 Yes, it's another case for that most famous of all man-hunters. The detective's ability at solving crime is unequaled in the history of detective fiction. Nick Carter, master detective. Tonight's curious adventure, a special Christmas story. All the mystery... Another way of saying that folks are usually willing to contribute to your settlement house Christmas party every year, Nick? No, it's coming up. We're just thinking about this last name on our list. Yeah? Raster. I don't know him personally. You? No, I don't, but somebody must have thought he was rich enough or interested enough in the work to make a substantial contribution. Oh, here's the... Hey, is this... Hey, Nick, what's that address again? 576 Milton Avenue. Yes, that's right. And there's his name on the door plate. Well, let's take a look, scubby. Well, gosh, this doesn't make sense, Nick. A guy with dough doesn't hide away in a place like this. Well, knock on the door anyhow. Doesn't seem to be anybody here, Nick. No, hold it, scubby. I hear someone coming. I'm Nicholas Carter. May I speak to Mr. Rasper, please? Nick Carter, eh? Yes, yes. And this is my assistant, Scubby Wilson. How do you do? You, Mr. Rasper? Yes. Well, come in, come in. It's cold out there. You're letting all the heat out. Oh, beg your pardon. Come on, scubby. Yep. I'm in, Nick. I'm in. Well, what did you want it? Well, Mr. Rasper, I've come to see if you would care to make a contribution to my Christmas party fund. I never make contributions. Oh, but you didn't let Nick finish, sir. The fund provides food and extra clothing for the needy and deserving children. The charity department's still working, isn't it? Well, of course, Mr. Rasper. But my object is to provide an inspiration for the young people who are underprivileged. People who haven't got any money are always trying to get it from those who have. Then you aren't interested in seeing that the children of the Lincoln Hall District are helped to a little happiness on Christmas Day? No, I'm not. Christmas is old-fashioned. I don't believe in it. It's a waste of money and time. Good day. Oh, well, Mr. Rasper, it's always been a lot of fun for me personally. And I must say that I've always felt better for celebrating it. And I have a clam to agree with, scubby, Mr. Rasper. Christmas has always been a bright spot in my life. And I feel sure that if you knew the good it has done throughout the world, it'd make you change your mind. Rubbish. Well, in any case, I'll marry Christmas to you. Good day to you. Christmas, indeed, is a lot of nonsense. Come on, Nick, let's get back to civilization. You know, scubby, that man's wealthy. No doubt about that. And yet, he's soured on Christmas. And everything it stands for. You said our mouthful, Nick. You know, scubby, there must be reason why he thinks that way. And I'd like to find out what it is. Yeah, but you haven't anything to work on, Nick. Oh, no, scubby, I haven't, not yet. But look here. I can finish up whatever has to be done this afternoon. Suppose you hop down to the newspaper office and go through the files there. There might just be something we could learn about Rasper that way. OK, Nick, I'll be glad to. Then I'll have Raleigh check through the files at headquarters. It's a long shot, but something might turn up. Sure. Maybe Patsy has run into something while she's been working down at the settlement house. She might know somebody who knows something about Rasper. Yeah, she might have that. I'll ask her about it. OK. And maybe with all of us working together on it, we may learn why Rasper's so dead set against Christmas. I'd certainly like to find out. He's at you, Nick, Raleigh talking. I've been through my files here, and I can't find anything charged against a man named Ben Rasper. He was licensed to do business with a man named Howard Low, but Low died some years ago. Otherwise, Rasper's just a successful businessman. That's right. I'll tell you what, though, Nick. There's an old fella named Fred Anderson who used to be on the force who knows Rasper. For sure. You can find him at Lincoln Hall, where you're given the party. He's the watchman there now. OK, Nick. That's all right. See you tomorrow. Yes, Cubby. Oh, you did, huh? Sports remote, huh? Well, well. What was that name again? Chris Baum, boy. Yes, yes, I recall. Oh, no, I'll be done in about an hour, so I want to call Patsy first. Right. And thanks, Cubby. Bye. Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle along the way. Oh, what fun it is to ride on a horse when you say hey. Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way over. Hey, Patsy. How's everything, huh? Oh, fine. I'm coming down to the hall. Is there anything you want me to bring along? Huh? I sure I can do that. But will that be enough, though? OK. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Cubby just called. Oh, he found out something about Rasper. What? You did too. How old is he? Name Jimmy, huh? And he's coming to our party? Oh, fine, fine, Patsy. OK, I'll see you in a little while. Bye. We've collected enough to do this year's party upright. Now let's get organized. Raleigh, your job will be to get the kids of the needy persons rounded up. Oh, sure, Nick. I'll take care of it. I got your list and the list from the social worker from the church down there. And there are plenty of others who will need to lift this year, believe me. I know it, Raleigh, and I'll depend on you. Cubby, it's your job to see that the tree and decorations and gifts are taken care of. Don't worry, Nick. Decorating is my middle name. I'll make Lincoln Hall look like a million dollars in cash. Good boy, good boy. And Patsy, you'll see to it that there's plenty to eat and drink for the party, so I won't have to worry about that. I'll take care of the bills, and you have the letters the credit the stores gave us. You know how to do that. Sure thing, Nick. I've been through it with you often enough before. I ought to know what you want by this time. Well, what are you going to be doing, Nick? Me? Well, Raleigh, I'm going to do a little detecting. I'm going to look into those tips you Patsy and Cubby gave me about those people who know Ben Raspere. And by the time I'm through, I hope to find out why it is that he hates Christmas the way he does. And then? Well, then maybe I'll be able to do something about it. You want to be unpaid, Raspere? No, I don't remember you. Who are you? He used to call me the kid, sometimes known as the human flair. How'd you find me? Who sent you here? A fellow named Nick Carter told me I'd find you here in your office, even if it is Christmas Eve. Nick Carter? Oh, yes. Wanted me to give him some money for some full party. Oh, for the party at Lincoln Hall, I guess. Hey, he's never asked me for anything. Just gave me what I needed, when I needed it. So you hired you to come here and take up my time to get? No, no, he didn't send me here. Just said I'd find you here, that's all. I came here on my own accord, just to wish you a merry Christmas. Thought you'd say that. Well, I don't mind, because it's on account of Nick Carter that I can stand on my own feet again, not on account of you. What's that? Mind if I sit down? It was on Christmas Eve that we won our first fight, wasn't it? Fight? Oh, yeah, a long time ago. Yeah, it was a long time ago. I can remember the noise of the crowd, the glare of the lights, and the smoke curling around, and the brightness over the ring. And you leaned in over me with that wet towel. You got him going, Chris. Another one might that last brown, you'll have him in the ropes by the count. How do you feel now, kid? I'm OK, Raspin. Just let me out of here. I don't have to wait any more. It's my Nick right now. You take your orders from me, kid. I'm the brains here. When you get the signal from me, you give it to me. OK, Raspin, you're the boss. Chris, good fighter. I made a lot of money for us in those fights, Raspin. Well, a lot of my old days, Chris. Lots of water's gone under lots of bridges since then. I know. And the percentage you paid me didn't last long either. It went just like that water. But I didn't care much about things like that. Till the day a friend of mine came and gave me a warning tip, that started me thinking. Hey, Finn, I have wanted to talk to you. I've been around. What's up? I got a tip today. If you're signing up, Timmy, or Dave, you're going to manage him. Who told you that? Never mind. Is it true? That depends. Depends on what? Look, kid, you're getting slow. Or Dave's fresh. He'll be the next champ. If he wins this fight with you tonight, I'm taking him over. If I win tonight? I'm taking O'Day over anyhow. We've been together a long time, kid. And they don't pay to get into too much of a rut. So that's all it means to you, is it? Money. The payoff, huh? What about all the years we've known each other? What about the things we've been through? Why, you won't. Don't get yourself all in a sweat, kid. It isn't good for you. You'll get your cut anyway. Don't worry. You'll get your cut. I'll see you later. Well, I do. Tell me what to do. I can't see him. My eyes are puffed up. He's cutting me to ribbons. Tell me what to do, that's fine. Don't bother me, kid. Here's your own judgment. You're on your own, as of now. But, Raspers, you always say you're on your own, kid. You're in the ring corner laughing at me. But that was the last thing I saw for a long time. O'Day saw it or that. You must have coached him pretty far about my style. And then you really cashed in. Well, I haven't got much myself, but I'm still able to wish you a merry Christmas, Raspers, although I don't think you'll ever have one. Chris, I... Well, I got some things to do, Raspers. Carter asked me to pick up some things for the party at Lincoln Hall tomorrow. We always have a swell time at Carter's Christmas parties. Too bad you can't enjoy anything like that anymore. Well, as I said before, Raspers, merry Christmas. MUSIC Where's with his mind whirling like a merry-go-round? Christmas Eve. God, it's a fine excuse for people to go around yelling at each other in the streets. Sturbing a man when he wants to get some work done. I might as well close the office and get some rest. I would have been home by now if the kid Chris hadn't taken up so much time. Well, Chris dares for a living now. Wonder if that's none of my concern. Get home and get some sleep. That's what I need. Who's that? I'm closing up. Come back tomorrow morning. Oh, I'm glad I got here before you left, Ben. Who is it? It's Nina, Ben. Oh, Nina? I only stopped by to speak to you for a moment. It's getting quite late, and I... Well, sit down for a moment, Nina. Oh, thank you. Here, let me get your chair. I, uh, I suppose it's rather bold of me to come after all this time, but I... Well, no, Nina. No, I... I'm glad you did. Is there something you want? Oh, no. No, there's nothing you can do for me, Ben. Jimmy and I are doing very nicely. I just wanted to wish you a merry Christmas. I was in the neighborhood doing some shopping for the party that Mr. Carter's giving at Lincoln Hall tomorrow, and... How was he, Nina? Jimmy, I mean... Oh, he's fine, Ben. He's full of life and interested in everything. He has a good head on his shoulders, and he's very handsome, too. Oh, that's fine. Just fine. Uh, you're looking a little tired, Ben. Are you feeling well? Oh, yes, yes. Of course. I've been working hard, that's all. I... Don't spend much time at home. Uh, not much reason to. Hmm, that's the way you were, isn't it, Ben? Don't you remember? Nina! Nina, where are you? Oh, Jimmy, there's Daddy. You wait here for Mommy like a good boy, won't you? Um, I'm coming, Ben! I've been keeping your dinner warm for you. I... I hope you'll... What's the matter, Ben? You look as if... That's nothing, Nina. Nothing. I'm in a hurry, that's all. Well, you're always in a hurry, aren't you? You never have time for... Where's my dinner? Sit down, Ben. I'll... I'll have it for you right away. This plate is hot now. Be careful, but you don't burn yourself. I won't. Salt, please. Here you are, dear. Ben, when you finish, won't you take time enough out of your business to help me get the tree decorated? I know Jimmy's too young to know much about it, but I'd love to have his Christmas all ready for him in the morning. Look, I'll... I'll put him to sleep right away and then we can start. See, I have some holly and mistletoe for the fireplace and... and... and some... I won't have time for that, Nina. But, Ben, it's Christmas Eve. Surely you... I have to get back to the office. I'm putting on a championship match for old day in January and the things have gone haywire. Something that can't wait till tomorrow. Oh, have to get it organized right away, that's all. Ben, this is Christmas Eve. Tomorrow will be Jimmy's first Christmas. Doesn't that mean anything to you? You and Jimmy celebrate Christmas any way you want, Nina. I've something more important to do. Business is more important than sentiment. You certainly can see that. Yes, Ben. I can see that. I've been seeing it more and more during the last few years. I thought that when Jimmy came, maybe you were... No, I was wrong, wasn't I, Ben? You'd even let your love for business break up our home. Break up our... Don't be melodramatic, Nina. Not being melodramatic, Ben. I'm trying to be very calm and quiet about it. I've had a lot of time to think when I've sat alone here night after night and those days on end when you've been away attending to your business. And what has come out of all the thinking you've done? Just this, Ben. I'm not going on any longer. Either you belong to your family or your family will get along without you. I have to rush, Nina. Good night. Good night, Ben. It's good... Goodbye. Jim, you and I are leaving tonight. Look, I haven't time to talk about it with you now, Nina. Oh, by the way, this will probably take most of the night. Good night. Goodbye, Ben. Merry Christmas. I had much of a chance to make it up to you, Nina. You've had all the chance you wanted, Ben. What do you mean, all right? I just dropped by to say hello and to give you a wish for happiness during the holidays. It's hard not to share with you the joy I have with Jimmy. I wish he could see his eyes dance at Mr. Carter's Christmas parties. Unfortunately, on what little I make, we can't very well afford to have our Christmas at home, but somehow we don't miss it. Everybody has such a grand time at Mr. Carter's party and Jimmy does enjoy every minute that he's there. Goodness, I'll have to be on my way. Jimmy's waiting for me, and I have to make one more stop for Mr. Carter. Good night, Ben, and... Merry Christmas. Stuff doesn't taste like anything. Nothing at all. Just hand what's got into me. It's good food, fixed the same as it always is. It just doesn't taste right, that's all. Let's say it's someone at the door this time of the night. I'm coming, I'm coming. Hello, Ben, it's Fred Anderson. Glad I found you at home. I'm always at home this time of night. Yes, yes, I suppose you are, Ben. Can I come in? Of course. I brought you a package, Ben. Nick Carter sent me around with it. Said you'd probably be here alone tomorrow, and he'd like you to have it. Carter? What's Carter sending me? You might open it and see, Ben. I'm no mind reader. Carter had won a pot of wine. Let me see the card. Merry Christmas from Nick Carter. Let's see, dear. You know anything about this, Fred? No, but Nick Carter's a funny duck. There's lots of things people don't expect him to. Well, I don't even know the man. Only saw him once, and that... Won the glass of this wine, Fred. Don't mind if I do, Ben. Since it's Christmas Eve, I don't mind at all. There's some glasses here somewhere. Say, how do you open this thing? Here, I'll do it for you, Ben. Eh, that does it. Go ahead, you open it. Eh? Oh, yes, all right. Ain't you drinking with me, Ben? Huh? Oh. Yes, I will. That's a ticket. Well, here's Merry Christmas for you, Ben. Yes, Merry Christmas. Oh, you've been keeping yourself, Fred. Oh, I've been sort of working around Lincoln Hall since I was retired from the force. Say, you know, while I was coming here tonight, I was thinking about those old days when I walked a beat. Funny, most folks call them the good old days, but I don't. You did all right in those times, didn't you? Oh, sure, I got along. I was just thinking about the different attitudes folks have nowadays thought being given a hand. They appreciate it more, it seems. Charity's still charity, Fred. That hasn't changed. Guess it's all in the point of view, Ben. I guess you haven't changed with the times. At night I met you near the bridge. I was sure you were going to see that you were headed in the wrong direction and wake up in time. Remember that night, Ben? Where's Christmas Eve? You just come from the arena. They'd handed you your walking papers because you'd let them down cold. Christmas, officer. Oh, Merry Christmas to you, sir. Well, what are you doing out on a night like this, Ben? I thought you'd be up at the arena getting the New Year's Fights lined up. What? Oh, it's you, Anderson. Now I'm not at the arena anymore. That's so. What happened? They decided tonight that I'd rather have Davis take over my job. Fine Christmas present that is. Well, that's tough news, Ben. What you going to do now? I don't know. I can't seem to think straight. Oh, that's a crazy way for a man like you to talk. On a Christmas Eve, too? Christmas Eve. That's never been anything but a jinx to me. First I get stuck with that no-good fighter all day. Then Nina leaves me and takes my son with her. And now the arena throws me out. Well, maybe you better stop and find out what it is you're doing wrong, Ben. Maybe you're the one that's to blame, not Christmas Eve. They all take advantage of me. I made all the money I could for them, but I'm not going to do it anymore. Take it easy, Ben. Take it easy. You better go home and think it over. I have thought it over, Fred, and I know what the answer is. I'm going to make money for myself and nobody else. I'll show these people. I'll make so much money they'll come crawling to me on their knees. I won't have to ask for anybody's sympathy. You don't pay to think like that, Ben. You'll regret it. Now, look. I know the Bill Boynton who runs the shoe store down on Elm Street is looking for a man to buy in with him. Why don't... Me working a shoe store? Not in your life, Fred. I'm going after the big money. Big money. That's the only thing people understand, and I'm going to get it. Now you've got it, Ben. You're one of the richest men in town. And where's he got you? Well, I... I don't know. Ben, it's too bad you don't get around and see what nice people there are in the world. People like this Carterfeller, for instance. Does a man good to know people like him? Makes you feel there really is a Santa Claus to see him bring the smiles to the kids' faces at those parties he gives down at Lincoln Hall. Well, I'll be getting back there now, Ben. I've got a big day tomorrow. I'm not as young as I used to be. Well, Merry Christmas to you, Ben. I'll tell Nina I saw you. She'll be at the party tomorrow with young Jimmy. Good night, Ben. Open that by the door. What do you see? Where, Nick? Here's Ben Rassberg. Oh, I hope he's come to join the party. And I've heard so much about it. Well, he looks scared to death, Nick. Look, Patsy, will you go up and make him welcome? Patsy Bowen. Won't you join us? How do you do? I hope I'm not... Do you mind if I just... Come right in. I wanted to thank Mr. Carter for the gift he sent, and I... Nick's right over there near the tree. Come along. Children seem to be enjoying themselves, don't they? They certainly do. There's Lieutenant Raleigh handing out the gifts there. It's got to be Wilson with him, standing next to Mr. Carter. Yes, I admire Mr. Wilson. Just look at Lieutenant Raleigh. He's having as much fun as the children. So I see. Oh, there's a nice-looking boy there, Mr.... Who, I mean, what's his name? Where? That one over there. Oh, that's Jimmy. He's a nice boy. His mother was a big help to him in getting the refreshments ready. There she is over there on the far side of the hall with the tables, see? Oh, yes. Her son. Yes. Yes, I see. Nick, we have a new guest. Oh, there, Mr. Raspere. Merry Christmas. I'm glad you could join us. Thank you, Mr. Carter. I came to express my appreciation of the gift you sent me. I hardly know how to... Like nothing of it, Mr. Raspere. You're being his thanks enough for me. Mr. Carter, that little boy coming along the line there... Jimmy, I think, his name is... Do you think I might give him... I mean, could I hand him his gift, do you think? Why, certainly. Riley! Mr. Raspere here wants to lend a hand. Can you use him? Sure thing, Nick. Come along, Mr. Raspere. Thank you, Mr. Carter. Mr. Raspere, and enjoy yourself, man. I will. There, little girl. Merry Christmas. Thank you. Say, she... She liked it, didn't she? Well, they all appreciate a little kindness, Mr. Raspere. Now, now, here's a gift for that little boy there. Oh, Jimmy. Here you are. And a merry Christmas. Son. You played those games harder than any two kids in the bunch, Gaby. Yeah, it lost practically every part. You have to be in condition to keep up with these kids. Boy, they're wonders. Hey, why don't they get all that energy? That will be one of the world's great mysteries for ever, Gaby. Nick, what are you thinking so hard about, hm? Oh, I was... I was just thinking of the way Mr. Raspere took to the party. Hey, don't you mean the way the party took to Mr. Raspere, Nick? Yeah, I never saw a man open up the way he did. I was wonderful. The children just walked around in him. That's one of the greatest jobs that Nick Carter ever did. What do you mean, Riley? Well, Patsy, you'll never believe it, but when Nick and I went to see Raspere to get a contribution to the party, he was the hardest case of unadulterated unpleasantness I ever saw. But somehow, Nick managed to get under his skin and bring out, well, what she saw tonight. Well, for heaven's sake, how did you do it in here? Well, it wasn't difficult, Patsy. You see, I could see when we first spoke to Raspere that he was fighting something. But I didn't know what it was. But from what Riley, Scubby, and you told me, I found that three different times Christmas Eve had brought him bad luck. First, the fighter or day. Then Mrs. Raspere had left Raspere on a Christmas Eve, taking his son Jimmy with her. And third, he'd lost his promoter's connection at the arena, also on Christmas Eve. Well, the whole thing added up. Raspere associated Christmas Eve with a list of unfortunate incidents and fought anything that suggested the holidays to him. He made a lot of money, but it never brought him happiness. The big thing for me was to make him realize that people and Christmas meant good and not evil. And from what I saw this afternoon, the Raspere family and the whole neighborhood, for that matter, is going to benefit by his awakening to that realization. Oh, Nick, that's wonderful. You deserve a kiss for that. Oh, thanks, Patsy. I'm glad you feel that way too. You know, I'm happier this evening because of Mr. Raspere than I would be if I'd solved 20 murders. He's made this a really merry Christmas for all of us. Change Adventures of Nick are brought to you regularly at this time by WOR Mutual. What's your story going to be about next time, Nick? It's a little different from the usual story, because it started out with Nick himself being the victim of a holdup. Yes, and the man who held me up turned out to be innocent after all. Sounds of trifle complicated to me. It was complicated, but interesting. And it gave me plenty of trouble before I found the solution. Including a sore throat that almost finished Nick Carter. A sore throat? Why should that be dangerous? Because it was the kind that you get from a rope around your neck. Hey, wait a minute. You mean... Well, the rest of the story you get two weeks from tonight, not now. So long, everybody. So long. So long, both of you. In the strange adventure you have just heard, Nick Carter was impersonated by Long Clark, Patsy by Helen Chote, and Scubby by John Cain. The story was written for Nick Carter by Humphrey Davis. Original music was played by Lou White. The entire production was under the direction of John McGregor. At the same time, listened to another curious experience of Nick Carter entitled, The Story is a Copyrighted Feature of Street and Smith Publications Incorporated. The return of Nick Carter is produced in the studios of W.O.R. and is broadcast over most of these stations Monday evenings at 9.30 Eastern W-