The San Francisco call., 1909-06-05
Translated from the French of Fran
coiS Coppee by Joseph Dnhan
. for The Junior Can)
lTraneIated

~ r time so long ago that every
IA body has forgotten the date. in
a town Of northern Europe, the
name OF which is so difficult to pro-
!. nounce that nobody remembers it, there
lived a little boy. : years Old, named
. Wolf; an orphan boy left in the charge
. II a hard hearted and miserly aunt,
who kissed him only on New Years,
and who gave a great sigh Of regret
every time she had 10 serve him
plate Of soup. The little fellow. how
ever had such gentle nature that he
loved the old woman. even though she
frightened him terribly and he could
mot look without trembling at the big
.,vart. ornamented with four gray hairs.
which she had on the top of her nose.
As the aunt lived in her own house
= ad was known TO have lots Of gold
4 - woolen stocking, she did not dare
= send her nephew 10 the school Of
the poor. but she bargained so much
for reduced terms with the schOolmas-
Ter TO whose establishment the little
- went that the pedagogpe, ashamed
y ave a badly paying pupil. so poor
D, dressed. often and without justice
placed upon his back the poster of dis
grace and upon his head the donkey
bonnet. arousing against the innocent
child his schoolmates. all sons Of well
10 do bourgeois who also made Of him
their victim and butt OF ridicule- When.
therefore. the Christmas holy days ar
rived the unfortunate child was as
lonely as the pebbles on the beach ana
50 unhappy that he hid himself in the
corners TO cry
III was the custom Of the schoolmas-
Ter on the eve Of the great day to take
his pupils TO the midnight mass and
bring thenl back 10 their homes. That
year as the winter was very rigorous,
snd for several days great quantity
OF snow had been falling, the boys
came 10 the sneeting place warmly cad,
with throats well protected from the
storm and fur bOnnets pulled over their
ears. and wearing vests Of double and
,ripie thickness gloves and knitted
.snittens. and good. big shoes with nails
and heavy soles.
Alone the little Wolff presented
himself. shivering in his ordinary dress.
which had TO answer for every day
and sunday too. and having on his
feet only knitted socks inside his
heavy clogs His naughty comrades.
amused by his pitiful appearance ana
i-,eassaot manner. cast upon him sneer-
.fre looks and made unkind iests at his
eIpense. but the poor orphan was SO
occupied in blowing on his hngers ana
-as sufering so much from his chill
t1a5ns that he did not notice them,
and.the 3and OF boys. walking Two oy
two. The teacher ahead, made their way
tsward re Church
it wss very comfortable in the church,
af- frrl1
ans the schoolboys. excited by the
n SAINT warmth, took advantage OF
the noise Of the organ and the singing
sosfalk in half tones They were dis
s.,,eeinsr the reveillon (the midnight
sumner which was waiting for them
'sn their homes. The son Of the burgo-
master had seen before starting from
home an immense goose. marked with
trufies in black points. Ike a leopard.
al his home Of the supervisor there
was a little evergreen tree IN a box,
from the branches Of which were hang
ing oranges. candies and toys. And the
cook Of the sheriff had fastened behind
her back with a pin the Two strings Of
her bonnet, which she did only on her
davs OF Inspiration when She was sure
10 succeed in making her famous sweet
dish.
And then the schooIboys Were also
talking Of what the little Noel (Santa
Ciaus) would bring TO thems what he
would put in their shoes. which they
would be very careful TO leave under
the chimneypiece before going TO bed;
and the eyes Of those mischievous chill
dren. who were awakened like hand
ful Of mice, we're shining in anticipa-
ton OF the JOY Of discovering when
they should wake up in the morning the
rose paper OF the sacks Of candies. the
lead soldiers on dress parade in their
boxes. the menagerie. smelling Of var
nishetl wood. and the splendid dancing
puppets. dressed in red and tinsel.
The little Wolff knew by experience
that his misery aunt would send him TO
bed without supper. yet. knowing also
that he had been all the year as good
and as studious as possible, innocently
hoped that the little Noel would not
forEet, him. and was determined 10 put.
by by his pair OF clogs IN the
ashcsNal the hearth
The midnight mass being finished. the
congregation dispersed. impatient for
the reveillon. and the band Of school
boys. walking always two by two and
following the teacher. left the church.
Now was there seen. seated on q store
bench surmounted by a pointed niche.
a cRild STEPPING child clothed only
wifi a white Woolen robe and with feet
naked. although it was freezing fie
was not mendicant for his dress was