The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-12-25

4
AS he thus spoke, his daughter PHft
banOl approached him. The name Pari,
banou, my children, signifies the Flower
of the Daisy. She came now to Abou'
ben'darling, and, kissing him in the East.
em manner, said; 70 father dear | o
Abou- bGn.daTlingl do not despair Be-
hold, the least is set, and the holy cedar
tree blaZes; the tapers therein shine like
stars, and many gifts hang down from the
bOughS 0l the wOndrOus tree ,"
Here Pct suddudly burst iOrlh-"Why,
its like our tree he cried; only he left
out the in tire"
"Silencu, Pet do not interrupt" said
Uncle John Il continue; AbOu.bcn.
darling sighed when his daughter thus
spoke.
"Truly, Flower of the Daisy he said,
thy cedar tree shines; but my heart is
dark, and there Is M gift thereon Tor me-
"'There Is a gilt for your father, said
Parbanou, or Flower OF the Daisy; and,
as she spoke, there was curious, hidden
laughter in her voice. There Is gift
that your father will value more than all
else-a package with his name on it, from
distant land,'" ..
They did not look at Daisy, who was
trembling, and whose hand scarce pos
sessed strength TO draw a letter from her
bosom.
Uncle John continued:
sand Abou. ben darling said: Where
is this package, my childT TO which the
Flower of the Daisy replied.
90 Father dear, Il Is here See, take
it from the boughs of the holy cedar tree,
and give it to your" I'M.
AS Uncle John uttered the words, Daisy
sprang forward with a letter in her hand.
"lIcre 1t is, father dear p she cried,
bursting into tears and laughter. ut
nearly killed me not TO tell you Oh,
take II, takO Ill Our Edmund Is not
dead p
And, throwing her arms around old
Joe's neck, she sobbed upon his bosom,
while, with eyes full Of wonder, he read
the letter from his son. As he read on,
he seemed to doubt whether he was read.
ing real letter. Ills eyes closed; he ut.
tered sigh, and would have tainted, had
not Uncle John caught him IN his arms.
The letter was written 10 Daisy by her
brother Edmund. lie had been picked
up in the Pacific and carried to the South
Seas by trading veSsCl-thenCc he had
worked his way IN acknowledgements
cd Charles WorthingtOn roaming about
in tho gold regiOn-thGy had spGculAted
there and made great fortunes-and were
coming home In the next steamer That
was tho letter. a.. tf
As old Joe grew faint, Pet suddenly ran
behind his mothers apron, utterlng an
appalling scream.
At the door stood tall young man,
with ferOCiOus beard.
slow are you, father and mother, and
uncle, and Daisyr
They ran into his arms, utterlng cries
and s0bs. Tho sailor was home again,
never to leave them more and, as Daisy
rested in her brothers arms, with her
rosy cheek upon his breast, she said,
laughing and crying:
"FAther dear, how do you like your
Christmas gift 7"
The windows shook as she spoke-it
was doubtless the merry gOblins highly
pleased with themselves and everybody
else; and tho holy night, the happy bless
ed night, went on It's way full Of Joy and
gratitude,
A year Afterward-strangc 10 say
Christmas came again and saw the house
Of Worthington Brothers prosperous, and
old Joe happy, and Charles the husband
of the Flower Of the Daisy. And again
the cedar tree was lit, and spread around
It's cheerful light, and the loud wind
laughed, md the merry goblins seemed to
shouts
IA merry, merry ChrisLmasw
john EsTEN Cooke.