"You can find lots of pretty Christmas greens out there," he said,
pointing to the door; "perhaps your folks would like to have some."
"Oh, thank you, sir," exclaimed. Elsie, rapturously. "Oh, Tottie, only
think! Let's gather a good lot and go home and dress our room for
Christmas. Oh, _won't_ mother be astonished when she comes home, we'll
make it so pretty!"
And forthwith the children began gathering into their little aprons
wreaths of ground-pine, sprigs of holly, and twigs of crimson bitter-
sweet. The sexton, seeing their zeal, brought out to them a little cross,
fancifully made of red alder-berries and pine.
Then he said, "A lady took that down to put up a bigger one, and she gave
it to me; you may have it if you want it."
"Oh, how beautiful," said Elsie. "How glad I am to have this for mother!
When she comes back she won't know our room; it will be as fine as the
church."
Soon the little gleaners were toddling off out of the yard--moving masses
of green with all that their aprons and their little hands could carry.
The sexton looked after them. "Take heed that ye despise not these little
ones," he said to himself, "for in heaven their angels--"
A ray of tenderness fell on the old man's head; it was from the Shining
One who watched the children.
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