HERALD ANGELS.(Christmas caroling)(Brief Article)

HARLEM, MONTANA--Here in the small-town West, you can still go Christmas caroling anywhere without suffering an ACLU-style attack. Most recently, we were at home with the kids having piano lessons when my wife cried out, "There are Christmas carolers outside!" All nine of us--the five in our family, plus three visiting children and the piano teacher--rushed outside, and saw a flatbed trailer full of people sitting on hay bales. When they finished singing, they called "Come on!" to us. The only one free to go at that time was me; so I ran inside, put on socks and shoes, a hat and coat, and climbed aboard.

Our first stop after I joined the crowd was the Vet's Club Bar on the west edge of town. As a little sixth-grade girl led the way into the tavern, somebody asked if it was okay for under-age kids to be in a bar. One of the singers, who happens to be the town clerk, jokingly replied, "According to ordinance 407(6)(b), it's all right." "Well, if Ralph says it's legal, then it's legal," somebody else laughed, and we all trooped in. The dozen or so of us assembled in a semi-circle near the bar, opened our hymnals to "Silent Night," and began singing. Patrons and bartender were for the most part mildly amused; some were just a little bit embarrassed. One man said he wanted to sing, and weaved over to stand near us, but didn't actually sing. Then we sang "Jingle Bells" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Some of the patrons waved goodbye and wished us "Merry Christmas" as we departed.

We proceeded through the town at about ten miles per hour, sitting on hay bales. The truck and trailer were owned by the couple sitting next to me, and their teenage son was driving. At the next bar, where we serenaded only three quiet patrons and the barmaid, someone ran across the street to a cafe and lured out a young girl who is known for her good singing voice. Her grandmother, who owns the cafe, told her to "Go ahead and sing with them!" but asked her to come back and continue working after the caroling was over.

Veteran carolers in the group remarked that the night's temperature--in the 20s--was the warmest in ...