Christmas Miscellany 2022 - Various

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PART I. WILLIAM'S TRUTHFUL CHRISTMAS IN STILL WILLIAM BY RICK MALL CROMPTON, 1925. william went to church with his family every sunday morning but he did not usually listen to the sermon he considered it a waste of time he sometimes enjoyed singing the psalms and hymns any stone-deaf person could have told when william was singing the psalms and hymns by the expressions of pain on the faces of those around him william's singing was loud and discordant it completely drowned the organ and the choir miss barney who stood just in front of him said that it always gave her a headache for the rest of the week william contested with some indignation that he had as good a right to sing in church as anyone besides there was nothing wrong with his voice it was just like everyone else's During the vicar's sermon, William either stared at the curate William always scored in this game because the curate invariably began to grow pink and look embarrassed after about five minutes of William's stare, or held a face-pulling competition with the red-haired choir boy, or amused himself with insects conveyed to Church in a matchbox in his pocket, till restrained by the united glares of his father and mother and Ethel and Robert.

but this sunday attracted by the frequent repetition of the word christmas william put his stag beetle back into its box and gave his whole attention to the vicar's exhortation what is it that poisons our whole social life said the vicar earnestly what is it that spoils even the holy season that lies before us it is deceit it is untruthfulness let each one of us decide here and now for this season of christmas at least to cast aside all deceit and hypocrisy and speak the truth one with another it will be the first step to a holier life it will make this christmas the happiest of our lives william's attention was drawn from the exhortation by the discovery that he had not quite closed the match-box and the stag beetle was crawling up ethel's coat fortunately ethel was busily engaged in taking in all the details of marian hatherley's new dress across the aisle and did not notice william recaptured his pet and shut up the match-box then rose to join lustily and inharmoniously in the first verse of onward christian soldiers during the other verses he employed himself by trying a perfectly new grimace which he had been practising all week on the choir-boy it was intercepted by the curate who shuddered and looked away hastily the sight and sound of william in the second row from the front completely spoilt the service for the curate every sunday he was an esthetic young man and william's appearance and personality hurt his sense of beauty but the words of the sermon had made a deep impression on william he decided for this holy season at least to cast aside deceit and hypocrisy and speak the truth one with another william had not been entirely without aspiration to a higher life before this he had once decided to be self-sacrificing for a whole day and his efforts had been totally unappreciated and misunderstood he had once tried to reform others and the result had been even more disastrous but he'd never made a real effort to cast aside deceit and hypocrisy and to speak the truth one with another he decided to try it at christmas as the vicar had suggested much to his disgust william heard that uncle frederic and aunt emma had asked his family to stay with them for christmas he gathered that the only drawback to the arrangement in the eyes of his family was himself and the probable effect of his personality on the peaceful household of uncle frederic and aunt emma he was not at all offended he was quite used to this view of himself all right he said obligingly you just go and don't mind i'll stay at home you just leave me money and my presents and i don't mind a bit william's spirits in fact soared sky-high at the prospect of such an oasis of freedom in the desert of parental interference but his family betrayed again that strange disinclination to leave william to his own devices that hampered so many of william's activities no william said his mother we certainly can't do that you'll have to come with us but i do hope you'll be good william remembered the sermon and his good resolution well he said cryptically i guess if you knew what i was going to be like at christmas you'd almost want me to come it happened that william's father was summoned on christmas eve to the sick-bed of one of his aunts and so could not accompany them but they set off under robert's leadership and arrived safely uncle frederic and aunt emma were very stout and good-natured looking but uncle frederic was the stouter and more good-natured looking of the two they had not seen william since he was a baby that explained the fact of their having invited william and his family to spend christmas with them they lived too far away to have heard even rumours of the horror with which william inspired the grown-up world around him they greeted william kindly so this is little william said uncle frederic putting his hand on william's head and how is little william william removed his head from uncle frederic's hand in silence then said distantly very well thank you and so grateful to your aunt and uncle for asking you to stay with them aren't you william went on his mother william remembered that his career of truthfulness did not begin till the next day so he said still more distantly yes that evening ethel said to her mother in william's presence well he's not been so bad to-day considering you wait said william unctuously you'll wait till to-morrow when i start casting aside deceit and and to-day'll be nothing to it william awoke early on christmas day he had hung up his stocking the night before and was pleased to see it fairly full he took out the presents quickly but not very optimistically he had been early disillusioned in the matter of grown-ups capacity for choosing suitable presents memories of prayer-books and history-books and socks and handkerchiefs floated before his mental vision yes as bad as ever a case containing a pen and pencil and ruler a new brush and comb a purse empty and a new tie a penknife and a box of toffee were the only redeeming features on the chair by his bedside was a book of church history from aunt emma and a box containing a pair of compasses a protractor and a set square from uncle frederic william dressed but as it was too early to go down he sat down on the floor and ate all his tin of toffee then he turned his attention to his church history book he read a few pages but the character and deeds of the saintly adan so exasperated him that he was driven to relieve his feelings by taking his new pencil from its case and adorning the saint's picture by the addition of a top hat and spectacles he completed the alterations by a moustache and by changing the book the saint held into an attache case he made similar alterations to every picture in the book st oswald seemed much improved by them and this cheered william considerably then he took his penknife and began to carve his initials upon his brush and comb william appeared at breakfast wearing his new tie and having brushed his hair with his new brush or rather with what was left of his new brush after his very drastic initial carving he carried under his arm his presents for his host and hostess he exchanged happy christmas gloomily his resolve to cast away deceit and hypocrisy and speak the truth one with another lay heavy upon him he regarded it as an obligation that could not be shirked william was a boy of great tenacity of purpose having once made up his mind to a course he pursued it regardless of consequences well william darling said his mother did you find your presents yes said william gloomily thank you did you like the book and instruments that uncle and i gave you said aunt emma brightly no said william gloomily and truthfully i'm not interested in church history and i've got something like those at school not that i'd want em he added hastily if i hadn't em william screamed mrs brown in horror how can you be so ungrateful i'm not ungrateful explained william wearily i'm only being truthful i'm casting aside deceit and hip-hip about what he said i'm only saying what i'm not interested in church history nor in those instruments but thank you very much for em there was a gasp of dismay and a horrified silence during which william drew his paper packages from under his arm here are your christmas presents from me he said the atmosphere brightened they unfastened their parcels with expressions of anticipation and christian forgiveness upon their faces william watched them his face registering only patient suffering oh it's very kind of you said aunt emma still struggling with the string it's not kind said william still treading doggedly the path of truth mother said i've got to bring you something mrs brown coughed suddenly and loudly but not in time to drown the fatal words of truth but still very kind said aunt emma though with less enthusiasm at last she brought out a small pincushion thank you very much william she said you really oughtn't to have spent your money on me like this i didn't said william stonily i hadn't any money but i'm very glad you like it it was left over for mother's stall at the sale of work and mother said it was no use keeping it for next year cause it had got so faded

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podcastlibrary.org. again mrs brown coughed loudly but too late aunt emma said coldly i see yes your mother was quite right but thank you all the same william uncle frederic had now taken the wrappings from his present and held up a leather purse ah this is a really useful present he said jovially i'm afraid it's not very useful said william uncle jim sent it to father for his birthday but father said it was no use cause the catch wouldn't catch so he gave it to me to give to you uncle frederic tried the catch he said your father was quite right the catch won't catch never mind i'll send it back to your father as a new year present as soon as the brown family were left alone it turned upon william in a combined attack i warned you said ethel to her mother he ought to be hung said robert william how could you said mrs brown when i'm bad you go on at me said william with exasperation and when i'm trying to lead a holier life and cast aside hip what he said you go on at me i'd know what i can be i don't mind being hung i'd as soon be hung as keep having christmas over and over again simply every year the way we do william accompanied the party to church after breakfast he was slightly cheered by discovering a choir boy with a natural aptitude for grimaces and an instinctive knowledge of the rules of the game the vicar preached an unconvincing sermon on unselfishness and the curate gave full play to an ultra oxford accent and a voice that was almost as unmusical as william's aunt emma said it had been a beautiful service the only bright spot to william was when the organist boxed the ears of the youngest choir boy who retaliated by putting out his tongue at the organist at the beginning of each verse of the last hymn william was very silent during lunch he simply didn't know what people saw in christmas it was just like ten sundays rolled into one and they didn't even give people the sort of presents they'd like no one all his life had ever given him a water pistol or a catapult or a trumpet or bows and arrows or anything really useful and if they didn't like truth and castin aside deceit and-and the other thing they could do without but he was jolly well goin to go on with it he'd made up his mind and he was jolly well goin to go on with it his silence was greatly welcomed by his family he ate plentifully however of the turkey and plum pudding and felt strangely depressed afterwards so much that he followed the example of the rest of the family and went up to his bedroom there he brushed his hair with his new brush but he had carved his initials so deeply and spaciously that the brush came in two with the first flourish he brushed his shoes with the two halves with great gusto in the manner of the professional shoe-black then having nothing else to do he turned to his church history again the desecrated pictures of the saints met his gaze and realizing suddenly the enormity of the crime in grown-up eyes he took his penknife and cut them all out he made paper boats of them and deliberately and because he hated it he cut his new tie into strips to fasten some of the boats together he organized a thrilling naval battle with them and was almost forgetting his grudge against life in general and christmas in particular he was roused to the sense of the present by sounds of life and movement downstairs and thrusting his saintly paper fleet into his pajama case he went down to the drawing-room as he entered there came the sound of a car drawing up at the front door and uncle frederick looked out the window and groaned aloud it's lady atkinson he said help now frederic dear said aunt emma hastily don't talk like that and do try to be nice to her she's one of the atkinsons you know she explained with empressement to mrs brown in a whisper as the lady was shown in lady atkinson was stout and elderly and wore a very youthful hat and coat a happy christmas to you all she said graciously the boy your nephew william how do you do william he stares rather doesn't he yes she greeted every one separately with infinite condescension i've brought you my christmas present in person she went on in the tone of voice of one giving an unheard-of treat she took out of an envelope a large signed photograph of herself there now what do you think of that murmurs of surprise and admiration and gratitude lady atkinson drank them in complacently it's very good isn't it you little boy don't you think it's very like me william gazed at it critically it's not as fat as you are was his final offering at the altar of truth william screamed mrs brown how can you be so impolite impolite said william with some indignation i'm not trying to be polite i'm being truthful i can't be everything seems to me i'm the only person in the world what is truthful and no one seems to be grateful to me it isn't as fat as what she is he went on doggedly and it's not got as many little lines on its face as what she has and it's different lookin altogether it looks pretty and she doesn't lady atkinson towered over him quivering with rage you nasty little boy she said thrusting her face close to his you nasty little boy then she swept out of the room without another word the front door slammed she was gone aunt emma sat down and began to weep she'll never come to the house again she said i always said he ought to be hung said robert gloomily every day we let him live he complicates our lives still worse i shall tell your father william said mrs brown directly we get home the kindest thing to think said ethel is that he's mad well said william i don't know what i've done cept cast aside the seed and any other thing what he said in church and speak the truth and that i don't know why every one's so mad at me just cause of that you'd think they'd be glad she'll never set foot in the house again sobbed aunt emma uncle frederic who had been vainly trying to hide his glee arose i don't think she will my dear he said cheerfully nothing like the truth william absolutely nothing he pressed a half-crown into william's hand surreptitiously as he went to the door a diversion was mercifully caused at this moment by the arrival of the post among it there was a christmas card from an artist who had a studio about five minutes walk from the house this little attention comforted aunt emma very much how kind of him she said and we never sent him anything but there's that calendar that mr frank sent to us and it's not written on perhaps william could be trusted to take it to mr fairlie with our compliments while the rest of us go for a short walk and she looked at william rather coldly william who was feeling the atmosphere indoors inexplicably hostile except for uncle frederic's equally inexplicable friendliness was glad of an excuse for escaping he set off with a calendar wrapped in brown paper on the way his outlook on life was considerably brightened by finding a street urchin's fight in full swing he joined in it with gusto and was soon acclaimed leader of his side this exhilarating adventure was ended by a policeman who scattered the combatants and pretended to chase william down a side street in order to vary the monotony of his christmas beat william looking rather battered and dishevelled arrived at mr fairlie's studio the calendar had fortunately survived the battle unscathed and william handed it to mr fairlie who opened the door mr fairlie showed him into the studio with a low bow mr fairlie was clothed in correct artistic style baggy trousers velvet coat and a flowing tie he had a pointed beard and a theatrical manner he had obviously lunched well as far as liquid refreshment was concerned at any rate he was moved to tears by the calendar how kind how very kind my dear young friend forgive this emotion the world is hard i'm not used to kindness it unmans me he wiped away his tears with a large mauve and yellow handkerchief william gazed at it fascinated if you will excuse me my dear young friend went on mr fairlie i will retire to my bedroom where i have the wherewithal to write and indict a letter of thanks to your most delightful and charming relative i beg you to make yourself at home here use my house my dear young friend as though it were your own he waved his arm and retreated unsteadily to an inner room closing the door behind him william sat down on a chair and waited time passed william became bored suddenly a fresh aspect of his christmas resolution occurred to him if you were speaking the truth one with another yourself surely you might take everything that other people said for truth he'd said use this house my dear young friend as though it were your own well he would the man probably meant it well anyway he shouldn't have said it if he didn't william went across the room and opened a cupboard it contained a medley of paints true palettes three oranges and a cake the feeling of oppression that had followed william's christmas lunch had faded and he attacked the cake with gusto it took about ten minutes to finish the cake and about four to finish the oranges william felt refreshed he looked round the studio with renewed interest a lay figure sat upon a couch on a small platform william approached it cautiously it was almost life-size and clad in a piece of thin silk william lifted it it was quite light he put it on a chair by the window then he went to the little back room a bonnet and mackintosh belonging to mr fairlie's charwoman hung there he dressed the lay figure in the bonnet and mackintosh he found a piece of black gauze in a drawer and put it over the figure's face as a veil and tied it round the bonnet he felt all the thrill of the creative artist he shook hands with it and talked to it he began to have a feeling of deep affection for it he called it annabel the clock struck and he remembered the note he was waiting for he knocked gently at the bedroom door there was no answer he opened the door and entered on the writing-table by the door was a letter dear friend many thanks for your beautiful calendar words fail me then came a blot mingled ink and emotion and that was all words had failed mr fairlie so completely that he lay outstretched on the sofa by the window sleeping the sleep of the slightly inebriated william thought he'd better not wake him up he returned to the studio and carried on his self-imposed task of investigation he found some acid drops in a drawer adhering to a tube of yellow ochre he separated them and ate the acid drops but their strong flavor of yellow ochre made him feel sick and he returned to annabel for sympathy then he thought of a game the lay figure was a captured princess and william was the gallant rescuer he went outside opened the front door cautiously crept into the hall hid behind the door dashed into the studio caught up the figure in his arms and dashed into the street with it the danger and exhilaration of a race for freedom through the streets with annabel in his arms was too enticing to be resisted as a matter of fact the flight through the streets was rather disappointing he met no one and no one pursued him he staggered up the steps to aunt emma's house still carrying annabel there considering the matter for the first time in cold blood he realized that his rescue of annabel was not likely to be received enthusiastically by his home circle and annabel was not easy to conceal the house seemed empty but he could already hear its inmates returning from their walk he felt a sudden hatred of annabel for being so large and unhideable he could not reach the top of the stairs before they came in at the door the drawing-room door was open and into it he rushed deposited annabel in a chair by the fireplace with her back to the room and returned to the hall he smoothed back his hair assumed his most vacant expression and awaited them to his surprise they crept past the drawing-room door on tiptoe and congregated in the dining-room a caller said aunt emma did you see yes in the dining-room said mrs brown i saw her hat through the window curse said uncle frederic the maids must have shown her in before they went up to change i'm simply not going to see her on christmas day too i'll just wait till she gets tired and goes or till one of the maids comes down and can send her away said uncle frederic she'll hear you aunt emma lowered her voice i don't think she's a lady she said she didn't look it through the window perhaps she's collecting for something said mrs brown well said aunt emma sinking her voice to a conspiratorial whisper if we stay in here and keep very quiet she'll get tired of waiting and go william was torn between an interested desire to be safely out of the way when the dnouement took place and a disinterested desire to witness the dnouement the latter won and he stood at the back of the group with a sphinx-like expression upon his freckled face they waited in silence for some minutes then aunt emma said well she'll stay forever it seems to me if some one doesn't send her away frederic go and turn her out they all crept into the hall uncle frederic went just inside and coughed loudly annabel did not move uncle frederic came back deaf he whispered stone deaf someone else try ethel advanced boldly into the middle of the room good afternoon she said clearly and sweetly and annabel did not move ethel returned i think she must be asleep said ethel she looks drunk to me said aunt emma peeping round the door i shouldn't wonder if she was dead said robert it's just the sort of thing you read about in books mysterious dead body found in drawing-room i bet i can find a few clues to the murder if she is dead robert reproved mrs brown in a shrill whisper perhaps you'd better fetch the police frederic said aunt emma i'll have one more try said uncle frederic he entered the room good afternoon he bellowed annabel did not move he went up to her now look here my woman he began laying his hand on her shoulder then the dnouement happened mr fairlie burst into the house like a whirlwind still slightly inebriated and screaming with rage where's the thief where is he he's stolen my figure he's eaten my tea i shall have to eat my supper for my tea and my breakfast for my supper i shall be a meal wrong always i shall never get right and it's all his fault where is he he's stolen my charwoman's clothes he's stolen my figure he's eaten my tea wait till i get him he caught sight of annabel rushed into the drawing-room caught her up in his arms and turned round upon the circle of open-mouthed spectators i hate you he screamed and your nasty little calendars and your nasty little boys stealing my figure and eating my tea i'll light the fire with your nasty little calendar i'd like to light the fire with your nasty little boy with a final snort of fury he turned still clasping annabel in his arms and staggered down the front steps weakly stricken and for the moment speechless they watched his departure from the top of the steps he took to his heels as soon as he was in the road but he was less fortunate than william as he turned the corner and vanished from sight already two policemen were in pursuit he was screaming defiance at them as he ran annabel's head wobbled over his shoulder and her bonnet dangled by a string then no longer speechless they turned on william i told you said robert to them when there was a slight lull in the storm you wouldn't take my advice if it wasn't christmas day i'd hang him myself but you won't let me speak said william plaintively just listen to me a minute when i got to his house he said he's a most distinct he said please use this william interrupted mrs brown with dignity i don't know what's happened and i don't want to know but i shall tell your father all about it directly we get home uncle frederic saw them off at the station the next day does your effort at truth continue to-day as well he said to william i suppose it's boxing day too said william they didn't mention boxing day but i suppose it counts with christmas i won't ask you whether you've enjoyed yourself then said uncle frederic he slipped another half-crown into william's hand buy yourself something with that your aunt chose the church history book and the instruments i'm really grateful to you about-well i think emma's right i don't think she'll ever come again the train steamed out uncle frederic returned home he had been too optimistic lady atkinson was in the drawing-room talking to his wife of course she was saying i'm not annoyed i bear no grudge because i believe the boy's possessed he ought to be exercised you know what they do with evil spirits it was the evening of william's return home his father's question as to whether william had been good had been answered as usual in the negative and refusing to listen to details of accusation or defense ignoring william's but he said most to think he said please use this and the rest of the explanation always drowned by the others he docked william of a month's pocket money but william was not depressed the ordeal of christmas was over normal life stretched before him once more his spirits rose he wandered out into the lane there he met ginger his bosom pal with whom on normal days he fought and wrestled and carried out deeds of daring and wickedness but who like william on festivals and holy days was forced reluctantly to shed the light of his presence upon his own family from ginger's face too a certain gloom cleared as he saw william well said william have you enjoyed it i had a pair of braces from my aunt said ginger bitterly a pair of braces well i had a tie and a church history book i put my braces down the well i chopped up my tie into little bits was it nice at your aunt's william's grievances burst out i went to church and took what that man said and i've been speaking the truth one with another and leading a higher life and well it jolly well didn't make it the happiest christmas of my life well he said it would it made it the worst every one mad at me all the time i think i was the only person in the world speaking the truth one with another and they've took off my pocket-money for it and you'd think if you was speaking the truth yourself you might take what any one else said for truth and i keep telling em that he said most distinct please use this house as if it were your own but they won't listen to me well i'm done with it i'm going back to deceit and-and what's a word beginning with hypnotism suggested ginger after deep thought yes that's it said william well i'm going back to it first thing to-morrow mornin the lion and the mouse pig bill hedges scowled out of the locker-room window and groaned softly there was something about that wide unbroken sweep of snow which affected him disagreeably if only it had been criss-crossed by footprints or the tracks of snowshoes or toboggans he wouldn't have minded it nearly so much but there it lay flat white untrodden drifting over low walls and turning the clumps of shrubbery into shapeless mounds and of a sudden he found himself hating it almost as much as the dead silence of the endless empty rooms about him for it was the fourth day of the christmas vacation and save the kitchen staff there were only two other human beings in this whole great barracks of a place and neither of them is really human grunted hedges turning restlessly from the window with a disgusted snort he recalled the behaviour of those two whom so far he had met only at meal-time mr wilson the tutor left in charge of the school consumed his food in a preoccupied sort of daze rousing himself at rare intervals to make some plainly perfunctory remark he was writing some article or other for the magazines and it was all too evident that the subject filled his waking hours and plug seabury with his everlasting book propped up against a tumbler was even worse but then hedges had never expected anything from him crossing to his locker the boy pulled out a heavy sweater stared at it dubiously for a moment and then let it dangle from his relaxed fingers for once the thought of violent physical exertion in the open failed to arouse the least enthusiasm ever since the departure of the fellows he had skied and snowshoed and tramped through the drifts alone and now the monotony was getting on his nerves he flung the sweater back and slamming the locker door strolled aimlessly out of the room one peep into the cold lofty empty gym effectually quelled his half-formed notion of putting in an hour or two on the parallel bars i'm lonesome he growled just plumb lonesome it's the first time i've ever wished i didn't live in arizona but the thought of home and christmas cheer and all the other vanished holiday delights was not one to dwell on now he tried instead to appreciate how absurd it would have been to spend eight of his twelve holidays on the train a little further dawdling ended in his turning toward the library he was not in the least fond of reading life ordinarily with its constant succession of outdoor and indoor sports and games was much too full to think of wasting time with a book unless one had to but the thought occurred to him that to-day might be a shade better than doing absolutely nothing opening the door of the long low-ceilinged book-lined room which he had expected to find as desolately empty as the rest he paused in surprise on the brick hearth a log fire burned cheerfully and curled up in an easy chair close to the hearth was the slight figure of paul hello said hedges gruffly when he had recovered from his surprise you sure made yourself comfortable seabury gave a start and raised his head for a moment his look was veiled abstracted as if his mind still lingered on the book lying open in his lap then recognition slowly dawned and a faint flush crept into his face the wood was here and i didn't think there'd be any harm in lighting it he said thrusting back a straggling block of brown hair i don't s'pose there is returned hedges shortly unconsciously he was a little annoyed that seabury should seem so comfortable and content i thought you were upstairs he dragged a chair to the other side of the hearth and plumped down in it what are you reading he asked seabury's eyes brightened treasure island he answered eagerly it's awfully exciting i've just got to the place where i never read it interrupted the big fellow indifferently lounging back against the leather cushions he surveyed the slim brown-eyed rather pale-faced boy with a sort of contemptuous curiosity do you read all the time he asked again the blood crept up into seabury's thin face and his lids drooped well no not all the time he answered slowly but just now there's nothing else to do hedges grunted nothing else to do gee whiz don't you ever feel like going for a tramp or something i s'pose you can't snowshoe or ski but i shouldn't think you'd want to stay cooped up in the house all the time a faint nervous smile curved the boy's sensitive lips oh i can ski and snowshoe all right but he paused noticing the incredulous expression which hedges was in no pains to hide everybody does where i live in canada he explained often it's the only way to get about oh i see hedge's tone was no longer curt and a sudden look of interest had flashed into his eyes but don't you like it doesn't this snow make you want to go out and try some stunts seabury glanced sidewise through the casement windows at the sloping drifted field beyond no i can't say it does he confessed hesitatingly it's such a beastly rotten day his interest in plug's unexpected accomplishments made hedges forbear to comment scornfully on such weakness rotten he repeated why it's not bad at all it's stopped snowing i know but it looks as if it would start in again any minute shucks sniffed hedges a little snow won't hurt you come ahead out and let's see what you can do seabury hesitated glancing with a shiver at the cold white field outside and back to the cheerful fire he did not feel at all inclined to leave his comfortable chair and this enthralling book on the other hand he was curiously unwilling to merit bill hedge's disapproval from the first he had regarded this big strong dominating fellow with a secret admiration and shy liking which held in it no touch of envy or desire for emulation.

It was the sort of admiration he felt for certain heroes in his favorite books.

When Hedges made some spectacular play on the gridiron or pulled off an especially thrilling stunt on the hockey rink, Seabury, watching inconspicuously from the sidelines, got all hot and cold and breathlessly excited.

but he was quite content that hedges should be doing it and not himself sometimes to be sure he wondered what it would be like to have such a person for a friend but until this moment hedges had scarcely seemed aware of his existence and seabury was much too shy to make advances even when the common misfortune of two distant homes had thrown them together in the isolation of the empty school i haven't any skis he said at length hedges sprang briskly to his feet that's nothing i'll fix you up we can borrow marston's come ahead swept along by his enthusiasm seabury closed his book and followed him out into the corridor and down to the locker room here they got out sweaters woollen gloves and caps and hedges calmly appropriated the absent marston's skis emerging finally into the open seabury shivered a little as the keen searching wind struck him it came from the northeast and there was a chill penetrating quality about it which promised more snow and that soon by the time severy had adjusted the leather harness to his feet and resumed his gloves his fingers were blue and he needed no urging to set off at a swift pace in saying that he could ski the boy had not exaggerated he was in fact so perfectly at home upon the long smooth curved-up strips of ash that he moved with the effortless ease and grace of one scarcely conscious of his means of locomotion watching him closely hedge's expression of critical appraisement changed swiftly to one of unqualified approval you're not much good on them are you he commented i suppose you can jump any old distance and do all sorts of fancy stunts seabury laughed he was warm again and beginning to find an unwonted pleasure in the swift gliding motion and the tingling rush of frosty air against his face nothing like that at all he answered i can jump some of course but i'm really not much good at anything except just straightaway going grunted hedges sceptically i'll bet you could run circles around any of the fellows here well what do you say to taking a little tramp i've knocked around the grounds till i'm sick of em let's go up hogan hill he added with a burst of inspiration seabury promptly agreed though inwardly he was not altogether thrilled at the prospect of such a climb hogan hill rose steeply back of the school a few hay-fields ranged along its lower level but above them the timber growth was fairly thick and paul knew from experience that skiing on a wooded slope was far from easy as it turned out hedges had no intention of tackling the steep slope directly he knew of an old wood road which led directly to the summit by more leisurely twists and curves and it was his idea that they take this as far as it went and then ski down its open winding length by the time they were half-way up seabury was pretty well blown it was the first time he had been on skis in nearly a year and his muscles were soft from general lack of exercise he made no complaint however and presently hedges himself proposed a rest i wish i could handle the things as easily as you do he commented i work so almighty hard that i get all in a sweat while you just glide along as if you were on skates i may glide but i haven't any wind left confessed seabury it's only practice you know i've used them ever since i was a little kid and compared to some of the fellows up home i'm nowhere do you think we ought to go any farther i felt some snow on my face just then oh sure said hedges bluffly a little snow won't hurt us anyhow and we can ski down in no time at all let's not go back just yet presently they started on again and though seabury kept silent he was far from comfortable in his mind he had had more than one unpleasant experience with sudden winter storms it seemed to him wiser to turn back at once but he was afraid of suggesting it again lest hedges think him a quitter a little later still mounting the narrow winding trail they came upon a rough log hut aged and deserted with a sagging half-open door but the two boys unwilling to take off their skis did not stop to investigate it every now and then during the next half-mile trifling little gusts of stinging snowflakes whirled down from the leaden sky beat against their faces and scurried on seabury's feeling of nervous apprehension increased but hedges in his careless self-confident manner merely laughed and said that the trip home would be all the more interesting for little diversions of that sort the words were scarcely spoken when from the distance there came a curious thin wailing of the wind rising swiftly to a dull ominous roar startled both boys stopped abruptly and stared up the slope and as they did so something like a vast white opaque curtain surged over the crest of the hill and swept swiftly toward them almost before they could draw a breath it was upon them a dense blinding mass of snow which whirled about them in choking masses and blotted out the landscape in a flash oh gasped hedges some speed to that i guess we'd better beat it kid while the going's good but even hedges with his easy careless confidence was swiftly forced to the realization that the going was very far from good even then it was impossible to see more than a dozen yards ahead of them as a matter of course the older fellow took the lead but he had not gone far before he ran off the track and only saved himself from a spill by grabbing a small tree have to take it easy he commented recovering his balance this storm will let up soon it can't possibly last long this way seabury made no answer shaking with nervousness he could not trust himself to speak regaining the trail hedges started off again cautiously enough at first but a little success seemed to restore his confidence and he began to use his staff as a brake with less and less frequency they had gone perhaps a quarter of a mile when a sudden heavier gust of stinging flakes momentarily blinded them both seabury instantly put on the brake and almost stopped when he was able to clear his eyes hedges was out of sight an instant later there came a sudden crash a startled muffled cry and then silence horrified seabury instantly jerked his staff out of the snow and sped forward at first he could barely see the tracks of his companion's skis but presently the storm lightened a trifle and of a sudden he realized what had happened hedges had misjudged a sharp curve in the trail and instead of following it had plunged off to one side and down a steep declivity thickly grown with trees at the foot of this little slope seabury found him lying motionless a twisted heap face downward in the snow sick with horror the boy bent over that silent figure bill he cried what has his voice died in a choking sob but a moment later his heart leaped as hedges stirred tried to rise and fell back with a stifled groan it's my ankle he mumbled i've turned it see if you can't with shaking fingers seabury jerked at the buckles of his skis and stepped out of them hedge's left foot was twisted under him and the front part of his ski was broken off as paul freed the other's feet from their encumbering straps bill made a second effort to rise but his face turned quite white and he sank back with a grunt of pain thunder he muttered i believe it sprained for a moment or two he sat there face screwed up arms gripping his knees then as his head cleared he looked up at the frightened seabury a wry smile twisting the corners of his mouth i'm an awful nut kid he said i forgot that curve and was going too fast to pull up reckon i deserved that crack on the head and all the rest of it for being so awfully cocky looks as if we were in rather a mess doesn't it seabury nodded still unable to trust himself to speak but hedge's coolness soothed his jangled nerves and presently a thought struck him that cabin back there he exclaimed if we could only manage to get that far he paused and the other nodded good idea he agreed promptly i'm afraid i can't walk it but i might be able to crawl oh i didn't mean that if we only had some way of fastening my skis together you could lie down on them and i could pull you a gleam of admiration came into the older chap's dark eyes you've got your nerve with you old man he said do you know how much i weigh that doesn't matter protested seabury it's all down hill it wouldn't be so hard besides we can't stay here or we'll freeze now you've said something agreed hedges and it was true already seabury's teeth were chattering and even the warmer blooded hedges could feel the cold penetrating his thick sweater he tried to think of some other way out of their predicament but finally agreed to try the plan his heavy high shoes were laced with rawhide thongs which sufficed roughly to bind the two skis together there was no possibility however of pulling them the only way they could manage was for hedges to seat himself on the improvised toboggan while seabury trudged behind and pushed It was a toilsome and painful method of progress for them both and often jolted Hedge's ankle, which was already badly swollen, bringing on a constant succession of sharp keen stabs seabury wading knee-deep in the snow was soon breathless and by the time they reached the cabin he felt utterly done up couldn't have kept that up much longer grunted hedges when they were inside the shelter with the door closed against the storm his alert gaze traveled swiftly around the bare interior there was a rough stone chimney at one end a shuttered window at the back and that was all snow lay piled up on the cold hearth and here and there made little ridges on the logs where it had filtered through the many cracks and crevices without the means of making fire it was not much better than the out-of-doors and hedge's heart sank as he glanced at his companion leaning exhausted against the wall it's sure to stop pretty soon he said presently with a confidence he did not feel when it lets up a little we might-i don't believe it's going to let up seabury straightened with an odd unwonted air of decision i was caught in a storm like this two years ago and it lasted over two days we've got to do something and do it pretty quick Hedges stared at him, amazed at the sudden transformation.

He did not understand that a long-continued nervous strain will sometimes bring about strange reactions.

You're not thinking of pushing me all the way down the road, are you? he protested.

I don't believe you could do it.

I don't believe I could either, agreed the other frankly, but I could go down alone and bring back help.

gee whiz you mean ski down that road why it's over three miles and you'll miss the trail a dozen times i shouldn't try the road said seabury quietly his face was pale but there was a determined set to the delicate chin if i went straight down the hill back of this cabin i've land close to the school and i don't believe the whole distance is over half a mile hedges gasped you're crazy man why you'd kill yourself in the first hundred feet trying to ski through those trees i don't think so i've done it before some besides most of the slope is open fields i noticed that when we started out but they're steep as the dickens with stone walls and seabury cut short his protest by buttoning his collar tightly about his throat and testing the laces of his shoes he was afraid to delay lest his resolution should break down i'm going he stated stubbornly and the sooner i get off the better and go he did with a curt farewell which astonished and bewildered his companion, who had no means of knowing that it was a manner assumed to hide a desperate fear and nervousness.

As the door closed between them, Seabury's lips began to tremble, and his hands shook so that he could scarcely tighten up the straps of his skis.

Back of the cabin, poised at the top of the slope with the snow whirling around him, and the unknown in front he had one horrible moment of indecision when his heart lay like lead within him and he was on the verge of turning back but with a tremendous effort he crushed down that almost irresistible impulse he could not bear the thought of facing hedges an acknowledged coward and a quitter an instant later a thrust of his staff sent him over the edge to glide downward through the trees with swiftly increasing momentum strangely enough he felt somehow that the worst was over to begin with he was much too occupied to think of danger and after he had successfully steered through the first hundred feet or so of woods a growing confidence in himself helped to bolster up his shrinking spirit after all save for the blinding snow this was no worse than some of the descents he had made of wooded slopes back there at home if the storm did not increase he believed that he could make it at first he managed by a skillful use of his staff to hold himself back a little and keep his speed within a reasonable limit but just before he left the woods the necessity for a sudden side turn to avoid a clump of trees through which he could not pass nearly flung him off his balance in struggling to recover it the end of his staff struck against another tree and was torn instantly from his grasp his heart leaped then sank sickeningly but there was no stopping now a moment later he flashed out into the open swerved through a gap in the rough snow-covered wall and shot down the steep incline with swiftly increasing speed his body tense and bent slightly forward his straining gaze set unwaveringly ahead striving to pierce the whirling beating snow seabury felt as if he were flying through the clouds on a clear day with the ability to see what lay before him there would have been a rather delightful exhilaration in that descent but the perilous uncertainty of it all kept the boy's heart in his throat and chained him in a rigid grip of cold fear long before he expected it the rounded snow-covered bulk of a second wall seemed to leap out of the blinding snow curtain and rush toward him Almost too late, he jumped, and, soaring through the air, struck the declining slope again a good thirty feet beyond.

in the lightning passage of that second field he tried to figure where he was coming out and what obstacles he might encounter but the effort was fruitless he knew that the high road bordered by a third stone wall ran along the foot of the hill with the school grounds on the other side but the speed at which he was traveling made consecutive thought almost impossible again with that same appalling swiftness the final barrier loomed ahead he leaped and at the very take-off a gasp of horror was jolted from his lips by the sight of a two-horse sledge moving along the road directly in his path it was all over in a flash helpless to avoid the collision seabury nevertheless twisted his body instinctively to the left he was vaguely conscious of a monstrous looming bulk of a startled snort which sent a wave of hot breath against his face and the equally startled yell of a human voice the next instant he landed badly his feet shot out from under him and he fell backward with a stunning crash his first conscious observation was of two strange faces bending over him and of hands lifting him from where he lay half buried in the snow for a moment he was too dazed to speak or even to remember then with a surging rush of immense relief he realized what had happened and gaining speech he poured out a hurried but fairly coherent account of the situation his rescuers proved to be woodsmen perfectly familiar with the hogan hill trail and the old log cabin seabury's skis were taken off and he was helped into the sledge and driven to the nearby school stiff and sore but otherwise unhurt he wanted to go with them but his request was firmly refused and pausing only long enough to get some rugs and a heavy coat the pair set off little more than two hours later they returned with the injured hedges who was carried at once to the infirmary to be treated for exposure and a badly sprained ankle his rugged constitution responded readily to the former but the ankle proved more stubborn and he was ordered by the doctor not to attempt even to hobble around on it for at least a week as a result christmas dinner had to be eaten in bed but somehow hedges did not mind that very much for paul seabury shared it sitting on the other side of a folding table drawn up beside the couch having consumed everything in sight and reaching that state of repletion without which no christmas dinner may be considered really perfect the two boys relapsed for a space into a comfortable friendly sort of silence not much on skis are you commented hedges presently glancing quizzically at his companion seabury flushed a little i wish you wouldn't he protested if you had any idea how scared i was and why the whole thing was just pure luck hedges snorted bosh you go tell that to your grandmother there's one thing he added as soon as i'm around again you've got to come out and give me some points i thought i was fairly decent on skis but i guess after all i'm pretty punk well i'll show you anything i can of course agreed seabury readily he paused an instant and then went on hesitatingly i'm going to do a lot more of that sort of thing from now on it was simply disgusting the way i got winded so soon and all tired out sure nodded hedges promptly that's what i've always said you ought to take more exercise and not mope around by yourself so much but we'll fix that up all right from now on he paused aren't you going to read some more in treasure island he asked expectantly that's some book believe me what with you and that and everything i'm not going to mind being laid up at all seabury made no comment but as he reached for the book and found their place the corners of his mouth curved with the beginnings of a contented happy smile End of Part 2.

Part 3 of A Christmas Miscellany 2022.

This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.

Part 3.

Christmas at the Pyramids.

From Austerlasia Triumphant by E. Sanchon Adcock, 1916.

Re-Australians in World War I. i like to think of those keen young australians men of the youngest of nations who have put their hands to the building of the happier world of to-morrow which shall be a greater and more lasting monument to them than any pyramid of brick and stone i like to think of them eager splendidly alive on the threshold of a new day turning aside to wander in those dusty halls and passages haunted by ghosts of a wondrous civilization that has been dead these thousands of years i like to think too of those awry pyramids dark with long memories towering up into the bright sky on sunday mornings when church service was being held in the camp and hearing the faint preludings of the military band and then the swell of a myriad voices joining in some such nobly simple hymn as rock of ages an alien melody to them but with all of home in it for the singers strange hours they must have been when those voices of the future broke the silence of the past another circumstance that appeals to the imagination is that amongst this continuous coming and going of troops the stir and noise of warlike preparations there was a small prohibited area where dr reisler the american egyptologist was all the while making excavations and reverently unearthing the ancient tombs at the base of one of the pyramids serenely undisturbed but though that area was officially forbidden to the soldiers dr reisler made them heartily welcome when any happened to stray into his neighbourhood the age correspondent asked him whether the proximity of the troops inconvenienced him and why surely said he with a pleasantly strong american intonation i don't mind the troops coming down here i welcome all you australians and believe me the natives have taken a great fancy to your men they are tickled to death with them there were two great days towards the end of december when lieutenant-general sir john maxwell commander of the forces in egypt rode into mine camp and with general w r birdwood commanding the australian and new zealand contingents and sir george reid the australian high commissioner held a review in which cavalry infantry and all branches of the australian service took part one regiment on the second day arriving back from a long desert march with their coats off and shirt sleeves turned up hot and dusty but in the highest spirits and falling into line immediately to parade past with the rest they said that the sight of these hardy fellows approaching in sensible dishabille but fresh as paint after miles of tramping under a broiling sun moved general maxwell to ejaculate emphatically to the high commissioner this is a splendid sight sir george they're a grand lot but i have a notion that the most memorable event of those two months was the christmas which they all spent in the desert from three o'clock in the afternoon of christmas eve purees were dispensed with and for two days the homely spirit of yule triumphed over the spirit of mars on the banks of the nile instead of small tourist parties thousands went pouring out on camels and donkeys to the sphinx and the pyramids and thousands went to crowd and enliven the bright streets of cairo and chaffer at the booths for gifts to send to the folk down south the adjacent palm groves were laid under contribution and the tents lavishly decorated within and without and after dark when the revellers were back every tent was brilliantly lighted up and chinese lanterns hung glowing at the entrances to many of them sentries along the moonlit road that led from cairo tried to maintain the usual punctilious military formalities but as often as not the returning groups would have none of their challenges in such a time as that and answered with insubordinate flippancies you can see who goes here right enough joe it's me look here the outraged sentry would protest if you don't halt when i tell you to i'll call the guard out and put you under arrest no don't do that joe it's chilly and the poor chaps will catch cold merry christmas old boy and the rebel passed on with his friends and the sentry since after all it was christmas grinned and let them go though they returned to camp they were not going to bed hardly anybody thought of sleep until daybreak something after midnight a cornet player in one of the tents started a christmas carol and the singing and laughter that had been coming from the other tents quieted down another cornet farther along the canvas street joined in then another farther off still a street or two away when they stopped a drum sounded and a string band somewhere took up the burden and filled the blue dark with memories that did not belong to the desert towards four o'clock when all the other music had dwindled into silence the band of the fourth sydney battalion began a series of such carols the old old familiar tunes that catch at the heart-strings with dear and sacred associations and so played the last of the night away and the first of the morning in and with the morning came the christmas mails and there was scarcely a tent in all those miles of them at which the postman did not call with letters from home early in the day the camp kitchens were getting busy but outside help had been called in so as to give the regimental cooks a holiday after church parade the men laid themselves out to make the most of the day there were the wildest donkey races and several attempts to organize a camel race but the camels could not be persuaded to run two scratch teams were put together for a cricket match with makeshift bats and wickets and the new south wales regiment carried through a successful football tournament dinner was of course the crowning event of the day this was served in two miles of wooden huts four of which were allotted to each regiment there was a turkey for every table and a supply of turkeys held in reserve in case any table demanded more than one there were christmas puddings in plenty and other seasonable fare and some of the tables had even succeeded in supplying themselves with crackers in spite of the time and the place the old festival was observed with all the good cheer and jollity that traditionally belonged to it and not the least pleasant moment of the festivities came when the colonels of the different regiments looked in at hut after hut to see that their men were well supplied and to wish them a merry christmas and you might track the way those colonels went by the cheers that followed them one of the australian officers sent home the following as the menu of his christmas dinner in the desert brigade h q staff and field artillery brigade soup vegetable joints roast sirloin of beef boiled pork ham poultry roast turkey and savory sauce vegetables asparagus and butter sauce baked and mashed potatoes green peas sweets plum pudding and brandy sauce port wine jelly bon mange and jam fruit salad almonds mixed nuts snap-dragon fruits in season port wine whiskey brandy aerated waters tea coffee cocoa the festivities were continued to some extent through most of the following day then the suspended routine was resumed the relaxed discipline tightened up again holiday making was over and officers and men were presently heartened by a prospect of coming to grips with the enemy at last End of Part 3 Part 4 of A Christmas Miscellany 2022 by Various This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.

Part 4 The Boy, The Best Beloved, and The Christmas Present by Rickmall Crompton it was christmas eve the boy crept slowly round the house and peered cautiously through the lighted dining-room window under his arm was a small white wriggling object as he gazed through the window he heaved a sigh expressive of deep emotion in the dining-room sat the best beloved his eyes dwelt ecstatically and reverently on her beauty his nose almost flattened against the window he gazed and gazed it might be presumed from this description that the best beloved was dining alone but this was not so there was a shadowy male parent and a shadowy young sister with a long red plate dining also the boy usually noticed the existence of the male parent only when he shot forth disconcerting questions on political problems of which the boy who despised politics had never heard he noticed the existence of the young sister only when her stare was more than usually impertinent otherwise they did not exist to all intents and purposes the best beloved was the only person in the world she was older than the boy but that was in the boy's eyes an added attraction he considered himself to be a man of the strong silent type old and experienced in the ways of the world beyond his years it may be remarked here that this view of the boy's character was unshared by the rest of the world occasionally he would venture on a cynical remark that gave him intense secret pleasure and he felt sure increased the best beloved's admiration of him he knew that she admired him though she did not show it an unusually violent struggle from the animal beneath his arm recalled him to earth and with another sigh he crept round to the side door here he took off his shoes then opened the door furtively and crept down the passage to the drawing-room lunging ungracefully from side to side in his endeavors to be noiseless his brow drawn into a stern frown his tongue protruding several inches in the intensity of his efforts at last he reached the room it was lit only by firelight he pulled the door to without shutting it and looked round it was christmas eve and the boy was bringing a present for the best beloved the boy possessed the dramatic instinct he wanted to give the best beloved a puppy but he did not want to hand the puppy to the best beloved in cold blood or even send it by a messenger he wanted the best beloved to come to the drawing-room after dinner and find the puppy posed in front of the fire wearing a label a happy christmas and his initials he himself would go away quietly as soon as he had arranged the puppy it was a great idea the only drawback seemed to be the puppy it was a puppy with a strong objection to being arranged it was of an adventurous and inquiring turn of mind during its two-day sojourn at the boy's house it had reduced to their component parts two cushions a rug and three pairs of bedroom slippers it generally chewed up the component parts and swallowed whichever of them appealed to its palate it possessed the digestive faculties of an ostrich the boy's mother had waxed almost lyrical on the subject of the puppy on being carefully arranged by the boy in an attractive attitude in front of the fire it dashed at the window curtains and began to pull them with soft little threatening growls the boy captured it again and once more arranged it patiently before the fire as soon as he withdrew his hands to admire the effect it scampered into an impregnable position behind the coal scuttle whence it looked derisively at the boy its small head cocked the boy his brow now screwed into a napoleonic frown by the desperation of the crisis crept towards it on all fours he whispered hoarsely the puppy began to chew bits off the wooden wainscotting i mean dog dog dog dog said the boy apologetically the puppy flashed across the room pulling off the cover of a small table in its flight and disappeared beneath a sofa it was a long deep sofa the boy put a red perspiring face beneath the sofa and stretched out an ineffectual arm come on old chap he said in hoarse but honeyed accents come on then old boy come on come on but you can't you fool come on puss puss puss puss i mean dog dog dog come he was interrupted by something cold at the back of his neck and a small threatening voice that said hands up or i'll fire with difficulty he brought back his head from beneath the sofa and met the stern gaze of what he dimly discerned in the half-light to be the younger sister she had a revolver in her hands i say he said mildly you're holding it by the wrong end she dropped it with a little scream you might have told me before she said i couldn't see you he said is it loaded i don't know i got it out of daddy's drawer anyway i'm going to gag you and then ring up the police it's no use struggling a sudden flicker of firelight showed up his flushed bewildered features heavens you're harry graham she gasped her disappointment was obvious there was silence in the room except for the sound of the puppy chewing the wainscoting behind the sofa at last she spoke i thought you were a burglar she said in a small flat voice going over to the fireplace where she sank a little disconsolate heap on the hearthrug i think it's simply beastly of you she went on with a hint of tears in her voice he came across to her and knelt on the hearthrug opposite her uncertainly staring at her in open-mouthed bewilderment what why he stammered i've always wanted to catch a burglar all by myself it's been my dream and madge asked me to fetch her cigarettes and i heard a noise in here and i saw a man and i went to get daddy's revolver and i was going to-oh it's simply beastly of you he gazed at her silently she was pretty she was most awfully pretty blue eyes rosy cheeks auburn hair auburn not red most decidedly not red funny he'd never really noticed her before after all should a man even a strong silent man marry a woman older than himself he wasn't at all sure i don't know what you came for she said with sudden anger messing about and pretending to be a burglar she looked at him defiantly her blue eyes starry with tears his already red cheeks deepened in hue he drew a deep breath i came he said to bring you a puppy for a christmas present me she said in amazement yes you he said shamelessly i thought it was madge who she blushed with an expansive gesture he waved his adoration of madge into the limbo of the past once perhaps he said but now he finished his speech by a cough to hide his embarrassment at this moment the situation was relieved by the appearance of the puppy from beneath the sofa with the remains of its chewed-up label still adhering to its whiskers this is him said the boy ungrammatically what a lamb said the girl inaccurately she fondled the lamb in silence for a few minutes while the boy beamed upon her and then she said are you going to the cook's dance next week he nodded i am too she said with bright eyes i'm not really out but i'm going to put up my hair for it i tried it up last night it looks topping you bet it does said the boy fervently i say give me some dances some all the bally lot i've never learnt the blues it's as easy as easy i'll teach you now i left my shoes in the porch but i can manage all right it's like this see now you try by jove topping now together not at all my fault no no it didn't hurt a bit i thought i'd better leave them out there because of the noise by jove splendid he began to hum untunefully i wanted it to be a surprise for you-the dog i mean i say you're picking it up fine you're frightfully clever you know mind the table oh my fault my fault oh no it wasn't you the dog got hold of my toe all right now it's let go fine by jove about five minutes later the elder sister came in she switched on the light and surveyed the occupants calmly i thought you'd gone for my cigarettes joan rather an unexpected call harry is that your dog that's chewing up the hearth-rug the boy looked at her coldly however had he thought her the one and only woman good heavens she was old old twenty-five if she was a day horrible when he was forty-four she'd be fifty fifty at least he thought so he counted again on his fingers in his pocket to make sure yes fifty good heavens no man however experienced and strong and silent should marry a woman older than himself a woman who'd be fifty when he was only a bit over forty a really strong silent man should marry some one younger than himself some one with blue eyes and auburn hair i just dropped in he said distantly to bring a small present for joan the dog i mean all right said the ex best beloved pleasantly don't let the fire out she took a case of cigarettes from the mantelpiece and went out closing the door harry graham's there she said to the male parent in the dining-room he seems to have taken to joan it's a great relief don't see that it makes any difference said the male parent gloomily he'll still be hanging around the place i suppose with his infernal squeaky chatter thus the male parent referred to the strong silent man it makes a difference to me said the elder sister softly christmas eve wore on the shadowy male parent sat at the head of the dinner table conscious only of a warm fire an excellent glass of port an excellent cigar he was perfectly happy the shadowy elder sister sat at the foot of the table dreamily blowing rings of tobacco smoke she was thinking of a man who does not come into this story but who would have a chance now that she was not eternally besieged by the boy she was perfectly happy the boy and the best-beloved sat on the drying-room hearth-rug their eyes fixed ecstatically upon each other discussing such dear intimate things as motors and the latest football results they were perfectly happy the puppy unnoticed and unchecked rioted in the best arm-chair he had got through the tapestry cover and was beginning on the stuffing he was perfectly happy end of part four part v christmas shopping by helen davenport from modern essays and stories by frederick hook law nineteen twenty two my husband and i would not miss that day before christmas last-minute rush for anything and even if i risk seeming to talk against the sane and humane shop early for christmas propaganda i am going to say that the fun and joy of christmas shopping is doing it on the twenty fourth avoid the crowds i don't want to i want to get right in the middle of them i want to shove my way up to counters i want to buy things that catch my eye and that i never thought of buying and wouldn't buy on any day in the year but december twenty fourth i want to spend more money than i can afford i want to experience that panicky feeling that i really haven't enough things and to worry over whether my purchases can be divided fairly among my quartette i want to go home after dark revelling in the flare of lamps lighting up mistletoe holly wreaths and christmas trees on hawker scarts stopping here and there to buy another pound of candy or a box of dates or a foolish bauble for the tree i want to shove bundle after bundle into the arms of my protesting husband and remind him that christmas comes but once a year until he becomes profane and once home on what other winter evening would you find pleasure in dumping the whole lot on your bed adding to the jumble of toys and books already purchased or sent by friends and all other thoughts banished calmly making the children's piles despite aching back and legs impatient husband cross servants and a dozen dinner guests waiting in the drawing-room end of part five part six of a christmas miscellany twenty twenty two this librivox recording is in the public domain part six advent hymns or poems from the english hymnal nineteen o six numbers one through thirteen i creator of the stars of night thy people's everlasting light jesu redeemer save us all and hear thy servants when they call thou aggrieving that the ancient curse should doom to death a universe hast found the medicine full of grace to save and heal a ruined race thou camest the bridegroom of the bride as drew the world to eaving tide proceeding from a virgin shrine the spotless victim all divine at whose dread name majestic now all knees must bend all hearts must bow and things celestial thee shall own and things terrestrial lord alone o thou whose coming is with dread to judge and doom the quick and dead preserve us while we dwell below from every insult of the foe to god the father god the son and god the spirit three in one laud honour might and glory be from age to age eternally amen two high word of god who once didst come leaving thy father and thy home to succour by thy birth our kind when towards thine advent time declined pour light upon us from above and fire our hearts with thy strong love that as we hear thy gospel read all fond desires may flee in dread that when thou comest from the skies great judge to open thine assize to give each hidden sin its smart and crown as kings the pure in heart we be not set at thy left hand where sentence due would bid us stand but with the saints thy face may see forever wholly loving thee praise to the father and the son through all the ages as they run and to the holy paraclete be praise with them and worship meet amen three behold the bridegroom cometh in the middle of the night and blest is he whose loins are girt whose lamp is burning bright but woe to that dull servant whom the master shall surprise with lamp untrimmed unburning and with slumber in his eyes do thou my soul beware beware lest thou in sleep sink down lest thou be gone or to death and lose the golden crown but see that thou be sober with a watchful eye and thus cry holy holy holy god have mercy on us that day the day of fear shall come my soul slack not thy toil but light thy lamp and feed it well and make it bright with oil who knowest not how soon may sound the cry at eventide behold the bridegroom comes arise go forth to meet the bride beware my soul beware beware lest thou in slumber lie and like the five remain without and knock and vainly cry beware my soul beware beware lest thou in slumber lie and like the five remain without and knock and vainly cry but watch and bear thy lamp undimmed and christ shall gird thee on his own bright wedding robe of light the glory of the sun four great god what do i see and hear the end of things created the judge of mankind doth appear on clouds of glory seated the trumpet sounds the graves restore the dead which they contained before prepare my soul to meet him the dead in christ shall first arise at that last trumpet sounding caught up to meet him in the skies with joy their lord surrounding no gloomy fears their souls dismay his presence sheds eternal day on those prepared to meet him the ungodly filled with guilty fears behold his wrath prevailing for they shall rise and find their tears and sighs are unavailing the day of grace is past and gone trembling they stand before his throne all unprepared to meet him great judge to thee our prayers we pour in deep abasement bending o shield us through that last dread hour thy wondrous love extending may we in this our trial-day with faithful hearts thy word obey and thus prepare to meet thee v hark a herald voice is calling christ is nigh it seems to say cast away the dreams of darkness o ye children of the day startled at the solemn warning let the earth-bound soul arise christ her son all sloth dispelling shines upon the morning skies lo the lamb so long expected comes with pardon down from heaven let us haste with tears of sorrow one and all to be forgiven so when next he comes with glory wrapping all the earth in fear may he then as our defender on the clouds of heaven appear honor glory virtue merit to the father and the son with the co-eternal spirit while unending ages run amen six hark the glad sound the saviour comes the saviour promised long let every heart prepare a throne and every voice a song he comes the prisoners to release in satan's bondage held the gates of brass before him burst the iron fetters yield he comes the broken heart to bind the bleeding soul to cure and with the treasures of his grace to enrich the humble poor our glad hosannas prince of peace thy welcome shall proclaim and heaven's eternal arches ring with thy beloved name seven lo he comes with clouds descending once for favored sinners slain thousand thousand saints attending swell the triumph of his train alleluia god appears on earth to reign every eye shall now behold him robed in dreadful majesty those who set at naught and sold him pierced and nailed him to the tree deeply wailing shall the true messiah see those dear tokens of his passion still his dazzling body bears cause of endless exultation to his ransomed worshippers with what rapture gaze we on those glorious scars yea amen let all adore thee high on thine eternal throne saviour take the power and glory claim the kingdom for thine own o come quickly alleluia come lord come eight o come o come emmanuel redeem thy captive israel that into exile drear is gone far from the face of god's dear son rejoice rejoice emmanuel shall come to thee o israel o come thou branch of jesse draw the quarry from the lion's claw from the dread caverns of the grave from nether hell thy people save rejoice rejoice emmanuel shall come to thee o israel o come o come thou dayspring bright pour on our souls thy healing light dispel the long night's lingering gloom and pierce the shadows of the tomb rejoice rejoice emmanuel shall come to thee o israel o come thou lord of david's key the royal door fling wide and free safeguard for us the heavenward road and bar the way to death's abode rejoice rejoice emmanuel shall come to thee o israel o come o come adonai who in thy glorious majesty from that high mountain clothed with awe gavest thy folk the elder law rejoice rejoice emmanuel shall come to thee o israel nine on jordan's bank the baptists cry announces that the lord is nigh come then and hearken for he brings glad tidings from the king of kings then cleansed be every christian breast and furnished for so great a guest yea let us each our hearts prepare for christ to come and enter there for thou art our salvation lord our refuge and our great reward without thy grace our souls must fade and wither like a flower decayed stretch forth thine hand to heal our sore and make us rise to fall no more once more upon thy people shine and fill the world with love divine all praise eternal son to thee whose advent sets thy people free whom with the father we adore and holy ghost for evermore amen saviour eternal health and life of the world unfailing light everlasting and in verity our redemption grieving that the ages of men must perish through the tempter's subtlety still in heaven abiding thou camest earthward of thine own great clemency then freely and graciously deigning to assume humanity to lost ones and perishing gavest thou thy free deliverance filling all the world with joy o christ our souls and bodies cleanse by thy perfect sacrifice that we as temples pure and bright fit for thine abode may be by thy former advent justify by thy second grant us liberty that when in the might of glory thou descendest judge of all we in raiment undefiled bright may shine and ever follow lord thy footsteps blest where'er they lead us the advent of our god with eager prayers we greet and singing haste upon his road his glorious gift to meet the everlasting sun scorns not a virgin's womb that we from bondage may be one he bears a bondman's doom daughter of zion rise to meet thy lowly king let not thy stubborn heart despise the peace he deigns to bring in clouds of awful light as judge he comes again his scattered people to unite with them in heaven to reign let evil flee away ere that dread hour shall dawn let this old adam day by day god's image still put on praise to the incarnate son who comes to set us free with god the father ever one to all eternity amen Wake, O wake, with tidings thrilling, the watchmen all the air are filling.

Arise, Jerusalem, arise.

Midnight strikes, no more delaying.

The hour has come, we hear them saying.

Where are ye all, ye virgins wise? The bridegroom comes in sight.

Raise high your torches bright.

Alleluia.

The wedding song swells loud and strong.

Go forth and join the festal throng.

zion hears the watchman shouting her heart leaps up with joy undoubting she stands and waits with eager eyes see her friend from heaven descending adorned with truth and grace unending her light burns clear her star doth rise now come thou precious crown lord jesus god's own son hosanna let us prepare to follow there wherein thy supper we may share every soul in thee rejoices from men and from angelic voices be glory given to thee alone now the gates of pearl receive us thy presence nevermore shall leave us we stand with angels round thy throne earth cannot give below the bliss thou dost be so alleluia grant us to raise to length of days the triumph chorus of thy praise thirteen when came in flesh the incarnate word the heedless world slept on and only simple shepherds heard that god had sent his son when comes the saviour at the last from east to west shall shine the awful pomp and earth aghast shall tremble at the sign then shall the pure of heart be blest as mild he comes to them as when upon the virgin's breast he lay at bethlehem as mild to meek-eyed love and faith only more strong to save strengthened by having bowed to death by having burst the grave Lord, who could dare see thee descend and state, Unless he knew thou art the sorrowing sinner's friend, The gracious and the true.

Dwell in our hearts, O Saviour blest, So shall thine advent's dawn, Twixt us and thee, our bosom guest, Be but the veil withdrawn.

End of Part 6 part seven of a christmas miscellany twenty twenty two this librivox recording is in the public domain part seven christmas tide hymns and poems from the english hymnal nineteen o six numbers fourteen through thirty seven including days commemorating st stephen st john the evangelist the innocents the circumcision of christ come thou redeemer of the earth and manifest thy virgin birth let every age adoring fall such birth befits the god of all begotten of no human will but of the spirit thou art still the word of god in flesh arrayed the promised fruit to man displayed the virgin womb that burden gained with virgin honor all unstained the banners there of virtue glow god in his temple dwells below forth from his chamber goeth he that royal home of purity a giant in twofold substance won rejoicing now his course to run from god the father he proceeds to god the father back he speeds his course he runs to death and hell returning on god's throne to dwell o equal to thy father thou gird on thy fleshly mantle now the weakness of our mortal state with deathless might invigorate thy cradle here shall glitter bright and darkness breathe the newer light where endless faith shall shine serene and twilight never intervene all laud to god the father be all praise eternal son to thee all glory as is ever meet to god the holy fifteen o little town of bethlehem how still we see thee lie above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by yet in thy dark street shineth the everlasting light the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee to-night o morning stars together proclaim the holy birth and praises sing to god the king and peace to men on earth for christ is born of mary and gathered all above while mortals sleep the angels keep their watch of wondering love how silently how silently the wondrous gift is given so god imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven no ear may hear his coming but in this world of sin where meek souls will receive him still the dear christ enters in where children pure and happy pray to the blessed child where misery cries out to thee son of the mother mild where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door the dark night wakes the glory breaks and christmas comes once more o holy child of bethlehem descend to us we pray cast out our sin and enter in be born in us to-day we hear the christmas angels the great glad tidings tell o come to us abide with us our lord emmanuel sixteen the maker of the sun and moon the maker of our earth lo late in time a fairer boon himself is brought to birth how blest was all creation then when god so gave increase and christ to heal the hearts of men brought righteousness and peace no star in all the heights of heaven but burned to see him go yet unto earth alone was given his human form to know his human form by man denied took death for human sin his endless love through faith descried still lives the world to win o perfect love out-passing sight o light beyond our ken come down through all the world to-night and heal the hearts of men seventeen jesu the father's only son whose death for all redemption won before the worlds of god most high begotten all ineffably the father's light and splendour thou their endless hope to thee that bow accept the prayers and praise to-day that through the world thy servants pay salvation's author call to mind how taking form of human kind born of a virgin undefiled thou in man's flesh becamest a child thus testifies the present day through every year in long array that thou salvation source alone proceedest from the father's throne whence sky and stars and seas abyss and earth and all that therein is shall still with laud and carol meet the author of thine advent and we who by thy precious blood from sin redeemed are marked for god on this the day that saw thy birth sing the new song of ransomed earth for that thine advent glory be o jesu virgin born to thee with father and with holy ghost from men and from the heavenly host amen from east to west from shore to shore let every heart awake and sing the holy child whom mary bore the christ the everlasting king behold the world's creator wears the form and fashion of a slave our very flesh our maker shares his fallen creature a man to save for this how wondrously he wrought a maiden in her lowly place became in ways beyond all thought the chosen vessel of his grace she bowed her to the angel's word declaring what the father willed and suddenly the promised lord that pure and hallowed temple filled he shrank not from the oxen's stall he lay within the manger bed and he whose bounty feedeth all at mary's breast himself was fed and while the angels in the sky sang praise above the silent field to shepherds poor the lord most high the one great shepherd was revealed all glory for this blessed morn to god the father ever be all praise to thee o virgin born all praise o holy ghost to thee amen nineteen a great and mighty wonder of full and holy cure the virgin bears the infant with virgin honour pure repeat the hymn again to god on high be glory and peace on earth to men the word becomes incarnate and yet remains on high and cherubim sing anthems to shepherds from the sky repeat the hymn again to god on high be glory and peace on earth to men while thus they sing your monarch those bright angelic bands rejoice ye vales and mountains ye oceans clap your hands repeat the hymn again to god on high be glory and peace on earth to men since all he comes to ransom by all he be adored the infant born in bethlehem the saviour and the lord repeat the hymn again to god on high be glory and peace on earth to men and idle forms shall perish and error shall decay and christ shall wield his sceptre our lord and god for aye repeat the hymn again to god on high be glory and peace on earth to men twenty behold the great creator makes himself a house of clay a robe of virgin flesh he takes which he will wear for aye hark hark the wise eternal word like a weak infant cries in form of servant is the lord and god in cradle lies this wonder struck the world amazed it shook the starry frame squadrons of spirits stood and gazed then down in troops they came glad shepherds ran to view this sight a choir of angels sings and eastern sages with delight adore this king of kings join then all hearts that are not stone and all our voices prove to celebrate this holy one the god of peace and love twenty one christians awake salute the happy morn whereon the saviour of the world was born rise to adore the mystery of love which hosts of angels chanted from above with them the joyful tidings first begun of god incarnate and the virgin's son then to the watchful shepherds it was told who heard the angelic herald's voice behold i bring good tidings of a saviour's birth to you and all the nations upon earth this day hath god fulfilled his promised word this day is born a saviour christ the lord he spake and straightway the celestial choir in hymns of joy unknown before conspire the praises of redeeming love they sang and heaven's whole orb with alleluias rang god's highest glory was their anthem still peace upon earth and mutual good-will to bethlehem straight the enlightened shepherds ran to see the wonder god had wrought for man and found with joseph and the blessed maid her son the saviour in a manger laid amazed the wondrous story they proclaim the first apostles of his infant fame like mary let us ponder in our mind god's wondrous love in saving lost mankind trace we the babe who hath retrieved our loss from his poor manger to his bitter cross then may we hope the angelic thrones among to sing redeemed a glad triumphal song twenty two come rejoicing faithful men with rapture singing alleluia monarchs monarch from a holy maiden springing mighty wonder angel of the council here son from star he doth appear born of maiden he a sun who knows no night she a star whose paler light fadeth never as a star its kindred ray merry doth her child display like in nature still undimmed the star shines on and the maiden bears a son pure as ever lebanon his cedars tall to the hyssop on the wall lowly bendeth from the highest him we name word of god to human frame now descendeth yet the synagogue denied what esaias had decried blindness fell upon the guide proud unheeding if her prophets speak in vain let her heed a gentile strain and from mystic sibyl gain light and leading no longer then delay hear what the scriptures say why be cast away a race forlorn turn and this child behold that very son of old in god's writ foretold a maid hath borne twenty three hark how all the welkin rings glory to the king of kings peace on earth and mercy mild god and sinners reconciled joyful all ye nations rise join the triumph of the skies universal natures say christ the lord is born to-day christ by highest heaven adored christ the everlasting lord late in time behold him come offspring of a virgin's womb veiled in flesh the godhead see hail the incarnate deity pleased as man with men to appear jesus our emmanuel here hail the heavenly prince of peace hail the son of righteousness light and life to all he brings risen with healing in his wings mild he lays his glory by born that man no more may die born to raise the sons of earth born to give them second birth come desire of nations come fix in us thy humble home rise the woman's conquering seed bruise in us the serpent's head now display thy saving power ruined nature now restore now in mystic union join thine to ours and ours to thine twenty four hark the herald angels sing glory to the new born king peace on earth and mercy mild god and sinners reconciled joyful all ye nations rise join the triumph of the skies with the angelic host proclaim christ is born in bethlehem hark the herald angels sing glory to the new born king christ by highest heaven adored christ the everlasting lord late in time behold him come offspring of a virgin's womb veiled in flesh the godhead see hail the incarnate deity pleased as man with man to dwell jesus our emmanuel hark the herald angels sing glory to the new-born king hail the heaven-born prince of peace hail the son of righteousness light and life to all he brings risen with healing in his wings mild he lays his glory by born that man no more may die born to raise the sons of earth born to give them second birth hark the herald angels sing glory to the new-born king twenty five in the bleak midwinter frosty wind made moan earth stood hard as iron water like a stone snow had fallen snow on snow snow on snow in the bleak midwinter long ago our god heaven cannot hold him nor earth sustain heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign in the bleak mid-winter a stable-place sufficed the lord god almighty jesus christ enough for him whom cherubim worship night and day a breastful of milk and a manger full of hay enough for him whom angels fall down before the ox and ass and camel which adore angels and archangels may have gathered there cherubim and seraphim thronged the air but only his mother in her maiden bliss worshipped the beloved with a kiss what can i give him poor as i am if i were a shepherd i would bring a lamb if i were a wise man i would do my part yet what i can i give him give my heart twenty six it came upon the midnight clear that glorious song of old from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold peace on the earth good will to men from heaven's all-gracious king the world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurled and still their heavenly music floats o'er all the weary world above its sad and lowly plains they bend in hovering wing and ever o'er its babel sounds the blessed angels sing yet with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered long beneath the angel's strain have rolled two thousand years of wrong and man at war with man hears not the love-song which they bring oh hush the noise ye men of strife and hear the angels sing and ye beneath life's crushing load whose forms are bending low who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow look now for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing oh rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing for lo the days are hastening on by prophet bards foretold when with the ever circling years comes round the age of gold when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling and the whole world give back the song which now the angels sing twenty seven let sighing cease and woe god from on high hath heard heaven's gate is opening wide and low the long-expected word peace through the deep of night the heavenly choir breaks forth singing with festal songs and bright our god and saviour's birth the cave of bethlehem those wakeful shepherds seek let us too arise and greet with them that infant pure and meek we enter at the door what marvel meets the eye a crib a mother pale and poor a child of poverty art thou the eternal sun the eternal father's ray whose little hand thou infant one doth lift the world alway yea faith through that dim cloud like lightning darts before and greets thee at whose footstool bowed heaven's trembling hosts adore chaste be our love like thine our swelling souls bring low and in our hearts o babe divine be born abide and grow so shall thy birthday morn lord christ our birthday be then greet we all ourselves new-born our king's nativity twenty eight o come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant o come ye o come ye to bethlehem come and behold him born the king of angels o come let us adore him o come let us adore him o come let us adore him christ the lord god of god light of light lo he abhors not the virgin's womb very god begotten not created o come let us adore him o come let us adore him o come let us adore him christ the lord sing choirs of angels sing in exultation sing all ye citizens of heaven above glory to god in the highest o come let us adore him o come let us adore him o come let us adore him christ the lord yea lord we greet thee born this happy morning jesu to thee be glory given word of the father now in flesh appearing o come let us adore him o come let us adore him o come let us adore him christ the lord twenty nine the great god of heaven is come down to earth his mother a virgin and sinless his birth the father eternal his father alone he sleeps in the manger he reigns on the throne then let us adore him and praise his great love to save us poor sinners he came from above a babe on the breast of a maiden he lies yet sits with the father on high in the skies before him their faces the seraphim hide while joseph stands waiting unscared by his side then let us adore him and praise his great love to save us poor sinners he came from above lo here is emmanuel here is the child the son that was promised to mary so mild whose power and dominion shall ever increase the prince that shall rule o'er a kingdom of peace then let us adore him and praise his great love to save us poor sinners he came from above the wonderful counsellor boundless in might the father's own image the beam of his light behold him now wearing the likeness of man weak helpless and speechless in measure a span then let us adore him and praise his great love to save us poor sinners he came from above a wonder of wonders which none can unfold the ancient of days is an hour or two old the maker of all things is made of the earth man is worshipped by angels and god comes to birth then let us adore him and praise his great love to save us poor sinners he came from above the word in the bliss of the godhead remains yet in flesh comes to suffer the keenest of pains he is that he was and forever shall be but becomes that he was not for you and for me then let us adore him and praise his great love to save us for sinners he came from above while shepherds watched their flocks by night all seated on the ground the angel of the lord came down and glory shone around fear not said he for mighty dread had seized their troubled mind glad tidings of great joy i bring to you and all mankind to you in david's town this day is born of david's line a saviour who is christ the lord and this shall be the sign the heavenly babe you there shall find to human view displayed all meanly wrapped in swathing bands and in a manger laid thus spake the seraph and forthwith appeared a shining throng of angels praising god who thus addressed their joyful song all glory be to god on high and to the earth be peace good will henceforth from heaven to men begin and never cease st stephen thirty one saint of god elect and precious proto martyr stephen bright with thy love of amplest measure shining round thee like a light who to god commendest dying them that did thee all despite glitters now the crown above thee figured in thy sacred name oh that we who truly love thee may have portion in the same in the dreadful day of judgment fearing neither sin nor shame laud to god and might and honour who with flowers of rosy dye crowned thy forehead and hath placed thee in the starry throne on high he direct us he protect us from death's sting eternally amen thirty two the lord and king of all things but yesterday was born and stephen's glorious offering his birth-tide shall adorn no pearls of orient splendour no jewels can he show but with his own true heart's blood his shining vestments glow come ye that love the martyrs and pluck the flowers of song and weave them in a garland for this our suppliant throng and cry o thou that shinest in grace's brightest ray christ's valiant proto martyr for peace and favour pray thou first of all confessors of all the deacon's crown of every following athlete the glory and renown make supplication standing before christ's royal throne that he would give the kingdom and for our sins atone st john the evangelist thirty three word supreme before creation born of god eternally who didst will for our salvation to be born on earth and die well thy saints have kept their station watching till thine hour drew nigh now tis come and faith espies thee like an eaglet in the morn one in steadfast worship eyes thee thy beloved thy latest born in thy glory he descries thee reigning from the tree of scorn he first hoping and believing did beside the grave adore latest he the warfare leaving landed on the eternal shore and his witness we receiving own thee lord for evermore much he asked in loving wonder of thy bosom leaning lord in that secret place of thunder answer kind didst thou accord wisdom for thy church to ponder till the day of dread lo heaven's doors lift up revealing how thy judgments earthward move scrolls unfolded trumpets pealing wine-cups from the wrath above yet o'er all a soft voice stealing little children trust and love thee the almighty king eternal father of the eternal word thee the father's word supernal thee of both the breath adored heaven and earth and realms infernal own one glorious god and lord amen the innocent's day thirty four all hail ye little martyrs flowers sweet rosebuds cut in dawning hours when herod sought the christ to find ye fell as bloom before the wind first victims of the martyr bands with crowns and palms in tender hands around the very altar gay and innocent ye seemed to play what profited this great offence what use was herod's violence a babe survives that dreadful day and christ is safely borne away all honour laud and glory be o jesu virgin born to thee all glory as is ever meet to father and to thirty five the hymn for conquering martyrs raise the victor innocents we praise whom in their woe earth cast away but heaven with joy received to-day whose angels see the father's face world without end and him his grace and while they chant unceasing lays the hymn for conquering martyrs raise a voice from rama was there sent a voice of weeping and lament when rachel mourned the children's care whom for the tyrant's sword she bare triumphal is their glory now whom earthly torments could not bow what time both far and near that went a voice from rama was there sent fear not o little flock and blest the lion that your life oppressed to heavenly pastures ever new the heavenly shepherd leadeth you who dwelling now on zion's hill the lamb's dear footsteps follow still by tyrant there no more distressed fear not o little flock and blest and every tear is wiped away by your dear father's hands for aye death hath no power to hurt you more whose own is life's eternal store who sow their seed and sowing weep in everlasting joy shall reap what time they shine in heavenly day and every tear is wiped away o city blest o'er all the earth who gloriest in the saviour's birth whose are his earliest martyrs dear by kindred and by triumph here none from henceforth may call thee small of rival towns thou passest all in whom our monarch had his birth o city blest o'er all the earth the circumcision of christ thirty six o happy day when first was poured the blood of our redeeming lord o happy day when first began his sufferings for sinful man just entered on this world of woe his blood already learned to flow his future death was thus expressed and thus his early love confessed from heaven descending to fulfil the mandates of his father's will e'en now behold the victim lie the lamb of god prepared to die lord circumcise our hearts we pray our fleshly natures purge away thy name thy likeness may they bear yea stamp thy holy image there o lord the virgin born to thee eternal praise and glory be whom with the father we adore and holy ghost for evermore amen thirty seven conquering kings their titles take from the lands they captive make jesu thine was given thee for a world thou madest free not another name is given a power possessing under heaven strong to call dead souls to rise and exalt them to the skies that which christ so hardly wrought that which he so dearly bought that salvation mortals say will ye madly cast away rather gladly for that name bear the cross endure the shame joyfully for him to die is not death but victory jesu if thou condescend to be called the sinner's friend ours the joy and glory be thus to make our boast of thee glory to the father be glory virgin born to thee glory to the holy ghost ever from the heavenly host amen End of Part 7 End of A Christmas Miscellany 2022