"The Ole Sun Of A Gun"
(writer unknown-net mail)

Twas the night before Christmas and out on the ranch
The pond was frozen over and so was the branch
The snow was piled up belly deep to a mule;
The kids were all home on vacation from school,
And happier young folks you never did see,
Just sprawled around a-watching TV.
Then suddenly some time around eight o'clock
The power went off, the TV went dead!
When Grandpa came in from out in the shed
With an armload of wood, the house was all dark.
"Just what I expect," they heard him remark.
Them REA lines must be down from the snow.
Seems sorter like times on the ranch long ago."
"I'll hunt up some candles," said Mom. "With their light,
And the fireplace 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.
Mom started to sing, and the first thing they knew,
Both Pop and the kids were all singing it too!
They sang Christmas carols, they sang "Holy Night,"
Their eyes all a-shining in the ruddy firelight.
They played some charades Mom recalled from her youth.
And Pop read a passage from God's Book of Truth.
They stayed up 'till midnight and would you believe,
Those youngsters agreed ''twas a fine Christmas Eve!
Grandpa arose early, sometime before dawn,
And when the kids awakened, the current was on.
"The REA 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!