The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-12-20
WESTMINSTER, MD. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 90 1873

aAN e3oAttAhao3 hhAoAttu AOhtA tflC iEuI VI
the tapers--as this splendid Christmas
tree burst forth on the eyes of all--the
young Darlings uttered suppressed cheer,
and "Pet, in curls and pinafore, made
reckless and desperate attempt TO climb
upon the board and carry the prize at the
point of his baby-spoon.
No, Petr' cried Daisy, swait till sis
ter gives you yours! But first, Uncle
John is going to tell beautiful story !
viii you listen, father dear, and mother
1t is lovelyn
The rush of laughter in the voice made
all look at Daisy. Why did the child's
cheeks flush so, and why that dazzling light
in her eyes?
But now Uncle John suddenly riyeted
everybody's attention. For the moment
he was the centre of excited interest for
the whole Darling family. He seemed to
feel the responsibility resting upon him.
He reflected for moment--smiled dreami-
ly; thrummed ON the table--and then
began
The tale am going to relate, my
dear young friends" said Uncle John, II
must first inform you, is strictly true in
every particular 1t was written down by
the King of the Genii, and then caught
up in the beak of great bird called roe
and the Prince Camaralzaman, having
been shipwrecked on desert island where
the bird came to feed, killed the roe, and
the story has been in the palace of Bagdad,
where the prince lived, ever since"
At this commencement the young
Darlings exhibited an astounded interest.
AS to Pet, his excitement was beyond the
power of words. His eyes resembled two
saucers-his mouth opened to its utmost
width--and, in the excess Of his attention,
he very nearly swallowed his baby spoon.
No one looked at Daisy With one hand
shading her eyes from the light, and the
other placed upon her breast, she looked
at Uncle John, or furtively toward her
father.
Uncle John continued:
Having told you, my dear children,
how the story came to be known, | will
next proceed to relate it for your enter
tainment
There once lived in the city of Bagdad
an old merchant whose name was Barilzac,
which, being translated, is Wothy-man.
He had clerk named Abou-ben-darl
not unlike the name Of our own family
and for long time Abou-ben- darling
served the good merchant Barilzac, whose
caravans brought to Bagdad all the treas
ures of the East But misfortune came
The caravans were overwhelmed in the
sands of the desert, The moment was
near when Barilzac would probably be
compelled to strew dust upon his head, and
wander through the streets of Bagdad,
crying, "Barilzac, the merchant, is ruined!"
"This happened" continued Uncle
John, "just before the great festivity
which comes on the twenty fifth day of the
month of Shows. Abou-ben-darling came
home that day, thinking of the misfortunes
Of his patron, and also of a great suffering
of his own-for all of us must suffer, my
children. His only son had been lost at
sea, and the heart of Abou- benz darling was
sad. He returned to hold the festivity of
the cedar-tree, but his heart felt heavy.
"Abou-ben-darling is miserable !" he said,
there is no man more miserable !"
As he thus spoke, his daughter Pari-
banou approached him. The name of
Paribanou, my children, signifies the
Flower of the Daisy. She came now to
Abou-ben- darling, and, kissing him in the
Eastern manner, said 40 father dear |!
. Abou-bcn-darling do not despair
Behold, the feast is set, and the holy
cedar-tree blazes the tapers therein shine
like stars, and many gifts hang down from
the boughs Of the wondrous tree 7
Here Pet suddenly burst forth--"Why,
it's like our tree T. he cried; only he left
out the r in "tree."
"Silence, Pet do not interrupt" said
Uncle John. II continue .-Abou-ben-
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 no gift thereon for me. ("
"There is a gift for our father" said
Paribanou, or Flower of the Daisy and,
as she spoke, there was curious, hidden
laughter in her voice, "There is gift
that our 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 possessed
strength to draw letter from her bosom.
Uncle John continued
"And Abou-ben-d darling said :--"What
is this package, my child?' to which the
Flower of the Daisy replied:
Father, dear, it is here See, l take
it from the boughs of the holy cedar tree,
and give it to you'll"
As Uncle John uttered the words, Daisy
sprang forward with letter in her hand.
81 Here it is father, dear" she cried,
bursting into tears and laughter at
nearly killed me not to tell you Oh,
take it, take i'll Our Edmund is not
dead
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 hisson. Ash read on, he
seemed to doubt whether he was reading
real letter. His eyes closed he uttered
sigh, and would have tainted, had not
Uncle John caught him in his arms.
The letter was written to Daisy by her
brother Edmund. He had been picked MP
in the Pacific and carried to the South
Seas by trading vessel-thence he had
worked his way to California encountered
Charles Worthington roaming about in
the gold region-they had speculated there
and made fortunes-and were coming
home in the next steamer. That was the
letter.
As old Joe grew faint, Pet suddenly
ran behind his mothers apron, uttering an
appalling scream.
At the door stood tall young man, with
ferocious beard.
How are you, father and mother, and
uncle, and Daisy y
They ran into bis arms, uttering cries
and sobs, The sailor was home again,