The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-12-15

Iatnor u6o<s
"Have youa Now, you've gone and
worked your little fingers to the bone.
It's cravat, or"
"No, indeed, I've done nothing of the
sort-that is not your present.
The rush of joyous laughter in the
girls voice nearly drowned her words.
She seemed OVERLOOKING with some So
cret. Their talk was interrupted, how.
ever, by the appearance OF Mother OAR
ling and her flock, with old Uncle John,
looking wise and secretive.
Daisy had procured, somewhere, the
handsomest Christmas tree imaginable
"a bushy cedar, full of light blue
berries, and, having returned from
church, whittier she went dutifully with
the rest, she proceeded with the aid of
Uncle John, her prime friend and favor
tie, to deck the wondrous tree with its
brilliant ornaments. AS evening drew
on it was finished, and erected on the
sideboard-its paper baskets, and pres
ents, and tapers making it a magical
spectacle to the young Darlings, who
gazed at it with open-eyed wonder.
Then the Christmas dinner appeared
and riveted all eyes. The great roast
turkey, and round of beef, and flank
ing side-dishes aroused wild enthusiasm
in the young ones. Old Joe devoutly
said grace, and the youthful 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's one seat too many" he said.
81 set it there, brother" said Uncle
John, TRANQUILITY.
For whom, brothera Have you in
vited some friend2"
"No, brother, thought of our Ed
mund."
The old book-keeper looked wistfully
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 satisfaction to old Joe to gaze
at the vacant chair, and to think of his
son being present and enjoying their
happiness. And when, at last, their
dessert came and the wine was poured
out, the old man looked toward the va.
cant chair as he raised 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 anybody
ever"
And, not waiting for anybody" to
reply, Daisy started up, and, assisted by
Uncle John, bore the magical cedar in
its neat box covered with evergreens tc
the'center of the table.
Night had now come, and the tapers
on the tree were Lit. As the fairy spec.
tacle of many-colored baskets, candy
cornucopias. and the presents of needle
work and books and garlands flashed
forth in the mellow light of the tapers,
the young Darlings uttered suppressed
cheer, and "Pet," in curls and pinafore,
made desperate attempt to climb upon
the board and carry the prize at the
point of his baby spoon.
"No, Pet" cried Daisy, "wait till
sister gives you yours But first, Uncle
John is going to tell beautiful story !!
Will you listen, father dear, and mother
1t is lovely"
The laughter in the voice made all
look at Daisy. Why did the child's
cheeks flush so, and why that dazzling
light in her eyes9
But now Uncle John riveted 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 q moment-smiled
dreamily; thrummed on the table-then
began
1.-THE tale am going to relate, my
dear young friends" said Uncle john,
must inform you, is strictly true in
every particular. 1t was written down
by the King of the Genii, and then
caught up in the besk of great bird
called roc-and the Prince Camaralza-
man, having been shipwrecked on a
desert island where the bird came to
feed, killed theroc, and the story has been
in the palace of Bagdad, where the prince
lived, ever since"
at his commencement, the young Oar
hngs exhibited an astounding interest.
AS to Pet, his excitement was beyond
the power of words. His eyes resem-
bled 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 Bag
dad an old merchant whose name was
Barilzac, which, being interpreted is
Worthy Man. Abou-ben- darling-not
unlike the name of our own family--served
the good merchant Barilzac, whose car
avans 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 Bag
dad, crying, Barilzac, the merchant, is
ruined =
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