Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1873-12-24
A CurInus Christmas Tree.

n tu lbhe tuTiSihlas Iftt.
When Il became generally known tia,
Aunt Matilda was 10 have a Christmas
tree. the people Of the neighborhOod took
great interest ia the matter. John
Walker aud Dick Ford. tao cOlored meu
OF the visinity, volunteered to get the tree.
But when they went oct into the woods
TO cut it. eighteen other colOred people,
big aud little. followed them. some to help
aud some to give advice.
A very ine tree was selected. Irwas
pine, ten feet high, and when they
brought il INTO Aunt Maulda's cabin. ihey
could not stand II upright, for the old col.
ored woman ceiling was rather low.
When Harry aud Kate came home from
schonl they were rather surprised TO see
So big a tree, but it was such fac one
that they thought they must have it.
Alter some consideration it was deterni-
ined to erect in il deserted cabin, near
by, which had 10 upper floor, aud was
high enough TO allow the tree to stand up
satisfactorily. This was, indeed. an ex.
ce!leni airagcment. for it was better 10
keep the decoration OF the Christ mas tree
a secret from Aunt Matilda until all was
completed.
The next day was holiday, and Harry
and Kate went earnestly 10 work. \ hole
was dug in the clay floor Of the old cabin
and the tree planted firmly therein. 1t
was very firm indeed; for little colored
boy named Josephiue's Bobby climbed
nearly TO the tovmost branch, without
shaking it very much. For four or five
days the work OF decorating the tree went
on. Everybody talked about it, a great
many laughed al it, aud nearly everybody
seemed inclined to give something to hang
upon its branches. Kate brought large
box containing the decorations Of her last
Christmas tree, and she and Harry hung
sparkling balls, aud golden stars, aud sill
yer fishes, and red and blue paper angels,
and candy swans, and sugar pears, and
differing things Of all sorts, shapes, aud
sizes upon the boughs. Harry had step
ladder, aud Dick Ford and i've coored
boys held it firmly while he stood OH it
and tied on the ornaments. ..
Very soon the neighbors began TO send
in their contributions. Mrs. Lou1on gave
stout wooden dress which was 6raped
over lower branch /; while Mr.. houden,
who was not to be diverted from his orig
iuaI idea, sent an army blanket, which
Kate arranged around the root Of the
tree, so as to look as much as possible
ike gray mess Mr.. Durby, who kept
the store, sent large paper bag Of sugar
and small paper bag of tea, which was
carefu ly huug on the lower branches.
Miss Jane Davis though she ought to do
something, and she contributed u peck of
sweet potatoes, which, each tied to
string, were soon dangling from the
branches. Then Mr.. Truly Matthews,
who did not wish to be behind his neigh.
bors in generosity, sent Il shoulder of ba-
con, which looked quite magnificent as it
hung about the middle of the tree. 9th
er people sent bars of soap, bags of meal,
packages of smoking tobacco and flannel
petticoats. A pair Of shoes was contrib
uted, and sereral pair of stockings, which
had been filled with hickory nuts by the
cousiderate Kate Several of the school
children gave sticks of candy; and old
Mrs. Sarah Page, who had nothing else to
spare, brought Il jug of moasses, which
was suspended near the top of the tree.
Kate did not fancy the appearance Of the
jug. and she wreathed it with strings of
gIitteripg glass balls; and the shoulder
of bacon she stuck full of red cherries
and holly leaves. Harry contributed
bright red handkerchief for Aunt Matil-
da's head, and Kate gave shawl yellow
er than sunhower, if such thing could
be. And Harry bore the general expens.
es of the ''extras, which were not triliDg.
When Christmas eve arrived everybody
came to see Aunt Matilda's Christmas
tree. Kate and Harry were inside su-
perintending the final arrangements, and
about fifty or sixty persons, colored and
white, were gathered around the closed
door of the cid cabia. When all was
ready Aunt Matilda made her appearance
on either side by Dick Ford
and John Walker, while Uncle Braddock
in his many cslored dressing gown, follow
ed close behind. Then the door was op-
ened, and Aunt Matilda entered, followed
by as many of the crowd as could get in.
1t was certainly a scene of splendor. A
wood FIRE blazed in the Fireplace at one
end of the cabin. while dozens of tallow
candles lighted up the tree. The gold
and silver stars glistened, the many color-
ed glass balls shone among the green pire
beughs the shoulder Of bacon glowed
like bed of flowers, while the jug Of
hung calm and serene surround
ed by its glittering beads. A universal
buzz Of appreciation and delight arose.
No ore ever saw such Christmas tree
before. Every bough and every branch
bore something useful as well as orua-
mental a.
As for Aunt Matilda, for several mo-
ments she remained speechless with de-
light At last she exclaimed (:
Laws a-lnassey It's wuth while be-
ing good for ninety-ive years to git such
a tree at las'."- From +" What Might Hare
Been Expected " By Frank r. Stockton,
N 81. Nicholas for January. ,''i
---1 Y1.... > Ill ---- si
We are glad to learn that the pro.
posed meeting of lawyers, to express their
at Judge Davis action in the