It was Christmas Eve and the frost fairies were busy getting ready
for Christmas Day. First of all they spread the loveliest white snow
carpet over the rough, bare ground; then they hung the bushes and
trees with icicles that flashed like diamonds in the moonlight. Later
on, they planned to draw beautiful frost pictures on the window panes,
to surprise the little children in the morning.

The stars shone brightly and the moon sent floods of light in every
nook and corner. How could any one think of sleeping when there was
such a glory outside!

Jessie and Fred had gone to bed very early so they might be the first
to shout "Merry Christmas!" but their eyes would not stay shut.

"Oh dear! it must be 'most morning," said Fred; "let us creep softly
down stairs and maybe we'll catch Santa Claus before he rides off."

Hand in hand they tiptoed to the dining-room and peeped out the big
window;--surely, surely, that was something climbing up the roof of
cousin Nellie's house; it must be old Santa. Fred gave a chuckle of
delight; to be sure the reindeer were very queer looking objects, and
the sleigh such a funny shape, but the children were satisfied.

The old fir tree, whose high branches almost touched the roof,
knew all about those shadows, but it was so old no one could ever
understand a word of the many tales it told.

"There's something scratching on the door," whispered Jessie; but
it was only a mouse, who had sniffed the delightful odors of the
Christmas goodies and was trying his best to find a way into the