Twas the night before Christmas and out on the ranch
The Pond was frozen and so was the branch.
The snow was piled up belly-deep to a mule.
The kids were all home on vacation from school.
Happier young folks you never did see-
Just all sprawled around watching' T.V.
Then suddenly,some time around 8.o'clock,
There came a surprise that gave them a shock!
The power went off,the T.V went dead!
When Grandpa came in from out in the shed
With an armload of wood,the house was all dark.
"Just what I expected," they heard him remark.
"Them power lines must be down from the snow.
Seems sorta like times on the ranch long ago".
"I'll hunt up some candles ."said mum."With their light
and the fireplace,I I reckon we'll make out all right."
The teenagers all seemed enveloped in gloom
Then Grandpa came back from a trip to his room,
Uncased his old fiddle and started to play.
That old Christmas song about bells on a sleigh.
Mum started to sing,and first thing they knew
Both Pop and the kids were singing it too.
They sang Christmas carols,they sang,'Holy Night",
Their eyes all a-shine in the ruby firelight.
They played some charades Mum recalled from her youth.
And Pop read a passage from Gods book of truth.
They stayed up till midnight and, would you believe,
The youngsters agreed "twas a fine Christmas Eve"
Grandpa rose early,some time before dawn,And when the kids wakened, the power was on.
"The power company sure got the line repaired quick",
Said Grandpa- and no one suspected his trick.
Last night, for the sake of some old fashioned fun
He had pulled the main switch- the old Son Of a Gun!
(Anonymous)
