Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-12-25
Selcftsd MiafeIIaal.
THE GOLDEy CHRISTMAS.TREE.
BY MRS. A. NJ. DIAZ.

a. IL.
From Our Young Folks for January
"Now," SAID Katie-"now that the
grown-up people are away, we children
may hope for a little quiet. All sit along
in row, and l will tell you the Story of the
Golden Christmas-Tree, that happened
long time ago. 1t begins with two old
folks, and they were poor, and lived in a
house that had but one door. Now don't
make faces. mean one outside door. If
any OF you talk or giggle, or snap knuckles,
orroH up your eyes, or pull hair, or pinch,
or tickle, shall stop telling. But chew
ing gum is no matter.
'And they had daughter who was O
beauty. Just as white as wax-work, and
had golden hair, and was quite tall, but
not very tall. Her eyes were as blue as a
wax dolls, and her lips as red, and she
was slim and slender, with a sweet little
foo that stepped light as a feather.
e"aAnd they had one more child, but he
was boy, and his name was Valentine !;
but not pretty boy-a homely boy, and
his place was always in the back corner.
For they loved their daughter best and
sold all their eggs and geese feathers to
buy earrings for her ears, and necklaces
for her neck, and silver rings for her
fingers, and ribbons to tie in her golden
hair But the boy had to wear very old
things.
"And for the girl it was o sweet angel ?
90 my lovely Onep 90 pretty darling!'
with kisses for her cheeks and for her lily
white hands But for him it was 20 you
stupid z You naughty one!' you never
do rightlo And while she leaned against
the wall, like a picture, with her pretty
hands folded, and a fine dress, he scrubbed
tae floor, and washed the platters, with his
old clothes, and the tears in his eyes.
For he very often wept because no.
body cared for him, and longed for some
one to come and take him by the hand, and
say something kind. And one evening,
when he was lying all alone there, he
dreamed that the hut was suddenly filed
with a bright light, and that beautiful
lady, all in white, bent over him and said
very kind words. But the dream passed
away, and when he awoke the hut was
dark, and he all alone in the cold-all but
his dog, his good old shaggy dog, Fido.
Valentine loved Fido, and used to lay his
head on the dogs neck and tell him all his
troubles and Fido would look up so sor-
ryful, and lick his masters face, just as if
he knew. f- .'i
"There was nobody else for the boy to
tell his troubles to, unless it was the one
that gave him the dog, Jolly Tom; and he
was no relation, not the least, but only
skipper of little sloop. And Valentine
used to watch for his white sails, coming
over the sea. For Jolly Tom always went
whistling along, and often would call out,
'Ha, Valentine. How are you, Valen-
tine?' in merry way, and once brought
him home quite a large jews-harp, and
taught him to play q tune. And the name
of the tune was 'Whistling Winds And
whenValentine felt very sad, he would go
to his back corner, ,ior away under tree,
and play up tune, while Fido would sit
by and Wag his tail to the music.
T." But one night a wicked peddler stole
the dog away, which made Valentine feel
SO badly that it seemed as if he could not
work at ALL but only thirk of Fido and
mourn for Fido all day long.
''This made the two old folks angry,
and more cross to him than ever before
And one night they scolded him, and said,
90, if you would but keep out of our
sight Away with your
"Then the boy walked long way off to
the sea.shere, where the sea was moaning;
and there he lay down on the sands, and
listened to the moan of the sea. Darkness
was coming on, and it was very gloomy
night. Clouds covered up the stars, and
there was quite chilly blasts blowing.
On the shore, near by, were vessels at
anchor. He could hear the tapping of
the sails and the shouts of the men.
pretty soon some sailors, hurrying
aong, stumbled over him, and one said,
Pray, what's this thing?'
o, some land-lubber ? cried another.
"Then he spoke out and said, Il am
Valentino. Do you belong to one of the
ships? Shall you soon set sail? Is the
Captain among you?
Then atall man stepped forward and
said, i am tho Captain, what do yop
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