Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-12-23

devoutly said grace and the youth
ful members of the Darling family
chirping like flock of birds, called
each others attention to the splendid
banquet.
All sat down. Old Joe looked
around.
There is one seat too many he
said.
4 set it there, brother said Uncle
Joe, Tranquility.
For whom, brother have you III.
vited some friend?
mo, brother, thought of our Ed
mund.
The old book.keeper looked wist.
fully at his brother, and then went
and held out his hand to him.
Thank you BROTHER he said, in a
low voice, returning to his seat.
When the first pang had passed il
seemed a satisfaction to old Joe to
gaze at the vacent chair, and to think
of his son as present and enjoying
their happiness. And when the last
dessert came, and the wine was
poured out, the old man looked to-
ward the vacant chair as he raised the
the glass to his lips.
Suddenly the voice of Daisy rang
out, half choked with laughter:
why, we are forgetting our tree =
she cried, 'we are really losing sight
of our tree, uncle dear. Did any
body ever -
And, not waiting for anybody to
reply, Daisy started up, and, assisted
Uncle John, bore the magical cedar
in its neat box, covered with ever
greens, to the center of the table
Night had come now, and the
tapers on the tree were lit AS the
fairy spectacle Of many colored bask-
cts, cornucopias, and presents of
needle-work, and books, and gar
lands, flashed forth in the light of the
tapers-as this splendid Charistmas
tree burst forth on the eyes of all
the young Darlings uttered sup
pressed cheer, and Pet in curls and
a pinator, made a reckless and des-
parate attempt to climb upon the
board and carry the prize at the point
of his baby spoon.
No, pet cried Daisey, wait till
sister gives yon yours But first,
Uncle John is going to tell beauti
full story! VIII you listen, father
dear, and mother? 1t is lovely!'
The rush of laughter in the voice
of Daisy. Why did the child's
cheek flush SO, and why that dazzling
light in her eyes :?
But now Uncle John suddenly riv-
eted every body's attention. For the
moment he was the center of excited
interest for the whole Darling family.
He seemed to feel the responsibility
resting upon him. He reflected for a
moment-smiled dreamily thrnm-
med on the table and then began
'The tale | am going to relate, my
dear young friends, sad Uncle John,
Il must first inform you is strictly
true, in every particular. 1t was
written down by the King of the
Genii, and then caught up on the
back of great bird called the roc
and the Prince Camaralzaman, having
been shipwrecked on desert island
where the bird came to feed, killed
the roc, and the story had been in the
palace of Bagdad, where the prince
lived ever since
At this announcement the Darlings
exhibited an astounding interest. As
to Pet his excitement was beyond the
power of words. His eyes resembled
two saucers--hs mouth opened to
it's utmost capacity-and in the ex.
cess 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 furtivly to-
word her father.
Uncle John continued.
Having told you, my dear child
rem, how the story came to be known,
| will next proceed to relate it for
your entertainment
There once lived in the city of
Bagdad, an oldmerchant whose name
was Barilzac, which, being translated,
is Worthy.man. He had clerk
named Abou> ben-darIing-not unlike
the name of our own family-and for
a long time Misunderstanding served
the good merchant, Barilzac, whose
caravans brought to Bagdad all the
treasures of the East.
But misfortune came. The cara
vans were overwhelmed in the sands
of the desert. The moment was near
when Bari.zacs would probably be
compelled to strew dust upon his
head, and wander through the street
of Bagdad, craving, 'Bara'zac the
merchant is ruinedp
'This happened, continued Uncle
John, Just before the twenty fifth
day of the month of Snow. Abou-
ben clearinghouse home that day think
ing Of the misfortunes Of his patron,
and also of 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 ben
darling was sad. He returned to hold
the festivity of the cedar tree, but his
heart felt heavy. 'Abou.ben darling
is miserable, said he; there no man
more miserablen
AS he thus spoke, his daughter
Paribanou approached him. The
name Paribanou, my children, signi-
hes the Flower of the Daisy She
now came to Abou ben-darling, and
kissing him in the Eastern manner,
said !:
Oh, father dear, oh Abou ben-darl-
ing, 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
tIeen
Here Pet suddenly burst forth
l tWhy it's like our tree = he cried