The Christmas Child by Hesba Stretton

Miss Priscilla Parry, a fiercely independent woman, lived on a farmstead and helped to raise her two nieces. Inspired by the Biblical Christmas story, the children Rhoda and Joan had a habit of visiting their barn manger every Christmas to look for a child. One day Rhoda mysteriously disappeared and a search began. This story's spiritual theme is to forgive when it is hard to forgive. Luke 11:4—"And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us." This edition includes four color illustrations by Kate Street.

Paperback 6X9, 44 pages, 4 illustrations. ISBN 9781935626923

SARAH SMITH (1832-1911) was born in Wellington, England.  She had the good fortune of being able to read books from her father's bookshop, a printer of evangelical literature. Her mother was a strong evangelical, but died when Sarah was young. In the March 19th, 1859 issue of Household Words, a publication conducted by Charles Dickens, she published her first short story called The Lucky Leg. It is an intriguing story about a man who wanted to marry a woman with a missing leg. It was more secular, but her talent was recognized. Hesba Stretton became her pen name, Stretton coming from the name of a neighboring village, and Hesba coming from the initials of her siblings. H (Hannah or some sources Harriett), E (Elizabeth), S (Sarah), B (Benjamin), and A (Annie).