The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-12-25

1t was the cold. bleak, December
night before Christmas when the wind
howled and the snow fell outside the
coy cottage where the little mother
had hung her babies stockings. Santa
Claus had come and gone, and with.
out the knowledge Of anyone. save a
wee little mouse. Mr.. Tip Top. for
that was his namo, had been fright
ened ar first, when this strange per
sonage of Santa Claus began prowl.
ing about, but now his fright had pass
cd away, and he was gailyy dancing
about the room with the sheer joy of
Yuletide
Just then a bright beaming little
face looked in at the window and smil
ed at the antics of Mr.. TIP Top in q
very friendly manner.
You're quite happy 1 see." he re-
marked. Just finished your Christ
mas meal In the pantry, | suppose?'
Yes" replied the mouse mcrrily
with a leap that placed his active
little self on the window sill. IL fin
ished that long ago I've just been
Dractlcing my minuet here in the light
of your smile. You see our ball starts
the next time the clock strikes. and
l must be limbered up enough TO dance
we'll"
"Sakes alive" chuckled the little
moonbeam, Il must say you belong to
n merry crowd indeed But where is
this dance going to be, may ask?'
''On the top OF Mis-. Browns carmel
cake, sir answered the mouse
promptly. we always have glorious
times. especially when You peep IN
once in while. You make everything
shine SO nice, and besides We then
can see the edge of our ballroom bet
ter, so We don't fall on
"Dear me-" was the laughing an
swer. "of all the queer balls I've ever
seen or heard Of this is certainly the
queerest. l wonder what old King Ar
thur would think of dancing on car
mel cake Mr.. Tennyson would slide
right on it. and old King Cole would
put hole clear through the middle
of it,"
Al this the moonboam and the
mouse laughed until the tears came.
But, I'm afraid my dear little
friend" said the moonbeam. you
haven't the right spirit for Christmas
time You know Christmas should
be holy and sacred, as we'll as joyful.
have learned quite a lesson during
my travels through the Holy Land and
such places"
Then bis face became quite serious.
and he smiled in such a sad. sweet
sort Of way. that the mouse at once
stopped his anticsh and, becoming
Interested, said.
Tell me about it," Then he nest
led up on a soft bunch OF cotton in
front OF the open FIRE.
We'll, Mr. Tip Top" sighed the lit
tie moonbeam. I'm afraid you are
asking for quite lengthy story. but
am willing to tell you If you are
willing to listen. and | Will make it
as brief as possible. il has been quite
a long time since I first became in
terested In Christmas and that was
one evening about two thousand years
ago tonight.
"It was about midnight, when
peeped through the little window Of
All old stable, and saw there in man
ger most beautiful sight A tiny,
golden-halred baby was lying in the
straw A brilliant halo of light en-
circled His head. and lovely white
angels sang Him into SUNDERLAND
Once, while | was watching Him, He
caught my earnest gaze. and seemed
! TO smile at me, and such a heavenly
babyssmile as 1t was, | shall never
forget 1t
After awhile. | passed on and
| did not see Him again for sometime,
until ] put myself In the road, in or
der to light the way for some weary
, traveller. This traveller was a man who
was leading an ass towards the gates
Of Egypt. Upon the ass back sat Il
woman, and In her arms was a baby,
whom / recognized to be the same
! child ! had seen some months before
| was so delighted at seeing Him
again. that / lowered about Him all
! the rest OF the night
"Time went on. and 1t was years
before | saw this sweetfaced child
again; but. one evening, | peeped into
| a room in the temple at Jerusalem
and there He stood I was so beside
| myself with JOY. that / spread my
! light about Him. and through this
had the pleasure Of displaying His ce-
| lcstial beauty. The grey-haired doc
| tors and lawyers sat around Him, and
no doubt saw and wondered at His
I holy manner He now was no longer
the baby. but the handsome youth Of
l twelve. and ! gazed at Him. until He
was borne away by His sweet faced
mother, and stern. but loving father.
"I saw Him frequently in the next
few years, and took delight in fol-
! lowing Him about. and I loved Him
! for every kindly deed II was I who
lighted His path across the mighty
Sea OF Galilee, and it was who show
| ed Him the way to the many homes
OF the sick and blind II was | who
shone silently through the dingy win
dow during the Last Supper- and