as he passed.

I waited to see Santa Klaus disappear; but no, the child looked at
the cake, sighed deeply with the cruel effort of resistance, and
refrained. It was all his Christmas and he would keep it. He
gazed and gazed, then a smile rippled across the wan little face
and he broke out in another carol, "Es kam ein Engel hell und klar
vom Himmel zu der Hirten Schaar," and hugging his Santa Klaus
carefully, wandered away down the now brilliant streets: he did
not know he was hungry any more; the angel had come with good
tidings.

As I passed along the streets I could see through the uncurtained
windows that in some houses Christmas had begun already for the
little ones. Then the bells rang out deep-mouthed, carrying the
call of the eager Church to her children, far up the valley and
across the frozen river. And they answered; the great church was
packed from end to end, and from my place by the door I saw that
two tiny Christmas trees bright with coloured candles burnt either
side of the Holy Child.

A blue-black sky ablaze with stars for His glory, a fresh white
robe for stained and tired earth; so we went to Bethlehem in the
rare stillness of the early morning. The Church, having no stars,
had lighted candles; and we poor sinful men having no white robes
of our own had craved them of the Great King at her hands.

And so in the stillness, with tapers within and stars alight
without, with a white-clad earth, and souls forgiven, the Christ
Child came to those who looked for His appearing.