A Little Book of Profitable Tales

that Christmas eve, turning umbrellas inside out, driving the snow in fitful gusts before it,

ra, with a shiver, as she drew her tattered li

the wind; "but why are you out in this sto

ghed bitterly, and something like a tiny pearl

treet to throw a handful of snow in the face of an old man who wa

ighted on Barbara's shoulder. "I heard grand music, and saw bea

g at the cathedral?

e snowflake. "I supposed everybody kne

mas eve," said Barbara, "and t

kind and gentle he was, and how he loved the little children; but her mother was dead now, an

" said Barbara, "for I have heard

en him, but I heard the pines and the firs singing

sterously to where Barbara stood. "I've been looking

snowflake and hurried it along the street and led it

glitter of the lights and the sparkle of the vast array of beautiful Christmas toys quite dazzle

it cannot be," she said to herself,

here!" said

hings if you stand before the window? Be o

a savage box on the ear that sent her reel

of a spacious room,-a beautiful Christmas tree ablaze with red and green lights, and heavy with toys and stars and glass balls, and other beautiful things that children love. There was a merry throng a

Barbara. "How I would like to see his face and hear his voice

storm, shivering and disconsol

" she asked of the wi

great people are flocking there, and I will

whirled away and chased the

arbara. "It is a beautiful place, and the people will pay

iests made eloquent prayers; and the music, and the songs, and the prayers were all about the prince and his expected coming. The throng that swept in and out of the

sit inside?" inquired

n important occasion with the sexton, and he h

quiet," pleaded Barbara. "Ple

u, and don't be blocking up the doorway!" So the sexton gave Barbara an angry push, and the child fell half-way down the icy steps

s cheek. It was the same little snowflake that had clung to her shawl a

a, in tears; "but what

e. "Go to the forest and you shall see him, for the

In the forest she could behold the prince coming on his way; and h

luttered Barbara's tattered shawl, and set her hair to streaming in every direct

gate the watchman stopped her, and held his big lantern in

am going into the for

watchman, "and in this storm?

will not let me watch for him in the church, nor in any

was a kindly man; he thought o

forest," said he, "for you

the watchman's grasp and ran as fast a

ried the watchman; "you w

not stay her, nor did the cutting blast. She thought on