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Speaker 1: The Wager of Gerald or Rourke a Christmas Story. It

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was five minutes after nine on the morning of December

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twenty third, when a small boy with an expression akin

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to the pathetic upon his smug features, entered the second

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academic class room of Marquette College, Milwaukee and handed his

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teacher this note nine O four A M. Gerald or Rourke, late,

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please admit a mosher s Jay. Mister Lawton Read's communication

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with a frown. He was impatient of late comers, as

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are all earnest teachers. His frown quickly disappeared, however, as

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a grin, at once cheerful and deprecating, came upon Gerald's

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upturned face. Don't mind it this time, sir. I was

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up late last night practicing the Christmas Mass, and Mamma

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couldn't get me up this morning. I've got to stay

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after class or father Mosher anyhow. And then Gerald's face,

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which had grown gloomy as he recalled his after class

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engagement with the Reverend Prefect of thing discipline, lightened up

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with a smile as he caught the teacher's assumed expression

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of delight at this announcement. With a cheerfulness that expressed

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itself even unto levity in his walk. He went to

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his seat beside Maurice Desmond, and giving that young classmate

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a stealthy but sharp dig in the ribs. He unstrapped

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his books and prepared himself for the labor of the day.

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Are you, captain, whispered Maurice, as he brought his head

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below the lid of his desk and simulated a quest

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of a pen holder. Sure. Maurice grinned and was about

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to duck his hat again when he noticed that mister

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Lawton was taking an exaggerated interest in his movements. Maurice

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grew very solemn and attentive, Having in a very short

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time thus regained the confidence of his teacher, He slowly

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and surreptitiously composed the following note, Dear Gerald, I'll bet

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you one pair of beads that you'll be late for

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the four o'clock Christmas mass. Maurice Desmond Gerald, after the

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consumption of much time and patience, answered dear Maurice, I

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take your bet and gear you one more pair that

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I call at your house and wake you up at

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three fifteen Christmas morning. Gerald or rooke Esquire. Half an

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hour elapsed before Maurice has succeeded in penning this delectable answer.

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Gerald or Rooke esquire, you're out of your senses. You'll

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sleepy head, but I'll take you anyhow. You'll say those

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two pair of beads Christmas Day, and don't you forget

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it either, Yours the Honorable Maurice Desmond L l D.

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At this stage of the communications, mister Lawton broke in

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Gerald and Maurice bring me those papers, and thus ended

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the correspondence. There may be heavier sleepers in this world

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than Gerald or Rourke, but if so, they are unknown

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to the present writer. Not that a sleepiness came upon

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him at early nightfall, Oh no, he was wont to

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tease his mother when nine o'clock, the appointed hour, came,

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to let him stay up just a little longer. Mamma

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will quite indulgent to her eloquent little darling. And it

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not unfrequently happened that Gerald wheedled his way to half

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past ten of the night. On the following day, of course,

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Missus O'Rourke had the giant's task of bringing the youngster

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out of the land of nod. Sometimes it was a

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matter of fifteen or twenty minutes. When then missus O'Rourke

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on Christmas Eve, heard from the lips of her sanguine

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son the account of his wager with Maurice, she smiled, you,

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foolish boy, why didn't you content yourself with the first bet.

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I am quite sure we shall be able to get

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you over the church by four o'clock. But if I

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want to have you out so as to call Maurice

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at half past three, I shall have to get up

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at midnight, and I can't afford to do that. My dear,

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you don't have to, Mamma, cried the eager child. Don't

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you think I am able to get up by myself?

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Decidedly not? Well awful every one of you. Don't you

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remember our class picnic last June when we all had

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to be at college at seven o'clock sharp, and was

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a nigh up at six, and didn't I wake you

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and Papa and Uncle Edward, who got up so mad

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and offered to throw his big shoes at me. You

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just wait, Mama, and see. Picnics are a different thing.

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My dear. You were so in love with the idea

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of spending a day out in the country and by

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the shore of Lake Michigan that you were too excited

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to sleep soundly. Besides, it was warm and pleasant weather.

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But think of getting up at three tomorrow in the

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dark and the cold, and of getting out into the

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freezing air. Singing at Mass is not precisely a picnic.

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But Mamma, I am going to sing the solo part

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of the dusty Fidailies at the ovatory. And if I

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were late, our choir director would have a right to

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be disgusted. He's taken such pains with me. And then too,

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I want to make a good holy communion, and and

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I've got a plan to get up at three o'clock sharp.

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What is that? Gerald asked his father, Why I'm a

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going to have my alarm clock set to go off

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at three o'clock sharp? And at this stage of Jerald's plan,

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his father, mother, uncle, and two sisters broke into laughter.

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The idea that any alarm clock who produced the least

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effect on Gerald once he was asleep struck them as

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being exquisitely ridiculous. Uncle Edward closed this idea in words,

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if you were to stack your room from Florida ceiling

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with alarm clocks, and if you had the biggest kind

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of an alarm clock for a bolster. And if all

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these alarm clocks were, I don't say to go off,

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but to explode at three o'clock tomorrow morning. I am

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willing to bet anything I own that you'd snooze right

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along till your mother got at you again. The laugh arose.

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Gerald wasn't a hopeless minority. Huh, snarled Gerald confound you girls.

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You see, Gerald chose to shower his wrath upon his sisters, who,

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to tell the truth, were loudless in their merriment. Huh,

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I will be up, and he added with striking. In consequence,

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I can dress six times over a while you two

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are combing and pinning and banging you here. Then, changing

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his tone, the orator addressed himself to the grown up

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members of his family. You needn't think that I am

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trusting to the alarm tock alone. That's only part of

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the plan. Indeed, let's hear the other parts, chuckled Uncle Edward.

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I er, I got it from my teacher. You see,

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he knows all about that bet, because he captured the

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notes about it and could hardly keep from laughing when

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he read em. Well, he said, just set your alarm

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clock for three, and ask the souls in burgatory to

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see to it that you hear it go off. If

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you promise, in turn to do something for them, they'll

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be pretty sure to take care of you. And I've

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done it too, and I'll be up on time tomorrow,

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as sure as what were you going to observe? Asked

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Uncle Edward. Gerald had been on the point of saying

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as sure as shooting, But there was in the family

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what he considered a prejudice against boyish saying, and so

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at a loss for some lesson commonplace expression, he paused,

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unable to conclude his peroration. But what was it you promised,

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continued Uncle Edward. Say, MA, I want to get a

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piece of bread and butter, please. I am almost starving,

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cried Gerald, as he hurried from the room, feeling that

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he had already said too much. Like many a good,

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pious Catholic boy, he was well over frank in general,

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somewhat reticent in regard to his devotions, and in his

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joyous little breast was enshrined many a pretty little practice

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of piety about which even his mother knew nothing. However,

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before retiring, he communicated to her that should he win

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his bed. He was going to give a dollar out

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of his Christmas money to the poor for the benefit

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of the suffering souls. Missus O'Rourke kissed him and say, Mamma,

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what are we going to have for dinner tomorrow? This

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was his last question, But it was not his last thought.

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For Gerald made it a point on the eve of

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a communion day to try to think of nothing once

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he was snug in bed but the blessed sacrament, and

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he actually succeeded in this, though I am bound to

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say that he suddenly awake for more than four or

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five minutes on this blessed night. He had just put

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his mind into this pious frame when there came a

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sharp knock at his door, followed by the entrance of

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his father. Why Papa, did I forget to bid you

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good night? No, Gerald, but you needn't look so surprised.

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I've just one word to say to you. I like

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your plan very much. You want the souls in purgatory

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to do you a favor. Now. I'm in trouble, Gerald,

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and perhaps they may help me too. Tomorrow. I want

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you to pray for me at Holy Comunion, and you

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must try to get the holy souls interested in my case.

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I'm going to leave ten dollars in your coat pocket,

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ted to your one dollar which your mother told me about.

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It's all I can afford at present, perhaps more than

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I can afford. Don't tell any one what I've said

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to you. Your mother is the only one that knows

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my trouble. Oh, Papa, is that why? She looked as

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if she'd been crying. Her eyes were red this evening.

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She did cry at first, Gerald, But she is brave,

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and so will you be, my boy? If I lose

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my place? What cried Gerald, sitting bolt upright in his bed.

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Is mister Bush going to get another business manager? I

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fear so, Gerald. He told me to day that great

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pressure is being brought to bear upon him by number

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of capitalists interested in the company, to put in another man.

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He has no complaint against me, but he fears that

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he will have to give in. Why hasn't he got

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to say of it himself? Papa, Yes, but then he's

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a weak man in some things, and he is afraid

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of losing his popularity with the members of a certain

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secret society to which he belongs. I wish he were

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braver as it stands. It is now next to certain

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that I shall lose my place at the end of

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this year. So pray, pray hard, my boy, and don't

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fail to get the holy souls interested too. Good Night,

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and with a smile on the kiss. Mister O'Rourke left

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the room. Gerald lay away for full fifteen minutes after

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this interview, and you may be sure he did not lie.

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Idle prayer that comes from the heart, and idleness live

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far apart. You are out of sorts, Henry, missus Bush,

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remarked to her husband towards sundown of the same day.

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So I am Margaret. I don't feel at all well

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in body, and besides I'm distressed about a business matter.

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I'm afraid I should be obliged to get a new manager.

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What discharge, mister O'Rourke. Why you used to say that

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he was the best and longest sighted business man you

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ever met, and that he was worth far more than

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his six thousand a year. I say so, yet by

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right you should have eight or ten thousand. But instead

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of thinking of raising his salary, I'm worried night and day,

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by word and by letter to replace him with the

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John Landon. Landon has many wondrous advantages over or work,

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added mister Bush in bitter sarcasm. In the first place,

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Landon is not a Catholic, and in the second he

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belongs to at least five secret societies. In one of

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them he has several degrees above me. It was a

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sad day for you, Henry, when you join that society. No,

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it wasn't. It brought me business, yes, but it took

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away your religion. Not at all, Margaret. I'm a Catholic,

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and what's morrow, I'll buy a Catholic in the meantime, Henry,

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couldn't you manage to live? One? For answer, mister Bush

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gave a growl and took up the evening paper. Tomorrow,

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my dearest Christmas, m't you please promise to come to

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Mass with me. The children are praying so earnestly they

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are sure that they are to be heard this time.

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It's fifteen years nearly since you entered a church. Come, dear, promise.

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There were tears in Missus Bush's eyes as she spoke,

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and a perceptible trembling in her voice. Mister Bush was moved.

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He was now growing gray and was telling upon his health.

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For a moment. He pondered the request, and as he pondered,

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a sharp pain shot through his head. I'm too worried

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just now, Margaret, some other Christmas. I'll go yet, But Henry,

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how can you promise yourself another Christmas? Margaret? Margaret? He cried,

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rising impatiently from his chair, tossing the evening paper upon

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a table, and putting his hands to his head. For

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God's sake, don't worry me, I'm wretched. The poor good

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lady had unwittingly jarred upon her husband's feelings all that day,

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had the thought of death pursued him, and he had

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built a seven upon this earth. Mister Bush was a

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millionaire many times over. When a young man, he had

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been a practical Catholic, but business and gain had gradually

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drawn him away from his religious practices till he had

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been content with fulfilling his Easter duty. Then come the

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allurement of a secret society. Against this temptation he held out

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for some time, But unfortunately for him, at this period

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of trial there arose an unpleasantness between him and his

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parish priest. Mister Bush was in the wrong, Yet in

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a fit of passion, he joined the secret society and

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his place in church, knew him no more. At supper

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time that evening, his little daughter said, Papa, won't you

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please take me to mass tomorrow. All the children, as

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Laura spoke, looked earnestly at their father. I can't, my

236
00:13:26,919 --> 00:13:31,919
little one, I'm not well. And mister Bush, not without emotion,

237
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saw the signs of bitter disappointment upon their young faces.

238
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There must have been something wrong about the novena of ours,

239
00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:42,840
growled Harry, a classmate of Gerald's. Mary, the eldest of

240
00:13:42,879 --> 00:13:46,120
the three sisters, motioned to him to be quiet. Oh,

241
00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:49,200
I guess I can talk a little, pursued the undonned youth.

242
00:13:49,759 --> 00:13:52,159
At least, Papa, you ought to come and hear the singing.

243
00:13:52,799 --> 00:13:56,440
I'm in the chorus myself, but I'm nothing extra. Gerald

244
00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,440
O Rooks the boy. He's got a voice like an angel,

245
00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,320
Only angels don't play tricks. You just ought to hear him.

246
00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:06,399
You'd be willing to go out and die. Gerald's one

247
00:14:06,399 --> 00:14:09,279
of the nicest boys in Milwaukee, a heat nicer than

248
00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:13,600
I am. I like him immensely, say Papa, I'm going

249
00:14:13,639 --> 00:14:16,120
to bring him home with me tomorrow. I'm sure you'd

250
00:14:16,159 --> 00:14:18,440
like to talk to him. You haven't seen him now

251
00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:23,720
for almost a year. He's nicer than ever. Whatever else

252
00:14:23,759 --> 00:14:26,840
you do, roared mister Bush, bringing down his fist on

253
00:14:26,879 --> 00:14:30,159
the table and scowling fiercely. Don't bring that boy near

254
00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,320
this house. I don't want to see him. And to

255
00:14:33,399 --> 00:14:36,320
the consternation of all, mister Bush hurried from the room.

256
00:14:37,159 --> 00:14:42,519
He was very ill and very wretched, poor millionaire. The children,

257
00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:46,000
some hours later, were sleeping peacefully when mister Bush entered

258
00:14:46,039 --> 00:14:49,720
the large room devoted to Laura and Edith and Mary.

259
00:14:50,279 --> 00:14:53,440
They had very long stockings, these little knights, which were

260
00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:57,440
carefully pinned to the mantle over the fireplace. Prominent among

261
00:14:57,440 --> 00:14:59,759
the brick a back on the mantelpiece stood a statue

262
00:14:59,759 --> 00:15:03,120
of his sacred heart. Mister Bush dropped the shining yellow

263
00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,120
coin into each stocking, one of which fell to the floor.

264
00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,720
He picked it up carefully, and, not finding the pin,

265
00:15:10,279 --> 00:15:12,480
caught hold of the statue with the intention of using

266
00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,919
it as a weight to hold the stocking in place.

267
00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:18,919
There was a letter an open leather under the statue.

268
00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:24,159
Mister Bush adjusted his glasses and read, dear Baby of Bethlehem,

269
00:15:24,759 --> 00:15:27,840
a merry Christmas to you. It will surely be married

270
00:15:27,879 --> 00:15:30,159
to you. If people love you who do not love

271
00:15:30,159 --> 00:15:33,000
you now, it will be very married to us. If

272
00:15:33,039 --> 00:15:35,960
Papa comes to Mass with us. Oh, he's such a

273
00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,440
good papa. We are sure you would like him if

274
00:15:38,519 --> 00:15:41,200
you knew him better. Now, please get Papa to come

275
00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,159
to Mass. I have made the nine first Fridays all

276
00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,879
for Papa, and we're sure that Papa will come to Mass.

277
00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:48,879
And we're going to give all the money that Papa

278
00:15:48,919 --> 00:15:51,279
drops in our stockings to a priest to put flowers

279
00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,279
on the altar when we get up on Christmas. Dear

280
00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,080
Baby of Bethlehem, we expect that this leather will not

281
00:15:57,159 --> 00:16:00,679
be here. That is to be the sign the Papa

282
00:16:00,679 --> 00:16:03,879
will go to Mass on Christmas Day. With much love,

283
00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:08,720
Dear Baby Bethlehem, we are your dear little ones. Mary,

284
00:16:09,279 --> 00:16:14,720
I'm Tanin. I read this letter by myself. Edith she's eight, Laura,

285
00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:20,399
she's six. After some moments of irresolution, mister Bush put

286
00:16:20,399 --> 00:16:22,679
this leather in his pocket, and with swimming eyes, turned

287
00:16:22,679 --> 00:16:26,000
to leave the room. He stopped on the threshold, passed

288
00:16:26,039 --> 00:16:29,399
his hands through his hair, groaned, and with an expression

289
00:16:29,399 --> 00:16:32,039
of extreme misery, returned to place the letter where he

290
00:16:32,039 --> 00:16:37,960
had found it. He departed, very ill, very unhappy, tossing restlessly.

291
00:16:38,399 --> 00:16:41,639
He got no wink a sleep that night, Poor millionnaire

292
00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,720
were Gerald leaped from his bed into his knickerbockers before

293
00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,360
the clock had quite finished with its noisy Christmas greeting.

294
00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,120
In an incredibly short space of time, he completed his

295
00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:56,679
tardlet and was out in the cold, biting air of

296
00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,399
the city. It was very dark and gloomy, and Gerald

297
00:17:00,399 --> 00:17:03,519
felt tempted to return to his bed, but he shook

298
00:17:03,559 --> 00:17:05,799
off the feeling at once and turned his attention to

299
00:17:05,839 --> 00:17:08,799
what his father had told him the night before. I

300
00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,039
do hope that my toes will ache, and that my

301
00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:13,240
hands will get tapped, and that my ears will pay

302
00:17:13,279 --> 00:17:15,799
me like everything. And I offered it all up for

303
00:17:15,839 --> 00:17:18,240
the holy souls, and if any of them get to

304
00:17:18,279 --> 00:17:20,839
Heaven on account of a cold little boy, I hope

305
00:17:20,839 --> 00:17:24,200
they'll remember to pay it back to his papa, saying

306
00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:27,200
which the merry faced, ascetic as he skipped along with

307
00:17:27,279 --> 00:17:31,359
unmistakable signs of levity, removed his gloves and his ear muss,

308
00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,039
and beyond devoutly wishing that it were colder, paid no

309
00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:38,559
attention to the biting blast. After walking several squares He

310
00:17:38,599 --> 00:17:41,200
stopped at the street corner and peered through the darkness

311
00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:45,039
of the shadowy outlines of a large house. Does Maurice

312
00:17:45,079 --> 00:17:49,359
live on eighteenth or seventeenth Street? I can't remember. Yes,

313
00:17:49,759 --> 00:17:54,279
that's the house, I'm sure, and recklessly trampling over the lawn,

314
00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:58,640
said beloved of Milwaukee people. Gerald tripped up the stone steps,

315
00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:01,359
put his finger to the elect button and held it

316
00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,519
there quite tranquility, while the bell tinkled away as though

317
00:18:04,519 --> 00:18:07,680
it would never stop. It had been tinkling for something

318
00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:11,039
over sixty seconds when Gerald heard heavy footsteps upon the

319
00:18:11,039 --> 00:18:15,440
staircase within and in some inexplicable way. Gerald caught that

320
00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,400
in their fall, which gave him reason to believe that

321
00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,400
they were the footsteps of a very angry man, and

322
00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,599
he took his finger off the electric button. When the

323
00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,200
door was thrown over him with a bang, Gerald gasped

324
00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:31,039
in horror, for there, glaring at him, fiercely, full dressed

325
00:18:31,319 --> 00:18:35,440
spectacles on nose fire in his eyes stood mister Bush,

326
00:18:36,559 --> 00:18:40,799
you little rascal, roared the victim of insomnia and dyspepsia

327
00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,200
and an uneasy conscience, as he saw the dim shape

328
00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:46,759
of a small boy standing in the doorway. Do you,

329
00:18:46,839 --> 00:18:49,720
little rascal, What do you mean by your infernal noise

330
00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:52,240
at this time of the night? Answer me at once,

331
00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:56,359
what do you want? Gerald gasped, shivered, and was within

332
00:18:56,440 --> 00:19:00,359
a little sinking down upon the threshold in his agony. Finally,

333
00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:03,759
in desperation and with a determined effort, he blurted forth,

334
00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:08,680
mister Weh, what did you get in your stocking? And

335
00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:10,839
then he dashed down the steps in a manner that

336
00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:13,200
would have brought instant death to any one who was

337
00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:15,920
not a small boy, realizing as he fled into the

338
00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:19,240
darkness that mister Bush had recognized him by his voice,

339
00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,440
and feeling certain that his father's hopes, frail as they

340
00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,880
had been, were now completely shattered. For some moments, mister

341
00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,599
Bush stood stock still, Then, clapping his hands together and

342
00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:33,680
taking his overcoat from the rack, he too went out

343
00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:38,319
into the darkness. The overoratory of the early Christmas Mass

344
00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:41,400
had come. The organ played a few soft strains of

345
00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,720
little Dusty fe Daily's, and Gerald, standing in the choir

346
00:19:44,799 --> 00:19:47,960
by his friend Maurice, whom he actually had awakened before

347
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,920
half past three, tiled forth the sweetest and grandest of hymns,

348
00:19:52,839 --> 00:19:55,839
his voice clear and firm, filled the church with its

349
00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:59,640
liquid sweetness. But as he came to the words benite,

350
00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:05,079
uttered Ramus, it trembled, quivered, faltered, and softened so rarely

351
00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:08,839
that gentleness, love, and pathos seemed to have found perfect

352
00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,279
expression in his wondrous notes. And on the concluding word

353
00:20:12,519 --> 00:20:16,079
dominoon it dissolved in a musical sigh or sob of

354
00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:20,359
reverential awe. Thus it seemed to the listeners and Mannie

355
00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:22,559
an eye filled, and many a heart was exalted in

356
00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,519
unwonted tenderness. But no one in the chart had the

357
00:20:26,599 --> 00:20:29,000
least conception of what had brought out this pradigal wealth

358
00:20:29,039 --> 00:20:32,039
of pathos and love. And all this is the fact

359
00:20:32,079 --> 00:20:35,480
of the matter. As Gerrold came to the verse beginning

360
00:20:35,519 --> 00:20:38,680
with a neat day otter Ramus, his eye chanced to

361
00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,720
wander among the worshippers, And there almost immediately before him,

362
00:20:42,839 --> 00:20:46,440
said mister Bush, his spectacled eyes bent full upon the soloist.

363
00:20:47,559 --> 00:20:50,400
Jerrold was at once seized with nervous dread. He could

364
00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:54,000
scarcely go on, but he struggled bravely, And thus it

365
00:20:54,079 --> 00:20:56,920
came about that his nervousness produced an effect. At once,

366
00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:59,799
so beautiful and so rare that mister Bush took out

367
00:20:59,799 --> 00:21:02,839
his time handkerchief and rubbed his eyes for full five minutes.

368
00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:07,359
Mister Bush's present surprised Gerald very much. He knew that

369
00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,559
the millionaire was not a churchgoer. On the other hand,

370
00:21:10,599 --> 00:21:14,680
mister Bush was surprising himself, acting upon impulse. He had

371
00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,519
left his house, acting upon impulse, an impulse of grace.

372
00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,839
You may be sure, he had entered the church. And

373
00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,359
now how beautiful it all seemed, the singing, the lights,

374
00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:29,240
the solemn ceremonial. There at the altar, as celebrant stood

375
00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:34,480
Father h mister Bush's former parish priest. How venerable he looked,

376
00:21:35,039 --> 00:21:37,680
And as after the comedion, this kindly faced old man

377
00:21:37,799 --> 00:21:40,799
turned to say a few words to his congregation, words

378
00:21:40,799 --> 00:21:44,200
of peace, of love, of good will. Mister Bush took

379
00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:48,480
out his handkerchief again. When Gerroed had concluded his thanksgiving

380
00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,039
and accompanied by Maurice, while stripping down the front steps

381
00:21:52,079 --> 00:21:55,000
of the church, he saw mister Bush advancing towards him.

382
00:21:55,799 --> 00:21:59,759
To Maurice's astonishment, gerro took one two flying leaps and

383
00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,880
down the street at full speed. What's the matter with

384
00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:07,440
Gerald o' rourke asked mister Bush, not a little astonished.

385
00:22:07,839 --> 00:22:11,799
He's all right. Oh, I beg your pardon, sir, answered Maurice.

386
00:22:12,079 --> 00:22:15,279
He's not all right. I really believe he's going crazy, Sir.

387
00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:19,480
He never acted that way in church before. Merry Christmas, sir,

388
00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:24,359
thank you, thank you, same to you. Look here, my boy.

389
00:22:24,519 --> 00:22:28,400
Would you do me a favor? Certainly, Sir. Go to

390
00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,960
Father h in the sacristy and tell him there's a

391
00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:34,039
man in his confessional waiting to see him. Tell him

392
00:22:34,039 --> 00:22:35,920
it's an old friend that he hasn't seen for over

393
00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,079
fourteen years and wants to go to Holy Communion right away,

394
00:22:40,839 --> 00:22:45,079
all right, sir, And Maurice was turning away. Hold on

395
00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:48,359
another thing. My name is Bush. Do you know where

396
00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,480
I live? Of course I do. You live on eighteenth

397
00:22:51,519 --> 00:22:54,359
and I live on seventeenth in state streets, and our

398
00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,559
houses look almost like twins. And that's why Gerald O'Rourke

399
00:22:57,599 --> 00:23:00,160
missed my house this morning and went to yours. He

400
00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,160
told me about it, sir, and he's narrowly scared to death.

401
00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,799
I used to think that Gerald didn't know what fear meant.

402
00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:11,880
Very good. Now I began to understand, Well, go to

403
00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:15,480
my house please and give my wife this message. Tell

404
00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:17,240
her I've been to Mass and am now going to

405
00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,880
Holy Communion. Tell her also to go up to our

406
00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,200
little girl's room and to take away the letter that

407
00:23:22,279 --> 00:23:24,519
she will find under the statue of the Sacred Heart

408
00:23:24,559 --> 00:23:27,440
on the mantelpiece, to read it, and then lock it

409
00:23:27,519 --> 00:23:30,559
up in my desk without letting the little darlings girls,

410
00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:36,440
I mean, know anything about it. Do you understand, yes, sir, repeat,

411
00:23:36,759 --> 00:23:41,640
said mister Bush sententiously. A minute later, Maurice, having summoned

412
00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:44,680
Father h from the sacristy, was racing along the street

413
00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:48,359
as though bound on a message of life and death. Oh,

414
00:23:48,559 --> 00:23:52,920
screamed Edith, dancing barefoot upon the carpet. What what, cried Mary,

415
00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:56,279
It's gone the letter The infant Jesus has read it.

416
00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:00,400
Then missus Bush, her face beaming in tears of happiness

417
00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,640
in their eyes, entered and kissed her little ones, and

418
00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:05,319
when they told her of how the letter had been

419
00:24:05,319 --> 00:24:08,200
taken away by the little Babe of Bethlehem, she kissed

420
00:24:08,279 --> 00:24:10,880
him again and left the room to conceal her emotion.

421
00:24:12,279 --> 00:24:15,240
Mister Bush presently entered, and it was hard to believe

422
00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:18,400
that this cheerful, happy, readiant man had passed the night

423
00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:22,039
without a moment's sleep. He was still romping with the

424
00:24:22,039 --> 00:24:24,519
little ones and listening for the hundredth time to the

425
00:24:24,519 --> 00:24:26,759
story of the letter, when there came a ring at

426
00:24:26,759 --> 00:24:31,519
the doorbell. Say Papa, cried Harry Bush. Geraldore rooks here

427
00:24:31,759 --> 00:24:34,599
and says he wants to see you. Bring him here.

428
00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:38,920
At once. Gerald entered, pale and nervous. He had come

429
00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:43,759
to apologize to brave poor little hero Blion in his din,

430
00:24:44,599 --> 00:24:47,440
But before he could open his mouth, mister Bush sprang

431
00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,759
forward and caught him in his arms. It's all right, Gerald,

432
00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:54,640
you needn't explain. It was the right doorbell. Tell me

433
00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:56,920
the whole story, my boy, and I'll promise you a

434
00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:00,759
bit of good news. Well, you see, sir, er, I'm

435
00:25:00,799 --> 00:25:05,119
an awful heavy sleeper, began Gerald, very much, astonished and delighted.

436
00:25:05,559 --> 00:25:07,599
And still I made a bet that i'd wake Maurice

437
00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:10,680
Desmond up for the four o'clock mass. Then I got

438
00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:13,400
the souls in purgatory interested in waking me up, and

439
00:25:13,519 --> 00:25:17,039
maybe they didn't get me out. And then, sir, when

440
00:25:17,039 --> 00:25:19,720
I came to your house by mistake and found myself

441
00:25:19,759 --> 00:25:22,400
facing you, I felt just dead certain that it was

442
00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,519
all up with my father. Of course, you can't expect

443
00:25:25,519 --> 00:25:28,480
the Holy souls to do everything. It's easy enough to

444
00:25:28,559 --> 00:25:30,799
rout a small boy out of bed, but it's harder

445
00:25:30,799 --> 00:25:32,799
to keep a man in a good position when every

446
00:25:32,799 --> 00:25:39,079
one's against him, sir, And oh my, I've let it out.

447
00:25:39,599 --> 00:25:42,799
What were you good enough to let out? Sir? Why

448
00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:45,400
I promise Papa to say nothing about it to any one?

449
00:25:45,799 --> 00:25:47,799
And here I've gone and blabbed it the first chance

450
00:25:47,839 --> 00:25:53,000
I got. Dearald'll rourke said, mister Bush, you're a smart boy,

451
00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:56,200
but you don't know it all now, Sir, it was

452
00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:59,000
the Holy Soul's sent you ringing at my bell and

453
00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:03,240
the Babe of Bethel him added Edith. If you hadn't

454
00:26:03,279 --> 00:26:05,519
rung that bell, I should not have gone to church.

455
00:26:06,039 --> 00:26:08,200
If I hadn't gone to church, your father would have

456
00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:11,839
lost his place. But now tell him this. He shall

457
00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:14,319
stay in his position as long as I live. And

458
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,400
he added in a whisper to his wife, from the

459
00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:20,920
first of January next he shall get the salary he deserves.

460
00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:25,039
Aunt Gerald, I owe the Holy Soul something too. Tell

461
00:26:25,079 --> 00:26:26,960
your father that, if he can make a convenient I

462
00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,160
should like to go round with him. This afternoon and

463
00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,440
help him distribute that ten dollars plus my share. When

464
00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:34,480
Gerald reached the foot of the steps, he broke into

465
00:26:34,519 --> 00:26:37,039
a run, which promised still at distance his record of

466
00:26:37,039 --> 00:26:41,000
the early morning. And so Gerald was happy, and his

467
00:26:41,039 --> 00:26:44,480
father was happy, and his family was happy, and mister

468
00:26:44,519 --> 00:26:47,519
Bush and his family were happy, and many a poor

469
00:26:47,559 --> 00:26:51,079
man was happy. And best of all, I doubt not

470
00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:54,119
that many a poor suffering soul winged its flight that

471
00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:57,079
day to heaven, all on account of a harmless little

472
00:26:57,079 --> 00:27:01,799
wager of which every one came out winter, and of

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00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:06,279
the wager of Gerald or Rourke. A Christmas story by

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00:27:06,319 --> 00:27:08,160
Francis J. Finn S Jay