human
Little-boy Jesus or big-man Jesus?
gpt
A--a--both,
human
Aw wight, said Toddie.
gpt
G'won.
human
There was once a time when all the world was in trouble, without knowing exactly why, said Mrs. Burton;
gpt
Does He knows how it feels to be a little boy? asked Toddie,
human
And He determined to comfort the world, as He always does when the world finds out it can't comfort itself,
gpt
But wasn't there lotzh of little boyzh then? asked Toddie,
human
I suppose so, said Mrs. Burton.
gpt
But He knew if He comforted grown people, they would make the children happy.
human
I wiss He'd comfort you an' Uncle Harry every mornin', then, said Toddie.
gpt
G'won.
human
So He sent His own Son--his only Son--down to the world to be a dear little baby.
gpt
said Budge,
human
He knew best, said Mrs. Burton.
gpt
And while smart people everywhere were wondering what would or could happen to quiet the restless heart of people--
human
Izh restless hearts like restless tummuks? interrupted Toddie.
gpt
Kind o' limpy an' wabbley?
human
I suppose so,
gpt
said Toddie clasping, his hands over his waistband:
human
Izhe sorry for 'em.
gpt
While smart folks were trying to think out what should be done, continued Mrs. Burton,
human
Was it one of the twinkle-twinkle kind, or one of the stand-still kind?
gpt
I don't know, said Mrs. Burton, after a moment's reflection.
human
Why do you ask?
gpt
said Toddie,
human
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.
gpt
Then, said Mrs. Burton, looking alternately and frequently at the two accounts of the Advent,
human
Should fink they _would_ be, said Toddie.
gpt
Everybody gets afraid when they see good people around. I 'spec' they thought the angel would say 'don't!' in about a minute.
human
But the angel told them not to be afraid, said Mrs. Burton,
gpt
said Budge.
human
Only he ought to pick out little boys instead of sheep fellows. _I_ wouldn't be afraid of an angel.
gpt
Neiver would I, said Toddie,
human
Then a great many other angels came, said Mrs. Burton,
gpt
Just like the other day we went to see the sister-baby.
human
That was 'cause he was so smart that He could do just what He wanted to, an' be just where he liked, said Budge,
gpt
So do I, said Toddie,
human
Yes, said Mrs. Burton;
gpt
Why didn't they give him rattles and squealey-balls, like folks did budder Phillie when _he_ was a baby,
human
Because, Toddie, said Mrs. Burton, glad of an opportunity to get the sentiment of the story into her own hands, from which it had departed very early in the course of the lesson--
gpt
What! The Lord once a dear little baby?
human
Yes,
gpt
An' played around like uvver little boysh?
human
I--I--suppose so,
gpt
Did somebody say 'Don't' at _Him_ every time he did anyfing?
human
N--n--n--o! I imagine not, said Mrs. Burton,
gpt
said Toddie.
human
The better a little boy triesh to be, the more folks say 'Don't' to him. So I guesh nobody had any time to say anyfing elsh at all to Jesus.
gpt
What did He do next?
human
He grew strong in body and spirit, said Mrs. Burton,
gpt
Seems to me that Egypt was 'bout as bad in those days as Europe is now, remarked Budge.
human
Whenever papa tells about anybody that nobody can find, he says, 'Gone to Europe, I s'pose.' What did they find when they got there?
gpt
I don't know, said Mrs. Burton, musing.
human
I suppose the papa worked hard for money to buy good food and comfortable resting-places for his wife and baby; and I suppose the mamma walked about the fields, and picked pretty flowers for her baby to play with; and I suppose the baby cooed when His mamma gave them to Him, and laughed and danced and played, and then got tired, and came and hid His little face in His mamma's lap, and was taken into her arms and held ever so tight, and fell asleep, and that His mother looked into His face as if she would look through it, while she tried to find out what her baby would be and do when He grew up, and whether He would be taken away from _her_, while it seemed as if she couldn't live at all without having Him very closely pressed to her breast and--