The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-26
1t
Seems
to
Me
BY Heywood Broun


Christmas story during the holi-
days.
Once upon a time I was ambi-
tious enough to plan to do a new
one each year 1 wrote six or
seven, but in the course of time
two stood out a little above the
rest. Accordingly, 1 began to re-
print them.
The one I am using today may
be familiar TO you. 1t has been
printed several times. But still I
like it. Can't we consider this
leave to reprint sort of Christ
mas gift from me to you?
Without furter apologies 1 offer
my story, which is called Fran
kincense and Myrrh."
Once there were three kings in
the East and they were wise men.
They read the heavens, and they
saw certain strange star by
which they knew that in a distant
land the King of the world was to
be born. The star beckoned to
them, and they made preparations
for long journey.
From their palaces they gath
cred rich gifts-gOld and franklin
cense and myrrh. Great sacks of
precious StuffS were loaded upon
the backs of the camels which
were to bear them upon their
journey. Everything was in read
mess, but one of the wise men
seemed perpleXed and would not
come at once to join his two COM
paniCnS, who were eager and i'm
patient to be on their way in the
direction indicated by the star.
THEY were old-these two
Il kings-and the other wise
man was young. When they
asked him he could not tell why
be waited He knew that his
treasures had been ranSacked for
rich gifts for the King of kings.
1t seemed that there was nothing
more which he could give,S and
yet he was not content.
He made no answer to the old
men, who shouted to him that the
time had come. The camels we're
impatient and sWayed and snarled.
The shadows across the desert
grew longer. And still the young
king sat and thought deeply.
At length he smiled, and he or
dered his servants to open the
great treasure sack upon the back
of the first of his camels. Then
he went into high chamber to
which he had not been since he
was child. He rummaged about
and presently came out and APP
preached the caravan. In his hand
he carried something which CLINT
ed in the sun.
The kings thought that he bore
some new gift more rare and pre-
ciOuS than any which they had
ben able to find in all their treas
ure rooms. They bent down to
see, ard even the camel drivers
pecred from the backs of the
great beasts to find out what it
was cleaned in the sun. They
were curious about this last gift
for which all the caravan had
waited.
A ND the young king took a toy
L N from his hand and placed it
uDon the sand. 1t was a dog of
tin, painted white and speckled
with black spots. Great patches
of paint had worn away and left
the metal clear, and that was
Why the toy shOne in the sun, as
if it had been silver.
The youngest of the wise men
turned key in the side of the
little black and white dog. and
then he stepped aside so that the
kings and the camel drivers could
see. The dog leaped high in the
air and turned a somerSault. He
turned another and another and
then fell over upon his side and
lay there with a set and painted
grin upon his face.
A child = the son of a camel
driver-laughed and clapped his
hands, but the kings were stern.
They rebuked the youngest of the
wise men, and he paid no atten-
ton but called to his chief serv-
ant to make the first of all the
camels kneel. Then he picked up
the toy of tin and, opening the
treasure sack, placed his last gift
with his own hands in the mouth
of the sack so that it rested safe
ly upon the soft bags of incense.
What folly has seized you?"
cried the eldest of the wise men.
rs this a gift to bear to the King
Of kings in the far country?"
And the young man answered
and said, For the King of kings
there are gifts of great richness
gold and frankincense and myrrh.
But this" he said, lis for the
y