Page:Our American Holidays - Christmas.djvu/264

236 And to bring the grandsires all around To hear the tale he tells.

Here comes the Christmas angel, So gentle and so calm; As softly as the falling flakes He comes with flute and psalm. All in a cloud of glory, As once upon the plain To shepherd-boys in Jewry, He brings good news again. He is the young folks’ Christmas; He makes their eyes grow bright With words of hope and tender thought, And visions of delight. Hail to the Christmas angel! All peace on earth he brings; He gathers all the youths and maids Beneath his shining wings.

Here comes the little Christ-child, All innocence and joy, And bearing gifts in either hand For every girl and boy. He tells the tender story About the Holy Maid, And Jesus in the manger Before the oxen laid. Like any little winter bird He sings his sweetest song, Till all the cherubs in the sky To hear his carol throng.