Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 62, Number 302, Decatur, Adams County, 23 December 1964 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1964 ~ ‘ ••■ ' 1’ -

iifill I I hihfil lAk f7ll •it a. 1 I ♦wW I I ''■ r 2-t this joyous time, when W» hope and good spirits are high, we express appreciation for your continued loyalty, and wish you the best of everything for Christmas as always. Thank you. BAKED PLUMBING and HEATING 704 W. Monroe St. Decatur, Ind. ./jSfc.. & 4nl * tff I J holiday would not be complete if we didn't announce our greetings and thanks to all our friends and patrons. Roth’s Radio & TV Service 104 N. 13th St. « ’ Decatur, Ind. ■■ ■'**■■ ■■*W". 1 u.i 1 ■ . JjffEfc < jKmmat- . *. ■ x 3£n>Tnt^'^w ! - jp. Jl a l * W>. WpR y/olzcfa</ ' ■ The holiday season is here ■. . . and in the midst of all the merrymaking, we’d like to. extend best wishes and greetings to our friends. DAVIDSON BROS. ill Wik zl\ II IrHHHHR 4jrS?&w frflM&Jj-NK y A,. z ■* - ®W> Warm and sincere greetings, from all of us to all of you, and many thanks, too. • BURKE INSURANCE SERVICE 239 N. 11th Street 5 Decatur, Ind.

® LITTLE & PEGGY RAPPED on the dishpan with the broken broom handle. “Hold it, everybody. Hold it’* They held it, Jimmy droning on in his almost-bass monotone and Susie’s creaking soprano as creaky as ever. Peggy rapped again. “I didn’t mean hold the note. I meant to be quiet. Everybody’s off-key. Jimmy, Susie, Ann, Billie, all of you. Settle down and let’s practice right or we’ll never be ready for Christmas caroling tomorrow night Come on, now, quiet the downing, please.” Jimmy stopped abruptly. “O.K. We’ll quit the clowning. But, let’s rest a minute. And, let’s be serious. In fact let’s have a meeting. Meeting is called to order. First order of business: the case of one Winkie, male, U.S. citizen, nine years old. Charge: wishes to *■ 1 r W/EIB WM v’flbiißiHßmTT’' The Carolers made their rounds on Christmas Eve. become a member of the Montrose Valley Carol Club. Fact No. I—too young, too young; fact No. 2—can’t sing, can’t sing; fact.. Disgust ** Peggy threw her broom handle aside in disgust “Stop it, Jimmy, ■will you? We’ve been all through this before. We’ve got nothing against Winkie, you know that.! But the rules do say that a mem*. ber has to be at least twelve years * old and be able to at least carry a tune. Winkie doesn’t qualify in Sither category. Why don’t you ust forget it?” “I’m a crusader, that’ why," Jimmy said. He retrieved the broom handle, stuck it in his belt, sword-fashion and struck the pose of a cavalier. “I cannot bear to see injustice, particularly during the happy holiday season. I will fight for the right of this young lad to join the carolers, to stand in their midst and be recognized, albeit he is acknowledged noi (budding Caruso.” He, too, tossed i the broom handle aside. “Now, I; ask you, all of you. What harml can it do? Where is your Christ* i mas spirit?” “We have the Christmas spirit," I 1 Ann challenged. “What do you think we are practicing these I carols for?" , Spotlight “Ha,” Jimmy responded. “You're here, all of you, because you like the spotlight You think you’re somebody when folks come to their doors to listen to your song and when they invite you in for a cup of hot chocolate. It’s great — you’re in the spotlight Don’t get me wrong. I like it, too. But, I think we’re being pretty snooty. Little Winkie is the only kid in the neighborhood old enough to walk that isn’t in this carol club. If he had a voice like a bullfrog, and would drown out the rest of us, I’d say keep him out. But, all he want£ is to tag along, just to be part of the group. I’d say we had made a good start toward a happy Christmas if we let him?’ Outside the garage door, little Winkie busied himself making a snowman. Welcome And then they were all in the garage doorway, beckoning. He ran toward them and was resoundly welcomed. They appeared gay, laughing ayd shouting. He couldn’t hear wh|t Jimmie said, but he knew it meant he had been accepted. Christmas Eve and happy carolers made their rounds, everywhere happily welcomed and received. Winkie kept the honored .Spot — out front — and his eyrt rolled happily as he attempted to imitate every movement and gesture of the other singers. The singing seemed to improve, house to house, and when the last carol was sung, the town mayor invited all the children in for hot chocplate and cookies, and when, they had finished eating, a round of carols concluded the evening. As they filed through the doorway, the mayor thanked each personally, and each returned the thanks, except Winkie. Winkie smiled. The mayor, a man accustomed to each night counting his blessings, later remarked to his wife that little Winkie exuded a great amount of charm and personality for a lad bom without the ability to speak a single word.

THR DECATUR DRIUX DEMPCRAT, DECATUR. INDIANA

t w|-b v -£... OS O As we greet tine Christmas season, it is with deepest gratitude that we - than|< our friends for their kind support, during the past year. BECATUR AUTO SUPPLY, INC 135 S. FIRST STREET DECATUR, IND. \\ yP© * - + w V »Ks '* CW A i. 21 Sifm£_Nujkt, kolij nujkt... <7/ope your Holiday begins and ends on the happiest of notes, with joy and peace for you, your family and friends. Merry Christmas! FRANZ ELECTRIC 317 WINCHESTER ST. PHONE 3-3781 - ' ' WiLw. Blessed be the Day of Christ's hirth, and may this Christmas season bring us all lasting joy and peace. THE COMMERCIAL PRINT SHOP 210 S. SECOND ST. ‘i ■. I -4 - JRr' 1-I ■JL. 1 wMALm/J • O F’ CjMMBFj - WAR, / **«x , <*w**-«**•-*'** *■» *-<-«>*» -*r*—. *“ •** — ---. itCri .~a a Joyful Christmas Joyful wishes and the very best of holiday happiness to our many friends. 9 SINGLETON ■AMO u 4 H SERVICE 11th & Adams Streets Decatur, Ind.

rpHE TRAIN rattled across the 1 Elkhorn Creek bridge and Woody Hansen casually noted that the creek was frozen solid, bank to bank- Like Anna has written, they Had suffered a real spell of cold weather around Grandview. It always turned cold at Christmas. He took his bag from the overhead rack and sat down with it in his lap. Five more minutes and the train would be at the station. Together they walked through the station and across the square. She stood there on the platform, proud and straight, oblivious of the snow that swirled about her, unashamed of the tears of joy that streamed down her face. Billy stood beside her, tall for his age, just as proud and straight. “Welcome home, Woodrow. We’ve missed you very much.” And she was in his arms. After a moment, he turned to his son. “Billy.” “Welcome home, dad. I’ve missed you, too.” , They walked through the station and across the square. The house looked the same, except inside. It had been recently painted. “In honor of your homecoming, dad,” Billy pointed out. “I’m sure of it, son. Now, how about sitting down. I’d like to talk to you for a minute.” Anna put an arm around each ©f them. "You men can talk while you trim the Christmas tree. It’s on the back porch. Will you get it, Billy?” “Sure, mom.” He paused in the doorway. “You don’t have to tell me anything dad. Mom has already told me. I know you never stole anything from old Mr. Smith and I know somehow we’ll prove you didn't. 0.K.? Let’s have a good Christmas." “O.K. Now fetch the tree like a good boy.” Visitors A few neighbors dropped by in the next couple of days, longtime old schoolmates. They brought Christmas gifts. They were friendly, yet Woody saw in their eyes the things Anna had written about. Woody found himself thinking more and more that it would always be like this and he didn’t like the idea at all. He felt even worse when the phone rang on the afternoon before Christmas. “Woody? Sheriff Cranston. I have something important to talk to you about. I can’t get away from the office. Can you get up here in an hour?” There were four men in the office, Sheriff Cranston, Mr. Wellington Smith, his former employer, and Dan Bailey, editor of the Grandview Gazette. These were solemn men, indeed. At least, Woody thought, they aren’t hypocrites. Dan Bailey spoke first. "Wqody, there’s a story about you on the front page of the Gazette. It won’t be on the streets until tomorrow morning. But we thought you might like to have a copy before then.” Christmas Mom Billy Hansen was first down the stairs come Christmas morning. He passed up the many gailywrapped packages and picked up the copy of the Grandview Gazette which had been carefully placed among his gifts. He began to read the story headlined “Christmas Gift.” It began: “Police in nearby Winchester have reported that a gunman seriously wounded in an attempted filling station holdup has made a beside confession admitting a series of robberies in the teicounty area, including, they say, holdup of Smith’s Service, Grandview, three years ago. A respected local citizen, Woodrow Hansen, ma’nager of the station, was convicted of the crime. The amount taken in the robbery was $2,000. Investigators found that Hansen had purchased a car earlier that day for cash, paying $1,950. He was unablp to account for the money, other than to say that he had saved it, in cash, to buy his family the new car for Christmas.’Sheriff Cranston said it is his belief that further investigation will completely clear ♦ Hansen ..." Later in the day, much later, the Hansens opened their gailywrapped Christmas presents -and paid host to the good citizens of Grandview.

*♦* nV WiW These bells ring out a note of thanks and our warmest holiday greetings. W. R. MORRIS GENERAL TRUCKING 429 Winchester St. Mrs. W. R. Morris Decatur, Ind. —■ j j Wl . — Writ® V-wWi X IK •/WjgSyX.cggSF WC wish to thank you for your good will and hope your Christinas is a merry one. MAZELIN'S COIN- OP LAUNDRY 633 N. 13th STREET . ~ je - .—uTo our loyal patrons We express sincerest appreciation. • Smith Pure Milk Co. 134 S. 13th STREET PHONE 3-3016 » , ■■■■., , I . ..... —... 1.. ... | II ■'■■■■ ■ HI ■» I. — ■ — ~l' - — - Jot|ous Jfe. UJ’snes star that guided WiM W/en to ChriitiMi joy and peace ever ikine for you. and yours in ad Jeep to corn*. REYNOLDS ELECTRIC

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