heological quandary: For
if it was true that Christ was born, then Christmas was his birthday;
and if Christmas was his birthday, wasn't it wicked not to pay any
attention?

Alone of them all, little Tab Winslow rejoiced. His brothers and sisters
made the time tearful with questionings as to the effect on Santa
Claus, and how would they get word to him, and would it be Christmas in
the City, and why couldn't they move there, and other matters denoting
the reversal of this their earth. But Tab slipped out the kitchen door,
to the corner of the barn, where the great turkey gobbler who had been
named held his empire trustingly.

"Oh, Theophilus Thistledown," said Tab to him, "you're the only one in
this town that's goin' to have a Christmas. You ain't got to be et."

IV

The placard was tacked to the Old Trail Town post-office wall, between a
summons to join the Army and the Navy of the United States, and the
reward offered for an escaped convict--all three manifestoes registering
something of the stage of society's development.

NOTICE

Owing to the local business depression and to the current private
decisions to get up very few home Christmas celebrations this year,
and also to the vote of the various lodges, churches, Sunday
schools, etc., etc., etc., to forego the usual Christmas tree
observances, the merchants of this town have one and all united
with most of the folks to petition the rest to omit all Christmas
presents, believing that the Christmas spirit will be kept up best
by all agreeing to act alike. All that's willing may announce it by
signing below and notifying others.

THE COMMITTEE.

There were only three hundred folk living in Old Trail Town. Already two
thirds of their signatures were scrawled on the sheets of foolscap
tacked beneath the notice.

On the day after her return home, Jenny Wing stood and stared at the
notice. Her mother had written to her of the town's talk, but the
placard made it seem worse.

"I'll go in on the way home and see what Mary says," she thought, and
asked for the letter that lay in Mary Chavah's box, next her own. They
gave her the letter without question. All Old Trail Town asks for its
neighbour's mail and reads its neighbour's postmarks and gets to know
the different Writings and to inquire after them, like persons. ("He
ain't got so much of a cu