Homepage
Login
Profile
BookClubs
dmBox
Read Ebook: Children of Christmas and Others by Thomas Edith Matilda
Font size:
Background color:
Text color:
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page
Ebook has 47 lines and 22682 words, and 1 pages
, And the Christmas Eve has come, All through the little snow-white town There's a joyous stir and hum.
Now here and now there, along the street, From windows wide open flung, Float childish laughter and prattle sweet In the kindly German tongue.
Then, out at the window--strung on a thread, The precious letter is cast; Though far and high on the night wind sped, 'Twill be found and read at last!
THE CHRISTMAS SHEAF
It was a gleaner in the fields,-- The fields gleaned long ago: The evening wind swept down from heights Already brushed with snow.
The gleaner turned to right, to left, With searching steps forlorn; The stubble-blade beneath her feet Was sharp as any thorn.
But as she stooped, and as she searched, Half blind with gathering tears, Beside her in the field stood One Whose voice beguiled her fears:
"What seek ye here, this bitter eve, The harvest long gone by?" She lifted up her weary face, She answered with a sigh:
"I seek but some few heads of wheat To nail against the wall, To feed at morn the blessed birds, When with loud chirps they call.
"Poor ever have I been, God knows! Yet ne'er so poor before, But they might taste their glad No?l Beside my cottage door."
Then answer made that Presence sweet, "Go home, and trust right well The birds beside your cottage door Shall find their glad No?l."
And so it was--from soundest sleep The gleaner woke at morn, To see, nailed up beside her door, A sheaf of golden corn!
And thereupon the birds did feast,-- The birds from far and wide: All know it was Our Lord Himself That goodly sheaf supplied!
THE BIRDS ON THE CHRISTMAS SHEAF
WHAT THE PINE TREES SAID
I heard the swaying pine trees speak, As I went down the glen: "Next year," said one, "the wind shall seek, But find me not again!"
"I shall go forth upon the seas, A mast, or steering-beam; On me shall breathe the tropic breeze, Above, strange stars shall gleam.'
"And I--the ax shall cleave my grain, And many times divide; From my dear brood I'll shed the rain, And roof their ingleside."
Then up and spake a slender shaft, That like an arrow grew; "No breeze my leafless stem shall waft, No ax my trunk shall hew--
But though a single hour is mine, How happy shall I be! Young hearts shall leap, young eyes shall shine To greet their Christmas tree!"
TWO CHILD ANGELS
Two Child Angels on Christmas Night, They stood on the brow of Heaven's hill; The stars beneath them were glancing bright, And the air was clear and still.
"That is the Earth that dazzles so-- That shines with a glad and a radiant light-- That is the Earth where, long ago, I was born on the Christmas Night!"
Thus said the one, and the other replied, "Forever dear is the Earth in my sight; For there, full long ago, I died, On the holy Christmas Night!"
THE OLD DOLL
Little one, little one, open your arms, Now are your wishes come true, come true! Here is a love with a thousand charms, And see! she is reaching her hands out to you! Put the old doll by, asleep let her lie, And open your arms to welcome the new.
Little one, little one, play your sweet part, Mother-love lavishes treasure untold. Whisper fond words, and close to your heart, Your warm little heart, the new idol enfold.
Little one, little one, wherefore that sigh? Weary of playing the long day through? But there's something that looks like a tear in your eye, And your lips--why, your lips are quivering, too! Do I guess aright?--it is coming night, And you cry for the old--you are tired of the new?
Little one, little one, old loves are best; And the heart still clings though the hands loose their hold! Take the old doll back, in your arms she shall rest, When you wander away to the dreamland fold.
THE APPLE-BLOSSOM SWITCH
It was the daughter of a fairy witch,-- A sweet, though wayward child. "Go, naughty Elfinella, bring a switch From yonder fruit tree wild!"
Poor Elfinella heard, and off she went, With lagging steps and slow, To where, amidst the wild, a fruit tree bent, Her branches spreading low.
With blossomy boughs the motherly old tree The tearful child begirt: "My twigs are clothed with flowers; and you will see The switch will never hurt!"
She broke a branch, with blossoms thickly set, And lightly homeward tripped,-- The switch was used--but little did she fret; For she with flowers was whipped!
THE INDIGNANT BABY
Baby was out with Papa for a walk. When their friends they met, it was "Oh!" and "Ah!" "What a darling she is!" "Can the little kid talk?" "Well--no; I don't think that she can," said Papa, "Though she seems to understand."
A QUESTION OF SPELLING
They were looking through their book With pictures of the Zoo; Both too young to read the text, But each the pictures knew.
"YOURS SEVERELY"
A LACK OF ATTENTION
She had folded her hands, and had never stirred Nor even spoken one little word. In fact, she was good as good could be, While the grown folks talked, and sipped their tea At last, a small voice from the corner we heard: "Nobody pays any pension to me!"
"I OUGHT TO MUSTN'T"
The chair was so near, and the shelf was so low, And I opened the door just in time to see The last of the coveted caramels go, While a look imploring was cast on me, "I ought to mustn't, I know!"
The chair was so near, and the shelf was so low,-- To punish, alas! no courage I had: And I did as, perhaps, you yourself might do,-- I kissed her, right there, so sweet and so bad! But "I ought to mustn't," I knew!
A VAIN REGRET
He was six years old, just six that day, And I saw he had something important to say, As he held in his hand a broken toy: He looked in my face for an instant, and then He said, with a sigh, and a downcast eye, "If I could live my life over again, I think I could be a better boy!"
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page