Merry Christmas, A holiday story by Jack
This story takes place in Pennsylvania, Schuylkill County, home of the LC&N Coal Company. The names have been changed to protect the family. Christmas week our Nun said "Kids as you start Christmas Vacation, try & help a family in need. Three of us kids travelled together, me Mike & Betty. Betty said, did you notice how Carol & her little brother from school have shabby uniforms. They look old & worn. They don't play with the kids at recess either. Mike said, I overheard my Dad say the father has Black Lung & they are on welfare & the dads only 42 years old. Betty suggested that we try to raise some money to help them for Christmas, but how? My Grandma said the Greek Church was caroling house to house to raise money. Do you think we could do something like that said Mike. We can only try said Betty. Well, the first night we went out caroling we raised $1.35, the next night we decided to sing on a corner & ask for donations, we raised $1.85. We were getting nowhere fast. Mike came up with a great idea, Friday was payday & he suggested we go caroling to all the bars in town. The coalminers were proud to hear what we were trying to do & gladly gave us donations. We had a total of $28,20 so we went to Pardinis & bought a Turkey & all the trimmings. We still had $5.60 left & went next door to Steve's hardware store where he had everything imaginable. In the window we saw some nice red ribbons & cast iron soldiers which we bought for the kids. We put the goodies on Mikes little sleigh & pulled it through the snow. The houses, built by LC&N had only two bedrooms & a kitchen & parlor on the bottom floor, all heated by a little pot bellied stove. The bathroom in those days were outside. betty knocked on the door & the Mom left us in. Mr. Jones was huddled under a shawl by the coal stove & coughing so much we didn't know how he could breathe, but he gave us a smile. When Mrs. Jones saw the bag of groceries she had tears in her eyes, we gave the ribbons & toy soldiers to the kids & they jumped for joy. Leaving the house Betty said, boys we done good & at that very moment a bright light shown down upon us. We looked to the #14 colliery & the miners had erected a 20 foot star on top of the breaker. You could see it for miles. What a great Christmas we had that year knowing we did something good for people so unfortunate. Merry Christmas to you all from a small coal town. by Jack
- StokerDon
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 7496
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 11:17 am
- Location: PA, Southern York County!
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
A Merry Christmas to you Jack and thank you for that wonderful Christmas story!
-Don
-Don
- Hambden Bob
- Member
- Posts: 8546
- Joined: Mon. Jan. 04, 2010 10:54 am
- Location: Hambden Twp. Geauga County,Ohio
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Harman 1998 Magnum Stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Blower Model Coal Chubby 1982-Serial#0097
- Coal Size/Type: Rice-A-Roni ! / Nut
- Other Heating: Pro-Pain Forced Air
Jesus,Jack!!
Just when I think that You've told Your Best Coal Country Christmas Story Ever,You blow Us right out of the water with a Heart Warmer such as this!! I can't Thank You enough! MERRY CHRISTMAS,MY FRIEND!!
Just when I think that You've told Your Best Coal Country Christmas Story Ever,You blow Us right out of the water with a Heart Warmer such as this!! I can't Thank You enough! MERRY CHRISTMAS,MY FRIEND!!
-
- Member
- Posts: 854
- Joined: Sat. Dec. 10, 2011 4:07 pm
- Location: Berks County
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: DS Machine 1400 WH ciculator; 1880's small cannon in reserve
- Coal Size/Type: Nut
- Other Heating: small New Yorker oil fired boiler; mostly used for domestic HW
Thank you for sharing that great story, Jack. You kids sure had your heads screwed on the right way.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
- Pauliewog
- Member
- Posts: 1824
- Joined: Mon. Dec. 02, 2013 12:15 am
- Location: Pittston, Pennsylvania
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Alaska 140 Dual Paddle Feed
- Baseburners & Antiques: Fame Rosemont #20, Home Stove Works #25, Glenwood #6, Happy Thought Oak, Merry Bride #214, Sunnyside, Worlds Argand #114, New Golden Sun , & About 30 others.
- Coal Size/Type: Stove, Chesnut, Pea, Rice / Anthracite
Merry Christmas Jack! and thanks for the uplifting story.
Paulie
Paulie
- VigIIPeaBurner
- Member
- Posts: 2579
- Joined: Fri. Jan. 11, 2008 10:49 am
- Location: Pequest River Valley, Warren Co NJ
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker(down)
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Casting Vigilant II 2310
- Other Heating: #2 Oil Furnace
What a wonderful story to read the Christmas morning as the sun light starts to warm this hilltop. Thank you Jack, thank you for this bit of personal history. God bless and Merry Christmas!
- CoalJockey
- Verified Business Rep.
- Posts: 1324
- Joined: Sun. Mar. 09, 2008 11:18 am
- Location: Loysburg, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Several EFM 520 refurbs...one 900, one 1300 mega-stoker
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: (2) Warm Morning Stoves
I was hoping to hear such a story from you this morning Jack, and you did not disappoint. You were raised during a time that children were raised properly... nothing is impossible.
Merry Christmas and God bless!
Merry Christmas and God bless!
-
- Member
- Posts: 4197
- Joined: Wed. Oct. 03, 2012 9:53 am
- Location: Western Massachusetts
- Baseburners & Antiques: Crawford 40, PP Stewart No. 14, Abendroth Bros "Record 40"
- Coal Size/Type: Stove / Anthracite.
- Other Heating: Oil fired, forced hot air.
Merry Christmas to all my Coal-Kin
And thank you Jack for sharing with us
And thank you Jack for sharing with us
-
- Member
- Posts: 6077
- Joined: Wed. Jan. 18, 2017 11:30 pm
- Location: swOH near a little town where the homes are mobile and the cars aren’t
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 354
- Coal Size/Type: nut coal
- Other Heating: electric, wood, oil
Very humbling story, Jack. Thanks again for the pm's. You'll never know how much that meant to me. Merry Christmas to you and to all my CoalPail friends.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!
- Rich W.
- Member
- Posts: 335
- Joined: Tue. Nov. 26, 2013 10:29 pm
- Location: Newport County, Rhode Island
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Castings Vigilant Multi-Fuel (coal for me); Vermont Castings Vigilant 2310 in the shop
- Coal Size/Type: Nut
- Other Heating: System 2000 Oil Burner; VC Resolute Woodstove (sold) Jotul 8 Woodstove (sold)
Jack...
Just read this to my better half who has enjoyed your other stories. Inspiring and entertaining. Thank you...
Rich W.
Just read this to my better half who has enjoyed your other stories. Inspiring and entertaining. Thank you...
Rich W.