Middletown transcript., 1915-12-25
[coNTINUED FRoM'FIRsT PAGE]
MARY'S CHRISTMAS VISION

carry on his small shoulders the burdens
of big man, and now alas worst of
all, lying help bless, a care and an expense
instead of the big help he once was.
Mary approached his couch and took
the sick boys wasted hand in her own,
smiRagly spe aking to him few words
of cheer aud comfort
BILLY wS&s a canary to sing to
him, innocenty piped Mary, their little
sister ''Mary,you mustn't talk that
way, spoke the embarrassed mother
rebukingly. -
Billy had spent few w&eNs ,izf the
country one summer and heard the
robins and the thrushes making the
woods mel Odious, and had then and
there so fal EN- in love with their music
that he vowed he would some day get
the family canary.
''And Jack shall have his canary. nv
little namesake," added the visitor as
she took the old chair the mother with
some embarrassment offered her.
"Now t Ell me ~about yourselves.
ain sure y Ou don't deserve to be SC
pdor". 0pfhis sympathetic prompting,
Mis-. Manning told the story of her
b0SDand' s death, and how finally through
/sickness and losses they had been broi
to their present hard state-hers in.
deed. one of ''the short and simple an.
mails of the poor. -
But we were doing fairly well, "Sht
continued with courageous optimism"
until our oldest 10y Billy was hurt
has been rather hard for us since then
But knew God will care for us some
how"
Mary's soft heart was touched, he
eyes grew moist, and there was sug
gestiOn of tears in her voice as she re
piled Didn't worry, Mrs. Manning tn
Lord will indeed relieve the fatherles
and the widow. - Then with a kinC
farewell to Billy and the rest, the youn,
girl left the room and entering he
coupe was soon once more in her owl
sumptudus home whose magnificenc
and beauty seemed more glorious thai
ever before by contrast with the squa
lor and ugly poverty of the scene sh
had Just left.
20 rhother!' exclaimed Billy tn
next morning after Mar Burieigh'
visit, ~ dreamed | saw the Star o
bethlehem last night, ybu know tn
star the Three Wise Men followed til
1t brought them to the little Chris
Child. Come here when it gets darl
again, and put your head by mlne, AM
you will see it too. The half alarmed
mother thought her boy was deliriou
till she had come to his bedside an,
looked into his smiling face.
So when the night was come she di
as he said, and sure enough, star
bright beam cleaned thr bugh "a rent i
the broken roorstraight into her ow
eye, and she understood Ihow the sic
boy in his sleep out of til be mingled ele
ments of Mary's visit land the Bibl
story he had read of the Magi's starr
quest for the Christ, had woven in hi
brain one of those fanta site dream fl
brics SO unreal in fact and yet even O
waking so strangely real.
Christmas Morn Into Bily's misel
erable garret was strea1hlng the brigf
sunlight with as much gbld in its ray
as any that fell that day upon the fines
carpated floor in all tho biz city, an
it seemed to gild the wrf etched loft wit
adj its mean poverty Into somethin
Oedu vi as Lnougn IneI sunshine som
how typifed the higher spiritual richie
of Gods love which like His free sur
shine is for all His creatures whetht
dwelling in cabins or in palaces.
1t was truly a scene like dreamlan
that greeted Billy's eyes when /
awo Ike. Right in front Of his bed stoc
a lovely Christmas tree reaching clea
to the rafters, and loaded with ever
holiday thing any child could wish. FL
little Mary, beautifully dressed dc
such as she never dFeamed would
hers; for sister Katy, lots of nice thine
too and for Jack, treasures that near
turhed his head, while hanging near h
bed, Billy's amazed eye S beheld prett
bir1 cage with bars as yellow as eolt
and inside a sweet, feIathered songst,
' (which at that moment began a concer
IS If in glad token of the happy Da,
Mat made Billy rub his eyes to assuii
HIMSELF that he was not dreaming ,