StNicholas [serial] . so. Through the crevices of its weather-beatenboards came the sound of vigorous scrubbing ofwool, and sometimes an impatient Ninette!Ninette!—thou silly sheep! Wilt thou neverstand still? Or else, in a softer tone, aneager Beppo, my little Beppo, dost thou 226 FELIX. [Jan. know? Dost thou know? To all of whichthere would come no answer save the lambsweak little Baa, baa! For Ninette, Beppos mother, was a sillyold sheep, and Beppo was a very young littlelamb, and so they could not possibly be expectedto know what a great honor had suddenlybefallen them. They did not dream
StNicholas [serial] . so. Through the crevices of its weather-beatenboards came the sound of vigorous scrubbing ofwool, and sometimes an impatient Ninette!Ninette!—thou silly sheep! Wilt thou neverstand still? Or else, in a softer tone, aneager Beppo, my little Beppo, dost thou 226 FELIX. [Jan. know? Dost thou know? To all of whichthere would come no answer save the lambsweak little Baa, baa! For Ninette, Beppos mother, was a sillyold sheep, and Beppo was a very young littlelamb, and so they could not possibly be expectedto know what a great honor had suddenlybefallen them. They did not dream that, thenight before, Pere Michaud had told Felix that was the greatest honor and glory that couldpossibly happen to a Provencal sheep, and solittle Felix was fairly bursting with pride anddelight. And so it was, too, that he was nowbusying himself washing their wool, which hedetermined should shine like spun silver on thegreat night. He tugged away, scrubbing and brushingand combing the thick fleeces, and at last,. THE CHRISTMAS EVE PROCESSION. his Beppo (for Beppo was Felixs very own)had been chosen by the shepherds for the offered lamb of the Christmas Eve proces-sion in all its festival splendor in the greatchurch of the village. Of the importance of this procession in theeyes of the peasant folk I will tell you moreby and by; it is enough to say now that tobe the offered lamb, or indeed the offeredlambs mother, for both always went together, after much labor, considered their toiletsdone for the day; then, giving each a handfulof fresh hay to nibble, he left the fold andtrudged into the cottage. Well, little one, said the Mise, hast thoufinished thy work? Yes, mother, answered Felix ; and I shallscrub them so each day till the holy night!Even now Ninette is white as milk, and Bepposhines like an angel! Ah, but I shall be proud 1900.] FELIX. 227 when he rides up to the altar in his little cart!And, mother, dost thou not really think him farhandsomer than was Jeans lamb,
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Keywords: ., bookauthordodgemar, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookyear1873
