Godfather'S Picture-Book

　　Godfather could tell stories, so many of them and such long ones, and he could cut out paper figures and draw pictures. When it was nearly Christmas he would bring out a scrapbook with clean white pages, and on these he pasted pictures cut out of books and newspapers; and if there weren't enough for the story he was going to tell, he drew them himself. When I was a little boy I got several of these picture books, but the prettiest of them all was the one from "that memorable year when gas replaced the old oil lamps in Copenhagen" - and that was the inscription written on the first page.

　　"We must take great care of this book," said Father and Mother, "and only bring it out on important occasions."

　　But Godfather had written on the cover:

　　If you should tear the book, that's not a great wrong;

　　Other little friends have done worse for ever so long.

　　Best of all were the times when Godfather himself showed the book, read the verses and other writings in it, and told many things besides; then the story would become a very real one.