Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-15

within, and no light cleaned from its one
little window.
Maisie felt along the unhewn logs with her
numb hands until she reached the door. 1t
was not fastened, and readily yielded to the
effort she made to open it.
1t was, no doubt, some woodchopper's s
cabin who had gone home to spend Christ
mas with his family He had not been long
gone, however, as was plainly apparent, for
the embers of fire still smouldered in the
rude stone fireplace and the cabin seemed
warm and comfortable to the half-frozen
girl in contrast to the raging storm and bit
ter cold without.
What haven of refuge it was Masie
uttered a little cry of thankfulness as she
staggered in, closed the door and crept to the
hearth where gimmered the last spark of the
dying fire.
A pile of hard, dry wood was in one cor
nor. Maisie quickly drew together the black
sticks, then real old grandfather of back
log, and soon the CHEEKY flames were roaring
up the chimney in fine style, filling the cabin
with genial warmth and light.
Maisie sat down on the floor before the fire
and spread out her hands to the ruddy blaze.
She was safe enough now, and oh, SO CRATE
full for so secure a refuge!
. She sat for long time watching the merry
sparks jump and fly from the burning sticks,
and listening to the wild tumut of the storm
The snow beat against the cabin roof and
whirled down the wide chimney to hiss and
disappear in the red blaze.
Now that she was warm and sheltered,
Maisie fell to wondering what her mother
had their supper long ago, and presumably
believed her to be safe with Uncle Joe and
Aunt Martha.
The thought of supper made her realize
that she was very hungry, and then she tried
to think of something else that she might
forget it.
Through all her blind wandering in the
woods, she had kept a fast hold on her
basket. 1t seemed pleasant companion in
Christmas gifts! There were Uncle Joe's
gloves. She drew them on her hands, and
laughed to see how large they were. Then
she took up Aunt Martha's Bible and slowly
turned over the leaves until she came to the
chapter which records the greatest event in
the worlds history.
And this was Christmas Eve. How diff
ferent it all was from anything she had ever
even dreamed! Storm bound in wood
choppers cabin in the midst of a pine forest
alone, hungry, weary, but safe. There was
infinite comfort in that.
By the dancing freight she read the
beautiful story SO old, yet ever new, of the
babe born in a manger, who, though SO low
Maisie's heart was full of strange, sweet
gratitude as she sat with bowed head over
the sacred pages.
"And the angel said unto them, Fear not;
for behold l bring you good tidings of great
Joy, which shall be to all people,
Fainter and fainter grew the warning
sounds of the storm, more indistinct and far
away the rosy glow of the curling flames,
until it seemed to fade before her eyes, The
book dropped from her hands.
Maisie unconsciously leaned her head
against the rough wall and was soon fast
asleep. But in her dreams she heard as of
afar the glad cry, that once in Bethlehem pro-
claimed the birth of king:
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men,"
Meanwhile, how Jared it with Percy
Graham?
He and Billy Buckle had fine skate on
the little pond outside the village before it
began to snow.
Even then they did not come off the ice,
but played tag, in the midst of the flying
snowhakes, until they could scarcely see each
other.
said, when they paused at length for breath
say, Billy, you're coming over to the hill to-
morrow, to help break it, aren't you?"
"Tll be there" answered Billy, from the
bank, where he ayo'd was 5Etsa STRUGGLING with his
IT'S blowing like fury!"
"Don't know it? I'm glad we're going
to have merry Christmas. Ready, Billyl
They went off on fast run towards the
village. 1t was showing hard and the wind
was high.
''There'll be nothing but drifts"
"Well go over to the hill, anyway" Billy
shouted in return.
Good night!"
"Good night, and Merry Christmas!" an
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