Come in!"
They drew the little stranger to their warm seat and shared their
supper with him, and gave him their bed, while they slept on a hard
bench.
In the night they were awakened by strains of sweet music and, looking
out, they saw a band of children in shining garments approaching the
house. They were playing on golden harps, and the air was full of
melody.
Suddenly the Stranger Child stood before them; no longer cold and
ragged, but clad in silvery light.
His soft voice said: "I was cold and you took Me in. I was hungry, and
you fed Me. I was tired, and you gave Me your bed. I am the Christ
Child, wandering through the world to bring peace and happiness to all
good children. As you have given to Me, so may this tree every year
give rich fruit to you."
So saying, He broke a branch from the fir tree that grew near the
door, and He planted it in the ground and disappeared. But the branch
grew into a great tree, and every year it bore wonderful golden fruit
for the kind children.
[*] From "For the Children's Hour," by Bailey and Lewis. Used by
permission of the authors and the publishers--Milton Bradley Company.
LITTLE JEAN[*]
A Christmas Story
Long ago, and far from here, in a country with a name too hard to
pronounce, there lived a little boy named Jean.
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