Central Catholic High School - Echo Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

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THE Christmas 'Twas when the world peace attention tore, The Christ Child in swaddling garments did ' lay, And there his Virgin Mother in a manger bore, The rebukes of the people uttered on Ilis birthday. The shepherds tending their flock at night Ilecame startled when heavenly voices they i heard, And saw in the sky a star shining so bright, ' When the angel told them to part and leave ' their herd. Peace on earth to men of good will greeting The angels to the shepherds at His birth they said, Be this our salutation to men when meeting Ere naught the angel's voice avail us in our 4 stead. J - ALFRED GARDNER, '24, ' 4, ,f,K' . , V , ,-.faq-, A Real Christmas It waspthe eve of.C.hristmas, but this did not hold any great enjoyment for Jim- mie Clark, who sold corner and about the to support his mother, newspapers on the near neighborhood, his only friend. Paper, paper, cried Jimmie to the passers-by. Of course Jimmie had a few regular customers and on any great feast or holiday like Christmas, New Year's or Easter, they would give him quarters and dollar bills and tell him to keep the change. The night grew colder and the paper dispenser felt it too. The snow began to fall faster and faster, and it seemed like each flake tried to beat each other to the ground. About a half hour afterwards. while walking along the boy discovered a black object lying in the snow. lYonder- ing what it was he stopped and picked it up. Brushing the snow off of it he opened it. Neatly folded inside he saw a check from a trust companyffor S1.000.00 and also two ten-dollar bills. Lapping a fold ECHO 1 1 of the pocketook he saw the name of James Hronson. Uh, that's the nice man that always gives me tips. Jimmie, prompted by his conscience, and being an honest boy turned to give and place the money in the owners hands. Running as fast as he could, Jlllllllif: at last arrived before a very large resirlenffe. He was admitted by a maid. and asked to see Mr. lironson. The maid called him and in a few seconds he appeared. Hello, boy, what can I do for you Mr. Bronson said in a cheery voice. Did you miss anything quizzed Jim. Not that I know of-wait. he said, searching his pocket. Oh, I lost my pock- etbook with a thousand-dollar check in it. Don't be alarmed, for I have a present foryou. I guess this is your pocketbookf' Jimmie informed him. Bless ye, boy. such luck. and as a re- turn gift you and your mother must spend Christmas Day with me as it is lonely here. said Mr. Bronson. Hurray! Thanks, I'1l go and tell mother. Jimmie hurried home to break the good tidings to his mother. who lived in a tenement house in the slum district. Mother, we're going to have a great Christmas this year. Here both invited out to Mr. Bronson's for the day. Oh. it will be great. The next morning found the ground white with two feet of snow. Jimmie and his mother went to church with their hearts Iilled with happiness. About ten o'clock they went to the house of Mr. Bronson. Here they were received with the greatest hospitality and welcome. There were all sorts of fruit. nuts and candies to eat. and to make everything cheery there was a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Sit down and tell me of your troubles and experiences. said Mr. Bronson. Mrs. Clark began: lYell. shortly after we were married my husband was kid-

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10 THE C hristmas. Thoughts . In every village, regardless of its size, there always is some simple home which has a halo of respect encircling it. Such a home is reverenced by the most hard- hearted of the community. Burton had several such homes but there was one poor but cozy cottage noted for the kind widow that lived there. Her name was Mrs. McGinity, nevertheless she did not pos- sess that rigidity of will which character- ized the people of her ancestry. Her only son, john, was lead astray while young because his mother allowed him his own way too often. john soon wandered away from the narrow path of virtue and took the easier highway of vice. After forging many checks in his own town, he was detected and sent to spend a term in jail. He jumped his bond and went to the slums of a near-by city, where he was shelteredfrom the search of de- tectives. Mrs. McGinity, in her grief for the loss of her beloved boy, felt conscience bound to repay the men who had given the money for her boy's bond. Her kind husband left only their residence, as he was on the bot- tom oft the ladder when he died. The widow mortgaged her home and for almost twenty long years she worked in almost servitude to pay off her debt. It was at the end of the score of years, and the day before Christmas, when the kind old lady sat meditating of happier days, before the fireplace. She recalled to memory the mornings she used to wake john, so that he could serve early mass in the village church. Especiallylon Christ- mas she would accompany him and kneel before the altar. When the small family gathered around the crib of jesus and there lay gifts before Him, and pray that their happiness should ever last thus. In the' midst of her meditation she uttered aloud, John, john, come to your broken-hearted mother, you cannot realize the torture and .ECHO pain you are causing me, lest you would not return. ' ' john had never written to his mother, on account of the fact that he always tried to make one more robbery and then return with the amount of his bond to his mother. But ere he could escape he was traced and had to serve another term in prison. When he completed his years of servitude for his last forgery, he determined to return home, even though he might not own the clothes that he wore on his back. Accordingly, John boarded an under- slung chair car for his home town. Ar- riving at the railroad yards of his village, he accidentally slipped in his hurry to get away from the watchman. His right leg was completely severed from his body. He was picked up by his own mother, who was gathering stray bits of coal which had fallen from the passing engines. Not rec- ognizing her son because of his long growth of beard, she opened his coat to find some means of identification. She found a photograph of herself, which she had given to her son when he was but a child. She embraced him and exclaimed: My boy, my prayer has been answered. but you have paid dearly for your wild lifefl john was rushed to the hospital, and the mother and son spent Christmas Day in the convalescent ward, relating to each other reminiscences of happier days. Mother, your countenance portrays still that beauty of my childhood days,,that I cherish, and it is beauty grown old with the wrinkles of my thoughtlessnessf' We all err, Johnfg' replied the mother in a sweet voice. What more heavenly simplicity is im- plied in that sentence, when a mother for- gives in a second the wrongs that the prod- igal son took years to do! Yet this forgiveness cannot be compared with the forgiveness of Our Divine Lord, who was born on Christmas Day for our redemption. at ' ' ' I CLARENCE KALIKER, '24. 0 1000 IVHIQQ QQAR

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12 THE E650 naped on his way home from his work. At this Mr. Bronson started. A nation-wide hunt was made for him, but to no avail. I then was forced to work and earn my own living and the boy's. When the boy was old enough he started out to sell papers to assist me in the up- keep of our little home. Well, this is indeed a surprise for me. What was your husband's name ? ques- tioned Mr. Bronson. Harry, the mother answered. Isn't your name Lucille ? asked Mr. Bronson. Yes Well, I am your husband who has been kidnapedf' Thanks be to God, they exclaimed as they embraced each other. Harry, tell me about yourself. After I was abducted I was carried to Alaska, where I was put to work in a gold mine, and guarded all the time very closely. But I managed after a while to escape to a point farther north in Alaska, where I secured a thousand acres of land to work. It was rich in gold and coal so that is the reason why I am living here in luxury. I, upon my return, looked for you, but as it was tive years hence, I didn't have any luck until I had the luck of hav- ing Jimmie find my pocketbook and return it to me, with you later. This is surely a real Christmasj' said Jimmie, as he started an attack on another box of candy.-NORBERT SUELZER, '26. The Beautiful Christmas Surprise The snow had fallen all day, as it al- ways seems to do before Christmas. The roofs of the village were snow-capped, the chimneys were pouring forth black smoke, and lights were beginning to appear in the windows. The inhabitants were going home-all were happy, their faces iiushed with excitement, all were carrying bundles. In one lonely cabin at the edge of the town, four children pressed their faces to the window. Darkness set inland Santa Claus began operations. After the supper dishes were cleared away, they huddled around a small wood fire. They were discussing the probabilities of a visit from Santa. The snow and the fact that they had been good children-why shouldn't he come? The loving mother gave but a sigh, she had nothing to give them and their tiny poor hearts would be broken. The mother told them the story of Him who lay in the manger of old in Bethlehem, on a Christmas Day. She led them softly off to bed and dropped a tear on their cheeks as she bade them good night. She knelt at her bed and prayed that the Holy Child of Bethlehem would send the Santa, not as the kind benefactor of the story-books but in the form of her hus- band, who had not been home for the last live years. On the fast express, annihilating space, was a care-worn man, deep in thought, mindful of the occasion but thinking only of his wife and children. He was a victim of a miscarriage of justice. The wheels of justice move on the honor and truth of wit- nesses, but sometimes they perjure, as in his case. He told his wife nothing of his pardon from prison. The train came to a sudden stop and the man gathered up his numerous packages and boxes. The conductor said Merry Christmas to him as he disappeared in the darkness. Silently he entered the humble cottage, his home. He decorated the Christmas tree and placed about presents for all. I will not attempt to describe the joy of the meeting of this father and his happy family. ' They attended three masses Christmas as a token of thanksgiving to the new-born Babe of Bethlehem for his kindness. The spirit of the yule-tide in the family pre- vailed not only for the day but for the entire year. So it is with any home that has so devout a mother. FRANCIS CORBETT, '26.