The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-22
A souirrel Christmas Story.

~ AK SQUIRREL sat on limb of his home-tree and looked about
 over a white-c clad world. It was | D early morning, and the sun was just warming the air a bit. A heavy snow had fallen the night before and the inhabitants of Squirrel World had remained closely indoors, for they did not particularly care about very cold weather. But the bright sun had call ed forth Master. Jax Squirrel, the stingiest fellow in the grove, squirrel who had few friends because of his selfishness and penuriousness. But so long as he had had plenty all his long life, he had not cared much whether or not his brother and sister squirrels liked him.
 q eat my fill every day." said Jax to himself frequently, "and have the snuggest nest in the finest tree in for themselves"
 But on this bright Christmas Eve, the sun coming over the hill with a warm touch and a genial smile. Jax began to have strange qualms of conscience. There in a neighboring tree, was old Madam Gray Squirrel with her two young ones, and all shungry. During the fall when the ground was covered with nuts and all Squirreldom was busy putting up win ter stores, Madam Gray Squirrel had met with very terrible accident. A hunter had wounded her, shooting her though one of her front paws, and thus disabling her for a very long time. So Madam was not able :. f.-4< ..,d her little ones were too young and inexperienced to do 1t for her. To be sure, there were good neighbors who did help her as much as they could, but they had their own work to do. consequently, they did not put in half enough nuts for Madam's win ter's consumption. Master Jax had been invited to contribute a few days work toward laying In store of nuts for Madam. but being selfish, he re- fused. So Madam Gray Squirrel soon found herself short of food, and her little ones crying for more nuts at every meal. Being situated so near to the Gray Squirrels tree, Jax knew all this: but so long as his own stom- ach had been comfortably filled he had not cared about his neighbours distress.
 But day-or rather a morning ~had dawned to find Jax bit con characterization. He began to look in- ward, and to see how selfish and mean he had been. How could he continue to feed plentifully when his - poor neighbor and her children were hungry half the time? And Madam Gray had not entirely recovered from her wound, and when the snow was thick on the ground it pained her poor hurt paw to dig in it for food. She had been out on the previous evening, digging away hunting for some tasty root or stray nut for her little ones, for If she did not replen- ish her pantry soon, she would awake some morning to find. like old Mother Hubbard. a bare cupboard,
 During the time that Madam was vainly hunting in the snow for a breakfast for her little ones, Master Jax sat on his limb watching her. And without a qualnI he had seen her go emptyhanded back into her house. But, oh, what different feel ing he had on the following morningi , As the bright sun warmed him hfs conscience stung him. He could hear the Gray Squirrel children crying for nuts. And he-Jax-had a tree full of them. Oh, how could he digest a breakfast when his neighbors were hungry?
 "I'll go down to the brook and see if the water Is frozen" unused Jax