Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-12-19

everybody's attention. For the moment
he was the center of" excellent interes,
for the whole Darling family. HI
seemed to feel the responsibility resting
upon him. He reflected for a moment
smiled dreamily; thrummed on the ia
bic, and then began.
"The tale I ana 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 q great bird
called the roc-and the Prince Cana
ralzaman, having been shipwrecked on
desert island where the bird came tc
be fed killed the roc, and the story has
been in the palace of Bagdad, where the
prince lived ever SINCE"
At this commencement the Darlings
exhibited an astounded interest. AS t.
Pet, his excitement was beyond the pow.
or of words. His eyes resembled two
saucers-his mouth opened to its utmost
width-and, in the excess of his atten.
ton, 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 fur.
lively toward her father.
Uncle John continues:
"Having told you, my dear children
how the story came to be known, I 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 translated, is Wor.
thy-man. He had clerk named Abou-
acknowledgement unlike the name of our
own family-and for a long time Abou-
ben-darling served the good merchant
Barilzac, whose caravans brought to
Bagdad all the treasures of the east.
But misfortune came. The caravans
were overwhelmed in the sands of the
desert. The moment was near when
Barilzac would be compelled to strew
dust upon his head and wander through
the streets of Bagdad, crying. "Baril-
zaz, the merchant, is ruinedP'
"This happened" continued Uncle
John, "just before the great festivity
which comes on tho twenty-ffth day of
the month of snow. Misunderstanding
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
Misunderstanding was sad. He returned
to hold the festivity of the cedar tree,
but his heart heavy. "Abou-ben-dar-
ling is miserable!" he said, "there is no
man more miserable!"
GAS he thus spoke, his daughter
Paribonou approached him. The name
Paribonou, my children, signifies the
Flower of the Daisy. She came now to
Misunderstanding, and kissing him in
the eastern manner, said: ooh father
dear! Oh Misunderstanding! 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.
Here Pet suddenly burst forth
Why, it's like our tree!" he cried;
only he left out the r in STREE"
"Silence, Pet! do not interruptp'
said Uncle John. II continue: Abou-
ben-darling sighed when his daughter
thus spoke:
"Truly, flower of the Daisy" he said.
-" the 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 a gift
that our father will value more than all
e]se-a package with his name on it, from
a distant land"
They did not look at Daisy, who was
trembling, and whose hand scarcely DOS.
sessed strength to draw u letter from her
bosom.
Uncle John continued:
and Misunderstanding said: "My
child where is this packagef' to which
the flower of the Daisy replied:
g Father dear, it is here! See, take
it from the boughs of the holy cedar
tree, and give it to you!'
As Uncle John uttered these words.
Daisy sprang forward with a letter in
her hand.
"Here it is, father dear!" she cried,
bursting into tears and laughter. at
nearly killed me not to tell you! Oh,
take it, take it! Our Edmund is not
dead!"
And throwing her arms around old
Joe's neck, she sobbed upon his bosom,
while, with tears full of wonder, he read
the letter from his son. As he read on,
he seemed to doubt whether he was read
ing real letter. His eyes closed; he
uttered sigh, and would have tainted,
had not Uncle John caught him in his
arms.
3 The letter was written to Daisy BY her
brother Edmund. He had been picked
up in the Pacific and carried to the
south seas by trading vessel-thence
he had worked his way to California
encountered Charles Worthington roam
ing about in the gold regions-they had
specialized there and made great for
tunes-and were coming home in the
next steamer. That was the letter.
As old Joe grew faint, Pet suddenly
ran behind bis mothers apron, uttering
an appalling scream.
At the door stood tall young man,
with ferocious beard.
elbow are you, father and mother.
and uncle, and Daisy?"
They ran into his arms, uttering cries
and sobs. The sailor was home again,
never to leave them more; and, as Daisy
rested in her dear brothers arms, with
her rosy cheek upon his breast, she said
laughing and crying:
"Father dear! how do you like your
Christmas gift?"
The windows shook as she spoke-it
was doubtless the merry goblins highly
pleased with themselves and everybody
else; and the holy night, the happy,
blessed night went on its way full of Joy
and gratitude.
A year afterward-strange to say
Christmas came againl and saw the
house Of Worthington Brothers prosper
Gus, and old Joe happy, and Charles the
husband of the Flower of the Daisy.
And again the cedar tree was lit, and
spread around it's cheerful light, and the
loud wind laughed, and the merry COB
limo ooounn1 "a ahonf.