ust get up and help for even yet the corners are not
carved."

But the stranger looked at him, smiling as though he loved him, and
laid his brown finger lightly on the four empty corners of the
cabinet. And Hyacinthe saw the squares of reddish wood ripple and
heave and break, as little clouds when the wind goes through the sky.
And out of them thrust forth the little birds, and after them the
lilies, for a moment living; but even as Hyacinthe looked, settling
back into the sweet reddish-brown wood. Then the stranger smiled
again, laid all the tools in order, and, opening the door, went away
into the woods.

Hyacinthe crept slowly to the door. The winter sun, half risen, filled
all the frosty air with splendid gold. Far down the road a figure
seemed to move amid the glory, but the splendor was such that
Hyacinthe was blinded. His breath came sharply as the glow beat on the
wretched shed, on the old shavings, on the cabinet with the little
birds and the lilies carved at the corners.

He was too pure of heart to feel afraid. But "Blessed be the Lord,"
whispered Hyacinthe, clasping his slow hands, "for He hath visited and
redeemed His people. But who will believe?"

Then the sun of Christ's day rose gloriously, and the little sparrow
came from his nest among the shavings and shook his wings to the
light.

[*] Reprinted by permission of the publishers of "Everyland."

THE SHEPHERD WHO DIDN'T GO[*]

By Jay T. Stocking

You have all heard of the shepherds who went to Bethlehem, but I do
not believe any of you have heard of the shepherd who didn't go. The
Bible does not say anything about him, but his story has come to me,
and I am going to tell it to you.

The city of Bethlehem stood on a hill. Below the town, with its steep
narrow streets and white walls, were gray olive orchards. Below the
orchards were gardens bright with flowers. Below the gardens lay green
meadows, and beyond these pasture-lands that stretched away to the
wilderness plains where little patches of grass grew among the bushes
and between the great rocks. There were caves among these rocks where
wolves used to skulk and sometimes robbers hid. So the shepherds who
guarded their flocks in these wild pastures dared not leave them
alone.

One clear beautiful night, many centuries ago, four shepherds were
watching their flocks on these pastures. Samuel, Ezra, Joel, and
Dahvid were their names. Samuel, Ezra, and Joel were strong men, no
long