Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-22

The child did not unt srstand the singers words, and feeling sure that he was using tho language of heaven sho threw herself at his feet, clasped her hands and raised her eyes entreatingly to his face.
 Good angel, pray thee," she cried, "holp me to find my grosohen! Thy groschen, little onef What sayst thouSn he answofcd, speaking with strange aeccnt Why dost thou call me thy good angel-me, a poor Italian sing
 "Is that truo2" asked the child, still in doubt
 ''Indeed, yes" he answered. "I saw light In this fine house and thought that if sung I might be offered a nights shel- ter, but all seems to be silent"
 "E9ery one but the sick lady and her servant has gone to church, " explained tho little girl, and her bearer added:
 Then shall go thero too. And what wilt thou do?''
 At this question the child, remembering her loss, began to cry again, and tho lad took her hand in his, and stroking it asked gently:
 What is the trouble, little ono? Tell me, and if I can help you I will" He smiled chcerily as he spoke, and the child answered:
 ''I have lost my money, my groschcn. We never have anything nice for supper, but because ii is Christmas time my moth CT gave mo tho money to buy sausage and an apple pie, but l haVc dropped my groschon in tho snow We have no moro, and now wo can Lave no Christmas sup per.
 "Whcrc did youGrop it?" asked her lis tencr, and when she pointed to the spot he Enot down and began turning over the snow, when he gave cry of triumph and held up Q coin in his fingers.
 "Oh, you must be an ange!" cried the .littlo girl joyfully, and he added, with smile:
 "A Florentine angel, then. My namc is Maso Napone-remcnberi it. Now, good by. Go buy your supper.
 Mot until have been to tho midnight mass" replied the girl. My mother is i'll, so I must 80 i.nd pray for her. "
 Then will go with you, said Maso, taking her hand. What is your namef"
 Christine Dachs. My mother is the Widow Gudule."
 Poor little thingl Do you remember your father?'
 "Pcrfcctly. He used to hush me to sleep by tho fire every night, and sometimes I seem to feel his arms round mo still. An, how well ho loved mel
 Your mother has to work?"
 "Yes; she docs beautiful embroidery. l do little of it, but hayo not learned to work very well yet. Pretty soon I shall l. do it better, and then mamma can rcst.' "I am all alone in the world" said tho youth when Christine stopped speaking, II have no parents, no money, no homo My fathers creditors took everything cx cept my lutc. so 1 left Florence, and now l earn little money by singing in the streets, but 1 often have to sleep in the open air and without supper, but l nm very strong, I do not mind it, and 1 have many happy hours. Beautiful ladies call mo into acir houses to sing to their guests, and then I am well treated and well fed.'
 Tho little girl nodded approvingly, as if such conduct were the most natural in the world, and at that moment she and her companion reached the door of the church.
 As they entered Maso doffed his hat rev. erentially, dipped his fingers into the holy water fount and touched them to Chris tines Then the two children knelt down in tho shadow of great pillar which rose to the high arched roof. The whole congre gation joined in singing the carols and tho weak, broken voices of the aged, the silyerys ones of tho ohildren, tho sweet tones of the maidons, the clear high notes of the young men arfd tho strong, deep ones of their elders combined to produce harmonies both powerful and sweet. Maso could not keep silence. Suddenly his voice roso above the rest, and it was so full, so clear and so sweet that every one