Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-03-19

wholly pleasant times in the forest" Then
he told them of the Christmas eve when he
was adorned with cakes and light.
"OI" said the little mice, chow happy you
have been. thou old fir-tree!"
II am not at all old" said the tree. "This
winter first came from the forest, and am
rather put back in my growth
GLOW beautifully you talk" said the little
mice. The following night they came with
four other mice who wished to hear the tree
tell stories; and the more he told tho more
he remembered everything and thoughts
Surely those were wholly pleasant times.
But they can never come back. Humpty
Dumpty fell down stairs and yet won the
princess, perhaps l may win princess"
Then the fir-tree thought of n beautiful
little birch out in the forest, that for him
was beautiful princess.
"Who is Humpty DumptyP" asked the
little mice, and then tho ir-tree told the
whole story he could remember each word I;
and the little mice twice nearly jumped in
to the top of the tree for they were delight
ed. On the following night many more
but they thought 1t not very pretty, and that
troubled the little mice. for they also
thought less of the story.
"DO you know any other storyP" asked
the rats. "Only this one" said the tree,
81 heard It upon the happiest eve Of my
life, and never once thought how happy
was.n
That is a miserable story" Do you know
none of bacon and tallow candlesp any
storeroom stories?
mo" said the tree.
"Thank you" saucily answered the rats
and'thoy returned to their own place. After
few more visits the little mice also remain.
ed away, and the tree sighed; aft was really
n pretty story, as those tickle little mice sal
all around here to listen to my story. Now
all that is past. But will think of it that
may be happy, If am taken forth again"
But when did that happen9 Indeed, one
morning people come and began to clean the
house throughout; the chests were set away
the tree dragged forth; they threw It prett,
hard upon the floor and servant DIR jagged i
along down stairs where day shoue.
Now begins lie again." thought the tree.
He felt the fresh air and sunlight, and in IN
instant was out in the yard. Every thinl
happened so suddenly that the tree com
pletely forget himself but watched ever,
thing all about him. The yard adjoined {
garden, which was full of blooming flowers
and the roses hung so fresh and odorous up
on the little trells, the linden trees were in
blossom, and the swallows flew in and ou
singing: "Quirra vlrravit, my master has
come But II was not the iir-tree that the
meant.
In the yard were group OF lively children
who on Christmas eve had danced rrount
the tree, and had been So joyful about il
One of the smallest ran up and tore of tn
golden star.
, "See what still hangs upon the hateful ole
lir-tree," said he and trode upon the branch
es SO that they cracked under his boots
, Aud the tree saw all the beauty and fresh
ness of the flowers in the garden; no be
thought himself and wished that he had re
| manned in his dark corner upon tho floor; h
thought of his fresh youth in tho forest, {
his joyous Christmas eve and Of the littl
mice who had so gayly heard the stories q
Humpty Dumpty.
, Gone gone" said the old tree; "woul
that had enjoyed myself as might"
And the servant came and cut up the tire
' into small pieces; large heap it was, brigi
r il famed under the great kettle, and h
t groaned so deeply and every groan was lik
I n little shot, Then did the children VIII
r were playing there run up and stand befor
the fire, look upon it and call out "Puf
a Puff" But with every crack,--which was
4 deep groan, the tree thought of the summe
: days in the forest or the winter nights who
, the stars twlnkled. lie thought of Christ
+. mas eve. and of Humpty Dumpty-tho oul
y story that he had ever heard and couI
Q toll-and then was the tree wholly burne
and gone.
Y Tho boys sported in the garden and Il
8 smallest wore the golden star upon his breas
[ that star which had crow ned the tree on Il
h. happiest evening of his life; but now tn
3 was past, and the tree and tho story had al'
d passed away; gone, gone! and thus it
with all stories.