matches.
_He brings them. She stoops at the hearth, the children standing
around, and soon a bright glow appears and is seen to dance about._
There, that will soon make a fine blaze, _says she._ Hold up your
hands, children, and warm them.

_But suddenly from up the chimney comes the voice of_ JACK FROST:
Hello there, you people, put that fire out. _Grandmother and the
children are startled._ Do you hear? _shouts_ JACK FROST. Put it
out. Santa Claus is coming. Do you hear what I say? SANTA CLAUS IS
COMING. Put out that fire.

Why, children, _cries_ GRANDMOTHER, I had forgotten all about that.
Quick! We must indeed put the fire out at once. Ned, bring me that
pitcher of water.

_He brings it; she throws the water on the fire. The glow disappears
and a great hissing sound is heard, loud at first, then dying away, like
this_:

S--S--S--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s

There! _says_ GRANDMOTHER. It is quite out, you see. And now, you
must hang up your stockings, quickly, and hurry into bed. _A shrill
whistle is heard outside_. What was that? GRANDMOTHER _asks_.

It sounded like a whistle out of doors, _answers_ MARGARET; _and
she goes to the window and looks out._ Why, Grandmother, _says
she_, it's beginning to snow.

Good! _says_ GRANDMOTHER. That will make it easier for Santa Claus
to get here in his sleigh. So make haste with your stockings, and then,
before you get into bed, we will read from the Good Book about what
happened on the first Christmas night so many, many years ago.

_They bring their stockings and hang them in a row over the
fire-place. Meantime Grandmother has taken the big Bible, and seated
herself in the low chair in the middle of the room. The children, when
the stockings are hung, group themselves beside her, standing, looking
over her shoulders, her arms around some of them. Then_ GRANDMOTHER
_reads_:

And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and
keeping watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood
by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were
sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, "Be not afraid; for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people. For there
is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ
the Lord. And this shall be the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger?"

And suddenly there was