(DECEMBER 25)

LITTLE PICCOLA

AFTER CELIA THAXTER

In the sunny land of France there lived many
years ago a sweet little maid named Piccola.

Her father had died when she was a baby, and
her mother was very poor and had to work hard
all day in the fields for a few sous.

Little Piccola had no dolls and toys, and she
was often hungry and cold, but she was never sad
nor lonely.

What if there were no children for her to play
with! What if she did not have fine clothes and
beautiful toys! In summer there were always the
birds in the forest, and the flowers in the fields and
meadows,--the birds sang so sweetly, and the
flowers were so bright and pretty!

In the winter when the ground was covered
with snow, Piccola helped her mother, and knit
long stockings of blue wool.

The snow-birds had to be fed with crumbs, if