Part 4
“‘Dear! Dear! Why doesn’t some one know about it?’ asked Anna Belle tearfully.
“‘Some one does know now,’ replied the Fairy with a wise nod as they floated on.
“‘I hope they’ll do something then,’ said Anna Belle.
“‘I hope so,’ whispered the Fairy. ‘Look in here,’ and Anna Belle peered in a window.
“Here a child of perhaps twelve or fourteen was seated at a table, working busily. Anna Belle watched to see her making paper dolls. She cut them out, painted faces and hair, then made a number of cunning dresses, coats and hats, placed them in envelopes and marked the outside.
“They watched till she had three ready, then slipped them into the stockings, hanging waiting.
“The love light in her eyes was sweet to behold and as she stood over the lamp to put it out, Anna Belle noticed the rare delicate beauty of her face.
“When all was dark the Fairy moved on.
“‘She didn’t even hang up her own stocking,’ said Anna Belle.
“‘No one to fill it. She mothers those three little ones, and it’s all she can do to make things go, but did you ever see any one look happier? See the card on this door knob?’
“Anna Belle paused to read:
“Dear Santa—Please bring me a sleeping doll. Even if you can’t spare one, if you would just let me hold one a moment and sing it to sleep once I will be glad. I am a good girl.
“ELSIE.”
“‘See her! Isn’t she dear?’ cried Anna Belle, as she peeped in the window to see a beautiful plump little girl fast asleep.
“‘She looks like a sleeping doll herself. Will she get the doll, do you think?’
“‘I hope so. It all depends,’ said the Fairy.
“They floated along for some time, and presently went down to hover over some children looking in the window of a toy store.
“Wistful little faces they had, and their clothes told Anna Belle they must get their fun out of just looking.
“Farther on in front of the candy store huddled a shabby crowd, gazing at the sparkling goodies.
“‘Come away, please, I don’t want to see any more. Surely they aren’t happy,’ cried Anna Belle.
“‘They are as happy as they can be. Each one of them had a penny in a tightly closed fist, wondering what to buy to take home and put in an empty stocking.
“‘Let’s stop here a moment,’ whispered the Fairy, poising on the top of a Christmas tree in front of a big store.
“Anna Belle, standing beside her, noticed that as she held on high her wand the star shone out so bright and beautiful the people below paused and gazed in wonder. The happy faces beamed even brighter and the unhappy ones changed instantly.
“‘What does it mean?’ whispered one and another, while one little girl cried:
“‘Why, Mother, it’s _the_ Star. Don’t you know?’
“‘Yes,’ whispered the mother, clasping more closely the little hand and passing on.
“‘What made the cross ones look so glad, and the happy ones look more so?’ asked Anna Belle, as she watched the throngs below.
“‘Don’t you know really?’ asked the Fairy.
“Anna Belle pondered a while, then looked at the sky to see it thickly dotted with stars, and saw that One shone more brightly than any of the others. She then turned to look at the star on the end of the wand, but behold, it had vanished.
“‘Where is it?’ she asked in surprise.
“‘It came down and did its work and then went back where it belongs,’ replied the Fairy with a roguish twinkle, and Anna Belle stared for a moment at the splendid bright star, then said softly:
“‘I understand it now, and why it could do it, but I had forgotten what Christmas really means.
“‘For a long time it has seemed to mean only things. Gifts, and not only gifts, but certain kinds of gifts.
“‘Oh!’ she said wistfully, ‘I wish I could do something to help. Was 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.
“‘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.”
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.
“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?’