Merry Christmas!

Bethlehem
By Edgar A. Geust

No doubt they thought in Bethlehem
The world would never hear of them,
They had an inn where sometimes stayed
The wondering caravans of trade,
And near it was a stable kept
Wherein at night the cattle slept;
But last to splendor and renown,
Theirs was alittle wayside town.

On night a man and woman worn
Asked to be sheltered till the morn.
The keeper of the inn replied:
"My ecery room is occupied.

There is no space that I can spare."
The man said: "We must rest somewhere,
What of the stable, yonder, sir?
Ther I can make a bed for her."

"Yes," said the keeper, "go ahead!
Tos down some straw and make a bed."
No doubt he was surprosed at morn
To hear a baby had been born,
And shepherds wandering from afar,
Guided to Bethlehem by a star,
Had come the little child to see,
As if important He could be.

The caravans of trade moved on,
The grat officials soon were gone.
Nor did it once occour to them
That fame had come to Bethlehem.
The poor innkeeper never knew
He should be long remembered, too,
Because on that first Christmas morn
'Twas in his stable Christ was born.