low and looks very sharply.

What is she looking for?

Ah, that you can't guess unless you know her sad story.

Long, long ago, a great many yesterdays ago, the Babouscka, who was even
then an old woman, was busy sweeping her little hut. She lived in the
coldest corner of cold Russia, and she lived alone in a lonely place
where four wide roads met. These roads were at this time white with
snow, for it was winter time. In the summer, when the fields were full
of flowers and the air full of sunshine and singing birds, Babouscka's
home did not seem so very quiet; but in the winter, with only the
snowflakes and the shy snow-birds and the loud wind for company, the
little old woman felt very cheerless. But she was a busy old woman, and
as it was already twilight, and her home but half swept, she felt in
a great hurry to finish her work before bedtime. You must know the
Babouscka was poor and could not afford to do her work by candle-light.

Presently, down the widest and the lonesomest of the white roads, there
appeared a long train of people coming. They were walking slowly, and
seemed to be asking each other questions as to which way they should
take. As the procession came nearer, and finally stopped outside the
little hut, Babouscka was frightened at the splendor. There were
Three Kings, with crowns on their heads, and the jewels on the Kings'
breastplates sparkled like sunlight. Their heavy fur cloaks were white
with the falling snow-flakes, and the queer humpy camels on which they
rode looked white as milk in the snow-storm. The harness on the camels
was decorated with gold, and plates of silver adorned the saddles. The
saddle-cloths were of the richest Eastern stuffs, and all the servants
had the dark eyes and hair of an Eastern people.

The slaves carried heavy loads on their backs, and each of the Three
Kings carried a present. One carried a beautiful transparent jar, and
in the fading light Babouscka could see in it a golden liquid which
she knew from its color must be myrrh. Another had in his hand a richly
woven bag, and it seemed to be heavy, as indeed it was, for it was
full of gold. The third had a stone vase in his hand, and from the rich
perfume which filled the snowy air, one could guess the vase to have
been filled with incense.

Babouscka was terribly frightened, so she hid herself in her hut, and
let the servants knock a long time at her door before she dared open it
and answer their questions as t