The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1921-12-24
Story Of the
Christmas Stocking
EARs and year. ago stocl

heard Of such q thing us
rs hanging up stocking for
Christmas gifts. And II
children had thought Of such thing
they would have said, "What a foolish
idea! "A stocking wouldn't hold half
the things we want" So the children
throughout the world placed crooks.
big brass basins, and copper kettles
on the hearth on Christmas eve ind
left notes In them telling Santa to
All them to the brIm. Each year the
children left larger vessels to he hlIed.
children left larger vessels to be flied
Up In the great white north Snnta's
reindeer no longer pranced and paved,
impatient to be of on Christmas eve.
as they once had done. They hung
their heads and a tired look cnlne
into their big brown eyes, for they re-
membered how heavy the loads lad
grown and how many more trips they
were forced to make year by year.
st. Nicholas no longer rested now
through the summer months, as he
once hud rdone. but labored every
day throughout the year, and often he
built toys late Into the night. for n
great many gifts had to be- made to
fill the bnskets that the greedy children
left. The twinkle left his merry eyes,
and he no longer sang about his work,
for he was sad and thought Of the
time that would come when he could
no longer build enough presents to 20
around.
Late one December day st. Nicholas
stepped from his workshop Into the
deep snow. Facing the south. he
stretched out his tired arms and
called: "Hear. oh hear, children Of the
earth. my loved ones. can you not see
you are becoming selfish and that your
greedy demands are too great task
even for st. Nicholas, king Of the
Christmas spIrit7 Can't you see, my
children. that you are killing the spirit
Of Christmns?"
His chin sank upon his chest and
tears glistened In his kindly eyes. A
soft white snowflake fluttered down
and nestled against his cheek. and
tiny voice whispered into his ear:
"Santn. I will help you"
"Who are your" asked st. Nicholas
II am snow fairy" answered the
tiny voice. "As my sisters and ! have
danced about the air we have often
swirlcd about your sleigh on Christ
INNS eve, and have seen the great
losds you h,ve always carried and
how tired you have looked"
'What, O what. shall do?" asked
Santa.
"Just 60 about your work as usunl."
answered the fairy. II and all my
sisters will help you"
'Oh, thank you-thank yOu." cried
st. Nicholas. And the fairy fiOated out
among the other snowhakes.
As the children went about the
snowfiakes whirled around them. and
1t seemed as II they heard the chant
ing of tiny voices. and az the snow
flakes nestled against their ears they
seemed to sing: "Just a stocking
hang 4 stocking up on Christmas eve"
"Just stocking-just stocking"
rang through the hearts Of the children
on Christmas eve. And In place of
leaving the great vessels as they once
had done they Just hung up their
stockings.
Some children were too selfish to
hear the song Of the snowflakes and
left the great baskets as they always
had done. But when they saw the
great JOY the unselhsh CHILDREN had
in their gifts and how contented and
happy they were these selfish ones
were ashamed. and they, too. began
to hang up only their stockings when
Christmas eve came round.
When st. Nicholas found stockings
in place Of the great baskets and
barrels the twinkle came again into
his laughing eyes, his cheeks grew
red, ~ he sang as he drove through.
the merry sea Of snowhakes.
With just stockings to all st.
Nicholas had time to rest. and he
grew strong and well, and the spirit
Of Christmas lived. 80 this Is why
nowadays we hang up our stockings
on Christmas eve. All this We are
told by a writer. who learned 1t from
a Christmas fairy.