St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1906-01-13

brought from Jerusalem should not
reach his ears until her own lips had
| told him the sweet sacred story.
AS she neared the doorway of her
home she heard his voice, and she
paused to listen. He had the baby in
| his arms and his brother and sister
were standing before him listening in
tently while he told them of nest of
little birdlings which he had found that
afternoon. Their helplessness had ap-
pealed to him SO strongly and the
memory of how the summer before
some of the bad boys of the village
had taken the little birds out of nest
and then destroyed it, was SO fresh
that he had resolved that he would be
the protector of the little ones he had
found, and he concluded his story by
saying:
I'm not going to tell the other boys
anything about it, and don't you,
James," he added, appealing to his
| brother. we'll keep it for our secret,
and some day will take you and let
you have peak at them"
me go, too?" broke in the little sis
ter, as she danced about the floor in
her excitement. And then catching
sight of her mother through Che open
doorway she ran towards her with a
happy cry, followed by the other chill
dren, who all tried to talk at once and
tell her the story of the little birds.
That evening, after the other chill
dren had been put to sleep, Jesus came
and sat by his mothers side, as was
his custom, to have quiet talk with
her before going to bed. His mind was
still upon the nest of little birdlings,
and he was wondering how they Jared
| in the darkness. Looking up into his
mothers face with great, earnest eyes,
he asked:
Mother, does God care for the
birds? Will He care for the little birds
I found this afternoon?''
Eyes, I am sure He WILL respond
ed Mary, smiling down upon him with
tender thoughtfulness, "even as He
cared for thee when thou vast babe."'
WAS once baby like sister,
there?" pointing towards the little
cradle standing in the shadow, and
ais eyes opened wide in wonder for it
was a new thought to him.
eyes, my son, and want to tell you
= beautiful story about your birth.
It shall be secret between thee and
me, just as the nest of little brides is
to be a secret between thee and thy
brother and sister," and as she gazed
into his deep eyes and caught the respon-
sive soul-gleam there, she knew she
was making no mistake in telling him
He made no reply, but waited expect
antly for her to begin.
ut was in Bethlehem, the home Of
the great and good king David, about
whom we have talked so often, and to
whose house and lineage thou dost be-
long. Joseph and had made the long
journey from Nazareth and were weary,
and finding no room in the kahn, were
forced to find shelter in the great cav
ern on the hillside where the cattle
we're housed And there 1t was that
God gave you into my arms. In the
dim light Of the feeble lamp burning
in the place, I could see that thou
vast goodly child, and as pressed
thee to my bosom suddenly glorious
light broke through the opening in the
roof and rested upon thy head. And
as followed the light upward saw
a beautiful and wondrous star which
God had set above thy resting place.
It was as though He set his seal upon
thee then and, there, my son."
She paused. and both instinctively
looked upward with reverent gaze and
caught the bursting light Of the even.
ing star.
But that was not ALL" continued
the mother, as she slowly lowered her
eyes until they again rested upon the
face of her boy, ''for WITH the morning
light came the shepherds from the hill.
side outside the village seeking for
thee, and saying that vision of angels
had appeared unto them and the heav.
ems were filled with light and music
from above. And the angel of the
Lord told them of thy birth and COM
manded them to come and seek thee,
and then the angelic host sang praises
to God, saying:
"'Glory to God in the highest. and
on earth peace. good will towards
men,"
"Oh, mother" burst out the boy,
his face radiant with the light which
was breaking in upon his soul, and
with the thought which was struggling
for expression, "did God do all those
beautiful and wonderful things for
me? Why did He dc them?" And then
without giving his mother time to an.
swer, had it been in her heart to have
done so, he went on, while his great
serious eyes glowed with the inexpres.
s;ble yearning that stirred within him:
"Do you know, mother. want to be
good, just like God. want the angels
always to be glad and sing because
was born"
The mother patted his head fond.
~, but said nothing, but as they sat
there, in reverent silence, each busy.
with the thoughts within, now con-
sciousness OF God and new purpose
towards God was borne in upon the
lads heart, while in the heart Of the
mother there echoed the words OF the
angel, words which she could not
speak now; for she did not understand
them. but which in the years to come
were to become indeed the glad tidtngs
to all the earth:
For unto you is born this day in
the city OF David. . Saviour, which =
Christ. the Lord =