The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1860-12-20

From Godcys Lody's Bool, FOR December
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
~ LIZNIE M,INTYRE.

BY LIZZIE M'INTYRE.
Dr. Grantloy sat alone in his Office,
his head resting on his hands, thinking
deeply He had not thus been solitary
many minutes, for frail, delicate girl
had Just left him, his eldest daughter
and his darling, who had filled the place
of mother, and sister, too, to the young
er children of the Doctor. Marion
Grantley carried from this interview |
heavy heart. It was the old, old story
she loved, was beloved, and her father
frowned upon her lover. There was no
personal dislike between DR.. Grantley
and Morton Loring; but, in years long
past, Amos Loring, the young man
father, and George Grantley rivals in
love, had sworn an undying, bitter ha.
tired, and for this old quarrel, though
Amos Loring was numbered with the
dead Dr. Grantley was breaking the
heart Of his gentle, dutiful child. Her
last words, as she left him, uttered in
low, pleading accents, were: Father,
you know I will never disobev you; hu'
it is Christmas Eve for the days sake,
by tho memory Of my mother, who was
taken into Heaven seven years ago this
evening, by the love I have ever tried
to show YOU, forget this old quarrel
bet me bring to you one who, for my
sake, will be a son in your old age, who
loves and respects you. Father, do not
break my hearu"
Tn reply, the Doctor merely waved his
hand toward the door, and quietly, sad.
| ly, with no violent outbreak Of passion
TO tell her bitter grief, Marion passed
ont. From the Office, across the entry
she went into the parlor. There was a
blaze Of light there, and round the cen.
trc-tablo were clustered four little sis.
ters and one brother, her mothers loga.
cy to Marion Grace, the one next Ma.
rion, pretty blonde, just entering hel
nineteenth year, looked up as her sister
entered. There was no discontented
fretrul glance to throw back her loving
one: gentle, serene and tender, Marion
smiled upon the group, sitting back hei
own sorrow to give them a Christmas
greeting.
ooh, I wish it was tomorrow" crieC
Eddie, the youngest, a boy of cigh
years old, the pet and darling Of all tn,
five sisters.
Tomorrow evening"" said Fannie
the next in order, "to-morrow evening
0 such fun! A Christmas trccl"
81 am sorry I did not have it thi
evening" said Marion. "if you are ST
, impatient but Aunt Lizzie's box Of
presents fran New York always come
on Christmas day, and we can make
, much Prettier tree if its contents ar
hung upon it."
"Won't it be fun to dress it' whis
3 perod Grace, who was to be the onl
one admitted to this delightful task.
ooh, Marion, will it have my work
8 book?" cried Hester.
"And my dol?' said Fannie.
"And my set of china toa-things?-
! You know you promised mo a new set
e And, fairly started, all the chiIdrc
joined in the list of demands, maxim
Z a perfect Babel of the parlor.
p The little mantel clock struck nine
:, As the last stroke died away, Mario
[ pointed with smile to the clock, an,
. the children rose, kissed their sisters
and went merrilv up to bed Fanni
leading Eddie, while Hester and Lizzi,
r little girls of eleven and twelve, wen
n up arm-in-arm.
@ "There is so much to do tomorrow
il Gracie,' said Marion, as the chamber
door closed, shutting out tho sound o
the merry voices, "thero are so man
O things to attend to that | think We wi
IS dress the tree this evening We ca
n shut the folding. g.dOOrs, and keep tn
@ children from the back parlor to-mor
p. row, and it will not take many mir
h utes to hang Aunt Lizzie's presents ny
e on the tree, when they arrive in I'll
b. mornjny.n
h 80 yes, we will dress it now. L
j.. call father" And the young girl dam
70 ed off to the Office, humming n meu
n tune. Marion, in the meantime, wei
out to a closet in the entry, and brougl
{ in a large baizo covering for the cent
10 Of the floor, 1t was green and meat
.e for the foundation Of the beautiful sho
10 Marion's tree always made. Grace an
- the Doctor soon came in, and the PR
NJ cess Of making a Christmas trle con
T. menccd in good earnest.
D. The square Of green baize beir
" tackled down, a large stone jar W
IS placed in the middle Of it, and in tn
10 the tree stood noby erect. Damp sar
NJ was put round the stem till the lar,
green tree stood firmly in its place.
hounco of green chintz round the j
"a, concealed its stony ugliness, and ov
ol- the top, round the tree, was soft Gus
ira ion of moss. 1t was a large evergree
d reaching almost to the high ceiling, f
p. all the family presents were to
We placed upon il. This finished, the pr
cess of dressing commenced. From
al basket in the corner Marion drew lor
oil strings of bright red holly. berriC
lg threaded like beads upon fine cord.
ct These were festooned in graceful ga
RS lands from the boughs of the tree, al
io while Marion was thus employed, Ora
le and the Doctor arranged the tiny taper
S. Long pieces Of fine wire were pass
We through the taper at the bottom, al
C. these olasped over the stem of ca,
lg branch, and twisted together unde
S. meath, Great care was taken that the
ne should be a clear space above each vic
D. that nothing might catch fire. Strin