He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and

soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes, how they twinkled his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry; His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard on his chin was as white as the

snow;

He was chubby and plump-a right jolly old elf—
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle; But I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night !" Clement C. Moore.

66

LITTLE CHRISTEL.

FRAULEIN, the young schoolmistress, to her pupils said one day,

“Next week, at Pfingster holiday, King Ludwig rides this way;

And you will be wise, my little ones, to work with a will at your tasks,

That so you may answer fearlessly whatever question he asks.

It would be a shame too dreadful if the King should have it to tell

That Hansel missed in his figures, and Peterkin could not spell."

"Oho! that never shall happen," cried Hansel and Peterkin too;

"We'll show King Ludwig, when he comes, what the boys in this school can do."

"And we," said Gretchen and Bertha, and all the fair little maids

Who stood in a row before her, with their hair in flaxen braids,

"We will pay such good attention to every word

you say

That you shall not be ashamed of us when King Ludwig rides this way."

She smiled, the young schoolmistress, to see that they loved her so,

And with patient care she taught them the things it was good to know.

Day after day she drilled them till the great day came at last,

When the heralds going before him blew out their sounding blast;

And with music, and flying banners, and the clatter of horses' feet,

The King and his troops of soldiers rode down the village street.

Oh! the hearts of the eager children beat fast with joy and fear,

And Fräulein trembled and grew pale as the cavalcade drew near;

But she blushed with pride and pleasure when the lessons came to be heard,

For in all the flock of the boys and girls not one of them missed a word,

And King Ludwig turned to the teacher with a smile and a gracious look:

"It is plain," said he, "that your scholars have carefully conned their book.

"But now let us ask some questions, to see if they understand;"

And he showed to one of the little maids an orange in his hand.

It was Christel, the youngest sister of the mistress fair and kind—

A child with a face like a lily, and as lovely and pure a mind.

"What kingdom does this belong to?" as he called her to his knee;

And at once "The vegetable," she answered quietly.

"Good," said the monarch, kindly, and showed her a piece of gold:

"Now tell me what this belongs to-the pretty coin that I hold."

She touched it with careful finger, for gold was a metal rare,

And then-"The mineral kingdom," she answered with confident air.

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"Well done for the little mädchen!" And good King Ludwig smiled

At Fräulein and her sister, the teacher and the child.

"Now answer me one more question"- with a twinkle of fun in his eye:

"What kingdom do I belong to ?" For he thought she would make reply,

"The animal ;" and he meant to ask with a frown if that was the thing

For a little child like her to say to her lord and master, the king?

He knew not the artless wisdom that would set his wit at naught,

And the little Christel guessed nothing at all of what was in his thought.

But her glance shot up at the question, and the brightness in her face,

Like a sunbeam on a lily, seemed to shine all over the place.

"What kingdom do you belong to ?" her innocent lips repeat;

"Why, surely, the kingdom of Heaven!" rings out the answer sweet.

And then for a breathless moment a sudden silence

fell,

And you might have heard the fall of a leaf as they looked at little Christel.

But it only lasted a moment, then rose as sudden a

shout

"Well done! well done for little Christel!" and the bravos rang about.

For the King in his arms had caught her, to her wondering shy surprise,

And over and over he kissed her, with a mist of tears in his eyes.

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May the blessing of God," he murmured, "forever rest on thy head!

Henceforth, by His grace, my life shall prove the truth of what thou hast said."