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This story happened here in December's end, when two neighbors called on an old times

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book.

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They found his shop so meager and mean, they gave it a thousand boughs of wood.

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Now Conrad was sitting with face to shine and suddenly he stopped as he stitched a twine

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and he said,

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Old friend, at dawn today when the cop was crowing the night away, the Lord appeared

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in a dream to me and said, I'm coming your guest to be.

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So I've been busy with field stir, spruing my shop with branches of pearl.

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The table is spread, the kiddly shine and over the rafters the hoggies toy.

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And now I will wait for my Lord to appear and I will listen closely so I will hear his

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steps as he nears my humble place and I open the door and look on his face.

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Now Conrad's friends went left and alone for this was the happiest day he had known.

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For long since his family had passed away and Conrad had spent many a sad Christmas

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day.

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But he knew with the Lord as his Christmas guest why this was to be the dearest and best.

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So he listened with only joy in his heart and with every sound he would rise from the

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dark and look for the Lord to be in his door like the vision he had a few hours before.

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He ran to the window when hearing a sound but all he could see on the snow-covered ground

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was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn and all of his clothes were ragged and worn.

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But Conrad's heart was touched and he opened his friendly door and he said, your feet must

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be frozen and so I have some shoes in my shop for you and a coat that will keep you warm

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too.

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So with grateful heart the man went away but Conrad noticed the time of day and he wondered

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what made the Lord so late and how much longer he would have to wait.

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When he heard a knock he ran to the door but it was only a strange noise.

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A good old lady with a shower of black and a bundle of kindling piled on her back.

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She asked for only a place to rest but that was reserved for Conrad's great gifts.

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But her voice seemed to plead, don't send me away, let me rest for a while on Christmas

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Day.

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So Conrad invited her in, grew her steaming coat and told her to set it to table and

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wait but when she left he was filled with dismay for he saw that the house was slipping

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away and the Lord hadn't come as he said he would and Conrad felt sure he had missed

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the mistake.

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When in the silence he heard a small cry, please help me and tell me where am I?

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So again Conrad opened his lonely door and he stood disappointed as twice before.

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It was only a child who had wandered away, lost from her family on Christmas Day.

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Now Conrad's heart was heavy and sad but he knew he should make the little girl glad

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so he called her in and wiped her tears and quieted all her childish fears.

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Then he led her back to her home once more.

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But as he entered his own darkened door he knew that the Lord was not coming today for

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the hours of Christmas had passed away.

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So he went to his room and he knelt to pray and he said, Dear Lord, why did you be late?

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What kept you from coming to call on me for I wanted so much your face to see?

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When soft and silence a voice he heard, lift up your head.

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I kept my word.

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Three times my shout crossed the floor.

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Three times I came to your lonely door.

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For I was the beggar with the rooms cold too.

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I was the woman you gave something to eat and I was the child on the homeless street.

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Three times I mocked.

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Three times I came here.

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And each time I found the warmth of a friend.

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Of all the gifts, love is best.

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I was honored to be your Christmas gift.