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It was the funniest thing! Though fine supper and plenty of it when the little Molly Cottontail didn’t think so; l entertainment was over. Indeed, she was pretty nigh scared out' That touched Flattail’s heart, for of a year's growth. But there, we’dlncxt to taking his ease he loved no- ‘better commence at the very beglnâ€" thing better than a good meal; so he hing. lost no time in getting the Hopovers I It was the night before Christmas and the Cottontails to the schoolhouse. find of course you know what that‘i It was such a cunning little place, all means; mysterious whisperings andlalight, and just buzzing with the iding of knobby bundlesâ€"and every- voices of bunny folks. And there was g. And Molly Cottontail and all a tree, festooned With strings of red er folks, and Aunty and Uncle Hop. and white pop-corn and hung with vet and all the little Hopoversâ€" gingerbread men and candy canes. It; was the snappiest kind of a cold pight and the snow was just right for Isleighing. So Uncle Hopover bundled them into his sleighâ€"and a good big one it was. The old-fashioned kindâ€" with bells that tinkled beautifully. It held all the Hopover folks and all the Cottontail folks; also dear old Granny Wobblenose. 'dressed in their bestâ€"were going to 9 Christmas entertainment, to be I aid in the tiny red schoolhouse at ‘the extreme end of Bunny Hollow. Uncle Hopover hired Flattail Bea- ver to pull the sleigh, but he had an awful time doing it, for Flattail was very lazy. And he would make no promise until Aunty Hopover and Ma Cottontail told him he should have a How Molly Cettomail Saw Santa Claus BY THE NYCES. After they had all greeted one an- other with “Merry Christmas." and “Same to you,” and said how beauti- ful everything looked and what a 4 smart man teacher was to plan it all, they sat on the tiny benches until the schoolmaster (his name was Eben Comtassel) stepped to the platform and announced that Molly Cottontail and Johnny Hopover would give a dialogue. That touched Flattail's heart, for next to taking his ease he loved no- thing better than a good meal; so he lost no time in getting the Hopovers and the Cottontails to the schoolhouse. It was such a cunning little place, all alight, and just buzzing with the voices of bunny folks. And there was a tree, festooned with strings of red and white pop-corn and hung with gingerbread men and candy canes. Johnny was very shy and scarce talked above a whisper, while Molly thought more of her new dress than she did of her dialogue. The dress was bright red and Granny Wobble- nose had made it her very own self. One after another the bunnies re- cited their pieces to the pride of the The Man of the Hour grown-ups; then Daddy Tax-foot was called on to dance a hoe-down; nextl came games. Let's seeâ€"they played‘ “Blind Man’s Buff” and “Puss in thej Corner,” almost running down the ladies who were placing the most de- licious supper on the table. But no one minded; the grown folk‘s said they couldn’t scold the children on Christ- mas Eve. I Flattail Beaver said he really en- joyed the supper more than anything else. And after everything had been cleared away Eben Corntassel disap- pearedâ€"~and Santa Claus appeared on the platform, and distributed presents, and stockings made of white tarleton, filled with candy. Flattail Beaver re- “Well,” exclaimed Ma Cottontail, “I’ll be glad to leave. Not that I didn’t enjoy itLthe entertainment was lovely and a great credit to the teach- er; but I’ve lots of things to do before Santa comes to our house. Luckily} the bunnies hung their stockings be-' fore we left home," she laughed. I were sitting close to the fire talking to Daddy Tarfoot and Daddy Long- ears, about who raised the biggest crops. ceived two stockingsâ€"one for his wife herself. And Ma and Pa and Apnty and one for himself. “I’m mighty glad Hopover and the sleighâ€"all disap- I came,” he said. peared and left her quite alonei So she hunted up Uncle Hopover and Pa Cottontail to tell them it was time to make tracks for home. They “Goodness me!" Uncle Hopover said, “I didn’t know it was that lateâ€"if We want to get home ahead of Snn‘va we’d better hurry." Then the Hopover bunnies and the Cottontail bunnies were bundled into the sleigh; Flattail called, “Are you ready?” and away he pelted. Molly was in the back part and she soon fell asleep and dreamed she was playing blind man’s bufl’. All at once the sleigh lurched round a fence cor- ner. and Molly gave a leap right into a huge jimson weed, and there she hung, by her warm woozy coat, to a great prickly bur. Poor little Molly! She wriggled and she twisted and she squeaked. But no one heard her and she couldn’t lose She wasn’t left alone many minutes though, for to her great joy another sleigh came flying swiftly along, much more swiftly than Flattail pulled them all to the schoolhouse. It was drawn by eight reindeer and driven byâ€" whom do you think? Why, no other than Santa himself. And he lurched round the very same fence corner! Dancer and Prancer were in the lead and in their haste they pretty nearly stumbled. So Santa had them rest for a moment. “Squeak, squeak, SQUEAK!" came from the jimson weed. Meaning: “Oh, Santa, please help me!" The snow was falling fast, And the lights were dim and low, When a small child wandered up and down ‘ And had nowhere to go. He saw a house illumined And children merry and gay, But when He knocked and waited He was told to go away. To-night was Christmas Eve, And most every one was gay. People were hurrying to and fro With gifts for Christmas Day. So He wandered on, A small and lonely child. Then He looked in a window and saw A mother and children, sweet and mild. To let the poor child in. He was very cold and chilly, For his clothing was torn and thin. This mother was reading her Bible To her children bright and fair, When she went to look for the boy, Behold, He was not there. The mother said: “My dears, That boy so sweet and mild Is not a little wanderer, But the little Christ Child." So if you are good and kind, Live a good and noble life, You will receive a grand reward From our Saviour, Jesus Christ. So when you pass from this world 02 ours, If you have been good and true, You will find in the Golden City The gate standing open for you. â€"Annie Wilson Podger. Molly was so thankful~and she wasn’t one bit afraid of Santa. No, indeed; she told him exactly how it happened. And Santa said: “Never mindâ€"I’ll have you home in a jiffy; but first I must stop at Sammy Slow’s houseâ€"it’s right on my way." The “That sounds like some one in trou- ble!” exclaimed Santa Claus; and he pulled up close to the fence. “If it‘isn’t Molly Cottontaill and fastened to a big burâ€"why you poor little thing; little more’n you’d be frozen to death." “Do you?” exclaimed Santa With‘ a twinkle. “Then you know a dear lit- tle boy”â€"and the words were scarce out of his mouth when they were on the roof of Sammy’s house and in a moment down, down the chimney they slidâ€"Molly in the pocket of Santa’s bis: warm coat. When they reached the home of the Cottontails, they found everything in confusion. Granny Wobblenose was sure Molly had fallen asleep in the schoolhouse and been left behind. Ma Cottontail was almost indignant at dear Granny, and she said: “Indeed Molly was not left at the school-house â€"I counted all my bunnies before I left the building.” “Dear me!" exclaimed Ma. “Here’s Santa, and Molly not in bed.” And she rushed her inside and Pa ran to the woodpile for a few sticks to warm things up a bit. And when they re- turned to thank Santa, they found him goneâ€"quite out of sight; but he had tucked candies and all kinds of cun- ning little presents inside their door. Then they heard his voiceâ€"way off in the distance: “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night." Of course Sammy Slow was in bed â€"â€"but Tabitha Tabbycat was not and she was well acquainted with Molly Cottontail, and brought her a cup of nice warm milk, to take off the chill. Anyway Granny tucked all the bun- nies into their li-ttle beds, and Pa and Ma had donned their warm wraps and rubber boots, and were just about to start in search of Molly when Santa Claus pulled up at the door. They could hardly believe their eyes when he took her out of his pocket and set her down beside them. “Oh!” exclaimed Molly, “we know Slow and we love him dearly." {e knocked Until He Children, : Go see w] children let the vas very mother her ch' 1 she w The Christ Child. ed at the dol [e heard the , some one who it is, I 'en came ;he poor ary cold : clothing door is kn pray ) the .r and waited mother say: 5 knocking; ,orri and thin. g her Bible : and fair, for the boy.