The gazette-news., 1902-12-20
HOW RABGUSHEA
FOUND The CHRIST CHILD
i to the great chalr IN the chim
Confined from Previous Page.

u to the great chair in the chin.
rcrner. She raped her own
6es. -.lawl about him and chafed his
sm; :. withered feet until they glowed
witt warmth. The tall, pale lad
looked on gratefully.
81 am seeking an asylum for the lit
tie one" he said. Il have to work hard
20 keep him and myself from want. A
Fich merchant has promised me work.
but he says I must not bring Petrusha.
That he would take too much of my
time"
~And where seek you an asylum for
hlm?'
Baboushl:a looked pitifully at the
small, sad face Of the cripple. The tan
- p answered sadly:
-.:,s. that I know not yet. was
seeing the nearest town to ask coun-
sci of the priest"
BabOushka laid a 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. I
have a tiny truckle bed into which he
will fit to a nicely. Such as 1 have.
dear child. l make thee welcome TO I'm
the Christ Child's name"
The night was but very little older
when the three children, Ossip Vasa-
Iissa and Pctrusha, fed, warmed and
eOmfOrtcd, 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.
"Teli mc, good mother" the boy said,
looking straight into her kind eyes,
s'why are you SO good 10 all children?
Your fame has gone abroad"
Raboushza did not answer him at
Rnce. When she did, her voice sounded
rs sweet and solemn as church chimes
at vesper time.
"Yes, l viii tell you. my son, for you
are nearing your own years Of rcspOn-
tibility. and it will be well for you to
learn in good time the solemn lesson
that an opportunity once lost is lost
forever.
'Many years ago I was setting my
house I'm order when three men stopped
at my door with 4 great piece Of news.
1--WE have seen a radiant star I'm the
east they said. and we know that the
Christ Child must be come. Leave thy
labor. Come with us 10 find him and
10 do him honor
"But | sent them away with words
Of foolish impatiencc. 'Secst thou not
that | am setting my house i'm order?
Go thou 10 where the star bcckuns
thee, and l will follow at some more
convenient time. can see its light
without thy help
$50 they went their way and left me
10 go mine. Eat wL,n tEe time came
that I found il coIvcuivct 10 follow
the star clouds oliacurUd the heavens,
and There WAS no tar to Dec seen, and
30 knew rot hug- tn -rrk The Christ
Child.
Il have lran seeking him ever since.
up and down ia thc land. Whenever,
wherever ! see a litf3c child | think
perhaps l have found the One | seek.
and my heart ycaruS over him. but
not yet have I found the Christ child.
whose face must shine with the radi-
ance of the star lost"
With tears of Surrow WcttinC her
eyelashes TahoushLa fen asleep in Ter
chair She had filled all of her beds
with cold ana fricndloss children.
And as she slept a tender hand
seemed Ia dry her tears and loving
voice to whisper in her ears:
"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
the least Of these little ones ye have
done Il unto me. They were homeless,
and ye took them i'm. They were hun
Cry. ami 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 awokc with a great peace
I'm her soul. for she knew that she had
found him she had been seeking far
and wide.