THE NEW CANADIAN
December 25, 1943
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KtS IS lite "tory of Charles H um p eT d i nk, New Denver, whoge. hobby was astronomy. Charles wag a clerk -in the Government Office, but he was an astronomer by night because .his father had been an amateur astronomer and his father's father before him. Indeed, five generations of Humperdinks had scanned the skies. It was a custom in'the old Swiss family Cor 'the eldest Humperdink to take up �astronomy .for the Hurnperdinks had a mission', traditionally -and carefully kept alive.'And the rea--Bon why a small town-official like Charles Humperdink was an astro, nomer was because -of a-Cbristmas Eve, a long long time ago,-in; Swit. zerland. One Christinas. Eve; Old ��-.'John-'-^Huinperdink;---.'.watchiri.aKe^.--astronomer, had finished telling the beautiful story of the birth of Christ, and how a star had guide*! the Throe Wise Meri to Bethlehem, to his curly-headed, son. The lad had listened ' attentively .silent, and when Old John had finished,', the_ lad bad asked a curious question.
"What happened," the boy inquired, ".What happened to that beautiful, bright star on Christmas Day?'1
Father John Humperdink- had, thought it over, and- thought it over. What had happened to that Star? Was it still cruising the heavens in some grand,. celestial _ orbit? Where was it now?
John Humperdink: had gone to peer through his telescope imme^ diately, but nothing unfamiliar, nothing portentous was visible in the heavens. Old John was disappointed but '-.undaunted. Being a deeply religious man,-he fully believed in tha t S i a r, i t was the re in
';� the Bible and; it was so. If he could only see that Star! A star, in
�the�hcayens'-was;-1 eternally- ^spin-hing, moving on its way, Would not' that star, someday swim into the, world's .ken? If he could see and prove that the Christinas Star wasrlo and"behol(l~-shintng-therein space, why, what a proof for Science, what a proof for' the:unbelievers? It became Old John's lifelong ambition to see that. Star. - Months before Christmas, he would pay particular attention to the skies .and .although each year hoth. ing was seen; yet the failure only served to : strengthen his search .ami renew his hope; for the next
CHtlSTMAS:ll42
j\ stor y by
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year. It went into his blood and it became a part of his son's blood. Or so it seemed, for although the Humperdinks migrated to America, . the Star remained in'their minds, and each branch of the Humped dinks produced- a " searcher" of- the __ skies. It seemed ordained that .the... .Humperdinks were to be astronomers, though one Humperdink, Charles' father, fell on evil times and wandered, about in search of better fortune and had had to pawn his beloved lenses, on many � occasions. So it was not odd that Charles Humperdink, struggling for a -living in a little interior village, sitting -at his desk over papers, bound by red- tape, was � -happy to come home and point his telescope at the skies. The boundless heavens were his.
The war- cf-me and touched Cluu'les Humperdink personally at once. It took, away his telescope. , The war demanded -lenses, and good ones were, needed, so Charles lent- his to the Government, and the loss left, the empty telescope in his room pointing aimlessly at - the skies; Then, more . was demanded of him' when into his district the evacuated Japanese enme. Charles .accepted them as part of his war effort. They were not friends but most certainly they were not enemies. He looked at U|e new in- . flux and likened their movement, \x> ;the sudden cataclysmic changes in the. universe Which sudden and great explosions .in the sky sometimes wrought; Complete upheaval, complete uprooting, he knew; and he sympathized;
When his little son, Garry, found a friend in Hanako, a little
�Japanese girl who lived down the street in an old house, where three families :.wcic;' quartered;. Charles was quite pleased, Garry had now, a charming little playmate. In fact,
-.it was;be who had -suggested -hay-: ing Itanakoover .on Christmas Eve to; see the Tree. He knew that
Hanako's crowded house could not have a stupendous tree with tinsel and holly and colorful lights.'
A ND ' IT WAS' Christmas Eve A, tonight. The great Tree !n the corner was-shedding a soft crim^ son; green and blue over the rugs. Charles sighed as he turned his chair to the crocking fireplace, his mind lulled by' 'the cozy atmosphere, In .her chair by. the fire, His wife was knitting, her fingers moving' steadily and surely, .Behind, -him, his son, Garry,- and little Hanako' .were busy .playing .with last year's toys grouped under the. Christmas . tree. Charles thought that- this ye'/.r he would not go up to the rooftop telescope - for there was no telescope; and even if he did g^.ze at the skies the sight would be the. same. There -would be the same constellations journeying across the ; sky in sparkling company; the grand soli-. tary travellers swinging, their way= �all governed by immutable: law. Charles Humperdink, knew that he was a minute being standing" pn earth, which itself was a micro-, scopic fragment of a grain of sand in a) vast inconceivable universe; and realized that this was something that he could gaze at forever but never fully understand. He had known by November that no new star could hurtle, through space fast enough to. swim into human ken by Christmas. If Old John Humperdink knew now what modern science knew, what would he have said? Only a miracle, a mystery, a magical formation cp.ujd ,bring about a bright and startling star for; hum^"ey^ see; and that would not come about. Charles wondered*too if his son Garry would search the skies as diligently as he'and his fathers before him had done. -'. Perhaps, Garry would hot see, the sense of lco'.-.ig for something so fantastic; Seized by a sudden sense of disappointment, -Charles turned in his
chair and ;thought that.'he would go up to his room and look at his beloved telescope; He noticed, that the children were talking.
Garry's brown head was bent over his-wooden train, that had been his Christmas gift the previous year, Hanako's black curls were bent also. The -two were sprawling oyer the rug, bathed in the warm glow of the fire and the many Christmas lights.
"Tomorrow", Garry was saying, �"Tomorrow-is Christmas andrSanta Claus will bring us sonjMhing nice, if we have been good boys and -girls all -the time. Have you been good?"
Hanako's dark head bobbed emphatically in swift assent. Garry seemed reassured. "Last year/' said Garry, "Santa brought me this," he pushed ahead his toy train with pride. "What did he bring you ?"
"A dolV replied Hanako.
"Where is it?" asked Garry.
Hanako hesitated because she-did not knew.
Yes, where was it? Charles thought sadly. A doll a small doll bought hurriedly by a woman frightened by the: unbelievable catastrophe of Dec. 7th 1941; a doll given, in the midst of worry and fear bu4- cherished by a little child; then lost-�who knew when? Perhaps in; the. hectic packing for evacuation,, trodden, mayhap, in the crush of,the bewildered, sullen multitude at Hastings Park, or lost
; in the deep, cold snow when mov-
:Jyng.fronLra where was it; indeed? .
Charles watched Hanako's. dark head shake and her tiny shoulders lift in a shrug for answer. Garry's honest face was puzzled. Suddenly ;it brightened, Reaching under the �Christinas Tree, he brought out a toy .drum. ' '. '
"Here,". lie said, "I'll give ypu
this for last year's present. Now, you will have * drum, and I will train and tcni�n�ow," he
fitop*pedv - choked with excitement, �'Tomorrow Santa Claus will give us both something-new' and nice."
Garry's eyes were�sparkling in boyish anticipation, Hanako's eyes \vere. bright with gratitude and joy,
"Tomorrow. :is Christmas and Santa Claus!" echoed Hanako.
'Then, Garry .threw ohe.impulsive, small arm about the little Japa-"nese girl and kissed her red lips: lightly, swiftly, as his own � mother often kissed him in quick joy. Then bright-eyed with wonder and tremulous with eagerness, they gazed into each other?s eyes, deeply, sun. ply,- silently, in .intimate understanding.
"Starry:eyed with ' "wondrous child-like joy," mused Charles as he" looked across and met; the smiling gaze of his wife*. Then he turned to clinibup the stairs to his telescope as. he\had^ done. for. so \ many 'years. "Starry-eyed with wondrous joy" he mused as he climbed, then, he suddenly stopped short on the stairs with a look of �awe.; on his face as unHcrstanding flooded him.......
tl/HEN CHARLES Humperdink *y :climbed the rest of the.stairs and came. into his room, he had a smile on his face and tears in his eyes. Even if his.lenses had; been there he would not have sat down to peer at the skies, not because his vision was misty but because .there-Was:no need.:Instead, Charles. Humperdink was talking out loud; He was talking to himself, but not only^to himself, Charles was- talking bto his father and to his father's father, yes, even unto Old John Humperdink himself.
"I have found it," Charles said quietly, "I have- found the magic, Biblical Christmas Star. It is no longer in the heavens, Old John, it cannot be found there because the star burst, so full of joy it was, oh that first glorious Christmas Day. The Star burst into a million and one tiny pieces "but it " i s sti 11 vis jblcand I sa w i,t tonight." : Charles lifted .yhis voice'; as if to make sure that the Humperdinks and the world heard hint. "The Star now shines, as it has always shone,�in the starry eyes of little children, who are simple,; Who are pure, who are lovely, who are wait, ing .for 'Santa Claus and: for Christmas Day;." . ;;
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The Season's Greetfjigs
Ayako Stvto :; lioily Shinobara Avako Atai>i Ndhuko 'Poda :^ Sue .>lafsn�ii :'-:
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kay.uko Shinobu Naka Sir/uki \.Vnty Yaina*/ak\,-; 'IVi.so t'yeno momv Kujita
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.:/ v,'' - -GreetinM.and Best A ijnos Voshidti :'; " Hil.su Shin- - -: Tontiko Aainasitiia ; ;A [ arit* Ka\vaiHOlo . ; .1 Ijdoko 'Arai ;.' . � Alina; Arikatlo- : ; -- Kinuko Kaua-^hita V . lVarhara Vonoda ' :, 'I'oshi Kittloiiatia / .A! ichiko Sa'jto Vo>liik<> Xikavdti Kiv�>ki� TakctK'hi Su:m Ki\u* Ky<>k<> Ihiai Ainv IVhikura
\VisIies frdifi ;: '' v- � ' iSally lva^yagucl^i ^
�V;._''�a;(ja-ktV^
Sht/uo:Ilayakawa :;": V iik k\ K adm� uyh i Xoi)iik(> Vahvashita
. Mjyi>k(� Tomiluro Alan* ovv Atiec Wataitabe . - Aiay lnata -'" Koka Kail'^ui'lu.
* Vijki Arai Tirrv Iliilakd
l love trJl'slim candles
alchemy in taper'd fovml
Softening the haj^h lines, � - the etclted lines, -- the faded rose . . v ; -the garitft rod- of cblpur . sm'ear'.d hi avely to hold back futility,. - : . .: . ; ~ ; Calling bsck the rose! '-
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Caserne School
Taafemc. B. C.
:":.[ "Wartinie - Eyacuation':;';
hess in the way we carry' oh.' Onr -d a i ly rou tin e- 6 f. work is mono to ? , nous and: whenever: we. look back on our activity of any period it seems a deep void.: But One cheerv ful hpteis to^s
.organized group activity which will vlieip. toJ-sonicVe^tent. to:.ease;'fhi^ undesirable condition. ' �: A not he r ~mo ve.r which ' will help us,Ts^greater panicipation in poltv-r. tieal- activity; It may be conceded that we^ are inexperienced, in hand-- ling the- controls of state; polftic?; -�'and. are sadly.lack.ing in-any.sense" 6/ .unified activity^ Yet 1 believe, now more .Than - ever before^ that the chaiA'os of. a unified-'. poHtical � "oniriion are good. Quite de'fiuiielv . we do not ;'favour the. Liberal Government; and along "With that fact ahrrost" all of- us are working nver. '�and .wcvmt'.n,'- >c� -nilurally cannot think of :0'ir.�elve# as l>e long ing to -any other "tnan" wbrkingctas? par-. t:es.. I w.vjrd say that these goli* parries " being. the-ni?elves - a r^TTt c: the .Tc^ntMnic Rtirwrity". is .a?:*-.:�.> sympathize with .the problems .of racia! rain^rttie* in jrer.eral slta �pecinca]!y -..ith tho*e of the "Japanese. ...
".to. bk afrain^t the kind of treat-meat we gri at tl* present time is not *~oa& on tmr put, tat we tbe wed t� take fwiU*e
Wishing our Many Friends ' A Mer?>y Christmas
-;:';;1:;- '.v.... �' and " ,'- �� .'k . ' "
A Happier.and Brighter New\Year
arcnecs lllarkct
Clarence Albright XProp.) and Staff; . Vv'; ' Slocan City,' k; C. �/"";.;:
J^ayyour Christmas be Happy and 19.44 - � 'Bright and Prosperousi
Kuiiikb Sugaya V ." ';: Kaztiifv HaiiJasaki - : VoijliikpOIaetla ilideyo I^iichi -;';-; � Sailaye Xakainoto ". ^r.asako Iric:. 1 Ticleka Vaniasliita Ifsuko Igashifa. Alitxiyc l>bii Man* Eiinvu"
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Vo>hiyc K*>>aka
Taka>hi
_ . Fforcnt'O lk( da ;
' TatakovArima
Ka/nko Oyama.
; Sakitve Kawabatit
' Satoko Sato
' .; Fiiriii Uyctla �
K in ikn I not ivc
. A'oshiko Kurifn
MitMtko Ike<la - �
T(>sliikc>'Macda ^ - Taira Kato TMiji
Pine Crescent School
Siocan. B. C.