So gently
and tenderly he lifted the little cold foot in his hand to put on the
shoe that he did not waken the sleeping boy, even when he had put the
stocking on the other foot, and then as he stood up again and took a
last look at the lovely face, before he knew it he was singing aloud,
"Peace on earth, good will to men." Then he hopped off home in the
snow with the happiest heart he had ever had.
Now, I wish the story turned out differently and that his auntie said
when he told her about it, "I'm so glad you did it, Jean." But she was
so very cross, that she slapped Jean and sent him off to bed without
any supper, saying, "You had no right to give away that shoe and
stocking for my money paid for them!" Somehow Jean didn't mind doing
without supper that night and he soon went fast asleep and dreamed a
beautiful dream, for he thought he was still singing "Peace on earth,
good will to men!" And he saw a vision of the little sleeping boy,
that grew into a tall and gentle man with a radiant face who walked to
and fro in Jean's dream, singing with him "Peace on earth, good will
to men!" Then morning came and outside his window, Jean heard the
voices of children singing, "Glory to God in the highest, on earth
peace, good will to men!" And he heard a very strange sound too, for
his auntie's voice, soft and gentle, said, "Jean, wake up, and come
down and see what has happened," and Jean came down the ladder and lo!
there was a wonderful tree just like the other boys were having today,
and a goose, and by the fireplace his own wooden shoe, and beside it
the mate that he had given to the sleeping child, and far in the
distance Jean heard the children's voices singing as they ran down the
street, "Peace, peace on earth, good will to men!" Then the room grew
very still and peaceful and Jean's heart did too--and through the
silence there came a voice so tender and loving--so gentle that the
auntie's eyes were full of tears, and Jean wanted to listen forever,
and the voice said, "Jean, inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least
of these, my brethren, ye did it unto ME.
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