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Note: SERVICES FOR NANCY (PACKETT) RATHBONE 92 OF WAYNESVILLE WERE HELD AT 1 PM. TODAY ATTHE SALVATION ARMY SHELTON LAUREL MISSION. SHE DIED MONDAY IN HAYWOOD COUNTY HOSPITAL .BRIG. JAMES HENRY OFFICATED. BURIAL WAS IN THE HAYNES CEMETARY.A NATIVE OF HAYWOOD COUNTY MRS. RATHBONE WAS A DAUGHTER OF THE LATE JOSEPH AND MARGARET (MCHAHA) PACKETT. SHE WAS THE OLDEST MEMBER OF THE SALVATION ARMY SHELTON LAUREL MISSION.SURVIVING ARE TWO DAUGHTERS VIOLET EARLY OF CLYDE N. C, AND GRACIEPRICE OF HOT SPRINGS N. C. A SON GRADY RATHBONE OF CLYDE- TWO SISTERS LETHA HICKS OFWAYNESVILLE N. C. AND ETTA SUTTON OF GASTONIA N. C.39 GRAND CHILDREN AND 90 GREAT GRAND CHILDRENPALLBEARERS WERE ALVIN KIRKPATRICK--HARRY KIRKPATRICK--JOE KIRKPATRIC--VINCETT PRICE--ALLEN RATHBONE AND LARRY YOUNG WELLS FURNERAL HOME IN WAYNESVILLE WAS IN CHARGE OFARRANGEMENTARTHUR AND NANCY RATHBONE THE CHRISTMAS BUSHSHE SAT BY THE HEARTH FIRE HER HEAD DRAPPED WITH THE COBWEBS OF AGE AND TALKED OF THE NIGHT WHEN MIRACLES CAME CLOSET TO EARTH. A GRANDCHILD LAY SLEPPING IN HER ARMS THAT HAVE FOREVER BEEN A HAVEN FOR FOR CHILDRE HERE IN THE NEWFOUND MOUNTAINS. OLD TALES OLD MYTHS OLD DREAMS BEGIN TO WHISPER SOFTLY IN THE SHADOWS. THE FIRELIGHT BROUGHT A MADONNA LIKE GLOW TO HER FACE . NANCY RATHBONE STARED INTO THE FIRE A MOMENT . ON CHRISTMAS WHEN I WAS A CHILD SHE SAID CHRISTMAS WASTHE TELLING OF THE STORY. WED SIT AROUND THE FIRE AND MAMA WOULD TELL US ABOUT THE BABY JESUS BORN IN A STABLE. I REMEMBER SHE USED TO SAY IF WE GO OUT AT MIDNIGHT WE'D SEE THE ELDERBERRY BUSHES BLOOMING . IF WE'D LOOK REAL CLOSE AND IF WE' GO TOTHE BARN WE'D SEE THE CATTLE KNEELING DOWN. SOME SAID IF YOU LISTENED REAL SHARP YOU COULD HEAR THEM PRAYING. CHRISTMAS HAS CHANGED A HEAP SINCE THEN. WASAN'T ALL THE CELEBRATING LIKE NOW . IT WAS MORE OF A RELIGIOUS TIME BACK WHEN I WAS A CHILD.THE TELLING OF THE STORY AND SITTING AROUND THE FIRE SINGIONG THE OLD SONGS NOBOBY SINGS ANYMORE. SHE PAUSEDAND THE ONLY SOUNDS WERE THE SIGH OF THE BURNING LOGS AND THE WHISPER OF THE WINDS BLOWING IN FROM ETERNITY. THERE WAS A SONG WE ALWAYSSUNG SHE SAID. BUT SOME HOW I CANT REMEMBER IT NOW. SOMETHING ABOUT JESUS BORN IN BETHELHAM AND IN A MANGER LAY AND HOW THE JEWS CRUCIFIED HIM AND NAILED HIM TO A CROSS SHE SHOOK HER HEAD I JUST CANT GET THE WORDS RIGHT IN MY MIND. SHE LOOKED ATHER HUSBAND AND SHOOK HER HEAD AGAIN. OH YOU CAN REMEMBER ARTHUR RATHBONE SAID IVE HEARD YOU SING IT MANY A TIME. JUST STOP A MINUTE AN RECOLLECT YOUR THOUGHTS. SHE SHOOKHER HEAD AGAIN BUT SHE DIDN'T SPEAK. SHE CLOSED HER EYES SHE SAT THAT WAY FORA GOOD MINUTE AND THEN HER LIPS BEGIN TO MOVE AND SHE BEGAN TO CROON WORDS THAT CAUSED ARTHUR TO NOD HIS HEAD. JOSEPH BEGGED HIS BODY AND LAID HIM IN THE TOMB THE TOMB WOULD NOT HOLD IT HE BURST THE BARS OF DEATH MARY CAME WEEPING ABOUT HERLOVELY LORD WHAT'S THE MATTER MARY THEYVE STOLE MY LORD AWAY. AGAIN SHE PAUSED I CANT GET THE REST OF THE WORDS SHE SAID BUT THEY GO ON TO TELL HOW THEY FOUND JESUS LIVING AND HOW HE WENT UP TO HIS FATHER TO REIGN WITH HIM ON HIGH. THE GRANDCHILDSTIRRED IN HER ARMS . TELL ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS BUSH ARTHUR SAID. WHAT YOU CAAAALL THE TREE OF LIFE. SHE SHIFTED HER OLD BONES IN THE CANE BOTTOMED CHAIR. IT WASN'T LIKE THE KIND OF CHRISTMAS TREES THEY HAVE NOW. IT WAS SOMETHING WE MADE. IVEALWAYS HAD ONE UNTILL THIS YEAR . BU SINCE I JUST GOT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL I HAVENT GOT AROUND TO MAKING ONE. WHAT YOU DO IS GET A DEAD BALSAM BRANCHAND STRIP OFF ALL THE NEEDLES. AND THEN YOU TIE PIECES OF THORN BUSH TO IT AND MAKE PAPER ROSES OFALL COLORS AND STICK THEM ON THE THORNS, THE OLD FOLKS USED TO SAY YOU WASAN'T TO HAVE A FULL EVERGREEN TREE IN THE HOUSE UNLESS YOU FOLLOWE IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE CHRIST OF THE MANGER AND THAT WHEN A BODY SAW A CHRISTMAS BUSH ALL DURING THE YEARIT MEANT THAT CHRIST WAS NOT ONLY BORN IN A MANGER BUT THAT HE HAD DIED ON A CROOS WITH A CROWN OF THORNS ON HIS HEAD.. THE BALSAM BRANCH WAS FOR HIS BIRTH. THE THORNS WER FORHIS CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH. THE FLOWERS FOR HIS RESURRECTION AND LIFEAND THAT HELIVES. THE OLD FOLKS CALLED IT THE TREE OF LIFE WAS MADE AT CHRISTMAS TIME AND KEPT THE REST OF THE YEAR. YOURE SUPPOSED TO KEEP PUTTING FLOWERS ON IT THE REST OF THE YEAR, YOURE SUPPOSED TO KEEP PUTTING FLOWER ON IT ALL DURING THE YEARTO SHOW THAT CHRIST WAS NOT ONLY BORN BUT THAT HE LIVES FOR EVER MORE. SHE PAUSED AND ARTHUR SPOKE UPTHERES A THORN BUSH OUT THERE IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE THAT WEVE BEEN USING TO MAKE CHRISTMAS BUSHES FOR I DONT HOW LONG. I RECKON ILL HAVE TO GETBUSY AND CUT SOME EM AND GET A PIECE OF DEAD BALSAM. NANCY CAN FASHION SOME PAPER ROSES. IT DONT TAKE LONG TO MAKE ONE. AND THEN HE GOT UP AND WENT OUTSIDE. NANCY SAT BY THE FIRESIDE HOLDING HER GRANDCHILD. SHE WAS QUIET AND STARED INTO THE FIRE.DUSK HAD COME ON. DIM PURPLE TWILIGHT HAD BEGUN TO DRIFT ACROSS THE FIELDS AND ACROSS THE HILLS. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND LAMP LIT WINDOWS DOWN IN THE FAR VALLEYHAD BEGUN TO SHED THEIR WELCOMING LIGHT. IT WAS THE NIGHT WHEN MIRACLES CAME CLOSET TOEARTH.
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