As Jean went home the snow began to fall and the big flakes lodged on
his shoulders and cap and hands, but he didn't mind the cold for his
heart was so warm. By and by as he ran down the street he passed a
tall house with the steps going up from the street, and there sitting
on the bottom step he saw a little boy with soft curling hair and a
beautiful face, leaning his head against the stone house, fast asleep.
Somehow as Jean looked at the sleeping face, his own heart grew still
and quiet and warm, and he felt like he could look at it forever, and
suddenly he caught himself singing softly under his breath, "Peace on
earth, good will to men." And then he looked down at the little boy's
feet and he saw that he was barefooted and his little feet were purple
with the cold. As Jean looked at the feet, and then at the face of the
child, and thought of the sweet song in his heart, he said, "Oh! I
wish I could give him my shoes, for I have stockings to keep me warm,
but auntie would be so mad! And the more he looked and thought, the
more he longed to give his shoes away, until all at once he said, "I
know what I'll do, I'll give him one shoe and one stocking and then he
won't be so cold," and he felt as though he couldn't get his shoe and
stocking off fast enough to give them to the little child.
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