b'my sake but for others too. You dontbase of the big maple tree. The scar wasfather, and was out of the house a few know what a mess this town is in. Youthere, thank heaven! He touched theseconds later, stumbling and slipping on dont understand. Ive got to get back.tree affectionately. Hed have to dothe newly fallen snow as he ran on up They need me here. something about the woundget a treethe hill.surgeon or something. Anyway, hed I understand right enough, theevidently been changed back. He wasThe church was bright with light, and stranger said slowly. I just wanted tohimself again. Maybe it was all a dream,the choir and the organ were going full make sure you did. You had the greatestor perhaps he had been hypnotized bytilt. George flung the door to his home gift of all conferred upon youthe giftthe smooth-flowing black water. He hadopen and called out at the top of his of life, of being a part of this world andheard of such things. voice: Mary! Where are you? Mary! taking a part in it. Yet you denied thatKids! gift.At the corner of Main and Bridge Streets he almost collided with aHis wife came toward him, dressed for As the stranger spoke, the church bellhurrying figure. It was Jim Silva, the realgoing to church, and making gestures to high up on the hill sounded, calling theestate agent. Hello, George, Jim saidsilence him.townspeople to Christmas vespers.cheerfully. Late tonight, aint you? I Then the downtown church bell startedIve just put the children to bed, she should think youd want to be homeprotested. Now theyll But not ringing. early on Christmas Eve.another word could she get out of her Ive got to get back, George saidGeorge drew a long breath. I justmouth, for he smothered it with kisses, desperately. You cant cut me off likewanted to see if the bank is all right. Iveand then dragged her up to the this. Why, its murder!got to make sure the vault light is on. childrens room, where he violated every tenet of parental behavior by Suicide rather, wouldnt you say? theSure its on. I saw it as I went past.madly embracing his sonand his stranger murmured. You brought it ondaughter and waking them up yourself. However, since its ChristmasLets look, huh? George said, pullingthoroughly.Evewell, anyway, close your eyes andat Silvas sleeve. He wanted the keep listening to the bells. His voiceassurance of a witness. He dragged theIt was not until Mary got him sank lower. Keep listening to thesurprised real estate dealer around todownstairs that he began to be bells.the front of the bank where the lightcoherent. I thought Id lost you. Oh, was gleaming through the falling snow. Mary, I thought Id lost you! George did as he was told. He felt a cold, wet snowdrop touch his cheek I told you it was on, Silva said withWhats the matter, darling? she asked and then another and another. Whensome irritation. in bewilderment.he opened his eyes, the snow was falling fast, so fast that it obscuredI had to make sure, George mumbled.He pulled her down on the sofa and everything around him. The littleThanksand Merry Christmas! Thenkissed her again. And then, just as he stranger could not be seen, but thenhe was off like a streak, running up thewas about to tell her about his queer neither could anything else. The snowhill. dream, his fingers came in contact with was so thick that George had to gropesomething lying on the seat of the sofa. He was in a hurry to get home, but notHis voice froze.for the bridge railing.in such a hurry that he couldnt stop for As he started toward the village, hea moment at his parents house, whereHe did not even have to pick the thing thought he heard someone sayinghe wrestled with Brownie until theup, for he knew what it was. And he Merry Christmas, but the bells werefriendly old bulldog waggled all overknew that it would have a blue handle drowning out all rival sounds, so hewith delight. He grasped his startledand varicolored bristles.could not be sure. brothers hand and wrung it frantically, wishing him an almost hysterical Merry When he reached Hank Biddles houseChristmas. Then he dashed across the The End . he stopped and walked out into theparlor to examine a certain photograph. roadway, peering down anxiously at theHe kissed his mother, joked with his ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE: LIVE IN CHICAGO!BACKSTAGE GUIDE 23'