6 THE ACORN In most parts of Germany, Christmas begins in earnest on Christmas Eve. Services are held in all of the churches, attended by the people generally. Occasionally the following old custom is found even at the present time: The church is kept in darkness until the worshippers arrive; each person carries in his hand a lighted candle which he takes with him into the church. It is a very impressive sight to watch this starry procession file in until the interior of the building is dotted with a milky-way of nickering torches. Church over, the tree is finished, the presents hung from its branches and hidden away beneath it. At a signal, the lights of the room are extinguished, the candles lighted and the children rush in, clapping their hands, eager to see what good Kris Kringle has brought them. 'Round and 'round the tree they dance showering parents, brothers, and sisters with Christmas, kisses. One very pleasing part of the observance is met within the far south. When the exitement of searching out and identifying presents has subsided, the father calls the family and a few invited relatives together and reads a chapter from the life of Christ. Or in some cases he relates the origin of the Christmas tree; how beneath an ancient tree, the Thunder Oak, a crowd of people were assembled about an altar, giving thanks to the great god, Thor. The good St. Boniface appeared upon the scene just about the time a little boy was to be offered up as a sacrifice. In the wrath of his indignation the saint arose, rebuked the worshippers for their cruelty, told them of the birth of the babe at Bethlehem, and with his mighty power shattered the sturdy oak. Among the fallen branches, he observed a young fir tree extending towards heaven. He pointed to it and said, "Henceforth, my friends, you shall worship in love and happiness by your own firesides with this fir tree as a sign of perpetual life." The evening of enjoyment is closed by the singing of appropriate Christmas carols as "Oh Tannenbaum, Oh Tannenbaum," "Stille Nacht" etc. Christmas day is devoted entirely to worship and special programs in the churches. At sun rise a medley of discordant bells begin and for half an hour peal forth the glad reminder of the new born Savior. This, of its self casts a spirit of solemnity and peace over the entire neighborhood; then when at 10 o'clock all business is suspended and stores closed, one really feels the sacred-ness of Christmas day. Each night until New Year and often for several days thereafter, the Christmas trees may be seen through the windows, sparkling with their load of spangles, toys, and candles. The Germans have no Santa Claus, but in many villages Knecht (servant) Rupert dresses up in an appropriate disguise and laden with gifts, goes from house to THE ACORN 7 house leaving something at every and how their faces beam with place. Christ-kind (Christ-child) joy as they tell of his coming is the real Santa. Anxiously for down the chimney with presents weeks the children await his arrival, for all. Roller skating had struck Rockville. Everybody went even to Deacon Brown; and Bob Slater was there almost daily. Bob was an expert ice skater, so it came second nature for him to skate well on the rollers. With all the spare money he got, he went skating, so he soon learned all the new turns and movements the local instructors could teach. But it soon became too expensive to rent skates each time he went, so he had to forgo the pleasure. One day Harry Newell, whose father was rich and could afford to let Harry have anything he wanted, told Bob that the management of the rink was going to give a season ticket, as a prize to the best skater in town. Harry said he was going to try; and as he had an excellent pair of skates, and went so often, Bob knew that Harry had a good chance of winning; but then and there Bob decided to have that ticket. First he must have some skates of his own. Those used at the rink were cheap and hard to skate on. Without mentioning his determination to anyone, he went to work to earn fifteen dollars, for such was the price of a pair of good skates he had seen in the window of a local store. He went on errands for the neighbors, sawed their wood, and by helping them in different ways, earned five dollars. He had heard that the contest was to take place New Year's Eve. It was now about the middle of November, and he realized that he would have to economize every moment. He saw that he would have no use for his ice skates, so he sold them with other things which he didn't need. About a week before Christmas he had ten dollars and was in high spirits because he knew he would get his usual present of five dollars for Christmas. One night his father came home with a sad look on his face and said that things hadn't been just right at the store and that the mortgage of one hundred dollars on their humble home was now due. He told the family that he needed their support and he asked each boy to give up some of his summer's earnings. Bob paled a little, and was silent. John and William, Bob's older brothers, said that they would give forty dollars. The father said that he already had fifty dollars; only ten