“I am Hope. When darksome clouds
Gather round thy earthly way,
And Misfortune’s shadowy veil
Intercepts the light of day,
I will come on wings of light:
Clouds and mist shall straightway fly,
And reveal the golden gates
Of a happier home on high.
Maiden, one of sisters three,
This the gift I bear to thee.”
Smiling graciously on the wondering Bertha, Hope drew back, and gave
place to her sister, who commenced as follows:—
“I am Charity. Let me
Ever on thy steps attend,
And, as long as life shall last,
Be thy counsellor and friend.
In thy bosom I would sow
Seeds of gentleness and love,
And, a resident of earth,
Fit thee for a home above.
Maiden, last of sisters three,
This the gift I bear to thee.”
Again the sisters joined hands, and, with united voices, chanted, as at
first,—
“Maiden, from the fields of air
We have winged our rapid flight,
Bringing gifts both rich and rare,
On this frosty Christmas night.
Faith and Hope and Charity!
Earthly maiden, sisters three,
These the gifts we bear to thee.”
Their voices died away, and they were gone. Bertha opened her eyes, and,
lo! it was all a vision that had come to her on this Christmas night. The
morning sun was shining brightly through the window-panes. Noisily over
the frozen snow dashed the sleighs; and their bells rang a merry peal in
honor of Christmas Day. Bertha glanced at the well-filled stockings that
hung in front of the fire, and then she knew that St. Nicholas had been
there with his budget of gifts; and the words sung by the sisters came
into her mind:—
“Maiden, no! Thy Christmas saint
Beareth gifts of mortal taint.
Those we bear are not of earth:
Theirs has been a higher birth.”
“I will not forget the gifts of the good sisters,” she murmured softly.
“Doubtless it is my heavenly Father who has sent them to me.”
So it was that little Bertha, attended by the three sisters, walked
peacefully and happily through life.
The ways of God’s providence, so dark and mysterious to many, became
plain and clear to her; for she saw with the eye of Faith. Clouds
sometimes gathered about her path; but Hope waved her wand, and they were
at once dispelled. Jealousy and envy and angry thoughts disturbed her
not; for her heart was filled with the heavenly spirit of Charity.
Would that we all might be blessed with Bertha’s Christmas vision!