Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-28

listening earth. And she gives you nuts at Thanks
giving time, and ribbon candy at Christmas, and the
tender of mother always; which is all wonderful
for she isn't your mother at all.
Who it, then, that broke the tension of Rozzys
Christmas welcome? Who patted his cheek and said
something about knowing (not @hoping," mind you.
but 3knowing") that Mily would be all
right? Who helped him off with his coat and
with his vestments and cornbed his hair
and told him how her little girl had smiled
one of her brightest baby smiles that
ing, like the smile of Christmas angel
come to sing glad tidings into human hearts?
-. A choir mother is angel herself Mrs.
Barker was the angel of choir mothers
The warmth of her greeting loosened
other tongues. The boys gathered round,-
not too enviously, of course, -andone offered
him cough drop when no one was looking
Roxy had just showed the forbid IN thing
deep into his pocket when the choirmaster
took him aside.
Rather not sing your solo?'
Roxy looked at the floor between his
shoes. Finally he raised his eyes, 3Mly,
he whispered, 4she said please to sing just
the same. Said she wanted to look out and
the sun, and the blue sky, and the
white hills, and think of me singing in
church, cause maybe there'd be someone
who'd like the singing just much she
would So guess I'd better sing, try to-"
For moment the master silent. Then he
cleared his throat said @A right" and hurried to the
piano.
p OZZY sang the scales with the His neighbors
glanced at him furtively, though they expected
him to stop and cry; but he didn't He returned
the smile of the the procession passed through
the corridor to the church. The boy looked though
he felt the thrill of exaltation that with singing
these lines with mighty congregation:
Hark the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn king
He sang alone. 1t was the choirmaster's
idea The congregation expected it at every service.
The shining through the stained glass windows
filled the church with hallowed rays. Everywhere
the fragrance of evergreens, the glow of holly the strange
sense of wonderful presence that filled the eyes of
with triumphant hope and those of Others with
tears. The Songbird of Saint Pauls bringing the
Christ Child very
The voice stopped Roxy had entered the stalls and
looking down toward vacant place in the front
pew Then the people with the large hearts understood
why the choir had to finish that with voice
silent.
He sang no more of that hymn When the Amen
he still looking toward that vacant place.
He took his glance away during the first prayer but
when he rose he looked again. little girl was sitting
in the place that had been empty
She alone. Her ragged dress told that The silks
each side of her emphasized it. Her cheeks not
flushed with Christmas hope. Her eyes did not flash
faith Her thin hands grasped the pew in front of her
though the body weak the spirit must have
BEEN No offered her book. She stood there
gazing straight ahead alone in great church, Christ
masless Christmas morn.
All through the service Rozzy's wondering gaze kept
turning to the girl who filling the vacant place.
Who was she? Why was she there? And why she
so lonely?
He was just beginning to remember something the
sexton had told him when the ofertory announced
The congregation with its coin and bills in its fingers,
settled back to hear its songbird
Those who heard that solo can go into empty Saint
Paus today and still feel the thrill of it. The first