The Dickinson press., 1883-12-22
\ Story of a ~Christmas.tree.

the WlnuSand rain and SUN lave painted
black.
Mrs. Deane, who lives in the big white
house, has mi little girl and Mrs. Day,
who lives in the little black house, has
three.
Every Monday morning the three
little Days tug Il big basket up the long
hill to the white house, after the week
iy WASH" and every Thursday after
noon they tug it up again, filled with
clothes as sweet and clean as sweet and
clean can be. For Nora and Mamie and
Bess have ne papa. and their mamma
has to work early and late to carr
clothes for their growing bodies, and
bread enough to fill their hungry little
mouths. Sometimes there isn't enough.
Now 1 have come to the story.
1t was the week before Christmas,
and little May Deane, in the pretty sit
ting-room of the house on the hill, was
chatting to her mamma and D:cky, the
) canary, about Santa Claus, and what
she was sure he would bring her
when there came a knock ut the
door.
1t was Thursday afternoon, and Nora
and Mamie and Bess had brought home
. the clothes.
Mrs. Dean asked them in to wait for
the basket; and when they were in
Dicky sang for them, and May kept up
her chatter, tipping her head side ways,
and looking almost likes canary herself,
with her yellow curls and bright eyes.
"What do you suppose Santa Claus
\ will bring yon?:" asked she.
The little Days stared very hard at
each other and at May. Nora answered
she is the Oldest
eve don't know who he is"
1t was Mary's turn to stare. In all
!, her lie she had never before saw any.
I body who didn't know Santa Claus.
\ 'Then who gives you things Christ
MAST" asked she.
eve don't have any," answered
Nora, "thout's sometimes we get Qua
winter shoes then"
"Why, don't you hang up your stock
NO" said Fora.
"Nor hay. any Christmas-tree, ever?"
May asked.
"No," said Nora again; and then Mrs.
Deane came back with the baskets, and
the three little Days made three little
e~urtsies and went away.
May stood at the window and watch
Jed them go down the snowy road. Her
face was very sober.
"Manma," she asked, "why don't
Santa Claus ever go to their house?'
"Perhaps the chimney's too small for
SIT isn't a chimney at all; it's q stove
pipe" said May. "Maybe it is too
snall.n
looked out of the window for a
time, without speaking. At last she
HDon't vou s'pose he'd go there this
him to?"
Perhaps" mamma answered, eff he
had gifts enough in his pack"
off he hadn't, mamma, he needn't
come here"
Mamma smiled. "Then I think
ktove pipe-bow could he manage that?:'
May thought a moment. Then she
clapped her hands and whirled about
like a live top, spinning right up to her
mothers side at last.
90 mamma. mammal" she cried, "Iet
me he their Santa Claus and make EN-
Il tree like the one Aunt Bella made for
ne last year. and I looked in the parlor
and caught her tying OH the oranges! @
mamma, can't l please?-with strings of
kpop.corn and candy horns and apples!
I'd then 1 won't care if Santa Clans,
really.truly Santa Claus, mamma,
gesn't come here: Can't ], please"
And mamma kissed her little daush.
(er's Ii s. g" think you can" said She.
You may ask papa about it."
81 Just the same's know he'll say ]
k,n." cried May. And so he did, pinch
Aer round cheeks red, and teasing
a good deal about getting sooty 20.
down Ms. Days %stove-pipe.
What fun it vast May went aboutth
louse with dancing eyes. You see She
lad a secret, and I'd like to know j
here aver lived a little girl who didn'
enjoy il secret-such q beautiful secret
DO! 1t was just the best sport to peel
into the parcels which papa broueh
home from the village. Then there was
nles to get ready; and of course thi
work would take a great deal of time j
you wanted it to $50 to bring Christmas
Eauicker), and string a good deal of corr
and tied a good many apples, just q
May did.
So Christmas came, Or the day befor,
Christmas, which is almost as much fun
and Nays papa Went to the wood-lo
and brought home the tree, a trim littl'
flr, With dark green, glossy DOuglS. ~
planted it straight and firm in i tin,
tub, filed with sand which May stucl
full of twigs and bits of evergreen.
$50 nice for Mamie to wash her dolls
clothes in" said she. "It's just big
enough" She meant the tub.
Then she hung the apples and cand,
horns on the branches. and the string
? of popcorn, like little snow-wreaths ali,
the gifts. There was a warm shaw
for Mrs. Day, a dress for each of tn
three little girls, a doll with real hair 70
Mamie, a tea-set for Bess and a prett
work-boX for Nora.
That night, when the stars began t.
come out. Mays papa took her on til,
big liand-sled, with the tree, and ava,
kthey flew down the long hill to the it'll
Pbla k house. Papa set t 9 tree on til
step. Then he knocked gently, an
Tllisked May away from the door.
What do you suppose Nora and Nan
ME and Bess said and did when the,
:oeeped ont saw the tree.