The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-12-22

! with the red heat of the Yule- log; but An
gelica lay long awake, her wide blue eyes
staring at the deep-mullioned window
with its tiny panes of colored glass.
through which the moonlight streamed
in warm pinks, yellows and faint, mystic
blues. 1t seemed to the little maid that
something strangely sweet and alluring
was abroad in the still night, and for
once she was quite unafraid. "Her-
manu-" she whispered loudly, and wait
ed to hear the soft, deep breathing which
told her that his ears were sealed. She
slipped from her bed and bent over her
brothers pillow. Thou must awake,
my brother" she said, land go quickly
with me. The shining immortal will be
filling our shoes. l wish to see him.
The boy whimpered sleepily as she
pulled him from his warm nest. And is
it thou who will sail away in a great
ship when thou art grown? p laughed the
little girl, and fetched him his furred
coat, motherwise, to guard against the
cold
The soft snow mufiled the sound of
their little feet as they crept to the verge
of the terrace to look over into the great
court. All was silent. white, sparkling
under the cold eye of the watchful moon.
The two empty shoes set hard by the
closed door cast black shadows on the
frosty drift.
There is nothing to see, little foolish
one" began Hermann, blinking at the
bright moon ike little ruffled owl from
the midst of its feathers. 81 am sleepy;
also it is very cold here, and like not the
night and the great stars"
"Hark, little brother" whispered the
girl, passing her warm arm about his
shoulder. She had caught the sound of
tiny bells from beyond the shadow of the
wall, and bent forward to stare eagerly
down.
Presently there stole into the square of
moonlit snow strange figure. Broad of
back was it, and clad in great coat of
scarlet, edged and belted with fur; cap
of fur sparkling with snow crystals was
drawn snugly about it's head, and a
great beard, white like silver, streamed
in the icy wind. On one shoulder hung
small green fir tree; the other bore a
pack of goodly size.
Its the Saint" whispered Angelica
trembling. "But look, brother; he wears
old Jacquard's red coat"
NAY, it is not old Jacquard's coat"
answered Hermann, wide-eyed as An
gelica by now. "See how its furred Dor
der sparkles in the MOON
The bent figure was working swiftly. |
1t thrust the tiny fir tree deep into the
drift and set it's green branches thick |
with shining stars and tinkling bells and
tapers of colored wax This done, it |
turned to the little empty shoes with a |
low, chuckling laugh.
Angelica caught her brother by the
arm. eve must play the spy no longer"
she murmured, else the immortal will
leave us sorry cheer in our two shoes"
The children crept back to their beds |
shaking with fear and happiness. Silence
reigned in the dim chamber for many
minutes; then small, hushed voice arose
from Hermann's cot SISTER, saw no
great white horse"
1.-THE Saint would leave his beast with
out the gate, or perchance he came riding
the great dun stag. Didst thou not hear
the tinkling of harness bells in the
shadow"
"But, sister, saw no lowering souls
of children in the moonlight
"The children were all snug in their
beds, little brother, save thou and /.
And, brother, let US not pirate of our do
ings to old Jacquard or to Dame Hesper
or to the serving maids. IT'S deep Sc
cret between thee and me-"
Afterward they slept, and dreamed not
at ALL
In the morning the furred shoes were
found crammed with sweet sugared cakes
and scarlet fruits and nuts, gildcd and
tinseled; and the little fir tree, thrust in
the frozen drift, blazed with its lighted
tapers and glittering stars.
"'Tis a thrice sacred emblem, my chill
dren," quoth old jacquard, barring his
white head to the sky as he stood before
the shining tree. Look you, little
ones; It's like the sun-tree, which begin
Al. 4 IL.
heavens. See the shining stars in its
branches, and here are also the fruits of
summer as we'll as the frosts of winter.
'Tis also an image of the Tree of Life,
which grows by the celestial river, bear
ing divers fruits, good and wholesome,
and meet for every human need. And,
thirdly, it may be Hkened to the Life In
mortal, rooted in Eternity and shining
with the glory of Him who flleth the
heavens from everlasting to everlasting"
And the children, hand in hand, gazed
with solemn eyes of joy at the fir tree
whose branches appeared to tremble
with mysterious messages from the in
visible.
Neither then, nor afterward, did they
speak to old Jacquard of what they had
seen in the moonlight of Yuletide. Bnt
when they were grown, and other chill
dren played about the courts and terraces
of the gray old castle, Angelica, wiser
and more loving than of yore, nestled
her brothers little ones upon her knees
and told them of the blessed Christ Child
in the manger at Bethlehem, and of the
wise men who fetched Him gifts both
rare and precious, and of how in the
short, dark days of frost, when the tree
of celestial light begins to grow in the