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Show AY MARY CKAH4NtBQMER TREE AND STOCKINGS. "I am getting so excited I can hardly wail," said I lie Christmas tree. "The daddy of the children brought me to the house because he said it would be a great help to Santa Clans to have me all ready. All ready! And for what? That's what I can hardly wait to see. "I know Sanla Claus will give me the most beautiful of decorations, for I've often heard my family talk of the wonderful Christmas trees there have been. Ah, how handsome many of my relations have looked, and I can hardly hard-ly wait until Santa Claus comes to see me." "You're not any more excited than we are," said three stockings which hung up by the side of the mantle-piece. mantle-piece. "I belong to Dot, age four," said the white stocking. "I am hanging up for Jimmle, age . eight," said the tan stocking. "And I am for Betty, age six," said the black stocking. "I'm for all of them," said the Christmas Christ-mas tree. "That's so," agreed the stockings. "But even if we're not for all of them, but each stocking for one child, we're Just as excited as we can be." "Have you ever been here before?" asked the tree. "Yes, we're used every Christmas. We're kept just for Christmas. That's all we do all the year. We're put up on Christmas eve, and down we come on Christmas morning, but between Christmas eve and Christmas morning the most wonderful things happen ! Ah!" and the stockings waved a little as they talked of their evening and morning of pleasure. "It's far better than being around all the time and getting worn out. We're very fortunate stockings !" "You are indeed," said the Christmas tree. "But for my part I am willing to be around for one season of the year and to have a glorious time then. Oh dear, I am so excited ! I can hardly wait !" "Patience, dear tree," said the stockings. stock-ings. "Santa Claus will soon be here." "You don't think he's lost his way," said the tree. "I never heard of his losing his way from any of my relations. rela-tions. But perhaps he might have forgotten for-gotten about this house." "Forgotten ! Santa Claus forget a house where there are children ! Dear me, tree, but you don't know Santa Claus. He never, never forgets ! He's Santa Claus and that's enough reason." rea-son." "You talk just like my relations who've been Christmas trees. We've heard their stories from the wind who whispers It to the pine needles, the pine trees, fir trees, spruce trees and pine cones." "They know," said the stockings. "But listen !" A sound was heard coming down the chimney and over the roof they heard i -TP "Hello; You're a Beauty. the sound of hoofs. "The reindeer are above !" said the stockings. "Santa Claus Is coming now." There was a sound of sleigh-bells and another strange sound in the chimney. And while the tree was trying to stand very straight, and the stockings stock-ings trying to hang very gracefully and as Christmas stockings should, down into the room came Santa Claus ! "Hello, you're a beauty," said Santa Claus ns he looked at the tall green tree, so dark and handsome. The tree shivered a little with delight. Its branches bowed slightly too, for they were trying to say: "Thank you, Santa Claus." "And here are the stockings," said Santa Claus. "Well, I must start right in. Everything's Every-thing's in readiness for me. Seems to me these -are the same three stockings of the same three children I've known for some time." And the stockings moved a little ns they hung down, because be-cause they were so pleased that Santa remembered them. "But though the stockings are the same, the three kiddies kid-dies are each a year older! They must not be forgotten." And the tree remembered that the stockings had said that Santa Claus never forget I |