The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-21

" and very slowly behind the bear.
IN order to be concealed by his great
body, Myron saw a sight beyond that
amazed him. There sat Bessie in the
midst of a great circle Of stone ani-
mails like a queen on her throne and
with cold, CLASSY eyes staring at the
senseless creatures.
It was about 10 O'Clock at night that
they found the moon creepers, thou
sands Of them growing at the edge OF
the forest, and they gathered enough,
You may be sure, to cure a dozen Bes-
sic Then they built another IRE and
slept beside IT. The sun rose in a
clear sky, and they soon started 10
rescue the unfortunate girl Mr. Gran
lit took half of the berries, for he had
determined, also, TO make the hazard
Gus attempt TO rub her eyes If MyrOn
failed, so you may see how complete
" changed his nature had become.
CHANGING up as he wondered how he
could avoid Bessie's balefuf glances,
Myron was dazzled by the bright sun
shine, and, placing his hand in his
pocket to see If his berries were safe, a
brilliant idea flashed into his mind, an
idea so brilliant that it dazzled him
more than the sunshine itself, and he
smiled happily. for he had solved the
problem
The Merriest Christmas.
This is how he bafled Bessie and
accomplished the feat of approaching
her and rubbing the magic berries up
on her eyes. Stealing up close to the
wide clearing, in the middle of which
she sat, he took the water SpTite's hand
mirror, and, holding it so that the
suns rays fell on it he cast the dazz-
ling reflection straight into his sis
ter's eyes. She winked and blinked,
turned her head this way and that, To
avoid the glare, but she never sus-
pected from where il came, and as he
stole slowly up to her, keeping her COM
pletely blinded all the time, she at
last covered her face with her hands.
Then he stood at her side, for the deep
snow had made his approach noise
less, and with a quick jump he spranS
behind her, seized her head, and before
she could turn TO see what had caught
her he hastily rubbed the moon Der
ries all over her eyes and face until
she looked Ike an exploded jar of
raspberry JAM She shrieked once and
then cried: "Oh, Myroni Where am
II What are you doing, you naughty
boy?'' for, coming out of her terrible
condition, she did not remember what
she had been nor know where she
was Myron laughed gleefulIy and
lifted her down from the rock. Then
they told her all about her sad plight,
and when she saw all Of the stone ami
mails she cried; "Oh, how pitifuli Can't
we restore them to life. I can't bear to
think that I've been so crueI!"
Just then the owl flew down and said:
Sprinkle the berries upon them, and
they'll all revive at once"
So Bessie sprinkled them every one
with the magic berries, and in a few
minutes the forest was alive with joy
full animals. from bears TO mOles. frisk-
ing around in the snow, and Bessie
was happier than she had ever been.
When she learned that it was Christ
mas day, for the owl announced il at
once, nothing would satisfy her but
Christmas tree for all Of the restored
animals, but the owl soon showed her
that there were so many of them that
all the trees il the wood would be in
sufficient Go home" said he and
you viii find a tree that win make you
jump. for all the children in Wishville
have sent you things and there's
scarcely room in the house for one to
turn around in Hurry up now or It
viii be afternoon before you get there
All the animals escorted them to the
road. and there they hOwled a grand
farewell, which made Bessie weep
When she got home, however, and saw
all the marvellous things from Wish
vile she cried for JOY and wanted 10
go to that land of bliss at once, but
Myron assured her il was far nicer to
have all these things at home. and he
knew all about it. That was the jolIi-
est Christmas they had ever seen, for
when they had grown tired with exam
lining new toys, they sat in the window
and threw moon berries upon the peO-
pie who passed, and every one who was
touched by a berry went Immediately
and bought lots of things for poor chill
dren, so that there never was heard so
much laughing and rejoicing in the
town before. and TO this day the people
refer to il as the ''merriest Christmas
WALT MDOUGALL.