My words, indeed, may be beautiful, but my life has not been so great
and good as the words I write."

Then, as sunset drew near, the two walked to the little knoll where
Ernest was to talk to the people.

He stood in a little niche, with the mountains above him, and the glory
of the evening sun shone around his silvered hair. At a distance could
be seen the Great Stone Pace, surrounded by a golden light.

As Ernest talked his face glowed with the depth of his feeling, and
suddenly the poet threw his arms above his head and shouted:

"Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone
Face!"

Then all the people looked and saw that what the poet had said was true.
The prophecy was fulfilled. The Great Man had come at last.

Nathaniel Hawthorne [Adapted]




THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE


In a forest in the far, far East grew a great many pine trees. Most of
them were tall trees, higher than the houses that we see, and with wide,
strong branches. But there was one tree that was not nearly so tall as