the room
had filled with a strange and brilliant light. They turned and looked at
the spot where the little wanderer sat. His ragged clothes had changed
to garments white and beautiful; his tangled curls seemed like a halo
of golden light about his head; but most glorious of all was his face,
which shone with a light so dazzling that they could scarcely look upon
it.

In silent wonder they gazed at the child. Their little room seemed to
grow larger and larger, until it was as wide as the whole world, the
roof of their low house seemed to expand and rise, until it reached to
the sky.

With a sweet and gentle smile the wonderful child looked upon them for
a moment, and then slowly rose and floated through the air, above
the treetops, beyond the church spire, higher even than the clouds
themselves, until he appeared to them to be a shining star in the sky
above. At last he disappeared from sight. The astonished children turned
in hushed awe to their mother, and said in a whisper, "Oh, mother, it
was the Christ-Child, was it not?" And the mother answered in a low
tone, "Yes."

And it is said, dear children, that each Christmas Eve the little
Christ-Child wanders through some town or village, and those who receive
him and take him into their homes and hearts have given to them this
marvellous vision which is denied to others.

XI. JIMMY SCARECROW'S CHRISTMAS

MARY E. WILKINS FREEMAN

Jimmy Scarecrow led a sad life in the winter. Jimmy's greatest grief
was his lack of occupation. He liked to be useful, and in winter he was
absolutely of no use at all.

He wondered how many such miserable winters he would have to endure. He
was a young Scarecrow, and this was his first one. He was strongly made,
and although his wooden joints creaked a little when the wind blew he
did not grow in the least rickety. Every morning, when the wintry sun
peered like a hard yellow eye across the dry corn-stubble, Jimmy felt
sad, but at Christmas time his heart nearly broke.

On Christmas Eve Santa Claus came in his sledge heaped high with
presents, urging his team of reindeer across the field. He was on his
way to the farmhouse where Betsey lived with her Aunt Hannah.

Betsey was a very good little girl with very smooth yellow curls, and
she had a great many presents. Santa Claus had a large wax doll-baby
for her on his arm, tucked up against the fur collar of his coat. He was
afraid to trust it in the pack, lest it get broken.