“‘They are as happy as they can be. Each one of them had a penny in a tightly closed fist, wondering what to buy to take home and put in an empty stocking.
“‘Let’s stop here a moment,’ whispered the Fairy, poising on the top of a Christmas tree in front of a big store.
“Anna Belle, standing beside her, noticed that as she held on high her wand the star shone out so bright and beautiful the people below paused and gazed in wonder. The happy faces beamed even brighter and the unhappy ones changed instantly.
“‘What does it mean?’ whispered one and another, while one little girl cried:
“‘Why, Mother, it’s the Star. Don’t you know?’
“‘Yes,’ whispered the mother, clasping more closely the little hand and passing on.
“‘What made the cross ones look so glad, and the happy ones look more so?’ asked Anna Belle, as she watched the throngs below.
“‘Don’t you know really?’ asked the Fairy.
“Anna Belle pondered a while, then looked at the sky to see it thickly dotted with stars, and saw that One shone more brightly than any of the others. She then turned to look at the star on the end of the wand, but behold, it had vanished.
“‘Where is it?’ she asked in surprise.