The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-02-24

! been an example to all the world.
Surely they would not disgrace the
town by continuing in their wicked
ways? But, alas, the curse was on
them; they would not listen The
mothers awaited in fear and trembling
the mayors awful decree.
Next morning their suspense was
ended. Little pages In blue and silver
ran about the town carrying the may
ors proclamation and blowing their
trumpets:
"Oyez! Oyez, All We wicked children
of Moralia. The most mighty and hon
Orable mayor Of Moralia on the Good.
land river decrees<that there shall be
no Christmas for the next five years."
| AT first the children seemed amazed,
bat soon theilAmothers saw them plot.
ting and plant ling to escape the pun.
ishment. They had tree cut down
and taken to the town playroOm. Then
| they began to trim 1t: but 10! as soon
| as they touched 1t back the tree
jumped with a grim chuckle. The
children were terrified, and things be-
gan to look gloomy, indeed The next
day, instead OF being Christmas and
| tomorrow. would be the day after to-
morrow. for the mayor had locked up
| the Christmas in the Town hall safe.
| What should they do?
At last. when twilight was deepen.
ing. they sent their mothers to the
Town hall to plead for them. The
mayor, who was really kind hearted.
though vain. was filled with pity at
sight OF their tear stained faces. He
tried to consider a means Of removing
the punishment without sacrificing his
dignity. At last he hit upon one III
any child" said he. "can find in the
Annals of the Children Of Moralia' an
account Of one naughty action. will
remove the punishment"
AS soon as the children heard the
news away they rushed to the town II.
brary and seized the Annals" Each
was to read until she fell asleep when
the next would take her place, and 50
on. There were nine billion and thlr-
teen pages. When the first fifty pag-
es, all about the goodness OF little
Patience Primface. were waded
through the first little head nodded.
and the next child continued. Thus
the task went on When the last boys
turn came, only one-millionth Of the
book had been read His voice grew
lower and lower. brewster and drow.
sier, ending in a snore heard only by
the mice behind the Town hall clock.
And the Christmas Sta lay In the
Town hall safe!
When they awoke the sun was
peeping through the window bars; but
it was not Christmas day, It was only
the day after Christmas. and they
went home sorrowfully.
Thus a whole year passed by. Now.
the mayor had decreed that search in
the library could take place only on
Christmas eve. And now the next
Neutrality-suspicious. was COM
ing. They must not lose this also! So
Christmas eve they want to the Town
hall, took down the Annals" and be-
gan again. One by one they fell
asleep. all but Gertrude. the naughtt-
est girl in MOralia. She must succeed,
for it was mainly her fault that they
had been punished. So she read on,
glancing at the title Of each page. She
read through ninety million and three
pages When she turned she found
two leaves stuck together. Her heart
beat violently, and with trembling I'm
gers she tore them apart. There on
the ninety million and sixth page.
heavy black margin caught her eye.
She began to read; the tale was Of
naughty little Priscilla. who. when her
mother had sent her to bed at 8
O'Clock had stamped her foot and re-
fused to go!
Quick as a flash Gertrude awakened
the others. seized the book. and away
they all rushed to the mayors bed
room door. They broke it in. pulled
the mayor out Of bed and poured cold
water down his neck to awaken him.
At first he was wrathful. but on hear
ing their tale he rushed to the safe as
fast as his weight would allow. un-
locked it. took out both Of the Christ
masses and handed them to the chill
dren, who kissed him joyfully.
So that year they had double
Christmas. and it was the very mer-
REST that had ever been known In all
the history Of Moralia-on-the- Goodland
river. Sidonia Deutsch. in the New
York Tribune.