Worcester daily spy., 1861-12-24
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
FOR THE FAIR AND THE FoRLoRN.

FOR THE FAIR AND THE FoRLoRN
just before certain Christmas and a certain
New Iear's day boys head was ful-as
boys heads apt to be at that season--ot all
sorts OF con lectures and tanCies in regard to
the presents lie meant TO make and The presents
he hoped to receive. Almost every hour he
was wondering what father would give him
what mother would give him what his elder
brothers aud sisters, his uncles, auuts and
cousins and all his friends would give him
One evening he talked, and guessed. and
wished, and thought aloud with his little
sister, about the expected gift, till bedtime.
lie was not quite willing, when the clock
struck ''haS hour to march up stairs still, as
he never sat up later, unless Oh some very
remarkable occasion, like a birth-night, or u
Thanksgv ing night, he did march and was
soon snug between the sheets aud tucked up
warmly. For few moments he sung and
chatted away TO himself; but an afternoon of
sliding and skating had made him rather tired,
and it was not long before his eyes were
closed and his b dy went to sleep. But his
spirit would not go TO sleep too-at least, not
soundly. 1t kept thinking in queer way
about many queer thing. AT last it had-or,
the spirit is the real boy, we will say he
had-qate long and continued dream; part
OF which will try 10 tell you.
The boy dreamed that it was Christmas
eve-that little bell rung-and that he, hold
ing his little sister by the hand, entered with
all the family, large and beautiful room,
Which was aa Light as noon-day. In the center
of the room stood quite a tall tree and by the
side of the tree stood lady, clad in shining.
flowing robe OF white,-with a wreath of
orange blossoms around her head, fastened in
front by a diamond star; and from underneath
the wreath long curls of golden hair flowed
down over her shoulders Her countenance
was very lovely; it seemed to the boy as if
her smile was even sweeter, purer, and more
full OF affection than the smile of his mother;
it went right to his heart, and won his con
tindence in an instant
AS soon as she caught his steady and trust
ful look, she pointed 10 the tree with Que hand,
and beckoned him with the other to come to-
ward it. He went, leading his sister The
tree resembled, and yet was unlike, every
Christmas tree he had ever seen before; the
branches appeared more graceful, the leaves
of deeper living green; the tapers gave a
softer and yet more brilliant light. Instead of
toys and baskets OF sugar plums, and papers of
candy, suspended from the twigs, there were
a number Of small iestoous, which looked as
if made of the soltest and most delicate satin,
of various colors, though not a single color
was gaudy or glarng; and interspersed
among the tapers and testoons were several
kinds Of modest flowers, SNOW drops, rose.
buds, lilies of the valley, and the like all as
fresh as if just gathered with the dew of the
summers morning upon them, and shedding
through the room delightful odor. Presently
the lady slightly touched, one after another,
the festoons and they all unrolled and hung
down, as 1t were so many silken banners. AT
the top of each was picture below the pic
tuIe, in golden letters, a sentence by itself;
,f
reading. When all the testoons were unfold
ed, and had arranged themselves gracefully,
SO as to be bathed in the cearest light, the
lady made sign to the boy and his sister to
look and read as much as they wished. The
children were glad enough to do so and they
looked and read with eager eyes and delighted
hearts, till they had gone over every silken page,
and some OF them more than once.
l have neither time nor room now to tell
you about all the pictures and sentences and
stories the boy dreamed he saw and read.
There were great many of them-very
beautiful and very true. He saw Mungo
Park, just as he was about TO lie down and
die OF thirst in the desert, filled v it'll new hope
as he saw little tutt of grass, and thought
that God, who took care Of the flowers in lone.
ly places, would also take care of him he saw
little Nell, leading her old grandfather, like a
loving and patient child; lie saw Grace Oar
ling, brave young girl, going out in a boat
upon the stormy sea, when men were afraid,
to save people from the wreck of a steamship +;
he saw Howard in hospitals aud jas, taking
care of poor creatures sick with plague and
other terrible diseases; he saw honest John
Pounds in his cobblers shop, with his cats and
birds, teaching poor children; he saw these
(whose good deeds your parents and children
will relate), and many more besides, which l
cannot even name here. But the-last festoon
that was uurolled deserves a particular de-
scription. The picture represented a company
of angels bearing in their armG little child to-
ward the bright skies, which seemed to open
way to heaven. The motto was "Suher lit
tie children to come unto me-" and then fol.
lowed
The ForIOrn ChiId's Christmas Eve.
How brdlike DER the flakes of snow
Its fairy footsteps flew;
And on its soft and childish brow
How delicate the hue!
And expectation wings its feet,
And stirs its infant smile;
The merry bells their chime repeat;
The child stands still the while;
Then clasps in JOY its little hands,
And marks the Christian dome:
The stranger child, in stranger lands,
Now feels as if at home.
Ii runs along the sparkling ground;
Its face with gladness beams!
1t frolics in the blaze around,
Which from each window CLEANS.
The shadows glance upon the wall,
Reflected from the trees;
And from the branches, green and tall,
The glitteiing gift it
1t views within the lighted hall
The charm of social love:
Oh. what joyous festival
lis sanctioned from above.
But now the childish hearts unstrung:
''Where is my aper's light?
And why no evergreen been hung
With toys for me tonight?
In my sweet home there was band
OF holy love for
A mothers kind and lender hand
Once decked my Christmas tree.
OH some take me meath the blaze
OF these light tapers-do;
And, children, can feel the plays
OH Lct me nlaY with VOL