====== The Inner Life ======
== THE HERALD OF THE NEW AGE | DECEMBER 1934 ==
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were fixed upon the table and the fire. He ravenously seized the
loaf of bread, and all he could lay hands on; tore around the little
room, gathering together all the things of value; and then made
for the door. But the little cripple stood with his back against
it.

“Why do you hurry?” he said, gently. “I was waiting for you,
and you came. I thought you would not come until Christmas
Eve, and that’s two weeks off yet. I am so glad you came tonight. Don’t take the food away; sit down, and eat it. There’s
lots of other things that you can have, if you will only wait.”

The man stared at him blankly. In his feverish haste to steal
and get away without discovery, he had hardly noticed that the
child was there. Now he felt the small white hand upon his own,
and saw the little face which told the tale of suffering, looking
into his.

“We haven’t a Christmas tree,” the boy went on gently,
“because you see you came too soon; but I’ll give you all the
pretty things I got last year, and lots more too, if you will
only stay.”

The man stood still, as if electrified.

The child moved from the door, and placed a chair up to the
table. He never took his eyes off his strange guest. He was
expecting every moment that his rags would change to glittering
garments, that he would see just what the woman in the story
saw.

“Drink this hot coffee,” he said gently, “and wait till father
comes. How many years is it since that dear woman took you
in?”

He held his little hands out to him as he spoke, and as if
drawn by some unseen power, the man walked to the chair and
sank into it. The child sat down beside him, looking lovingly
into his face, which the world had called polluted, vile; but to
the child that face was but a mask which hid the smiling face
of Christ.

The man ate ravenously, and drank the coffee with his eyes
fixed nervously upon the door.


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