his stocking. His mother kept away from him as long as she could, for
she knew what Santa Claus had done.

Finally she heard him coming with slow steps to her room. Slowly he
opened the door and came towards her. He held in his hand a list very
much longer than the one he had made out. He put it in his mother's
hand, while tears of disappointment fell from his eyes.

"See what Santa Claus left for me; but I think he might have given me
one thing besides."

His mother opened the roll. It was a list of all the errands Bertie
had been asked to do for six months. At the end of all was written, in
staring capitals, "I FORGOT."

Bertie wept for an hour. Then his mother told him they were all
going to grandpa's. For the first time he would see a Christmas-tree.
Perhaps something might be growing there for him.

It was very strange to Bertie, but on grandpa's tree he found
everything he had written on his list. Was he cured of his bad habit?
Not all at once; but when his mother saw that he was particularly
heedless she would say, "Remember, Santa Claus does not forget."

M. A. HALEY




THE FAIRY CHRISTMAS.