Why the Chimes Rang: And Other Stories

Raymond MacDonald Alden, Katharine Hayward Greenland

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, Jun 5, 2011 - Fiction - 106 pages

"Why the Chimes Rang" by is a collection of highly imaginative modern fairy tales which inspire children to right behavior. Written by Raymond Macdonald Alden, this classic includes two Christmas stories--"Why the Chimes Rang" and "In the Great Walled Country", plus a variety of other stories (such as "The Knights of the Silver Shield) suitable for different seasons of the year. The title story, "Why the Chimes Rang," is a truly endearing narration about two young boys who dream of going to a special Christmas service at a somewhat distant church. It will take the boys all afternoon to walk to the church. Along the way they come upon a woman who has fallen in the snow and is in desperate need of help. The older brother stays with her and sends "little brother" on to the church for the Christmas service. Afterwards, he is to return with help. The Christmas chimes in this church have not been heard for many years, but they rang that night-all because of two young boys, who in all of their innocence truly understood about giving and Christmas. The favorite Christmas story of many, "Why the Chimes Rang" captures the true meaning of Christmas in a simple yet rich and beautiful way. If you could have but one book (outside of the Bible) for Christmas, this should be the one!

About the author

Raymond Macdonald Alden (1873 - 1924) was an American scholar and educator, born in New Hartford, N. Y. He studied at Rollins College, Fla., and at the University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1894. He took post-graduate studies there at Penn and at Harvard. In 1894-95 he was instructor in English at Columbian (now George Washington) University; in 1896-97 assistant in English at Harvard; and in 1898-99 senior fellow in English at the University of Pennsylvania. He was chosen to fill the position of assistant professor of English literature and rhetoric at Leland Stanford, Jr., University in 1899, then became associate professor there in 1909. He accepted the chair of English at the University of Illinois in 1911. He edited several plays of Shakespeare and other Elizabethan dramatists and in 1910 an edition of Thoreau's Walden. Alden also became known as a contributor to educational journals and short stories to magazines. In 1913 he edited an edition of Shakespeare's Sonnets and A Lover's Complaint.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Why the Chimes Rang: And Other Stories
• Authors: Raymond MacDonald Alden, Katharine Hayward Greenland
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2011
• ISBN: 1463561822, 9781463561826
• Length: 106 pages
• Subjects: Fiction / Classics; Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / General; Juvenile Fiction / Holidays & Celebrations / Christmas & Advent