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Christnas: With: Dickens fw, IGHTY-ONE years have passed since Charles Dickens gave to a delighted world the first of his far too few Christmas stories, whose ten- derness, humour, and great-hearted humanity made him the most beloved of British authors. It was in the autumn of 1843, when he was living with his young family in Devonshire Terrace, Regent's Park, that "A Christmas Carol, in Prose--being a Ghost story for Christmas," was written (like most of Dickens' work) at high pressure. At the time he was working on "Chuzzlewit"-- a race against time; but it was no less important that the "Carol" should make its appearance for Christmas. It was a direct appeal of heart to heart such as few, if any, could resist. Copies were sold in thousands, as fast as they could be produced; Dickens was deluged with letters from all parts of the world, full of gratitude and admiration. The manuscript of 'The Carol' has had many vicissi- tudes since Dickens presented it to his old school-fellow, Thomas Milton. Fifty years ago it was sold for $250 to a bookseller, Mr. Harvey, who resold it to George Churchill, acollector. In 1882 it changed hands again for $1,000; and a little later was sold for $1,500 to Stuart Samuel, of Kensington Palace Gardens. Of its later history nothing definite is known. On November 4, 1844, Dickens wrote the last word of "The Chimes," probably the most beau- tiful and best-loved of his Christmas stories, and, as he put down his pen and looked down from this study window on the waters of the Medi- rerranean, mirroring the blue Italian sky, the tears began to stream down his cheeks, and, resting his head on his hands, he "'sobbed like a child." Some minutes later he took up his pen again and wrote these words to his friend, John Forster: '"'Half past two, afternoon, Thank God! I have just finished "The Chimes." I take up my pen only to say that much and to add that I have had what women call a "real good cry." For weeks he had been writing at high pres- sure, "in a fever of inspiration." He had lived ES with and for his book; and as his pen flew over the sheets he laughed and cried with his char- acters, and generally, as he confessed, "behaved like an idiot." And when at last he had to say good-bye to them it was as though he stood by the graveside of loved ones. "Day after day," he says, "I was in my bath at seven o'clock and an hour later I was working at my desk, blazing away, resolutely and red-hot, for seven or eight hours at a stretch, until my hand refused to work any more. "T had almost finished the story, and, rack my brains as I would and did, I simply could not think of a title. Then one morning as I sat down at my desk, the bells of Genoa broke, as if by one consent, into a merry, almost deafen- ing peal; and I had it 'The Chimes!' 'The Chimes!' That was the very title I wanted, but could not find." A month after Dickens had wiped the tears off his eyes in Genoa he was reading "The Chimes" to a group of friends in his study in London, to such an accompaniment of laughter and tears as surely no book before had ever, and a week later all London was talking of the won- derful Christmas story and clamouring for copies. On the day of publication it is said 20,000 copies were sold, and before the year closed the book had added $7,500 to Dickens' bank balance. A little later the story was dramatised, and when the play was read to a group of actors, it is said, Macready and Gilbert a' Beckett were "so overcome with emotion that Mr. Forster o suspend the reading until they Thus week after week he was at his desk a dozen hours or more a day, exhausting himself and his nerves to a dangerous extent. And when he could write no more he would sally forth on long aimless walks through the London streets, covering a dozen or fifteen miles before, in the early hours of the morning, he sought his bed. "He never left home," we read, "before the owls went out, and led the most solitary of lives." And as with "The Chimes" a year later, as he wrote 'The Carol" he "laughed and wept again, and excited himself in the most extraordinary manner."' "The Carol' was quick to find its way into the hearts of the reading public. (REA ROA WRGA ORGA OR successful had his first two jpaper--the Daily News. Poon hoped to : rt a weekly paper, which he proposed to call & "Cricket" with the motto: 'A cheerful reature that chirrups on the hearth'; but as this was impossible with his hands so full, he wrote at a great expenditure of nervous energy, Beenristmas story which he dubbed the "Cricket on the Hearth," which, to his delight, proved as successful as its predecessors. a) Christmas Joy HE universal joy of Christmas is certainly wonderful. We ring the bells when princes are born, or toll a mournful dirge when great men pass away. Nations have their _red-Jetter days, their carnivals and festivals, "but once in the year and only once, the whole 'world stands still to celebrate the advent of a life. Only Jesus of Nazareth claims this world- came? " ' aa a : oor zs = wide, undying remembrance. You cannot cut Christmas out of the Calendar, nor out of the Gham Os NEST ask AGE pS Say eA "heart of the - Shopping Abroad at Christmas down in the show windows, king our lives, clothes and watchchain (you never get home with more than one of the three) and are lucky enough at that! getting through the cursing-scolding crowd inside; and trying to persuade the deeply offended shop NE would think that Christmas shopping and Christmas feeling would be (8) the same all over the earth where Christmas is celebrated. But they are, girls to let us have the parcels we paid for; why, even long before then we have lost whatever self-respect we used to possess. funnily enough, just as different for instance, as an Englishman and a In Berlin there is no rush, People move around very deliberately and calculate Frenchman. It seems as if the constant moving _ in their minds at every new discovery how much or not moving at all in crowds and the also _ cheaper they will be able to buy the thing during constant paying out of good money calls forth the sale in January. Consequently Christmas the most primitive instincts in people and makes shopping is a very steady-going affair, while in all nations revert to their own antediluvian _ January all thrifty German housewives fight selves during the month of Christmas shopping. like maenads to get the best bargains. Take New York for instance. We all know In England people become even more English they have tons of money and great gifts for than usual during December, Everybody moves advertising. We also know that when we worm in the crowd as if he were alone in the world, our way through their blazing city in electric there are more "Sorrys,"' more polite holding colors swarming with Santa Clauses driving real the doors for other people, more conventional imported reindeer and enter their stores, full of the most luxurious gifts to be had for millions, we can, with a good conscience kick and punch tradition to follow than at any other time of the year. ourselves to our caveman's heart content without re any risk of being ruder than any other people are. { In Paris people haven't got the physical 4 The festive season has not always been i strength of the Yankees, which makes them all the more vociferous. By the time we have associated with turkey, plum pudding, and the ; other dainties we now link up with it. But it een that Dickens set to work hinga | passed the scolding cursing army of children aged 1 to 70 years, queueing up to see "Zig and Puce" and other comic strip heroes bob up and } q has always been a time of good cheer. In the old days, however, the boar's head was the traditiona) Christmas dish. Hotel | Halevede PEVGVROESEGESVC PUREE VIOUS PeVsVVeTe Wishes all its Patrons a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year And announcing at the same time that we are providing a very attractive CHRISTMAS DINNER Friday, December 25th, 1931 12.30 to 2 p.m. FRANK SWAISLAND, MGR. Bagshaw Insurance Office UUVEUGEUSGE ES VEVVEVRESUEEERVERgesEgge INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE Fire, Sickness and Accident, Automobile, Plate Glass, Fidelity Bonds Liability and all other kinds of Insurance Representatives CONFEDERATION LIFE ASSOCIATION SERVICE and PROTECTION" Phone 48 P. O. Box 460 HOTEL HAILEYBURY HAILEYBURY USEFUL GIFT PERE EVEVGVEVV GOR EE GEES For MEN, WOMEN or CHILDREN MMM aaa St aaa ai aa BR There is nothing that will be more AS acceptable than is SOMETHING TO WEAR f:- aN Our Christmas Sale - enables yout to buy Gifts for all the family at (: prices that will surprise you Abraham & Company 4 FERGUSON AVE. HAILEY BURY Ne The Most Practical Gift ! A SINGER ELECTRIC VREUVEEVEVUP PEEVE VEE REE ReTEOEeeOSY When Singer made a time honored Sewing Machine a thing of beauty, the most practical of Gift Selec- tions became a token of good taste. There are eight Singer Electrics, including table models and conyenient portables. Arrange for delivery of a Machine on Christmas Eve with an appropriate Gift Certificate A. G. Gagnon Agency 119 MARCELLA STREET Convenient Terms arranged to suit the family budget. PHONE 170 RAIEB SS OR