Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-12-18


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.
81 am seeking an asylum for the lit
tie one," he said. II 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 l know not yet. was
seeking the nearest town to ask coun-
sci Of the priest
BabousIlka 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.
have a tiny truckle bed into which he
will fit to a nicely. Such as l have,
dear child, I make thee welcome to In
the Christ Child's name"
The night was but very little older
when the three children, Ossip, Vasa-
LISA 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 lid not answer him at
once When she did, her voice sounded
as sweet and solemn as church chimes
at vesper time.
Eyes, I will tell you, my son, for you
are nearing your own years Of respon-
sibility, and it will be well for you to
learn in good time the solemn lesson
that an opportunity once lost is los:
forever.
MANY years ago I was setting my
house in order when three men stopped
at my door with a 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
to do him honor
But l sent them away with words
of foolish impatience 'Seest thou not
that l am setting my house in order?
Go thou to where the star becKons
thee, and I will follow at some more
without thy help
$50 they went their way and left NE
to go mine But when the time came
that I 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.
II have been seeking him ever since,
up and down in the land. Whenever
wherever / see little child l think
perhaps l have found the One / seek
and my heart yearns over him. But
not yet have found the Christ Child
whose face must shine with the radi
ance of the star lost"
With tears of sorrow wetting ht"
eyelashes Baboushka fell asleep in her
chair. She had filed all of her beds
with cold and friendless children.
And as she slept tender hand
seemed to dry her tears and 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 had
found him she had been seeking far
and wide.