Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Note
Italic text displayed as: _italic_

BLIND TIM
_AND_
OTHER CHRISTMAS STORIES

WRITTEN FOR CHILDREN

C. O. SOLBERG

AUGSBURG PUBLISHING HOUSE
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN

Copyright, 1926, by
AUGSBURG PUBLISHING HOUSE
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.

First Edition, Nov. 1926 - 1,000
Second Edition, Feb. 1927 - 1,000
Third Edition, Oct. 1927 - 3,000

Printed in the U. S. A.

CONTENTS

1. Poem—In Childhood I saw Him 6
(From the Norwegian)

2. Story—Blind Tim 7
(Four Chapters)

3. Story—Rags 33

4. Story—A Queer Christmas Tree 41

5. Story—Bigbeard and Little Sander 49

6. Story—No Christmas 61

7. Story—Buddy’s Christmas Tree 67

8. Story—Three Pines 81

NOTE

_All the stories following, except the last two, have appeared at some time in print. The plots are in the main founded upon actual occurrence. The introductory poem is an original translation from the Norwegian of the poem_ JEG SAA HAM SOM BARN. _The poems occurring in the text are original and could be used as declamations._

POEM

(A TRANSLATION)

_In childhood I saw Him, the sun in His eye,
Thru the gleam of the rainbow above the dear hills.
To our play as He kissed me the great stars seemed nigh,
Yet the Cross in the forest stood somber and still._

_Youth grew to its morning, in visions He came,
When the spirit ranged bravely where splendor abode.
Even death and decay in His light lost their shame,
He beckoned me on, and still upward I strove._

_In manhood I saw Him, when summer grew strong,
And sin quickened to fear in the sense of His frown,
The death thought me threatened, the shadows grew long,
With the weight of heart-sinkings my head was bowed down._

_First then He revealed me the wealth of His mercy,
First then did the burden grow sweet to the soul;
The sense of the Shepherd Compassionate gripped me,
The Cross that stood stark had become a dear goal._

_When the candle of life burneth low I shall see Him,
The weakening hand I shall suppliant reach.
Tho the heart beat is still, and the eye has gone dim,
His kind love at the last I shall smilingly greet._

_Blind Tim_