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Speaker 1: Have you googled yourself lately? Are there negative posts from

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an ex employee or from a former client, maybe an

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outdated news article. Search engines don't always get it right

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for right or wrong. It's your reputation on the line.

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That's where Reputation Defender by Norton comes in take control.

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With Reputation Defender, their cutting edge approaches help you to

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wipe away unwanted information in your search results. They also

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free reputation report card at ReputationDefender dot com or call

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eight hundred eighty one one forty nine seventy five to

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speak to an expert.

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Speaker 2: Morning people wake up for peace and quiet. McDonald's Breakfast People,

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We wake up for the sweet rush of getting that warm,

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delicious breakfast right before it ends.

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Speaker 3: Crush your morning goals with a steak, egg and cheese

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bagel or any breakfast sandwich, and snag another one for

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just a buck with a buy one, get one deal

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only in the McDonald's app, limited time only at participating

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McDonald's valid ones per day must opt into rewards.

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Speaker 4: Bottom Little Gretchen and the Wooden Shoe by Elizabeth Harrison

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once upon a time, a long time ago, far away

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across the Great Ocean, in a country called Germany, there

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could be seen a small log hut on the edge

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of a great forest, whose fir trees extended for miles

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and miles to the north. This little house, made of

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heavy hewn logs, had but one room in it. A

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rough pine door gave entrance to this room, and a

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small square window admitted the light. At the back of

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the house was built an old fashioned stone chimney, out

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of which in winter curled a thin blue smoke, showing

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that there was not very much fire within. Small as

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the house was, it was large enough for two people

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who lived in it. I want to tell you a

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story to day about these two people. One was an old,

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gray haired woman, so old that the little children of

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the village nearly half a mile away often wondered whether

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she had come into the world with the huge mountains

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and the giant fir trees which stood like giants back

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of her small hut. Her face was wrinkled all over

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with deep lines, which, if the children could only have

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read aright, would have told them of many years of cheerful,

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happy self sacrifice, of loving, anxious, watching beside sick beds,

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of quiet, endurance, of pain, of many a day of

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hunger and cold, and of a thousand deeds of unselfish

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love for other people. But of course they could not

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read this strange handwriting. They only knew that she was

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old and wrinkled, and that she stooped as she walked.

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None of them seemed to fear her, for her smile

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was always cheerful, and she had a kindly word for

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each of them if they chanced to meet her on

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her way to and from the village. With this old

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old woman lived a very little girl. So bright and

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happy was she that the travelers who passed by the

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lonesome little house on the edge of the forest often

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thought of as Sunbeam as they saw her. These two

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people were known in the village as Granny Good and

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little Gretchen. The winter had come and the frost had

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snapped off many of the smaller branches of the pine

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trees in the forest. Gretchen and her Grannie were up

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by daybreak. Each morning. After their simple breakfast of oatmeal,

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Gretchen would run to the little closet and fetch Grannie's

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old woolen shawl, which seemed almost as old as Grannie herself.

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Gretchen always claimed the right to put the shawl over

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Grannie's head, even though she had to climb onto the

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wooden bench to do it. After carefully pinning it under

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Grannie's chin, she gave her a good bye kiss, and

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Grannie started out for her morning's work in the forest.

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This work was nothing more nor less than the gathering

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up of the twigs and branches which the autumn winds

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and winter frosts had thrown upon the ground. These were

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carefully gathered into a large bundle, which Grannie tied together

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with a strong linen band. She then managed to lift

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the bundle to her shoulder and trudged off to the

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village with it. Here she sold the faggots for kindling

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wood to the people of the village. Sometimes she would

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get only a few pence each day, and sometimes a

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dozen or more, But on this money little Gretchen and

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she managed to live. They had their home, and the

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forest kindly furnished the wood for the fire, which kept

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them warm in winter. In the summer time, Grannie had

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a little garden at the back of the house where

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she raised with little Gretchen's help. If you putake watooes

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and turnips and onions. These she carefully stored away for

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winter use. To this meager supply, the pennies gained by

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selling the twigs from the forest added the oatmeal for

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Gretchen and a little black coffee for Grannie. Meat was

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a thing they never thought of having. It cost too

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much money. Still, Grannie and Gretchen were very happy because

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they loved each other dearly. Sometimes Gretchen would be left

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alone all day long in the hut because Grannie would

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have some work to do in the village after selling

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her bundle of sticks and twigs. It was during these

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long days that little Gretchen had taught herself to sing

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the song which the wind sang to the pine branches

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in the summer time. She learned and the chirp and

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twitter of the birds, until her voice might almost be

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mistaken for a bird's voice. She learned to dance as

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the swaying shadows did, and even to talk to the

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stars which shone through the little square window when Grannie

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came home late or too tired to talk. Sometimes when

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the weather was fine or her Grannie had an extra

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bundle of knitted stockings to take to the village, she

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would let little Gretchen go along with her. It chanced

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that one of these trips to the town came just

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the week before Christmas, and Gretchen's eyes were delighted by

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the sight of the lovely Christmas trees which stood in

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the window of the village store. It seemed to her

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that she never tire of looking at the knit doors,

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the wooly lambs, the little wooden shops with their queer

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painted men and women in them, and all the other

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fine things. She had never owned a plaything in her

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whole life. Therefore, toys which you and I would not

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think much of, seemed to her very beautiful. That night,

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after their supper of baggag potatoes was over, and little

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Gretchen had cleared away the dishes and swept up the heart,

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because Granadeer was so tired, she brought her own little

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wooden stool and placed it very near Grannie's feet and

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sat down upon it, folding her hands in her lap.

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Grannie knew that this meant she wanted to be told

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about something, so she smilingly laid away the large Bible

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which she had been reading, and took up her knitting,

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which was as much as to say, well, Gretchen, dear

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Grannie is ready to listen, Grannie said Gretchen slowly. It's

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almost Christmas time, isn't it. Yes, dearie, said Grannie. Only

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five days more now, and then she sighed. But little

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Gretchen was so happy that she did not notice Grannie's sigh.

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What do you think, Grannie, I'll get this Christmas, said she,

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looking up eagerly into Grannie's face. Ah, child, child, said Grannie,

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shaking her head. You'll have no Christmas this year. We

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are too poor for that. Oh, but Grannie interrupted little Gretchen.

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Think of all the beautiful toys we saw in the

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village to day. Surely Santa Claus has sent enough for

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every little child. Ah, dear, those toys are for people

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who can pay for them, and we have no money

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to spend for Christmas toys. Well, Grannie said Gretchen. Perhaps

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some of the little children who live in the Great

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House on the hill at the other end of the

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village will be willing to share some of their toys

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with me. They will be glad to give some to

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a little girl who has none, dear child, dear child,

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said Grannie, leaning forward, and stroking the soft shiny hair

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of the little girl. Your heart is full of love.

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You would be glad to bring a Christmas to every child,

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But their heads are so full of what they are

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going to get that they forget all about anybody else

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but themselves. Then she sighed and shook her head. Well, Grannie,

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said Gretchen, her bride happy tone of voice growing a

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little less joyous. Perhaps the dear Santa Claus will show

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some of the village children how to make presents that

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do not cost money, and some of them may surprise

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me Christmas morning with the present. And Grannie dear added she,

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springing up from her low stool. Can't I gather some

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of the pine branches and take them to the old

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sick man who lives in the house by the mill,

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so that he can have the sweet smell of our

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forests in his room on Christmas Day? Yes, dearie, said Grannie.

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You may do what you can to make the Christmas

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bright and happy, but you must not expect any present yourself.

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Oh but Grannie, said little Gretchen, her face brightening, you

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forgot all about the shining Christmas angels who came down

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to earth and said their wonderful song the night the

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beautiful christ Child was born. They are so loving and

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good that they will not forget any little child. I

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shall ask my dear stars to night to tell them

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of us, you know, she added with a look of relief.

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The stars are so very high that they must know

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the angels quite well as they come and go with

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their messages from the loving God. Grannie sighed as she

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half whispered poor child, poor child. But gretching threw her

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arm around Grannie's neck and gave her a hearty kiss,

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saying as she did so, Oh, Grannie, Grannie, you don't

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talk to the stars often enough, as you would not

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be said at Christmas time. Then she danced all around

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the room, whirling her little skirts about to show Grennie

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how the wind head.

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Speaker 1: Have you googled yourself lately? Are there negative posts from

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an ex employee or from a former client, maybe an

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outdated news article or sensitive personal information about your family.

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Search engines don't always get it right for right or wrong.

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It's your reputation on the line. That's where Reputation Defender

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by Norton comes in. One of the most trusted names

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Your good name is too valuable to leave to the

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That's eight hundred eight one seventy five.

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Speaker 5: When you visit Arizona, time is measured in moments, not minutes,

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Like the moment your work stress disappears as you kayak

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through the canyons, for the moment you discover the life

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changing effects of prickly pear chocolate. But nothing beats the

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moment you see the Grand Canyon for the very first time.

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Visit a new state of mind. Learn more at here

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you Are az dot com.

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Speaker 4: Made the snow dance that day. She looked so droll

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and funny that Rennie forgot her cares and worries and

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loughed with little Gretchen over her new snow dance. The

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days passed on, and the morning before Christmas Eve came Gretchen,

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having tied it up the little room, for Rennie had

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told her to be a careful little housewife, was off

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to the forest, singing a birdlike song, almost as happy

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and free as the birds themselves. She was very busy

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that day preparing a surprise for Grannie. First, however, she

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gathered the most beautiful of the fir branches within her

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reach to take the next morning to the old sick

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man who lived by the mill. The day was all

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too short for the happy little girl. When Grannie came

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trudging wearily home that night, she found the frame of

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the doorway covered with green pine branches. It is to

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welcome you, Grannie, It is to welcome you, cried Gretchen.

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Our dear old home wanted to give you a Christmas welcome.

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Don't you see the branches of the evergreen naked, look

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as if it were smiling all over, And it is

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trying to say Happy Christmas to you, Grannie. Grannie laughed

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and kissed the little girl as they opened the door

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and went in. Together. Here was a new surprise for Grannie.

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The four posts of the wooden bed, which stood in

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one corner of the room, had been trimmed by the

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busy little fingers with smaller and more flexible branches of

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the pine trees. A small bouquet of red mountain ash

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berries stood at each side of the fireplace, and these,

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together with the trimmed posts of the bed, gave the

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plain old room quite a festive look. Gretchen laughed and

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clapped her hands and danced about until the house seemed

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full of music to poor tired Grannie, whose heart had

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been sad as she turned toward their home that night,

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thinking of the disappointment that must come to loving little Gretchen.

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The next morning, after supper was over, little Gretchen drew

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her stool up to Grannie's side, and, laying her soft

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little hands on Grannie's knee, asked to be told once

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again the story of the coming of the Christ Child,

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How the night that he was born, the beautiful angels

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had sung their wonderful song, and how the whole sky

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had become bright with a strange and glorious light never

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seen by the people of earth before. Gretchen had heard

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the story many many times before, but she never grew

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tired of it, and now that Christmas Eve had come again,

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the happy little child wanted to hear it once more.

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When Grannie had finished telling it, the two sat quiet

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and silent for a little while thinking it over. Then

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Grannie rose and said that it was time for her

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to go to bed. She slowly took off her heavy

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wooden shoes, such as are worn in that country, and

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placed them beside the hearth. Gretchen looked thoughtfully at them

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for a minute or two, and then she said, Grannie,

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don't you think that somebody in all this wide world

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will think of us to night? Nay, Gretchen, I do

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not think any one will. Well, then, Grannie said, Gretchen,

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the Christmas angels will, I know. So I am going

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to take one of your wooden shoes and put it

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on the window sill outside, so that they may see

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it as they pass by. I am sure the stars

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will tell the Christmas angels where the shoe is. Ah,

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you foolish, foolish child, said Grannie. You are only getting

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ready for a disappointment. To morrow morning. There will be

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nothing whatever in the shoe. I can tell you that now,

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But little Gretchen would not listen. She only shook her

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head and cried out, ah, Grannie, you do not talk

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enough to the stars. With this, she seized the shoe, and,

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opening the door, hurried out to place it on the

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window sill. It was very dark without, and something soft

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and cold seemed to gently kiss her hair and face.

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Gretchen knew by this that it was snowing, and she

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looked up to the sky, anxious to see if the

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stars were inside. But a strong wind was tumbling the dark,

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heavy snow clouds about and had shut away all else.

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Never mind, said Gretchen softly to herself. The stars are

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up there, even if I can't see them, and the

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Christmas angels do not mind snow storms. Just then a

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rough wind went sweeping by the little girl, whispering something

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to her which she could not understand. And then it

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made a sudden rush up to the snow clouds and

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parted them, so that the deep, mysterious sky appeared beyond,

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and shining down out of the midst of it was

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Gretchen's favorite star. Ah, a little star, little star, said

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the child, laughing anout. I knew you were there, though,

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I could not see you. Well, you whisper to the

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Christmas Angels as they come by, that little Gretchen wants

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so very much to have a Christmas gift tomorrow morning,

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if they have one to spare, and that she has

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put one of Grannie's shoes upon the window sill for it.

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A moment more and the little girl, standing on tiptoe,

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had reached the window sill and placed the shoe upon it,

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and was back again in the house beside Grannie and

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the warm fire. The two went quietly to bed, and

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that night, as Little Gretchen knelt to pray to the

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heavenly Father, she thanked him for having sent the christ

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Child into the world to teach all mankind to be

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loving and unselfish. And in a few minutes she was sleeping,

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dreaming of the Christmas Angels. Next morning, very early, even

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before the sun was up, Little Gretchen was awakened by

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the sound of sweet music coming from the village. She

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listened for a moment, and then she knew that the

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choir boys were singing the Christmas carolds in the open

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air of the village street. She sprang up out of

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bed and began to dress herself as quickly as possible,

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singing as she dressed, while Grannie was slowly putting on

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her clothes. Little Gretchen, having finished dressing herself, unfastened the

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door and hurried out to see what the Christmas Angels

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had left in the old wooden shoe. The white snow

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covered everything, trees, stumps, roads and pastures, until the whole

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world looked like a fairyland. Gretchen climbed up on a

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large stone which was beneath the window, and carefully lifted

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down the wooden shoe. The snow tumbled off of it

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in a shower over the little girl's hands, but she

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did not heed that. She ran hurriedly back into the house,

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putting her hand into the toe of the shoe as

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she ran. Oh, Grannie, Grannie, she exclaimed, you dare not

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believe the Christmas angels would think about us, But see

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they have they have. Here is a dear little bird

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nestled down in the toe of your shoe. Oh isn't

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he beautiful. Grannie came forward and looked at what the

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child was holding lovingly in her hand. There she saw

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a tiny chickadee whose wing was evidently broken by the

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rough and boisterous winds of the night before, and who

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had taken shelter and the safe dry toe of the

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old wooden shoe. She gently took the little bird out

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of Gretchen's hands and skillfully bound his broken wing to

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his side, so that he need not hurt himself trying

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to fly with it. Then she showed Gretchen how to

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make a nice warm nest for the little stranger close

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beside the fire, and when their breakfast was ready, she

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let Gretchen feed the little bird with a few moist crumbs.

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Later in the day, Gretchen carried the fresh green boughs

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to the old sick man by the mill, and on

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her way home, stopped to enjoy the Christmas toys of

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some other children that she knew, never once wishing they

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were hers. When she reached home, she found that the

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little bird had gone to sleep. Soon however, he opened

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his eyes and stretched his head up, saying, just as

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plain as the bird can say, Now, my new friends,

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if you want to give me something more to eat,

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Gretchen gladly fed him again, and then holding him in

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her lap, she softly and gently stroked his gray feathers

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until the little creature seemed to lose all fear of her.

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That evening, Grannie taught her a Christmas hymn and told

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her another beautiful Christmas story. Then Gretchen made up a

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funny little story to tell the Birdye, he winked his

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eyes and turned his head from side to side in

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such a droll fashion that Gretchen laughed until the tears came.

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As Grann and she got ready for bed that night,

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Gretchen put her arms softly around Granny's neck and whispered,

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what a beautiful Christmas we have had today? Grannie? Is

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there anything more lovely in all the world than Christmas? Nay, child, Nay,

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said Grannie, not to such loving hearts as us. And

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off Little Gretchen and the Wooden Shoe by Elizabeth Harrison.

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00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,279
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