The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-12-23
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
BY MARGARET L. sAN9srHR.

BY MARGARET E. sANasrER.
Our darling little Florence, eur blessing and our
pride,
With dimpled cheeks, and golden hair, and brown
eyes open wide
To look at every pretty thing, came flying in
80 p1 so @e she pleaded earnestly. ~ want
Christmas tree
"Who put that in your head my dear: There's
one at Sunday school.
And you will see tie laden boughs with lovely
presents full.
Yes" said the child, "but would like one Of
And i viii ask my company to come; myself
alone.
II had a dream last night; seemed out in the
woods to be.
And growing up right in the snow cav spltn-
did tree;
Two little angels lowered near, and while
Their fairy wings and seemed to make curtain
Ger my head
The tree was shining like the stars with tapers
And happy faces seemed to glow around 1t in the
night;
The little angels talked and talked; they said
This is the tree
Tha, we've been keeping beautiful for Florence,
dear, to see.
We'll lift it clear, we'll bear it far We'll take
il to her door,
The prettiest, greenest Christmas tree, We'll set
And if she asks the guests she ought Wen linger
there and sing
Our voices blending IN with theirs, A. cheerily
they ring.
A lovely dream, indeed said; but whom
will you invite:
Wen dud 4 tree quite easily, and star Its boughs
But baby is no, old enough to have her play
mates come,
And yours are all engaged, my love, each In her
own bright home
Thought I'd go to Bridget's house, and AJAX her
And that barefooted boy who sells matches at the
And We will dress them up with shoes and stock
iuGs. to begin,
And 1--WE Them presents: will put all my own
money III.
Won only ought to see the doll poor Katie thinks
superb.
Its dingy face is just as brown as some old bunch
of herb
And all The sawdust's pouring out its broken arm,
She loves it, and considers it beauty and pet.
Poor Johnny has no mother. His feet are bare
And his eyes have such hungry lcok when he
dareS to look at yoa,
l think it would be sweet TO give DIT OF Cnflst-
And happness-dont you:-to such little,
lonely boy"
Well. children have their way with me, and Flor
ence has way
That is so free from selfshness, so gentle and
gay.
We love to please her; that's the truth. We
helped her all we could.
And half doz'n little guests around her tree
there stood.
Its branches hung with golden fruit, dolls and
dishes aud drums,
Elephants. horses and woolly dogs and boxes OF
susar-plums; $50
A trumpe, was given to Johnny that terribly
frightened the cat,
And the top of his Christmas was crowned when
We gave him soldier hat.
Our baby was charmed with rattle, ana LOT Flor-
ences dainty self
Was a music box that played sweet tunes from
its niche on rosewood shelf;
And Katie brood above her dou in sort OF
motherly rapture.
Holding it close lest ruthless hand its form from
her grasp should capture;
And Fridget's jolly, haf-mOon face beamed over
the happy scene
The tree was tree to be glad about and Florence
felt like queen.
For somehow, not only for Christmas, but all the
long year through.
The Joy that you give to others is the Joy that
comes back to YOU;
And the more GU spend in blessing the poor, the
lonely and sad.
The more to your hearts possessing, returns to
make you glad.