The Sunday Oregonian., December 23, 1906, Magazine Section, Page 51, Image 51

THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN. PORTLAND, DECEMBER 23, 1906.
51
THIS story begins with a club. It
was a club that had a handle, that
Is to say, a name; and a head, that
Is to say, a president. It was a club of
girls. It was the Acme Club, so called
because no girl could belong to It who
did not own a pair of Acme skates, and
who did not know how to use them,
too. And it had five members.
The funny thing: about these five mem
bers was that the first letters of the
first names -of four of them ppelled
Acme, and that the first name of the
fifth member, who was the president,
began with C, which stands foe club,
so that whenever any one of the five
girls said "Acme Club" she may be
said to have called over the names of
all Its members. Thusr There were
Amy Anderson and Callle Fisher and
Maria Tuttle and Emily Hunt, A, C, M.
E Acme; and the first name of the
president was Catherine-she spelled it
with a C Amy. Callle, Maria, Emily
A, C, M, E they stood for Acme, and
C for Catherine that stood for Club
and there you had it Acme Club.
TBut what shall we do?" asked Callle
Fisher one day, "when we get some
more members?'
"I move," said Maria Tuttle, "that
our next new member must be a girl
whose first name begins with L., .and
the next with U., and the next with B,
so as to finish out the word club C, L,
U, B club."
"But there aren't any girls' names
that begin with U," said Callle.
"Yes there are," replied Maria: "there
Is Ursula, and there is Undine, and
there Is Ulrica, and "
"Well, that's enough," said Callie, "and
Jf we have to wait till some girl comes
along with one of these names, I guess
it'll be a good while before we get any
new members."
All this took place at one of the meet
ings of the club, but what else took
place at that meelng I must not tell,
for it Is a secret. Did you ver know
five girls to get together yet In a club,
or anywhere else for that matter, that
they didn't have secrets?
But one thing which took place at
this meeting I must tell you, for it is
the thing on which my story turns. In
fact, it was the one thing for which
this meeting had been called "a special
meeting, on important business" so the
notice ran. The business proved to be
the production by the president of the
following letter:
"Jenkintown, Pa., Dec. 15, 1RS3. Dear
Catherine: That was a pretty letter you
wrote me from school the other day for
a composition, telling me about the Acme
Club, only I want to know all about
the secrets. Instead of sending a Christ
mas present this year to you, I am going
to send one to the club, and here it is
enclosed a postofflce order for $10. Tou
can go to the postoffioe and get It cashed,
and then the club can put It to vote
what to do with the money. Tou can
divide it among yourselves and buy dolls
with It, or you can buy a lot of land
on the shores of the beautiful pond you
wrote me about, where you go skating,
and build an Acme Clubhouse there, with
a good large closet to lock up your se
crets in, and five nails on the wall to
hang up five pairs of silver skates as
bright as Hans Brlnkcr's, If your money
holds out as far as that. At any rate,
here is the money, from yours trulv,
"UNCLE OLIVER."
Whereat there was a great clapping
of hands, and the Acme Club went off
Into a chorus of resolutions.
"I move," spoke up Emily Hunt, "that
we spend it for candy."
"No," said Callle Fisher, "let's hire
a horse and sleigh and have a slelgh
rlde Christmas day."
"I'll tell you what would be better
than that," shouted Maria Tuttle, who
was good in arithmetic; "let's buy two
99-cent dolls apiece all round."
"Girls," said the president, with dig
nity, "I've a plan that's best of all."
"What is It?" exclaimed the other four
members all at once.
"Lot's give a Christmas tree."
"To whom?" exclaimed the united mem
bership in concert. '"To ourselves?"
"No," said the president, "not our
eelves, but to some other girls or boys.
Let's each pick out some one girl or
boy, or perhaps two, who wouldn't be
likely to have a Christmas tree of their
own, and give them a nice tree with
lots of presents."
"Coupldn't get many presents for ten
children with 110," objected Maria Tut
tle, the - girl of the arithmetical turn
of mind.
"Well, then," replied the president, "five
children instead of ten, each of us to in
vite one. I know whom I'd Invite."
'"Who?" exclaimed the chorus of voices.
"Billy Bradley."
"Oh, yes!" shouted the chorus, "we'd
all want to invite Billy Bradley."
Billy Bradley was a boy whom al
most everybody knew, and whom every
body that knew him loved. 'Whether tt
was his bright, open face or his gentle
voice, or his quiet, pleasant ways or his
1
habit of always doing what he could to
make other people happy, or his loyalty
and love and devotion to his mother,
that made him so universally popular. I
do not know; certainly it was not the
house he lived In, or the clothes he wore,
or the money he had to spend, for he
was a boy who had had to leave school
and go to work to help take care of
his widowed mother and himself.
The two lived in a pair of rooms all
alone by themselves in the third story
of a house over a store in a building
near the market. The rooms were con
nected by folding doors. . One was Mrs.
Bradley's bedroom, the other was kitch
en, eating room and sitting room com
bined, and Billy slept in a little dark
room opening out of the kitchen, hard
ly larger than a closet, where It was
.handy for him to get up and build the
fire in the stove for his mother cold
Winter mornings and put the kettle on
to boil while she was dressing.
The sad thing about Billy- Bradley
was that ha was sick. He hadn't been
at Sunday school for several weeks.
And -when Catherine said that she would
like to invite him to the Christmas tree
she had proposed, Emily Hunt said that
her father said her father was Doctor
Hunt that he didn't think that Billy
Bradley was going to get well.
"Perhaps he'd be too sick to come,"
said Callle Fisher.
"No," said Emily, "my father took
him out to ride yesterday. But he says
he's afraid he isn't going to live very
long. I guess he could come, though, to
a Christmas tree. My father'd bring
him.'.
"Who. else la there you'd invite?"
asked Amy Anderson. "I'd invite Brid
get Milllgan, who brings our milk every
night and morning."
"And I'd invite Jlmmle what's his
name? that brings papa's Advertiser,"
said Emily Hunt.
"And I," said Callle Fisher, "would
invite Sarah Ames. Her mother comes
to help us iron twice a week and she's
lame. I don't believe she ever saw a
Christmas tree."
"And I." said Maria Tuttle, "will in
vite Fannie Sackett, Her mother's just
died, and- I do not see how they can
have any Christmas tree at her house
this year.'
"That makes Just five," said the pres
ident; "Billy Brady, Bridget Milllgan,
Jimmy the newsboy, Sarah Ames and
Fannie Sackett."
.1 cannot take time in this story to
tell you all that was said and done
about this plan, but the end of tt was
that the Acme Club voted unanimously
to give the Christmas tree as proposed
to the guests named, and a committee
was appointed to carry out the plan.
First it was decided to have a com
mittee of one. Then some of the girls
thought that would not be quite fair.
Besides every one of them wanted to be
on the committee. Finally it was voted
to have a committee of three, and then,
to save hard feelings, the other member
and the president were added aa hon
orary members. And the week before
Christmas the Acme Club was fully or
ganized into a committee of five on the
Christmas tree.
There were lots of details to be set
tled after the plan was once decided
upon. Where should the Christmas
tree be given? And on what day? And
who should buy the presents And who
should send out the Invitations
These details required ever so many
special meetings of the club, so that
It was Friday before Christmas before
all could be agreed upon. Christmas
rame Wednesday that year, and Tues
day afternoon was set apart for the
tree, so that only three days remained
for final preparations, and one of these
days was Sunday.
It was agreed that the party should
be held at Amy Anderson's, because
her house was most convenient, and
that Maria Tuttle, who was the oldest,
and Callle Fisher and Callie Fisher's
mother should buy the presents, - and
that the president should write the in
vitations, and that Emily Hunt should
deliver, them.
When Saturday came and with it a
special meeting of the club, again act
ing as a committee of arrangements,
Emily Hunt had a piece of bad news
for them. It was that Billy Bradley
was not so well, and that his mother
had said that she was afraid that he
wouldn't be able to come, and Dr. Hunt,
Emily's father, had said that it would
not do for him to come at all.
"He isn't near so well the past few
days," said the doctor to his little girl,
"and it would be too much for him. He
is too weak to go."
"Then why couldn't we have the
Christmas tree at his house?" asked
the president. "We might Just as well
go there as to Amy's, that is, it his'
mother is willing, and if Emily's father
thinks that It would do. I'm so sorry
that Billy's so sick." '
So it was. agreed that Eraily and Amy
should go together to Mrs. Bradley's
and ask her if she would be willing
for them to have the Christmas tree
in her apartment, so that Billy could
enjoy it. '
They, found Billy sick indeed. He
was lying In a bed propped up with pil
lows. Both Amy and Emily were
shocked to see the change which a few
weeks had made. His cheeks were
sunken, and except for a bright spot
on each of them they were very pale.
His thin, white hands lay outstretched
on the bed by his side, but his eye was
bright, and his face lighted up with
his old smile and his voice, though fee
ble, had the old pleasant tone to it, as
Mrs. Bradley brought the girls in from
the kitchen to see him. He listened
to the new plan for the Christmas tree
with great interest.
"Tes, mother," he said, "I think we
could have it here Just as well as not,
and I don't think it would tire me to
have It here at all. Tou could have the
tree in the other room and keep the
folding-doors shut till it was all ready,
and then you could ppen the doors and
I could lie still in bed and see the tree
and all the presents without having to
get up."
The head of Billy's bed stood against
the wall opposite the folding-doors,
and when he was propped up by his pil
lows he could easily look over the foot-
board, and if the doors were open see
what was going on in the other room.
So it was decided to have the Acme
Club Christmas tree at Billy Bradley's,
and Tuesday afternoon at 4 was fixed
for the time.
It was a beautiful Winter day. The
sun rose bright and clear. The air was
crisp. And though there was no skat
ing for the Acme Club that day, there
was good sleighing, and the. girls all
rode around to Mrs. Bradley's in the
pung from the provision store, where
DlO trim Q rl Kahh hnnirht Aofl.r In V.
' ww. wvuaii,. 1 J ill Ll'U .
mornlnr.
It was a pretty tree, not very tall, but
thick and bushy, with branches enough
to hold JI0O worth of presents if there
had been so much money to spend.
The girls had a busy time all the
morning setting up the tree and divid
ing the presents, and doing them up,
and marking them, and putting them on
the tree. And by noon it was all ready,
and they went away, to come back
again at 4. The folding-doors had been
shut all the morning, so that Billy
would not be disturbed by the noise,
and as the girls went out, peeping in
through the door that led into tha
hall, they saw that he was fast asleep.
It seemed as If 4 o'clock would never
come. But come at last it did In its
proper place, and when it came it found
Mrs. Bradley's kitchen full of nine as
happy boys and girls as ever you saw.
In fact, it had been pretty full for
some time before 4.
Bridget Milllgan was the first of the
party to arrive and she came a. few
minutes after 3, before Mrs. Bradley
had got her room quite ready. Mrs.
Bradley had scrubbed up her floor until
it shone like marble and had blacked
her stove, and everything looked as
nice as a pin. The Christmas tree stood
in the middle of the room, covered with
a big white sheet, so that nobody
should see what was on it until the
proper time came.
Little Blrdget sat quietly down on a
chair in the corner to wait, but it was
slow waiting.
The club came next, and then Jimmy
the newsboy, and then Sarah Ames,
and Fannie Sackett last of all, and if
Jimmy had not been a very brave boy
he would not have known what to do
with himself in a room so full of girls.
Everybody wondered what there was
on a table in the corner, covered up
with a cloth like the tree. But Mrs.
Bradley said that that was a secret
from the mothers of some of the girls.
Well, 4 o'clock came, and when the
clock had fairly struck, and all was
ready, the folding-doors were rolled
back, and there was Billy Bradley,
half-lying, half-sitting in his bed, poor,
pale, sick boy that he was, as full of
eager and happy expectation as any of
them.
Then the window blinds were shut and
the shades drawn down so as to make
the room all the darker, and the tree
all the brighter; with a pull came the
white sheet off the tree; one by one the
little caudles were lighted, and then the
fun began.
The president of the club acted as mas
ter of ceremonies. The tree looked
beautiful.
"Aren't you surprised," said Callle
Fisher to Amy Anderson, In a whisper,
"that we could buy so many things with
only ten dollars!"
There were long packages and square
packages and some things not dona up
in packages at all; and for ornaments
there were wonderful butterflies cut out
of colored paper and little Japanese
lanterns, and round glass balls of many
colors that glistened In the candle light,
and bells that Jingled with every motion
of the branches. Now it seemed as if
the tree were all alive, and then as If
it were all on fire. Oh, was there ever
anything quite so wonderful as . the won
derful Christmas tree!
I cannot stop to tell you all that there
was on this tree, and how many pres
ents this one had and that one; and
what they all were; I will only say that
for half an hour the president of the
Acme Club was busy disentangling the
precious bundles from the wonderful
tree and distributing them among the
eager hands that were waiting to receive
them.
And strange to say. some unexepcted
gifts were found tucked in with what
had been bought with Uncle Oliver's
money, so that the members of the Acme
Club as well as their guests were all
provided for.
There was a pretty pocket-handkerchief
for every one of the girls, and a pair of
JmttlLt'ttfe
bg(ftfflY6LCIILKmS
DOWN from the blue North gal
lop they now,
A-swlnging their icicle spears
And Jingling their spurs, the
Knights of the Snow
And Christmas is. comrng,v my
dears. '
"And never a flower will a Snow
Knight spare
If one in his pathway he meets
But he smlteth it down with its per
fume there
And Christmas Is ' coming, my
sweets.
"The red North light in their path
way it shines,
East gallop the Knights of the
Snows
And the children will gather the
evergreen vines i
And the holly In-lieu of the rose
"They whistle, the Knights, as they
merrily ride,
A-swlnging their icicla spears.
Through the forests and villages far
and wide
And Christmas . is coming my
dears.
"And there rldeth another down
from the North.
On an ambling palfrey white.
With the toys from his saddle-bags
bursting forth.
For the good little ones' delight
"The dear old saint from the blue
North down
In the wake of tha Knights doth
ride.
Clad in his cowl and his friar's
gown.
With his crucifix at his side. "
"He sings to himself and he cheer
ily nods:
'Such beautiful toys have I "
For the good little ones, but a bun
dle of rods
For those who are naughty and
cry.
(Copyright, 1832, by
jZBaBDJBBBOl
red mittens for Jimmy the newsboy, and
a morocco wallet for Bridget Milllgan,
and a "Jean Ingelaw Birthday Book" for
Sarah Ames, and a doll for Fannie Sack
ett, and ever so many other things for
everybody.
The chief Interest, of course, centered
in the presents for Billy Bradley, and
every time his name was called every
body was glad.
He looked so sick and yet so cheerful
and patient and happy that nobody could
help feeling sorry for him and glad that
he was glad. I think I shall have to tell
you what his presents were, as one by
one they were laid on the bed by his side,
while his mother sat near him enjoying
his happiness with an overflowing heart.
There was a nice black necktie and a
box of linen collars, and a pencil with
a rubber in the end, and a Christmas
card, and a copy of "Tom Brown at
Rugby," and a box of candy, and a car
ticket punch, and a "Mark Twain Scrap
book," and a pretty prayer-book and
hymnal bound together side by side In
the English fashion. And when all these
presents were laid out" before him, the
poor sick boy's eyes glistened, and turn
ing hiB face over toward his mother, he
said: "Mother, I think this Is the happi
est Christmas I ever had."
After the Christmas tree had been
stripped, Mrs. Bradley went to the table
in the corner, and threw off the -white
covering from the pile of something
there, and what do you think it proved
to be? Why, something to eat! And
did you ever know a Christmas tree at
which It was not' good to have something
to eat?
There was a large plate of cornballs.
C2o$d hi ey$ mad Jay fuirt
and a basket of oranges and apples, and
a huge loaf of angel cake, and a plate of
fancy cakes of all sorts, colors and sizes,
and a pitcher of lemonade. And you
ought to have seen the Acme Club and
their guests get around that cake and
table and make way with those eatables.
There was Just room enough for the nine
to stand around the table, and just
enough on the table to go around the
nine.
It was astonishing the way the good
things diappeared. The party stripped
the table quicker than the president had
stripped . the tree. Poor sick Billy
couldn't eat much of the cake and fruit,
but he had a plate carried to him with
a sample of every good thing on it for
him to look at.
It was now about 6 o'clock and the
president said that it was time to be
breaking up and going home.
"Billy looks tired," she said in a whis
per to two or three of the girls. "We
have been here now more than two hours,
and we must not stay too long."
Billy did Indeed look tired. The excite
ment had been a gpod deal for him to
bear. His eyes sparkled with new luster,
"And who'll have "the bundle ofi
rods this year, .
And who'll have the' beautiful
toys?
Is it you, Is it you, is it you, my
dear?
Oh, which of my darling; boys?"
They looked at her with a doubtful
look;
Save one 'with a placid face.
Who held the catTfn the cosiest nook
Of the glowing chimney-place.
"We've been so naughty," the three
. of thm said,
"That we'll get tha rods, we fear.
This Christmas, the beautiful toys
instead
But we're sorry, O, mother dear!"
But the. fourth little boy,' to him
self ha thought:
"I know that I am the best,
I shall get all the gifts that tha
Saint has brought!
"I am better than all the rest!"
On Christmas morning they found,
me tnree
Who thought they were naughty
boys
(But were just "as sorry as they
could be).
Their stockings heaped up with
toys.
But the fourth little boy, he was
SO amazed
To find the rods in his own.
That he stood in his bare feet,
wholly dazed.
And stared In his white night
gown. And the dear old Ealnt, on his pal
frey, slow,
Rode, singing with merry nods:
"Oh, who ought to have the toys I
know.
And who ought to have the rods!"
D. Lothrop Co.)
and the red spots on his cheeks were
larger and redder than before. His
mother bent over him and kissed him,
and a tear dropped down from her eye
upon his forehead. "Don't wipe It away,
mother," -he said, "let it stay."
"Mother," he said again in a moment,
"before the girls go I want them all to
come in here and sing me a Christmas
hymn one of the Christmas hymns we
sing at Sunday-school: "Once in Royal
David's City," or 'It Came Upon a Mid
night Clear; and then I want them all
to kneel down and I want the president
of the club or you or Jimmy
to read out of my new prayer-book the
Prayer for a Sick Boy,' and then we will
all say the Lord's Prayer together; per
haps this Is the last Christmas tree I
shall ever see. Here's a hymn that will
do," he added in a moment, when he had
had time to turn over a few of the
pages of his new hymnal "the twenty
sixth;" and he read:
"Calm on the listening ear of night.
t ,Come heaven's melodious strains."
By this time the little company had
silently and unconsciously moved from
the tree toward the folding doors, and
were standing there with quiet faces and
sympathizing hearts looking at their sick
companion on the bed.
They seemed all to be feeling as they
had not felt before how HI poor Billy
was, and how true it might be that he
would never see a Christmas tree again.
"Come, Callle," he said, "you start tha
hymn, you know how to sing."
So after a moment's hesitation, and
with a little of a timid and trembling
voice, Callie struck up the hymn . to the
tune of "O Mother Dear, Jerusalem;" the
others one by one joined in, and the sweet
voices of the nine children presently filled
the room with melody.
Billy tried to sing, too. but the first
verse was quite enough for him, and
turning his face over upon his pillow,
he closed his eyes and lay quiet and still,
with a pleasant smile upon his cheek, lis
tening to the words he loved so well.
Then all knelt down, and Jimmy the
newsboy, taking the new prayer-book,
read from it with a faltering voice the
prayer for a sick child:
Almighty God and Merciful Father, to
whom alone belong the issues of life and
death, look down, from heaven, we hum
bly beBeech thee, upon the sick boy for
whom our prayers are desired. Deliver
him, O Lord, in thy good appointed time
from his bodily pain, and visit him with
thy salvation, that if it should be thy
good pleasure to prolong his days, he
may live to thee, and be an instrument
of thy glory by serving thee faithfully,
and doing good In his generation; or else
receive him into those heavenly habita
tions where the souls of those who sleep
In the Lord Jesus enjoy perpetual rest
and felicity. Grant this, O Lord, for the
love. of thy. Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
And all who were present heard Billy
join feebly but distinctly in the "Amen."
Then Jimmy turned back to the Lord's
Prayer, and all united in saying that
vlth earnest hearts. But this time Billy's
voice was not heard.
When they had risen from their knees,
Billy conlnued lying still, and did not
turn his head or open his eyes to bid
them good-by.
"Poor bdy," said his mothar, "he's
pretty tired, and he's dropped asleep. We
won't wake him, but let him sleep. Tou
can all so out softlx. and when ba has
had a good nap he'll feel rested." So
without saying a word, and with quiet
stepplngs to and fro, the children gath
ered up their things, said good-by to Mrs.
Bradley, and took their leave.
And the shadows of the night grew
deeper, and the fire In the stove burned
on, and the clock ticked away, and Mrs.
Bradley moved gently about her rooms,
and tha stars came out brightly, and
Billy lay sleeping 'so peacefully that his
mother, as she came now and then to look
at him, could scarcely hear him breathe.
The next morning, after; the Christmas
service at the old church, Catherine, the
president, and Callie Fisher came round
to Mrs. Bradley's to Inquire for Billy.
And when they came In sight of the
door, they found a long piece of white
ribbon hanging down from the bell han
dle. 'I'm glad it's white and not black.
said Callle.
"Tea, girls," said Mrs. Bradley, as she
met their questioning faces at the door,
"Billy's gone. We didn't think last night,
did we, that the end was quite so near!,
It was Just as the clock struck midnight,
and as the chimes in the old church be
gan to ring in Christmas, that Billy woke
up and said: 'Good-by, mother. I'm go
in. ' And then he put his arms around
my neck, and drew me down to kiss him,
and in a moment, with a smile like an
angel's, he was gone. This will be his
first Christmas in heaven."
Two days later there was a tender
burial service in the old church. Billy
wore one of the new collars and the
black necktie which had been given him
on the jphristmas tree; and the Aetna
Club and their four guests of Christmas
Eve sung the same hymn they had sung
as they stood around what proved to have
been his dying bed.
There were few dry eyes in the church
as the last stanza of the hymn was sung:
Light 'On thy hills. Jerusalem,
The Saviour now is born!
And .bright on Bethlehem's Joyous plains
Breaks the first Christmas morn.
For Billy Bradley there was light on
the hills indeed!
(Coypright, 1906, by Lothrop, Lee & Shep
ard Co.)
THE CALL OF
THE BELLS
EVERT morning little Elizabeth lis
tened to the bells.
On Saturday morning they rang
loud and clear and seemed to say:
"Come and play, come and play, play
ay, play "
And on Sunday they chimed softly:
"Come and pray, come and pray, pray
ay, pray "
. And on Monday they tolled heavily:
"School today, school today, today-ay,
today "
But the gayest, merriest, maddest chime
of all crashed out one snowy morning:
"It's Christmas day, it's Christmas day,
day-ay, Cay "
Elizabeth jumped out of bed and ran
to the window and said: "A Merry
Christmas, dear bells." There was no one
else to say it to, for Elizabeth's father
went out early to work, and the little
girl was all alone from morning until
nisht.
But her father had left a gay package
on the bed, and when Elizabeth opened it
there was a little doll in a straight blue
gown, with a blue cap and blue eyes, and
two long yellow braids hanging down her
back.
"O-ooh," said Elizabeth, "you darling!"
and 6he hugged her little doll, and then
crept back into bed to keep warm, while
the bells clanged out:
"It's Christmas day, it's Christmas day,
day-ay, day " .
Even with her doll and the bells for
company, it was very dull as the morn
ing went on, and Elizabeth sat by the
window and watched the merry crowds
below and thought of the good times
they would have, and she would be all
alone; and while her father would have
a Christmas feast with the rest of the
men at the place where he worked, Eliza
beth's dinner would ba Just soup and dry
bread.
Sho was beginning to feel a little sorry
for herself when suddenly the chime o'
the bells changed and they seemed to say:
"Come this way, coma this way, way
ay, way "
"How funny," said Elizabeth: "they
havo never said that before," but the
bells kept on and on:
"Come this way. come this way "
And at last Elizabeth cried: "I'll come,
dear bells." and she tied on her hood
and put on her shabby red coat, and' with
qY Ct1RI3TINA 5 R95CTTI
mu
A
HOLT, heavenly chime
Rings fulness in of time.
And on His Mother's breast?
Our Lord God, ever blest,.
Is laid a Babe at rest.,
Stoop," Spirits unused to stoop;
Swoop, Angels, flying, swoop;!
Adoring as you gaze.
Uplifting hymns of praise:'
"Grace to the Full of Grace'"
The cava is cold and straip
To hide the angelic state:
More strait it is, more cold, '
To foster and Infold
Its Maker, one hour
Thrilled through with awestruckMove
Meek Angels, poised above.
Beholding God. look down:
"What, is there, ne'er a Crowni
For Him in swaddled gown?
: t , '
1 a ' '
"How comes he soft ana ' weak;
With such a tender cheek.
With such a soft, small hand
The very Hand which spann'd
Heaven, when its girth was plann'd?
"Hoiwcomes Ha with a voice
Which is but baby noise
That Voice which spake with mlghtj
'Let there be light!' and light
Sprang out 'before our sight?
"What need hath He of flesh.,
Made flawless now afresh?
What need of human heart
Heart that must bleed and smart.
Choosing the better part?
"But tee. His gracious smile.
Dismisses us awhile
To serve Him In His kin.
Haste we. make haste, begin,.
To fetch His brethren in."
Like stars- they flash and -shoot,-The
Shepherds they salute;
"Glory to God." they .sing,
"Good news of "peace we bring.
For Christ is born a King."
1
1906. by
Shepard
her little blue doll under her arm. away
she flew downstairs and out of the door
and across the street to the big church
with the high tower.
And still the bells said: "Come this
way, come this way," and when Eliza
beth entered the church she found a
crowd of people in the pews, and there
were lights on the altar, and the organ
rolled out its volume of beautiful sound,
and the voices of the choir were like those
of aiigel9 singing. But above all the
music clanged the bells:
"Come this way,- come this way "
So Elizabeth crept through the wo
erful golden light to where a dark stair
way led to the belfry.
She was a little frightened as she
climbed up and up and found nothing
but the voices of the bells still urged
her on.
Then all at once she came to a little
square room in the tower and as she
entered the clang of the bells stopped.
There was no one in the room, but in
the middle was a small table, and on
the table was a tiny tree, and on the
tree were red candles that burned with
a tiny spark of light, and gold tinsel,
and at the very top a pink wax angel
with silver wings.
"Oh," said Elizabeth, standing very
still on the threshold, "oh, what a per
fectly beautiful tree."
And Just as sie said it an old man cams
into the room. He had long white hair
and kind eyes, but his clothes were very
shabby.
The old man and Elizabeth looked at
each other for a minute, and then the
old man said: "A Merry Christmas." and
Elizabeth nodded back at him happily
and said. "A Merry Christmas." and then
she explained: "The bells called me. They
said, 'Come this way, come this way,' and
so I came."
The old man laughed softly. "Well,
now," he said, "I was ringing the bells,
and I thought what a lonely Christmns
I would have up here in the belfry, with
no one to see my little tree, and I wished
that some .child might come. And tha
bells must have read my thoughts, and
so they called you well, well "
Then he made Elizabeth sit down, and
she told him about her lonely little room
in the garret opposite, and he told her
how he lived in the little room in the
tower, and then he said: "Now we must
be friends, because we are both so lone
ly." -And Elizabeth said: "I'll come and
see you every day."
And after that the little old man made
Elizabeth take off her hood and coat.
"For we'll have our Christmas dinner to
gether," he said, and Elizabeth danced
around the little tree and Iauched and
clapped her hands, and said: "Yes."
Presently the little old man went down
stairs and came back with a fine hot din
ner that one of the ladies of tlie rtiurch
had sent to him in a basket, and Eliza
beth set the table, with the Christmas
tree in the middle; and she set three
places one for herself and one for tha
little old man and one for the little blue
doll; then she made a bow to the little
old man and cried: "It's nil ready," and
the little old man cried: "Wait a minute,"
and ran up to the belfry and rang the
bells again, and this is what they said:
"Oh, happy day; oh, nappy day, day-ay,
day "
"A pound of JUMPS!" and I looked in sur
prise At little black Roso with her shining eyes.
"A pound of jumps, my mother paid.
A pound or Jumps," and she nodded her
head.
"My dear, we've flour, and sugar in lumps.
And peanuts, but never a pound of Jumps.
"With walnuts, and chestnuts, and corn
that pops "
"Oh, oh! r fcirnot! It's a POUND OF HOPS!
(Copyright, 11)0(1, by Lothrop, Lee & Shep
herd Co.)
Weather Kick Always Coming.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
"Well," said the optimist. "I suppose
you are through kicking abqut the warm
weather."
"Oh. yes," responded the pessimist
cheerfully. "I'm kicking about the cold
weather now. That's the good point
about the weather. Tou can nearly al
ways kick."
xm
old.
A
Lothrop, t Lee
Co.)
i
' 1
..-':-.:'...
I
I!. SA