Blind Tim, and other Christmas stories written for children

In Short

This 1926 collection brings together seven heartfelt stories centered on children navigating poverty, disability, and family absence during the winter holidays. Written by Charles O. Solberg, the book portrays young protagonists like blind Tim, neglected Bob, and little Ginkle as they encounter hardship, kindness, and festive wonder. Steeped in traditional Lutheran piety and early-century immigrant community life, the stories have endured through their tender depiction of childhood innocence, moral redemption, and the comforting message of the Christmas spirit reaching even the most forgotten corners of society.

The Story

The collection opens with "Blind Tim," which follows a frail, hump-backed blind boy living in a home shadowed by his father's saloon business and drinking habits. Tim secretly cherishes Sunday School and the story of the wise men, but his older brother Alex falls in with bad companions and gets arrested. Tim bravely finds his way to the police court, successfully pleading with the judge for Alex's release. Later, while sitting on a horse block waiting for Christmas festivities, Tim is tragically struck by a derailed streetcar, leaving him bedridden and unable to attend the church Christmas tree, though he passes away or rests comforted by his Sunday School teacher's visits and his devotion to the Christmas star.

In "Rags," young Bob Jerrold endures constant taunts from schoolmates due to his impoverished family and ragged clothes, leading him to abandon Sunday School. His kind teacher, Mr. Benson, gently persuades Bob to speak a piece at the Christmas festival, where his performance wins over his peers and brings him into the warmth of genuine friendship.

"A Queer Christmas Tree" shifts to a bustling city where a young man named Frank delivers a charity basket to a modest fourth-floor apartment. There, he dances and sings with Mrs. Asleson’s five unkempt children while cathedral chimes ring out a magnificent melody over the snowy rooftops. In "Bigbeard and Little Sander," a frontier blizzard strands two travelers at a isolated cabin with a young boy named Sander while his parents are away, prompting the bearded stranger to read the Christmas story and lead a comforting prayer through the storm.

Another tale finds two little girls visiting their favorite Uncle Mark in a brightly decorated hospital ward, bringing him a Christmas song as he faces a grave illness. In "Buddy’s Christmas Tree," a small boy raised at a rural farm home talks constantly of the holiday and wonders about his absent father, a soldier from the World War. On Christmas morning, the long-awaited father finally returns home, and Buddy's earlier insistence on hanging stockings on the big pine tree proves magical. Finally, "Three Pines" follows little Ginkle and his grandfather on a woodcutting trip. When the grandfather is injured under a falling tree, quick-footed Ginkle runs down the road and successfully flags down passing strangers to bring help, ensuring a safe recovery.

How It Unfolds

• A plea in court: Blind Tim bravely steps before a stern judge to defend his older brother Alex, securing his release and earning the judge's quiet sympathy.
• The festival reconciliation: Ostracized because of his ragged clothes, Bob Jerrold returns to Sunday School for the Christmas program and finally wins the good-will of his classmates.
• A blizzard shelter: Caught in a fierce frontier snowstorm, little Sander welcomes two lost travelers into his home, where they read scripture and pray together by the stove.
• Hospital carols: Two little girls bring the joy of the holiday directly to their ailing uncle's hospital room with a softly practiced Christmas song.
• The soldier's return: After a small boy eagerly anticipates his father's return from the World War, a mysterious knock brings the long-absent soldier back to the family hearth on Christmas morning.
• A rescue in the woods: Little Ginkle springs into action when his grandfather is pinned under a tree, running down the sandy road to flag down a car and summon help.

The People

• Blind Tim: A sensitive, blind, and deformed boy who acts as a moral anchor for his family, using his gentle wisdom to protect his brother Alex before his life is cut short by an accident.
• Alex: Tim's older brother who strays into mischief due to bad companions and an unsupportive home environment, but is deeply moved and reformed by Tim's devotion.
• Bob ("Rags") Jerrold: An ostracized, poorly dressed boy who suffers under the stigma of his neglectful parents until Mr. Benson and his classmates extend kindness and include him in the Christmas celebration.
• Little Sander: A bright frontier boy who maintains his courage during a terrifying blizzard and shares a quiet, devotional evening with unexpected guests.
• Buddy: A lively four-year-old growing up on a Kansas or Midwestern farm who chats constantly with his blind uncle and longs for the return of his soldier father.
• Ginkle: An energetic toddler living near a lake with his grandparents who demonstrates remarkable speed and bravery by running for help when his grandfather is injured in the woods.

In Its Own Voice

• Describing Tim's unique physical presence and earnest plea in the courtroom: "The queer spectacle of the two lads, one tall and manly in form but bent with shame, the other crippled and weak, standing in the presence of the court hand in hand, drew every eye."
• Capturing the booming resonance of the city cathedral bells on holiday eve: "Above the noise and clatter of the street, over the passing crowd, in and out among the tall buildings and little cottages that snuggle between, up and down the alleys and avenues, the mighty ringing goes forth."
• Expressing Buddy's innocent and persistent focus on the holiday season as he waits for his father: "He was old enough to catch the Christmas idea. Certainly it had taken full possession of him."

What It's Really About

The collection explores the true meaning of Christian charity, grace, and redemption against the backdrop of early twentieth-century American life. Solberg examines how suffering—whether physical blindness, extreme poverty, family alcoholism, or the lingering trauma of the World War—tests human endurance, yet is invariably met by the comforting presence of faith. The narratives question whether societal outcasts and disabled children are valued, answering with an emphatic affirmation of their spiritual centrality. Ultimately, the stories argue that the Christmas spirit is not merely about festive indulgence, but about active reconciliation, neighborly kindness, and the miraculous mending of broken family ties.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate classic, faith-centered holiday literature in the vein of Victorian moral tales will find deep charm here. Reading these stories feels like sitting by a warm stove in a Midwestern farmhouse or Lutheran parsonage a century ago, listening to an elder recount genuine local happenings with gentle moral clarity. However, modern readers should approach the book with an awareness of its historical context. The prose contains period-specific language, reflects traditional immigrant Lutheran attitudes toward temperance and piety, and confronts heavy themes like childhood disability, destitution, and post-war grief with unvarnished realism. Those who value slow-paced, emotionally resonant storytelling that honors the quiet dignity of ordinary children will find it a memorable seasonal companion.