that what you meant when you kept saying, “That depends”?’
“‘That was just what I meant. Now you have seen the Star, and I know
all will be well.’
“Anna Belle seemed busily thinking, and the Fairy waited.
“‘The-attic is full of presents I didn’t want, and I have a lot of
money I was going to use for the bracelet.’
“‘_If_ you didn’t get it,’ laughed the Fairy.
“‘I don’t want it now. I’d rather use it for these poor little
children. Elsie must have a doll. I have one, and a music box, and many
“Readin’” books with pictures, but how can we get them to the places?’
“‘Fairies are stronger than you think. I will summon my helpers.’
“Anna Belle then heard a sound as of wind whistling around the corners.
In a moment there appeared fairies without number. Such silvery sprites
they were Anna Belle longed to take one to her heart and keep for ever
and ever.
“‘Come!’ cried the Fairy, who seemed to be the leader.
“As she floated away all followed, and Anna Belle found they were
headed straight for her own home and the attic.
“As she wondered how they would get in, she found herself flying easily
through the tiny bird window high up in the tower.
“‘How lovely!’ she cried. ‘I never knew it was for fairies!’
“‘Show what we are to take,’ cried the Fairy. ‘We must hurry.’
“Anna Belle pointed out a music box, books, dishes, balls, skates.
In fact, toys of every description. Then she opened one large box to
find a beautiful doll with eyes closed in slumber. ‘For Elsie,’ she
whispered, and watched to see each fairy gather up a gift and press
close to its shining bosom.
[Illustration: “‘Show what we are to take,’ cried the Fairy. ‘We must
hurry’”]
“‘Are we really going to take them?’ she asked.
“‘We wouldn’t miss the joy of it for anything,’ replied her fairy
friend.
“They floated away; Anna Belle holding to her heart the sleeping doll.
She tried to recall why she hadn’t wanted it, for it was so pretty.
Then she flushed, for she remembered that she had been cross over this
very doll because she had asked for a brown-eyed doll and this one had
blue eyes!
“‘I didn’t deserve any doll, nor anything,’ she said. ‘I didn’t know I
was so bad.’
“‘Forget it!’ laughed the Fairy. ‘We can’t afford to be thinking over
our wrong-doings. If we have started on the right track we will have
enough to do to keep within it.
“‘Here is the candy store. I know you want some. Give me your money;
I’ll get it for you. I know the man well. He’ll double what he gives
me, for he well knows what I’ll do with it.’
“In some mysterious way Anna Belle found in a moment each one was
carrying a basket of bonbons on a tiny arm as they floated on.
“‘Here is Elsie,’ whispered the Fairy presently.
“Anna Belle placed the doll in Elsie’s arms, then filled the stockings
with other toys and sweets. In the toe she placed a shining gold piece.
“The music box, books, and other toys were left in the home of the lame
child; also a gold piece shone in the toe of each stocking hanging
there.
“The paper doll girl was generously remembered, and the bottle dolls
smiled gratefully at the load of gifts left at their feet.
“Anna Belle’s eyes shone as she thought of the joy this Christmas was
to bring to so many hearts.
“‘How many?’ asked the Fairy, who seemed to know what she was thinking.
“Anna Belle pondered as they floated homeward. Presently she cried:
‘Why, just think, it’s twenty-four!’
“‘Only twenty-four? I counted twenty-five.’
“Again Anna Belle went over them, then said: ‘I can’t remember the odd
one.’
“The Fairy sent forth a bubbling, rippling laugh, which puzzled Anna
Belle for a moment, then she twinkled and cried:
“‘Why, I’m the odd one. I never was so happy. When did it begin? Oh, I
know; it was when I saw the Star, wasn’t it?’
“‘Yes, indeed,’ replied the Fairy, ‘and not only when you saw the Star,
but when you remembered the meaning of it.
“‘The love that came in with the Christ Child and His spirit of loving
and giving, not only of gifts but of Himself, has come down with the
ages, and will go on and on.’
“‘I’m so glad I found it out. I really don’t care now whether I get
the bracelet, or not,’ declared Anna Belle, as they floated into her
bedroom window.
“‘No, but see!’ and the Fairy pointed with her wand, on the end of
which Anna Belle again saw the shining Star sending a glow of light
over her dresser, and there lying on its velvet bed she beheld a
beautiful circlet of dull gold.
“Much excited, she whispered: ‘Is it plain? I really wanted it
jewelled.’ Then she laughed and added: ‘No, I don’t care how it is.
Just so it’s a bracelet, for I’m afraid I do kind of want it. Is it
wrong to want it? If it is, I’ll try till I don’t.’
The Fairy gently caressed her, then touched the golden circlet with
her wand.
“‘No, it isn’t wrong to want it now that you remember the true meaning
of Christmas, and want to keep it with the true Christmas spirit. See!’
“Anna Belle looked to see a starry jewel embedded in the gold, then she
noticed the Star had vanished from the wand.
“She looked quickly out at the sky, where the steady light of the Star
shone straight into her eyes.
“‘I’m glad you didn’t take that Star,’ she whispered. ‘We couldn’t get
along without it.’
“‘My, no. I couldn’t take that Star. That’s the Star of Bethlehem, you
know. This is just a weenty teenty shadow of that Star, that’s why it
isn’t quite so bright.’
“‘It’s bright enough for me, and means a lot. How can I ever thank you
for this night’s work?’ asked Anna Belle.
“‘Never again lose sight of the Star and I will be more than repaid.
Good-bye.’
“Anna Belle watched her out of sight, then turned and—dear me! she
opened her eyes; the sleighs were still flying past, for she could hear
the bells ringing so merrily.
“‘How much sweeter they sound,’ she cried. ‘They seem to be saying,
“Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!” I wonder why I didn’t notice it
before.’
“She ran down-stairs to find Mother busily wrapping packages. She
looked at Anna Belle and cried:
“‘Why, child, what makes your eyes so bright, and why do you look so
glad? I heard you saying all sorts of things as you slept.’
“‘Oh, Mother! If you only knew,’ and thereupon she told the whole
story of her dream, omitting the part about the bracelet. When she had
finished she drew her mother to the window, where together they gazed
at the Star.
“Mother’s eyes were full of tears, as she said gently, ‘Ring the bell,
dear.’
“The maid appeared, and Mother asked that John bring out the double
sleigh at once, adding:
“‘Then come to me; bring Annie also. We have work to do.’
“Wonderingly the maids followed to the attic and brought down many
boxes lying there, waiting for they knew not what.
“‘Help me to tie them up separately in white tissue paper. Use the
prettiest ribbons.’
“They worked busily, and soon a more Christmasy lot of bundles it would
be hard to find.
“They placed them in baskets, together with warm clothes, beautiful
dresses of Anna Belle’s that were hardly worn.
“Presently Anna Belle, Mother, and the baskets were packed in the big
sleigh, dashing down the street.
“One stop they made, at the candy store, then on they went.
“‘Do you think you can find Elsie, and the little lame girl, and the
house where the bottle dolls are?’
“‘I’m sure I can,’ replied Mother. ‘I happen to know them all.’
“And find them they did, and many others who were not in the dream.
“‘Oh, Mother! isn’t it sweet to do?’ cried Anna Belle, her bright eyes
shining up at the Star.
“‘It is, indeed, dear. I’m very glad you had the dream, for I fear I
also was forgetting the real meaning of Christmas and almost entirely
losing sight of the Star.’
“She held the child close till the joy ride was over, then kissed her,
saying:
“‘I don’t know when I have been so happy!’
“‘Nor I, Mother dear; and we owe it all to the Good Fairy.’
“‘We do, indeed. May she never cease to wave her starry wand. Good
night, my child, good night.’
“Soon Anna Belle slept, and as she slept the starlight beamed on her
sweet face, and presently it shone also on a golden circlet lying on
its velvet pillow on the dresser.
“The dream seemed really coming true, for there embedded in the gold
gleamed a starry jewel.
“When Anna Belle found it the next morning, she ran to Mother’s room
crying earnestly:
“‘Mother, _do_ you think the Fairy left it?’
“‘No doubt,’ replied Mother with twinkling eyes, ‘at least she must
have touched it with her wand, for you see she has left her messenger:
“‘and the Star is shining.’”
The story ended, the Sprite vanished, and in her place the light of a
beautiful star shed a halo about the little heads.
The tiny creatures sat spellbound, dreaming again with Anna Belle, till
they were suddenly awakened by Cinnamon Stick who cried:
“Well! Well! Wasn’t that a grand Christmas story! I almost felt as
though we too were flying fairies playing Santa Claus, but since we are
just plain mince pie elves playing school we better go on with our game.
TALES OF THE SALT AND PEPPER TWINS
“Now I am most anxious to hear from the black and white pair of twins.
Allow me to introduce Salt and Pepper, both of whom seem very necessary
in this world of ours.”
[Illustration: “I am used very extensively as an April Fool”]
Salt and Pepper now teetered forward. A cute little pair, indeed. Salt,
all robed in frosty white, first began, and saucily cried out her big
name of Sodium Chloride.
“I haven’t much to say except that I look so like sugar you can hardly
tell which is which. For that reason I am used very extensively as an
April Fool and am most popular on that day.
“I come principally from the United States, of which you all know
without my showing you; from Michigan, New York, Ohio, Louisiana, West
Virginia, California, Kansas, and Utah.
“Michigan and New York gave in 1888 about three quarters of all the
salt produced in the United States.
“The salt of California is made by evaporation of sea water. That of
Utah from water of Great Salt Lake.
“That found in Louisiana and Kansas comes by mining rock salt.
“I’ll give you a riddle. What is it that has to be in most everything
we eat, or else it isn’t good? I’ll answer because you couldn’t
possibly guess. It’s salt.
“You could hardly enjoy a meal without me. What would a table be
without the salt box? And as for birthday parties, they just couldn’t
have them if I vanished from the earth.”
“‘Tisn’t true,” cried Orange. “A party I was at once was almost ruined
because of you. You worked into the ice cream, and what’s a party
without ice cream? No one could eat it and the children cried!”
“That’s true,” said Salt. “I forgot to tell you that while a little of
me is most necessary, too much of a good thing is worse than nothing.
“Now my twin brother will tell you of himself.”
Black Pepper, dressed in a black velvet suit and cap, politely bowed as
he removed his hat.
“Kechoo! Kechoo!” sneezed the audience.
“Put your cap on quickly,” whispered Salt; “don’t you see you are
making them sneeze?”
“Oh, pardon me!” apologised Pepper. “I didn’t think that politeness
would cause such distress. My story is very short.
“I come from all damp tropical countries, and my tree is a joy to
behold, when hanging full of scarlet berries against the background of
green leaves. The spikes are gathered when the berries begin to turn
red. The berries are rubbed off and dried and form then the ordinary
black pepper.
“The white pepper consists of the seeds of the same fruit allowed to
ripen and deprived of their pulp. The white pepper finds its largest
market in China, which is right here.
“There is a plant of the genus Capsicum. From those pods come Cayenne
or red pepper.
“That’s all,” he cried, with a funny quick bow.
“Your stories are short, but you are both about as necessary an article
of food as I know of,” said Mr. Cinnamon Stick, “and now let us hear
from this apple-cheeked maid, all about her lovely fruit, the Apple.”
TALE OF THE APPLE DOLL
The Apple-faced Doll tripped forward in the greatest of haste.
“I shall sit while I talk,” she said, seating herself and smoothing out
her snowy apron. “I have a long story to tell which, I am sure, you
will all love.”
“A story! A story!” rippled through the audience, as the dolls crept
close to the speaker, and with clasped hands awaited this treat.
Little Allspice placed herself in the rosy-cheeked maiden’s lap, and a
pretty picture it was to see her upturned face in the golden gleam of
the dancing flames.
“Well,” began the maid with the jolly smile, “the apple is to be found
most everywhere in mild climates. It first came from Avella, a town in
Campania, right there.” As she spoke she pointed with a long pointer
standing near by, to a place in Italy.
“It was introduced into America from England in 1629 by the Governor of
Massachusetts Bay.
“There are many varieties of apples, sweet and sour, hard and soft,
eating and cooking apples.
“The cider in the mincemeat is made from the juice of the apples. They
are crushed in a cider mill and the juice is strained. Some apples
would delight a child’s heart with their beautiful colours of gold and
crimson, and some grow to an enormous size.
THE STORY OF JOHNNY APPLESEED
“And now for the story:
“Once there was a man who was very, very poor. He had been a farmer and
no one raised such fine crops as did he. By and by, in some way, he
lost his farm and was left all alone.
“He had always wanted to do some grand thing, something that would make
many people happy, but what could he do? He had no money. All he had
was a small boat.
“As he trudged along one day he saw some old sacks lying under a tree.
As he looked at them he had a splendid thought. A thought that seemed
to have wings and came flying from far away. Oh, it was a beautiful
thought, and seemed to be singing a little song in his heart as he
picked up the sacks and placed them in his boat, jumped in himself and
floated away.
“As he rowed down the stream the man watched the shore with keen eyes.
When he saw an apple orchard he rowed to land, tied his boat, hastened
to the homes near the orchards and asked for work.
“He cut wood, carried water, and did all sorts of odd chores. In
payment for this work he asked for food, and what else do you suppose?
“The people were so surprised at what he asked for they could hardly
believe him. He asked that he might have the seeds from the apples on
the ground under the trees—only the seeds.
“Of course they gladly gave him such a simple thing, and as he cut the
fruit the neighbour children swarmed about him.
“From one place to another he went, always adding to his store of seeds.
“Some generous farmers gave him also cuttings of peach, pear, and plum
trees, and grape vines.
“Day after day, day after day, he cut up the fruit, while the children
sat at his feet and listened to thrilling tales of what he had seen in
his travels. Of the Indians with their gay blankets and feathers, of
their camps where they lived in the forests.
“Of their dances and war paint; their many coloured, beaded necklaces
and jingling, silver chains and bracelets. Of their beady-eyed babies
strapped to boards.
“Of the wolves which came out at night to watch him as he sat by his
fire; of the beautiful deer who ran across his path.
“He sang funny songs for the children and taught them all sorts of
games.
[Illustration: “The children sat at his feet and listened to thrilling
tales”]
“When it came time to go on, they begged him to stay. Never before
had they been so amused, but on he went, and when his bags were full,
and he had a goodly store of food, he started on to carry out the
splendid thought. Oh, it was a grand thing he was going to do.
“The little boat went on and on, till houses were no more to be seen.
Splendid forests lined the banks here and there. Then he paused, for
this was what he was seeking—a place where no one lived.
“He landed and went about with a bag of seeds, and when he reached an
open place in a forest he planted seeds and cuttings of the trees and
vines; then wove a brush fence about them to keep the deer away. He
then hastened back to his boat and drifted on.
“In many, many places he landed and planted seeds, and all the orchards
of the Ohio and Mississippi Valley we owe to this man.
“Years after when settlers came looking for a place to live they chose
these spots where, to their great surprise, they found all sorts of
trees loaded with fruit.
“This man’s name was John Chapman, but he was nicknamed Johnny
Appleseed.
“The settlers were glad indeed when he appeared and told them the
orchards were the fruit of his labours, and they were all eager to
entertain him.
“And so he ended his life in this land of fruit and plenty.
“I must tell you a story of one certain little tree.
“In one of the houses of the settlement where Johnny Appleseed loved to
stay there lived a dear little boy, just a wee toddler, named Jack.
“Dearly did the child love to follow the old man about as he worked,
for Johnny Appleseed’s work was by no means finished when the trees
were bearing fruit.
“Those trees had to be pruned; that meant all the dead branches had to
be cut off. In the spring the blossoms had to be sprayed to keep the
bugs out of the cores of the fruit; the trunk had to be watched to see
that it was not marred in any way, as a small gash might mean the loss
of the tree in time.
“One day Johnny, with little Jack, went to the village post office, and
there found a letter and a package.
“It was the child’s birthday, and he was most interested in the small
parcel thinking it might be for him.
“‘Jack,’ cried Johnny after reading the letter, ‘what do you s’pose
is in it? Look!’ and he disclosed a mass of brown glossy seeds. ‘The
letter says they are from a wonderful new kind of apple. How would you
like an apple tree all your own for a birthday present?’
“‘Yeth,’ lisped Jack, ‘an apple tree all my own.’
“‘Then let’s pretend you are another Johnny Appleseed, starting an
orchard. Bring your cart.’
“Jack’s eyes shone at the word ‘pretend,’ for he dearly loved it, and
soon came drawing the little red cart, in which Johnny placed the
package of seeds.
“‘Now we’ll go and get a lunch,’ said the old man as they walked to the
kitchen door.
“Jack rapped on the door, and Mother appeared.
“‘If you please, Marm,’ said Johnny, ‘we are going on an expedition. We
have a birthday and we want to celebrate it, for we have a wonderful
gift. Some seeds which when planted will bring forth a very unusual
apple tree. May we have a lunch for this journey?’
“Mother’s eyes twinkled as she hastily placed in a small basket
sandwiches and gingerbread.
“Johnny thanked her and away they went. After what seemed quite a walk
for the small sturdy legs they halted in a grassy nook beside the brook.
“‘Here,’ said the old man, ‘is a grand place for your apple tree to
grow.’ And together they bored a hole in the rich earth.
“Jack knelt down and from his chubby hands dropped the beautiful brown
seeds. Then he kissed his tiny palm and waved it over the hole as he
cried:
“‘Good night, little seeds. Send me a little tree by and by when you
wake up. I’ll be waiting for it and will take good care of it.’
“They covered the seeds with the dark rich loam, then ate their lunch.
Presently Jack was thirsty, and the old man fashioned a cup from a
broad leaf and filled it at a near-by spring. Jack drank, and the
little seeds also drank.
“Then the old man built a picket fence about the spot so no harm could
come to it. As this was finished the bell on the corn barn told them
dinner was ready.
“‘Mudder,’ cried Jack, bursting in to the house, ‘we planted the seeds
and the tree will be my own. Isn’t that fine?’
“‘Fine, indeed! I never heard of a better birthday present. It will
last for years and years, and think of the fruit it will bear!’
“As the child ate he dreamed of the tree as it would be some day; full
of rosy apples, and he was very proud of that magic spot beside the
brook.
“Each day he ran out to look at it, and one morning he found the
ground above the seeds humped up just a little. Another day the earth
was cracked open, and soon after that to his great joy, he found a dear
little sprig peeping up at him as though crying, ‘Here I am! How do you
do?’
“He danced about shouting for joy, and each day after that, could
fairly see the little sprig turn into a tree.
“Johnny told him how the seeds sent tiny roots down into the earth and
pushed the stem up through the ground, and Jack could hardly leave the
spot which had now grown so dear.
“When the little tree was thirsty, the rain gave it drink. The kind
wind blew and blew, bringing fresh sweet air for it to breathe, and
with every whiff it seemed to swell.
“The spring sunshine warmed it down to its roots, and in time there
were twigs with leaf buds, which presently uncurled and opened wide.
“‘See!’ said Johnny, ‘as the wind blows them they look like baby hands
throwing kisses!’
“‘Yeth!’ cried Jack, ‘maybe they are the kitheth I planted.’
“‘To be sure,’ Johnny replied, and together they watched it grow day
after day, week after week, month after month.
“Jack’s next birthday found the little tree a picture to behold. The
trunk was sturdy, and on it there were many branches appearing here and
there.
“Jack was quite a boy by this time, and soon after his little dresses
were replaced by tiny trousers. His baby talk was no more, and he was
now old enough to help care for the little tree.
“He dug about its roots with his wee spade, and Johnny showed him how
to enrich the soil, and told him many things about the care of trees.
“It was so splendid to know that as the tree spread its branches in the
air, so it spread its roots under the ground, giving it such a firm
support the wind would have to be very strong indeed to blow it over.
“‘How does it drink?’ the boy asked one day.
“‘Oh, such a fine way. It is a story all by itself,’ replied Johnny.
‘At the end of each root there are wee spongy mouths. When the rain
comes they drink it and whisper “Run fast to the trunk.”
“‘As it rushes through the trunk, the trunk cries in a gruff voice,
“Run along to the branches.”
“‘The branches wave and in sweet tones cry, “Welcome, run along to
the twigs, they need you.” The twigs drink it and whisper, “Run along
to the stems; they are just waiting for you.” The stems send it out
to the tip end of the leaves as they wildly wave and laugh aloud
over their sweet gift, for this water in the tree is sweet food that
nourishes every part and is called sap.’
“This was a fine story, and every time it rained Jack watched the
little tree, and thought he could almost hear the voices sending the
moisture on and on.
“As time passed the tree became stronger and larger, and finally one
spring day when Jack was quite a big boy he found buds on the branches.
“‘Buds!’ he called in great excitement, and real buds they were, which
the whole family came out to admire.
“The buds blossomed, and as the petals snowed down the air was sweet
with their fragrance.
[Illustration: “They looked like a lot of gnomes dressed for a party”]
“When Jack found baby apples on his tree he wanted to celebrate, and
Mother told him that when they were ripe he could invite his friends
and have an apple party.
“An apple party! That would be something new, and he hastened to tell
the good news at school.
“‘They are wonderful apples,’ he said. ‘No one in this part of the
country has any like them. I tell you we’ll have the fun at that party.
They are turning crimson; you never saw such a pretty apple tree!’
“A pretty tree it was indeed, and looked just like a Christmas tree all
dressed up.
“One day Johnny pronounced the fruit ripe and ready to eat.
“‘Hurrah! To-morrow we can have the party,’ cried Jack, tossing his cap
into the air.
“Now the fun began. Mother baked all sorts of goodies, and the little
home was made spick-and-span; even the door yard was swept for this
occasion.
“The day dawned sweet and clear. After breakfast Jack ran out to take
one look at his beloved tree, but alas! What do you s’pose?
“‘What!’ cried the audience in one breath.
“A cow had broken into the orchard, tramped the fence down, and was
feasting on the rosy fruit! A few branches were broken, and a sorry
sight it was, to be sure.
“Jack shrieked and threw himself on the ground sobbing:
“‘My dear little tree I planted with my own baby hands! I loved it so!
Now it is ruined!’
“Johnny Appleseed heard the wail and hastened to the scene.
“‘It isn’t ruined, Jack; it can be made almost as good as new. See!’
He skilfully cut the broken branches, covered the wounded spots with a
paste made of clay, talking the while to the little tree as though it
were a person whose wounds he was binding up so carefully.