(upbeat music) (projector clicking) - Have you ever wondered where the television signal you're watching is coming from?

♪ True North (projector clicking) - Welcome to True North.

(upbeat music) (mysterious music) - Good evening and welcome to Maine 1.

(upbeat music) (projector clicking) - Welcome to "From the Vault", a celebration of 60 years of Maine Public Television.

We have holiday shows for you on this episode.

Now later on, we're going through 1984 with "A Pine Tree Christmas," but first up, we'll stop in 1972 for "A New England Christmas."

Here we follow a man who has been away from home for many years, but he has come back to spend Christmas with his aging father.

As he tours his homestead and his community, memories of people and traditions long gone come flooding back.

This was a big show from Maine Public.

It was seen across the country on PBS in December of 1972, and as far away as Guam.

So our first ghost of Christmas past is from 1972, "A New England Christmas."

(foghorn blares) (church bells ringing) ♪ And wild and sweet, the words repeat ♪ ♪ Of peace on earth, good will to men ♪ (bright, hopeful music) ♪ I thought how, as the day had come ♪ ♪ The belfries of all Christendom ♪ ♪ Had rolled along th'unbroken song ♪ ♪ Of peace on earth, good will to men ♪ (gentle organ music) ♪ Till ringing, singing on its way ♪ ♪ The world revolved from night to day ♪ ♪ A voice, a chime, a chant sublime ♪ ♪ Of peace on earth, good will to men ♪ ♪ Then pealed the bells more loud and deep ♪ ♪ God is not dead, he doth not sleep ♪ ♪ For wrong shall fail, the right prevail ♪ ♪ With peace on earth, good will to men ♪ ♪ Amen (crowd shuffling) (woman laughs) - [Minister] Once again, we've known the joy of a Christmas pageant performed by members of our Sunday school.

I'd like to thank a few of the many people who helped with today's service.

Mrs. Emory, director of our Sunday school, and as always, our friend and neighbor, Mr. Sam Todd, who played the organ.

Following the benediction, we hope you'll all stay for the fellowship while the children have their candy bags and the Christmas tree.

We thank thee, Father, for these children and the homes from which they come.

We thank thee for the message that Christmas brings, the gift of the Christ child.

May your love, joy, and peace be with us during the Christmas season and always, amen.

(gentle organ music) (crowd muttering) (snow crunching) (wind whistling) (snow crunching) (church bells ringing) (door bangs) (engine revving) (upbeat rock music) - [Radio DJ] Well, we've got a white Christmas again, but unless you're traveling by reindeer and sleigh, it's rough going out there.

Be sure to drive carefully and fasten your seat belts.

The roads are slippery and the traffic is already heavy.

Everybody's heading home for the holidays.

After all, Christmas time is family time, time to bring back all those good old traditions.

I remember something our family always used to do at Christmas back when I was a kid.

We used to make gifts for each other, nothing big, just little homemade tokens to go along with the store-bought presents.

My grandmother used to make the kids mittens, you know, with a string that went around our neck so we wouldn't lose 'em.

I still wear mine today, but in all, in all, it was kind of a nice custom, you know, it's kind of fun to reminisce about the good old days.

That's a luxury we have at the end of the year, indulging in a bit of nostalgia.

Hey, if last minute shopping is bugging you, take a trip to Mark-Offs.

- [Clerk] Well, good morning Jonathan, how are you this nice cold morning?

- [Jonathan] Fine.

- [Clerk] Well, that's good.

Your mother's got a slip here.

Well, let's see.

Now take some little time, put this up.

Two pounds cheese, a pound of coffee, Two pounds yellow eyed beans, half pack of peanuts, bottle of Arabian balsam, two yards of red ribbon.

(chuckles) Well, that's quite a riot, eh?

Well, before you sit down to get warm, why don't you have some candy here?

Take her right out then, help yourself.

Oh, let's see.

We'll get the cheese out here fast and cut off a couple of pounds of that.

Let's see how near I can guess to two pounds.

Plop that on the scale there, and get this set out here, and see how much it weighs.

Well, a little over two pounds.

Well, won't matter.

Half a pound of coffee.

Wants it ground.

I remember when your father was a little boy, he used to come in here and buy coffee, just the same as you are now, and I used to grind it for him.

(metallic grinding) In the old days, I used to roast the coffee right here, but now, they, it comes all roasted, and that's just as good.

Smells good, don't it?

(metallic grinding) Guess that's the end of it.

Nothing smells much better than coffee all ground right up fresh.

(paper crinkling) There.

Slide it right in that way.

Never wasted a mite.

Now let's see.

We've got that cheese and the coffee.

Next thing's the yellow eyed beans.

(phone rings) Oh, there goes that darn telephone.

Always rings when you're the busiest.

Hello?

Yes, yes?

Well, this you, Pauline?

Yes, yes, it is, Cole (indistinct).

What'd you have on your mind?

Yes, I know.

Christmas almost here.

I don't know.

Seems it was Christmas, and the first thing you know, it's right around that time again.

Yeah, that's right.

What was it that you wanted anyway?

A half a pound of dry mustard.

Yep.

Well, that's right.

That's right.

Father John's, Father John's, yes, got that listed.

Yep.

Oh yeah.

Bottled lady pancake.

Okay, well, I'm going to have to ring off on you here, 'cause I got a cash customer here that I'm waiting on too.

Yep.

(phone rings) There.

Get rid of that.

Certainly half a day's job, that is.

Well, never be nearer those beans as I am right now, I guess, so let's see, two pounds.

(beans rattle) (beans clatter) (beans rattle) There we are, right there, right on the button.

Well, we might as well have the rest of those.

Christmas, you know, we get to be a little bit generous when it's around Christmas time.

And a half of pack of peanuts.

John, you wanna get me those peanuts right over there in that basket and bring them right over here for me?

That's a-boy.

I ought have you around this store to help for awhile.

Well, half a pack may be here right there.

Guess I better, perhaps, weigh them, too.

Get the double check on them.

(peanuts rattling) (metallic rattling) (peanuts clatter) Oh, yeah, yes, that's what they call a scripture measure, all right.

Pressed down, running over.

Better have a handful of those peanuts while you go (indistinct), hadn't you?

Now, oh, Arabian balsam is what she wanted.

Sloan's liniment, there's Minard's liniment, Johnson's anodyne liniment.

Ah, there it is right there, Arabian balsam.

33 cents, cost quite a lot, but that's stuff's good for man or beast, inside or out.

Now we have two yards of wide, red ribbon.

Well, now that oughta be red enough.

- [Jonathan] What's that stuff?

- [Clerk] Oh, that's what they call tinsel.

Salesman fellow and then their drummers was here from the city, he says they sell a raft of that.

I told him, I didn't think it would sell, but try a little of it and find out.

When I was a boy growing up, my mother always used to string popcorn and red cranberries on a string, then when Christmas was over with, we get through playing with it, why, you could always eat the popcorn off, and you could always cook the cranberries.

And that way, you weren't wasting any money, throwing money away.

But you tell your mom that if she wants some of that, I'll save it for her, and she can have some.

- [Announcer] It's the perfect toy for your child.

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Be sure to get yours while the supply lasts.

And remember, with purchases of $25 or more, you have your choice of a free miniature Christmas tree, genuine aluminum in gold, silver, pink, or blue, or with your $25 purchase, a free plastic poinsettia that will not wilt over the holidays.

You know you're getting the mark of quality at a markdown price at Mark-Offs, open tonight until midnight for your shopping convenience.

(bells ringing) - [Teacher] All right, now, if we'll have the roll call.

Gideon Bigfoot?

- Here.

- Kelly Brown.

- Here.

- [Teacher] Ebeneezer Donovan.

Absent.

He must be helping his father cut wood this morning.

Jonathan Emery?

- Here.

- Goody Levitt.

- Here.

- Alice Newcomb.

- Here.

- Charlie Piper.

- He's home with a cold.

- Rose Teague.

- Here.

- Ruth Toothacher.

- Here.

- [Teacher] All right.

Now, since it's Christmas, we're going to sing a very old and well-known carol, "Away in a Manger."

Now our note to start on is, now listen carefully.

(bright music) One, two.

♪ Away in a manger ♪ No crib for his bed ♪ The little Lord Jesus ♪ Lay down his sweet head ♪ The stars in the sky ♪ Look down where he lay ♪ The little Lord Jesus ♪ Asleep in the hay - [Teacher] Louder.

♪ The cattle are lowing ♪ The poor baby wakes ♪ But little Lord Jesus ♪ No crying he makes ♪ I love thee, Lord Jesus ♪ Look down from the sky ♪ And stay by my cradle ♪ Till morning in nigh (gentle instrumental music) ("Away in a Manger") (gentle music) ("I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day") - Hello, Dad.

Anybody home?

Dad?

(gentle music) ("I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day") (water trickling) (rooster crowing) (water trickling) (objects grinding) (cows mooing) - [Child] Come on.

(hay rustles) Look out below!

- [Girl] You better watch what you're doing.

(crickets chirping) (water trickling) (tense music) (cow chewing) (tense music) (water trickling) (gentle music) ("I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day") (indistinct tapping) (saw grinding) ♪ Da, da, dum, da, dum - [Man] Oh, Jonathan, there's nothing like the smell of fir.

(saw grinding) (hammer taps) Can't say the same of black spruce.

(hammer taps) - [Grammy] You didn't leave me many cranberries here.

That's all right so long as the sauce is going.

I'm just put one cranberry to four popcorn.

- [Woman] Meant to tell you, Grammy, when I went down the street the other day I met Grover.

- [Grammy] Oh?

(laughs) - [Woman] This is a good batch.

It's coming.

- [Grammy] Oh, my rheumatism is bothering me again.

Think I'll just take a little of my elixir here.

- [Woman] There we are.

That ought to do it.

- [Grammy] Mm, that's good.

That's much better.

- [Woman] Yeah, he said he meant for Jonathan to bring you home some candy, but wouldn't you know that Jonathan gobbled it all up?

- [Grammy] I can imagine where that boy puts all he eats.

You'd think he'd be as big as a band.

(laughs) - [Sue] Does this bread sound hollow to you, Mama?

(tapping bread) - [Woman] Mm-hmm.

It's probably done.

- [Grammy] Don't you know, I wager that Jonathan got into that package of sweets you did up for Ms. Gilmore.

She probably never even saw it.

- [Woman] No, I guess he cared too much about getting a good grade in arithmetic.

She rang me up yesterday to thank us, said the fudge was as good as ever, and that she still couldn't decide which cookie she liked better, the sugar or the molasses.

- [Sue] Did I cut the design right?

- [Woman] Mm-hmm.

- [Grammy] That's a good story, Sue.

I remember when your mother was first baking, she cut the Miller family design by mistake.

Theirs looked a lot like ours, and since it was about her first try of pie baking, she doubled up something, forgot the sugar, I think it was.

Well, everybody at that church supper thought Mrs. Miller had made it.

They weren't in any hurry to eat a Miller pie after that one.

(laughs) - [Woman] Susan, go hunt up Jonathan.

We need some more kindling.

(ax thwacking) - [Man] Thought we had enough kindling to hold them awhile.

- [Jonathan] Think we need some more?

- [Man] Some.

(wood tapping) Can't complain, though, not with the cooking they're doing.

- [Jonathan] Did you see the pies?

- [Man] Mm.

There now.

See what that does for them.

- [Grammy] Why do you suppose it is that we always get stuck with this job?

Must be that we're so good at it.

Now look at that shine, Jonathan.

Shows with a little polish and a lot of elbow grease will do.

- [Jonathan] Mm.

How many more do we have to do?

- [Grammy] Got to finish all that is on the table by you.

Well, you're doing a fine job, Jonathan.

- [Woman] Oh, Susan, I almost forgot.

The good china has to be washed.

- [Grammy] Now back when I was young, we didn't get many toys for Christmas.

The main thing was the stocking, even though there wasn't much in it.

Mm-hmm.

- [Man] There, Henry, hold right still now.

Henry's looking good, Mother.

- [Woman] Yeah, you fattened him up, all right.

- [Sue] Ouch!

That water is hot.

- [Grammy] It would always have an orange and an apple, maybe some broken candy.

- [Woman] The pork's coming along real good.

But the chicken needs basting.

I sure like the chicken and pork together.

- [Grammy] Sometimes there would be a handkerchief.

- [Woman] The onion got to you, Sue?

- [Sue] Wish you'd let me peel the potatoes instead.

- [Grammy] And if we're really lucky, a picture book, just a little 10 cent books stuck in at the top, but that was a real treat.

Way back when I was young, there were those who would holler that folks were more concerned with gifts than with the real meaning of Christmas.

- [Woman] There, the turnip's done.

That should go in the warming oven, too.

- [Sue] But there's not enough room.

- [Woman] Well, take the squash pie out for now.

We'll warm it up again later.

- [Grammy] Well, maybe there's more toys and things around today and more folks have money to buy.

On the outside, things change, but I figure what's best about Christmas is a family.

After a day's work, just celebrating together.

- [Man] We thank thee, O Lord, for this food.

Bless it to our use, help us to grow in the strength of it, to love and serve thee as we should.

Amen.

- [Grammy] Maybe when you get to be my age, you will feel the same way, that it means a lot to take special notice of a day, and of the people you love.

- [Man] Light meat, Jonathan?

- [Jonathan] I love white meat and I love the wishbone.

- [Man] All right, you may have the wishbone.

Grammy, you need some sauce.

- [Grammy] You don't have to have gifts.

You can show your feeling with or without gifts, with or without money just so long as you still have that feeling, you still have Christmas.

That doesn't change.

- [Man] Ah.

(clock ticking) (clock chiming) (clock ticking) ♪ That mild and sweet, the words repeat ♪ ♪ Of peace on earth, good will to men ♪ (bright organ music) ♪ I thought how, as the day had come ♪ ♪ The belfries of all Christendom ♪ ♪ Had rolled along th'unbroken song ♪ ♪ Of peace on earth, good will to men ♪ (bright organ music) ♪ Till ringing, singing, on its way ♪ ♪ The world revolved from night to day ♪ ♪ A voice, a chime, a chant sublime ♪ ♪ Of peace on earth, good will to men ♪ (bright organ music) ♪ Then pealed the bells more loud and deep ♪ ♪ God is not dead, nor doth he sleep ♪ ♪ The wrong shall fail, the right prevail ♪ ♪ With peace on earth, good will to men ♪ (bright electronic music) (projector clicking) - Our next ghost of Christmas past is 1984's "A Pine Tree Christmas."

It's hosted by Bernie Rosetti from the Blaine House.

Now Bernie will be a familiar face and voice to many of you long time viewers.

Here, he holds court, guiding us through a holiday celebration with Maine performers, doing songs, music, spoken word, and Bernie will even show us how to make a good holiday punch.

Now the show was originally a 90-minute program.

So we're going to show you the first 30 minutes on this episode.

Tune in to the next episode for the exciting conclusion to 1984's "A Pine Tree Christmas."

(boat horn blares) (twinkling music) ♪ Deck the hall with boughs of holly ♪ ♪ Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪ ♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪ Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪ ♪ Don we now our gay apparel ♪ Fa, la, la, la, la, la - [Announcer] On behalf of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, welcome to the Blaine House in Augusta for "A Pine Tree Christmas," with your host, Bernie Rosetti.

♪ Tis the season - Okay, that's enough Mitch Miller, and we won't be needing Andy Williams or Bing Crosby, either.

Their Christmas specials have served as models of Christmas programs for 20 years.

You know how it is.

There's always a chorus in Victorian costume.

They always have a white Christmas and Santa always appears carrying a sack heavy with gaily wrapped gifts.

Well, this year we've decided to do it our way.

"A Pine Tree Christmas," featuring all Maine performers and artists.

Some of our guests are natives, some are transplants.

All have given freely of their time and talents during this busy season to wish you the best Maine Christmas ever.

You know, there was a precedent set for Christmas in Maine in 1604.

16 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, a group of 80 French settlers led by Samuel de Champlain founded a trading colony on Dochet Island in the St. Croix River.

Now that colony lasted only a year, but despite the rugged conditions and unforgiving climate, those settlers erected a rough timber chapel and held Christmas services, the first documented Christmas services in what was to become the United States.

We asked the Psaltery, folk-singing duo Liliane Lebay and Don Hinckley to help us commemorate that first Maine Christmas.

Lily and Don have toured together since 1974, performing a variety of Franco-Canadian folk songs, original songs and classical and jazz pieces.

They begin our Christmas special with two traditional French carols, "Il Est Ne," "He Was Born," and "Cantique de Noel," "O Holy Night."

(gentle music) ♪ Il est né le divin enfant ♪ Jouez hautbois, résonnez musettes ♪ ♪ Il est né le divin enfant ♪ Chantons tous son avènement ♪ ♪ Depuis plus de quatre mille ans ♪ ♪ Nous le promettaient les prophètes ♪ ♪ Depuis plus de quatre mille ans ♪ ♪ Nous attendions cet heureux temps ♪ ♪ Il est né le divin enfant ♪ Jouez hautbois, résonnez musettes ♪ ♪ Il est né le divin enfant ♪ Chantons tous son avènement ♪ ♪ Ah, qu'il est beau, qu'il est charmant ♪ ♪ Ah, que ses graces sont parfaites ♪ ♪ Ah, qu'il est beau, qu'il est charmant ♪ ♪ Qu'il est doux, se divin enfant ♪ ♪ Il est né, le divin enfant ♪ Jouez, hautbois, résonnez, musettes ♪ ♪ Il est né, le divin enfant ♪ Chantons tous son avènement ♪ ♪ Une étable est son logement ♪ Un peu de paille, sa couchette ♪ ♪ Une étable est son logement ♪ Pour un Dieu, quel abaissement ♪ ♪ Il est né, le divin enfant ♪ Jouez, hautbois, résonnez, musettes ♪ ♪ Il est né, le divin enfant ♪ Chantons tous son avènement ♪ (gentle music) ♪ Minuit, chrétiens, c'est l'heure solennelle ♪ ♪ O ù l'Homme-Dieu descendit jusqu'à nous ♪ ♪ Pour effacer la tache originelle ♪ ♪ Et de Son Père arrêter le courroux ♪ ♪ Le monde entier tressaille d'espérance ♪ ♪ En cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur ♪ ♪ Peuple à genoux ♪ ♪ Attends ta délivrance ♪ No ël, No ël ♪ Voici le Rédempteur ♪ No ël, No ël ♪ Voici le Rédempteur (gentle music) ♪ Le Rédempteur a brisé toute entrave ♪ ♪ La terre est libre, et le ciel est ouvert ♪ ♪ Il voit un frère o ù n'était qu'un esclave ♪ ♪ L'amour unit ceux qu'enchaînait le fer ♪ ♪ Qui Lui dira notre reconnaissance ♪ ♪ C'est pour nous tous qu'Il naît, qu'Il souffre et meurt ♪ ♪ Peuple debout ♪ Chante ta délivrance ♪ No ël, No ël ♪ Chantons le Rédempteur ♪ No ël, No ël ♪ Chantons le Rédempteur (gentle music) - The Kings Revels are musicians from Southern Maine who specialize in the performance of early music, both English and American.

Their Christmas repertoire includes music from the 12th century to modern times.

MPBN went to St. Luke's Episcopal Cathedral in Portland to hear them perform Christmas music from 15th and 16th century Europe.

♪ Wassail, wassail, all over the town ♪ ♪ Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown ♪ ♪ Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree ♪ ♪ With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee ♪ (bright percussion and woodwind music) ♪ And here is to Dobbin and to his right eye ♪ ♪ Pray God send our master a good Christmas pie ♪ ♪ And a good Christmas pie that we may all see ♪ ♪ With our wassailing bowl we'll drink to thee ♪ ♪ And here is to Fillpail and to her left ear ♪ ♪ Pray God send our master a happy New Year ♪ ♪ And a happy New Year as e'er he did see ♪ ♪ With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee ♪ ♪ Come butler, come fill us a bowl of the best ♪ ♪ Then we hope that your soul in heaven may rest ♪ ♪ But if you do draw us a bowl of the small ♪ ♪ May the Devil take butler, bowl and all ♪ ♪ And here's to the maid in the lily white smock ♪ ♪ Who tripped to the door and slipped back the lock ♪ ♪ Who tripped to the door and pulled back the pin ♪ ♪ For to let these jolly wassailers in ♪ ♪ Wassail, wassail, all over the town, ♪ ♪ Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown ♪ ♪ Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree ♪ ♪ With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee ♪ - Wassail is one of those pagan English customs that got transferred to Christmas.

Early English farmers used to go wassailing in their apple orchards, giving a chosen tree a liberal portion of wassail to ensure a good harvest for the coming year.

Of course, the good farmer also gave generously of the drink to himself and to his friends, and wassailing soon evolved into caroling groups traveling together from house to house to be offered food and drink.

Now I'll just set this down here in case we get some carolers and wassailers this evening.

Here's the recipe for wassail they use at the Blaine House: one gallon of apple cider, two teaspoons whole cloves, two teaspoons of whole allspice, two three-inch cinnamon sticks, one-third cup of sugar, two oranges studded with cloves.

Now you heat the cider, cloves, allspice, cinnamon and sugar to boiling, cover and simmer about 20 minutes.

Strain the punch and pour it into a punch bowl.

Float oranges in the bowl, and you've got a wassail fit for a king, about 32 servings' worth.

Having been settled by Puritans, New England maintained a Puritan ethic.

And in Boston, December 25th was a common workday until 1856 and classes were held in the Boston public schools on Christmas day, as late as 1870.

Much of the emphasis on Christmas in America today is due not to the mainstream English stock, but to the later immigrants, the Germans with their tree, the Dutch and St. Nicholas, the creche of France.

They all contributed to the American holiday we know today.

Most of us celebrate December 25th as the day of gift giving, but some countries exchange gifts on December 6th and others on January 1st.

Still others celebrate Old Christmas on January 6th, the day of the Epiphany, when the three wise men or Magi, visited the baby Jesus.

It is from the word Magi that we derive the word magic and many believe Old Christmas is a magical, mystical day.

As we hear from Maine storyteller, Joe Param.

- Most people celebrate Christmas on the day of Jesus' birth, but there are some people who don't celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, but rather on the 12th day of Christmas, the day that the wise men supposedly presented gifts to the child.

They call this day Old Christmas and to some people, Old Christmas has some fairly interesting and very, very strange attributes.

For example, on Old Christmas, flowers can bloom in the snow and the dead can rise and animals can speak.

In this poem by Roy Helton, entitled, "Old Christmas," there are two main characters: Sally Anne Barton, an older woman who lives in a one-room cabin with her husband, Taulbe, three miles from the nearest neighbor, and Lomey Carter, who lives on the nearest farm, three miles away.

As the poem begins, Sally Anne Barton is awakened out of a deep sleep at four o'clock on the morning of Old Christmas, and she turns to waken her husband, Taulbe, and finds that he's not in bed.

Concerned, she gets up out of bed and goes to the window, where she looks out through the moonlight, the early morning moonlight up on a cemetery hill.

It's at that time she hears a knock at the door.

And she's very frightened, being in the cabin alone.

But she goes to the door, opens it, and there is Lomey Carter, standing in eight inches of new snow, bare-footed, and dressed only in a nightgown, and carrying a bouquet of newly-blown flowers in her hands.

And Sally Anne Barton speaks.

"Where you coming from, Lomey Carter, "So early over the snow?

"And what's them flowers you got in your hand?

"Where you aiming to go?

"Step in, honey.

"Old Christmas morning, I ain't got nothing much, "maybe a bite of sweetness and corn bread, "a little ham meat and such.

"But step in, honey!

"Why, Sally Anne Barton's hungering after your face.

"Wait till I light my candle up: "Sit down!

There's your old place.

"Now where you been so early this morning?"

"I've been to the graveyard, Sally Anne.

"Up on the trace in the salt lick meadows, "where your Taulbe killed my man."

"Why, Taulbe ain't to home this morning.

"I can't scratch up a light: "Dampness gets on the heads of the matches, "but I'll blow up the embers bright."

"Needn't trouble.

"I won't be stopping.

"Going a long ways still."

"You didn't see nothing, Lomey Carter, "up on the graveyard hill?"

"What should I see there, Sally Anne Barton?"

"Why, spirits.

"Spirits do walk last night."

"There were this elder bush a-blooming, "while the moon still gives some light."

"Yes, yes, elder bushes, they bloom, Old Christmas, "and critters talk in the straw.

"Anything else up in the graveyard?"

"One thing more I saw.

"I saw my man with his head all bleeding, "where Taulbe's shot went through."

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'Lord Jesus, forgive your Taulbe.'

"But he told me another word.

"He whispered it soft when he stooped and kissed me.

"That were the last I heard."

"Taulbe ain't home this morning."

"I know that, Sally Anne, 'cause I killed him, "coming down through the meadows, "where Taulbe killed my man.

"I met him upon the meadow trace, "when the moon were fainting fast.

"I had my dead man's rifle gun, "and I killed him as he come past."

"Ah.

"But I heard two shots."

"'Twas his, was second.

"He shot me before he died.

"You'll find us at daybreak, Sally Anne Barton, "I'm laying there dead at his side."

(gentle piano music) ("Silent Night") - This hymn is a true Christmas classic.

No Christmas program or service seems complete without it.

But surprisingly, few people know the story behind "Silent Night" or the two who wrote it.

Late on the night of December 23rd, 1818, in the tiny mountain village of Oberndorf, Austria, a mouse gnawed a hole in the old leather organ bellows in the Catholic church.

On the next morning, the day before Christmas, the damage was discovered by the organist, Franz Gruber, who was horrified that the lack of an organ would ruin the Christmas Eve service.

You see, Oberndorf was a poor, isolated village and no one would arrive to fix the organ until spring.

The villagers were an extremely devout congregation.

At every home, the creche of carved wooden figures was more important than the Christmas tree.

And Christmas Eve service, with its special hymns, was much-anticipated and attended by all.

A Christmas Eve mass without music was unthinkable.

Franz Gruber took his problem to the assistant priest, Joseph Mohr, who was as equally concerned, and who had a possible solution.

Late one night, as he had returned from comforting a sick parishioner, he stood on a hill and gazed down on the snow-covered sleepy village.

Words of a poem formed in his head, and he hurried home to copy them down.

"Perhaps," he said to Franz, "you could compose "a simple tune to go with this poem.

"You and I could learn a duet "and you could accompany us on the guitar.

"The children's choir could help, as well."

Well, Franz agreed to try, and the result was the "Silent Night" we know today.

Franz and Joseph sang that evening, and the children repeated the last words of each refrain.

"Sleep in heavenly peace.

"Christ the Savior is born."

(gentle music) ("Silent Night") Michael Hughes, a guitarist from Portland, can certainly play "Silent Night" better than I.

So let's listen as he plays it on the instrument for which it was written.

(gentle guitar music) ("Silent Night") (heartfelt guitar music) (gentle, heartfelt guitar music) (light, heartfelt guitar music) (gentle, heartfelt guitar music) (light, heartfelt guitar music) (gentle guitar music) (projector clicking) - [Announcer] Next time on "From the Vault," it's holiday cheer from 1984, in "A Pine Tree Christmas."

(ball clacks) Join Bernie Rosetti.

- Oh, hello.

- As he presents festive performances from Frank Glazer, Mike Noble, comedy team Abrams and Anderson, Tim Sample and more, along with season greetings from George Mitchell, William Cohen and holiday punch with Joseph Brennan.

That's all next time on "From the Vault."

♪ Fa, la, la, la, la ♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪ Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪ Don we now our gay apparel ♪ Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪ ♪ Troll the ancient yuletide carol ♪ ♪ Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la