Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-12-19

lNl-A4--all1lll1e1lt8 LnGI0 was hO lOSAA
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
Clarlce's face was rapt; her eyes
adoring. or all the teachers In the
Sunday-school, none was 80 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.
II only she dared tell her! But that
morning she had asked the awful
privilege of holding Miss Maud's muff
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 fiercely scowled at an
lnoffensive little girl seated beside
her.
Excuse me-" meekly apologlzed
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 vioets 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
when the Christ Child has become a
King in Heaven? I'll 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 a golden thread
gathering pearls. 81 knew you would
Well I'm going to tell you q secret.
She leaned cOnfidentially near. THE
Gay before Christmas we're to have
dear little service down here, and
over there on the platform will be ar
empty manger, and, as we sing ouI
Christmas carols, we are going tc
march up to the manger and each
put in a gift for some little Chris
| child at the hospital Won't we have
a jolly time deciding what to bring
Why, it will be almost as exciting as
IL every grille of you were playing
Santa Claus!"
Again Clarice's smiling face was
clouded by a scowl, and one rude
elbow poked the new scholars arm.
"Clarice!" exclaimed Miss Maud
severely.
"She's crowding mel" defended {
sulky voice.
Miss Maud looked up at the little
brown figure shrinking back into
corner. The child's eyes were lumin
GUS; her face flushed, her lips parted
agnes was so intently listening tt
me that I'm sure she didn't realize
that she was leaning against anyone
I'm surprised at you, Clarice!"
cheek hid its shamed crimson In thu
soft muff To have Miss Maud "sur
prised" at you was ignominy itself
Her tears wet the violets. II was al
Agnes fault. She would never for
give her-never!'
And when Sunday-school was owe
and Agnes, with timid smile, aske'
If she might walk up the street will
Clarice, that unladylike little CIR
slipped her arm through that of he
chum, Anabel, and, whispering an,
giggling, stalked by Agnes without
word.
The tears came into Agnes eyes
for mother would not let her pla
with the little girls in the new neigh
borhood into which they had moved
because the children there were roug
and boisterous, and used naught
words, and she was very lonely. Blu
saa was brave little soul, and dash
irA Oway the tears, she was 500
|