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+This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
+metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be
+in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
+
+Procedures for determining public domain status are described in
+the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org.
+
+No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in
+jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize
+this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright
+status under the laws that apply to them.
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #69416 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69416)
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-The Project Gutenberg eBook of Christmas stories, by Georgene
-Faulkner
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
-most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
-of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
-www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you
-will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before
-using this eBook.
-
-Title: Christmas stories
-       The "Story Lady" series
-
-Author: Georgene Faulkner
-
-Illustrator: Frederic Richardson
-
-Release Date: November 24, 2022 [eBook #69416]
-
-Language: English
-
-Produced by: Charlene Taylor, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed
-             Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was
-             produced from images generously made available by The
-             Internet Archive)
-
-*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTMAS STORIES ***
-
-
-
-
-
-                           CHRISTMAS STORIES
-
-                            [Illustration]
-
-
-
-
-                        THE “STORY LADY” SERIES
-
-                           CHRISTMAS STORIES
-
-                                  BY
-                           GEORGENE FAULKNER
-                           “THE STORY LADY”
-
-                            ILLUSTRATED BY
-                          FREDERIC RICHARDSON
-
-
-                         DAUGHADAY AND COMPANY
-                                CHICAGO
-
-
-
-
-                          COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY
-                         DAUGHADAY AND COMPANY
-                         _All Rights Reserved_
-
-
-
-
-                             TO MY FATHER
-
-
-A GENEROUS SANTA CLAUS TO HIS LARGE FAMILY OF CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN
-WHO HAS HELPED EACH OF US THROUGH HIS OWN SPIRIT OF SELF-SACRIFICE AND
-   SERVICE TO A FINER APPRECIATION OF THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.
-
-
-
-
-FOREWORD
-
-
-We are all children, young and old, at Christmas time. We love to talk
-and think about Santa Claus and the gifts which he will bring to us, and
-we like to plan how we may play Santa Claus and make some one else
-happy. Santa Claus embodies this spirit of self-sacrifice and service
-and so we will enjoy going in our dreams on “A Visit to Santa Claus
-Land.” And what fun we will have when we join with the fairies and dear
-Mrs. Santa Claus and trim “A Christmas Tree for Santa Claus.” And then
-this story of “Squeaky and the Scarebox”--you know such a thing might
-really truly happen on your own tree, so look out when you open your
-“Jack-in-the-box.” “The Legend of Saint Nicholas” and his long silken
-purses will help you to understand our custom of hanging up our
-stockings to receive gifts. And this good Bishop doing his deeds of love
-in the night certainly must have been like our Santa Claus. The last
-story tells of the true Christmas spirit and “The Gift of Love” which
-God gave to the world when Christ was born.
-
-And so may this book of “Christmas Stories,” coming right into your
-home, bring to you a message of Christmas Cheer, with a Merry Christmas
-to all,
-
-                                                  From your Story Lady,
-
-                                                     GEORGENE FAULKNER.
-
-
-
-
-[Illustration: CONTENTS]
-
-
-                                                                    PAGE
-
-A VISIT TO SANTA CLAUS LAND                                           17
-
-SQUEAKY AND THE SCARE BOX                                             37
-
-A CHRISTMAS TREE FOR SANTA CLAUS                                      55
-
-THE LEGEND OF SAINT NICHOLAS                                          71
-
-THE GIFT OF LOVE                                                      83
-
-
-
-
-[Illustration: ILLUSTRATIONS]
-
-
-                                                             FACING PAGE
-
-_Frontispiece_--“OH, HO, HO, HO!” HE
-LAUGHED MERRILY, “HOW DID YOU TWO
-CHILDREN COME HERE?”
-
-SQUEAKY FELL HEELS OVER HEAD INTO A
-FUNNY SQUARE BOX                                                      35
-
-“IT IS YOUR VERY OWN CHRISTMAS TREE,
-FATHER SANTA CLAUS”                                                   53
-
-SAINT NICHOLAS THREW THE PURSE RIGHT
-INTO THE ROOM                                                         69
-
-THE BOY LIFTED THE BABY LAMB AND HELD
-IT CLOSELY TO HIS BOSOM                                               81
-
-   _The illustrations are from original paintings by Frederic
-                          Richardson_
-
-
-
-
-[Illustration:
-
-A VISIT TO
-SANTA CLAUS
-LAND
-]
-
-
-
-
-A VISIT TO SANTA CLAUS LAND
-
-
-Once upon a time there were two children, a little boy named Willie and
-a little girl named Annie. Now, they could hardly wait for Santa Claus
-to visit them, so every day they would say to their mother, “Oh, Mother,
-how many days until Christmas? Must we wait a whole month, Mother?
-Twenty days more, ten days more, only five days more,--how slowly the
-days drag on, Mother!”
-
-Now, the busy mother felt the time slip by all too rapidly, but the
-children counted the days on the calendar and grew more and more
-impatient each day. At last they shouted in glee, “Santa Claus will
-visit us to-night, and to-morrow is Merry Christmas!”
-
-They borrowed the longest, strongest stockings which they could find,
-and when their mother came to tuck them snugly in bed and to kiss them
-good-night, Willie said, “Do you know, Mother, I’m going to prop my
-eyelids wide open and watch all night for Santa Claus.”
-
-“So am I,” said Annie, “and when he comes down the chimney, we will ask
-him where he gets all the toys.”
-
-“Oh, no, you must go right to sleep and he will come all the faster,”
-answered the mother, as she turned out the lights and left the nursery.
-
-After she had gone downstairs, Willie whispered to Annie, “Say, Annie,
-are you awake?”
-
-“Yes, I am, but I’m getting so sleepy I wish he would hurry and come
-right now. Let’s sing our Christmas carols for him.” And so the two
-children sang all the songs they knew.
-
-“My, it does seem so long to wait. I am most asleep,” said Willie, with
-a big yawn. “I tell you, we can take turns--you watch for him awhile,
-Annie, and then I shall.” After a time Annie called out, “Willie, I’m so
-sleepy; it’s your turn to watch.” But she received no answer.
-
-The next thing they knew, Annie and Willie were away up in the North
-Pole country, with snow and ice around them on all sides, and right in
-front of them stood a high ice-wall. “How I wish we could go through
-this wall--” said Willie, and just as he said this the ice seemed to
-open and there was a great gateway leading into the strangest garden
-that you ever heard of in all your life. It was a garden all of toys,
-and Annie and Willie could hardly believe their eyes as they saw the
-wonders about them. Hanging right over the wall there appeared to be
-something growing like morning-glories. When they looked again the
-children saw that they were not morning-glories at all, but small, toy
-talking-machines, while on a trumpet-vine nearby they saw growing, like
-flowers, real toy trumpets. Willie picked a trumpet at once and played
-on it: “Toot-toot-toot-toot-too-oo-o.”
-
-“Oh, you must not touch the toys, Willie,” gasped poor Annie in fright.
-“We don’t know who owns this garden.”
-
-Just then the children saw the gardener of this wonderful land of toys.
-He was the merriest old man, dressed all in red, and his coat and hat
-were trimmed with ermine. His hair and beard were as white as the snow
-and his cheeks were like red, rosy apples, while his eyes twinkled like
-stars. The children knew who this gardener was at once, you may be sure.
-Why, it was Santa Claus, of course! He was cutting down a crop of
-whistles with his sickle. He had a large, red sack at his side and
-smaller bags nearby, and he was so happy that he sang as he worked:
-
-    “In my wonderful garden of toys
-     Grows a crop for the good girls and boys.
-     Dolls, cannon, and drums,
-     Candy cake, sugar plums--
-     All grow in my garden of toys.”
-
-He was just ready to make up another verse when he spied the two
-children. “Oh, ho, ho, ho!” he laughed merrily, “how did you two
-children come here?”
-
-“Please, Mr. Santa Claus,” said Willie shyly, “we were waiting for you
-to visit us and the next thing we knew we were in this garden. We don’t
-know how we came here, but, now that we are here, may we not help you to
-pick some toys?”
-
-“Indeed, you may,” said Santa Claus. “I need two such helpers. I was
-just wondering how I could gather all these toys in time for to-morrow.
-Willie, will you please go over to the garden-bed in the corner and pull
-up some tops?”
-
-“Pull up some tops!” echoed Willie in amazement. But he took a red sack
-and went to the garden and began to pull up toy tops. There were large
-tops growing like turnips and little tops growing like beets and
-radishes. There were all kinds of tops; some would humm-humm-humm-m-m
-and make music while Willie pulled them up. Next, Willie climbed a tree
-and began to pick red marbles growing just like cherries; and he found
-purple and blue marbles growing on a trellis, just like grapes--so he
-filled many small bags with marbles. He also climbed other trees where
-he thought he saw apples and oranges growing, but, when he came near
-them, he found different-colored balls--so he picked a bag of balls for
-Santa.
-
-“Oh, Santa, may I help too?” asked Annie.
-
-“Indeed you may, my child,” he answered. “How should you like to pick
-dollies?” So all this time Annie was busy getting him dollies, and she
-was very happy.
-
-“You dear, dear dollies!” Annie said, as she hugged each one in turn.
-“How happy all the little girls will be when they find these dollies
-Christmas morning!” There were large dolls with the cutest bonnets on
-their heads, growing just like roses, and other dollies with the dearest
-pointed hats, growing up like tall holly-hocks. And then there were tiny
-dollies like pansies turning their pretty little faces up toward Annie.
-
-Presently Santa Claus began to water the grass and suddenly every blade
-of grass was a tiny tin soldier with his musket erectly held, while
-soldiers’ tents, like mushrooms, sprang up all around. War-ships,
-sail-boats, steam-boats, motor-boats, row-boats and canoes were all out
-on a lake nearby, but they could never sink, for the lake was a large
-looking-glass, and fishes, ducks and swans were swimming on
-looking-glass streams. The children rushed from one garden to another
-and saw so many things to pick that they were kept very busy helping
-Santa Claus.
-
-“Oh, see those pumpkins and squashes over there on those vines!”
-exclaimed Willie, but when he went to pick them he found drums, large
-and small, and foot-balls and basket-balls lying on the ground, like
-melons and pumpkins turned brown.
-
-“Whee-ee-ee-ee! Isn’t this jolly! See those funny brown leaves blowing
-in the wind,” called Annie. “They are all sizes and shapes.” When the
-children came near to pick them, they found no leaves at all, but brown
-Teddy-bears with their arms and feet out-stretched. The children hugged
-them in their arms and the Teddy-bears gave little squeaks of glee, for
-they were so glad to be gathered in with this harvest of toys.
-
-Suddenly, overhead, the children heard a whirr-whirr-whirring noise, and
-when they looked up it seemed as if great swarms of dragon-flies and
-butterflies were hovering over them. “Ha, ha, ha!” laughed Santa Claus,
-as he watched the surprised children. “Those are new toys; they only
-lately have come to my land--but, here, take these butterfly nets and
-try to catch a few of them.” And when Annie and Willie brought these
-toys down a little nearer, they saw that they were not dragonflies or
-butterflies, but toy air-ships.
-
-Tiny, toy trains went gliding over steel rails, across switches, under
-tunnels, over bridges, and stopped at stations, quite like really, truly
-trains.
-
-“How should you like to see my farm?” asked Santa Claus. And the next
-thing Annie and Willie knew they were in a toyland farm-yard. Houses,
-fences and barns with stalls for horses and cows, and everything as
-complete as a real farm. Horses rocked to and fro or rolled about on
-wheels; toy lambs, so wooly and white, said, “Baa-baa-baa,” when their
-heads were turned to one side.
-
-There was also a menagerie of wild animals nearby. Elephants and tigers,
-lions and monkeys--more animals than you can tell about--were there, and
-they looked so real that at first Annie felt like running to hide behind
-Santa Claus. Then Santa Claus led them through toy villages and they
-really felt like giants when they looked down on all the dolls’ houses
-and different stores, toy theatres, toy post-offices, toy grocery
-stores, meat markets, and in all these stores were dolls for clerks and
-dolls for customers.
-
-Then Santa Claus took them far away from the villages, out through the
-orchard where the sugar-plum trees were growing, and after they had
-filled many bags with candy he led them out to the Christmas-tree
-forest. Here they found Christmas trees growing with gold and silver
-tinsel and hung with glass balls and chains, while tiny, colored lights
-were twinkling through the branches. Santa Claus had to gather these
-trees and pack them with great care.
-
-The next thing the children knew, Santa Claus had taken them right into
-his home. There they saw a dear old lady with snow-white hair who was
-sewing on some dolls’ clothes. (She was dressing some of the dollies
-that had sprung up without any clothes.) It was Mrs. Santa Claus, of
-course, and as she hugged and kissed the children she said to Santa
-Claus, “The dears, where did you find them?”
-
-“Out in the garden,” answered Santa Claus. “I don’t know how they came
-here, but they are excellent helpers. They have been helping me to
-gather my toys. I shall soon be ready now, after I do a little more work
-in my shop. You know, my dear, I must first test my winding toys, for
-that clock-work machinery does break so easily.”
-
-As he talked, Santa Claus took off his cap and coat, rolled up his
-sleeves and went right to work. He wound and tested each toy, and Willie
-helped him by handing him the keys for each one. There was a
-_honk-honk-honk_, a _toot-toot-toot_, a _chug, chug, chug_, and a
-_clang, clang, clang_, as automobiles, boats, engines, fire-engines and
-all kinds of mechanical toys went running about the shop like mad. Next
-Santa was working with his saw and plane, his hammer and nails, and with
-a rap and a tap he finished the roof of a doll’s house.
-
-Mrs. Santa had dressed all the dolls and furnished the dolls’ houses.
-“What a cute little kitchen!” exclaimed Annie. “Oh, Willie, do you see
-this dining-room and the cunning parlor and this little bed-room? How I
-should love to play dolls in this house!” Then Annie turned to Mrs.
-Santa Claus and said, “May I not help you? I could thread your needles
-or help in some way.”
-
-“Why, so you may, my dear,” answered Mrs. Santa Claus. “My eyes are
-getting old and if you will thread my needles it will be a great help.”
-So Annie threaded needles and helped Mrs. Santa Claus to dress the last
-doll and then to pack all the clothes in a new doll’s trunk.
-
-Santa Claus sat at his desk and finished writing a story and drawing the
-last pictures when suddenly the clock struck, Ding-dong-ding. Twelve
-times it struck and Mrs. Santa Claus said, “It is time you were up and
-away, sir.” She helped Santa Claus into his big cloak and he pulled on
-his high boots and his warm gloves and pulled his cap down over his
-ears.
-
-Just then the reindeer were heard prancing and pawing outside, impatient
-to be off and away. Santa Claus bundled his big pack of toys into his
-sleigh and put in all his Christmas trees. He kissed Mrs. Santa on both
-cheeks, and with a big smack on the lips called out, “Good-by, Mother,”
-and, picking up Annie and Willie as if they were live dolls, tucked one
-under each arm and dashed out to the magic sleigh. They seemed fairly to
-fly through the air, and the moon and the stars seemed to dance in the
-sky as they went on faster and faster. Then they came down nearer and
-nearer to earth where the lights in the great city gleamed like
-fireflies far below.
-
-The next thing Annie and Willie knew, they were on the roof of their own
-home. The next thing they knew, they were down, down the chimney
-and--there they were right in their own, little beds! The sun-light was
-streaming into their eyes and their mother was calling, “Merry
-Christmas, Merry Christmas, little sleepy heads!”
-
-“Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!” they both shouted, as they bounced
-out of bed and rushed for their stockings which were fairly bulging with
-toys, and Annie was soon hugging and kissing a new dolly while Willie
-was blowing a new trumpet. In the other room stood a large Christmas
-tree which had come from the Christmas-tree forest.
-
-“Oh, we know where these toys came from,” said Willie. “They came from
-the garden of toys, for we visited Santa Claus Land last night.”
-
-Now, to-night, when you go to bed, close your eyes tightly and go to
-sleep and I am sure you too can pay a visit to Santa Claus Land.
-
-Merry Christmas!
-
-[Illustration]
-
-
-
-
-[Illustration:
-
-SQUEAKY
-_and the_
-SCARE BOX
-]
-
-
-
-
-SQUEAKY AND THE SCARE BOX
-
-
-Once upon a time there lived in a hole in the pantry wall a family of
-mice. There was a father mouse and a mother mouse and three little baby
-mice. They were called the “Velvet family,” because their fur looked
-like soft, gray velvet.
-
-One little mouse was named Sharpeyes (only they nicknamed him “Sharpy”)
-because his eyes were so sharp and bright. He could see everything, even
-in the darkest closets and holes. One was named Sniffy, because he could
-sniff and smell anything good to eat, wherever it might be hidden. And
-the tiniest little mouse was named Squeaky, because he had such a
-squeaky, shrill little voice. He was constantly singing, “Ee-ee-ee.”
-
-Now the mother-mouse was very wise, and she had taught her babies to
-scamper and hide whenever they saw the old cat tiptoeing about. The
-mother-mouse would say, “Beware of the cat!” and the little mice would
-run so quickly that although Mrs. Puss did not even mew or purr when she
-walked through the pantry, she never had been able to catch any one of
-the Velvet family. But many of their little cousins and other relatives
-had been caught by the old cat. So the little mice obeyed their mother
-and always hid when the cat was near.
-
-The mother-mouse also warned her babies to beware of the trap. She
-said, “I know, Sniffy, you will smell the cheese, and Sharpy will peer
-into the queer, little, round house and see the cheese hanging there,
-and Squeaky will call to you all to come in and get a bite, but if you
-do not heed my words you will be caught with cruel springs and wires and
-choked to death. So mind what I tell you and do not eat any cheese
-unless I am with you.”
-
-And the little mice answered, “Ee-ee-ee! Yes, Mother, yes. Ee-ee-ee!” in
-their little, shrill voices, and they promised to remember to do just
-what their mother told them.
-
-I could not begin to tell you about all the frolics that those mice had
-together. But I will tell you about their Christmas party.
-
-    “’Twas the night before Christmas,
-      And all through the house
-      Not a creature was stirring,
-      Not even a mouse.”
-
-The last touches had been put upon the tall Christmas tree standing in
-the living room. The father and mother had gone upstairs to bed--
-
-    “And the children were nestled all snug in their beds,
-     While visions of sugar plums danced through their heads.”
-
-But, in the hole in the wall, the Velvet family were all wide awake.
-
-“Ee-ee-ee!” squeaked Squeaky, “why can’t we creep into the big room and
-see the tall Christmas tree? We have heard the children talking about
-that tree for days, and we have never seen a Christmas tree, so please,
-Mother-Mouse, can’t we go out this time and see it?”
-
-“Yes,” said Sniffy, “do let us go, Mother-Mouse. Everything has been
-smelling so good lately, and the children and the cook made long strings
-of popcorn. I nibbled a little piece that they dropped here on the
-pantry floor, and it tasted so good.”
-
-“Yes,” said Sharpeyes, “and I peered out of our hole and saw some candy
-on a plate and some gingerbread cakes, all ready for the children. Oh, I
-do want a bite of those good things! Please let us have a Christmas
-party, Mother-Mouse!”
-
-“Now, don’t tease, children; I will ask your father, and if he says it
-is safe, why, then we shall go.”
-
-When the father-mouse heard them, he said, “Well, I will go out first,
-and look carefully about, and then I will let you know if you dare to
-venture out.” So father-mouse crept softly through the pantry. He
-tiptoed down the long hall and into the living-room, but the old cat was
-nowhere to be seen.
-
-For you must know, children, the house people were afraid that the cat
-might brush against the tree and break something, so poor Mrs. Puss had
-been banished to the coal-bin and was spending her Christmas Eve down in
-the cellar all alone; and she was howling and yowling because she was so
-angry.
-
-When the father-mouse could not find the cat, he came back to the pantry
-and called out the glad tidings, “The coast is clear, come out,
-children.”
-
-Then all the Velvet family came scrambling down from their hole in the
-wall, their whiskers fairly trembling in their eagerness. They crept
-through the pantry and tiptoed along the great hall and into the
-living-room where stood the tall Christmas tree; and when they saw the
-wonderful tree, they were so happy that they squeaked again and again in
-their joy. Then each mouse took hold of its tail as though it were a
-long train and, holding it up very carefully, danced and danced in the
-moonlight. They ran around and around the tree, examining everything.
-
-On the floor they found a wonderful doll’s house. “How lovely it would
-be to live here,” they squeaked. They ran up and down the stairs,
-overturned the chairs, pulled off the bedclothes and climbed into the
-beds. Then they went into the dining-room and sat down in the tiny
-chairs, but when they found the table was just set with play food, they
-did not like it, for of course it was not good to eat.
-
-Then Sniffy said, “I smell that good popcorn again; let’s climb up into
-the Christmas tree and get some.” So they began to climb up into the
-tree. They nibbled the popcorn chains; they nibbled the candy canes and
-the candy hanging in the stocking bags. They found the gingerbread
-cakes, and each one took a bite.
-
-Suddenly Sharpeyes said, “Come here, I see a mouse! I see a mouse! But
-he doesn’t belong to our furry family at all.”
-
-“I should say not,” sniffed Sniffy; “he smells so good!”
-
-“Why, he is good to eat!” squeaked Squeaky, and they all began to eat
-the chocolate mouse.
-
-Then they found another candy mouse, a nice pink one, and they were so
-busy eating it that they forgot to watch and listen, until _bang!_
-suddenly the door was thrown open and the electric lights were turned
-on. With a squeak of warning, the Velvet family, scrambling and tumbling
-down through the branches of the tree, scampered pell-mell across the
-hall, through the pantry and back to their home and safety.
-
-There was the father-mouse, and the mother-mouse, and Sharpeyes, and
-Sniffy, but where was Squeaky? What had become of poor Squeaky?
-
-Now, as Squeaky tried to climb down the tree, he fell heels over head
-down, down, down until he was caught in a funny, square box. An ugly
-looking man with black hair and a black beard seemed to be hopping
-right out of the box, and, when Squeaky saw the lights turned on, he
-thought it best to hide under the skirts of this queer man. He nestled
-down and lay very still, hardly breathing. He had been taught never to
-move when danger was near so he did not wiggle even a whisker. He heard
-voices. The house people were talking.
-
-“Yes,” said the children’s father, “it would have been a shame to forget
-this train. I want it to come right out from under the tree.” And the
-father and mother began to arrange tiny tracks and switches. When all
-was in place, the mother looked once more at the wonderful tree.
-
-“Why, look at that Jack-in-the-box, he’s hanging way out of the box,”
-she said. “That will never do, it will spoil all the fun. Teddy would
-love to see it fly out at him and would call it the ‘Scare Box.’ I must
-fix it back in place.” Then the mother pushed the Jack, with his black
-beard and black hair, down, down into the box, and she shut and locked
-the lid.
-
-Poor Squeaky, hidden under the queer man’s skirts, felt the springs
-close tightly about him and squeaked one shrill “Ee” of fright. The
-father said: “I never heard such a perfect squeak; it is wonderful the
-toys they make for children. Now in my day--” And his voice drifted off,
-as he turned out the lights and followed the mother upstairs to bed.
-
-Poor little Squeaky. On all sides there seemed to be a big spring coiled
-and coiled about him. “I am in a trap,” he moaned, “and they didn’t even
-give me a mite of cheese to eat. But, then, nothing seems to hurt me.
-It is not the way Mother-Mouse said: it does not pinch me or choke me. I
-wonder what kind of a trap it is--a queer man with springs for a body.
-Well, I am safe for a while, but I wonder if he will ever let me get out
-again. I want to go home.” And poor Squeaky cried himself to sleep.
-
-In the morning he heard shouts of “Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!”
-and it seemed as though the big tree trembled in all its branches, as
-the toys were taken down, one by one. Then such a noise was heard--drums
-beating, horns tooting, children shouting:
-
-“Just see our new doll’s house!”
-
-“Oh, see my new train, how fast it goes over these tracks!”
-
-“Just see this beautiful dolly! She can open and shut her eyes, and she
-says ‘ma-ma, pa-pa’ whenever I pull the string.”
-
-“Ee-ee-ee!” groaned poor Squeaky, “I can squeak ‘ma-ma, pa-pa’ that way
-too, if they would only let me out so that I could go home to my ma-ma
-and pa-pa.”
-
-As if in answer to his wish, Squeaky suddenly felt the box lifted down
-from the tree. “Come here, Teddy,” said the children’s mother, “here is
-a new scare box. We will have some fun. Now, carefully watch me and we
-will open the lid.” Teddy leaned against his mother’s knee, watching
-closely. “Are you ready? Well, let us count. One, two, three!” the
-mother opened the lid. Out jumped the man with the black beard and black
-hair and, with a loud squeak of joy, out jumped Squeaky. “Ee-ee-ee!”
-said Squeaky. “Ee!” said the Jack-in-the-box. “Whee-ee-ee!” yelled the
-small boy in delight.
-
-“Oh, Ee-ee-ee,” shrieked the mother, as she threw the box on the floor
-and, holding her skirts up high, she jumped on her chair, screaming, “a
-mouse! a mouse! a mouse!”
-
-“Where? where?” they all shouted in a chorus. But little Squeaky whisked
-away so fast that they caught only a glimpse of his velvety fur and his
-long tail, as he dashed across the long hall back to the pantry, and
-home, and safety.
-
-Squeaky gave queer little squeaky sounds, half sobs and half laughs, as
-he told father and mother mouse the whole story of his night in the
-house with the queer man with springs for a body. And there was great
-rejoicing among the Velvet family over the return of Squeaky.
-
-In the living room they heard the children’s father laughing as he
-helped their mother climb down from the chair. “Well,” said he, “how
-did _you_ enjoy Teddy’s scare box?”
-
-[Illustration]
-
-
-
-
-[Illustration:
-
-A
-CHRISTMAS TREE
-_for_
-SANTA CLAUS
-]
-
-
-
-
-A CHRISTMAS TREE FOR SANTA CLAUS
-
-
-Once upon a time the fairies planned a Christmas surprise for Santa
-Claus.
-
-“I wonder what we can do to make him happy?” asked the Fairy Queen; “he
-always makes other people happy.”
-
-“I know,” answered the Fairy King, “let us give him a Christmas party
-and after he returns from his long journey of love all around the world,
-let us lead him to the Christmas-tree forest and there we will have a
-tree all trimmed and ready for him.”
-
-“Hurrah! hurrah!” shouted all the little brownies, elves, fairies and
-nymphs. “Hurrah! hurrah! what fun we shall have; a Christmas tree for
-dear old Father Santa Claus. We will ask Mother Santa Claus to help us
-plan it and she will tell us just what he needs and would most enjoy,”
-said the Fairy King.
-
-Now, you must know, children, that all the brownies, elves, fairies and
-nymphs always call Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa Claus, “Father” and
-“Mother” because they seem like a Father and Mother to all these little
-people, and they always help Santa Claus and his good wife make the
-Christmas gifts; for how would Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa Claus ever get
-all their work done in time for Christmas without all these good, little
-fairies to help them?
-
-So, of course, when they planned for a Christmas tree, they asked
-Mother Santa Claus to help them. “Have everything ready,” said Mother
-Santa Claus, “and, after Father has gone on his long journey, we will go
-out to the forest and trim the tree, and have everything in place before
-he comes home again. We will keep it as a great secret, for if he hears
-of it all our fun and surprise will be gone.”
-
-“We will never let him hear a whisper from us,” said the fairies. “We
-will work and will wait patiently until Christmas Eve.”
-
-Then the fairies, true to their promise, worked and worked helping
-Father and Mother Santa Claus to make the Christmas gifts, and they were
-all very busy. Some of these dear little fairies helped Mother Santa
-Claus to make doll clothes and to furnish dolls’ houses, hemming tiny
-table-cloths, fringing little napkins, making sheets and blankets and
-pillows and pillow-cases for the dollies’ beds. They were such happy
-little fairies that they sang as they worked:
-
-    “The Christmas fairies find pleasure,
-       As they work for the good girls and boys,
-     For they know that the children will treasure
-       And value these new Christmas toys.”
-
-The little carpenter elves liked to help Father Santa Claus in his big
-work-shop, as he sawed the wood brought in by the forest elves and
-brownies, and, with plane and hammer, he made houses for the dolls,
-chairs and tables and sleds and all kinds of wooden toys. The mountain
-dwarfs and goblins from the mines brought in the iron ore which they
-heated red-hot, and they helped Santa Claus make the engines, trains of
-cars, the automobiles, fire-engines and boats and all the toys of iron
-and steel. They also brought him gold and silver and sparkling stones,
-while the water nymphs gave him pearls and coral and softly tinted
-shells which Santa Claus and his skillful helpers soon made into
-beautiful jewelry to give to some of the big, grown-up children on
-Christmas.
-
-“Everybody is a child at this time,” said Santa Claus to his good wife,
-“and even if people do feel too large to play with dolls and drums,
-still they must have their trinkets and things to make them happy.”
-
-“Yes,” answered Mrs. Santa Claus, “but we must have useful presents,
-too, Father.” So she would knit stockings and mitts and make warm caps,
-hoods and mufflers, new coats and dresses. Then, when the soft skins of
-animals were brought in, she would make nice fur collars and muffs for
-the big Mammas, and little fur sets for the little girlies, and then she
-would take teeny-weeny scraps of fur that were left over, and make fur
-sets for the dollies. Oh, Mrs. Santa Claus was a very sensible old lady,
-you may be sure.
-
-Well, I could not begin to take time to tell you about all the marvelous
-things that were made in that wonderful work-shop, nor how busily Santa
-Claus worked at his big desk, writing stories while the artist fairies
-drew the pictures for him, for I do want to tell you how all these fairy
-helpers gave Santa Claus his Christmas tree.
-
-When, at last, Christmas Eve came, Mother Santa Claus helped Santa Claus
-bundle up in his big, red cloak and pack his toys in a magic sleigh.
-Then she gave him a big kiss, and he gave her a big hug and a kiss and
-said: “Good-bye, Mother, Merry Christmas! I will be back when all is
-done. Good-bye!”
-
-“‘When all is done’,” said Mrs. Santa Claus, chuckling to herself, “we
-shall have it all done when he returns. Come, fairies!” and Mrs. Santa
-Claus, with all the brownies, elves and fairies, went out to the
-Christmas-tree forest.
-
-The frost fairies selected a tall fir tree which they hung all over with
-shining, silvery threads of frost, while icicles, hanging from each
-branch, glimmered and glistened in the moonlight. “What a beautiful
-tree, frost fairies!” they all cried in a chorus, “But nothing is too
-good for our dear Father Santa Claus!” Then each put his present on the
-tree for Santa Claus.
-
-Mrs. Santa Claus had made him a new, beautiful red coat, with a cap to
-match, and she had trimmed it with soft, white ermine. Some of the
-tailor fairies had helped her, and they also had made him a new pair of
-trousers. The little cobbler elves had made him a new pair of tall boots
-and the glove-makers brought a pair of warm gloves. “We want his fingers
-to be warm,” they said. Some of the fairies brought some animal skins
-and made them into a nice fur robe. The water nymphs brought him a new
-meerschaum pipe with an amber mouth-piece from out the sea, “For,” they
-said, “he has smoked that old clay one so long that he ought to have a
-new pipe.”
-
-The forest fairies placed under the tree a wonderful, new magic sleigh,
-which was much larger than his old one. “He has to carry so much
-nowadays,” they said. The mountain dwarfs had made for him some new,
-metal sleigh-bells which jingled out the merriest Christmas music.
-
-Suddenly they heard the old bells tinkling on Santa’s old sleigh and
-they all rushed back to the house to welcome him home. “What are you
-doing out here, Mother?” asked Santa Claus, “and all the brownies,
-elves, fairies, nymphs and mountain dwarfs out here with you? Why, don’t
-you know this is the time for rest, before we all go to work for another
-year?”
-
-“No, not to-night, Father Santa Claus. We are so happy we will dance
-until morning. Come with us to the Christmas-tree forest,” and with all
-the fairy helpers pushing and pulling him, and Mother Santa Claus
-holding him tightly by the hand, Santa Claus was brought out to his own
-Christmas tree.
-
-“Merry Christmas! Surprise! Surprise! Merry Christmas!” shouted all the
-fairies, and poor Santa Claus was certainly so surprised that he did not
-know what to say nor which way to turn. “A Christmas tree! And for me!”
-gasped Santa Claus in his bewilderment.
-
-“Yes, yes, for you, for you!” they all shouted. “You are always making
-other people have a merry Christmas, and now we want you to have a merry
-Christmas. It is your very own Christmas tree, Father Santa Claus.” And
-then they brought out his presents and gave them to him.
-
-When they had dressed him in his new suit, his eyes twinkled with
-pleasure as he said, “Why, I don’t know myself now; my old clothes were
-quite shabby and were tarnished with ashes and soot, and Dancer and
-Prancer and Dunder and Blitzen and all the reindeer will hardly know
-what to make of this beautiful new magic sleigh. And just listen to the
-merry music of our new sleigh-bells! How good this warm fur robe will
-feel over me! Sometimes it is pretty cold and my old one is getting thin
-and worn. A new pipe! Oh, that is fine! My old one is just a stump of a
-pipe which I had to hold tightly between my teeth, and now, with this
-new one, the smoke will encircle my head like a wreath. How good you are
-to me!” said Father Santa Claus, “and how did you ever plan it?”
-
-“Oh, good Mother Santa Claus helped us; without her help we could not
-have had any Christmas tree surprise party at all.”
-
-“Yes,” said Father Santa Claus, “it always takes the good Mother to plan
-and make a real Christmas party.”
-
-Then the fairy helpers surprised Mother Santa Claus by bringing out a
-new dress which they had made for her, with a soft, lacy collar and a
-white cap, and the mountain dwarfs gave her a pair of gold-rimmed
-spectacles to help her as she did her sewing, and a new, gold pin set
-with corals was brought to her by the sea nymphs.
-
-And then Father and Mother Santa Claus, dressed in their new Christmas
-clothes, stood under the sparkling tree trimmed by the frost fairies.
-Overhead the rainbow fairies came out and flashed their bright lights
-high in the northern sky, while all the Christmas fairy helpers, the
-brownies, elves, fairies, mountain dwarfs and nymphs, danced around and
-around them in a fairy ring, calling gaily:
-
-    “Merry Christmas, Father Santa Claus!
-     Merry Christmas, Mother Santa Claus!
-     Merry, Merry Christmas to all the World!”
-
-[Illustration]
-
-
-
-
-[Illustration:
-
-THE LEGEND
-_of_
-ST. NICHOLAS
-]
-
-
-
-
-THE LEGEND OF SAINT NICHOLAS
-
-
-Once upon a time there lived in Myra a good man named Nicholas. When he
-was a young man his father and mother died of the plague, and he was
-left the sole heir of all their vast estate; but he looked upon all this
-money as belonging to God and felt that he, himself, was merely the
-steward of God’s mercies. So he went about everywhere doing good and
-sharing his riches with all those who were in need.
-
-Now there lived in that country a certain nobleman who had three
-beautiful daughters. He had been very rich, but he lost all his
-property and became so poor that he did not know what to do to provide
-for his family. His daughters were anxious to be married, but their
-father had no money to give them dowries and, in that country, no maiden
-could marry unless she had her marriage portion, or dowry. They were so
-very poor that they could scarcely get any food to eat. Their clothes
-were so worn and ragged that they would not go out of the house and
-their father was overcome with shame and sorrow.
-
-When the good Nicholas heard of their troubles he longed to help them.
-He knew that the father was proud and that it would be hard to give him
-money; so he thought that it would be best to surprise them with a gift.
-Then Nicholas took some gold and, tying it in a long silken purse, went
-at once to the home of the poor nobleman. It was night and the beautiful
-maidens were fast asleep while the brokenhearted father, too wretched to
-go to bed, sat by the fireside watching and praying.
-
-Nicholas stood outside, wondering how he could bestow his gift without
-being seen when suddenly the moon came from behind the clouds and he saw
-that a window in the house was open. Creeping softly to the open window,
-he threw the purse right into the room where it fell at the feet of the
-nobleman. The father picked up the purse and was very much surprised to
-find it full of gold pieces.
-
-Awakening his daughters the father said: “See this purse which came
-through the window and fell at my feet. It is indeed a gift from
-Heaven. God has remembered us in our time of need.”
-
-After they had rejoiced together, they agreed to give most of the gold
-to the eldest daughter, so that she would have her dowry and could wed
-the young man she loved.
-
-Not long after that, Nicholas filled another silken purse with gold and
-again he went by night so that no one should see him, and he threw this
-purse also through the open window. Then when the father saw this golden
-gift he again gave thanks. The money he gave to the second daughter who,
-like her sister, at once married the man of her choice.
-
-Meanwhile the father was very curious to find out who was so kind to
-them, for he wished to thank the person who had come in the night to
-help them with these golden gifts. So he watched and waited night after
-night, and after a time the good Nicholas came with another silken purse
-filled with gold pieces for the youngest daughter.
-
-He was just about to throw it into the room when the nobleman rushed
-from the house and, seizing him by his long robe, knelt before him,
-saying: “O good Nicholas, servant of God, why seek to hide thyself?” And
-he kissed his hands and feet and tried to thank him.
-
-But Nicholas answered: “Do not thank me, my good man, but thank the
-Heavenly Father who has sent me to you in answer to your prayers. I am
-but His messenger to help those who trust in Him. Tell no man of these
-gifts of gold, nor who brought them to you in the night, for my deeds
-are done in His name.”
-
-Thus the youngest daughter of the nobleman was married and she and her
-father and sisters all lived happily the rest of their lives.
-
-The good Nicholas went about from place to place, and wherever he went
-he did deeds of kindness, so that all the people loved him.
-
-One time he took a long journey to the Holy Land, and when he was upon
-the sea there came a terrible storm; so that the ship was tossed about
-and almost wrecked, and all the sailors gave up hope.
-
-But the good Nicholas said: “Fear not, our Heavenly Father will bring us
-safely into harbor.” Then he knelt and prayed to God and the storm
-ceased and the boat was brought safely to the land. Whereupon the
-sailors fell at the feet of Nicholas and thanked him.
-
-He answered them humbly: “Thank your Father who is in Heaven, for He is
-the ruler of us all. He it is who rules the earth and the sky and the
-sea, and who, in His good mercy, spared our lives that we may serve
-Him.”
-
-When Nicholas returned from Palestine he went to the city of Myra, where
-he was appointed a bishop. After that he preached God’s Word and went
-about doing good all of his life. When he died the people said: “We will
-not call him Bishop Nicholas, but we will call him Saint Nicholas, for
-if ever there was a saint upon earth it was our good Nicholas.” And so
-to this day he is called “Good Saint Nicholas.”
-
-And now in many countries, they tell the story of the good Saint
-Nicholas, and how he goes about the earth at Christmas-time bringing
-gifts of love to all who deserve them, and because he had put his gifts
-of gold in the long silken purses, our children to-day hang up their
-long stockings to hold his gifts; and when the children are very good he
-fills their stockings with sweetmeats, toys and trinkets, but if they
-have been naughty, they will find a bunch of switches, showing that they
-deserve to be punished.
-
-We all know that on Christmas Eve Saint Nicholas will come in the night,
-for he never likes to be seen; and we know that he will always
-live,--for is he not the spirit of love? and love can never die.
-
-So, every Christmas, let us give our gifts as he did those silken purses
-so long ago--without anyone knowing about it--and let our gifts be a
-surprise. Then we, too, can have the spirit of love and join in this
-celebration of Christmas with good Saint Nicholas.
-
-[Illustration]
-
-
-
-
-[Illustration:
-
-THE GIFT
-OF LOVE
-]
-
-
-
-
-THE GIFT OF LOVE
-
-
-It was a cold night for that part of the world, and the shepherds who
-were out watching their flocks upon the hillside drew their heavy cloaks
-about them. They had built a camp-fire to give them warmth and as they
-sat in a group about the bright blaze they told stories to each other.
-
-“You speak of the coming of the King, Grandsire,” said a young
-shepherd-boy eagerly as he leaned toward an old man who was talking,
-“tell us more about the King.”
-
-“Yes, boy,” answered the old man, “I will tell you the tale as my
-mother told it to me.”
-
-“Long, long ago, there was a shepherd-boy named David who wandered on
-these very hills near Bethlehem, keeping watch over his father’s sheep.
-David heard the story of the promised king who was to be sent from God
-to rule over all of his people, and David was so happy that he played
-upon his harp, and as he led the sheep through the green pastures and
-beside the still waters, he sang of God as the Heavenly Shepherd.
-
-“When David grew up to be a man he became a king and wore royal robes
-and a golden crown upon his head and he ruled over all the people. After
-David, came King Solomon, and no king could rival the grandeur of his
-palace and court. Since then many kings have ruled over us, but the
-promised King has not come upon the earth, and the songs of David have
-not yet been fulfilled.”
-
-“Oh, how I wish that I might see the King!” said the boy earnestly.
-
-“You are young, boy, and--who knows? maybe you will live to see the time
-when these prophecies come true. But I am old and weary with waiting and
-working and I may never live to see the promised King. Yet I know that
-the word of God will come true and that He will send His only beloved
-son to rule the earth.”
-
-As the wind whistled over the hillside, the sheep huddled more closely
-together.
-
-“Our little lambs will suffer with the cold,” said the shepherd-boy.
-
-“No,” answered his father, “look at the way the mother-sheep lie closely
-about them, protecting the lambs with their warm bodies. No, the old
-sheep may feel the chill wind but they will not let their babies
-suffer.”
-
-“Just look at my little baby lamb,” said the boy. “See it is curled up
-snugly by its mother. Oh! I do hope that no harm will come to it, for it
-is the tiniest lamb of the flock and I love it. Do you know, Father. I
-call it ‘Snow-white’ for it is like the white snow which we sometimes
-see on the far-distant mountain-peaks.”
-
-“Come, boy,” said the father, “you have rested all day; so you watch the
-flock and the fire for a time and I will lie down here by Grandsire and
-take a nap.”
-
-The boy lay upon the ground looking at the camp-fire smoke curling up
-toward the sky. Then he looked at the sleeping shepherds stretched out
-upon the ground, and as his eyes rested upon the old man, he remembered
-the story and said softly: “How I should like to see that King!”
-
-The cold wind seemed to die down and the clouds went across the sky like
-a flock of scurrying sheep, leaving the stars twinkling brightly in the
-dark-blue vault of the heavens.
-
-“How beautiful it is, and how still!” he said.
-
-He looked again at the group of sleeping shepherds, and then he looked
-at the sleeping sheep. As he watched, he saw his little lamb stir
-uneasily.
-
-“Poor little baby, poor little Snow-white, believe that it is lonely--I
-will hold it under my warm coat and protect it while the mother-sheep
-sleeps.” And so the boy lifted the baby lamb in his strong arms, and,
-opening his coat, he held it closely in his bosom, while the
-mother-sheep slept peacefully by his side. The boy forgot to watch the
-fire and it soon flickered and went out.
-
-He felt a strange chill over all the land, and it was so still--so very
-still that he wished the men would awaken, or that one of the sheep
-would bleat, for he felt lonely and afraid and he knew not why.
-
-Suddenly he saw a bright light flashing through the heavens. Was he
-asleep or dreaming? He sat up and rubbed his eyes. No, the light was
-coming nearer and nearer, down, down toward the earth. Then he saw that
-the sheep were stirring uneasily and he heard them bleating, for they
-were frightened from their sleep. The shepherds, too, were awakening.
-
-“What is the meaning of this strange light?” said one.
-
-“Has a star fallen from the sky?” asked another.
-
-“See this golden cloud of glory resting over us. It is so dazzling
-bright that I dare not look upon it.”
-
-The shepherds seized their staffs and some of them covered their faces
-with their cloaks, for they were very frightened. The old man went down
-upon his knees and looked up reverently while the boy stood motionless
-gazing spellbound at the radiant vision, for, as they watched they saw
-in this cloud of golden glory, a beautiful angel who came down, down to
-the earth and stood upon the hillside among them. When they saw this
-messenger from God the shepherds trembled with fear, and the angel said:
-
-“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall
-be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David,
-a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, ye
-shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.”
-
-And, as the angel ceased speaking, suddenly the heavens opened and there
-was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host who were singing and
-praising God, saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
-good will toward men.”
-
-Then the bright light was gone and the startled shepherds looked up long
-and earnestly toward the sky.
-
-“Truly, it was a message from God,” said the shepherd, as he bowed his
-white head. “God has sent us this angel to tell us that the promised
-King has come.”
-
-“But the angel said that the Babe was wrapped in swaddling clothes and
-lying in a manger,” questioned the boy. “Is it not strange for a prince
-to come to such a lowly palace?”
-
-“Yes,” said the old man, “it seems strange, but we know that He is truly
-the gift of love from God--His only Son who has been promised to us for,
-lo, these many years. I thank God that my old eyes have been permitted
-to see this heavenly vision. Come, we must go in haste to find Him.”
-
-“What gift of love shall we carry to the King, Grandsire?” whispered the
-boy.
-
-“The most precious thing we own,” answered the old man, “that which we
-love the best.”
-
-“But we shepherds have no gold nor silver, nor sparkling gems fit for a
-king,” said one of the shepherds. “What, then, can we carry to this
-child?”
-
-“I know,” said the boy, as he looked lovingly down upon the little lamb
-which he was still holding in his strong young arms, “we can give this
-lamb--Snow-white; it is the purest and whitest little lamb from our
-flock. I love it and it is the best that we have to offer, and surely
-the good Father in Heaven knows that we are bringing our gift of love to
-the King.”
-
-“The boy is right,” said the old man. “This baby lamb--the purest of the
-flock--is truly our gift of love.”
-
-And so the shepherds went in haste down the hillside, the boy holding in
-his arms the baby lamb. Once it bleated softly, “Ma-Ma-a-a,” as though
-it called its mother, and the boy seemed to hear the mother-sheep on the
-hillside calling out, “Ba-ba-a-a,” as though she were calling her baby.
-
-“Poor mother-sheep, she will be grieving for her little one,” said the
-boy to himself, “but if she could only understand she would be glad to
-give her lamb to the King.”
-
-At last they reached the little town of Bethlehem, and they came to a
-low stable built upon the hillside, and there they found their King--a
-tiny babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, as the angel had said, and lying
-in a manger.
-
-They saw the cattle standing near and Joseph watching over the Holy
-Mother Mary and the Heavenly Child.
-
-This was no palace home; these were no royal robes of state, but the
-shepherds knew that the words of the angel were true and that this Babe
-was their promised king. The heavenly light was streaming from the face
-of the Holy Child and the shepherds covered their faces, for they could
-not look upon its radiance. Then they fell upon their knees and
-worshipped the Child, and thanked God that the gift of love had been
-given to all the waiting world.
-
-The boy looked on with wondering eyes, and then he held out the little
-lamb, and the Babe smiled into the eyes of the boy and stretched out His
-tiny hands as though He would take the lamb. Then the boy sank slowly
-down upon his knees by the Babe and placed at His feet the tiniest lamb
-from the flock--a gift of love for the Christ-Child.
-
-[Illustration]
-
-*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTMAS STORIES ***
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-  <head>
-<link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover">
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-<meta charset="utf-8">
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-<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Christmas stories, by Georgene Faulkner</p>
-<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
-most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
-of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online
-at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you
-are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the
-country where you are located before using this eBook.
-</div>
-
-<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Christmas stories</p>
-<p style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em;'>The &quot;Story Lady&quot; series</p>
-<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Georgene Faulkner</p>
-<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Illustrator: Frederic Richardson</p>
-<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: November 24, 2022 [eBook #69416]</p>
-<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p>
-  <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Charlene Taylor, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p>
-<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTMAS STORIES ***</div>
-<hr class="full">
-
-<p class="toc">
-<a href="#CONTENTS">Contents.</a><br>
-<a href="#ILLUSTRATIONS">Illustrations.</a>
-</p>
-
-<div class="figcenter">
-<a href="images/cover.jpg">
-<img src="images/cover.jpg" height="550" alt="[The
-image of the book's cover is unavailable.]"></a>
-</div>
-
-<div class="figcenter">
-<img src="images/endpaper1.jpg" height="550" alt="">
-</div>
-
-<div class="figcenter">
-<img src="images/endpaper2.jpg" height="550" alt="">
-</div>
-
-<p class="c">CHRISTMAS STORIES</p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="ill_001" style="width: 445px;">
-<a href="images/frontis.jpg">
-<img src="images/frontis.jpg" width="445" height="600" alt="[Image unavailable.]"></a>
-</div>
-
-<div class="blk">
-<p class="c">
-<img src="images/front.png"
-height="550"
-alt="">
-
-<hr>
-
-<p class="c">THE “STORY LADY” SERIES<br>
-</p>
-
-<h1><span class="smcap">Christmas Stories</span></h1>
-
-<p class="c">BY<br>
-GEORGENE FAULKNER<br>
-“THE STORY LADY”<br>
-<br>
-ILLUSTRATED BY<br>
-FREDERIC RICHARDSON<br>
-<br>
-<br>
-DAUGHADAY AND COMPANY<br>
-CHICAGO<br>
-</p>
-</div>
-
-<p class="c"><small>
-<span class="smcap">Copyright, 1916, by<br>
-Daughaday and Company</span><br>
-<i>All Rights Reserved</i><br></small>
-</p>
-
-<div class="blk">
-<p class="c">TO MY FATHER<br>&#160; </p>
-
-<div class="poetry"><div class="poem">
-A GENEROUS SANTA CLAUS TO HIS LARGE<br>
-FAMILY OF CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN<br>
-WHO HAS HELPED EACH OF US THROUGH HIS<br>
-OWN SPIRIT OF SELF-SACRIFICE AND
-SERVICE<br>
-TO A FINER APPRECIATION OF THE TRUE<br>
-MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.
-</div></div>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_9">{9}</a></span></p>
-
-<h2><a id="FOREWORD"></a>FOREWORD</h2>
-
-<p class="nind"><span class="letra">W</span>E are all children, young and old, at Christmas time. We love to talk
-and think about Santa Claus and the gifts which he will bring to us, and
-we like to plan how we may play Santa Claus and make some one else
-happy. Santa Claus embodies this spirit of self-sacrifice and service
-and so we will enjoy going in our dreams on “A Visit to Santa Claus
-Land.” And what fun we will have when we join with the fairies and dear
-Mrs. Santa Claus and trim “A Christmas Tree for Santa Claus.” And then
-this story of “Squeaky and the Scarebox”&#8212;you know such a thing might
-really truly happen on your own tree, so look out when you open your
-“Jack-in-the-box.” “The Legend of Saint Nicholas” and his long silken
-purses will help you to understand our custom of hanging up our
-stockings to receive gifts. And this good Bishop doing his deeds of love
-in the night certainly must have been like our Santa Claus. The<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_10">{10}</a></span> last
-story tells of the true Christmas spirit and “The Gift of Love” which
-God gave to the world when Christ was born.</p>
-
-<p>And so may this book of “Christmas Stories,” coming right into your
-home, bring to you a message of Christmas Cheer, with a Merry Christmas
-to all,</p>
-
-<p class="c">
-From your Story Lady,<br>
-<span style="margin-left: 15%;"><span class="smcap">Georgene Faulkner</span>.</span><br>
-<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_11">{11}</a></span></p>
-
-<h2><a id="CONTENTS"></a>
-<img src="images/image011.png"
-width="350"
-alt="CONTENTS"></h2>
-
-<table>
-<tr><td>&#160;</td><td><small>PAGE</small></td></tr>
-<tr><td><a href="#A_VISIT_TO_SANTA_CLAUS_LAND"><span class="smcap">A Visit to Santa Claus Land</span></a></td><td class="rtb"><a href="#page_17">17</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td><a href="#SQUEAKY_AND_THE_SCARE_BOX"><span class="smcap">Squeaky and the Scare Box</span></a></td><td class="rtb"><a href="#page_37">37</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td><a href="#A_CHRISTMAS_TREE_FOR_SANTA_CLAUS"><span class="smcap">A Christmas Tree for Santa Claus</span></a></td><td class="rtb"><a href="#page_55">55</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td><a href="#THE_LEGEND_OF_SAINT_NICHOLAS"><span class="smcap">The Legend of Saint Nicholas</span></a></td><td class="rtb"><a href="#page_71">71</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td><a href="#THE_GIFT_OF_LOVE"><span class="smcap">The Gift of Love</span></a></td><td class="rtb"><a href="#page_83">83</a></td></tr>
-</table>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_12">{12}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_13">{13}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<h2><a id="ILLUSTRATIONS"></a>
-<img src="images/image013.png"
-width="350"
-alt="ILLUSTRATIONS"></h2>
-
-<table>
-<tr><td>&#160;</td><td><small>FACING&#160;PAGE</small></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="pdd"><a href="#ill_001"><i>Frontispiece</i>&#8212;“<span class="smcap">Oh, Ho, Ho, Ho!” he laughed merrily, “How did you two Children come here?</span>”</a></td><td>&#160; </td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="pdd"><a href="#ill_002"><span class="smcap">Squeaky fell Heels over Head into a Funny Square Box</span></a></td><td class="rtb"><a href="#page_35">35</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="pdd"><a href="#ill_003">“<span class="smcap">It is your very own Christmas Tree, Father Santa Claus</span>”</a></td><td class="rtb"><a href="#page_53">53</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="pdd"><a href="#ill_004"><span class="smcap">Saint Nicholas threw the Purse right into the Room</span></a></td><td class="rtb"><a href="#page_69">69</a></td></tr>
-
-<tr><td class="pdd"><a href="#ill_005"><span class="smcap">The Boy lifted the Baby Lamb and held it closely to his Bosom</span></a></td><td class="rtb"><a href="#page_81">81</a></td></tr>
-</table>
-
-<p class="c">
-<small><i>The illustrations are from original paintings by Frederic<br>
-Richardson</i></small><br>
-<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_15">{15}</a></span><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_14">{14}</a></span></p>
-
-<h2><a id="A_VISIT_TO_SANTA_CLAUS_LAND"></a>
-<img src="images/image015.png"
-width="350"
-alt="A Visit To
-Santa Claus
-Land"></h2>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_17">{17}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_16">{16}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<h2>A VISIT TO SANTA CLAUS LAND</h2>
-
-<p class="nind"><span class="letra"><img src="images/ltr_o.png"
-width="90"
-alt="O"></span>NCE upon a time there were two children, a little boy named Willie and
-a little girl named Annie. Now, they could hardly wait for Santa Claus
-to visit them, so every day they would say to their mother, “Oh, Mother,
-how many days until Christmas? Must we wait a whole month, Mother?
-Twenty days more, ten days more, only five days more,&#8212;how slowly the
-days drag on, Mother!”</p>
-
-<p>Now, the busy mother felt the time slip by all too rapidly, but the
-children counted the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_18">{18}</a></span> days on the calendar and grew more and more
-impatient each day. At last they shouted in glee, “Santa Claus will
-visit us to-night, and to-morrow is Merry Christmas!”</p>
-
-<p>They borrowed the longest, strongest stockings which they could find,
-and when their mother came to tuck them snugly in bed and to kiss them
-good-night, Willie said, “Do you know, Mother, I’m going to prop my
-eyelids wide open and watch all night for Santa Claus.”</p>
-
-<p>“So am I,” said Annie, “and when he comes down the chimney, we will ask
-him where he gets all the toys.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, no, you must go right to sleep and he will come all the faster,”
-answered the mother, as she turned out the lights and left the nursery.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_19">{19}</a></span></p>
-
-<p>After she had gone downstairs, Willie whispered to Annie, “Say, Annie,
-are you awake?”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, I am, but I’m getting so sleepy I wish he would hurry and come
-right now. Let’s sing our Christmas carols for him.” And so the two
-children sang all the songs they knew.</p>
-
-<p>“My, it does seem so long to wait. I am most asleep,” said Willie, with
-a big yawn. “I tell you, we can take turns&#8212;you watch for him awhile,
-Annie, and then I shall.” After a time Annie called out, “Willie, I’m so
-sleepy; it’s your turn to watch.” But she received no answer.</p>
-
-<p>The next thing they knew, Annie and Willie were away up in the North
-Pole country, with snow and ice around them on all sides, and right in
-front of them stood a high ice-<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_20">{20}</a></span>wall. “How I wish we could go through
-this wall&#8212;” said Willie, and just as he said this the ice seemed to
-open and there was a great gateway leading into the strangest garden
-that you ever heard of in all your life. It was a garden all of toys,
-and Annie and Willie could hardly believe their eyes as they saw the
-wonders about them. Hanging right over the wall there appeared to be
-something growing like morning-glories. When they looked again the
-children saw that they were not morning-glories at all, but small, toy
-talking-machines, while on a trumpet-vine nearby they saw growing, like
-flowers, real toy trumpets. Willie picked a trumpet at once and played
-on it: “Toot-toot-toot-toot-too-oo-o.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, you must not touch the toys, Willie,” gasped poor Annie in fright.
-“We don’t know who owns this garden.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_21">{21}</a></span>”</p>
-
-<p>Just then the children saw the gardener of this wonderful land of toys.
-He was the merriest old man, dressed all in red, and his coat and hat
-were trimmed with ermine. His hair and beard were as white as the snow
-and his cheeks were like red, rosy apples, while his eyes twinkled like
-stars. The children knew who this gardener was at once, you may be sure.
-Why, it was Santa Claus, of course! He was cutting down a crop of
-whistles with his sickle. He had a large, red sack at his side and
-smaller bags nearby, and he was so happy that he sang as he worked:</p>
-
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
-<span class="i0">“In my wonderful garden of toys<br></span>
-<span class="i1">Grows a crop for the good girls and boys.<br></span>
-<span class="i1">Dolls, cannon, and drums,<br></span>
-<span class="i1">Candy cake, sugar plums&#8212;<br></span>
-<span class="i1">All grow in my garden of toys.”<br></span>
-</div></div>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_22">{22}</a></span></p>
-
-<p>He was just ready to make up another verse when he spied the two
-children. “Oh, ho, ho, ho!” he laughed merrily, “how did you two
-children come here?”</p>
-
-<p>“Please, Mr. Santa Claus,” said Willie shyly, “we were waiting for you
-to visit us and the next thing we knew we were in this garden. We don’t
-know how we came here, but, now that we are here, may we not help you to
-pick some toys?”</p>
-
-<p>“Indeed, you may,” said Santa Claus. “I need two such helpers. I was
-just wondering how I could gather all these toys in time for to-morrow.
-Willie, will you please go over to the garden-bed in the corner and pull
-up some tops?”</p>
-
-<p>“Pull up some tops!” echoed Willie in amazement. But he took a red sack
-and went to the garden and began to pull up<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_23">{23}</a></span> toy tops. There were large
-tops growing like turnips and little tops growing like beets and
-radishes. There were all kinds of tops; some would humm-humm-humm-m-m
-and make music while Willie pulled them up. Next, Willie climbed a tree
-and began to pick red marbles growing just like cherries; and he found
-purple and blue marbles growing on a trellis, just like grapes&#8212;so he
-filled many small bags with marbles. He also climbed other trees where
-he thought he saw apples and oranges growing, but, when he came near
-them, he found different-colored balls&#8212;so he picked a bag of balls for
-Santa.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, Santa, may I help too?” asked Annie.</p>
-
-<p>“Indeed you may, my child,” he answered. “How should you like to pick
-dollies?” So all this time Annie was busy getting him dollies, and she
-was very happy.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_24">{24}</a></span></p>
-
-<p>“You dear, dear dollies!” Annie said, as she hugged each one in turn.
-“How happy all the little girls will be when they find these dollies
-Christmas morning!” There were large dolls with the cutest bonnets on
-their heads, growing just like roses, and other dollies with the dearest
-pointed hats, growing up like tall holly-hocks. And then there were tiny
-dollies like pansies turning their pretty little faces up toward Annie.</p>
-
-<p>Presently Santa Claus began to water the grass and suddenly every blade
-of grass was a tiny tin soldier with his musket erectly held, while
-soldiers’ tents, like mushrooms, sprang up all around. War-ships,
-sail-boats, steam-boats, motor-boats, row-boats and canoes were all out
-on a lake nearby, but they could never sink, for the lake was a large
-looking-glass, and fishes, ducks and<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_25">{25}</a></span> swans were swimming on
-looking-glass streams. The children rushed from one garden to another
-and saw so many things to pick that they were kept very busy helping
-Santa Claus.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, see those pumpkins and squashes over there on those vines!”
-exclaimed Willie, but when he went to pick them he found drums, large
-and small, and foot-balls and basket-balls lying on the ground, like
-melons and pumpkins turned brown.</p>
-
-<p>“Whee-ee-ee-ee! Isn’t this jolly! See those funny brown leaves blowing
-in the wind,” called Annie. “They are all sizes and shapes.” When the
-children came near to pick them, they found no leaves at all, but brown
-Teddy-bears with their arms and feet out-stretched. The children hugged
-them in their arms and the Teddy-bears gave little squeaks of glee,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_26">{26}</a></span> for
-they were so glad to be gathered in with this harvest of toys.</p>
-
-<p>Suddenly, overhead, the children heard a whirr-whirr-whirring noise, and
-when they looked up it seemed as if great swarms of dragon-flies and
-butterflies were hovering over them. “Ha, ha, ha!” laughed Santa Claus,
-as he watched the surprised children. “Those are new toys; they only
-lately have come to my land&#8212;but, here, take these butterfly nets and
-try to catch a few of them.” And when Annie and Willie brought these
-toys down a little nearer, they saw that they were not dragonflies or
-butterflies, but toy air-ships.</p>
-
-<p>Tiny, toy trains went gliding over steel rails, across switches, under
-tunnels, over bridges, and stopped at stations, quite like really, truly
-trains.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_27">{27}</a></span></p>
-
-<p>“How should you like to see my farm?” asked Santa Claus. And the next
-thing Annie and Willie knew they were in a toyland farm-yard. Houses,
-fences and barns with stalls for horses and cows, and everything as
-complete as a real farm. Horses rocked to and fro or rolled about on
-wheels; toy lambs, so wooly and white, said, “Baa-baa-baa,” when their
-heads were turned to one side.</p>
-
-<p>There was also a menagerie of wild animals nearby. Elephants and tigers,
-lions and monkeys&#8212;more animals than you can tell about&#8212;were there, and
-they looked so real that at first Annie felt like running to hide behind
-Santa Claus. Then Santa Claus led them through toy villages and they
-really felt like giants when they looked down on all the dolls’ houses
-and different stores, toy<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_28">{28}</a></span> theatres, toy post-offices, toy grocery
-stores, meat markets, and in all these stores were dolls for clerks and
-dolls for customers.</p>
-
-<p>Then Santa Claus took them far away from the villages, out through the
-orchard where the sugar-plum trees were growing, and after they had
-filled many bags with candy he led them out to the Christmas-tree
-forest. Here they found Christmas trees growing with gold and silver
-tinsel and hung with glass balls and chains, while tiny, colored lights
-were twinkling through the branches. Santa Claus had to gather these
-trees and pack them with great care.</p>
-
-<p>The next thing the children knew, Santa Claus had taken them right into
-his home. There they saw a dear old lady with snow-white hair who was
-sewing on some dolls’ clothes. (She was dressing some of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_29">{29}</a></span> dollies
-that had sprung up without any clothes.) It was Mrs. Santa Claus, of
-course, and as she hugged and kissed the children she said to Santa
-Claus, “The dears, where did you find them?”</p>
-
-<p>“Out in the garden,” answered Santa Claus. “I don’t know how they came
-here, but they are excellent helpers. They have been helping me to
-gather my toys. I shall soon be ready now, after I do a little more work
-in my shop. You know, my dear, I must first test my winding toys, for
-that clock-work machinery does break so easily.”</p>
-
-<p>As he talked, Santa Claus took off his cap and coat, rolled up his
-sleeves and went right to work. He wound and tested each toy, and Willie
-helped him by handing him the keys for each one. There was a
-<i>honk-honk-honk</i>, a <i>toot-toot-toot</i>, a <i>chug, chug,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_30">{30}</a></span> chug</i>, and a
-<i>clang, clang, clang</i>, as automobiles, boats, engines, fire-engines and
-all kinds of mechanical toys went running about the shop like mad. Next
-Santa was working with his saw and plane, his hammer and nails, and with
-a rap and a tap he finished the roof of a doll’s house.</p>
-
-<p>Mrs. Santa had dressed all the dolls and furnished the dolls’ houses.
-“What a cute little kitchen!” exclaimed Annie. “Oh, Willie, do you see
-this dining-room and the cunning parlor and this little bed-room? How I
-should love to play dolls in this house!” Then Annie turned to Mrs.
-Santa Claus and said, “May I not help you? I could thread your needles
-or help in some way.”</p>
-
-<p>“Why, so you may, my dear,” answered Mrs. Santa Claus. “My eyes are
-getting<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_31">{31}</a></span> old and if you will thread my needles it will be a great help.”
-So Annie threaded needles and helped Mrs. Santa Claus to dress the last
-doll and then to pack all the clothes in a new doll’s trunk.</p>
-
-<p>Santa Claus sat at his desk and finished writing a story and drawing the
-last pictures when suddenly the clock struck, Ding-dong-ding. Twelve
-times it struck and Mrs. Santa Claus said, “It is time you were up and
-away, sir.” She helped Santa Claus into his big cloak and he pulled on
-his high boots and his warm gloves and pulled his cap down over his
-ears.</p>
-
-<p>Just then the reindeer were heard prancing and pawing outside, impatient
-to be off and away. Santa Claus bundled his big pack of toys into his
-sleigh and put in all his Christmas trees. He kissed Mrs. Santa on<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_32">{32}</a></span> both
-cheeks, and with a big smack on the lips called out, “Good-by, Mother,”
-and, picking up Annie and Willie as if they were live dolls, tucked one
-under each arm and dashed out to the magic sleigh. They seemed fairly to
-fly through the air, and the moon and the stars seemed to dance in the
-sky as they went on faster and faster. Then they came down nearer and
-nearer to earth where the lights in the great city gleamed like
-fireflies far below.</p>
-
-<p>The next thing Annie and Willie knew, they were on the roof of their own
-home. The next thing they knew, they were down, down the chimney
-and&#8212;there they were right in their own, little beds! The sun-light was
-streaming into their eyes and their mother was calling, “Merry
-Christmas, Merry Christmas, little sleepy heads!<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_33">{33}</a></span>”</p>
-
-<p>“Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!” they both shouted, as they bounced
-out of bed and rushed for their stockings which were fairly bulging with
-toys, and Annie was soon hugging and kissing a new dolly while Willie
-was blowing a new trumpet. In the other room stood a large Christmas
-tree which had come from the Christmas-tree forest.</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, we know where these toys came from,” said Willie. “They came from
-the garden of toys, for we visited Santa Claus Land last night.”</p>
-
-<p>Now, to-night, when you go to bed, close your eyes tightly and go to
-sleep and I am sure you too can pay a visit to Santa Claus Land.</p>
-
-<p>Merry Christmas!<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_34">{34}</a></span></p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="ill_002" style="width: 440px;">
-<a href="images/facing035.jpg">
-<img src="images/facing035.jpg" width="440" height="600" alt="[Image unavailable.]"></a>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_35">{35}</a></span></p>
-
-<h2><a id="SQUEAKY_AND_THE_SCARE_BOX"></a>
-<img src="images/image035.png"
-width="350"
-alt="">
-<br><br>
-SQUEAKY AND THE SCARE BOX</h2>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_36">{36}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_37">{37}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<p class="nind"><span class="letra"><img src="images/ltr_o.png"
-width="90"
-alt="O"></span>NCE upon a time there lived in a hole in the pantry wall a family of
-mice. There was a father mouse and a mother mouse and three little baby
-mice. They were called the “Velvet family,” because their fur looked
-like soft, gray velvet.</p>
-
-<p>One little mouse was named Sharpeyes (only they nicknamed him “Sharpy”)
-because his eyes were so sharp and bright. He could see everything, even
-in the darkest closets and holes. One was named Sniffy, because he could
-sniff and smell anything<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_38">{38}</a></span> good to eat, wherever it might be hidden. And
-the tiniest little mouse was named Squeaky, because he had such a
-squeaky, shrill little voice. He was constantly singing, “Ee-ee-ee.”</p>
-
-<p>Now the mother-mouse was very wise, and she had taught her babies to
-scamper and hide whenever they saw the old cat tiptoeing about. The
-mother-mouse would say, “Beware of the cat!” and the little mice would
-run so quickly that although Mrs. Puss did not even mew or purr when she
-walked through the pantry, she never had been able to catch any one of
-the Velvet family. But many of their little cousins and other relatives
-had been caught by the old cat. So the little mice obeyed their mother
-and always hid when the cat was near.</p>
-
-<p>The mother-mouse also warned her babies<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_39">{39}</a></span> to beware of the trap. She
-said, “I know, Sniffy, you will smell the cheese, and Sharpy will peer
-into the queer, little, round house and see the cheese hanging there,
-and Squeaky will call to you all to come in and get a bite, but if you
-do not heed my words you will be caught with cruel springs and wires and
-choked to death. So mind what I tell you and do not eat any cheese
-unless I am with you.”</p>
-
-<p>And the little mice answered, “Ee-ee-ee! Yes, Mother, yes. Ee-ee-ee!” in
-their little, shrill voices, and they promised to remember to do just
-what their mother told them.</p>
-
-<p>I could not begin to tell you about all the frolics that those mice had
-together. But I will tell you about their Christmas party.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_40">{40}</a></span></p>
-
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
-<span class="i0">“<span class="lftspc">’</span>Twas the night before Christmas,<br></span>
-<span class="i2">And all through the house<br></span>
-<span class="i2">Not a creature was stirring,<br></span>
-<span class="i2">Not even a mouse.”<br></span>
-</div></div>
-</div>
-
-<p>The last touches had been put upon the tall Christmas tree standing in
-the living room. The father and mother had gone upstairs to bed&#8212;</p>
-
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
-<span class="i0">“And the children were nestled all snug in their beds,<br></span>
-<span class="i1">While visions of sugar plums danced through their heads.”<br></span>
-</div></div>
-</div>
-
-<p>But, in the hole in the wall, the Velvet family were all wide awake.</p>
-
-<p>“Ee-ee-ee!” squeaked Squeaky, “why can’t we creep into the big room and
-see the tall Christmas tree? We have heard the children talking about
-that tree for days, and we have never seen a Christmas tree, so please,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_41">{41}</a></span>
-Mother-Mouse, can’t we go out this time and see it?”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes,” said Sniffy, “do let us go, Mother-Mouse. Everything has been
-smelling so good lately, and the children and the cook made long strings
-of popcorn. I nibbled a little piece that they dropped here on the
-pantry floor, and it tasted so good.”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes,” said Sharpeyes, “and I peered out of our hole and saw some candy
-on a plate and some gingerbread cakes, all ready for the children. Oh, I
-do want a bite of those good things! Please let us have a Christmas
-party, Mother-Mouse!”</p>
-
-<p>“Now, don’t tease, children; I will ask your father, and if he says it
-is safe, why, then we shall go.”</p>
-
-<p>When the father-mouse heard them, he said, “Well, I will go out first,
-and look<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_42">{42}</a></span> carefully about, and then I will let you know if you dare to
-venture out.” So father-mouse crept softly through the pantry. He
-tiptoed down the long hall and into the living-room, but the old cat was
-nowhere to be seen.</p>
-
-<p>For you must know, children, the house people were afraid that the cat
-might brush against the tree and break something, so poor Mrs. Puss had
-been banished to the coal-bin and was spending her Christmas Eve down in
-the cellar all alone; and she was howling and yowling because she was so
-angry.</p>
-
-<p>When the father-mouse could not find the cat, he came back to the pantry
-and called out the glad tidings, “The coast is clear, come out,
-children.”</p>
-
-<p>Then all the Velvet family came scrambling down from their hole in the
-wall, their<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_43">{43}</a></span> whiskers fairly trembling in their eagerness. They crept
-through the pantry and tiptoed along the great hall and into the
-living-room where stood the tall Christmas tree; and when they saw the
-wonderful tree, they were so happy that they squeaked again and again in
-their joy. Then each mouse took hold of its tail as though it were a
-long train and, holding it up very carefully, danced and danced in the
-moonlight. They ran around and around the tree, examining everything.</p>
-
-<p>On the floor they found a wonderful doll’s house. “How lovely it would
-be to live here,” they squeaked. They ran up and down the stairs,
-overturned the chairs, pulled off the bedclothes and climbed into the
-beds. Then they went into the dining-room and sat down in the tiny
-chairs, but when they<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_44">{44}</a></span> found the table was just set with play food, they
-did not like it, for of course it was not good to eat.</p>
-
-<p>Then Sniffy said, “I smell that good popcorn again; let’s climb up into
-the Christmas tree and get some.” So they began to climb up into the
-tree. They nibbled the popcorn chains; they nibbled the candy canes and
-the candy hanging in the stocking bags. They found the gingerbread
-cakes, and each one took a bite.</p>
-
-<p>Suddenly Sharpeyes said, “Come here, I see a mouse! I see a mouse! But
-he doesn’t belong to our furry family at all.”</p>
-
-<p>“I should say not,” sniffed Sniffy; “he smells so good!”</p>
-
-<p>“Why, he is good to eat!” squeaked Squeaky, and they all began to eat
-the chocolate mouse.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_45">{45}</a></span></p>
-
-<p>Then they found another candy mouse, a nice pink one, and they were so
-busy eating it that they forgot to watch and listen, until <i>bang!</i>
-suddenly the door was thrown open and the electric lights were turned
-on. With a squeak of warning, the Velvet family, scrambling and tumbling
-down through the branches of the tree, scampered pell-mell across the
-hall, through the pantry and back to their home and safety.</p>
-
-<p>There was the father-mouse, and the mother-mouse, and Sharpeyes, and
-Sniffy, but where was Squeaky? What had become of poor Squeaky?</p>
-
-<p>Now, as Squeaky tried to climb down the tree, he fell heels over head
-down, down, down until he was caught in a funny, square box. An ugly
-looking man with black hair and a black beard seemed to be hopping<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_46">{46}</a></span>
-right out of the box, and, when Squeaky saw the lights turned on, he
-thought it best to hide under the skirts of this queer man. He nestled
-down and lay very still, hardly breathing. He had been taught never to
-move when danger was near so he did not wiggle even a whisker. He heard
-voices. The house people were talking.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes,” said the children’s father, “it would have been a shame to forget
-this train. I want it to come right out from under the tree.” And the
-father and mother began to arrange tiny tracks and switches. When all
-was in place, the mother looked once more at the wonderful tree.</p>
-
-<p>“Why, look at that Jack-in-the-box, he’s hanging way out of the box,”
-she said. “That will never do, it will spoil all the fun. Teddy would
-love to see it fly out at him<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_47">{47}</a></span> and would call it the ‘Scare Box.’ I must
-fix it back in place.” Then the mother pushed the Jack, with his black
-beard and black hair, down, down into the box, and she shut and locked
-the lid.</p>
-
-<p>Poor Squeaky, hidden under the queer man’s skirts, felt the springs
-close tightly about him and squeaked one shrill “Ee” of fright. The
-father said: “I never heard such a perfect squeak; it is wonderful the
-toys they make for children. Now in my day&#8212;” And his voice drifted off,
-as he turned out the lights and followed the mother upstairs to bed.</p>
-
-<p>Poor little Squeaky. On all sides there seemed to be a big spring coiled
-and coiled about him. “I am in a trap,” he moaned, “and they didn’t even
-give me a mite of cheese to eat. But, then, nothing seems to<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_48">{48}</a></span> hurt me.
-It is not the way Mother-Mouse said: it does not pinch me or choke me. I
-wonder what kind of a trap it is&#8212;a queer man with springs for a body.
-Well, I am safe for a while, but I wonder if he will ever let me get out
-again. I want to go home.” And poor Squeaky cried himself to sleep.</p>
-
-<p>In the morning he heard shouts of “Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!”
-and it seemed as though the big tree trembled in all its branches, as
-the toys were taken down, one by one. Then such a noise was heard&#8212;drums
-beating, horns tooting, children shouting:</p>
-
-<p>“Just see our new doll’s house!”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, see my new train, how fast it goes over these tracks!”</p>
-
-<p>“Just see this beautiful dolly! She can open and shut her eyes, and she
-says<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_49">{49}</a></span> ‘ma-ma, pa-pa’ whenever I pull the string.”</p>
-
-<p>“Ee-ee-ee!” groaned poor Squeaky, “I can squeak ‘ma-ma, pa-pa’ that way
-too, if they would only let me out so that I could go home to my ma-ma
-and pa-pa.”</p>
-
-<p>As if in answer to his wish, Squeaky suddenly felt the box lifted down
-from the tree. “Come here, Teddy,” said the children’s mother, “here is
-a new scare box. We will have some fun. Now, carefully watch me and we
-will open the lid.” Teddy leaned against his mother’s knee, watching
-closely. “Are you ready? Well, let us count. One, two, three!” the
-mother opened the lid. Out jumped the man with the black beard and black
-hair and, with a loud squeak of joy, out jumped Squeaky. “Ee-ee-ee!”
-said Squeaky. “Ee!” said the Jack-in-the-box. “Whee-ee-ee!” yelled the
-small boy in delight.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_50">{50}</a></span></p>
-
-<p>“Oh, Ee-ee-ee,” shrieked the mother, as she threw the box on the floor
-and, holding her skirts up high, she jumped on her chair, screaming, “a
-mouse! a mouse! a mouse!”</p>
-
-<p>“Where? where?” they all shouted in a chorus. But little Squeaky whisked
-away so fast that they caught only a glimpse of his velvety fur and his
-long tail, as he dashed across the long hall back to the pantry, and
-home, and safety.</p>
-
-<p>Squeaky gave queer little squeaky sounds, half sobs and half laughs, as
-he told father and mother mouse the whole story of his night in the
-house with the queer man with springs for a body. And there was great
-rejoicing among the Velvet family over the return of Squeaky.</p>
-
-<p>In the living room they heard the children’s father laughing as he
-helped their<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_51">{51}</a></span> mother climb down from the chair. “Well,” said he, “how
-did <i>you</i> enjoy Teddy’s scare box?<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_52">{52}</a></span>”</p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="ill_003" style="width: 437px;">
-<a href="images/facing053.jpg">
-<img src="images/facing053.jpg" width="437" height="600" alt="[Image unavailable.]"></a>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_53">{53}</a></span></p>
-
-<h2><a id="A_CHRISTMAS_TREE_FOR_SANTA_CLAUS"></a>
-<img src="images/image053.png"
-width="350"
-alt=""><br><br>
-A CHRISTMAS TREE FOR SANTA CLAUS</h2>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_54">{54}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_55">{55}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<p class="nind"><span class="letra"><img src="images/ltr_o.png"
-width="90"
-alt="O"></span>NCE upon a time the fairies planned a Christmas surprise for Santa
-Claus.</p>
-
-<p>“I wonder what we can do to make him happy?” asked the Fairy Queen; “he
-always makes other people happy.”</p>
-
-<p>“I know,” answered the Fairy King, “let us give him a Christmas party
-and after he returns from his long journey of love all around the world,
-let us lead him to the Christmas-tree forest and there we will have a
-tree all trimmed and ready for him.”</p>
-
-<p>“Hurrah! hurrah!” shouted all the little<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_56">{56}</a></span> brownies, elves, fairies and
-nymphs. “Hurrah! hurrah! what fun we shall have; a Christmas tree for
-dear old Father Santa Claus. We will ask Mother Santa Claus to help us
-plan it and she will tell us just what he needs and would most enjoy,”
-said the Fairy King.</p>
-
-<p>Now, you must know, children, that all the brownies, elves, fairies and
-nymphs always call Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa Claus, “Father” and
-“Mother” because they seem like a Father and Mother to all these little
-people, and they always help Santa Claus and his good wife make the
-Christmas gifts; for how would Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa Claus ever get
-all their work done in time for Christmas without all these good, little
-fairies to help them?</p>
-
-<p>So, of course, when they planned for a<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_57">{57}</a></span> Christmas tree, they asked
-Mother Santa Claus to help them. “Have everything ready,” said Mother
-Santa Claus, “and, after Father has gone on his long journey, we will go
-out to the forest and trim the tree, and have everything in place before
-he comes home again. We will keep it as a great secret, for if he hears
-of it all our fun and surprise will be gone.”</p>
-
-<p>“We will never let him hear a whisper from us,” said the fairies. “We
-will work and will wait patiently until Christmas Eve.”</p>
-
-<p>Then the fairies, true to their promise, worked and worked helping
-Father and Mother Santa Claus to make the Christmas gifts, and they were
-all very busy. Some of these dear little fairies helped Mother Santa
-Claus to make doll clothes and to furnish dolls’ houses, hemming tiny
-table-cloths,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_58">{58}</a></span> fringing little napkins, making sheets and blankets and
-pillows and pillow-cases for the dollies’ beds. They were such happy
-little fairies that they sang as they worked:</p>
-
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
-<span class="i0">“The Christmas fairies find pleasure,<br></span>
-<span class="i3">As they work for the good girls and boys,<br></span>
-<span class="i1">For they know that the children will treasure<br></span>
-<span class="i3">And value these new Christmas toys.”<br></span>
-</div></div>
-</div>
-
-<p>The little carpenter elves liked to help Father Santa Claus in his big
-work-shop, as he sawed the wood brought in by the forest elves and
-brownies, and, with plane and hammer, he made houses for the dolls,
-chairs and tables and sleds and all kinds of wooden toys. The mountain
-dwarfs and goblins from the mines brought in the iron ore which they
-heated red-hot, and they helped Santa Claus make the engines, trains of
-cars, the automobiles, fire-engines and boats<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_59">{59}</a></span> and all the toys of iron
-and steel. They also brought him gold and silver and sparkling stones,
-while the water nymphs gave him pearls and coral and softly tinted
-shells which Santa Claus and his skillful helpers soon made into
-beautiful jewelry to give to some of the big, grown-up children on
-Christmas.</p>
-
-<p>“Everybody is a child at this time,” said Santa Claus to his good wife,
-“and even if people do feel too large to play with dolls and drums,
-still they must have their trinkets and things to make them happy.”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes,” answered Mrs. Santa Claus, “but we must have useful presents,
-too, Father.” So she would knit stockings and mitts and make warm caps,
-hoods and mufflers, new coats and dresses. Then, when the soft skins of
-animals were brought in, she would make<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_60">{60}</a></span> nice fur collars and muffs for
-the big Mammas, and little fur sets for the little girlies, and then she
-would take teeny-weeny scraps of fur that were left over, and make fur
-sets for the dollies. Oh, Mrs. Santa Claus was a very sensible old lady,
-you may be sure.</p>
-
-<p>Well, I could not begin to take time to tell you about all the marvelous
-things that were made in that wonderful work-shop, nor how busily Santa
-Claus worked at his big desk, writing stories while the artist fairies
-drew the pictures for him, for I do want to tell you how all these fairy
-helpers gave Santa Claus his Christmas tree.</p>
-
-<p>When, at last, Christmas Eve came, Mother Santa Claus helped Santa Claus
-bundle up in his big, red cloak and pack his toys in a magic sleigh.
-Then she gave<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_61">{61}</a></span> him a big kiss, and he gave her a big hug and a kiss and
-said: “Good-bye, Mother, Merry Christmas! I will be back when all is
-done. Good-bye!”</p>
-
-<p>“<span class="lftspc">‘</span>When all is done’,” said Mrs. Santa Claus, chuckling to herself, “we
-shall have it all done when he returns. Come, fairies!” and Mrs. Santa
-Claus, with all the brownies, elves and fairies, went out to the
-Christmas-tree forest.</p>
-
-<p>The frost fairies selected a tall fir tree which they hung all over with
-shining, silvery threads of frost, while icicles, hanging from each
-branch, glimmered and glistened in the moonlight. “What a beautiful
-tree, frost fairies!” they all cried in a chorus, “But nothing is too
-good for our dear Father Santa Claus!” Then each put his present on the
-tree for Santa Claus.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_62">{62}</a></span></p>
-
-<p>Mrs. Santa Claus had made him a new, beautiful red coat, with a cap to
-match, and she had trimmed it with soft, white ermine. Some of the
-tailor fairies had helped her, and they also had made him a new pair of
-trousers. The little cobbler elves had made him a new pair of tall boots
-and the glove-makers brought a pair of warm gloves. “We want his fingers
-to be warm,” they said. Some of the fairies brought some animal skins
-and made them into a nice fur robe. The water nymphs brought him a new
-meerschaum pipe with an amber mouth-piece from out the sea, “For,” they
-said, “he has smoked that old clay one so long that he ought to have a
-new pipe.”</p>
-
-<p>The forest fairies placed under the tree a wonderful, new magic sleigh,
-which was much larger than his old one. “He has to carry<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_63">{63}</a></span> so much
-nowadays,” they said. The mountain dwarfs had made for him some new,
-metal sleigh-bells which jingled out the merriest Christmas music.</p>
-
-<p>Suddenly they heard the old bells tinkling on Santa’s old sleigh and
-they all rushed back to the house to welcome him home. “What are you
-doing out here, Mother?” asked Santa Claus, “and all the brownies,
-elves, fairies, nymphs and mountain dwarfs out here with you? Why, don’t
-you know this is the time for rest, before we all go to work for another
-year?”</p>
-
-<p>“No, not to-night, Father Santa Claus. We are so happy we will dance
-until morning. Come with us to the Christmas-tree forest,” and with all
-the fairy helpers pushing and pulling him, and Mother Santa Claus
-holding him tightly by the hand, Santa<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_64">{64}</a></span> Claus was brought out to his own
-Christmas tree.</p>
-
-<p>“Merry Christmas! Surprise! Surprise! Merry Christmas!” shouted all the
-fairies, and poor Santa Claus was certainly so surprised that he did not
-know what to say nor which way to turn. “A Christmas tree! And for me!”
-gasped Santa Claus in his bewilderment.</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, yes, for you, for you!” they all shouted. “You are always making
-other people have a merry Christmas, and now we want you to have a merry
-Christmas. It is your very own Christmas tree, Father Santa Claus.” And
-then they brought out his presents and gave them to him.</p>
-
-<p>When they had dressed him in his new suit, his eyes twinkled with
-pleasure as he said, “Why, I don’t know myself now; my<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_65">{65}</a></span> old clothes were
-quite shabby and were tarnished with ashes and soot, and Dancer and
-Prancer and Dunder and Blitzen and all the reindeer will hardly know
-what to make of this beautiful new magic sleigh. And just listen to the
-merry music of our new sleigh-bells! How good this warm fur robe will
-feel over me! Sometimes it is pretty cold and my old one is getting thin
-and worn. A new pipe! Oh, that is fine! My old one is just a stump of a
-pipe which I had to hold tightly between my teeth, and now, with this
-new one, the smoke will encircle my head like a wreath. How good you are
-to me!” said Father Santa Claus, “and how did you ever plan it?”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, good Mother Santa Claus helped us; without her help we could not
-have had any Christmas tree surprise party at all.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_66">{66}</a></span>”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes,” said Father Santa Claus, “it always takes the good Mother to plan
-and make a real Christmas party.”</p>
-
-<p>Then the fairy helpers surprised Mother Santa Claus by bringing out a
-new dress which they had made for her, with a soft, lacy collar and a
-white cap, and the mountain dwarfs gave her a pair of gold-rimmed
-spectacles to help her as she did her sewing, and a new, gold pin set
-with corals was brought to her by the sea nymphs.</p>
-
-<p>And then Father and Mother Santa Claus, dressed in their new Christmas
-clothes, stood under the sparkling tree trimmed by the frost fairies.
-Overhead the rainbow fairies came out and flashed their bright lights
-high in the northern sky, while all the Christmas fairy helpers, the
-brownies, elves, fairies, mountain dwarfs and nymphs,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_67">{67}</a></span> danced around and
-around them in a fairy ring, calling gaily:</p>
-
-<div class="poetry">
-<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
-<span class="i0">“Merry Christmas, Father Santa Claus!<br></span>
-<span class="i1">Merry Christmas, Mother Santa Claus!<br></span>
-<span class="i1">Merry, Merry Christmas to all the World!”<br></span>
-</div></div>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_68">{68}</a></span></p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="ill_004" style="width: 434px;">
-<a href="images/facing069.jpg">
-<img src="images/facing069.jpg" width="434" height="600" alt="[Image unavailable.]"></a>
-</div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_69">{69}</a></span></p>
-
-<h2><a id="THE_LEGEND_OF_SAINT_NICHOLAS"></a>
-<img src="images/image069.png"
-width="350"
-alt="">
-<br><br>
-THE LEGEND OF SAINT NICHOLAS</h2>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_70">{70}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_71">{71}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<p class="nind"><span class="letra"><img src="images/ltr_o.png"
-width="90"
-alt="O"></span>NCE upon a time there lived in Myra a good man named Nicholas. When he
-was a young man his father and mother died of the plague, and he was
-left the sole heir of all their vast estate; but he looked upon all this
-money as belonging to God and felt that he, himself, was merely the
-steward of God’s mercies. So he went about everywhere doing good and
-sharing his riches with all those who were in need.</p>
-
-<p>Now there lived in that country a certain nobleman who had three
-beautiful daugh<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_72">{72}</a></span>ters. He had been very rich, but he lost all his
-property and became so poor that he did not know what to do to provide
-for his family. His daughters were anxious to be married, but their
-father had no money to give them dowries and, in that country, no maiden
-could marry unless she had her marriage portion, or dowry. They were so
-very poor that they could scarcely get any food to eat. Their clothes
-were so worn and ragged that they would not go out of the house and
-their father was overcome with shame and sorrow.</p>
-
-<p>When the good Nicholas heard of their troubles he longed to help them.
-He knew that the father was proud and that it would be hard to give him
-money; so he thought that it would be best to surprise them with a gift.
-Then Nicholas took some gold and,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_73">{73}</a></span> tying it in a long silken purse, went
-at once to the home of the poor nobleman. It was night and the beautiful
-maidens were fast asleep while the brokenhearted father, too wretched to
-go to bed, sat by the fireside watching and praying.</p>
-
-<p>Nicholas stood outside, wondering how he could bestow his gift without
-being seen when suddenly the moon came from behind the clouds and he saw
-that a window in the house was open. Creeping softly to the open window,
-he threw the purse right into the room where it fell at the feet of the
-nobleman. The father picked up the purse and was very much surprised to
-find it full of gold pieces.</p>
-
-<p>Awakening his daughters the father said: “See this purse which came
-through the window and fell at my feet. It is indeed a<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_74">{74}</a></span> gift from
-Heaven. God has remembered us in our time of need.”</p>
-
-<p>After they had rejoiced together, they agreed to give most of the gold
-to the eldest daughter, so that she would have her dowry and could wed
-the young man she loved.</p>
-
-<p>Not long after that, Nicholas filled another silken purse with gold and
-again he went by night so that no one should see him, and he threw this
-purse also through the open window. Then when the father saw this golden
-gift he again gave thanks. The money he gave to the second daughter who,
-like her sister, at once married the man of her choice.</p>
-
-<p>Meanwhile the father was very curious to find out who was so kind to
-them, for he wished to thank the person who had come in the night to
-help them with these golden<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_75">{75}</a></span> gifts. So he watched and waited night after
-night, and after a time the good Nicholas came with another silken purse
-filled with gold pieces for the youngest daughter.</p>
-
-<p>He was just about to throw it into the room when the nobleman rushed
-from the house and, seizing him by his long robe, knelt before him,
-saying: “O good Nicholas, servant of God, why seek to hide thyself?” And
-he kissed his hands and feet and tried to thank him.</p>
-
-<p>But Nicholas answered: “Do not thank me, my good man, but thank the
-Heavenly Father who has sent me to you in answer to your prayers. I am
-but His messenger to help those who trust in Him. Tell no man of these
-gifts of gold, nor who brought them to you in the night, for my deeds
-are done in His name.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_76">{76}</a></span>”</p>
-
-<p>Thus the youngest daughter of the nobleman was married and she and her
-father and sisters all lived happily the rest of their lives.</p>
-
-<p>The good Nicholas went about from place to place, and wherever he went
-he did deeds of kindness, so that all the people loved him.</p>
-
-<p>One time he took a long journey to the Holy Land, and when he was upon
-the sea there came a terrible storm; so that the ship was tossed about
-and almost wrecked, and all the sailors gave up hope.</p>
-
-<p>But the good Nicholas said: “Fear not, our Heavenly Father will bring us
-safely into harbor.” Then he knelt and prayed to God and the storm
-ceased and the boat was brought safely to the land. Whereupon the
-sailors fell at the feet of Nicholas and thanked him.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_77">{77}</a></span></p>
-
-<p>He answered them humbly: “Thank your Father who is in Heaven, for He is
-the ruler of us all. He it is who rules the earth and the sky and the
-sea, and who, in His good mercy, spared our lives that we may serve
-Him.”</p>
-
-<p>When Nicholas returned from Palestine he went to the city of Myra, where
-he was appointed a bishop. After that he preached God’s Word and went
-about doing good all of his life. When he died the people said: “We will
-not call him Bishop Nicholas, but we will call him Saint Nicholas, for
-if ever there was a saint upon earth it was our good Nicholas.” And so
-to this day he is called “Good Saint Nicholas.”</p>
-
-<p>And now in many countries, they tell the story of the good Saint
-Nicholas, and how he goes about the earth at Christmas-time<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_78">{78}</a></span> bringing
-gifts of love to all who deserve them, and because he had put his gifts
-of gold in the long silken purses, our children to-day hang up their
-long stockings to hold his gifts; and when the children are very good he
-fills their stockings with sweetmeats, toys and trinkets, but if they
-have been naughty, they will find a bunch of switches, showing that they
-deserve to be punished.</p>
-
-<p>We all know that on Christmas Eve Saint Nicholas will come in the night,
-for he never likes to be seen; and we know that he will always
-live,&#8212;for is he not the spirit of love? and love can never die.</p>
-
-<p>So, every Christmas, let us give our gifts as he did those silken purses
-so long ago&#8212;without anyone knowing about it&#8212;and let our gifts be a
-surprise. Then we, too,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_79">{79}</a></span> can have the spirit of love and join in this
-celebration of Christmas with good Saint Nicholas.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_81">{81}</a></span><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_80">{80}</a></span></p>
-
-<div class="figcenter" id="ill_005" style="width: 442px;">
-<a href="images/facing081.jpg">
-<img src="images/facing081.jpg" width="442" height="600" alt="[Image unavailable.]"></a>
-</div>
-
-<h2><a id="THE_GIFT_OF_LOVE"></a>
-<img src="images/image081.png"
-width="350"
-alt="">
-<br><br>
-THE GIFT OF LOVE</h2>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_82">{82}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_83">{83}</a></span>&#160; </p>
-
-<p class="nind"><span class="letra"><img src="images/ltr_i.png"
-width="90"
-alt="I"></span>T was a cold night for that part of the world, and the shepherds who
-were out watching their flocks upon the hillside drew their heavy cloaks
-about them. They had built a camp-fire to give them warmth and as they
-sat in a group about the bright blaze they told stories to each other.</p>
-
-<p>“You speak of the coming of the King, Grandsire,” said a young
-shepherd-boy eagerly as he leaned toward an old man who was talking,
-“tell us more about the King.”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes, boy,” answered the old man, “I<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_84">{84}</a></span> will tell you the tale as my
-mother told it to me.”</p>
-
-<p>“Long, long ago, there was a shepherd-boy named David who wandered on
-these very hills near Bethlehem, keeping watch over his father’s sheep.
-David heard the story of the promised king who was to be sent from God
-to rule over all of his people, and David was so happy that he played
-upon his harp, and as he led the sheep through the green pastures and
-beside the still waters, he sang of God as the Heavenly Shepherd.</p>
-
-<p>“When David grew up to be a man he became a king and wore royal robes
-and a golden crown upon his head and he ruled over all the people. After
-David, came King Solomon, and no king could rival the grandeur of his
-palace and court. Since then many kings have ruled over us, but the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_85">{85}</a></span>
-promised King has not come upon the earth, and the songs of David have
-not yet been fulfilled.”</p>
-
-<p>“Oh, how I wish that I might see the King!” said the boy earnestly.</p>
-
-<p>“You are young, boy, and&#8212;who knows? maybe you will live to see the time
-when these prophecies come true. But I am old and weary with waiting and
-working and I may never live to see the promised King. Yet I know that
-the word of God will come true and that He will send His only beloved
-son to rule the earth.”</p>
-
-<p>As the wind whistled over the hillside, the sheep huddled more closely
-together.</p>
-
-<p>“Our little lambs will suffer with the cold,” said the shepherd-boy.</p>
-
-<p>“No,” answered his father, “look at the way the mother-sheep lie closely
-about them,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_86">{86}</a></span> protecting the lambs with their warm bodies. No, the old
-sheep may feel the chill wind but they will not let their babies
-suffer.”</p>
-
-<p>“Just look at my little baby lamb,” said the boy. “See it is curled up
-snugly by its mother. Oh! I do hope that no harm will come to it, for it
-is the tiniest lamb of the flock and I love it. Do you know, Father. I
-call it ‘Snow-white’ for it is like the white snow which we sometimes
-see on the far-distant mountain-peaks.”</p>
-
-<p>“Come, boy,” said the father, “you have rested all day; so you watch the
-flock and the fire for a time and I will lie down here by Grandsire and
-take a nap.”</p>
-
-<p>The boy lay upon the ground looking at the camp-fire smoke curling up
-toward the sky. Then he looked at the sleeping shepherds stretched out
-upon the ground, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_87">{87}</a></span> as his eyes rested upon the old man, he remembered
-the story and said softly: “How I should like to see that King!”</p>
-
-<p>The cold wind seemed to die down and the clouds went across the sky like
-a flock of scurrying sheep, leaving the stars twinkling brightly in the
-dark-blue vault of the heavens.</p>
-
-<p>“How beautiful it is, and how still!” he said.</p>
-
-<p>He looked again at the group of sleeping shepherds, and then he looked
-at the sleeping sheep. As he watched, he saw his little lamb stir
-uneasily.</p>
-
-<p>“Poor little baby, poor little Snow-white, believe that it is lonely&#8212;I
-will hold it under my warm coat and protect it while the mother-sheep
-sleeps.” And so the boy lifted the baby lamb in his strong arms, and,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_88">{88}</a></span>
-opening his coat, he held it closely in his bosom, while the
-mother-sheep slept peacefully by his side. The boy forgot to watch the
-fire and it soon flickered and went out.</p>
-
-<p>He felt a strange chill over all the land, and it was so still&#8212;so very
-still that he wished the men would awaken, or that one of the sheep
-would bleat, for he felt lonely and afraid and he knew not why.</p>
-
-<p>Suddenly he saw a bright light flashing through the heavens. Was he
-asleep or dreaming? He sat up and rubbed his eyes. No, the light was
-coming nearer and nearer, down, down toward the earth. Then he saw that
-the sheep were stirring uneasily and he heard them bleating, for they
-were frightened from their sleep. The shepherds, too, were awakening.</p>
-
-<p>“What is the meaning of this strange light?” said one.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_89">{89}</a></span></p>
-
-<p>“Has a star fallen from the sky?” asked another.</p>
-
-<p>“See this golden cloud of glory resting over us. It is so dazzling
-bright that I dare not look upon it.”</p>
-
-<p>The shepherds seized their staffs and some of them covered their faces
-with their cloaks, for they were very frightened. The old man went down
-upon his knees and looked up reverently while the boy stood motionless
-gazing spellbound at the radiant vision, for, as they watched they saw
-in this cloud of golden glory, a beautiful angel who came down, down to
-the earth and stood upon the hillside among them. When they saw this
-messenger from God the shepherds trembled with fear, and the angel said:</p>
-
-<p>“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall
-be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_90">{90}</a></span> the city of David,
-a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, ye
-shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.”</p>
-
-<p>And, as the angel ceased speaking, suddenly the heavens opened and there
-was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host who were singing and
-praising God, saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
-good will toward men.”</p>
-
-<p>Then the bright light was gone and the startled shepherds looked up long
-and earnestly toward the sky.</p>
-
-<p>“Truly, it was a message from God,” said the shepherd, as he bowed his
-white head. “God has sent us this angel to tell us that the promised
-King has come.”</p>
-
-<p>“But the angel said that the Babe was wrapped in swaddling clothes and
-lying in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_91">{91}</a></span> a manger,” questioned the boy. “Is it not strange for a prince
-to come to such a lowly palace?”</p>
-
-<p>“Yes,” said the old man, “it seems strange, but we know that He is truly
-the gift of love from God&#8212;His only Son who has been promised to us for,
-lo, these many years. I thank God that my old eyes have been permitted
-to see this heavenly vision. Come, we must go in haste to find Him.”</p>
-
-<p>“What gift of love shall we carry to the King, Grandsire?” whispered the
-boy.</p>
-
-<p>“The most precious thing we own,” answered the old man, “that which we
-love the best.”</p>
-
-<p>“But we shepherds have no gold nor silver, nor sparkling gems fit for a
-king,” said one of the shepherds. “What, then, can we carry to this
-child?<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_92">{92}</a></span>”</p>
-
-<p>“I know,” said the boy, as he looked lovingly down upon the little lamb
-which he was still holding in his strong young arms, “we can give this
-lamb&#8212;Snow-white; it is the purest and whitest little lamb from our
-flock. I love it and it is the best that we have to offer, and surely
-the good Father in Heaven knows that we are bringing our gift of love to
-the King.”</p>
-
-<p>“The boy is right,” said the old man. “This baby lamb&#8212;the purest of the
-flock&#8212;is truly our gift of love.”</p>
-
-<p>And so the shepherds went in haste down the hillside, the boy holding in
-his arms the baby lamb. Once it bleated softly, “Ma-Ma-a-a,” as though
-it called its mother, and the boy seemed to hear the mother-sheep on the
-hillside calling out, “Ba-ba-a-a,” as though she were calling her baby.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_93">{93}</a></span></p>
-
-<p>“Poor mother-sheep, she will be grieving for her little one,” said the
-boy to himself, “but if she could only understand she would be glad to
-give her lamb to the King.”</p>
-
-<p>At last they reached the little town of Bethlehem, and they came to a
-low stable built upon the hillside, and there they found their King&#8212;a
-tiny babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, as the angel had said, and lying
-in a manger.</p>
-
-<p>They saw the cattle standing near and Joseph watching over the Holy
-Mother Mary and the Heavenly Child.</p>
-
-<p>This was no palace home; these were no royal robes of state, but the
-shepherds knew that the words of the angel were true and that this Babe
-was their promised king. The heavenly light was streaming from the face
-of the Holy Child and the shepherds<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_94">{94}</a></span> covered their faces, for they could
-not look upon its radiance. Then they fell upon their knees and
-worshipped the Child, and thanked God that the gift of love had been
-given to all the waiting world.</p>
-
-<p>The boy looked on with wondering eyes, and then he held out the little
-lamb, and the Babe smiled into the eyes of the boy and stretched out His
-tiny hands as though He would take the lamb. Then the boy sank slowly
-down upon his knees by the Babe and placed at His feet the tiniest lamb
-from the flock&#8212;a gift of love for the Christ-Child.</p>
-
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