Show like bussant birch tl at scorn the nest and long to try trail downy wings the snow fell on the earth a brown breast the shackled stream a captive dingi hoarse winds are shrieking with delight their maniac message all forlorn two thousand ears ago to night the prince fit peace our lord was born upon the dusk brow of the night A splendid star blazed 1 ke a gem hope s harbinger whose beacon 1 flushed the I 1 leak plain 0 bethlehem gray I 1 oary siges strained their eyes and marveled at its elfen glow our baglor s birthmark in the skies the light that leads us here below the drifting now whirled through the air and bethlehem s plain was cloaked in white the rabbit shivered in hla lair gray squirrels scampered in affright and shepherds watched their lambs and cheep and housed them snugly in the fold bute the alei ce wolf s ravening leap that yelped and snarled out in the A CAROL baliad of bethlehem and the divine babe the illustrious painter murillos Mu celebrated picture of the fant jesus in the stable OF bethlehem sed from the blast in stable rude his aril a manger scurvy bed he bore it all with fortitude he had no place to lay his head from snug thresh hold of the inn by pampered menials sleek and warm the king 0 kings sought cattle bin to sl beld him from the shrieking storm scant welcome had he of his own no sumptuous palace greets his quest he tames the thunder neath his throne he rules the north the south the west lie wields the lance of alre and hurls the bolt thwart jea he curbs the fierce volcanoes ire and bids red roses auisa the bee pure stainless maid his mother milea As on her breast he nestled warm he soothed and cl perished and beguiled the dove div ne who dared the storm soft mother love gleamed in her eyes she hugged the prattler to her breast she saw no calvary s sacrifice no crown of thorns to scourge his rest and wise men journeyed from afar to view the wondrous babe divine led by the splendid sparkling star the hope of our erring wayward line and hoary age knelt to the child sola refuge of our guilty race the heavenly hostage blithely smiled and brought the world celestial grace hope of the world the sages cried the babe of which the prophets told you crushed the haughty serpents pride and brought the lamb within the fold some splendid paeans sang sour doomed like a theet to die in pain on calvary cross to end your days crucified on golgotha s plain and shepherds sought the savior s shrine gaunt pilgrims journeyed from afar gaze upon the babe divine I 1 As sa lors hall the E ening star A stable was their dwelling place where oxen shivered in the cold and apt the wise men sought his grace which poets sung and prophets told they prayed to him in foreign tongue incense they brought rich and rare jewels and gold and et he clung the closer to his mother s care her arms then circumscribed his reign and guided well his baby stride safely they shielded him from pain to slumber lulled him by her side their crystal challenge to the sky keen christmas bells are flinging gay their mellow murmurs sealing high proclaim their therome roundelay what matter if our purse be light so are our hearts that bear no scorn two thousand years ago to night the prince of peace our lord was born JAMES E KINSELLA Reel stry chicago ioe |