nt by and still there was no news of the
wanderers. Dona Teresa worked hard at her washing and cooking, and with
the goat's milk and the eggs managed to get enough to feed the Twins and
herself. But the time seemed long and lonely, and she spent many hours
before the image of the Virgin in the chapel, praying for Pancho's safe
return. She even paid the priest for special prayers, and out of her
scanty earnings bought candles to burn upon the altar. At last the
Christmas season drew near.

The celebration of Christmas lasts for more than a whole week in Mexico.
Every evening for eight evenings before Christmas all the people in the
village met together and marched in a procession all round the
hacienda. This procession is called the Pasada.[25]

Everybody marched in it, and when on the first evening they came to the
priest's house, he came out and stood beside his door and gave to each
person a lighted candle, which his fat housekeeper handed out to him.

Then while all the people stood there with the candles shining like
little stars, he told them this story, to remind them of the meaning of
the procession:--

"Listen, my children," he said. "Long years ago, just before our Saviour
was born, Mary, his mother, went with Joseph, her husband, from the
little town of Nazareth, where they lived, into Judea. They had to make
this journey because a decree had been passed that every one must be
taxed.

"Joseph and the Blessed Mother of our Lord were always obedient to the
law, so they went at once to Bethlehem in Judea, which was the place
where their names had to be enrolled. My children, you also should obey
in all things, as they did. Discontent and rebellion should have no
place in your lives,--as it had no place in theirs.

"When Joseph and Mary reached Bethlehem they found the town so full of
people, who had come from far and near for this purpose, that there was
no room for them in the inn. For eight days they wandered about seeking
a place to rest and finding none.

"At last, on the ninth day, they were so weary that they took shelter in
a stable with the cattle, and there on that night our Blessed Saviour
was born. They were poorer than you, my children, for they had no place
to lay their heads, and the Queen of Heaven had only a manger in which
to cradle her newborn son. It is to commemorate their wanderings that
you make your Pasada."

When the priest had finished the story the people all marched away
carry