So Hans swung his small ax sturdily, and down came the tree. That is, it was too short to fall. It just tipped over on its side a little.
Well, to make the story short, the Fir was carried down and decked out in such simple ways as they could provide without spending any money.
When the peasant saw it for the first time on Christmas Eve—they had kept it for a surprise—he clapped his hands with delight, in spite of all his surliness. And that night, for the first time for many weeks, he brought out the old leather-covered Bible and read a chapter before bed-time.
And what chapter was it?
Why, the story of the first Christmas Eve, when Christ was born in Bethlehem.
As there was now but one article left, all knew that it must be Mr. Percival’s.
They therefore composed themselves to listen with much interest to the story entitled
GETTING SQUARE WITH HIM.
BY THE OLDEST INHABITANT.
“Let that girl alone!”