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Page 36
She had waked up early the day before Christmas, and all day long she
had been doing loving deeds; and when evening came, and the bells began
to ring, she started with a basket of toys to a mission church, where
she was to help Santa Claus by giving gifts to the children of the poor.
[Illustration: The dearest Christmas Gift that ever came to a homesick
little girl.]
Her papa was with her, and they were so glad that they sang gay
Christmas carols, and kept time to them with their feet as they hurried
down the street, right by the wooden stoop, just as Gretchen fell asleep
by her empty shoes. The moon had seen those empty shoes, and was
filling them with moonbeams. The stars had seen them, and peeped into
them with pity; and when Margaret and her father saw them they cried out
to each other, for they had been in Germany, and they knew that the
little owner was waiting for the good Saint Nicholas.
"What can we give her?" whispered Margaret's papa, as he looked down at
his bundles; but Margaret knew, for she took from her basket a baby
doll--one that looked as if it wanted to be loved--and laid it tenderly
across the wooden shoes. Then Margaret lifted a corner of the blanket
from Gretchen's rosy face and shouted "Merry Christmas!" with so much
heartiness that the little girl woke with a start to find, not Margaret
and her papa, for they had run away, but, oh! wonder of wonders! the
dearest Christmas gift that ever came to a homesick little girl, and
made her feel at home.
Oh! all the bells were singing and ringing, and Margaret and her papa
answered them with their merry Christmas carol, as they sped on their
way.
"_Carol, brothers, carol!
Carol merrily!
Carol the glad tidings,
Carol cheerily!
And pray a gladsome Christmas
To all our fellowmen,
Carol, brothers, carol!
Christmas Day again_."
_THE KING'S BIRTHDAY_
MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER
_Let the child feel Christ is near him;
By your faith will grow his own;
Death nor danger will affright him
If he never feels alone_.
Little Carl and his mother came from their home in the country one sweet
summer day, because it was the king's birthday, and all the city was to
be glad and gay, and the king would ride on his fine gray horse for the
people to see.
Little Carl had gathered a very fine bunch of flowers to throw before
the king. He had marigolds and pinks and pansies, and they had all grown
in his mother's garden.
This was a great day for little boy Carl, and before he started from
home he told everything goodbye,--the brindle calf and the mooley cow
and the sheep and little white lambs.
"Good-bye!" he said; "I am going to see the king."
The way was long, but Carl did not complain. He trudged bravely on by
his mother's side, holding the flowers tightly in his little hand, and
looking out of his great blue eyes for the king, in case the king should
ride out to meet them.
Every now and then Carl wished for his father, who was obliged to work
in the fields all day, and who had been up and away before Carl was
awake. Carl thought of the fine sights his father was missing,
especially when they came to the city, where the flags were flying from
every steeple and housetop and window.
There were as many people in the city as there were birds in the
country; and when the drums beat, the crowd rushed forward and everybody
called at once: "The king! the king! Long live the king!"
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