MY CHRISTMAS DREAM

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22593, 24 December 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

MY CHRISTMAS DREAM

As I trudged along the narrow deserted street the snow blew in my face. It was pure white ahead, but behind, my footprints were the only marks in the snow. As I walked along I thought of the olden days when coaches were in use to carry'people to and from Christmas parties, i remembered how grandfather, when young and handsome, was invited to many of these parties and how often he hact told us tales of these merry times. But now we had no grandfather or father to care for us. I arrived at the church just as the service started. I was nearly sleeping, but tried my hardest to remain awake till the end. When mass was over I went out into the porch to wait and see if any of my friends were there. It seemed as if the crowd were never going to end, so I sat on the floor in a corner and went to sleep. I had a beautiful dream. X dreamt that I met the Christchild while on my way to church. I thought • the way very dark, but when the Christchild appeared, it was lit by the light of His face. I was no more lonely nor frightened, for 1 knew with Him beside me I had nothing to fear. He spoke to me in the sweetest of tones I had ever heard. The church, when we arrived, was crowded with people wrapped in furs ana

warm clothing. I had scarcely any clothing and was shivering with the cold. But my heart felt warm. Midnight mass seemed to be more beautiful than ever. The voices of the singers were like those of the angels that sang round the first crib on the first midnight at Bethlehem. When it was finished the Christ-child accompanied me on my journey home. On arriving at the house the Christchild seemed to be invisible, for mother could not see Him. Mother looked young and pretty again, and in perfect health. I put clean sheets on my bed, for the Christ-child to sleep in, while I slept on the floor beside the bed. The Christ-child must have slept peacefully that night, for He seemed less tired in the morning. We went downstairs to the drawing-room, and what do you think we found? A

table with a snow-white cloth and set with pretty glass dishes on it. And the food seemed as if it had been prepared by the Christ-child Himself. There was a big Christmas tree on the right side of the table. When we had finished our meal I started fiddling with the seam of the table cloth, which was sewn with gold thread, x pulled a little of the thread and the seam started to, come undone. As I did so money began to pour out I caught it in my lap. A voice asked me if I had enough, to which I replied. “Yes, thank you.” The party ended when X awoke to find myself in my wretched clothes in the draughty porch. I rose and journeyed homewards, hoping to find mother in good health as I had done in my dream. —MARGARET McVICAR (aged 14), Nazareth House.