n, tarried by the river and built
herself a cabin of reeds and leaves. And that night was the longest and
coldest of the winter.

And Hilarion made for himself a bed of fern and hay in the stable of the
ox and the ass, and lay close to them for warmth. And, lo! in the middle
of the night the ass brayed and the ox bellowed, and Hilarion started
up.

And he saw the heavens open with a great brightness as of beaten and
fretted gold, and angels coming and going, and holding each other by
the hand, and wreathed in roses, and singing "Gloria in Excelsis Deo, et
in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis."

And Hilarion wondered and said ten Paters and ten Aves.

And that day, towards noon, there came through the wood one bearing a
staff, and leading a mule, on which was seated a woman, that was near
unto her hour and moaning piteously. And they were poor folk and
travel-stained.

And the man said to Hilarion: "My name is Joseph. I am a carpenter from
the city of Nazareth, and my wife is called Mary, and she is in travail.
Suffer thou us to rest, and my wife to lie on the straw of the stable."

And Hilarion said: "You are welcome. Benedictus qui venit in nomine
domini;" and Hilarion laid down more fern and hay, and gave provender to
the mule. And the woman's hour came, and she was delivered of a male
child. And Hilarion took it and laid it in the manger. And he went forth
into the woods and found the ancient wizard Hieronymus, and the lady
Magdalen, and said,--

"Come with me to the ruined house, for truly there is He whom you be
seeking."

And they followed him to the ruined house where the fir-trees were
cleared above the river; and they saw the babe lying in the manger, and
Hieronymus and Magdalen kneeled down, saying, "Surely this is He that is
our Master, for He is wiser and more fair than either."

And the skies opened, and there came forth angels, such as Hilarion had
seen, with glories of solid gold round their heads, and garlands of
roses about their necks, and they took hands and danced, and sang,
flying up, "Gloria in Excelsis Deo."

_By The Stay-At-Home Traveller._

"He prepares to read by wiping
his spectacles, carefully adjusting
them on his eyes, and drawing
the candle close to him--is
very particular in having his
slippers ready for him at the
fire."

_Hunt._

MELCHIOR'S DREAM.

"Well, father, I don't believe the Browns are a bit better off th