Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 303, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1915 — CHRISTMAS BELLES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CHRISTMAS BELLES

T““ “I HERE are Christmas bells I and bells. grJ The real Christmas bells rin K out only in the morning of the sacred day. The

other bells ring from morning until night. After which they jangle through one’s dreams. The Christmas doorbell is a great Institution. It is the busiest bell of the lot All day long the doorbell has pressing engagements. When the doorbell rings on Christmas day, everybody gives heed to its sweet sounds. And everybody rushes to the front door as if the house had caught on fire, and that was the nearest exit. The doorbell has in the family hopping as if they were so many trained ducks. There are two reasons why the Christmas doorbell is a welcome visitor when it jars upon the ear. In the first place, you know that no bills are going to be presented by the caller at the door. In the second place the doorbell may announce the arrival of a package. A sawed-off express wagon driver, with a chunky, holly-bound package under his arm, can get more attention on Christmas day than the governor of the state, surrounded by his military staff and preceded by a Chinese orchestra, playing “Tippelaly.” The package the expressman or mail carrier brings, is seized by a

dozen eager hands. It is strange how ready everybody is to help in relieving the deliveryman of his 12-ounce burden. Then the package is conveyed in state to the inspecting department It is opened with nervous anticipation, and there is great rejoicing when it proves to be a knitted muffler for father from Aunt Jessica. The muffler is as large as a young hammock, and is pinker than pa’s cheeks when we all insist that he try it on. If there is a grown-up daughter in the family, she beats all records getting to the door when, the-bell rings on Christmas day. If anybody beats her to the knob, It is not her fault, as she slid down the banister and took a flying leap, which was the best she could do without breaking bones. Sis expects the kind of presents which are not found in fireplaces after Santa Claus’ visit. She’s looking for bouquets of flowers, huge boxes of candy and other tokens of regard. Sometimes, though not very often, the bell ring announces a neatly wrapped wedding ring. The Christmas telephone bell is an important feature of the Yuletide. It rings Christmas tidings which formerly were sent on decorative cards, which, with their imitation snow, made handy match scratchers. The Christmas dinner bell—one at a time, please. Don’t all rush in «t once!