The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-03-07
81 old JESSIES CHRISTMAS.
By ANNA HARRIS SMITH.

them and they were listening with
Great interest. She was saying:
"Our Christmas collection Is much
larger than it was last year. We had
a tree. a little feast and good time
tbon and we can do 1t on the same
amount this year. You have chance
N vote what we will do with the ten
dollars we have left. Who will make
a motion?
There was silence fer minute, then
one of the girls said, 1--WE might buy
coal for some poor woman"
"Do you know of any one who needs
II in our village?' asked the teacher
NO." was the reply, "but l thought
you might" -, -
Miss Martin replied, 81 do know OF
several families who need fuel, but
know of six men who have offered our
charity club enough money to buy all
the fuel needed, and other kind men
and women have offered -four and
clothing for the poor families we have
about here who need help"
"What do you think we would bet
ter do with the money!" asked one OF
the boys. 1--WE might give books to
the library or send it to some city
charity, but it seems more like Christ
mas to make some one have good
time with 1t around here"
Miss Martin looked at her little
school without speaking for a moment,
then she said, There Is an old
Christmas story children, that you all
know. 1t is the story Of what is call
ed through the Christian world the
first Christmas, and that Christmas
was celebrated in a stable among the
cattle. Do you not all know these
lines of that beautiful old hymn:
/. Cold on his cradle the dewdrops are
shining,
Low lies his head with the beasts Of
the stalp?
Yet how few of us ever think to make
these lowly friends Of our happier on
Christmas day. Who of you has tried
to share a little of the Christmas joy
with your useful, faithful friends, the
horse, the dog, the cat?"
Four hands went up, and Miss Mar
tin called on Mary Prentiss first. Mary
said:
81 always have something on the
tree for my cat Flossy. Last Christ
mas she had a new cushion to lie on
and bag Of catnip."
Mary's brother Tom was called on
next and he said, II gave my dog Rol-
10 hard rubber ball last year and
an extra good dinner"
Then Robert Graves spoke: Papa
let me give our horse Fanny an extra
feed and a new blanket.
II was now Alice Maynards turn.
I'VE always give, our animals little
feast and some presents they can play
with" she said. We had great fun
last year with a little toy that we
could wind up, and the cat and dog
both chased 1t and played with it"
II am glad TO hear this" said Miss
Martin, for now l am sure of some
help In my plan for Christmas. am
going to ask you to help make 9 poor
suffering animal happy on Christmas
day. l will tell you my plan. Per-
haps some of you have noticed lately
an old, wretched looking horse that
rag and junk peddler drives through
the village to the city every day"
Nearly dozen hands went up and
voices broke out in excited tones: 81
have seen him." "And l." 80 have
l."
Il see this man every afternoon after
go home from here" Miss Martin
said, and | spoke to him once about
MS horse. He answered me very I'M
pleasantly and said, My horse is all
right | feed her, but she is one of the
poor kind. You can't prove that ]
DON'T feed her. Then | sent COM
PLANT to the agent Of the society In
The city, but he wrote that If the horse
was able to work at all he couldn't
Jake poor mans horse away from
nim. The poor old creature looks
tninner and weaker every day. Some
nights she can hardly crawl along, and
ner master always has whip in his
nand. Yesterday she seemed very
,ame. Now what do you say to buy
ing this horse and giving her a happy
Christmas?"
oh. let US do IT," cried the children
almost as one voice.
:. "A kind farmer has offered TO keep
the horse for us until we decide what
is best to do for her. When the ped
oier drives home the day before ChrHt-
mas. Mr.. Prentiss will call him iEo