III
When Little Brother went into the church, all the people were seated. They sat quietly hoping that at last the bells would ring again as in the days of old.
The organ pealed out a Christmas hymn. The choir and the people arose, and all sang the grand old anthem. Then a solemn voice said, "Bring now your gifts to the altar."
The king arose and went forward with stately tread. Bowing before the altar, he laid upon it his golden crown. Then he walked proudly back to his seat. All the people listened, but the bells did not ring.
Then the queen arose and with haughty step walked to the front. She took from her neck and wrists her beautiful jewels and laid them upon the altar. All the people listened, but the bells did not ring.
Then the soldiers came marching proudly forward. They took their jeweled swords from their belts and laid them upon the altar. All the people listened, but the bells did not ring.
Then the rich men came hurrying forward. They counted great sums of gold and laid them in a businesslike way upon the altar. All the people listened, but the bells did not ring.
"Can I go all alone to the front of the church and lay this small gift on the altar?" said Little Brother. "Oh, how can I? how can I?"
Then he said, "But I told Pedro I would, and I must."
So he slipped slowly around by the outer aisle. He crept quietly up to the altar and softly laid the silver piece upon the very edge.
And listen! What do you think was heard? The bells, the bells!
Oh, how happy the people were! And how happy Little Brother was! He ran out of the church and down the road toward the farm.
Pedro had warmed the dog and fed it, and was now on the way to the city. He hoped that he might see the people come out of the church.
Down the road Little Brother came running. Throwing himself into Pedro's arms, he cried, "Oh, Pedro, Pedro! The bells, the bells! I wish you could have heard them; and they rang when I laid your gift on the altar."
"I did hear them, Little Brother," said Pedro. "Their sound came to me over the snow,—the sweetest music I ever heard."
Long years after, when Pedro grew to be a man, he was a great musician. Many, many people came to hear him play.
Some one said to him one day, "How can you play so sweetly? I never heard such music before."
"Ah," said Pedro, "but you never heard the Christmas bells as I heard them that Christmas night years and years ago."
—OLD TALE RETOLD.
[GOD BLESS THE MASTER OF THIS HOUSE]
God bless the master of this house,
The mistress, also,
And all the little children
That round the table go:
And all your kin and kinsfolk,
That dwell both far and near;
I wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year.
—OLD ENGLISH RIME.