d the night! O sovereign Shepherd, cherish
Thy little lamb and mine, and, Holy Mother, fold her to thy bosom and
thy love! But give her back to me,--when morning cometh, restore ye
unto me my little one!"

But once she came not back. She had spoken much of Master Sweetheart
and of that land of Ever-Plaisance whither he had gone. And she was
not afeard to make the journey alone; so once upon a time when our
little Mistress Merciless bade us good-by, and went away forever, we
knew that it were better so; for she was lonely here, and without her
that far-distant country whither she journeyed were not content.
Though our hearts were like to break for love of her, we knew that it
were better so.

The tale is told, for it were not seemly to speak all the things that
are in one's heart when one hath to say of a much-beloved child whose
life here hath been shortened so that, in God's wisdom and kindness,
her life shall be longer in that garden that bloometh far away.

About me are scattered the toys she loved, and the doll Beautiful hath
come down all-battered and grim,--yet, oh! so very precious to me,
from those distant years; yonder fareth the Queen of Sheba in her
service as handmaiden unto me and mine,--gaunt and doleful-eyed, yet
stanch and sturdy as of old. The garden lieth under the Christmas
snow,--the garden where ghosts of trees wave their arms and moan over
the graves of flowers; the once gracious arbor is crippled now with
the infirmities of age, the Siege of Restfulness fast sinketh into
decay, and long, oh! long ago did that bird Joyous carol forth his
last sweet song in the garden that was once so passing fair.

And amid it all,--this heartache and the loneliness which the years
have brought,--cometh my Christmas gift to-day: the solace of a vision
of that country whither she--our little Mistress Merciless--hath gone;
a glimpse of that far-off land of Ever-Plaisance.

BETHLEHEM-TOWN

As I was going to Bethlehem-town,
Upon the earth I cast me down
All underneath a little tree
That whispered in this wise to me:
"Oh, I shall stand on Calvary
And bear what burthen saveth thee!"

As up I fared to Bethlehem-town,
I met a shepherd coming down,
And thus he quoth: "A wondrous sight
Hath spread before mine eyes this night,--
An angel host most fair to see,
That sung full sweetly of a tree
That shall uplift on Calvary
What burthen saveth you and