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2 THE DAILY TIMES-GAZETTE, Wednesday, December 23, = | and ONTARIO REGIMENT ENTERTAINS CHILDREN AT PARTY Ontario Regiment were enter- tained at a merry Christmas par- ty. Here are some of the chil Santa Claus that they almost A gay scene was enacted at crowded the jolly old Saint right the Oshawa Armories when the dren, so anxious to be close to children of members of the | out of the picture. He is barel visible in the centre of the mh --Times-Gazette Staff Photo. At the Police station the sergeant was friendly. "Now we'll get your wife to stand bail for you, and you'll be free to go." The Vase (Continued from Page 21) The policeman undid the parcel WILLIE'S CHRISTMAS By JIM COLEMAN and raised his torch to get a better "I see. You bought a vase so could throw it in the river. think you'd better come along with me." Mr. Manchester swallowed h-rd. "If it's all right with you se at, I'd rather stay in prison ® The sergeant smiled a tight; pat- iept, smile. "Now you wouldn't Chris! Eve just sneaked up on Willie Meeker. The decorations in the little restaurants around the deserted race track had told him that it was the Christmas season but, when a man reaches Willie's age, the days slide by so swiftly and effortlessly that the pages dropping from the calendar sound only like the ticking of a clock. He was sitting in' the tack room, brewing a pot of coffee on his hot plate, when he heard The Boss's Cadillac purr to a stop at the end of the shedrow. Then, he heard the voices and the stamping as they kicked the snow from their overshoes--The Boss's voice deep and jovial and the girl's voice, fresh and confident. He had the tack-room door opeh as they reached it and The. Boss stood aside to let the girl enter first- The girl stood in the centre of the room and looked at her overshoes uncertainly. 'Don't wor- ry, Mam, said Willie quickly. "I'l just put some fresh news- want a police constable to miss his Christmas dinner just because you want to stay in jail, would you. We'll fetch your wife, and have you out in a jiffy." : Millie attacked the roast chicken viciously. . . . "Well, I must say LI never thought I'd be staring my Christmas dinner with a jail bird," she snorted, "Millicent my girl, you've been nursing a viper in your bosom," said Millie's mother darkly. The viper nervously adjusted his paper hat. "Intoxicated, that's what he must have been," wailed Millie. "It must have been that port. I don't know how I shall ever hold my head up' in this road again. And to think he didn't even buy me a Christmas present." ¢RRY HRISTMAS PARKWAY TELEVISION 918 Simcoe St. North Dial 3-3043 paper on the floor when you're one", 8 'Merry Christmas, Willie," said The Boss heartily and he dumped a bundle of parcels into the old man's arms. "Get the glasses, will you?" he added as he pulled a bottle out of the pocket of his camel hair overcoat. Willie deposited the parcels on his bed, moved to the medicine chest and pulled out three glasses. He picked up an empty milk bottle and went out to the tap at the end of the barn. He washed the three glasses carefully and he filled the bottle with cold clear water. When he came back, The Boss had taken off his overcoat because the electric heater did a good job of warming the tack- room. The girl was sitting on the big trumk, looking around her thoughtfully. The Boss poured three drinks,. filled the glasses with water and handed one to the girl. Willie picked up his own and the three of them gestured wordlessly be- fore they drank. "How are they?' asked The Boss, nodding towards the ad- jacent stalls. "Good," said Willie. "Good. Do you want to see them? I took the cradle off the two-year-old this Forning. The vet did a good job-- Those holes are in there just as neat as ever you'd see and they've healed enoug so's he won't try to lick them". The two men went out along the shedrow, opening each stall door and talking seriously as they peered into the light splashing from Willie's lamp. The girl didn't go with them: She sat there, smoking and staring straight ahead of her. Once her lips trembled but she was com- sed and clear-eyed when she eard their returning steps. "Open your parcels, Willie," and Happy Highway Traveling commanded The Boss when they were together again. Willie poured another drink for his two visitors and he opened the packages. There was a heavy muffler and. a pair of lined mitts. In the largest parcel was a fleece- station wagon coat. On the coat was Ritned an envelope, 'in which, Willie knew was the inevitable $100 bill. 'Thanks," said Willie simply. Yhe Boss brushed it aside and lifted his and said: "Here's luck to all of us." The girl butted her cigarette, stood up impulSively, took a half- and asked: "Won't you come have Christmas dinner with us tomorrow, Willie?" "No thank you, M'am," replied Willie. "I wouldn't feel right if I stayed away from the horses that | pe long. Besides, I've been living in tack-rooms for so long that I get nervous in houses." Then he added quickly: "but, it's nice of you-- real nice of you". The Boss was frowning and he was impatient to go but the girl fumbled in her bag for her pack- age of cigarettes. She was much younger than The Boss. She moved another - half-step closer to Willie. "Isn't there any place you want to go or any one you want to see at Christmas?" she asked. "No, M'am", he answered. "I'm sky here. "No one? she persisted. "No. Not now,' the old man re- plied evenly. They were ready te go and, as the girl stood in front of Willie, there was a fleet: would kiss . Instead, she held out her : "Merry Christmas, As the small hand slid out of his he felt the bank-note in his fingers. He was about to protest when something in her eyes told him to be still, He watched the, lights of the car as they drove away, the wheels y in the new snow. one for a long time left. He looked at the hand. It was another hundred. He took the first hundred out of Boss's envelope and put them together on the bed. He opened the trunk and pulled out a box of note-paper. He folded a piece of note-paper and put the two hundred-dollar bills carefully in the fold. Very slowly and la- boriously he addressed an enve- lope and sealed the money and the blank piece of paper inside. He opened a tin box, found a four cent stamp and put it om the envelope. He was wearing his new muffler and gloves and coat as he shuffled through the snow to the street. He looked for a mail-box and slipped the envelope Slough the slot. His steps were slow as he trudged back into the track and unlocked his Ted on. the, ¢ e turned on electric heater and then he went out again to instant when | open the door of each stall and peer in at his charges. Satisfied, he took off his clothes and crawled between the blankets on his cot. He pulled the cord that turned off the one light. He could hear the Christmas snow falling softly, very softly, on the roof. The two-year-old in the next stall pawed two or three times and settled down for the ngiht. In a few seconds, the young colt and old Willie Meeker were asleep. TTC SWITCHES TO TOKENS TORONTO (CP)--Tickets on city street cars and buses will be re- Placed in February with 10,000,000 okens which will also be valid for subway rides when the subway gins operating in March, it was announced by the Toronto Trans- portation Commission. In the Middle Ages, Christmas was a great church festival, cele- brated in medieval times by the King and his barons, by the cler- gy, and by practically nobody else. Gradually the observance be- came widespread and by the: time Henry VIII was on the throne of England, it wa§ a red letter day throughout the realm. Edward VI preserved its cus- toms with great lavishness, as did Queen Elizabeth during the latter part of her rule. It is recorded that James I (1603-1625) disliked the custom of serving a boar's head as the prin: cipal dish at the Christmas feast King James Started Popularity Of Turkeys Three Centuries Ago and he substituted turkey instead. Early English noblemen may have tried se at one time or an Tr, was really James I who started the elegant ue on the >, to a present gener: ularity as main item on the Christmas dinner menu. FIRE" DESTROYS CATTLE 'MARKHAM (CP)--Fire Tuesday night gutted a barn on the farm of Howard Larose, killing 41 head of cattle and al farm implements and tons of feed. Loss was estimated at $50,000. Wrestling Fans of Oshawa May you and yours enjoy the § best Yuletide Season ever and § may 1954 bring you good } health and prosperity, is the sincere wish-of . . YNN and JOYCE MILOSH Cth WEE XY Bry Ss J, o &. = SX, fs = % 2 fom SOR RE =P RK ER 2, J £J, 0 esis Chef TINKLING BELLS, holly wreaths, winter scenes with evergreens; logs on hearth, candles bright, lice faces - beam delight... these, to us, are all warm reminders that a very special time is here...s0 a very special wish io dot... May dis Hislidey Seas bring you abounding stores of good cheer, peace and happiness, Lr wey 42 5h sip 2 2 a PAPE E roby 2 23 From the Management and Staff of ... 9 KING EY WALMSL! ST. E and MAGILL OSHAWA, ONT. ba a a ed Ca aa fd ad ad alts h h h h ! J : b {