THANKSGIVING

The year rolls round its circle,
The seasons come and go;
The harvest days are ended,

And chilly north winds blow;
Orchards have lent their treasures
And fields their yellow grain,

So open wide the doorway;
Thanksgiving comes again.

-I. N. Tarbox.

THE MAGIC VINE

A fairy seed I planted,

So dry and white and old;
There sprang a vine enchanted
With magic flowers of gold.

I watched it, I tended it,

And truly by and by

It bore a Jack-o'-lantern

And a great Thanksgiving pie.

-Tree Top and Meadow.

We do not think and therefore we do not thank. The two words grow out of the same root. Thinking is the fruit of thanking.

He who thanks but with the lips

Thanks but in part;

The full, the true Thanksgiving

Comes from the heart.

-J. A. Shedd.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S

DECEMBER TWENTY-FIFTH

JANUARY FIRST

It is the Christmas time;

And up and down 'twixt heaven and earth,
In the glorious grief and solemn mirth,

The shining angels climb.

Keep the spirit bright or there can be no true Christmas.

THE MADONNA OF THE CHAIR

The Madonna of the Chair was painted by Raphael about four hundred years ago. The Italians have a story about this picture. According to the legend many years ago there lived an old hermit, named Benado, who was dearly loved by the peasants in the valley where he lived. He was a friend to all and they came to him when they were ill or in trouble.

Near Benado's hut was a large oak tree of which he was very fond. He protected it from the woodcutter and visited with the birds that made nests in its branches. The wind seemed to whisper through the branches and tell him tales of days of long ago.

Benado had another friend, Mary, the vinedresser's daughter, who lived near by and who often visited with the old hermit.

Once during a terrible storm Benado sought shelter and safety in

the old oak. Mary feared for her friend and sent her father to bring him to their home, where he spent the rest of his life. Benado prayed that some great blessing might come to Mary and the old oak.

A few years later Benado died. The old oak was cut down and made into casks. Mary was married and became the mother of two boys.

One day as she was sitting with her baby in her arms and her older boy standing by her side, the artist, Raphael, appeared. The group represented to him the Madonna and the Christ Child. Picking up the cover of a new wine cask, he sketched the group upon it, took it home, and painted this picture, which is the most widely known of all Raphael's works. In this way the hermit's prayer has been answered. The painting now hangs in the gallery of the Pitti Palace in Florence.

MOTHER GOOSE CHILDREN VISIT SANTA CLAUS

BY MATILDA BAKON, IRONWOOD,

Scene I.

MICHIGAN

Santa Claus asleep in a big armchair. A little brownie asleep at his feet. Four brownies come in dancing around the chair with hands clasped singing, "Yum, yum, yum, yum."-They stop suddenly.

First Brownie-It's funny Santa doesn't wake up.

Second Brownie-Let's tickle him.

Third Brownie-I'll get a straw.

He runs off stage and returns with straw. Tickles Santa and the sleeping brownie. Both jump to their feet and Santa calls outSanta-Oh ho, you wicked little brownies! Playing a joke on old Santa, hey? What do you want?

Fourth Brownie-Well Santa, you see we've been all over the world looking for the good children and we went to Mother Goose's. All her little girls and boys were wishing to see and talk to Santa Claus, and we want you to let us bring them to you.

All Brownies-Yes, Santa, please let us.

Santa-All right, you little imps. Bring them one and all. Now be off!

(They play leap-frog or run off stage. Santa goes back to sit down, takes a big book.)

Santa-I must look over my records of good little people. Let me see. (Names children or places near by.) All good. I must bring them something nice.

(Walks slowly from stage with hands clasped behind his back.)

Scene II.

(Santa on stage reading a paper, glasses on nose. He hears a lively tune in the distance. Sits up and listens.) Enter first brownie with Little Bopeep in costume. He leads her to Santa. Brownie makes a deep bow and dances out humming, "Yum, yum."

Santa-Ho, little Bopeep!

(She makes courtesy.)

Bopeep-Oh, Santa! I've lost all my sheep,

And all the good I can do is to weep.

Now, Christmas Eve when I'm asleep,

I want you to creep down the chimney steep
And bring me all my woolly sheep.

Will you?

Santa-Well, well, little one, we'll see.

(She makes a bow and stands behind chair.)

(Enter another brownie leading Simple Simon by the ear.)

Simple Simon-Oh, you hurt!

(Santa shakes finger at brownie, who dances out.)

Simple Simon-Oh! Santa Claus, I want a pie,

A great, good, juicy Christmas pie,

The pieman would not give me one
Because of pennies I had none.

Will you?

(Santa looks wise and strokes chin. Enter another brownie with Mistress Mary.)

Mistress Mary-I'm Mistress Mary quite contrary as the people say, But if I had the thing I wished,

I'd be quite as happy as they.

It's very, very simple,

And so I'm going to tell

That what I want, dear Santa Claus,

Is a tiny silver bell.

(This tickles Santa and he laughs. Enter another brownie with Jack and Jill. When he gets there he makes a bow and joins their hands before Santa and goes out.)

Jack-I'm Jack.

Jill-I'm Jill.

Both-We carry water down the hill.
Once the water we did spill

Because our pail we tried to fill.
The pail was old and very rusty;
The road was long and very dusty,
And we did fall, dear Santa Claus,
And broke our little pail.

Will you for Christmas bring us

Another little pail?

(Santa scratches head and thinks. "Yum, yum," heard in the distance. Enter another brownie with Tom, the Piper's son.)

Brownie-Here is Tom, the Piper's son,

He stole a pig and away did run.
Tom-Yes, Santa, I'm Tom, the Piper's son,

But I only wanted to have some fun,
When I took the pig from the market place
I only wanted to have a race;

So please don't think I'm a bad, bad boy
And so not bring me a single toy.

(Enter brownie with Little Boy Blue blowing his horn.)
Santa-Hello, what's this?

Little Boy Blue-I'm Little Boy Blue who blows his horn,
To call the cattle out from the corn.

I can't stay long, but I want to tell you
That the story folks tell about me is not true,
How I went to sleep one bright summer day
And let the cattle and the white sheep stray.
I didn't Santa, and I want you to see
That my name's on your good book.

Will it be?

Santa-All right, Boy Blue run along.

(Enter brownie with Red Riding Hood.)

Red Riding Hood-Good afternoon, dear Santa Claus,

I've come a long, long way

To see and talk with you, my friend,
This blustering winter day,