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i Once Upon a Time, There Was a Girl... Section Three The Canadian Statesman, Bowman ville, December 19,1990 11 by Allison Larsh and Leanne Finlayson Allison Larsh - Hi! I am Allison Larsh. I am 9 years old. I've got 13 pets. I've got one brother. I go to St. Stephen's Stephen's Elementary School. I'm in grade 4. My teacher's name is Miss Kimberley. Leanne Finlayson -- Hi, I'm Leanne Finlayson. I am 10 years old. I've got two pets, a dog and a hamster. I have one brother and one sister. sister. 1 got to St. Stephen's Elementary Elementary School. I am in grade 5 and my teacher's name is Miss McGlynnn. We hope you enjoy our story! story! Once upon a time, there was a girl named Julia. She had a brother named Jeff. She was older then Jeff. It was almost Christmas. She was asking her mom and dad to get her a Barbie house. Jeff wanted Spy Teck. Julia and Jeff wrote Santa a letter. A couple days later, Julia's friend came over. Her name is Heather. They are best friends. Jeff wanted to play with Heather too. Then Jimmy came over to play with Jeff. We all played together in the snow. Just then Santa walked by with a cane. We asked what was wrong? He said, "I have a broken leg. Now I can't go out on Christmas Eve. Do you know anyone who wants to take my place?" "No I don't." Just then, someone took Santa. They ran after the van. But the van got away. They told our mom and dad but they didn't believe us. So they went by themselves. Heather asked if she could spend the night at Julia's. - e y 12:00 o'clock 1er mom said yes. They were up till looking for Santa. They could not find him. They almost almost gave up but thought about Christmas so they didn't give up. They thought they would never find him. So they went to the police but thepolice didn't believe them. Tney could not think of anything to do to get Santa Santa back. Jimmy thought of something, 'What if a couple of us tracked down Santa and the other two people bring the police." Julia said: "I've got two questions. How are we going to know when the two of us track Santa down, and how are we going to bring the police police here?" 'We could use my walkie AVery Merry Noel, Dear Friends! "" NATIONAL TRUST A Division ol National Victoria and Grey Trust Co. 68 King St. E., BOWMANVILLE 623-2504 talkies," said Jeff. "That's a good idea," said Heather. 'We could just say to the police that Jeff is stuck in the tree or something." something." "Okay. Let's do it!" So, Jimmy and Jeff went looking for the guys and had one of Jeffs walkie talkies, and Heather and Julia' stayed near the police station. station. Jimmy and Jeff were looking for them for an.hour, and finally they found Santa in an old shack, all tied up. They walkie talkied Heather and Julia. Jimmy said, 'We are at the old shack." The girls said, "Okay, we will be right there." They went to the police station and told the police that Julia's brother, Jeff, was stuck in a tree and they took them to the old shack. "What are we doing at this old shack?" asked the policeman. Heather said, "Just look through the window of the shack." So the policeman looked and there was Santa Claus with a man standing on guard. The police took out their guns and pushed the door down and then they arrested the guy and untied Santa. The police took Santa to the hospital. Julia, Heather, Jimmy and Jeff went with Santa to the hospital to calm him down because he hated hospitals. They fixed his broken leg and then they left. Santa said. "Thank you for all your help, kids. You'll get extra presents." "That's all right Santa, we deserve just as much as the other kids." Then Santa disappeared. The kids went home. They would never forget this day. THE END ■. It was the year 1962. I , was nine years old and living living in Toronto on CarleÇon Street, better known as the Cabbage Town area. My Dàd had. left when I was two, leaving just my Mom, my two sisters and myself.!- We were all living in the! rented portion of an old; house, in which there was an attic that I called my room. My Mother at the time, worked for ■ other people cleaning their homes. Rain or shine, snowy or cold she'd be off to work six days a week. Now, as it was, there was not a lot of money coming coming into the house. My sisters sisters and I got used to eating mustard or ketchup sandwiches sandwiches or whatever else we could find to put together. My Mother always saw to it though that we were properly properly clothed. They may not have been in style, but they , were always clean. I was rather hard on my shoes and found myself many times putting cardboard in the bottoms bottoms to keep out the wet and cold until my Mother could scrap enough together to buy new shoes. That Christmas Eve of 1962, my-sisters and I experienced experienced mixed feelings about Christmas! We were excited, yet sad th^t there might not. be anything under the tree Christmas morning. I knew that the next day my friends would have on new clothing and woujld. tell me of all the wonderful things they had gotten. I woula have to lie about what I had gotten, except except for the clothing. At lèast we always had a real. Wee, all done up with lights; balls, icicles and an angel on the top. We were getting anxious as the day progressed. We had searched the house from top to bottom in . search of any shopping bags. We wouldn't have looked in the bags, we just wanted confirmation that they existed. When it was time for bed I lay there and thought out loud what I was going to do about tomorrow. I couldn't think of anything that might be believable to my.'friends to explain the absence of any real presents. Around midnight I finally fell asleep only to awaken at 6:30-Christmas morning. I went downstairs to find my sisters were under the tree looking for their gifts. They saig, "Here are 1 yours Al." an® handed me impe.-A chill ^arfuig^spine/No^onlÿ Christmas from Cabbage Town F nuts and candies in bowls, and potatoe chips on the coffee coffee table. We even got a stocking each. Mom finally woke up after after much insistance from us. Upon opening my toys I dis- ed i wear, a hat, candies and a covered a transi ster radio, pair of mittens. Now I too army men, and a volvo toy would be dressed up Christ- car. Then I opened the red mas day. star box which was given by I was genuinely happy on the Salvation Army. There this Christmas day and was a shirt, socks, under- thought I had the best Mom in the world. I feel the same there are many more little about my Mom today, and Al's out there, remember that Christmas Merry Christmas well. Because of that I try to God Bless All ' to the Salva- giveL tion Army and other organizations organizations becasue I know A1 Pothiers Bowmanville, Ontario We sincerely thank you for your support, and look forward to serving you in the New Year. A & R FLOORCOVERING 113 King Street East 623-1233 Bowmanville Have We Got a Deal for You,.. Look behind our Statesman Curtains to find Great Christmas Surprises Curtain One I One for a Friend Buy a 2 Year Subscription to S&t Canadian Statesman 1 for $35 and we'll give you a One Year Subscription for a Non-Subscribing Friend for FREE! 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