"

The sexton stood and looked and laughed as he saw the little ones so
eager for the scraps and remnants.

"Don't you want to come in and see the church?" he said. "It's all done
now, and a brave sight it is. You may come in."

They tipped in softly, with large bright, wondering eyes. The light
through the stained glass windows fell blue and crimson and yellow on the
pillars all ruffled with ground-pine and brightened with scarlet bitter-
sweet berries, and there were stars and crosses and mottoes in green all
through the bowery aisles, while the organist, hid in a thicket of
verdure, was practicing softly, and sweet voices sung:

"Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King."

The little ones wandered up and down the long aisles in a dream of awe
and wonder. "Hush, Tottie!" said Elsie when he broke into an eager
exclamation, "don't make a noise. I do believe it's something like
heaven," she said, under her breath.

They made the course of the church and came round by the door again,
where the sexton stood smiling on them.

"You can find lots of pretty Christmas greens out there," he said,
pointing to the door; "perhaps your folks would like to have some."

"Oh, thank you, sir," exclaimed. Elsie, rapturously. "Oh, Tottie, only
think! Let's gather a good lot and go home and dress our room for
Christmas. Oh, _won't_ mother be astonished when she comes home, we'll
make it so pretty!"

And forthwith the children began gathering into their little aprons
wreaths of ground-pine, sprigs of holly, and twigs of crimson bitter-
sweet. The sexton, seeing their zeal, brought out to them a little cross,
fancifully made of red alder-berries and pine.

Then he said, "A lady took that down to put up a bigger one, and she gave
it to me; you may have it if you want it."

"Oh, how beautiful," said Elsie. "How glad I am to have this for mother!
When she comes back she won't know our room; it will be as fine as the
church."

Soon the little gleaners were toddling off out of the yard--moving masses
of green with all that their aprons and their little hands could carry.

The sexton looked after them. "Take heed that ye despise not these little
ones," he said to himself, "for in heaven their angels--"

A ray of tenderness fell on the old man's head; it was from the Shining
One who watched the children. He thought it was an afternoon sunbeam. His
heart grew gentle and peaceful, and his thoughts went far back to a
d