whatever in the shoe. I can tell you that now."

But little Gretchen would not listen. She only shook her head and
cried out: "Ah, Granny, you do not talk enough to the stars." With
this she seized the shoe, and opening the door, hurried out to place
it on the window sill. It was very dark without and something soft and
cold seemed to gently kiss her hair and face. Gretchen knew by this
that it was snowing, and she looked up to the sky, anxious to see if
the stars were in sight, but a strong wind was tumbling the dark,
heavy snow-clouds about and had shut away all else.

"Never mind," said Gretchen softly to herself, "the stars are up
there, even if I can't see them, and the Christmas angels do not mind
snow storms."

Just then a rough wind went sweeping by the little girl, whispering
something to her which she could not understand, and then it made a
sudden rush up to the snow clouds and parted them, so that the deep
mysterious sky appeared beyond, and shining down out of the midst of
it was Gretchen's favorite star.

"Ah, little star, little star!" said the child, laughing aloud, "I
knew you were there, though I could not see you. Will you whisper to
the Christmas angels as they come by that little Gretchen wants so
very much to have a Christmas gift tomorrow morning, if they have one
to spare, and that she has put one of Granny's shoes upon the
windowsill for it?"

A moment more and the little girl, standing on tiptoe had reached the
windowsill and placed the shoe upon it, and was back again in the