A Little Book of Profitable Tales

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BOOK OF PROF

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T CHRIST

heads ominously and predicted strange things. They had lived in the forest many, many years; but never had the

are not as tall as you can behold none of these wonderful th

e sky seems to be aflame, and the stars appear to be dancing among the clouds; angels walk do

ment. Its nearest neighbor was a tiny tree, so small it scarcely ever was noticed; yet it was a very beautif

ttle tree, "and how I should like to see the stars d

wonderful scenes over and beyond the confines of the forest. Presently they thought they heard music, an

cried the little tree. "

a cedar; "for none but angels

ar; "yes, and the shepherds on the hills join in t

to protect them from harm. But the cedars were too busy with their own fears to pay any heed to the faint pleadings of the humble vine and the little tree. The angels came into the forest, singing the same glorious anthem about the Child, and the stars sang in chorus with them, until every part of the woods rang with echoes of that wondrous song. There was nothing in the appearance of this angel host to inspire fear; they were clad all in white, and there were crowns upon their fair heads, and golden harps in their hands; love, hope, charity, compassion, and joy beamed from their beautiful faces, and their presence seemed to fill the forest

ered near the little tree. Then a cedar asked: "Why do you tarry with us, holy angel?" And the an

ds never came to the forest that they did not forget their rude manners and linger to kiss the little tree and sing it their prettiest songs. No danger ever menaced it, no harm threatened; for the angel never slept,-through the day and through the night the angel watched the little tree and protected it from all evil. Oftentimes the trees

man came with his axe, intent upon hewing down the straight and comely thing; sometimes the hot, consuming breath of drought swept from the south, and sought to blight the fore

herto the angel had hastened to its side when men approached;

ou not hear the footsteps of some on

the angel; "for He wh

h trunk and branches, and the tree was thrilled with a strange and glorious d

ee and enjoyed the shade of its foliage, and listened to the music of the wind as it swept through the rustling leaves. Many times He slept ther

the Master was beloved and venerated by the others. It heard them tell of the Master's goodness and humility,-how He had healed the sick and raised the dead and bestowed inestimable blessings wherever He walked. And the tree loved the Master for His

tears, and He fell upon His knees and prayed. The tree heard Him, and all the forest was still, a

ashing of swords and staves. Strange men appeared, uttering loud oaths and cruel threats,

ve come to destroy the tree, the

cruel vigor, and the tree was hewn to the ground. Its beautiful branches were cut away a

d the tree; "why is not the

but the other trees of the forest; and

and hewn tree from the forest, and the

e bosom of distant Galilee, tarried in the forest awhile to say that it had seen that day