1
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,320
Speaker 1: On Christmas Day in the evening by Grace Louise Smith

2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:09,240
Richmond One. All the Fernald family go back to the

3
00:00:09,279 --> 00:00:13,560
old home for Christmas now every year. Last Christmas was

4
00:00:13,599 --> 00:00:16,679
the third on which Oliver and Edson, Ralph and Guy,

5
00:00:17,039 --> 00:00:20,640
Caroline and Nan were all at the familiar fireside as

6
00:00:20,679 --> 00:00:23,039
they used to be in the days before they were married.

7
00:00:23,879 --> 00:00:26,839
The wives and husbands and children go too when other

8
00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,679
family claims can be compromised with, and no one of them,

9
00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,399
down to Caroline's youngest baby, who was not a year

10
00:00:33,439 --> 00:00:36,520
old last Christmas, has sustained a particle of harm from

11
00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,920
the snowy journeys to northeaster Brook, tucked away though it

12
00:00:40,039 --> 00:00:44,000
is among the hills where the drifts are deep. Taking

13
00:00:44,039 --> 00:00:47,159
them altogether, they are quite a company, and as father

14
00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,159
and mother Fernald are getting rather well along in years,

15
00:00:50,359 --> 00:00:52,759
and such a house party means a good deal of preparation.

16
00:00:53,439 --> 00:00:57,479
Last year, their younger daughter Nan and her husband Sam Burnett,

17
00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,600
and their youngest son Guy and his wife of a

18
00:01:00,679 --> 00:01:04,400
year Margaret, went up to Northeasterbrook two days ahead of

19
00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,079
the rest to help with the finishing labors. Sam Burnett

20
00:01:08,159 --> 00:01:11,359
and Guy Fernald being busy young men all the year round,

21
00:01:11,799 --> 00:01:13,920
thought it great sport to get up into the country

22
00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,239
in the winter, and planned for a fortnight beforehand to

23
00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,760
be able to manage this brief vacation. As for Nan

24
00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,120
and Margaret, they are always the best of friends. As

25
00:01:24,159 --> 00:01:28,079
for father and mother, Fernald, I don't know, but this

26
00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:30,680
is the best part of the party, mused John Fernald,

27
00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,280
looking from one to another of them, and then at

28
00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,359
his wife as they sat together before the fireplace on

29
00:01:36,439 --> 00:01:39,400
the evening of the arrival. It was all over so

30
00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,439
quick last year, and you were all piling back to

31
00:01:42,519 --> 00:01:46,239
town to your offices in such a big hurry. You boys,

32
00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,319
Now we can have a spell of quiet talk before

33
00:01:49,359 --> 00:01:53,280
the fun begins. That suits us to a t eh. Mother,

34
00:01:54,599 --> 00:01:58,920
missus Fernald nodded, smiling, her hand held fast in guise,

35
00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:03,599
rested on his NaN's charming head with its modish dressing,

36
00:02:03,799 --> 00:02:06,920
lay against her shoulder. What more could a mother ask?

37
00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,319
Across the fireplace, Sam Burnett, most satisfactory of son in

38
00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,319
laws and Margaret guy's best beloved, who had made the

39
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,919
year one long honeymoon to him, so he declared, completed

40
00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,199
the little circle. There was much to talk about to

41
00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,520
begin with, there was everybody in Northeasterbrook to inquire after,

42
00:02:26,039 --> 00:02:29,039
and though Northeasterbrook is a very small village, it takes

43
00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:34,439
time to inquire after everybody. Quite suddenly, having asked solicitously

44
00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:37,000
concerning a very old woman who had nursed most of

45
00:02:37,039 --> 00:02:40,319
the Fernald children in their infancy and was always remembered

46
00:02:40,319 --> 00:02:42,919
by them with affection, it occurred to Nan to put

47
00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,360
a question which had been on her mind ever since

48
00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:49,280
she had come into town on the afternoon stage. Speaking

49
00:02:49,319 --> 00:02:51,960
of Aunt Eliza, Mother makes me think of the old

50
00:02:52,039 --> 00:02:54,719
church she used to talk so much about, liking to

51
00:02:54,719 --> 00:02:57,759
hear the bell ring ride up over her head next door.

52
00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,840
Does the bell ever ring these days? Or have cobwebs

53
00:03:01,879 --> 00:03:05,800
grown over the clapper? A shadow dropped upon Missus Fernald's

54
00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,879
bright face, but before she could speak, her husband answered

55
00:03:08,879 --> 00:03:11,639
for her. He was more than a little deaf, but

56
00:03:11,719 --> 00:03:16,479
he was listening closely and he caught the question. It's

57
00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,479
a miserable shame, Nancy, but that church hasn't had a

58
00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,840
door open since a year ago, last July, when the

59
00:03:21,879 --> 00:03:25,159
trouble burst out. We haven't had a service there since.

60
00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,400
Mother and I drive over to easterbrook when we feel

61
00:03:28,439 --> 00:03:31,400
like getting out, but that's not often come winter time.

62
00:03:32,159 --> 00:03:34,599
Being the only church building in this end of the township,

63
00:03:34,879 --> 00:03:38,360
it's pretty bad having it closed up. But there's the fuss.

64
00:03:38,919 --> 00:03:41,599
Folks can't agree what to do, and nobody dares get

65
00:03:41,639 --> 00:03:43,639
a preacher here and try to start things up on

66
00:03:43,719 --> 00:03:47,520
their own responsibility. But we feel it, we sure do.

67
00:03:48,439 --> 00:03:50,280
I don't like to look at the old meeting house

68
00:03:50,479 --> 00:03:54,199
going by, I declare, I don't. It looks lonesome to me.

69
00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,280
And there's where every one of you children grew up too,

70
00:03:57,759 --> 00:04:00,800
sitting there in the old family pew with your legs dangling.

71
00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:06,400
It's too bad, it's too bad. It's Barbara's guy, exclaimed

72
00:04:06,439 --> 00:04:09,159
in a tone of disgust. And all over nothing of

73
00:04:09,199 --> 00:04:12,240
any real consequence, sighed missus Vernald in her gentle way.

74
00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,439
We would have given up our ideas gladly for the

75
00:04:15,479 --> 00:04:18,240
sake of harmony. But there were so many who felt

76
00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,560
it necessary to fight to have their own way and

77
00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,439
feel that way still, I suppose, suggested Sam Burnet cheerfully.

78
00:04:25,959 --> 00:04:28,079
There's a whole lot of that feeling it's necessary to

79
00:04:28,079 --> 00:04:31,639
fight in the world. I've experienced it myself at times.

80
00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,160
They talked about it for a few minutes, the younger

81
00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,079
men rather enjoying the details of the quarrel, as those

82
00:04:38,079 --> 00:04:40,560
may who are outside of an affair sufficiently far to

83
00:04:40,639 --> 00:04:44,360
see its inconsistencies and humors. But it was clearly a

84
00:04:44,399 --> 00:04:47,240
subject which gave pain to the old people. And Guy

85
00:04:47,519 --> 00:04:50,439
perceiving this, was about to divert the talk into pleasanter

86
00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,600
channels when Nan gave a little cry. Her eyes were

87
00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,439
fixed upon the fire, as if she saw there something

88
00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:01,800
startling people. Let's open the church ourselves and have a

89
00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:06,439
Christmas Day service there. They stared at her for a moment,

90
00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,800
thinking her half dreaming, but her face was radiant with

91
00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,319
the light of an idea which was not an idle dream.

92
00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,600
Guy began to laugh, and expect the rival factions to

93
00:05:16,639 --> 00:05:20,040
come flocking peaceably in like lamps to the fold. I

94
00:05:20,079 --> 00:05:23,959
think I see them. Ignore the rival factions. Have a

95
00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,120
service for everybody, a real Christmas service, with holly and

96
00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:32,720
ropes of green, and a star, and music and a sermon.

97
00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:37,720
She ended a little more doubtfully. The sermon, by all means,

98
00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,360
quoth Sam Burnett, preach Adam, when once you've caught em,

99
00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,560
they'll enjoy that. We all do. But it's really a

100
00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,759
beautiful idea, said Margaret, her young face catching the glow

101
00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,959
from NaN's. I don't see why it couldn't be carried out,

102
00:05:53,079 --> 00:05:56,439
of course, you don't, guy spoke decidedly. If people were

103
00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,920
all like you, there wouldn't be any quarrels. But unfortunately

104
00:06:00,079 --> 00:06:03,079
they are not. And when I think of the Tomlinsons

105
00:06:03,079 --> 00:06:06,360
and the Frasers, and the Hills and the Pollocks all

106
00:06:06,399 --> 00:06:08,680
going in at the same door for a Christmas Day's

107
00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:15,240
service under that roof, well, he gave a soft, long whistle.

108
00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,519
It rather strains my imagination. Not that they aren't all

109
00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,160
good people, you know. Oh yes, if they weren't, they'd

110
00:06:23,199 --> 00:06:25,079
knock each other down in the street and have it

111
00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,759
over with a splendid thing. It would be too, But

112
00:06:29,439 --> 00:06:33,800
I tell you it strains my imagination. To let it

113
00:06:33,879 --> 00:06:36,800
strain it. It's a good thing to exercise the imagination

114
00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,560
now and then that's the way changes come. I don't

115
00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,319
think the ideas are such a bad one myself. Sam

116
00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,800
Barnett spoke seriously, and Nan gave him a grateful glance.

117
00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,920
She was pretty sure of Sam's backing in most reasonable things,

118
00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:55,240
and a substantial backing it was to have too. Who

119
00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:59,439
could conduct such a service, Missus Fernald asked thoughtfully, you

120
00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,240
couldn't get anybody out to church on Christmas morning? Broke

121
00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,560
in mister Fernald, chuckling. Heaveny mother's daughter of them will

122
00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,680
be blasting her Christmas turkey. Then have it Christmas evening?

123
00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,560
Why not? The day isn't over. Nobody knows what to

124
00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,839
do Christmas evening except go to dances, and there's never

125
00:07:16,879 --> 00:07:19,839
a dance in northeaster Brook. Whom can we get to

126
00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:24,839
lead it? Well? Nan paused, thinking it out. Her eyes

127
00:07:24,959 --> 00:07:27,759
roamed from Sam to her father's and from there on

128
00:07:27,839 --> 00:07:30,079
around the circle. While they all waited for her to

129
00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:35,040
have an inspiration. Nobody else had one, presently, as they expected,

130
00:07:35,319 --> 00:07:38,399
for Nan was a resourceful young person. Her face lighted

131
00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:42,199
up again. She gazed at Margaret smiling, and her idea

132
00:07:42,279 --> 00:07:45,759
seemed to communicate itself to Guy's wife. Together they cried

133
00:07:45,879 --> 00:07:51,600
in one breath, Billy Billy, whoop bee. Guy threw back

134
00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,319
his head and roared with delight at the notion the

135
00:07:54,439 --> 00:07:58,000
Reverend Billy of Saint John's coming up to Northeasterbrook to

136
00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,720
take charge of a Christmas evening's service. Why Billy'll be

137
00:08:01,759 --> 00:08:03,959
dining in purple and fine linen at the home of

138
00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:08,680
one of his multi millionaire parishioners, the Edgecombs, most likely.

139
00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:13,439
I think they adore him most Billy, why don't you

140
00:08:13,439 --> 00:08:18,680
ask the bishop himself? Margaret flushed brightly. The Reverend William

141
00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:22,000
Seawall was her brother. He might be the very manly

142
00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,279
and dignified young rector of a fashionable city church, but

143
00:08:25,399 --> 00:08:27,279
no man who answers to the name of Billy in

144
00:08:27,319 --> 00:08:30,720
his own family can be a really formidable personage. And

145
00:08:30,839 --> 00:08:35,159
he and his sister Margaret were undeniably great chums. Of course,

146
00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:38,759
Billy would cried Margaret. You know perfectly well he would,

147
00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,919
Guy dear. He doesn't care a straw about millionaire's dinners.

148
00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,240
He'd rather have an evening with his newsboy's club any time.

149
00:08:46,919 --> 00:08:49,720
He has his own service Christmas morning, of course, but

150
00:08:49,799 --> 00:08:52,679
in the evening he could come up on the afternoon train.

151
00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,879
He'd love to. Why Billy's a bachelor. He's nothing in

152
00:08:56,919 --> 00:08:59,879
the world to keep him. I'll telephone him first thing

153
00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:03,240
in the morning. From this point on, there was no

154
00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:06,960
lack of enthusiasm. If Billy Seawell was coming to Northeasterbrook.

155
00:09:07,159 --> 00:09:10,519
As sam Burnett remarked, it was time to get interested

156
00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:16,000
and busy. They discussed everything excitement, mounting, the music, the

157
00:09:16,039 --> 00:09:19,879
trimming of the church, then more prosaically, the cleaning and

158
00:09:19,919 --> 00:09:23,600
warming and lighting of it. Finally the making known to

159
00:09:23,639 --> 00:09:26,960
Northeasterbrook the news of the coming event. For nothing less

160
00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,600
than an event it was sure to be to Northeasterbrook

161
00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,360
put a notice in the post office, advised guy, comfortably

162
00:09:34,399 --> 00:09:37,639
crossing his legs and grinning at his father, until Aunt

163
00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:41,759
Eliza and Miss Jane Pollock and the thing is done, Sam,

164
00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:43,960
I think I see you spending the next two days

165
00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,919
at the top of ladders hanging greens. I have a

166
00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:49,320
dim and hazy vision of you on your knees before

167
00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:51,559
that stove that always used to smoke when the wind

168
00:09:51,639 --> 00:09:54,080
was in the east, the one in the left corner,

169
00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:57,600
praying to it to quit fussing and draw a nice,

170
00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:01,879
RESTful Christmas vacation you'll have. Sam Burnett looked at his wife.

171
00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,440
She's captain, said he. If she wants to play with

172
00:10:05,519 --> 00:10:08,200
the old meeting house play, she shall, so long as

173
00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,879
she doesn't ask me to preach the sermon, you old dear,

174
00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:15,600
murmured Nan, jumping up to stand behind his chair, her

175
00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,279
two pretty arms encircling his stout neck from the rear.

176
00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:21,720
You could preach a better sermon than lots of ministers

177
00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:27,679
if you are only an upright old bank cashier. Doubtless, Nancy, doubtless,

178
00:10:27,759 --> 00:10:30,759
murmured Sam pleasantly. But as it will take the wisdom

179
00:10:30,799 --> 00:10:33,279
of a solomon, the tact of a pall, and the

180
00:10:33,279 --> 00:10:35,879
eloquence of the Almighty himself to preach a sermon on

181
00:10:35,919 --> 00:10:39,120
the present occasion that will divert the Tomlinsons and the Frasers,

182
00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:41,879
the Hills and the Pollocks from glaring at each other

183
00:10:41,879 --> 00:10:45,000
across the pews. I don't think I'll apply for the job.

184
00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,600
Let Billy see, we'll tackle it. There's one thing about it.

185
00:10:49,039 --> 00:10:51,240
If they get to fighting in the aisles, Billy'll leap

186
00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:53,799
down from the pulpit, roll up his sleeves and pull

187
00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:57,679
the combatants apart. A yourile religion is Billy's, and I

188
00:10:57,799 --> 00:11:03,679
rather think he's the man for the hour. Two Hi

189
00:11:03,759 --> 00:11:06,679
there all, why not get something done with that hammer?

190
00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:09,440
Don't you see the edge of that pulpit stair carpeting

191
00:11:09,519 --> 00:11:12,559
is all frazzled the preacher catch his toes in it,

192
00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:16,639
and then where all his ecclesiastical dignity be. The slave

193
00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,039
driver was guy shouting down from the top of a

194
00:11:19,039 --> 00:11:21,960
tall step ladder, where he was busy screwing into place

195
00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:24,919
the freshly cleaned oil lamps whose radiance was to be

196
00:11:24,919 --> 00:11:28,159
depended upon to illumine the ancient interior of the northeaster

197
00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:33,200
Brook Church. He addressed his eldest brother Oliver, who, in

198
00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:36,080
his newness to the situation and his consequent lack of

199
00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:40,240
sympathy with the occasion, was proving an indifferent worker. This

200
00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:44,039
may have been partly due to the influence of Oliver's wife, Marian, who,

201
00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,679
sitting in Russian sables in one of the middle pews,

202
00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:51,240
was doing what she could to depress the laborers. The

203
00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:53,960
number of these, by the way, had been reinforced by

204
00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:58,240
the arrival of the entire fernal the clan to spend Christmas.

205
00:11:58,519 --> 00:12:01,919
Your motive is undoubtedly a good one, Missus, Oliver conceded.

206
00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,200
She spoke to Nan, busy near her, and she gazed

207
00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,200
critically about the shabby old balls, now rapidly assuming a

208
00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,679
quite different aspect as the great ropes of Laurel Leaves

209
00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,159
swung into place under the direction of Sam Burnett. That

210
00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:19,720
young man now had Edson Fernald and Charles Westmore, Caroline's husband,

211
00:12:19,879 --> 00:12:21,960
to assist him, and he was making the most of

212
00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:25,000
his opportunity to order about two gentlemen who had shown

213
00:12:25,039 --> 00:12:28,559
considerable reluctance to remove their coats, but who were now,

214
00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:32,039
to his satisfaction, perspiring so freely that they had some

215
00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:34,879
time since reached the point of casting aside still other

216
00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:40,399
articles of apparel. But I shall be much surprised, missus

217
00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:44,279
Oliver continued, if you attain your object. Nobody can be

218
00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,879
more obstinate in their prejudice than the people of such

219
00:12:46,879 --> 00:12:50,120
a tiny place as this. You may get them out,

220
00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,240
though I doubt even that, but you are quite as

221
00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:55,679
likely as not to set them by the ears and

222
00:12:55,720 --> 00:13:00,639
simply make matters worse. It's Christmas, replied Nan. Her cheeks

223
00:13:00,639 --> 00:13:02,600
were the color of the holly berries in the great

224
00:13:02,639 --> 00:13:05,159
rea she was arranging to place on either side of

225
00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,440
the wall behind the pulpit. They can't quarrel at Christmas,

226
00:13:08,799 --> 00:13:11,600
not with Billy Sewall preaching peace on earth, good will

227
00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:15,039
to men to them. Jessica, please hand me that wire

228
00:13:15,279 --> 00:13:18,919
and come hold this wreath a minute, will you? Nobody

229
00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,200
expects Marian to be on any side but the other one,

230
00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:26,000
consolingly whispered merry face to Jessica Edson's wife Lucky Fellow,

231
00:13:26,399 --> 00:13:28,600
as she held the wreath for Nan to fix the wire?

232
00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,720
What's this about Seawell, Oliver inquired, I hadn't heard of that.

233
00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:36,080
You don't mean to say sea Wall's coming up for

234
00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:39,879
this service? Of course he is. Margaret telephoned him this

235
00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,360
morning and he said he'd never had a Christmas present

236
00:13:42,399 --> 00:13:45,120
equal to this one. He said it interested him a

237
00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,960
lot more than his morning service in town, and he'd

238
00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:52,000
be up loaded. Isn't that fine of Billy? Nan beamed

239
00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:56,519
triumphantly at her oldest brother over her holly wreath. That

240
00:13:56,639 --> 00:13:59,480
puts a different light on it. And mister Oliver Fernald,

241
00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,080
present of the Great City Bank of which Sam Burnett

242
00:14:02,159 --> 00:14:04,759
was Cashier, got promptly down on the knees of his

243
00:14:04,879 --> 00:14:08,480
freshly pressed trousers and proceeded to tack the frazzled edge

244
00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,840
of the pulpit stair carpet with interest and skill. That

245
00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,320
stair carpet had been tackled by a good many people

246
00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,200
before him, but doubtless it had never been stretched into

247
00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,200
place by a man whose eye glasses sat astride of

248
00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:25,879
a nose of the impressive presidential mold of this one.

249
00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,559
Do I understand that you mean to attempt music? Missus

250
00:14:29,559 --> 00:14:32,720
Oliver seemed grieved at the thought. There are several good

251
00:14:32,759 --> 00:14:35,679
voices in the family, of course, but you haven't had

252
00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:39,159
time to practice any Christmas music together. You will have

253
00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:43,600
merely to sing hymns. Fortunately, some of the old hymns

254
00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:47,000
are Christmas music of the most exquisite sort. Began Nan,

255
00:14:47,519 --> 00:14:50,279
trying hard to keep her temper, a feat which was

256
00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,200
apt to give her trouble when Marian was about. But

257
00:14:53,559 --> 00:14:56,080
at a moment, as if to help her up in

258
00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,399
the old organ loft at the back of the church,

259
00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:02,360
Margaret began to sing. Everybody looked up in delight, for

260
00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,200
Margaret's voice was the pride of the family, and with reason.

261
00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:09,039
Somebody was at the organ, the little reed organ. It

262
00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:12,720
proved to be Caroline, Missus Charles Wetmore. For a moment

263
00:15:12,759 --> 00:15:16,080
the notes rose harmoniously. Then came an interval, and the

264
00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,080
organ wailed. There was a shout of protest from the

265
00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:23,080
top of Guy's step ladder, cut it out, cut out

266
00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:27,200
the steamed calliope unless you won a burlesque. That organ

267
00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,919
hasn't been tuned since the deluge, and they didn't get

268
00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:33,320
all the water out. Then I won't hit that key again,

269
00:15:33,559 --> 00:15:38,960
called Caroline. Listen, you people, listen. You can't help listening.

270
00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,840
When a cat yowls on the back fence, retorted guy,

271
00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,480
go it alone, Margaret, girl. But the next instant nobody

272
00:15:46,519 --> 00:15:49,840
was jeering, for Margaret's voice had never seemed sweeter. From

273
00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:54,000
the old choir loft over the hills of Bethlehem, lighted

274
00:15:54,039 --> 00:15:57,799
by a star, wise men came with offerings from the

275
00:15:57,879 --> 00:16:01,960
east afar. It took them all, working until late on

276
00:16:02,039 --> 00:16:04,519
Christmas Eve, to do all that was needed to be done.

277
00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,720
Once their interest was aroused, nothing short of the best

278
00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,519
possible would contend to them. But when at last Nan

279
00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,919
and Sam, lingering behind the others, promising to see that

280
00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,360
the fires were safe, stood together at the back of

281
00:16:17,399 --> 00:16:20,120
the church for a final survey, they felt that their

282
00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:23,279
work had been well worth while. All the lights were

283
00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:25,559
out but one on either side of the dim interior

284
00:16:26,039 --> 00:16:28,759
with its ropes and wreaths of green fragrant with the

285
00:16:28,799 --> 00:16:31,639
woodsy smell which veiled, the musty one, inevitable in a

286
00:16:31,679 --> 00:16:34,960
place so long closed, seemed to have grown beautiful with

287
00:16:35,039 --> 00:16:39,480
a touch other than that of human hands. Don't you believe, Sammy,

288
00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:43,360
questioned Nan, with her tired cheek against her husband's broad shoulder.

289
00:16:43,919 --> 00:16:46,519
The poor old meeting house is happier to night than

290
00:16:46,559 --> 00:16:49,879
it has been for a long, long while. I think

291
00:16:49,879 --> 00:16:52,799
it should be returned, Sam Burnett, falling in with his

292
00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,519
wife's mood. If after a year and a half of

293
00:16:55,559 --> 00:16:58,919
cold starvation, somebody had suddenly warmed me and fed me

294
00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:02,000
and made me hold up my head again. It does

295
00:17:02,039 --> 00:17:04,519
look pretty well, much better than I should have thought

296
00:17:04,519 --> 00:17:07,400
it could when I first saw it in its barrenness.

297
00:17:07,759 --> 00:17:10,279
I wonder what the northeaster Brook people are thinking about this,

298
00:17:10,799 --> 00:17:14,000
That's what I wonder. Do you suppose the Tomlinsons and

299
00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,279
the Pollocks and the rest of them have talked about

300
00:17:16,319 --> 00:17:20,799
anything else to day? Not much else? Nan smiled contentedly.

301
00:17:21,319 --> 00:17:25,319
Then suddenly, oh, Sam, the presents aren't all tied up.

302
00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,480
We must hurry back. This is the first Christmas Eve

303
00:17:28,519 --> 00:17:30,880
I can remember when the rattling of tissue paper wasn't

304
00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:34,279
the chief sound in the air. If this goes off

305
00:17:34,319 --> 00:17:37,519
all right, mused Burnett as he examined the stoves once

306
00:17:37,559 --> 00:17:40,519
more before putting out the lights. It'll be the biggest

307
00:17:40,559 --> 00:17:45,240
Christmas present Northeasterbrook ever had peace and good will Jove.

308
00:17:45,319 --> 00:17:48,359
But they need it, and so do we all, So

309
00:17:48,559 --> 00:17:55,039
do we all three there go pretty near every one

310
00:17:55,039 --> 00:17:58,000
of the fernolds down to the station land. But there's

311
00:17:58,039 --> 00:18:00,839
a lot of em counting the children. I suppose they're

312
00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,599
going to meet Guy's wife's brother that they've got up

313
00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,200
here to lead these Christmas doings to night. Queer idea

314
00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:11,720
strikes me. Miss Jane Pollock, ensconced behind the thick lace

315
00:18:11,759 --> 00:18:15,000
curtains of her best parlor, addressed her sister, who lay

316
00:18:15,039 --> 00:18:17,599
on the couch in the sitting room, behind an invalid

317
00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:20,160
who could seldom get out, but to whom Miss Jane

318
00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:24,079
was accustomed faithfully to report every particle of current news.

319
00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,839
I suppose they think Miss Jane went on with asperity.

320
00:18:28,319 --> 00:18:30,519
They're going to fix up the fuss in that church

321
00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:33,640
with their greens and their city minister preaching brotherly love.

322
00:18:34,519 --> 00:18:36,599
I can't tell him he'll have to preach a pretty

323
00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:40,039
powerful sermon to reach Old George, Tomlinson and oz Of

324
00:18:40,079 --> 00:18:42,920
frasier and make em notice each other as they pass by.

325
00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:45,880
And when I see Maria Hill coming toward me with

326
00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,359
a smile on her face and her hand out, I'll

327
00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:53,079
know something's happened. I don't suppose, said the invalid sister

328
00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:57,079
rather timidly from her couch. You would feel, sister, as

329
00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:00,599
if you could put your hand out to her first. No,

330
00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:04,880
I don't, retorted miss Jane very positively, And I don't

331
00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,839
see how you can think it, Deborah. You know perfectly

332
00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,359
well it was Maria Hill that started the whole thing

333
00:19:11,039 --> 00:19:12,880
and then talked about me as if I was the

334
00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:18,000
one how that woman did talk and talks. Yet, don't

335
00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,240
get me thinking about it. It's Christmas Day and I

336
00:19:21,319 --> 00:19:23,920
want to keep my mind off such disgraceful things as

337
00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,920
church quarrels. If the Fernald family'll let me a pretty

338
00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,640
bold thing to do, I call it, open up that

339
00:19:30,759 --> 00:19:34,079
church on their own responsibility and expect folks to come

340
00:19:34,279 --> 00:19:37,680
and forget the past. Debby, I wish you could see

341
00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,680
Oliver's wife in those furs of hers. She holds her

342
00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,079
head as high as ever, but she's the only one

343
00:19:43,079 --> 00:19:45,799
of 'em that does it disagreeably. I'll say that for

344
00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:49,480
em if they are all city folks now, And of

345
00:19:49,519 --> 00:19:52,839
course she isn't a Fernald. Here comes Nancy and her husband.

346
00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:55,440
That girl doesn't look a minute older when she was

347
00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:58,799
married five years ago. My, but she's got a lot

348
00:19:58,799 --> 00:20:01,519
of style. I I must say, her skirt stone hang

349
00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:06,160
like any Northeasterbrook dressmaker can make em. They're walking hurrying

350
00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,599
up to catch the rest. Sam Burnet's a good looking man,

351
00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,880
but he's getting a little stout, Jane, said the invalid

352
00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:18,480
sister wistfully. I wish I could go to night. Well,

353
00:20:18,559 --> 00:20:21,799
I wish you could, that is, if I go. I

354
00:20:21,839 --> 00:20:24,440
haven't just made up my mind. I wonder if folks

355
00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,079
will sit in their old pews. You know, the hills

356
00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,839
is just in front of ours. But as to your going, Deborah,

357
00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,480
of course that's out of the question. I suppose I

358
00:20:33,519 --> 00:20:36,400
shall go. I shouldn't like to offend the Fernalds. And

359
00:20:36,519 --> 00:20:39,599
they do, say Guve's wife's brother is worth hearing. They'll

360
00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:44,720
be music too. I wish I could go, sighed poor

361
00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,079
Deborah under her breath. To be able to go, and

362
00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:52,519
to wonder whether you will, Oh Lord. She closed her

363
00:20:52,519 --> 00:20:55,960
patient eyes and whispered it make them all choose to

364
00:20:56,039 --> 00:21:00,720
go to Thy house this Christmas day, and to thank

365
00:21:00,799 --> 00:21:03,119
THEE that the doors are open, and that they have

366
00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:06,440
the strength to go, and help me to bear it

367
00:21:07,039 --> 00:21:14,920
to stay home. Four. The problem is, said the Reverend

368
00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:17,200
William Sewell, standing at the back of the church with

369
00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,599
his sister Margaret and Guy Fernald, her husband, and Nan

370
00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:24,000
and Sam Barnett, the four who had as yet no children,

371
00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:27,119
and so could best take time on Christmas afternoon to

372
00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,559
make the final arrangements for the evening. The problem is

373
00:21:30,759 --> 00:21:33,440
to do the right thing to night. It would be

374
00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,079
so easy to do the wrong one. Am I the

375
00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:38,319
only man to stand in that pulpit? And is it

376
00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:42,599
all up to me? He regarded the pulpit as he spoke, richly,

377
00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:46,240
hung with Christmas greens, and seeming eagerly to invite an occupant.

378
00:21:47,279 --> 00:21:50,279
I should say, observed his brother in law Guy, his

379
00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:52,880
face full of affection and esteem for the very admirable

380
00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,799
figure of a young man who stood before him. That

381
00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,000
a fellow who's just pulled off the sort of service

382
00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:00,519
we know you had at Saint John's this morning, wouldn't

383
00:22:00,519 --> 00:22:05,319
consider this one much of a stunt. Seawell smiled. Somehow.

384
00:22:05,319 --> 00:22:08,200
This strikes me as the bigger one. Said he. The

385
00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,680
wisest of my old professors used to say that the

386
00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:13,400
further you got into the country, the less it mattered

387
00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,759
about your clothes, and the more about your sermon. I've

388
00:22:16,799 --> 00:22:19,559
been wondering all the way up if I knew enough

389
00:22:19,559 --> 00:22:22,720
to preach that sermon. Isn't there any minister in town,

390
00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:27,400
not even a visiting one, not a one you can't

391
00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:29,720
get out of it, Billy Sewell, if you've got an

392
00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:33,960
attack of stage fright, which we don't believe, there is

393
00:22:34,079 --> 00:22:37,480
one minister, Nan admitted, But I'd forgotten all about him

394
00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:40,720
till father mentioned him last night. But he doesn't really

395
00:22:40,759 --> 00:22:47,279
count at all. He's old, very old, and infirm, super annuated,

396
00:22:47,279 --> 00:22:50,799
they call it, added Sam Bournett, poor old chap. I've

397
00:22:50,799 --> 00:22:53,319
seen him. I met him at the post office this morning.

398
00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:56,960
He has a peaceful face. He's a good man. He

399
00:22:57,039 --> 00:23:00,680
must have been a strong one in his time. Had

400
00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:03,480
he anything to do with the church trouble, Sewell demanded

401
00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:08,400
his keen brown eyes eager Nan, and guy laughed, Old

402
00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:11,440
elder Blake, not except as he was on his knees

403
00:23:11,599 --> 00:23:15,200
alone at home, praying for the fighters. Both sides, was

404
00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:19,480
Guy's explanation, so father says, and nobody knows better what

405
00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:23,279
side people were on. If I can get hold of

406
00:23:23,279 --> 00:23:25,119
a man whose part in the quarrel was praying for

407
00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,480
both sides, I'm off to find him, said Sewall decidedly.

408
00:23:29,079 --> 00:23:31,480
He picked up his hat as he spoke, and tell

409
00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:35,920
me where he lives, please, Billy. His sister Margaret's voice

410
00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:39,279
was anxious. Are you sure you'd better? Perhaps it would

411
00:23:39,279 --> 00:23:41,440
be kind to ask him to make a prayer, but

412
00:23:41,519 --> 00:23:45,119
you won't. You won't ask him to preach the sermon,

413
00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:49,240
Billy Sewall promise us that an old man in his dottage.

414
00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:54,000
Sewall smiled again, starting towards the door. Somehow, he did

415
00:23:54,039 --> 00:23:55,680
not look like the sort of fellow who could be

416
00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:58,200
easily swayed from an intention once he had formed it,

417
00:23:58,759 --> 00:24:01,680
or be forced to make promise until he was ready.

418
00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:04,640
You've got me up here, said he. Now you'll have

419
00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:08,359
to take the consequences. Where did you say Elder Blake lives?

420
00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:13,039
And he departed. Those behind stared at one another in dismay.

421
00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:18,079
Keep cool, advised Sam Bournett. He wants the old man's advice,

422
00:24:18,319 --> 00:24:21,640
That's all I don't blame him. He wants to understand

423
00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:24,960
the situation thoroughly. Nothing like putting your head into a

424
00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:28,079
thing before you put your foot in. It saves complications.

425
00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:37,079
Seewell's Head's level. Trust him five. I can't, said a

426
00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,680
very old man with a peaceful face, now wearing a

427
00:24:39,759 --> 00:24:43,759
somewhat startled expression. I can't quite believe you are serious,

428
00:24:43,759 --> 00:24:47,279
mister Sewell. The people are all expecting you. They will

429
00:24:47,279 --> 00:24:50,559
come out to hear you. I've not preached for he

430
00:24:50,559 --> 00:24:54,599
hesitated for many years. I will not say that it

431
00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:58,039
would not be a happiness if I thought I were fit.

432
00:24:58,519 --> 00:25:02,599
But if I were half this fit, answered Sewall gently,

433
00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:08,039
I should be very proud. But I'm why. I'm barely seasoned.

434
00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:11,160
Yet I'm liable to warp if I'm exposed to the weather.

435
00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:14,680
But you, with all the benefit of your long experience,

436
00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,079
you're the sort of timber that needs to be built

437
00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:20,720
into this strange Christmas service. I hadn't thought much about it,

438
00:25:20,759 --> 00:25:23,880
mister Blake, till I was on my way here. I

439
00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:27,039
accepted the invitation too readily. But when I did begin

440
00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:30,319
to think, I felt the need of help. I believe

441
00:25:30,319 --> 00:25:33,920
you can give it. It's a critical situation. You know

442
00:25:34,039 --> 00:25:37,599
these people rude and branch I may say the wrong thing.

443
00:25:38,279 --> 00:25:41,079
You will know how to say the right one, if

444
00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:44,079
I should consent, the other man said, after a silence,

445
00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:47,039
during which with a bent white head he studied the matter.

446
00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:51,279
What would be your part should you attempt, he glanced

447
00:25:51,279 --> 00:25:53,920
at the clerical dress of his collar, to carry through

448
00:25:53,920 --> 00:26:00,519
the service of your church. Seawall's face, which had been grave, relaxed. No,

449
00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,119
mister Blake, said he. It wouldn't be possible, and it

450
00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:08,359
wouldn't be suitable. This is a community which would probably

451
00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:12,000
prefer any other service, and it should have its preference respected.

452
00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:15,599
A simple form as nearly as possible, like what it

453
00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:18,880
has been used to, will be best, don't you think so?

454
00:26:19,799 --> 00:26:22,880
I believe there is to be considerable music. I will

455
00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:24,799
read the story of the birth and will try to

456
00:26:24,799 --> 00:26:28,799
make a prayer. The rest I'll leave to you, and

457
00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:33,039
him added the old man, and him agreed the young

458
00:26:33,079 --> 00:26:36,480
man reverently. Then a bright smile broke over his face,

459
00:26:36,599 --> 00:26:39,720
and he held out his hand. I'm no end grateful

460
00:26:39,759 --> 00:26:43,440
to you, sir, he said, a certain attractive boyishness of manner,

461
00:26:43,519 --> 00:26:47,000
suddenly becoming uppermost and putting to flight. The dignity, which

462
00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,400
was at times a heavier weight than he could carry

463
00:26:50,319 --> 00:26:52,920
no end. Don't you remember how it used to be

464
00:26:53,079 --> 00:26:55,400
when you first went into the work and tackled a

465
00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,440
job now and then that seemed too big for you.

466
00:26:58,079 --> 00:26:59,880
Then you caught sight of a pair of shoulders that

467
00:27:00,079 --> 00:27:03,200
look to you broader than yours, the muscles developed by

468
00:27:03,319 --> 00:27:06,440
years of exercise, and you were pretty thankful to shift

469
00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:08,880
the load on to them. You didn't want to shirk,

470
00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,160
Heaven forbid, but you just felt you didn't know enough

471
00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:16,839
to deal with the situation. Don't you remember? The old man,

472
00:27:17,039 --> 00:27:20,279
with a gently humorous look, glanced down at his own thin,

473
00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:24,000
bent shoulders, then at the stalwart ones which towered above him.

474
00:27:25,519 --> 00:27:29,119
You speak metaphorically, my dear lad he said quaintly, with

475
00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:32,400
a kindly twinkle in his faded blue eyes. He laid

476
00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,319
his left hand on the firm, young arm whose hand

477
00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:40,319
held his shrunken right. But I do remember, yes, yes,

478
00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,480
I remember plainly enough. And though it seems to me

479
00:27:43,559 --> 00:27:45,599
now as if the strength were all with the young

480
00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,480
and vigorous embody, it may be that I should be

481
00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:52,519
glad of the years that have brought me experience and tolerance,

482
00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:56,680
added William sewell, pressing the hand, his eyes held fast

483
00:27:56,720 --> 00:28:02,000
by elder Blakes, and love added the other. Love. That's

484
00:28:02,039 --> 00:28:05,519
the great thing. That's the great thing. I do love

485
00:28:05,559 --> 00:28:09,920
this community, these dear people. They are good people at heart,

486
00:28:10,279 --> 00:28:12,640
only misled as to what is worth standing out for.

487
00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,519
I would see them at peace. Maybe I can speak

488
00:28:16,559 --> 00:28:20,960
to them, God knows. I will try. The fern Old

489
00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:23,680
family alone will fill the church, observed the bachelor son

490
00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:26,839
of the house, Ralph. He leaned out from his place

491
00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:28,839
at the tail of the procession to look ahead down

492
00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,799
the line, where the dark figure showed clearly against the snow.

493
00:28:32,599 --> 00:28:35,759
By either hand he held a child, his sister Caroline's oldest,

494
00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:39,079
his brother Edson's youngest. So it won't matter much if

495
00:28:39,079 --> 00:28:42,440
nobody else comes out. We're all here, some in rags

496
00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:46,640
and some in tags, and some in velvet gowns. I

497
00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,960
can discern the velvet gowns conceded Edson from his place

498
00:28:50,119 --> 00:28:53,240
just in front, where his substantial figure supported his mother's

499
00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,400
frail one. But I fail to make out any rags.

500
00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:59,359
Take us, by and large, we seem to put up

501
00:28:59,359 --> 00:29:02,319
a rather prosper front. I never noticed it quite so

502
00:29:02,359 --> 00:29:06,680
decidedly as this year. There's nothing at all ostentatious about

503
00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,960
the girl's dressing, dear, said his mother's voice in his ear.

504
00:29:10,559 --> 00:29:12,839
And I noticed they all put on their simplest clothes

505
00:29:12,839 --> 00:29:17,119
for to night, as they should. Oh. Yes, Edson chuckled.

506
00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:22,440
That's precisely why they look so prosperous, that elegant simplicity. Gad,

507
00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:24,640
you should see the bills that come in for that.

508
00:29:25,599 --> 00:29:29,160
Jess isn't an extravagant dresser as women go, not by

509
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:32,839
a long shot. But he whistled a bar or two

510
00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,920
of rag time. I can see myself now as a

511
00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,240
lad sitting on that fence over there. He indicated the

512
00:29:39,279 --> 00:29:42,559
line of rails half buried in snow, which outlined the

513
00:29:42,559 --> 00:29:45,759
borders of an old apple orchard. Counting the quarters in

514
00:29:45,839 --> 00:29:49,640
my trousers pocket earned by hard labor and the strawberry patch,

515
00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:52,319
I thought it quite a sum, but it wouldn't have

516
00:29:52,359 --> 00:29:56,119
bought a box of the cigars you smoke. Now, interjected

517
00:29:56,200 --> 00:30:01,400
Ralph unexpectedly from behind. HULLO, there's the church, jolly, But

518
00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:04,599
the old building looks bright, doesn't it. I didn't know

519
00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:07,720
oil lamps could put up such illumination. And see the

520
00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:12,599
folks going in see them coming from all directions. Nan,

521
00:30:12,799 --> 00:30:16,480
farther down the line, clutched Sam Burnett's arm. Oh I

522
00:30:16,559 --> 00:30:20,440
knew they'd come out. I knew they would. Of course

523
00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:23,920
they'll come out. This was missus, Oliver. Locks and bars

524
00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:26,519
couldn't keep a country community at home when there's anything

525
00:30:26,559 --> 00:30:31,319
going on. But as to the feeling, that's a different matter. Oliver,

526
00:30:31,559 --> 00:30:34,119
do take my muff. I want to take off my veil.

527
00:30:34,559 --> 00:30:36,720
There'll be no chance. Once I am inside the door.

528
00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:40,000
Nan is walking twice as fast now as when we started.

529
00:30:40,599 --> 00:30:44,160
She will have us all up the aisle before. Where's

530
00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:47,799
Billy Seawoll bolting to guy sent back the stage whisper

531
00:30:47,839 --> 00:30:50,519
from the front of the procession to Margaret, his wife,

532
00:30:50,839 --> 00:30:53,599
who was walking with Father Fernald, her hand on his

533
00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:57,359
gallant arm. In John Fernud's day, a man always offered

534
00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,920
his arm to the lady. He escorted, he caught sight

535
00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:03,519
of mister Blake across the road. They're going in together.

536
00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:06,279
Margaret replied, I think mister Blake is to have a

537
00:31:06,319 --> 00:31:10,759
part in the service, Old Ebenezer Blake. You don't say.

538
00:31:11,079 --> 00:31:15,039
Father Fernald ejaculated in astonishment. He had not been told

539
00:31:15,039 --> 00:31:19,799
of Sewall's visit to the aged minister. Well, well, that

540
00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:23,000
is thoughtful of William Sewell. I don't suppose elder Blake

541
00:31:23,039 --> 00:31:26,200
has taken part in a service in fifteen years twenty.

542
00:31:26,319 --> 00:31:29,240
Maybe he used to be a great preacher too in

543
00:31:29,319 --> 00:31:31,599
his day. I used to listen to him when I

544
00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,200
was a young man, and think he could put things

545
00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:36,279
in about as interesting a way as any preacher I

546
00:31:36,279 --> 00:31:40,480
ever heard. Good man too. He was and is, but

547
00:31:40,559 --> 00:31:42,599
nobody thought of asking him to make a prayer in

548
00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:47,640
public sense. I don't know when well, well, well, look

549
00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:49,920
at the people going in. I guess we'd better be

550
00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:52,319
getting right along to our seats or there won't be

551
00:31:52,359 --> 00:31:59,839
any left. Seven. The organ was playing very softly. Caroline

552
00:31:59,839 --> 00:32:03,079
was skillful manipulator of keyboards, and she had discovered that

553
00:32:03,119 --> 00:32:06,519
by carefully refraining from the use of certain keys discreetly

554
00:32:06,559 --> 00:32:10,119
marked by postage stamps, she could produce a not unmusical

555
00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:14,480
effect of subdued harmony. This unquestionably added very much to

556
00:32:14,519 --> 00:32:17,559
the impression of a churchy atmosphere, carried out to the

557
00:32:17,599 --> 00:32:20,000
eye by the Christmas wreathing and twining of the heavy

558
00:32:20,079 --> 00:32:23,079
ropes of shining laurel leaves and by the massing of

559
00:32:23,119 --> 00:32:25,720
the whole pulpit front in the soft, dark green of

560
00:32:25,759 --> 00:32:29,319
hemlock boughs and holly. To the people who entered the

561
00:32:29,359 --> 00:32:32,160
house with vivid memories of the burning July day, when

562
00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:35,599
words hardly less burning had seemed to scorch the barren walls,

563
00:32:36,079 --> 00:32:39,000
this lamp lit interior, clothed with the garments of the

564
00:32:39,039 --> 00:32:42,240
woods and fragrant with their breath, seemed to place so

565
00:32:42,359 --> 00:32:45,759
different that it could hardly be the same. But the

566
00:32:45,839 --> 00:32:49,920
faces were the same, the faces, and George Tomlinson did

567
00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:52,799
not look at Assa Frasier, though he passed him in

568
00:32:52,799 --> 00:32:56,279
the aisle, beard to beard. Miss Jane Pollock stared hard

569
00:32:56,279 --> 00:32:58,680
at the back of Missus Maria Hill's bonnet in the

570
00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:01,079
pew in front of her, But when Missus Hill turned

571
00:33:01,119 --> 00:33:03,519
about to glance up at the organ loft to discover

572
00:33:03,599 --> 00:33:07,119
who was there, Miss Pollock's face became as adamant, and

573
00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:10,599
her eyes remained fixed on her folded hands until Missus

574
00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:13,599
Hill had twisted about again, and there was no danger

575
00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:18,359
of their glances encountering. All over the church, likewise, were

576
00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:21,960
people who avoided seeing each other, though conscious all down

577
00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:25,039
their rigid backbones that those with whom they had fallen

578
00:33:25,079 --> 00:33:29,079
out on that unhappy July day were present. There was

579
00:33:29,119 --> 00:33:31,960
no vestry in the old meeting house, no retiring place

580
00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,480
of any sort where the presiding Minister might stay until

581
00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:36,519
the moment came for him to make his quiet and

582
00:33:36,559 --> 00:33:41,000
impressive entrance through a softly opening pulpit door. So when

583
00:33:41,039 --> 00:33:43,759
the Reverend William Sewell of Saint John's of the neighboring

584
00:33:43,799 --> 00:33:47,759
city came into the Northeasterbrook Sanctuary, it was as his

585
00:33:47,839 --> 00:33:50,880
congregation entered through the front door and up the aisle

586
00:33:52,119 --> 00:33:54,000
there was a turning of heads to see him come,

587
00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:57,079
but there was a staring of eyes. Indeed, when it

588
00:33:57,119 --> 00:34:00,359
was seen by whom he was accompanied. The erect figure

589
00:34:00,359 --> 00:34:04,079
of the young man in his unexceptionable attire walked slowly

590
00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:06,920
to keep pace with the feeble footsteps of the very

591
00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:10,000
old man in his threadbare garments of the cut of

592
00:34:10,039 --> 00:34:12,519
half a century ago, and the sight of the two

593
00:34:12,559 --> 00:34:15,519
together was one of the most strangely touching things that

594
00:34:15,599 --> 00:34:18,199
had ever met the eyes of the people of Northeasterbrook.

595
00:34:19,119 --> 00:34:22,039
It may be said, therefore, that from the first moment

596
00:34:22,079 --> 00:34:25,320
there was an unexpected and unreckoned with influence abroad in

597
00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:29,039
the place. Now to the subdued notes of the organ,

598
00:34:29,199 --> 00:34:32,440
which had been occupied with one theme, built upon with

599
00:34:32,519 --> 00:34:35,960
varying harmonies, but ever appearing, though perhaps no ear but

600
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:38,320
a trained one would have recognized it. Through the veil

601
00:34:38,679 --> 00:34:41,639
was added the breath of voices. It was only an

602
00:34:41,639 --> 00:34:44,960
old Christmas carol, the music that of a German folk song,

603
00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:49,519
but dear to generations of Christmas singers everywhere the Northeasterbrook

604
00:34:49,519 --> 00:34:53,079
people recognized it, yet did not recognize it. They had

605
00:34:53,119 --> 00:34:58,039
never heard it sung like that before Holy night, peaceful night,

606
00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:03,039
all is dark, save the light yonder where they sweet

607
00:35:03,079 --> 00:35:07,559
vigils keep, or the babe who in silent sleep rests

608
00:35:07,639 --> 00:35:11,599
in heavenly peace. It was the presence of Margaret Sewall

609
00:35:11,639 --> 00:35:14,639
Fernald which had made it possible to attempt music at

610
00:35:14,639 --> 00:35:17,679
this service. The music, which it seemed impossible to do

611
00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:21,599
without her voice, was one of rare beauty, her leadership

612
00:35:21,599 --> 00:35:25,360
that of training. Her husband, Guy, possessed a reliable, if

613
00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:29,119
uncultivated bass edson had sung a fair tenor in his

614
00:35:29,199 --> 00:35:31,880
college glee cup. By the use of all of her

615
00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:35,400
arts of persuasion, Nan had provided an alto singer from

616
00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:37,880
the ranks of the choir which had once occupied this

617
00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:42,440
organ loft, the daughter of Oza Frasier. Whether the quartet

618
00:35:42,519 --> 00:35:45,599
thus formed would have passed Muster as a quartet with

619
00:35:45,679 --> 00:35:48,440
the choir master of Saint John's may have been a question,

620
00:35:49,119 --> 00:35:51,440
But it is certain the music they produced was so

621
00:35:51,519 --> 00:35:53,760
far above that which the old Church had ever heard

622
00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:57,079
before within its walls. That had the singers but a

623
00:35:57,119 --> 00:36:00,440
detachment from the choir celestial, Those who heard them could

624
00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:04,079
hardly have listened with ears more charmed. As Holy Knight

625
00:36:04,159 --> 00:36:07,119
came down to him, William Sewell bent his head, but

626
00:36:07,199 --> 00:36:11,280
Ebenezer Blake lifted his. His dim blue eyes looked up,

627
00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:14,920
up and up, quite through the old meeting house roof,

628
00:36:15,320 --> 00:36:17,880
to the starry skies, where it seemed to him angels

629
00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:21,599
sang again. He forgot the people assembled in front of him,

630
00:36:22,119 --> 00:36:26,280
He forgot the responsibilities upon his shoulders, those bent shoulders

631
00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:31,039
which had long ago laid down such responsibilities. He saw visions.

632
00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:34,480
It is the old men who see visions, The young

633
00:36:34,559 --> 00:36:39,119
men dream dreams. The young city Rector read the Christmas

634
00:36:39,159 --> 00:36:41,800
Story out of the worn copy of the Scriptures which

635
00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:45,480
had served this pulpit almost from the beginning. He read

636
00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,920
it in the rich and cultivated voice of his training.

637
00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:52,440
But quite simply then Margaret sang, to the slender accompaniment

638
00:36:52,519 --> 00:36:55,000
of the little organ, the same solo which a famous

639
00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:57,960
soprano had sung that morning at the service at Saint John's,

640
00:36:58,559 --> 00:37:01,920
and her brother Williamtening from the pulpit, thought she sang

641
00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:05,199
it better. There was the quality in Margaret's voice which

642
00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:08,960
reaches hearts, a quality which somehow the famous soprano's notes

643
00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:12,800
had lacked, And every word could be heard too. The

644
00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:16,119
quiet throughout the house was so absolute, except when Asa

645
00:37:16,199 --> 00:37:18,480
Fraser cleared his throat loudly in the midst of one

646
00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:21,960
of the singer's most beautiful notes. At the sound, Missus

647
00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:24,360
George Tomlinson gave him a glance which ought to have

648
00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:27,920
annihilated him, but it did not. She could not know

649
00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:30,039
that the throat clearing was a high tribute to the

650
00:37:30,079 --> 00:37:35,800
song coming from Ossa Frasier. How silently, how silently the

651
00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:40,400
wondrous gift is given so god imparts to human hearts,

652
00:37:40,599 --> 00:37:44,800
the blessing of his heaven, O, Holy Child of Bethlehem,

653
00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:49,440
descend to us. We pray, cast out our sin and

654
00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:54,559
enter in be born in us to day, then William

655
00:37:54,599 --> 00:37:57,480
Sewell made a prayer. Those who had been looking to

656
00:37:57,480 --> 00:37:59,679
see old Elder Blake take this part of the service

657
00:37:59,679 --> 00:38:02,280
begins to wonder if he had been asked into the

658
00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:05,800
pulpit simply as a courtesy. They supposed he could pray,

659
00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:09,079
at least they knew he had never ceased doing it,

660
00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:12,400
and for them Elder Blake had not an enemy in

661
00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:15,320
the village. It seemed strange that he couldn't be given

662
00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:19,119
some part in spite of his extreme age. To be sure,

663
00:38:19,519 --> 00:38:21,639
it was many years since anybody had asked him to

664
00:38:21,679 --> 00:38:24,840
take part in any service whatsoever, even a funeral service,

665
00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:29,039
for which it is well understood, a man retains efficiency

666
00:38:29,119 --> 00:38:31,159
long after he had ceased to be of use in

667
00:38:31,199 --> 00:38:35,039
the pulpit, no matter how devastating maybe the weather. But

668
00:38:35,119 --> 00:38:37,679
that fact did not seem to bear upon the present situation.

669
00:38:39,079 --> 00:38:42,000
A number of people, among them Miss Jane Pollock, were

670
00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,519
beginning to feel more than a little indignant about it,

671
00:38:45,079 --> 00:38:47,920
and so lost the most of Sewell's prayer, which was

672
00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:50,159
a good one and not out of the prayer book,

673
00:38:50,519 --> 00:38:53,159
though there were phrases in it which suggested that source,

674
00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:56,880
as was quite natural. The city man meant to do

675
00:38:56,920 --> 00:38:59,599
it all then, doubtless he thought that nobody from the

676
00:38:59,599 --> 00:39:02,320
country knew how to do more than to pronounce the benediction.

677
00:39:03,199 --> 00:39:06,440
Doubtless that was to be Elder Blake's insignificant part, to

678
00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:10,719
pronounce the Miss Jane Pollock looked up quickly. She had

679
00:39:10,719 --> 00:39:13,119
been staring steadily at the back of Maria Hill's mink

680
00:39:13,199 --> 00:39:16,000
collar in front of her through the closing sentences of

681
00:39:16,039 --> 00:39:19,920
the prayer. But what was this? Elder Blake had risen

682
00:39:20,079 --> 00:39:23,119
and was coming forward. Was he going to read to him?

683
00:39:24,159 --> 00:39:26,639
But he had no book, and he had taken off

684
00:39:26,639 --> 00:39:30,440
his spectacles. He could see better, as was known without

685
00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:34,800
his spectacles when looking at a distance. William Seawall's prayer

686
00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,320
was not ended. He could no longer be heard by

687
00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:40,480
the people. But in his seat, behind the drooping figure

688
00:39:40,519 --> 00:39:43,280
of the old man, he was asking things of the Lord,

689
00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:45,239
as if it seemed to him he had never asked

690
00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:50,440
anything before. Could his poor feeble, superannuated old servant ever

691
00:39:50,519 --> 00:39:52,960
speak the message that needed to be spoken? That night?

692
00:39:54,079 --> 00:39:57,280
William Seawell felt more than ever that he himself could

693
00:39:57,360 --> 00:40:01,840
not have done it. Could Ebenezer Blake make him strong?

694
00:40:02,079 --> 00:40:07,199
O God make him strong? Requested William Sewell fervently then,

695
00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,639
forgetting even a likeness to prayer book phrase he added

696
00:40:11,639 --> 00:40:15,039
with fists unconsciously tight clenched in the language of the

697
00:40:15,079 --> 00:40:18,079
athletic field, where a few years back he himself had

698
00:40:18,079 --> 00:40:21,679
taken part in many a hard fought battle. Help him

699
00:40:21,679 --> 00:40:27,639
to buck up eight They talk about it. Yet in

700
00:40:27,719 --> 00:40:31,599
northeaster Brook, though it happened a year ago, nobody knew

701
00:40:31,639 --> 00:40:34,239
how it was. That from a frail old man with

702
00:40:34,239 --> 00:40:37,679
a trembling voice, which in its first sentences the people

703
00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:39,599
back of the middle of the church could hardly hear,

704
00:40:40,119 --> 00:40:42,599
there came to stand before them a fiery messenger from

705
00:40:42,639 --> 00:40:45,920
the skies. But such was the miracle, for it seemed

706
00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:50,000
no less. The bent figure straightened, the trembling voice grew

707
00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:53,840
clear and strong, the dim eyes brightened into the withered cheeks,

708
00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:58,239
flowed color into the whole. Aged personality came slowly but

709
00:40:58,320 --> 00:41:01,360
surely back the fires of youth, and once more in

710
00:41:01,440 --> 00:41:05,239
a public place, Ebenezer Blake became the mouthpiece of the Master.

711
00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:10,840
He served peace and good will. Oh yes, he preached it,

712
00:41:11,079 --> 00:41:13,519
no doubt of that. But it was no milk and

713
00:41:13,679 --> 00:41:17,119
water piece, no sugar and spice, good will There was

714
00:41:17,159 --> 00:41:19,760
flesh and blood in the message he gave them, and

715
00:41:19,840 --> 00:41:23,599
it was the message they needed. Even his text was

716
00:41:23,639 --> 00:41:26,400
not the gentle part of the Christmas prophecy. It was

717
00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:29,920
the militant part. And the government shall be upon his shoulder.

718
00:41:30,840 --> 00:41:33,239
They were not bidden to lie down together like lambs.

719
00:41:33,559 --> 00:41:37,000
They were summoned to march together like lions, the lions

720
00:41:37,039 --> 00:41:41,000
of the Lord. As William Sewell looked down into the

721
00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:44,079
faces of the people and watched the changing expressions there,

722
00:41:44,599 --> 00:41:48,480
he felt that the strange, strong, challenging words were going home.

723
00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:52,960
He saw stooping shoulders straighten even as the preachers had straightened.

724
00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:56,679
He saw heads come up and eyes grow light. Most

725
00:41:56,719 --> 00:41:59,079
of all, he saw that at last the people had

726
00:41:59,119 --> 00:42:05,320
forgotten one another and were remembering God. Suddenly the sermon ended,

727
00:42:05,719 --> 00:42:07,880
As preachers of a later day have learned the art

728
00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:11,559
of stopping abruptly with a striking climax. So this preacher

729
00:42:11,599 --> 00:42:15,760
from an earlier generation his message delivered ceased to speak.

730
00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:20,079
He left his hearers breathless, But after a moment's pause,

731
00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:22,480
during which the silence was a thing to be felt,

732
00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:27,000
his voice spoke again. It no longer rang, It sank

733
00:42:27,039 --> 00:42:29,639
into a low pleading in words out of the book

734
00:42:29,719 --> 00:42:34,440
upon which the clasped old hands rested. Now, therefore, o

735
00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:38,199
our God, hear the prayer of thy servant and his supplications,

736
00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:41,639
and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that

737
00:42:41,719 --> 00:42:48,800
is desolate for the Lord's sake. Nine Up in the

738
00:42:48,880 --> 00:42:52,960
choir loft, chokily, Guy whispered to Margaret. Can't we end

739
00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:56,079
it with Holy Night again? Nothing else seems to fit?

740
00:42:56,360 --> 00:43:00,920
After that, she nodded, her eyes wet. It had not

741
00:43:01,079 --> 00:43:04,239
been thought best to ask the congregation to sing. There

742
00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:06,880
was no knowing if anybody would sing if they were asked.

743
00:43:07,280 --> 00:43:09,960
Now it seemed fortunate that it had been so arranged.

744
00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:13,039
For somehow the congregation did not look exactly as if

745
00:43:13,039 --> 00:43:16,559
it could sing. Certainly, not George Tomlinson, for he had

746
00:43:16,559 --> 00:43:19,400
a large frog in his throat, Nor ass A Frasier,

747
00:43:19,599 --> 00:43:22,239
for he had a furious cold in his head. Not

748
00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:25,599
Maria Hill, for though she hunted vigorously high and low

749
00:43:25,639 --> 00:43:28,599
for her handkerchief, she was unable to locate it. And

750
00:43:28,679 --> 00:43:31,440
the front of her best black silk was rapidly becoming

751
00:43:31,480 --> 00:43:35,280
shiny in spots, a fact calculated to upset anybody singing.

752
00:43:36,199 --> 00:43:39,360
Not even miss Jane Pollock, For though no tears bedewed

753
00:43:39,440 --> 00:43:42,440
her bright eyes, there was a peculiar heaving quality in

754
00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:46,119
her breathing, which suggested an impediment of some sort not

755
00:43:46,199 --> 00:43:49,480
to be readily overcome. And it may be safely said

756
00:43:49,679 --> 00:43:51,639
that there was not a baker's dozen of people left

757
00:43:51,639 --> 00:43:54,039
in the church who could have carried through the most

758
00:43:54,039 --> 00:43:58,119
familiar hymn without breaking down. So the four in the

759
00:43:58,199 --> 00:44:01,599
organ loft sang Holy Night again. They could not have

760
00:44:01,639 --> 00:44:04,679
done a better thing. It is a holy night, indeed,

761
00:44:05,079 --> 00:44:07,480
when a messenger from Heaven comes down to this world

762
00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:10,039
of ours, though he takes the form of an old

763
00:44:10,280 --> 00:44:13,440
old man, with a peaceful face, but with eyes which

764
00:44:13,440 --> 00:44:15,519
can flash once more, with a light which is not

765
00:44:15,679 --> 00:44:18,960
of earth, and with lips upon which, for one last

766
00:44:19,039 --> 00:44:22,199
mighty effort has been laid a coal from off the

767
00:44:22,239 --> 00:44:26,960
altar of the Great High Priest. Silent night, Holy night,

768
00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:34,239
darkness flies, all is light. Shepherds, hear the angels sing, Hallelujah,

769
00:44:34,679 --> 00:44:42,960
Hail the King Jesus Christ is here. Ten George Tomlinson

770
00:44:43,000 --> 00:44:45,480
came heavily out of his pew. He had at last

771
00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:47,760
succeeded in getting rid of the frog in his throat,

772
00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:50,719
or thought he had. It had occurred to him that

773
00:44:50,840 --> 00:44:53,480
perhaps he ought to go up and speak to Elder Blake,

774
00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:56,880
now sitting quietly in his chair with William Seawell bending

775
00:44:56,920 --> 00:44:59,480
over him, though he didn't know exactly what to say

776
00:44:59,480 --> 00:45:02,960
that would see adequate to the occasion. At the same moment,

777
00:45:03,119 --> 00:45:05,880
Asa Frasier, still struggling with the cold in his head,

778
00:45:06,159 --> 00:45:09,559
emerged from his pew directly opposite. The two men did

779
00:45:09,559 --> 00:45:11,679
not look at each other, but as they had been

780
00:45:11,679 --> 00:45:14,599
accustomed to allow their meeting glances to clash with cutting

781
00:45:14,679 --> 00:45:18,480
quality of implacable resentment, this dropping of the eyes on

782
00:45:18,559 --> 00:45:21,159
the part of each might have been interpreted to register

783
00:45:21,199 --> 00:45:25,719
a distinct advance toward peace. As each stood momentarily at

784
00:45:25,760 --> 00:45:28,800
the opening of his pew, neither quite determined whether to

785
00:45:28,840 --> 00:45:32,320
turn his face pulpit word or door word. Samuel Burnett,

786
00:45:32,760 --> 00:45:35,760
coming eagerly up to them from the doorward side, laid

787
00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:39,320
a friendly hand on each black clad arm. Whether sam

788
00:45:39,400 --> 00:45:42,119
was inspired by heaven or only by his own strong

789
00:45:42,199 --> 00:45:44,880
common sense and knowledge of men, will never be known.

790
00:45:45,559 --> 00:45:48,239
But he had been a popular man in Northeasterbrook ever

791
00:45:48,280 --> 00:45:50,239
since he had first begun to come there to see

792
00:45:50,320 --> 00:45:53,880
Nancy Fernald, and both Tomlinson and Fraser heartily liked and

793
00:45:53,920 --> 00:45:58,159
respected him, a fact he understood and was counting on. Now,

794
00:45:58,199 --> 00:46:03,280
wasn't it great? Mister Tomlinson? Stam enthusiastically great, mister Fraser.

795
00:46:03,719 --> 00:46:07,400
He looked, smiling into first one austere face, and then

796
00:46:07,440 --> 00:46:10,199
the other. Then he gazed straight ahead of him up

797
00:46:10,239 --> 00:46:13,639
at Elder Blake, going up to tell him, so, so

798
00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:16,760
am I. He pressed the two arms, continuing in his

799
00:46:16,840 --> 00:46:19,880
friendly way to retain his hold on both. In all

800
00:46:19,880 --> 00:46:22,440
the years I've gone to church, I've never heard preaching

801
00:46:22,519 --> 00:46:25,079
like that. It warmed up my heart till I thought

802
00:46:25,079 --> 00:46:27,159
it would burst, and it made me want to go

803
00:46:27,199 --> 00:46:31,599
to work. Almost without their own volition, Tomlinson and Fraser

804
00:46:31,719 --> 00:46:35,239
found themselves proceeding toward the pulpit. Yet Sam's hands did

805
00:46:35,280 --> 00:46:38,159
not seem to be exerting any force. The force came

806
00:46:38,159 --> 00:46:41,679
from his own vigorous personality, which was one that invariably

807
00:46:41,760 --> 00:46:45,199
inspired confidence. If Brunett was going up to speak to

808
00:46:45,239 --> 00:46:48,159
the elder, it seemed only proper that they, the leading

809
00:46:48,159 --> 00:46:52,559
men of the church, should go too. William Sewell, having

810
00:46:52,599 --> 00:46:55,480
assured himself that his venerable associate was not suffering from

811
00:46:55,519 --> 00:46:59,239
a more than natural exhaustion. After his supreme effort, stood

812
00:46:59,239 --> 00:47:03,360
still by his side, looking out over the congregation. He

813
00:47:03,400 --> 00:47:07,000
now observed an interesting trio approaching the platform, composed of

814
00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:10,960
his valued friend Samuel Burnett, his fine face alight with

815
00:47:11,000 --> 00:47:15,480
his purpose, and two gray bearded men of somewhat unpromising exterior,

816
00:47:15,880 --> 00:47:18,920
but plainly of prominence in the church by the indefinable

817
00:47:18,920 --> 00:47:21,800
look of them. He watched the three climb the pulpit

818
00:47:21,840 --> 00:47:24,119
stairs and come up to the figure in the chair,

819
00:47:24,639 --> 00:47:29,519
sam with tact falling behind. You did well, Elder, you

820
00:47:29,599 --> 00:47:33,559
did well, said George Tomlinson, struggling to express himself and

821
00:47:33,679 --> 00:47:37,480
finding only this time worn phrase. He stood awkwardly on

822
00:47:37,480 --> 00:47:41,519
one foot before Ebenezer Blake, like an embarrassed schoolboy, but

823
00:47:41,599 --> 00:47:45,000
his tone was sincere and a trifle husky on account

824
00:47:45,000 --> 00:47:47,800
of the untimely reappearance of the frog in his throat.

825
00:47:48,679 --> 00:47:51,400
Elder Blake looked up, and William Sewall thought he had

826
00:47:51,400 --> 00:47:53,960
never seen a sweeter smile on a human face, young

827
00:47:54,079 --> 00:47:57,559
or old. You are kind to come and tell me so, George,

828
00:47:57,639 --> 00:48:00,639
he said, I had thought never to preach again. It

829
00:48:00,719 --> 00:48:04,719
did me good it did us good, Sir, said Sam Barnett.

830
00:48:05,199 --> 00:48:07,400
He had waited an instant for a Fraser to speak,

831
00:48:07,559 --> 00:48:09,280
but saw that the cold in the head was in

832
00:48:09,320 --> 00:48:12,280
the ascendancy again. It did me so much good that

833
00:48:12,320 --> 00:48:14,159
I can hardly wait till I get back to town

834
00:48:14,199 --> 00:48:16,280
to hunt up a man I know and tell him

835
00:48:16,280 --> 00:48:17,800
I think he was in the right and a little

836
00:48:17,800 --> 00:48:20,679
disagreement we had a good while ago. I've always been

837
00:48:20,719 --> 00:48:23,519
positive he was wrong. I suppose the facts in the

838
00:48:23,559 --> 00:48:26,599
case haven't changed. He smiled into the dim blue eyes,

839
00:48:27,239 --> 00:48:29,920
but somehow I seemed to see them differently. It doesn't

840
00:48:29,960 --> 00:48:31,960
look to me worth while to let them stand between

841
00:48:32,039 --> 00:48:35,960
us any longer. Ah, it's not worth while, agreed the

842
00:48:36,000 --> 00:48:38,760
old man quickly. It's not worth while for any of

843
00:48:38,840 --> 00:48:41,039
us to be hard on one another, no matter what

844
00:48:41,159 --> 00:48:45,159
the facts. Life is pretty difficult at its best. We

845
00:48:45,199 --> 00:48:47,880
can't afford to make it more difficult for any human soul.

846
00:48:48,800 --> 00:48:51,119
Go back to town and make it right with your friend,

847
00:48:51,199 --> 00:48:54,199
mister Burnett. I take it he was your friend, or

848
00:48:54,199 --> 00:48:58,119
you wouldn't think of him to night was and is,

849
00:48:58,320 --> 00:49:01,760
declared Sam with conviction. He's got to be whether he

850
00:49:01,840 --> 00:49:04,679
wants to or not. But he'll want to. I know

851
00:49:04,760 --> 00:49:08,239
that well enough. We've been friends from boyhood. We'd just

852
00:49:08,280 --> 00:49:12,400
forgotten it, that's all. There was a little pause. The

853
00:49:12,480 --> 00:49:14,840
old man sat with his white head leaning against the

854
00:49:14,920 --> 00:49:18,239
high back of his chair. His face upturned, his eyes

855
00:49:18,519 --> 00:49:21,239
with an appeal in them, resting first on the face

856
00:49:21,239 --> 00:49:24,760
of Asa Fraser, then on that of George Tomlinson. With

857
00:49:24,880 --> 00:49:28,599
a common impulse, William Sewall and Samuel Barnett moved aside, together,

858
00:49:29,079 --> 00:49:32,880
turning their backs upon the three Ossa. Fraser lifted his

859
00:49:33,000 --> 00:49:36,960
eyes and met those of George Tomlinson with a palpable effort.

860
00:49:37,119 --> 00:49:39,159
For he was a man of few words. He spoke.

861
00:49:40,519 --> 00:49:44,159
George said he, I guess I made a mistake, thinking

862
00:49:44,199 --> 00:49:48,719
as I did, Assy responded Tomlinson quickly, I guess you

863
00:49:48,800 --> 00:49:51,159
weren't the only one that's made a mistake, And he

864
00:49:51,239 --> 00:49:55,440
held out his hand. Fraser grasped it with his other hand.

865
00:49:55,480 --> 00:49:58,800
He raised his handkerchief and blew his nose once more violently,

866
00:49:59,159 --> 00:50:02,159
and finally, from this point the smile in his eyes

867
00:50:02,239 --> 00:50:04,679
usurped the place of the moisture which had bothered him

868
00:50:04,679 --> 00:50:09,679
so unwontedly, and put it quite to rout. If you

869
00:50:09,719 --> 00:50:12,039
imagine that this little drama had escaped the attention of

870
00:50:12,039 --> 00:50:15,400
the departing congregation heading the other way. You are much mistaken.

871
00:50:16,039 --> 00:50:19,079
The congregation was not headed the other way. From the

872
00:50:19,119 --> 00:50:22,320
moment when Burnet, Fraser and Tomlinson had started toward the pulpit,

873
00:50:22,719 --> 00:50:26,039
the congregation, to a man, had paused and was staring

874
00:50:26,079 --> 00:50:29,480
directly toward them. It continued to stare up to the

875
00:50:29,519 --> 00:50:32,920
moment when the hand shaking took place. But then eyes

876
00:50:32,960 --> 00:50:37,239
turned and met other eyes. Hearts beat fast, lips trembled,

877
00:50:37,599 --> 00:50:42,440
feet moved. Unquestionably, something had happened to the people of Northeasterbrook.

878
00:50:43,760 --> 00:50:45,800
Do you know how sometimes the ice goes out of

879
00:50:45,840 --> 00:50:48,800
a river from shore to shore. It has been frozen,

880
00:50:48,800 --> 00:50:51,960
cold and hard for many months. It has grown solid,

881
00:50:52,280 --> 00:50:55,199
deepening and thickening, until it seems as if there could

882
00:50:55,199 --> 00:50:59,280
be no life left beneath. Then at last comes sunshine

883
00:50:59,400 --> 00:51:03,320
and rain and warmth. The huge mass looks as impenetrable

884
00:51:03,320 --> 00:51:07,480
as ever, but all at once, some day crack. The

885
00:51:07,480 --> 00:51:12,760
first thin dark line spreads across the surface. Then crack, crack, crack, crack,

886
00:51:13,400 --> 00:51:17,519
in every direction. The ice is breaking up. Look quickly now,

887
00:51:17,920 --> 00:51:21,000
if you would see that frozen surface, stretching seamless between

888
00:51:21,079 --> 00:51:24,760
shore and shore. For suddenly, dark lanes of water open up,

889
00:51:24,920 --> 00:51:29,320
which widen while you watch, and soon, incredibly soon, the

890
00:51:29,440 --> 00:51:32,480
river has burst its bonds and is rushing freely once

891
00:51:32,519 --> 00:51:35,760
more between its banks, with only the ever diminishing blocks

892
00:51:35,760 --> 00:51:38,519
of melting ice upon its surface to tell the story

893
00:51:38,519 --> 00:51:43,480
of its long imprisonment. Even so, on that memorable Christmas

894
00:51:43,599 --> 00:51:47,719
night did the ice in the northeaster Brook Church break up. Crack.

895
00:51:48,280 --> 00:51:51,920
George Tomlinson and Ossa Fraser, old friends but sworn foes,

896
00:51:52,079 --> 00:51:57,000
had shaken hands. Crack. Missus Tomlinson and Missus Fraser, tears

897
00:51:57,079 --> 00:51:59,800
running frankly down their cheeks, had followed the example of

898
00:51:59,800 --> 00:52:02,599
their husbands and glad enough to do it, for their

899
00:52:02,599 --> 00:52:05,320
homes lay side by side, and each had had a

900
00:52:05,360 --> 00:52:08,239
hard time of it getting along without the other. Miss

901
00:52:08,360 --> 00:52:12,039
Jane Pollock, seeing Missus Maria Hill's fruitless search for her handkerchief,

902
00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:14,920
had long since drawn out one of her own. She

903
00:52:15,000 --> 00:52:17,800
always carried two, and had held it in her hand,

904
00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:20,360
ready to offer it if she could just get to

905
00:52:20,400 --> 00:52:24,199
the point. But when she saw upon the pulpit platform

906
00:52:24,480 --> 00:52:28,119
these two gripping hands, somehow, she suddenly reached the point

907
00:52:28,719 --> 00:52:32,880
crack with no difficulty whatever. Miss Pollock slipped the handkerchief

908
00:52:32,960 --> 00:52:37,519
into Missus Hill's hand, whispering commiseratingly. I presume you've got

909
00:52:37,519 --> 00:52:40,079
one somewhere, Maria, but you just can't lay your hand

910
00:52:40,079 --> 00:52:42,639
on it. Don't take the trouble to return it. It

911
00:52:42,719 --> 00:52:46,880
isn't of any value. And Missus Hill, excepting the handkerchief,

912
00:52:47,079 --> 00:52:51,159
wiped away the unmanageable tears and turning round, answered fervently,

913
00:52:51,880 --> 00:52:54,360
I guess I will return it, Jane, if it's only

914
00:52:54,400 --> 00:52:56,519
so to come and see your house again, if you'll

915
00:52:56,599 --> 00:53:00,199
let me in after all I've said. Even as they

916
00:53:00,239 --> 00:53:04,760
smiled shamefacedly but happily at each other, similar scenes were

917
00:53:04,800 --> 00:53:09,320
being enacted all about them, spread the breaking ice. Incredible

918
00:53:09,519 --> 00:53:12,800
that it should happen in a night. Not so. The

919
00:53:12,880 --> 00:53:16,000
forces of nature are mighty, but they are as weakness

920
00:53:16,280 --> 00:53:23,800
beside the spiritual forces of Nature's god. Eleven Well, Billy, sewell,

921
00:53:23,960 --> 00:53:25,880
have you taken your young friend home and put him

922
00:53:25,920 --> 00:53:29,360
to bed? The questioner was Ralph Fernald, sitting with the

923
00:53:29,400 --> 00:53:31,719
rest of the family, or those members of it who

924
00:53:31,719 --> 00:53:33,719
were not still attending to the wants of their children

925
00:53:34,079 --> 00:53:37,840
before the fireplace talking things over. They had been there

926
00:53:37,880 --> 00:53:40,920
for nearly an hour since the service, but Seawell had

927
00:53:40,960 --> 00:53:44,599
only just come in. I've taken him home, Seoul replied,

928
00:53:44,920 --> 00:53:47,280
but there's no point putting him to bed. I think

929
00:53:47,280 --> 00:53:50,159
he'll sit up till morning, too happy to sleep. The

930
00:53:50,239 --> 00:53:53,559
fine old man. They had saved the big arm chair

931
00:53:53,639 --> 00:53:56,039
for him in the very center of the circle, but

932
00:53:56,119 --> 00:53:58,280
he would have none of it. He went over to

933
00:53:58,360 --> 00:54:00,920
a corner of the inglenook and dropped upon the floor

934
00:54:00,960 --> 00:54:04,280
at his sister Margaret's feet, with his arm upon her knee.

935
00:54:04,800 --> 00:54:09,079
When somebody protested, Guy interfered in his defense. Let him alone,

936
00:54:09,199 --> 00:54:12,480
said he He gets enough of prominent positions if he

937
00:54:12,519 --> 00:54:14,840
wants to sit on the fence and kick his heels, awhile,

938
00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:17,559
let him. He certainly earned the right to do as

939
00:54:17,559 --> 00:54:22,239
he pleases. To Night Py George talk about magnificent team work.

940
00:54:22,760 --> 00:54:25,039
If I ever saw a sacrifice play, I saw it.

941
00:54:25,079 --> 00:54:29,599
To night Sewell shook his head. You may have seen

942
00:54:29,639 --> 00:54:32,840
team work, said he, though mister Blake was the most

943
00:54:32,840 --> 00:54:35,639
of the team. But there was no sacrifice play on

944
00:54:35,719 --> 00:54:38,239
my part. It was simply a matter of passing the

945
00:54:38,280 --> 00:54:40,719
ball to the man who could run I should have

946
00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:43,039
been down in four yards if I ever got away

947
00:54:43,039 --> 00:54:46,280
at all. John Fernald looked at his wife with a

948
00:54:46,280 --> 00:54:49,880
puzzled smile. What sort of talk is that? He queried,

949
00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:53,079
Then he went on, I suppose you boys are giving

950
00:54:53,119 --> 00:54:55,360
the credit to elder Blake, who ought to have it.

951
00:54:56,079 --> 00:54:58,639
But I give a good deal to William Sewell, whose

952
00:54:58,679 --> 00:55:00,639
eyes were sharp enough to see what We've been too

953
00:55:00,679 --> 00:55:03,639
blind to find out that the old man was the

954
00:55:03,679 --> 00:55:05,599
one who could deal with us and make us see

955
00:55:05,679 --> 00:55:09,599
light on our quarrel. He did make us see it here.

956
00:55:09,679 --> 00:55:12,719
I've been standing off, pluming myself on being too wise

957
00:55:12,760 --> 00:55:14,800
to mix up in the fuss, when I ought to

958
00:55:14,840 --> 00:55:17,639
have been doing my best to bring folks together. What

959
00:55:17,719 --> 00:55:20,079
a difference it does make, the way you see a thing.

960
00:55:21,400 --> 00:55:24,360
He looked round upon the group, scanning one stirred face

961
00:55:24,400 --> 00:55:28,519
after another as the ruddy firelight illumined them. His glance

962
00:55:28,559 --> 00:55:32,119
finally rested on his daughter Nan. She too sat upon

963
00:55:32,159 --> 00:55:35,039
the floor on a plump red cushion, with her back

964
00:55:35,039 --> 00:55:38,840
against her husband's knee. Somehow, Nan and Sam were never

965
00:55:38,880 --> 00:55:42,000
par a part at times like these. The youngest of

966
00:55:42,079 --> 00:55:44,880
the house of Fernald had made perhaps the happiest marriage

967
00:55:44,880 --> 00:55:47,199
of them all, and the knowledge of this gave her

968
00:55:47,199 --> 00:55:50,559
father and mother great satisfaction. The sight of the pair

969
00:55:50,760 --> 00:55:54,400
returning his scrutiny with bright faces gave John Fernald his

970
00:55:54,480 --> 00:55:58,800
next comment after the preachers, I guess Nancy and Samuel

971
00:55:58,840 --> 00:56:01,880
deserve about the most credit. He went on. It was

972
00:56:01,920 --> 00:56:05,480
the little girl's idea, and Sam stood by her right through.

973
00:56:06,000 --> 00:56:09,599
He began to chuckle. I can see Sam now towing

974
00:56:09,599 --> 00:56:12,199
those two old fellows up to the pulpit. I don't

975
00:56:12,199 --> 00:56:15,639
believe they'd ever got there without him. There certainly is

976
00:56:15,679 --> 00:56:17,800
a time when a man's hand on your arm makes

977
00:56:17,840 --> 00:56:20,280
it a good deal easier to go where you know

978
00:56:20,360 --> 00:56:23,760
you ought to go. It would have taken more than

979
00:56:23,840 --> 00:56:26,679
my hand to tow them away, said Sam Barnett, after

980
00:56:26,679 --> 00:56:28,719
they found out how it felt to be friends again.

981
00:56:29,679 --> 00:56:33,360
Nobody could come between them now with an axe. The

982
00:56:33,480 --> 00:56:37,320
music helped, cried Nan. The music helped more than anything

983
00:56:37,480 --> 00:56:40,840
except the sermon. Think how Margaret worked over that, and

984
00:56:41,000 --> 00:56:44,360
Caroline over that crazy little old organ, and Guy and

985
00:56:44,679 --> 00:56:48,320
Ed and Charles hung all those greens. I tacked the

986
00:56:48,320 --> 00:56:52,880
pulpit stair carpet, put in Oliver gravely, while you're signing credit.

987
00:56:53,159 --> 00:56:58,039
Don't forget that I stoked those stoves, asserted Ralph. That

988
00:56:58,199 --> 00:57:01,320
left hand one, Christopher. I never saw a stove like

989
00:57:01,360 --> 00:57:03,800
that to hand out smoke in your face. But the

990
00:57:03,880 --> 00:57:06,760
church was warm when I got through with them. You

991
00:57:06,880 --> 00:57:10,880
all did wonderfully well, came Mother Fernoud's proud and happy declaration.

992
00:57:12,280 --> 00:57:14,360
All but me, said a voice from the center of

993
00:57:14,400 --> 00:57:16,920
the group. It was a voice which nobody had ever

994
00:57:16,960 --> 00:57:19,440
expected to hear in an acknowledgment of failure of any

995
00:57:19,440 --> 00:57:24,320
sort whatsoever, and all ears listened in amazement. I did

996
00:57:24,360 --> 00:57:28,639
nothing but discourage everybody, went on the voice, not quite evenly.

997
00:57:29,639 --> 00:57:31,840
I believe I am apt to do that, though I

998
00:57:31,880 --> 00:57:35,199
never realized it before. But when that wonderful old man

999
00:57:35,320 --> 00:57:38,679
was speaking, it came to me quite suddenly that the

1000
00:57:38,719 --> 00:57:43,159
reason my husband's family don't like me better is because

1001
00:57:44,400 --> 00:57:46,920
it is my nature always to see the objections to

1002
00:57:46,960 --> 00:57:50,800
a thing and to discourage people about it, if I can.

1003
00:57:51,119 --> 00:57:55,119
I want to tell you all that I'm going to

1004
00:57:55,159 --> 00:57:59,480
try to help, not hinder, from now on. There was

1005
00:57:59,559 --> 00:58:03,000
never a deeper sincerity that breathed in these astonishing words

1006
00:58:03,039 --> 00:58:08,400
from Marian Oliver's wife. Astonishing because they all understood, knowing

1007
00:58:08,400 --> 00:58:11,639
her as they did. Oliver was oldest and had been

1008
00:58:11,639 --> 00:58:14,599
the first to marry. What a tremendous effort the little

1009
00:58:14,639 --> 00:58:17,559
speech had cost her, a proud woman of the world

1010
00:58:17,960 --> 00:58:20,440
who never seemed to care whether her husband's family loved

1011
00:58:20,440 --> 00:58:23,599
her or not, so that they deferred to her for

1012
00:58:23,639 --> 00:58:26,599
a moment. They were all too surprised and touched, for

1013
00:58:26,679 --> 00:58:29,320
there is nothing more touching than humility where it is

1014
00:58:29,440 --> 00:58:34,000
least expected to speak. Then Ralph, who sat next to Marian,

1015
00:58:34,239 --> 00:58:36,400
brought his fist down on his knee with a thud.

1016
00:58:37,440 --> 00:58:41,719
Bully for you, said he. Upon Marian's other side, her

1017
00:58:41,800 --> 00:58:45,920
husband's mother slipped a warm, delicate hand into hers, nan,

1018
00:58:46,360 --> 00:58:49,519
leaning past Sam's knee, reached up and patted her sister

1019
00:58:49,519 --> 00:58:53,239
in law's lap. Everybody else smiled in his or her

1020
00:58:53,320 --> 00:58:57,480
most friendly way at Oliver's wife, and Oliver himself, though

1021
00:58:57,480 --> 00:59:00,480
he said nothing and merely continued to stare fixed into

1022
00:59:00,480 --> 00:59:02,800
the fire, looked as if he would be willing to

1023
00:59:02,800 --> 00:59:05,760
tackle pulpit stair carpets for a living, if it would

1024
00:59:05,800 --> 00:59:09,960
help to bring about such results as these. Marian's right

1025
00:59:10,039 --> 00:59:13,280
in calling him a wonderful old man guy spoke thoughtfully.

1026
00:59:13,840 --> 00:59:17,559
He's got us all, Fernald's as well as Tomlinson's and Frasier's.

1027
00:59:18,599 --> 00:59:21,880
Hit me square between the eyes, good and hard. But

1028
00:59:21,960 --> 00:59:26,320
I'm glad he did, he owned with characteristic frankness. They

1029
00:59:26,320 --> 00:59:28,920
all sat gazing into the fire in silence for a

1030
00:59:28,920 --> 00:59:31,920
little while After that, in the musing way of those

1031
00:59:31,960 --> 00:59:34,599
who have much to think about, and by and by,

1032
00:59:34,960 --> 00:59:37,559
Father Fernald pulled out his watch and scanned it by

1033
00:59:37,559 --> 00:59:42,440
the wavering light. Bless my soul, he cried, it's close

1034
00:59:42,480 --> 00:59:45,519
on to twelve o'clock. You children ought to be in bed,

1035
00:59:45,840 --> 00:59:49,559
oughtn't they? Mother? There was a murmur of laughter round

1036
00:59:49,559 --> 00:59:52,280
the group, for John Fernald was looking at his wife

1037
00:59:52,320 --> 00:59:55,519
over his spectacles in just the quizzical way his sons

1038
00:59:55,519 --> 01:00:00,719
and daughters Well remembered. I suppose they ought, John, she responded,

1039
01:00:00,760 --> 01:00:03,039
smiling at him, But you might let them sit up

1040
01:00:03,079 --> 01:00:06,960
a little longer, just this once. He looked them over

1041
01:00:07,039 --> 01:00:10,039
once more. It was the hundredth time his eyes had

1042
01:00:10,039 --> 01:00:12,840
gone round the circle that night. It was a goodly

1043
01:00:12,960 --> 01:00:15,440
array of manhood and womanhood for a father to look

1044
01:00:15,480 --> 01:00:18,960
at and call his own. Even William Sewell, the brother

1045
01:00:19,000 --> 01:00:21,679
of his son's wife, seemed to belong to him. To night.

1046
01:00:22,639 --> 01:00:25,639
They gave him back his proud and tender glance, every

1047
01:00:25,679 --> 01:00:29,000
one of them, and his heart was very full. As

1048
01:00:29,000 --> 01:00:33,280
for their mother, but her eyes had gone down, well,

1049
01:00:33,519 --> 01:00:35,840
said he, leaning over to clasp her hand in his

1050
01:00:35,920 --> 01:00:39,159
own as she sat next to him. I guess maybe,

1051
01:00:39,440 --> 01:00:41,679
just this once, it won't do any harm to let

1052
01:00:41,719 --> 01:00:45,239
em stay up a little late. They're getting pretty big now,

1053
01:00:45,679 --> 01:00:51,719
and it's Christmas night, and of on Christmas Day in

1054
01:00:51,760 --> 01:00:54,840
the evening by Grace Louise Smith, Richmond