Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-14
Il Queer Lille Santa
Claus

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I'm going to have some Christina
if have to make it myself, mother,
cried Mamie.
4 Mamie had lived ten years and i
each year there had been Christina
with a tree or stockings in it.
wasn't any use telling her you coul
get through year with no Christina
whatever. She knew you couldn't.
!! Mother smiled at her.
"All right, DEAR she said. ''Bu
you'll have to make it out of nothing
haven't any money.
Guess can have Christina
without any old money" cried Mamie
when there's popcorn to begin on"
But that very night, when Nanni,
went to the attic to get the popcorn
there were only three ears left. l
had all been used for Ben's party Hal
loween. They had called it a pop
corn party, because there WASH
much else, and they'd had the bes
time, doing all sorts of things with 1t
Now there wasn't even popcorn
Ben had been sick. Then Mamie hat
been sick Now mother was sick
And there were doctors bills, and 20,
have to eat and keep warm and hav'
some clothes.
1--WE got three ears cried Mamie
Ben came in just then, and wanted t
know where she got an extra ear
And by the time Mamie had ex
planned that she meant popcorn ears
not ears to hear with, everyone wa.
laughing.
And did you ever notice how mucl
laughing about them? II not jus
try it and see.
Were going to have some Christ
mas" Mamie told Ben later, "even Il
it's only the leastest bit"
wish l could write that story,
said Ben, gloomily. "Td get five dol
lars, maybe
: 81 wish you could" said Mamie
Old Mrs. Thorn had offered prize o.
five dollars for the best story. writer
in Ben's grade at school. BUTT must
be about an animal. and 1t must be 9
Christmas story. and it must be true
and it wasn't an easy thing to do.
Next morning. Mamie began hel
Christmasing. She went alone into
the woods and cut down a small tree
1t was very small. But she fastened
it up securely on a little stand in the
parlor. Then she hunted up some
scraps Of bright paper, and made pref
ty things to hang on it-silver stars
and golden bells, and red and blue
and green balls. And she found the
odds and ends of candles left from
last years tree and cut them all the
same length and put them ON the lit
tie branches. And then she shelled
the corn and popped it carefully and
strung it and draped 1t prettily on the
green boughs.
who said couldn't have some
Christmas"' she said.
The tree stood all alone in the little
parlor. Next morning when Mamie
peeped in at it, there 1t was all glisten.
ing and green and fragrant in the morn
ing sunlight. But one end of popcorn
was trailing down from branch and
there were bits of corn on the floor
near by.
II must have caught it on something. ,
thought Mamie as she fastened the
trailing end back in place. II must be
carful-popcorn's precious this year
Mamie couldn't go to school while
mother was sick That noon one Of the
girls sent her some pretty candy hearts
Rem bored little holes in them, and
Mamie strung them on red ribbons and
hung them on the tree.
The next morning she peeped in al
the tree again. This time long end OF
popcorn lay across the stand. reachine
were scattered all the way to the door
leading into the hail. While Mamie was
wondering about it she found marks OF
tiny teeth in one of the candy hearts.
ut must be mouse" said mother
when Mamie told her.
That night was Christmas eve. About
1c o'clock, just as they had done once
years before, looking for Santa Claus
Ben and Mamie stole downstairs. Out
side the parlor door they paused to lis
ten. At first all was still. Then all at
once they heard a soft little scurry, and
the rattle OF paper covering the little
table.
Softly Ben pushed the door open. The
fire was bright in the coal stove. And
there on the stand under the tree, sit
ting on a broken candy heart, was a
Wee gray-brown mouse.
Above his head rose the red ribbon
bow of the candy heart, giving just the
prettiest Christmas touch. And even rs
tney Watcneu, the mouse IuSSeu at
popcorn string. Down it came, so sud
denly that the little mouse jumped, and
fell off the stand. Then with a scurry,
holding the string in his mouth. away
he went toward the hall door,
20 Nannie!" cried Ben. 1.-THE Story
Then and there Mamie and Ben sat
down by the stove, and Ben told Nan
ME his Christmas story. 1t was to be
about poor little mouse who had lot
Of children and no Christmas to give
them, and how he found fresh popcorn
growing on beautiful Christmas tree
and carried it home to them, and of
what a merry Christmas the whole
family had.
The first Of the winter term. when the
prizes were announced. you won't be
surprized to know that the first one. of
five dollars, was awarded to "The
Mouse who PLAYED Santa Claus" a true
story, by Ben Reed.
Mary Barnes Is Clever,
Years Old and Is In the
Csv<h Croln