“But wasn’t there lotzh of little boyzh then?” asked Toddie, “an’ didn’t they used to be comforted as well as big folks?”

“I suppose so,” said Mrs. Burton.  “But He knew if He comforted grown people, they would make the children happy.”

“I wiss He’d comfort you an’ Uncle Harry every mornin’, then,” said Toddie.  “G’won.”

“So He sent His own Son—­his only Son—­down to the world to be a dear little baby.”

“I should think He’d have made Him a sister baby,” said Budge, “if He’d wanted to make everybody happy.”

“He knew best,” said Mrs. Burton.  “And while smart people everywhere were wondering what would or could happen to quiet the restless heart of people—­”

“Izh restless hearts like restless tummuks?” interrupted Toddie.  “Kind o’ limpy an’ wabbley?”

“I suppose so,” said Mrs. Burton.

“Poor folks,” said Toddie clasping, his hands over his waistband:  “Izhe sorry for ’em.”

“While smart folks were trying to think out what should be done,” continued Mrs. Burton, “some simple shepherds, who used to sit around at night under the moon and stars, and wonder about things which they could not understand, saw a wonderfully bright star up in the sky.”

“Was it one of the twinkle-twinkle kind, or one of the stand-still kind?” asked Toddie.

“I don’t know,” said Mrs. Burton, after a moment’s reflection.  “Why do you ask?”

“’Cauzh,” said Toddie, “I know what ‘twazh there for, an’ it ought to have twinkled, ’cauzh twinkley star bobs open and shut that way ’cauzh they’re laughin’ and can’t keep still, an’ I know I’d have laughed if I’d been a star an’ was goin’ to make a lot of folks so awful happy.  G’won.”

“Then,” said Mrs. Burton, looking alternately and frequently at the two accounts of the Advent, “they suddenly saw an angel, and the shepherds were afraid.”

“Should fink they would be,” said Toddie.  “Everybody gets afraid when they see good people around.  I ‘spec’ they thought the angel would say ‘don’t!’ in about a minute.”

“But the angel told them not to be afraid,” said Mrs. Burton, “for he had come to bring good news.  There was to be a dear little baby born at Bethlehem, and He would make everybody happy.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if that angel would come an’ do it all over again?” said Budge.  “Only he ought to pick out little boys instead of sheep fellows. I wouldn’t be afraid of an angel.”

“Neiver would I,” said Toddie, “but I dzust go round behind him an’ see how his wings was fastened on.”

“Then a great many other angels came,” said Mrs. Burton, “and they all sang and sang together.  The poor shepherds didn’t know what to make of it, but after the singing was over, they all started for Bethlehem, to see that wonderful baby.”

“Just like the other day we went to see the sister-baby.”