Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-12-30
Our Sturg-GdItr.
! THE CHBISTNAS TREE.

AlAA OAAANAb uA4AD AltALA
| DR.. GRANTLEY sat alone in his Office,
his head resting on his hands, thinking
deeply. He had not been thus solitary
many minutes, for a frail, delicate girl
lhad just left him, his eldest daughter and
his darling, who had filed the place of
mother, and sister, too, to the younger
iehildren of the doctor. Marion Grant
4 ley carried from this interview heavy
heart. It was the old, old story-she
loved, was beloved, and her father frown-
ed upon her lover. There was no per-
soual dislike between Dr. Grantley and
Morton Loring, but in years long past,
Amos LOring, the young mans father,
and George Grantley, rivals in love, had
sworn undying, bitter hatred, and for this
old quarrel, though Amos Loring was
numbered with the dead, DR.. Grantley
was breaking the heart of his gentle, du-
tiful child. Her last words, as she left
him, uttered in low, pleading accents,
were: Father, you know I will never
disobey you; but it is Christmas Eve;
for the days sake, by the memory Of my
mother, who was taken into Heaven sew
en- years. ago this evening, BY the love l
have ever tried to show you, forget this
old quarrel Let me bring to you one,
who for my sake, will be a son in your
old age, who loves and respects you. Fa-
ther do not break my heartT
In reply, the doctor merely waved his
hand toward the door, and quietly, sad
y, with no violent outbreak of passion to
tell her bitter grief, Marion passed ou'
From the Office, across the entry, she
went into the parlor. There was a blaze
Of light there, and round the centre-ta-
ble were clustered -four little sisters and
one brother, her mothers legacy to Ma
rion. Grace, the one next Marion, a
pretty blonde, jqstT entering her nine
teenth year, looked up as her sister en-
tered. There was no diseontcnted, fret
! ful glance to throw back her loving one
gentle, serene and tender, Marion smiled
upon the group, sitting back her own
sorrow, to give them a Christmas greet
ing.
Oh, I wish it vas tomorrow cried
Eddie, the youngest, boy of eight years
old, the pet and darling of all the five
sisters. SID gIi 52U81
4 To morrow evening said Fannie, the
inext in order, Tomorrow evening! 0,
lsuch fun! A Christmas treer
I am sorry I did not have it this eve
ming, said Marion, il you are SO impa-
tient; but aunt Lizzie's box of presents
from New York always comes of Christ
mas day, and We can make much pret-
tier tree if its contents are hung upon
lit rf7rrr
Won't it be fun to dress it, whisper
cd Grace, who was to be the only one
admitted to the delightful task.
/ On, Marion win it have my work
bOx?' cried Hest r
] And my dolI?' said Fannie.
and my set of china Yea things? You
know you promised me SET And
fairly started, all the children joined in
Fthe list Of demands, making perfect
babel Of the parlor. Z Y =
The little mantle clock struck nine
As the last stroke died ahay, Marion
pointed with a smile to the clock, and
the children rose, kissed their sisters
and went merriiy up stairs to bed, Fan
ME leading Eddie, while Hester and Liz.
zie, little girls of eleven and twelve, went
up arm in arm.
There is so much to do tomorrow
Oracle, said Marion, as the chamber
door closed, shutting out the sound o.
the merry voices, there are so many
things to attend to that I think we viii
dress the tree this evening We car
shut the folding doors and keep the
children from the back parlor to morrow
and it will not take many minutes tc
hang aunt Lizzie's presents upon tn,
tree when they arrive in the morning.
20, yes, we Mill dress it now. IN cal
father, And the young girl danced Of
to the Office, humming a merry tune
, Marion, in the meantime, went out to
closet in the entry, and brought in
large baize covering for the centre of tn
! floor. It was green, and meant for tn
foundation of the beautiful show Mari
On's tree always made. Grace and tn
doctor came in, and the process of max
ing Christmas tree commenced in goo
earnest.
], The square of green baize being tack
ed down, a large stone jar was placed i
the middle of it, and in this the tire
stood nobly erect. Damp sand was pu
: around the stem till the large green tire
stood firmly in its place. A founce Q
S green chintz round the jar concealed ii
o stony ugliness, and over the top, roun