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Show JtT'E ,WAS very youn. He was also very chu&byj P There was a kind of pink, shining newness about " "n MJL him delightful to behold. And he stood waiting on thejnear side of twelve o'clock midnight. i CjPMf T E WAS very old. He was also very bent. There SM J?(J was a kind of shining sadness in his eyes, as if he KSjkII 3l had seen more than any one else in the world. And Jphe stood on the far side of twelve o'clock midnight. T HAT I can't understand," chirped up Chubby, "is why kJJ anyone need look so aged when they are only a year old. JReople would take you for Methuselah, any day." "What I can't understand," rumbled the ancient one, "is how I ever looked as pink and inexperienced as you!" So there they stood regarding each other, Chubby and the ancient one. "Why must you look so old ?" persisted Chubby. "Because I have lived more than a million lives!" "Whew!" whistled Chubby, "How do you make that out?" "You'll know well enough, my son," said the ancient one, "this time next year." "But tell me now 1" insisted the young cherub. "I look old because I have been part of the sorrow, the gladness, the misery, the joy and happiness of everyone in the world. I haye been a year, every day, hour and minute in the lives of people all over the globe. They could no more escape me than I could lose them. We were one, I and those teeming millions. I will live with them as long as they live, through the influence of what happened during our year of acquaintance. I may live after them, not only in memory, but in the good or bad they accomplished while they knew me, and I them." Chubby wrinkled up his white, babyish brow and tried to follow the words of the ancient one. But he could not. It was impossible for him. He could see and feel and act, perhaps,- but he could not think wisely: he needed experience. "One 'two -three -four' five. . . ." the bells began ringing out the midnight hour. "Goodbye, son!" called out the ancient one, "May you see as much happiness as sorrow. And may you learn to read the high hopes in people's hearts, and see what they see, no matter how differently their lives turn out. This is all that really matters . . remember . . " the voice of the ancient one grew faint and far-away, "remember . . son, it is their aspirations . . that really count . . not their visible and worldly success . . ." He was quite , gone now. He was part of yesterday. Chubby steppecLover the threshold into his first minute of being The Happy New Year. "That's all very well," he thought, "but I can't understand why he should look so old I" IS Perhaps he will by midnight of 19261 v. |