Christmas Bells

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Copyright © 2015 by Jennifer Chiaverini

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-I
N-PUBLICATION DATA

Chiaverini, Jennifer.

Christmas bells : a novel / Jennifer Chiaverini.—First edition.

pages ; cm

ISBN 978-0-698-40709-1

1. Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, 1807–1882—Fiction. 2. Women teachers—Fiction. 3. Christmas stories. I. Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, 1807–1882. Christmas bells. II. Title.

PS3553.H473C47 2015

813'.54—dc23

2015009505

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author's use of names of historical figures, places, or events are not intended to change the entirely fictional character of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

To Marty, Nicholas, and Michael, who make every Christmas merrier.

Christmas Bells

by

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime,

A chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth

The cannon thundered in the South,

And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent

The hearth-stones of a continent,

And made forlorn

The households born

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;

“There is no peace on earth,” I said;

“For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men.”