“‘And all the angels in heaven shall sing,
On Christmas Day—on Christmas Day,’”
The voices of mother and child blended in unison, filling the room with happy, rippling music:
“‘And all the angels in heaven shall sing
On Christmas Day in the morning.’”
At a signal from Shawe the men joined in the next verse, waiting for the first line to be given, and then going on with the simple iteration, until the little carol became a mighty triumphal chorus:
“‘And all the souls on earth shall sing
On Christmas Day—on Christmas Day,
And all the souls on earth shall sing
On Christmas Day in the morning.’”
“Dang thet hick’ry,” old Jerome grumbled in the hush that followed, “it do set a man splutterin’ ez never was!”
THE END