Part 29 (2/2)

”Y'all gonna light all sixteen lamps, Mama?”

”Every one! After all, it's Christmas Eve!”

As soon as Mama went inside, she and Aunt Lovie started talking about the sagging old benches. They looked at the one with the bad bottom.

”It ought'a be either fixed or thrown away,” Mama said. She took hold of one slat and shook it. The whole pew almost fell apart.

”Every last one of them should be taken out and chopped up for firewood!” Aunt Lovie declared. ”Then we'd have to get new benches. Pa used to say that when the old church was built the carpenters just nailed together some sc.r.a.p lumber to use temporarily-till the congregation could buy regular pews. Then, when we put up this church, we foolishly brought the old things on over here.”

”Yes, I know,” Mama said. ”That temporary business turned into a long time. Forty years or more!”

I left Mama and Aunt Lovie still talking about the pitiful condition of the church. Mierd and Sally were shrieking and fluttering around like two young setting hens, so I had to find out what they were looking at out the middle window.

It was just Wiley and Wallace Goode and the big boys with the Christmas tree. They were at the corner of the building trying to slide the tree out of Mister Goode's wagon. We couldn't hear what they were saying, but from the way Dorris and Jim-Bo were waving their arms, they were all trying to decide whether to pull the big holly toward the front of the wagon or toward the back.

The boys finally got the tree out of the wagon and a base nailed on it. They carried the tall tree to the front of the church, but they couldn't get it to stand straight. In spite of long, stiff wires fastened to its limbs, the tree kept leaning toward the pulpit. Aunt Vic said that would never do. She had Dorris and Jim-Bo turn the tree around this way and that. Still, it wouldn't stand straight.

Finally, Mister Shepherd sent Wallace Goode home to get a hand saw so he could trim off the bottom of the trunk. Then he showed Jim-Bo how to brace the tree by nailing on three short boards.

Mister Shepherd and Jim-Bo and Dorris raised the big holly again. This time it stood straight, but the top sc.r.a.ped against the ceiling, just a little bit.

”Miss Vic, will this be all right?” Mister Shepherd asked.

”Oh, sure. A bent twig or two won't matter. Our star will cover the tip top anyway. One of you tall boys-Dorris, you'll do-climb up the ladder and fasten on the star. And wire it tight!

It fell last year, remember!”

I didn't remember, but the boys did. They laughed.

”Boys, y'all lend a hand,” Aunt Vic said, ”and let's get the decorations on. Somebody tell those ladies in the back to put down their dust cloths and come help fasten the candles. Let's see, we ought'a drape the strings of popcorn around first. Here, Wallace, you and Wiley tie the popcorn b.a.l.l.s on the low limbs.

Oh, goodness! These I brought are sorta sticky!” Aunt Vic stopped talking only long enough to lick off the candied syrup that had stuck to her finger.

I picked up a popcorn ball, thinking maybe some of the sweet goo would stick to my fingers. But the schoolteacher saw me, so I had to drop it back into Aunt Vic's box real quick. I licked my fingers, but not much sweet stuff was on them.

”Bandershanks,” Aunt Vic said, ”com'ere a minute.” Aunt Vic sat down on the organ stool and swung herself around toward me.

”Now, Bandershanks.” Aunt Vic put her arm around me and drew me up close. ”Tonight you're gonna be the little walking Christmas tree and say a recitation too!”

”Me?”

”Sure. All the older children will be in the part Mister Shepherd's putting on. So we saved the walking tree bit just for you.”

”What does a walking tree do?”

'Ill tell you that in a minute. Your mama is gonna get you here early tonight, and you bring one of your papa's old, worn-out felt hats with you. Before the program starts, we'll wrap your tree costume around you. Then, when the time comes-I'll tell you when-you'll step out front and recite your piece.”

”My piece?”

”Right! A little recitation all your own! Now don't mention what you're gonna say to anybody. It'll be a big surprise!”

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