elds of Italy, the trees, the
meadows, the brooks, the flowers all knew the smile of Saint Francis. It
meant to them many things which only a poet can tell. But Francis
understood, for he was a poet.

Upon all alike his face of love beamed tenderly. For Saint Francis of
Assisi was a little brother of the whole great world and of all created
things. Not only did his heart warm to Brother Sheep and Sister Bees, to
his Brother Fish and his little Sisters the Doves, but he called the Sun
and Wind his brothers and the Moon and Water his sisters. Of all the
saints about whom the legends tell, Francis was the gentlest and most
loving. And if

"He prayeth best who loveth best
All things both great and small,"

the prayers of Saint Francis must have been very dear to Him who "made
and loveth all."

* * * * *

There was none so poor as Francis. Not a penny did he have, not a penny
would he touch. Let them be given to those who could not smile, he said.
His food he begged from door to door, broken crusts for a single poor
meal; more he would not take. His sleeping place was the floor or the
haymow, the ruined church, whatever lodging chance gave him. Oftenest
he slept upon the bare ground with a stone for his pillow. He wanted to
be poor because Christ was poor, and he was trying to live like his
Master.

In his coarse brown gown, tied about the waist with a rope, without hat
or shoes he wandered singing, smiling. The love which beamed from him
like radiance from a star shone back from every pair of eyes which
looked into his own. For all the world loved Francis in the time of the
Crusades. And even to-day, seven hundred years since that dear beggar
passed cheerily up and down the rough Italian roads,--even to-day there
are many who love him like a lost elder brother.

Saint Francis preached to all lessons of charity and peace. His were
simple words, for he had not the wisdom of many books. But he knew the
book of the human heart from cover to cover. His words were like fire,
they warmed and wakened. No one could resist the entreaty and the love
that was in them. So thousands joined the Society of Little Brothers of
which he was the founder, and became his helpers in works of charity and
holiness.

His church was out of doors in the beautiful world that he loved, in
mountain, field, or forest, wherever he happened to be wandering.
Sometimes he preached by the candle-