The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-12-23

straight to the great chair in the Chin
ney corner. She raped her own
best shawl about him and chafed his
small, withered feet until they glowed
with warmth. The tall, pale lad
looked on gratefully.
Il am seeking an asylum for the lit
tie one," he said. 81 have to work hard
to keep him and myself from want. A
rich merchant has promised me work,
but he says must not bring Petrusha.
That he would take too much of my
time"
"And where seek you an asylum for
him?'
Baboushka looked pitifully at the
small, sad face of the cripple The tall
brother answered sadly:
"Alas, that | know not yet I was
seeking the nearest town to ask coun-
sci of the priest"
Baboushka laid kind hand on the
boys arm.
put care away from thy young
heart. Thou hast found an asylum
for thy crippled brother. He shall
travel no farther on the frozen roads.
He shall be my own little Petrusha. /
have tiny truckle bed into which he
dear child, | make thee welcome to in
the Christ Child's name"
The night was but very little older
when the three children, Ossip, Vasa-
lissa and Petrusha, fed, warmed and
comforted, were sleeping the care free
sleep Of innocent childhood.
Only the tall lad and Baboushka sat
by the fireside, because there was no
bed left for them.
Tell me, good mother" the boy said,
looking straight into her kind eyes,
why are you so good to all children?
Your fame has gone abroad"
Baboushka did not answer him at
once. When she did, her voice sounded
as sweet and solemn as church chimes
at vesper time.
Yes, | will tell you, my son, for you
are nearing your own years of respon-
sibility, and it will be well for you to
earn in good time the solemn lesson
hat an opportunity once lost is lost
.orever.
MANY years ago | was setting my
house in order when three men stopped
at my door with q great piece of news.
"'We have seen radiant star in the
east they said, and we know that the
Christ Child must be come. Leave thy
labor. Come with us to find him and
% do him honor
But | sent them away with words
Of foolish Impotence. 'Seest thou not
that l am setting my house in order?
Go thou to where the star beckons
thee, and l will follow at some more
convenient time. l can see its light
without thy help
"So they went their way and left me
to go mine. But when the time came
that | found it convenient to follow
the star clouds obscured The heavens,
and there was no star to be seen, and
so l knew not how to seek the Christ
Child.
81 have been seeking him ever since,
up and down in the land. Whenever,
wherever | see a little child / think
perhaps | have found the One l seek,
and my heart yearns over him. But
not yet have l found the Christ Child,
whose face must shine with the radi-
ance of the star | lost"
With tears of sorrow wetting her
eyelashes Baboushka fell asleep in hel
chair. She had filed all of her beds
with cold and friendless children.
And as she slept a tender HAND
seemed to dry her tears and a loving
voice to whisper in her ears:
"Inasmuch as We have done it unto
the least of these little ones We have
done it unto me. They were homeless
and We took them in. They were hun
CRY, and you have fed them. They
were cold, and you have warmed them
The Christ Child is in thy own heart
And on that glad Christmas morning
Baboushka awoke with great peace
In her soul, for she knew that she hat
found him she had been seeking fa1
and wide.