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be well taken care of, you shall have a plenty to eat, and a good bed of straw to rest upon.

The poor horse did not like to lose his freedom, but he saw that it was too late to help it. He had put himself into the power of the man. He could not now escape.

Bitterly did he wish he had not been so angry with the stag, as to call upon man to help him to punish him for his offence.

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BETHLEHEM.

THIS picture gives a view of Bethlehem, the town where Jesus Christ was born. It is represented by modern travellers to be a place of no great extent, and is situated along the brow of a steep hill. There is a church there erected by the Christian empress Helena. It is of considerable size, divided into aisles by fortyeight marble pillars. The church has a bare appearance. From the church travellers are led down a flight of steps to what is called the Grotto of the Nativity. This the monks show as the place where Christ was born and laid in a manger. The Grotto is a small place, not very high, the roof being supported by a single pillar. The altar, above which silver lamps are kept continually burning, is rich, and erected over the spot where the Holy Child was born, marked by a circle of agate and jasper, surrounded with a silver glory, with this inscription

HIC DE VIRGINE MARIA JESUS CHRISTUS NATUS EST;

which means, "Here, from the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ was born." At no great distance is another, smaller star in the pavement, denoting the place over which the miraculous guide of the Wise Men stood, when they came to worship Him who was born king of the Jews. In a place on one side, to which travellers descend by two steps, is seen the manger, now entirely made of white marble, but keeping its original form, upon which stand large silver candlesticks with wax tapers, which are always kept lighted. Immediately opposite is another altar, lighted up with lamps, like the former.

It is said to be common, at the present time, in countries of the East, for the dwellings of man and beast to be sometimes placed under ground.

On coming out of these caves, the traveller is shown a handsome chapel, with a marble floor, having five small recesses on either side, which were ten stalls occupied by oxen at the time of our Savior's birth. This chapel is generally to be found full of Christians, kneeling down and worshipping with apparent devotion.

As it is so many years since the birth of Jesus Christ, it is not entirely certain that this is the very spot which is made so interesting

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in his history. But as, from the first, the place of his birth must have been regarded with great veneration, it is to be supposed that the first Christians would have marked it, and would have pointed out the place to their children, and they to theirs; and it is difficult to suppose how any but the real spot should have been selected at first. And after having been so consecrated for a number of years, until a costly church was built upon it, it is still more unlikely it should ever have been changed.

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