» i inn ■ i—«i ————1 History and Legend of Trees and Cribs Christmas trees and cribs, within respective spheres of influence, pro vide focal points for observances of the season. • Legentiarily, the Christ Child blessed the huge pine which shel tered the Holy Family during the flight into Egypt. A strange child was received hos pitably into the hut of a poor wood cutter who lived on the edge of a great forest. At midnight the fam ily was awakened: looking out of the window, they beheld the little stranger clad in gleaming radiance and surrounded by a choir of angels: the flr tree beneath the window was covered with silver nuts and lights, apples and threads of gold: and the jchild revealed his identity: ? "I am the Christking, bringing happiness to good children. This flr tree shall be my emblem.” The Druids were worshipers of Thor to whom the Thunder Oak was sacred. St. Wilfred, standing amid his Christian converts, felled the oak to symbolize the severance of aU connections with heathen Druid rites. The old tree split Into four pieces as it fell and, from its very center, a young flr tree pointed sky ward. "This young tree.” said Wilfred, "shall be your Holy tree tonight. Let it be called the tree of the Christ Child; gather about it, not in the Wildwood, but in your own homes. There it will shelter no deeds of blood but shall be surrounded with loving gifts and rites of kindness.” What the Christmas tree is to northern countries, the crib is to southern Europe and Catholic coun tries. Owing to the widespread Inability of the masses to read and the pre vailing lack of books during the mid dle ages, the Bible was frequently in terpreted by literal representation. In 1223 St. Francis of Assisi, hop ing to inspire greater religious fer vor among the faithful, received spe cial permission from the Pope to present a tableau of the Nativity scene. On Christmas eve of that year in Greccio, Italy, representatives of the Wise Men and other biblical charac ters (a young mother laid her "bam bino" in the Manger), real, live ani mals, sheep and oxen, finally obedi ent after hours of tugging and shov ing, took their place within the chan cel of the village church. This first crib was such an imme diate sensation that the presenta tion of the Nativity scene at Greccio became an annual event attracting many visitors to the heretofore ob scure village. Famous cribs sprang up and were presented throughout southern and central Europe. During the Renaissance, painted landscape backgrounds, and increas ingly realistic figures, richly clad, elaborate shrines and processions endowed the cribs with the charac teristics of highly ornate pageants. In modern Italy, the Praesepe or manger is seen in every church at Christmastime: In Germany, it is the Krippe: in Czechoslovakia, Jes liky. In Spain and other Catholic countries, the Nacimiento or Nativi ty scene is everywhere—in churches, public places and private homes. America, being the melting-pot of Christmas customs and traditions, has taken the tree and the crib to its heart. Christmas Customs Vary Around the World Among the fancies that longest •urvived in Europe, and even be came naturalized in America was that at one o’clock Christmas morn ing, the cattle would turn their heads eastward, get down on their knees and worship the King who was born in a stable. • * ? „ n r* • * Of more recent date—during the Christmas season the barnyard 'cocks crow with more than usual force and frequency. | The Christmas feeding of birds is prevalent in Norway and parts of Sweden. Bunches of oats are placed on houses, trees and fences. The children save their money t© be used to purchase bwndles of oats. During the early 19th century, some of the parishioners of the Brit ish Isles who paid vlctuial tithes, eiaimed a custom of haing, eijter 'tatnen 'at the' vlcerifce ChfrtstMas afterijyqn,. u£th fbW fcu$hfls **f mplt, brewed into ale and beer, two bush els of •Urlidat! made fetid bread;* ahd 50 pounds of cheese. Any food left . over was distributed to the poor. . r. At Culdaff, Ireland, about- 1800, s Was started' the forerunner of. two - American pastimes, "shlbney’^ ahd the “lottery.” Previous tb Christ mas it was customary'for the labor ing class to sell fchantes on'i raffle jf.fer^uttoo. Th? fBvp$te,gam« was described as kamman* whicit .con silted in impelling wooden bell k within crooked- stick-to a given •*bn -?i 7 . I • - 'Lj''. b-»: -'T — - -—---- -- - point, while an adversary endeav ored to drive It in a contrary direc tion. The British Isles are rich in Chriptma* customs, i.[Starting at eight O’clock. CluTst tnascve, with bells tinging, the fchil.t dren parade the streets of Yorkshire With drums, trumpets, bells,'or per haps with the poker and Shovel taken from their humble Are. A furmety or yule cake, one for each member of the family, is always served. The ancient cu*tom>of sword-danc ing at Christmas is kept up at Shrop shire. Grotesquely dressed danc ers perform their annual routine of warlike evolutions, some accompa nied by imitations of the ancient hobby-horse. o' The pinata is the Mexican equiva lent of a Christmas tree It is a large , clay water jug, decked , In papier mache rpff and fca|h$rs to lot* Jike a turkey #r pea^pcfc. lMter being filled with. to» it £s-i suspend ed ffom a doorway. |,. } The Christinas game te- followed A>ytthe bkeakfing of-the-pindta, The game starts with a’candlelight pro cession. ‘All dd6t»bre-'etoied as the children' march1 through the dark ened hoqse until they come to the one over which the pihat,a is hung, feach cbilfl. armed with a slick, tries.to break the jar.<7 When the lucky Wow is delivered the gay trinkets, bird whistle* or . red- and green candies tunable to the floor. ' -<;A , ■ ■ ' . --'V one rsanu’cm * ' • > ■ ■ • • , n£ountby Priest and Schoolmaster Joined to Compote Silent Wight M The - Christs*** ■ Hyhte, 3«8flent wW wrrttem'by'a^G^trW; ppuntry priest, and Ms frith m me' -8?»WH% , various ouier > places. gtvd, uy: 184a )- * [ v The etfhdoanhteBtfer *of > Amsdobf, near Laufen, who wro*e‘t3W"fna»ic of this and a number of lesser known hytrrrtj, Ubb FfBhz GbUbW, bhrn in Hochbubg Ip 17W. He died fn'1863 at Hafihln, neah Salzburg, where he was organist. GOD IS MY CO-PILOT »Col. Robert L.Scoff wnu. release The story thus far: After graduating from West Point, Robert Scott wins his wings at Kelly Field and takes up combat flying. He has been an Instructor for four years when the war breaks out, and Is told he Is now too old for combat flying. He appeals to several Generals and Is finally given an opportunity to get Into the fight. He flies a bomber Into India, but on arrival Is made a ferry pilot and this does not suit him. After paying a visit to Gen. Chennault he gets a Kitty hawk and soon becomes a "one man air force" In the skies over Burma. I-aler he Is made C.O. of the 23rd Fighter Group but still keeps knocking down Jap planes. Ills "Old Exterminator" Is badly mauled and be gets a new P-40E. CHAPTER XXIII It had been only recently, when he had been taken from his thirteen four-engine bombers on the wsy to blast Tokyo, that he had been as signed to transports. The Japs must l^ave known just how to get under his skin, but in the end I think the knowledge worked against them. Now he was getting back at them by having thousands of little leaflets printed in several languages, espe cially in Japanese. They read: COMPLIMENTS OF THE OLD BROKEN-DOWN TRANS PORT PILOT He used to drop some of these on every bombing mission he led. He'd go out and tie some to each bomb; put them in the bomb bay so that they fell out when the doors were opened; even throw them out over the Japanese-occupied cities that he blasted. I knew now that he was getting a new supply ready for Hongkong. Towards the end of October came the word we had so long been wait ing for. Victoria harbor was filled with Japanese shipping. In deepest secret we got ready to go. Our ships would leave from Kun ming, but we would of course use the intermediate bases in the Kwei lin-Hengyang section, 600 miles to the East. Hongkong, you will re call, is about 325 miles Southeast of Kweilin. It is protected by sur rounding enemy fighter fields at Can ton and Kowloon. Our objectives would be the shipping in the harbor, the shipping at the docks in Kow loon, and the ships at the drydocks in Hongkong. Early on the morning of October 25 our twelve bombers took off from Yunnan for Kweilin, and shortly aft erwards Hill, Alison, Holloway and I led the fighters off. We were all to infiltrate into Kweilin, a few ships at a time, so as not to alert the coast of eastern China. For two weeks I had worried about this attack. I thought it would come any day, and because of the tension I couldn't sleep. When I learned that word hadn’t come, I’d spend another sleepless night. I got the doctor to give me something to make me sleep and I had a headache the next day. I knew "my wind was up,” as the British say—but why in hell didn't we go on and get the attack over with I But now I was on the way. I could see the shark-mouths of the P-40's all around, and the whole thing was easy—just what I had wanted all the time. We sat down at Kweilin at one-minute intervals at eight o’clock. The bombers were soon in, and the Chinese were busy servicing the field full of ships. They were the happiest people I had ever seen. They'd point towards Japan and point down with their thumbs and say, “Bu-hao.” All of us were proud to be going. But as I looked at those seven P-40's escorting ten bombers, I could not h$lp feeling apologetic for that great est country in the world that we were representing. Oh, God, if the day could soon come when we could go against this enemy with a thou sand bombers, even a hundred bombers! MayDe tne smau ngnter iorce that we had made us lucky ones who wpre privileged to go resolve all thf more that we woujd make up in quality whgt we lacked ip quantity. Personally F felt like a. veteran foot ball player, who has been on the beach-and has now been called into the big g«noe. Nearly * year; be fore. when Hongkong had fallen to the Japanese attacks from the Asi atic malrilahd dfl Howl bon,JI had sworn that 1 would See the first* bombs hit the Crown Colony. I had no id^r ftich itit® froiild i&J we SgDMPSftWSK we would be intercepted by a suh perior force of the eflertiy, but that in less than three minutes after the [ interception there itrould be only the [ ships of the U. Army Air Force ; over Victoria harbor v Now I had the familiar ’’wind up’1*" trousers I saw that the sweat was ! like iundr-{itpaji pRix$d;$im,Uif red r dust of Kweilin Fjeldi through which we had taker) off, ';■! ?. >bn. d Our altitudb kept increasing to 20, : 000 feet, ’ whHC-down bekrw at seven teen thousand were the‘ medium bombers in javelin formation; two Vee's of three, and the last elettj'Cnt a diamond of four. We* passed one of the river junction check-poiqts that enabled rnC to compute our grouud speed. In fifty minutes I ■ could see the glint of the sun on * the Pacific Ocean. As I saw the bomber formation again, I felt proud of the crews of those perfectly spaced ships. This really was like a football game: the bombers were carrying the ball while we in the pea-shooters ran the interference. I Imagined General Haynes, down there in the lead bomber, grinning as he thought of dropping a few hundred more of his leaflet souve nirs to the Japs, "Compliments of the old broken-down transport pi lot”—along with at least sixty 500 pound bombs. Big "Butch" Mor gan, the best bombardier in the Air Force, had probably wormed his huge bulk through the tunnel into the nose of Haynes’ bomber and was even now intensely interested in his pet bomb-sight Now I could even smell the fresh ness of the Pacific. The sky had never been so blue. The beauty of the day and the beauty of those weapons flying so smoothly under us made me forget the scratching of the oxygen mask on my sun burned neck. It was a joy to look back and see the six shark-mouths on the other P-40’s grinning at me. Some day, I thought, Jap mothers were going to frighten their children by referring to them and reminding the brats of Nippon that their fa thers had more than likely had that view of an American P-40 for a last memory. As we got closer to the target, we split our formation of fighters automatically. Tex Hill, Hampshire, and Sher stayed with me; Marks took the other three on the opposite flank of the bombers. The country below had become lower in eleva tion but was green and still hilly. Over. the radio, as we reached a The men were mil showing combat fatigue and needed a rest. They were tired out by almost constant alert without relief for twenty-one days. Many of their flying mates had been killed in action, and this helped to lower their morale. point North of Macao, came the jab bering of Japanese voices on our frequency, and we knew from its ominous sound that they were warn ing of our attack. 1 tensed a little and looked about for enemy planes. Far to my left I could see the three rivers meet ing at Canton, could see two fields from which I knew Zeros were tak ing off to intercept us. We had by passed Canton purposely by thirty miles. I saw the bombers chang ing course: we were around Canton now, and were going to steer straight for the North of Kowloon peninsula. The blue Pacific looked friendly, reminding me of the southern Cali fornia coast. The old, familiar fog banks that should have been cover ing San Clemente and Catalina were shrouding instead the Ladrones Is lands, with only their hilltops visi ble. sticking out from the fog on the China Sea. We were turning over Macao, where the Clippers used to land. To the South I could see another Jap field, Sanchau Island. Now to the right was Hongkong Island, shaped like a kidney and mountainous, just about nine miles long and three or four rhiles across. I could make out the indentations of the romantic sounding bays whose names I knew —$andy. Telegraph, Keller, and Re pulse. There were points of land jutting towards the maipland—Quar ry Point, with its Naval Drydock,’ an®'J5hek'Tfnt over Wl\ich We WOtjld^gM out aerial tiat^. ’ tie. Reaching "towards thfe Island, like a finger wkk KSWWfRnPWVnp sula, separated.from j^by- the blue waters of Victoria harbor. ' Near the ehd of the’Spit oh ’ land'’closest to Hfbngkpbjj. I saw the h»rge’iftodern Peninsular teojel. All or u$ knew that Japanese Generals,: and staff officers slept there with their Wom en. ? • !• - - ‘ I, .crossed‘arophd and over1; Gen- | pral Wr^filionsj 'Watching vigilantly..,. FAP below 1^ sawdust on KakTak airdromes and" knew that enemy ships were taking ! off tb attack ai. My throat felt dry | and ,1 had traublg iWafthwirift' %: [ turned my gild’ switch off arjd on [ i nervously.iT, ,■> r Now I saw the bomb-bay doors : opening; and I couldn’t keep the ' tear* of excitement fftom burning my eyes. Anti-aircraft was begin ning to dot the sky with black and ’ white puffj. A* 1 dove almost 1o fhe level of the bombers, I iould feel the ack-ack rofck my fighter ship. I kept S-ing to watch for the enemy fighters that must be coming. I saw the yellow bombs begin to fall in long strings, imposed on the dark green of the world below. They got smaller and smaller as the noses pointed slowly down. Remembering my movie camera. I tried to take pictures of the explosions. The bombs seemed to take years to fall, and I began to think they were all duds. The ack-ack burst closer as the Japs got the range while we went straight in. I know I was never more excited in all my life. I yelled, "Okay, Hirohito—we have lots more where those came from!” I kept looking behind and under us for the bombs to burst. And then I saw the first white ex plosion-right on the docks of Kow loon. After that they came so fast you couldn’t count them. I let my camera run as the explosions turned from white to black—there were oil fires now. I could see the flash of the anti-aircraft guns from the North shore of Hongkong Island, as we con tinued across Victoria harbor. I risked another look at the target; it was covered with smoke from one end to the other. Then I got my eyes back to searching for enemy interceptors. Why in hell didn’t the bombers turn for home? They had dropped the damn bombs, but they were still going on endlessly towards that point of Shek Tong Tsui. All of us were keyed up. But then the long javelin of B-25’s began to turn to the right. Mission accomplished — now they had the down-hill run to base, and I began to get that old feeling of re lief. Then, somehow, I felt cheated. Where were the enemy fighters? I raised my camera, sighted again, and took the formation as it swung over the burning docks. Then, as I glanced about, I saw them, silhouette after silhouette, climbing terribly steeply towards the bombers. I know now that they had got there from Kai Tak below in four minutes; they had made the sixteen thousand feet in that short time. I felt my camera drop to my lap, hit my knee, then drop to the metal floor of the fighter. I was fum bling now for the "mike” button on the throttle; then I was calling: "Bandits ahead — Zerooooos! At eleven o’clock.” Fumbling again for the throttle quadrant, shoving ev erything as far forward as I could, 1 marvelled at the steepness of the climb the enemy ships were main taining. I called: "Zeros at twelve o’clock,” to designate their direction clock-fashion from us. I heard Tex Hill reply: "Hell, I see ’em.” I could hear the jabber of the Japs still try ing to block our frequency. I was diving now, aiming for the lead Zero, turning my gunsight on and off, a little nervously check ing again and again to see that the gun-switch was at “on.” I jerked the belly-tank release and felt the underslung fifty-gallon bamboo tank drop off. We rolled to our backs to gain speed for the attack and went hell-bent for the Zeros. I kept the first Zero right in the lighted sight and began to fire from over a thousand yards, for he was too close to the bombers. Orange tracers were coming from the B-25’s, too. Five hundred yards before I got to the Zero, I saw another P-40 bearing the number 151 speed in and take it. That was Tex Hill. He followed the Zero as it tried to turn sharply into the bombers and shot it down. Tex spun from his tight turn as the Jap burst into flames. I took the next Zero—they seemed to be all over the sky now. I went so close that I could see the pilot’s head through the glass can opy and the little tail-wheel that was not retracted, and I knew it was a Navy Zero—the little wheel was built for the arresting-gear of a carrier. My tracers entered the cockpit and smoke poured back, hiding the can opy. and I went by. As I turned to take another ship below me, I saw four airplanes fall ing in flames towards the waters of Victoria harbor. I half rolled again and skidded in my dive to shake any Zero that might be on my tail. I saw another P-40 shooting at a Jap, but there was a Zero right on his tail. I dove for this one. He grew in my sights, and as my trac ers crossed in front of him he turned into me. I shot him down aa hi* ship seemed to stand s,tiii>dewn ‘ another ship that didn’t sesame: I got It avith on* shbtf fcutst'tnwn kb-/, rectl^ Atetp, o ho-dP^fipn Shot. rtf tpjs a^ttac^ I could Japa nese *hip y;bfgte as my .4),urst of . six‘fifty-calibre guns bit-.it* -"First it just shook, then one wing went up. j I saw the canopy shot completely '6ff; then 5 went across it’. Tdroing back in a dive to keep my speed, I watched the enemy ship,, a* it dove straight down, stream flames for a distance the length of the airplane behind. (TO BE CONTINUED) SEWIISG CIRCLE PATTERNS Grace and Dignity in This Dress Jumper Frock a Figure-Flatterer 8712 IMS \v"IS3 Afternoon Frock 'T'HIS graceful and dignified afternoon frock for the matron will be perfect for all those occa sions when you want to look nicer than ever. The softly gored skirt and scalloped finish on collar and sleeves are pleasing details. * • * Pattern No. 8693 comes In sizes 36. 38. 40, 42, 44 , 46, 48, 50 and 52. Size 38, short sleeves, requires 4l/a yards of 39 inch material. Jumper Frock TPHE jumper dress is a figure flatterer for every age. This attractive model has broad shoul ders and trim waist to give you that popular new T-square look. Use novelty buttons for the clever shoulder treatment and side-but ton closing. A smartly tailored blouse is included in the pattern. • • • Pattern No. 8712 comes in sizes 11, 12. 13, 14, 16 and 18. Size 12. Jumper, requires V/a yards of 54 inch material; blouse, short sleeves. l3,i yards of 35 or 39 inch material. Taxes Cancelled for Valor The town of Bahadarpur in Patiala, India, recently had its taxes canceled for a year because a local soldier won the Victoria cross. Due to an unusually large demand and current war conditions, slightly more time is required in filling orders for a few of the most popular pattern numbers. Send your order to: SEWING CIRCLE PATTERN DEPT, 530 South Wells St. Chicago Enclose 25 cents In coins for each pattern desired. Pattern No.Size. Name... Address. For Joyful Cough Relief, Try This Home Mixture Saves Big Dollars. No Cooking. This splendid recipe is used by mil lions every year, because it makes such a dependable, effective medicine for coughs due to colds. It is so easy to mix—a child could do it. From any druggist, get 2H ounces of Pinex, a special compound of prov en ingredients, in concentrated form, well-known for its soothing effect on throat and bronchial membranes. Then make a syrup by stirring two cups of granulated sugar and one cup of water a few moments, until dis solved. No cooking needed. Or you can use corn syrup or liquid honey, in stead of sugar syrup. Put the Pinex into a pint bottle and add your syrup. This gives you a full pint of cough medicine, very effective and quick-acting, and you get about four times as much for your money. It never spoils, and is very pleasant —children love it. Tou'll be amazed by the way It takes hold of coughs, giving quick relief. It loosens the phlegm, soothes the irri tated membranes, and helps clear the air passages. Money refunded if It doesn’t please in every way. £ Mighty Good Eating/ I 8 /(&%* l l CORN FLAKES S “Tho Grains aro Great Foods"— Mtfidyr g • Kellogg’s Corn Flakes bring you nearly all the protective food elements of the whole grain declared essential —. to human nutrition. » : it > .Jn * . ••§ "laiJ .•[n'/rib DON’T DESPAIR BECAUSE YOU CANT BUY DRY YEAST! t Fleischmann’s Fresh Yeast Makes Baking Just as Easy.^ •••• S' dependable * easy it is to use and what sure,’ lol l deli2 ttfc'iaastjoond sugdr fp.omni 9ffT % teaspoon saltnBO I moiiw sof J OBtbr Kiwsdiiruann’K ®«astjd7 ?i cup lukewarm wartwd yorf} *>p4 tablespoon !ib«ltedsboftening Sift together flour, sugar arid salt. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water Jttfe* dry'lrigfptBentfc/'Aafl licltbd-' shortening. Dough will be*'soft, iq Turn «fib! ert floored'tiei»d intt knead quickly and lightijr feiitil smooth and rlhsa'Cd 'Rbll out -14'' 6'4ndh4Wcto CiacwitH ffosutedbisoulV'’ cutter. Place on gfcrfkfedi psti 1>* rfiaruiail doubled irflSUlk, afeimfc >*7 hour. Priek tor* Witft ttttti'BE&fe ife hot oven (425° F.) HBAnC 20* mat-' utes. Makes 1-6 twp-dnch biscuits. * to rtf a .FRtJE! Standard Brands Incorporated ■j\ . er^«d Oentrfl Box 479M 3-JBCI I New York IT, N. 1. Ot»G | Pleaw* send my free copy of 7Tlr. Bread } .jpcffcd, containing over 7Q recipes for | breads, rolls and desserts. I • II n*tn rj 1