Judge — December 1936 — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CHRISTMAS CHRONICLE BY JACK CLUETT THE CHRISTMAS TREE on the back The trail of snow left b stoop pine needles and melting nad when you The heated over where drag it into the living roc with discussion your wife The hunt for a suitable empty soap box and your inability to cut a it should st. standard, The discovery of an round hole in the bottom with a screw driver and a hammer. The tack in the The chipped plaster. The un- called for advice from the entire family ceiling as to the aplomb of the tree. The hunt for the tree ornaments, The dilapidated box in the attic. The bumped head. The attempt to place the tinsel star at the very tip of the tree > unstable step- The broken branch The distribution of colored ornaments, ladder. The crash terrible realiza- ats should have icicles and tinsel. The tion that the electric gone on first The undoing of all your work encircling of the tree with) strin, The of perspiration on your forehead. The awful discovery that socket handy. The make- shift connection made by plugging two lights. The beads of there is no The The failure of the lights. The twist bridge lamps together snapping of the switch ing of each tiny light bulb The one that’s burned out The joyous discovery of the The re placement final success. The redecoration of the tree Your wife's appraisal of the Her have you turn the tree around work final decision to moth-eaten side The hu so that the won't show h as you crawl underneath to revolve the soap box. The sound of tinkling glass as half a dozen ornaments fall to the floor The pine needles down your neck. The slow retreat from under the branches. The warm evening. The melting snow outside, The hol- assurance to the children that Santa Claus can drive his sleigh on dirt as well as snow The untimely ringing of the doorbell. The arrival of the low expressman with a mad ser le to closet before its discovery fash upstairs for stockir The tacks in the The split moulding. The The Night Bej The children mantlepiece nt hesitant rendition of Chr tairs to bed. The br distri bution of presents filling of the ck. The ¢ The dejected stockings. The insecure t ash The shat ered candy cane lumbering off to be Junior on the la him that Santa Claus will ce The discovery of The warning to inly put coal in his stocking if he doesnt go right straight to sleep The crisp, cold dawn of Christmas “Pardon me, sir, if you wish to kiss Santa Claus later you'll find him over that way.” Day. The early morning grectings of the children. The pleas for an immediate breakfast. The attempted pecks through The bolted food. The march into the living room. The clapping of and the curtain. hands the joyous shouts of the youngsters, The unsatisfactory explana. tion to Junior of how Santa Claus can manufacture Colgate’s Tooth Paste at the North The nbbon candy. The terrible tic from Aunt Fan, The broken doll The ever-grow Pole smell of The tears. ing pile of tissue paper and red ribbon, The stomachaches, The transformation of the living room into basement. The church bells. The light fall of snow. The humming of the wind-up top. The rail- road tracks underfoot a department store The satisfied feel- ing that it is more blessed to give than to receive, The strains of Silent Night, Holy Night, over the radio. The drowsy fecling. The much needed nap. comicbooks.com