Part 22 (1/2)
”It is I,” replied the voice, and Stephanwitch stepped forth from the dark corner, smiled, and faded away like a little cloud.
”And this is I!” said the voice again, and from the dark corner stepped the woman and the child. The woman smiled, the child laughed, and then they, too, vanished.
”And this is I!” and the old woman and the boy stepped forward, smiled, and vanished. Then a light filled the little room and glowed about the figure of a Child and Martuin heard the words:
”For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in.” And Martuin knew that the Christ-child had really come to him that Christmas-tide.
(_Adapted._)
G.o.d REST YE, MERRY GENTLEMEN
G.o.d rest ye, merry gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, For Jesus Christ, our Saviour, Was born upon this day, To save us all from Satan's pow'r When we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy!
For Jesus Christ, our Saviour, Was born on Christmas Day.
Now to the Lord sing praises, All you within this place, And with true love and brotherhood Each other now embrace; This holy tide of Christmas All others doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy!
For Jesus Christ, our Saviour, Was born on Christmas Day.
Dinah Mulock Craik.
THE GLAD NEW YEAR
THE GLAD NEW YEAR
It's coming, boys, It's almost here.
It's coming, girls, The grand New Year.
A year to be glad in, Not to be sad in; A year to live in, To gain and give in.
A year for trying, And not for sighing; A year for striving And healthy thriving.
It's coming, boys, It's almost here.
It's coming, girls, The grand New Year.
Mary Mapes Dodge.
THE BAD LITTLE GOBLIN'S NEW YEAR
Mary Stewart
Come, children dear, let's sit on the floor around the fire, so, and watch those golden flames dancing and leaping. You see that very gay one just springing up the chimney? I know a story about him, a New Year's story. Let's snuggle up closer and look into the fire. You see that piece of coal black wood, there at the end? There was a horrid little goblin once who was as black as that bit of wood. His clothes were all black, his round cap looked like a bit of coal, his pointed shoes were jet black, and his face was dark with dirt and an ugly scowling expression. Altogether he was a horrid looking goblin, and he was just as hateful as he looked. There wasn't a single person who liked him. The birds hated him because he would wait after dark when all the baby birds were cuddled down in the nest, fast asleep. Then he would pop up from under the nest where he had been hiding and cry, ”Morning time, wake up!” and all the babies would cry, ”Chirp, chirp, Daddy bring us our breakfast!” They opened their bills so wide that it took a long time to shut them and put the excited babies to sleep again. Once Blackie, that was the goblin's name, dropped a bit of twig down into a baby's open bill and the poor bird coughed so hard that he kept the birds in the nests around awake all night. Blackie chuckled with glee and went scurrying off on another prank.