a little while thinking it over; then Granny rose and said that it was
time for them to go to bed. She slowly took off her heavy wooden shoes,
such as are worn in that country, and placed them beside the hearth.
Gretchen looked thoughtfully at them for a minute or two, and then she
said, "Granny, don't you think that somebody in all this wide world will
think of us to-night?"

"Nay, Gretchen," said Granny, "I don't think any one will."

"Well, then, Granny," said Gretchen, "the Christmas angels will, I
know; so I am going to take one of your wooden shoes, and put it on the
windowsill outside, so that they may see it as they pass by. I am sure
the stars will tell the Christmas angels where the shoe is."

"Ah, you foolish, foolish child," said Granny, "you are only getting
ready for a disappointment To-morrow morning there will be nothing
whatever in the shoe. I can tell you that now."

But little Gretchen would not listen. She only shook her head and cried
out: "Ah, Granny, you don't talk enough to the stars." With this she
seized the shoe, and, opening the door, hurried out to place it on the
windowsill. It was very dark without, and something soft and cold seemed
to gently kiss her hair and face. Gretchen knew by this that it was
snowing, and she looked up to the sky, anxious to see if the stars were
in sight, but a strong wind was tumbling the dark, heavy snow-clouds
about and had shut away all else.

"Never mind," said Gretchen softly to herself, "the stars are up
there, even if I can't see them, and the Christmas angels do not mind
snowstorms."

Just then a rough wind went sweeping by the little girl, whispering
something to her which she could not understand, and then it made a
sudden rush up to the snow-clouds and parted them, so that the deep,
mysterious sky appeared beyond, and shining down out of the midst of it
was Gretchen's favourite star.

"Ah, little star, little star!" said the child, laughing aloud, "I
knew you were there, though I couldn't see you. Will you whisper to the
Christmas angels as they come by that little Gretchen wants so very much
to have a Christmas gift to-morrow morning, if they have one to spare,
and that she has put one of Granny's shoes upon the windowsill ready for
it?"

A moment more and the little girl, standing on tiptoe, had reached the
windowsill and placed the shoe upon it, and was back again in the house
beside Granny and the warm fire.

The two went quietly to bed,