It was half past four when a knock on the door
Interrupted our Christmas Day.
We were ready to eat, so I rose from my seat
To send our visitor on his way.
And as I looked out, without a doubt,
I could see that he was a bum.
"Get goin'," I said, with a shake of my head,
"You shouldn't have bothered to come."
Now he was an old man with his hat in his hand
And silvery stubble on his chin.
My wife said, "Dan, be a gentelman,
And let our guest come in."
He added, "It's cold and I'm too old
To sleep on the ground tonight.
I been all over town," he said with a frown,
"And now it's the day's last light."
"Come in where it's warm, there's a room in the barn,"
My wife said. "We'd be glad to have you stay.
Now come take a seat - we're ready to eat.
Please join us while we pray."
He said, "You're much too kind, and it eases my mind
To know there's folks like you around.
Spendin' Christmas alone - well, it's just no fun.
Lord, please the new friends that I've found."
Next mornin' when I fed, he'd made his bed.
His tracks in the snow led down our road.
In a spidery hand this grizzled old man
Had left us with only a note:
"Thanks for the eats and the warm place to sleep.
I'd like to make you a little wager -
I'd bet my life it was a rancher's wife
Who put Mary and Joseph up in the manger."
Merry Christmas!
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