christmas--day-in-the--morning

ChristmasDayintheMorningHewokesuddenlyandcompletely.Itwasfouro'clock,thehouratwhichhisfatherhadalwayscalledhimtogetupandhelpwiththemilking.Strangehowthehabitsofhisyouthclungtohimstill！Fiftyyearsago,andhisfatherhadbeendeadforthirtyyears,andyethewokeatfouro'clockinthemorning.Hehadtrainedhimselftoturnoverandgotosleep,butthismorningitwasChristmas,hedidnottrytosleep.Whydidhefeelsoawaketonight？Heslippedbackintime,ashedidsoeasilynowadays.Hewasfifteenyearsoldandstillonhisfather'sfarm.Helovedhisfather.HehadnotknownituntilonedayafewdaysbeforeChristmas,whenhehadoverheardwhathisfatherwassayingtohismother.Mary,IhatetocallRobinthemornings.He'sgrowingsofastandheneedshissleep.IfyoucouldseehowhesleepswhenIgointowakehimup！IwishIcouldmanagealone.Well,youcan't,Adam.Hismother'svoicewasbrisk,Besides,heisn'tachildanymore.It'stimehetookhisturn.Yes,hisfathersaidslowly.ButIsuredohatetowakehim.Whenheheardthesewords,somethinginhimspoke:hisfatherlovedhim！Hehadneverthoughtofthatbefore,takingforgrantedthetieoftheirblood.Neitherhisfathernorhismothertalkedaboutlovingtheirchildren——theyhadnotimeforsuchthings.Therewasalwayssomuchtodoonthefarm.Nowthatheknewhisfatherlovedhim,therewouldbenoloiteringinthemorningsandhavingtobecalledagain.Hegotupafterthat,stumblingblindlyinhissleep,andpulledonhisclothes,hiseyesshut,buthegotup.AndthenonthenightbeforeChristmas,thatyearwhenhewasfifteen,helayforafewminutesthinkingaboutthenextday.Theywerepoor,andmostoftheexcitementwasintheturkeytheyhadraisedthemselvesandmincepieshismothermade.Hissisterssewedpresentsandhismotherandfatheralwaysboughtsomethingheneeded,notonlyawarmjacket,maybe,butsomethingmore,suchasabook.Andhesavedandboughtthemeachsomething,too.Hewished,thatChristmaswhenhewasfifteen,hehadabetterpresentforhisfather.Asusualhehadgonetotheten-centstoreandboughtatie.IthadseemedniceenoughuntilhelaythinkingthenightbeforeChristmas.Helookedoutofhisatticwindow,thestarswerebright.Dad,hehadonceaskedwhenhewasalittleboy,Whatisastable？It'sjustabarn,hisfatherhadreplied,likeours.ThenJesushadbeenborninabarn,andtoabarntheshepherdshadcome……Thethoughtstruckhimlikeasilverdagger.Whyshouldhenotgivehisfatheraspecialgifttoo,outthereinthebarn？Hecouldgetupearly,earlierthanfouro'clock,andhecouldcreepintothebarnandgetallthemilkingdone.He'ddoitalone,milkandcleanup,andthenwhenhisfatherwentintostartthemilkinghe'dseeitalldone.Andhewouldknowwhohaddoneit.Helaughedtohimselfashegazedatthestars.Itwaswhathewoulddo,andhemustn'tsleeptoosound.Hemusthavewakedtwentytimes,scratchingamatcheachtimetolookathisoldwatch-midnight,andhalfpastone,andthentwoo'clock.Ataquartertothreehegotupandputonhisclothes.Hecreptdownstairs,carefulofthecreakyboards,andlethimselfout.Thecowslookedathim,sleepyandsurprised.Itwasearlyforthemtoo.Hehadnevermilkedallalonebefore,butitseemedalmosteasy.Hekeptthinkingabouthisfather'ssurprise.Hisfatherwouldcomeinandgethim,sayingthathewouldgetthingsstartedwhileRobwasgettingdressed.He'dgotothebarn,openthedoor,andthenhe'dgogetthetwobigemptymilkcans.Buttheywouldn'tbewaitingorempty,they'dbestandinginthemilk-house,filled.Whatthe——,hecouldhearhisfatherexclaiming.Hesmiledandmilkedsteadily,twostrongstreamsrushingintothepail,frothingandfragrant.Thetaskwentmoreeasilythanhehadeverknownittogobefore.Milkingforoncewasnotachore.Itwassomethingelse,agifttohisfatherwholovedhim.Hefinished,thetwomilkcanswerefull,andhecoveredthemandclosedthemilk-housedoorcarefully,makingsureofthelatch.Backinhisroomhehadonlyaminutetopulloffhisclothesinthedarknessandjumpintobed,forheheardhisfatherup.Heputthecoversoverhisheadtosilencehisquickbreathing.Thedooropened.Rob！Hisfathercalled.Wehavetogetup,son,evenifitisChristmas.Aw-right,hesaidsleepily.Thedoorclosedandhelaystill,laughingtohimself.Injustafewminuteshisfatherwouldknow.Hisdancingheartwasreadytojumpfromhisbody.Theminuteswereendless——ten,fifteen,hedidnotknowhowmany——andheheardhisfather'sfootstepsagain.Thedooropenedandhelaystill.Rob！Yes,Dad——Hisfatherwaslaughing,aqueersobbingsortoflaugh.Thoughtyou'dfoolme,didyou？Hisfatherwasstandingbyhisbed,feelingforhim,pullingawaythecover.It'sforChristmas,Dad！Hefoundhisfatherandclutchedhiminagreathug.Hefelthisfather'sarmsgoaroundhim.Itwasdarkandtheycouldnotseeeachother'sfaces.Son,Ithankyou.Nobodyeverdidanicerthing——Oh,Dad,Iwantyoutoknow——Idowanttobegood！Thewordsbrokefromhimoftheirownwill.Hedidnotknowwhattosay.Hisheartwasburstingwithlove.HegotupandpulledonhisclothesagainandtheywentdowntotheChristmastree.OhwhataChristmas,andhowhishearthadnearlyburstagainwithshynessandprideashisfathertoldhismotherandmadetheyoungerchildrenlistenabouthowhe,Rob,hadgotupallbyhimself.ThebestChristmasgiftIeverhad,andI'llrememberit,soneveryyearonChristmasmorning,solongasIlive.Theyhadbothrememberedit,andnowthathisfatherwasdead,heremembereditalone:thatblessedChristmasdawnwhen,alonewiththecowsinthebarn,hehadmadehisfirstgiftoftruelove.ThisChristmashewantedtowriteacardtohiswifeandtellherhowmuchhelovedher,ithadbeenalongtimesincehehadreallytoldher,althoughhelovedherinaveryspecialway,muchmorethanheeverhadwhentheywereyoung.He