Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1905-12-16

Gasparito and l, at one end be. at the
other I, and the bag in the middle. But
when we came to the hut we could not
walk any more. And when our feet were
we'll those of mamma were too tired.
She could not get up. And then she
told us beautiful stories while she lay
there so sick and pale"
Ives, beautiful stories of the Infant
and the angels and the shepherds, and
the wise, holy kings, till we could hear
the songs and see the brightly shining
STAR"
"Almost we could hear and see those
lovely things" Gaspare corrected Man
uelo.
I'VE did hear what she sang for us,
Adeste fideles, Mannelito."
eyes, yes. That we did hear and will
always remember"
"You see, Senorita, she was very good,
that poor little mother" whispered the
Sonora. "No friend to take the children
she left behind. Now tell, Manuelo,
how you came to take the long, long
walk" ~
Eyes, mamma" said the child
thoughtfully, and little sadly. 81 will
tell that. One morning mamma said,
Mis- queridos, after today shall be with
you no more.'"
"And you did what your mother asked
of your"
Eyes, Senori.a. The next morning
when we awoke our mother was dead.
We cried good deal, and first thought
to tell some people in house on the hill.
So we went there, and the man said, we
will come But Gaspare and went by
another way, and we walked and we
walked. We were afraid, and had only
to eat the dry bread that was left in the
bag. 1t was two DAYS and we came to
San Mauricio. There was a big FIRE on
the hill, and I rendered that mamma
had said, Soon it will be Christmas day.
On the night before they make fires on
the hills And said Gaspare to me,
They will be good to us, maybe, for the
love of the little child Jesus who was
born in stable. Let us knock at some
door and ask to eat and sleep"
~ was SO tired" said Gaspare, look
ing at me apologetically with his large
brown eyes.
"He is smaller than me-" continued
Manuelo, patting his brothers. arm.
"But 1 thought then, maybe better wait
till morning. There was a little house
near by-dark-I thought stable. In
side there we're no animals. We went in
very softly, Gaspare and I, and the
moon shone. And there, full of clean
straw, was big manger, and in the mid
die beautiful wax baby. And Gaspare
said"
Eyes, 1 said," cried Gaspare excitedly,
81 said there is the manger all ready.
We are so tired, Manuehto, let us creep
in and sleep beside the Infant Jesus"
cat first was afraid" rejoined Man
uelo," but then l was not, and we crept
in and in one minute we were asleep. But
before we put the child Jesus between us,
to take care of us, and We knew that
mamma had prayed right away when she
stepped into heaven"
"And there, Senorits,' burst forth the
Sonora, as she cuddled boy under each
arm, "there we found them fast asleep,
Rafael and I, when we came at midnight
to pray in the stable before the msnger
And after that what could we do? Turn
away those blessed children sleeping in
the very cradle of Our Lorda No; that
we could never have done. And we
know, Senorita, that the mother went to
God at once, for there was the answer to
her prayer, pobrecitat And there is, be-
sides, another strange thing. They are
called Manuelo and Gasp4re-Emman-
Ell, the Saviour; Gaspare, one of the
wise kings. OH it was God, the holy
Infant. So we must always believe, Ra-
fael and l."
And so thus far it has proven. The
twins have grown to be strong. sturdy
boys, industrious, cheerful and obedient,
idolized by their kind foster-parents and
esteemed by all who know them. be-
loved of man and God.-[Mary E. Man
nix in Donahoe's. .