Aaron's Rod

Eve. Also the War was over, and there was a sense of relief that was almost a new menace. A man felt the violence of the

He was late because he had attended a meeting of the men on the bank. He was secretary to the M

dwellings. Just across was his own house: he had built it himself. He went through the little gate, up

d’s excited voice, and two little girls in w

he Christmas Tree?” they

y dinner?” he a

t now.— We got it

re i

dark object out of a corner of the pas

ty!” exclaim

is,” said

ding over the dark bough. He went to

r. Set it now,” cl

ght as well do it now before you have it,” came a woman’s p

tcoat and his cap. He stood bare-headed in h

and held it erect by the topmost twig. He felt the cold as

eauty!” repea

p-sided

came the woman’s high imper

protested the gi

own the path, the little girls ran grumbling indoors. The sky was clea

came out to his neat, bare, wintry garden. The girls flew towards him, putting the elastic of their hats under

arranged the tree in the box. She stood silent an

ere hovering excited round the tree. He dropped the barrow and stooped to

heavy?” aske

el-barrow, the swinging hissing tree, the two excited little girls. They arrived at th

going to have

back kitchen,”

e it’s going to stop. I do

t the dresser, Father. Put

paper down, then,” ca

g his uncovered shoulders slightly. The open inner door showed a bright linoleu

The tree pricked and stung. His wife watched hi

make a lot of

jerk on to the spread-out newsp

,” he said t

er the sudden, clutching

All was scrupulously clean and perfect. A baby was cooing in a rocker- less wicker cradle by the hearth. The mother, a slim, neat

bbing long enough

oing to the back kitc

was a draught, because the settling of the mines under the house made the doors not fit. A

d not talk much, but seemed to think about something. His wife resumed her sewin

on about today,

the thr

hey settle

— and they’ll come out

ow,” she said. He gave a short l

ey had a wooden box, from which they had taken many little

aken them all out — and then we’ll undo one in our turn

hem ALL out first,

ob Arthur Freer? Do they want him?” A

.— Some of ’em want him — whether

hed him

, and make a fool of you, and you want to break your heart ov

ghed s

“I s’ll never

and you eat your heart out about it. More fool you, that’s all I say — more fool you. If you cared for your wife and children half what you care about your Union, you’d be a lot better pleased in the

f without ignorance?”

should like to see is a man that has thought

er the man’s face, as if he did not hear or heed any more. He drank his tea in a long dr

tle packets on the floor,

, and you can have the s

ery ornament for a Christmas tree: a frail thing like a

silver and glowing rose, cleaving to it with a curious, irritating possession. The man’

t wait.” Then her voice changed to a motherly admonition, and she b

drew back wi

came the childish cry. But

e silvery bell with a glass top hanging inside. The

ce. “The bell! It’s my bell. My bell! It’s mine!

ll against her ear. But it

t. Give it ME—” cried Millicent, and she began to

ONE,” said

been stung, but still her bra

t. She’ll break

er,” said the m

sty, itching fingers to

” Lavishly she hovered over a sinuous greenish bird, with wings

off, and mine hadn’t. My green peacock that I love! I love it!” She swung

er, isn’t i

said her mother. “Yes, it’s lovely

er, don’t y

echoed, ironical

ying to force his attention. T

h a golden apple, red on

h desire for what she had not got, indifferent to what she

act attention. “Now! What’s this?— W

newspaper. Marjory watched her wide

d in a climax of rapture.

a little globe of hardened glass, of a magnificent

lue ball, wasn

es

e a little boy, and now I ha

e repli

been broken al

not

ill be broken.” To this

she persisted. “Ca

it it with a h

. I mean if you just drop it. It wo

say it

WIL

d thin

ld I

the blue ball drop, it bounc

ied, catching it

here was a performance of admonition a

st go further. S

said, “even if you t

tossed it wildly: it fell with a little splashing explosion: it had smashed.

you done!” cr

h, a look, half, of pure misery and dismay, h

break it,” sa

hat for!” said the mother. And Mil

e fragments that lay

bits,” he said, “an

brilliant. He looked at it closely. So — this was what it was. And this was the end of it. He fe

er! Don’t cry any more.” The good-natured tone of hi

d over the sink before the little mirror, lathering to shave, there came from

ep-ep-ep-her

lled this singing! His mind flitted back to early carol

urned and the voices resumed. Almost immediately the door opened, boys were heard muttering among themselves. Millic

put-up board was white-scrubbed, the American oil-cloth on the table had a gay pattern, there was a warm fire, the water in the boiler hissed faintly. And in front of him, beneath him as he leaned forward shaving, a drop of water fell with strange, incalculable rhythm from the bright brass tap into

d the Christmas tree sparkling, his wife was making pastry

a flat blue-and-white angel of cotton-wool, and

top?” he said

— because it’s just co

laughed. And he

ers, and new pink and white braces. He sat under the gas-jet of the back kitchen, looking through his music. Then he opened the bag, in which were sections of a flute and a piccolo. He took out the flute, and adjusted it. As he sat he was physically aware of the soun

he table before him. He tried his flute. And then at last, with the odd gesture of a diver taking a plunge, he swung his head and began to play. A stream of music, soft and rich and fluid, came out of the f

perated to the point of intolerable anger, in his good-humored breast, as he played the finely-spun peace-music. The more exquisite the m

ause it prevented her from saying what was on her own mind. At length it ended, her father was

ng out, Fath

E

out?” She twi

ou want to

the music. His eye went down a sheet — then o

ed the child, bala

d his eyes were angr

bothering ab

ed to know if you were going out

am,” he sa

once, but still w

Christmas tree — shall you buy som

settling his music and

buy us some, Fa

e piccolo to his mouth and blowing

ndles — blue ones and red ones

e — if I

ted desperately. She wisel

, shrill, brilliant. He was playing Mozart. The child’s face went pale with anger at t

red and insistent. In the frosty evening the sound carried. People passing down the street hesitated, listening. The neighbours knew it was Aaron practisi

t with the stream, but made a side current of his own. His wife said he was contrary. When he went into the middle room to put on his colla

s, will you, Father?” asked

e,” he a

oking. She felt there was a curious glamour about him. It made her feel bitter. He had an

g what time you’ll

be late,”

d, with some contempt. He took his

dles for their tree, and don

,” he said

ean to do it,” she cried, with sudd

large and shadowy

do you wan

rs too, if you can get them,” s

d into the darkness. She went indoors,

nger a great bank of darkness. Lights twinkled freely here and there, though forlornly, now that the war-time restrictions were removed. It was no glitter of

and calls and excited voices. Restlessness and nervous excitement, nervous hilarity were in the air.

People carrying parcels, children, women, thronged home on the dark paths. They were all talking lou

. Though the necessities of life were in abundance, still the people struggled in frenzy for cheese, sweets, raisins, pork-stuff, even for flowers and holly, all of which were scarce, and for toys and knick-knacks, which were sold out. There was a wild grumbling, but a deep satisfaction in the fight, t

t intend to trouble himself. And yet, when he glanced in passing into the sweet-shop window, and saw

as-tree candles?” he aske

ny do y

doz

u can have two boxes — four in

ny hol

ask. Haven’t see

ny tof

-pence an ounce —

e four

ghing them in the

uch of a Christma

ve allowed us six times the quantity — there’s plenty of sugar, why didn’t t

” he

THIS Christmas. They ought to h

tuffing his packa