Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-12-16

tQle4-z.--AL-SAS24 LuSTG WdS uo iooai
in the inn; Of the Christmas carol OF
peace and good will sung by the an
gels to the shepherds watching their
] focks by night.
Clarice's face was rapt; her eyes
adoring. OF all the teachers in the
ESunday-school, none was so lovely as
her own Miss Maud. She was certain
that the Christmas angels had the
same shining yellow hair. Did they
wear those fascinating gold hairpins,
too? One was slipping out from the
soft fluff over Miss Maud's left ear.
If only she dared tell her! But that
morning she had asked the awful
privilege of holding Miss Maud's mutt
IA rich sable with beautiful bunch
of violets fastened to it-and there
was no courage left for further inti-
! mate speech. Suddenly the spell was
broken, and Clarice turned with
angry jerk from the object OF her
worship, and fercely scowled at an
inoffensive little girl seated beside
her.
Excuse me-" meekly apologized
Agnes, the new scholar.
.Clarice drew her light blue silk
skirts away from the dingy brown
cashmere touching them; held herself
very straight; and, with superb dig
nifty, shifted the violets on the muff.
And now, my dears," said Miss
Maud, las you know, Wednesday will
be another birthday Of the Christ
Child, and who wants every one here
to give Him a present-just as you
would give a present to your own
little brother on his birthday at
home" She smiled radiantly. do
| you wonder how you can do that
when the Christ Child has become a
King in Heaven? Ill tell you. He
| left in His place all the poor little
girls and boys in this big world, and
told us that in giving to them we give
to Him. Not far. away is a great hos
pital for little children who have
crippled legs and arms, and poor,
crooked backs, sick children who
can't run and play, but have to hobble
about on crutches or lie in bed all
day. Wouldn't you like to make
their Christmas so happy that they'd
forget their pain?"
Her smile gathered up their eager
mods of assent, as golden thread
gathering pearls. Il knew you would
We'll, I'm going to tell you {: secret.
| Che 1o,no1 ooo6dopt;ol1y paor aThc
Gay before Christmas we're to have
a dear little service down here, and
over thereon the platform will be an
empty manger. and, as We sing our
Christmas carols, we are going to
Il&rch up to the manger and each
putssin a gift for some little Christ
ehlld at the hospital. Wont we have
jn1ly5 time deciding what to bring!
j.Why,it will be almost as exciting as
1 If every grille of you were playing
Santa Claus!r
4 Again Clarice's smiling face was
i clouded by a a'tscowl, and one rude
elbow poked the new scholars arm.
"Clarice!" exclaimed Miss Maud
severely.
shes crowding mel" defended a
sulky voice.
Miss Maud looked up at the little
brown figure shrinking back into a
corner. The child's eyes were lumin-
Gus: her face flushed, her lips parted
agnes was so intently listening to
me that I'm sure she didn't realize
that she was leaning against anyone
I'm surprised at you. Clarice!" A
cheek hid its shamed crimson In the
soft muff. To have Miss Maud sur
prised" at YOU was ignominy Itself!
Her tears wet the violets. 1t was al
Agnes fault. She would never for,
| give ler-neyer!
And when Sunday-school was over
and Agnes, with timid smile, asked
If she might walk up the street with
| Clarice, that unlady,ike little girI
slipped her arm through that Of hel
chum. Anabel. and, whispering and
giggling, stalked by Agnes without 6
word.
The tears came into Agnes eyes
for mother would not let her play
with the little girls in the new neigh
borhood into which they had moved
because the children there were rough
and boisterous, and used naughty
words, and she was very lonely. But
she was a brave little soul. and dash.
Ing away the tears. she was soon