The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Acton free Press Wednesdoy A Christmas story My donkey Anna Belle All the exercise derived from stable games was still not the same as fresh air and sunshine so we added Walking the Donkey to our already overcrowded schedule Needless to say the donkey did not like to be walked Leading was a useless occupation to Anna Belle Any Forward tug on the halter produced the classic donkey pose of four legs braced and head outstretched So Anna Belle had to be pushed In reluctant sections All this took considerable energy especially when she added lying down to her protests and has to be rolled over and over with wee legs curled up until she would agree to rise She could be completely lifted off the ground in a lying position and her legs would stay tucked up under her body unlike a horse which would shoot its legs out We did work out a reasonably cooperative pattern a rope placed around Belle rump she could be pulled and led as one would train a new foal This was how our outward Journeys were accomplished Me with breaking arm and set expression Belle with ears back and stiff legs collecting neighborhood children like flies Silent Night In stillness of that Holy Night the Chriat Child was bom May the Iruo moaning of Christmas fill your and homo I INSURANCE CLAIMS SPEYS1DE AUTO 1 Acton No Peace on Earth Good Will to All is our hope at Christmas May you have a joyous celebration Jack Holmes Herb Arthur Jack Neil JACK HOLMES REAL ESTATE Acton 8531650 The homeward tourney was quite different Children would scramble up snowbanks as bene skipped and hopped toward her bam She usually managed to get faster and faster until she was ha ring along with me in tow trying to look as if I planned It all along Once near the barn she would become very reluctant again and have to be rolled down the two steps into the barn a most undignified entrance Moaus from barn Anna Belle voice is of immediate interest to visitors Does she brav yet m not sure what her bray should sound like but it t want from lack of trying Most of her attempts at communication consisted of long drawn out moans with a sobbing intake of breath at the end This was done with the tiny mouth open and tongue extended much in the manner of a strangling noise was used in greeting greeting me greeting the other horses greeting the dogs greeting the cats greeting the mils get the picture It was also used at feeding time when she was absolutely at death door from malnutrition Later she developed a variety of moans snorts grunts and sobs but once a classic haw Anyone who heard Belle talking doubled up with laughter and si their knees with delight I too smiled but somewhat sadly She tried so hard to suit and yet some quirk of birth the joy in her heart was transformed into the ridiculous The donkey is a jreat figure for fun and yet he has so much more dignity and independence than the horse So said to me Just what ire to DO with her which 1 repl I plan to love her a lot to be continued Best wishes from jungle writes nurse from Peru in her newly leirned Spanish She sends htr Christmas regards to friends slit made here when she was with the in this area Stic is now a nurse at 1 Peru in the Amazonian jungle where she day is a fascinating idvtnture She does vaccinations Indian villages travelling up down the river boat as well as supervising the Out department in the hospital The nurses residence she describes modern and comfortable except for the frogs in the showers Although it hot there is usually a She lus had a ten week course in Spanish and she managing in the new tongue There is another nurse there who speaks English Miss Kirkb left the Victorian Order of Nurses here joining as an overseas volunteer Its Christmas families gather round the friends exchange greetings and best wishes to all ACTON BOWLING LANES RUTH KEN AND STAFF BOXING DAY MONDAY LIMITED QUANTITIES SHOP EARLY FOR BEST ASSORTMENT NO HIGHWAY GEORGETOWN OPEN BOXING DAY 9 AM to 6 PM