried from
room to room as desired—no con-
nections of any kind.
The EVERBRITE utilizes the
famous fire clay radiant, heretofore
available only in gas stoves, giving
every home the benefit of the beau-
:!
If You
Do Not
Hud
the
Everbrite
at Your
Dealers
Write
tons
for
Details
ty and comfort of the superb heat
thus derived.
The EVERBRITE is substantially
built, attractively designed and fin-
ished.
The EVERBRITE burns with in-
tense white heat for eight to ten
hours on one gallon of fuel. It is
the cheapest heat known. Elimi-
nates all the work of carrying in
coal and carrying out ashes. No
dust or dirt.
The fuel tank holds sufficient
fuel for more than entire days op-
eration. Its filling and care re-
quires but a few moments daily.
Put Your Home, Office, Store,
School, Church or Lodge Out of
Reach of the Coal Shortage—-All
the Heat You Want—When You
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The
Everbrite
is Ae
Greatest
Improvement
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Kerosene
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For Sale By
DOSS H. WALTERS, Special Representative.
ALTUS, OKLA’
Town Gossip
Bert Holt says the reason he had
such a goo-1 time Christmas was be-
cause he had the stuff to have a good
time
Sheriff English remarks that since
his friend was so kind as to leave the
jar and not the whiskey, he will have
to go without.
Paul Culwell stated he was going to
be out of town during Christmas. “I
I have worked hard, and so a rest is
THE FINEST PENCILS EVER MADE.
$1.00 to $3.25
OFFICE SUPPLY DEPARTMENT
Altus Times-Demorrat
TELEPHONE 221 E. BROADWAY
Christmaa Nsctctios.
Soma Individual with leisure and
eurioua mind has figured out that M
out of avery 1(M men receive a necktie
aa a Christmas gift. The estimate Is
eonaervutive. but how aany of the
neektlee ae bestowed are worn by thoir
recipients? The gi> lag ef MNMHB I* a
perilous proceeding always, for a oort.
tie la eeamrlally a Batter ef indi-
vidual taste Many a Ban gets neck-
wear at Ckrtatiaa that ha could rand-
tty enough admire aa part ef a curtate
er a drape, hut “at ha would waar
Baled at hB heed. **
what is needed,'
so a rest
said Paul.
Wiley Russell was seen Christmas
all dressed up. looking as if he knew
not where to go However, later he
found the direction in which he was
going.
Several others were in the same con-
dition.
Sam Henry is feeling his oats Christ-
mas.
And, as we said before, there were
others that did likewise.
But. as you know. Christmas only
comes but once a year.
erefore, we
iat he means.
are wor.dering just
Our bookkeeper says the reason she
was not feeling so well Tuesday was
-r , . .... . *ccmmt 0f her cooking so much
it*** 1- '£££3?••WiSLw&'aS®—-
He has gone to Oklahoma City. _.
^ f__ W
r* -. . , , These here printers of the Times-
Chas Troutman said the turkev was Democrat are good fellows. They were
eood However he would have rather]so nice they gave us a tea set. thawks
had something more strengthening" | very much, force, we will try to recip-
—°— rocate next Christmas.
Jack Banner comments on spending ! - o -
arsyr- ,OWn 1 *°mr °°*. ,hrr* »*• lack of busi-1
tiae. O, Bo> ness m Altus Tuesday, many of the
__ __ ° . managers failed to show up for duty.
Grover Fuqua savs the reason there; —o— ^ j
Our idea of a flashing young lady is
for her to be sweet to her devoted be-
fore Christmas, and after having re-
cejved the Christmas gift, drop him
RrM.*rth* to remark that Bruce
Braddock had a wonderful time Christ-
I”aS X?’ We arc confident this is
.7/ Thcre a" some of the other
wh0 h*d "" —
Chas^Hogsett looks rather large
since Christmas He must have done
something for his fellowman to have
been remembered so well.
-000-
eiertrvcity m the
atr is
! One of die tnphvn of the Tin
Democrat was farced to pay off Ti
.Arty B South said if sd
hove a recess until the Moa
following that of tftss last
ltd have a better
*nd *tr* J- T. Gibbons announce
the arrival of a girl baby.
. ** Eaton, after being confined
to his home for several days, is up and
able to attend to his dcntail business.
- o -
Maxwell Echols of Sulphur is the
p^st of relatives and friends here dur-
ing the holidays.
*"d Mrs. B E. I>arbv and child-
ren of Duke, were to the city Monday
•"ommg coroute to Oklahoma Gty
where they went to he at the brdaadr
of Mr. DarWt sister, who a
*0 he eery OL
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Forgy, Burney B. The Altus Times Democrat (Altus, Okla.), Vol. 20, No. 51, Ed. 2 Thursday, December 28, 1922, newspaper, December 28, 1922; Altus, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc826362/m1/3/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.