Gloria in excelsis! 
Over the sea and land,
In excelsis Deo! 
Chant the anthem grand.

Gloria in excelsis! 
Let us all rejoice;
In excelsis Deo! 
Lift each heart and voice.

Gloria in excelsis! 
Swell the hymn on high;
In excelsis Deo! 
Sound it to the sky.

Gloria in excelsis! 
Sing it, sinful earth,
In excelsis Deo! 
For the Savior’s birth.

Father Ryan.

“Father Ryan’s Poems.”  Published by P.J.  Kenedy & Sons, New York.

[Illustration:  Artist Hofmann.—­Caption:  “Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.”]

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45

plied won’ drous ex cite’ ment com mo’ tion vig’ or fo’ li age mar’ vel ous com pas’ sion

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE.[004]

Once upon a time the Forest was in a great commotion.  Early in the evening the wise old Cedars had shaken their heads and told of strange things that were to happen.  They had lived in the Forest many, many years; but never had they seen such marvelous sights as were to be seen now in the sky, and upon the hills, and in the distant village.

“Pray tell us what you see,” pleaded a little Vine; “we who are not so tall as you can behold none of these wonderful things.”

“The whole sky seems to be aflame,” said one of the Cedars, “and the Stars appear to be dancing among the clouds; angels walk down from heaven to the earth and talk with the shepherds upon the hills.”

The Vine trembled with excitement.  Its nearest neighbor was a tiny tree, so small it was scarcely ever noticed; yet it was a very beautiful little tree, and the Vines and Ferns and Mosses loved it very dearly.

“How I should like to see the Angels!” sighed the little Tree; “and how I should like to see the Stars dancing among the clouds!  It must be very beautiful.  Oh, listen to the music!  I wonder whence it comes.”

“The Angels are singing,” said a Cedar; “for none but angels could make such sweet music.”

“And the Stars are singing, too,” said another Cedar; “yes, and the shepherds on the hills join in the song.”

The trees listened to the singing.  It was a strange song about a Child that had been born.  But further than this they did not understand.  The strange and glorious song continued all the night.

In the early morning the Angels came to the Forest singing the same song about the Child, and the Stars sang in chorus with them, until every part of the woods rang with echoes of that wondrous song.  They were clad all in white, and there were crowns upon their fair heads, and golden harps in their hands.  Love, hope, joy and compassion beamed from their beautiful faces.  The Angels came through the Forest to where the little Tree stood, and gathering around it, they touched it with their hands, kissed its little branches, and sang even more sweetly than before.  And their song was about the Child, the Child, the Child, that had been born.  Then the Stars came down from the skies and danced and hung upon the branches of the little Tree, and they, too, sang the song of the Child.