The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-05-17

tne many tHluBh AuOut YOU anu sue nao
said you are kind and good, and love little
children, and delight to give them gifts,
so that they are not hurtful ones. Now
my mother is kind too, and would like to
tgive me all want, but she is poor, and
when asked her for Christmas tree,
she could not give me one, because. she
had only money enough to buy shO for
us; so | ask you, who are kind and rich,
! to give me one. | hope l am not II bad
boy. am sure mother does not think |
am; and il it is not best for me to have the
tree, will try to be patient, and bear it
as a good boy should; but don't see what
hurt large Bible, or warm eliot Is could
do my poor mother; SO, if | may not have
the tree, Oh phase give her those, and |
shall be 50 happy.
FRANTz HOFFMAN,
Pleased with the simple. childish limo.
cencc of the letter, the postmaster put it
in his pocket. When he went home, he
found Il rich lady there, who had come t"
taketca with his wife; and at the table,
when all were assembled, he drew forth
the letter of Frantz, and read it aloud, tell
ing how the poor little fellow would won.
der at never getting his tree, nor never
! hearing of his letter again.
But he may hear of it again, said the
rich lady. who had listened carefully 10
every word. There is much goodness Of
heart in the poor boys love for his mother
that it well deserves to be rewarded. lie
MAY hear of it again
So the lady remembered the name Of
the boy; Mvdsed she asked the man to give
her tue letter, which he did, ard by its
aIl she found out where Frantz lived
From some of the ncighhorS she heard
how poor they were, aud how little Frantz
helped his. mother all day, cheertully, and
was tue best boy in all the neighburhood
ami that Mrs. Hoffman bad not now mon
ey to buy shoes, Tor that her landlord had
raised her rcut, and she had to give the
I little sum laid aSi to him. Aud the lady
thought to herself that 1t would not be
Likely to spoil so good boy by bcaut
/ tai tree; 80 she had one brought to her
honsc, large and full of leaves it was, and
she brought all kindS uf beautiful and Use
lul things To hang on it, and beautiful rose
coiotrd tapers to be placed among the
branches, and on the table, under the tee,
'.-.'y- +9ij 100 air 81 >)r4Ss, ope mi! -}O
/ the mother, and one pair I6r Frantz and a
purse Of money, Uor tine lady knew that
I i,u0r Mrs HOLMAN must have many want
Of winch she could not know, and She
wanted her To supply them by means OF
/ the IA, SCI aud best of all, there was 4
J large Hhir.
] II Franlz'S dream had >uddcnly-turncd
INTO reality, it could not have been more
beautiful.
So day after day went on, and though
I FrautZ knew not the fate of his letter, he
! never doubted that all would 90 well. 1t
was pleasant To see the sun-shiny face with
which he greeted every morning as 'one
/ nearer Christmas.
Aud when at last Christmas morning
ramc, there was lvaping, bounding, joy
iui heart in his bosom, and light in his
/ blue eyes that made his mother smile,
| though she scarcely knew where the next
meal was to come from. The wheel kept
on whirIirg, and Frantz sat with his eyes
/ fixed on the blue sky, as If he thought
lis expected tree would soon drop down
/ from it.
Suddenly a low knock was heard at the
door, and a voice asked
is little Frantz Hoffman here?'
FrantZ almost flew to the door.
Il am Frantz, said he.
And the little maiden, who asked for
! him, told him to come with her, and his
mother too must come.
| Soon, very soon, WAS the little party
ready, and the little maiden led them on
gaity, to beautiful house whose door she
pushed open, and they "ent in.
How lightly trod Frantz along the wide
passage, for his heart whispered aloud to
him
At the end the door stood just ajar, and
AS the grl pushed it open blaze of light
strcamrd out. Frantz caught his mothers
hand aud drew her forward, joyfully cX-
claiming:
1t i>my tree my tree, knew it would
be ready
Aud sure enough, there stood the >h.
ming tree all bright with lighted taper>,
and laden with sparkling fruit, aud on
high YVES an image Of the beautiful Christ
child, holding out his hand smiling 50 +ov-
imgIy, ana below was written:
"FoR FRANrz-BEcAUSE lie LOVED HIS
MOTHER