The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-12-22
A LEGEND OF CHRISTMAS EVE.
AS child the worlds Redeemer

AS a child the worlds Redeemer
Clasps his Mothers hand tonight
And his infant brow is shining
With that radIa nee, softly bright,
Making once in BethlehPm's stable cold and
darkness fire and light.
As child among the children
OF his Fathers house he stands
When the Christmas trees are kindled
BY the busy angels hands:
Swiftly on glad mission speeding, to and fro,
the white winged bands.
Echoeth through the courts of Heaven
Sound Of unchecked childish miIth,
Keeping, with a soft-voiced clamor,
Holy day of happy birth
When child, to win mans loving, came the
Lord of Heaven and earth.
Stands bis tree among the others,
Tall and strong and very fair;
Sweetest scent of earthly forests
Filling all the heavenly air,
Lifting, as 1t were, In incense, grateful
earth's adOrning prayer.
But scarce lighted are the tapers
On the Christ-cbild's cross -boughed tree
And the angels, as they pass It.
Scarcely'seem its want to see
Through the myriad lights that sparkle like
the sun upon the sea.
And the hosts of little children,
ppy-hearted, scarcely mark
In the light Of Jesus smiling
That his tree alone is dark;
That where lights should burn the brightest
shineth but the tiniest spark.
Till one little soul that. nesting
Lovingly at Mary's feet
Finding thought OF earthly mother
In her hands caresses sweet
Questioning words of childish wonder doth
with srieving heart repeat:
why hath none our Lords tree lighted ~
Soft he speaketh, unafraid.
Then unto him Mary answering
Tender heart, be not dismayed,
Though thv tree like star be cleaning, and
my Sons seem dark with shade.
"Ali thy tapers Gods dear angels
Set with heavenly love aalow,
But the flames my Sons to kindle
Must be born on earth below,
Must ascend from each SOULS altar bought
with love so long ago.
every thought of him uprising
From a loving human heart
Swift shall make dark rk-seeming taper
Into golden shining start;
So he wills his earthly brothers in his Christ
mas shall have part.
every kindly thought for others,
Every loving action wrought,
Every sigh OF souls contrition,
Shall with kindlinG flame be fraught,
And the burning candles symbol earthly
love In deed and thought.
LONELY were my Son in heaven,
And in Heart unsatisfied
Did tonight amid earth's pladness
Rise no thought of Him that died
Rise no thought of her that worshipped
Bethlehem's manger straw beside
''ROyal gifts 20 men he giveth
And his angels on them wait
But the Lord of men and angels
ChOOseth ever bumblest state,
And In lowliest heart that loves him seeks
his own loves thirst to safe,
$50 he chOOseth that no angels
Light tonight his Christmas tree:
Heavenly service fo= his brothers
For himself earth's charity;
And the brightness of his Christmas measure
of earth's love shall be-
On the Christ -child's tree the tapers
With glow, e'er deep'ning shine
PRAYERS Of grateful heart ascending
Sin o'erthrown IN some souls shrine,
Loving thought in noble action grown more
like to love divine.
Then the Christ child, smiling softly,
GaZPth in his Mothers ewes
Listening to the angels singing
Sounding through the starit skies.
"Glorta in excelsis Deo"-Ss OF old the
strong words rise.
With the song Of angels nIngTine
Earth's glad Christmas harmony,
And the Peace of God descending
In hearts warm with charity.
Whlie far down the streets of Jasper shines
the Christ-child's Christmas tree.
Edith A Cook in Catholic World for January.