He comes here often, and plays among the flowers
of the hill-side. Sometimes the lambs, gambolling too carelessly, have
crushed and bruised us so that we lie bleeding and are like to die;
but the little Master heals our wounds and refreshes us once again.'
"I marvelled much to hear these things. 'The midnight hour is at
hand,' said I, 'and I will abide with you to see this little Master of
whom you speak.' So we nestled among the verdure of the hill-side, and
sang songs one to another.
"'Come away!' called the night wind; 'I know a beauteous sea not far
hence, upon whose bosom you shall float, float, float away out into
the mists and clouds, if you will come with me.'
"But I hid under the violets and amid the tall grass, that the night
wind might not woo me with its pleading. 'Ho, there, old olive-tree!'
cried the violets; 'do you see the little Master coming? Is not the
midnight hour at hand?'
"'I can see the town yonder,' said the old olive-tree. 'A star beams
bright over Bethlehem, the iron gates swing open, and the little
Master comes.'
"Two children came to the hill-side. The one, older than his comrade,
was Dimas, the son of Benoni. He was rugged and sinewy, and over his
brown shoulders was flung a goatskin; a leathern cap did not confine
his long, dark curly hair. The other child was he whom they called the
little Master; about his slender form clung raiment white as snow, and
around his face of heavenly innocence fell curls of golden yellow.
Pages:
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56