The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1915-12-09
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there was hard white crust on the
ground
Sure enough, Pedro and Little
Brother were able to slip quietly away
early in the afternoon on their way
to the celebration; and although the
walking was hard in the frosty air,
before nightfall they had trudged so
far. hand in hand, that they saw the
lights of the big city just ahead of
them. Indeed they were about to en-.
ter one OF the great gates in the wall
that surrounded It., when they saw
something dark on the snow near the
path, and stepped aside to look at it.
It was poor woman who had fallen
Just outside OF the city, too sick and
tired and cold to get in where she
might have found shelter. The snow
made soft pillow for her and she
would soon be so sound asleep in the
winter air that no one could ever
awaken her again. All this Pedro saw
in moment, and he knelt down be.
side her and tried to rouse her. He
turned her face toward him, so that
he could rub some snow on it, but he
soon sighed and said:
: Its no use, Little Brother, you will
have to go on alone"
"Alone?' cried Little Brother, "and
you will not see the Christmas festi.
val?"
No" said Pedro, and he could not
help little choking sound of disap-
pointment in his throat. "See this
poor woman, she will freeze to death
If nobody cares for her. You can
bring someone to help her when you
come back, and / can keep her alive.
You can easily find your way to the
church, and you must see and hear
everything twice, little brother once
/ for you and once for me. / am sure
the Christ child must know how l
would love to come and worship him,
and, oh, If you get a chance, little
brother, slip up to the altar without
getting in anyone's way, and take
this little silver piece of mine and lay
1t down for my offering when no one
is looking. Don't forget the place
where you LETT me, and hurry, now, so
you won't be late"
He winked hard to keep back the
tears as he heard the crunching foot
steps Of little brother sounding farther
and farther away in the darkness.
1t was also hard to lose the music
and the splendor of the celebration
that he had planned so long, to lose
the chance Of Offering his silver piece
that he had saved for the Offering to
the Christ child, and to spend the
time instead in the lonesome snow
outside the dreary walls. But it new
or occurred to him to leave the poor
woman in the freezing cold.
The great church was truly a won
derful place that night. Every one
said that 1t had never looked so bright
and beautiful before. When the or
gan played and the thousands of peo-
pie sang the hymns. the walls shook
with the sound, and little Pedro, out
side the walls of the city, felt the
earth tremble all around him At
last came the procession to bear the
offerings to the altar. when great and
rich men and women marched up to
lay down their gifts to the Christ
child. Some brought wonderful jew
els, some baskets of gold so heavy
that they could scarcely carry them
down the aisle. A great writer laid
down book that he had been max
ing for years, and last of all walked
the king of the country, hoping to
win for himself the chimes Of the
Christmas bells.
There was a great murmur through |
the church as the people saw the king
take from his head the royal crown,
all set with diamonds and other pre-
cious stones, and laid it cleaning on the |
altar as his offering to the Holy child. |
Surely said every one, I'VE shall |
hear the bells now. for nothing like |
this has ever been offered before
And they all stood still to listen, but |
only the cold, cold wind was heard in |
the stone tower; and the people shook |
their heads, some OF them saying as |
they had done before, that they really |
never believed the story OF the chimes, |
anyway.
The procession was over, and the
gifts were all on the altar, the choir
had begun the closing hymn.
Suddenly the organist stopped play
ing, and every one looked at the min
lister, who was standing in his place |
holding up his hand for silence. Not |
a sound could be heard from anyone
In the church. While all the people
strained their ears to listen, there
came softly but distinctly swinging
through the air the sound of the bells
In the tower. So far away and yet
so clear seemed the music, so much
sweeter were the notes than had been
heard before. that the people in the
church sat for moment as still as
though something held each OF them
by the shoulders. Then they all stood
up together and stared straight at the
altar to see what great gift had awak-
ened the long silent bells.
But all that the nearest OF them
saw was the childish figure of Little
Brother. who had crept softly down
the ais,o when no one was looking
n nd ho1 lotI o..