The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-24


Now we shall be in the green shade"
said the man, MS he seated himself under
1t, "and the tree will have the pleasure
of hearing also, but | shall only relate
one story; what shall it be2 Ivede. Avedo
or llumpty Dumpty, who fell down
stairs, but soon got up again, and at last
married princcss2"
'Ivede. Avede,' cried some. "11umpty
Dumpty," cried others, and there was
fine shouting and crying out. But the
fir tree remained quite still, and thought
to himself, "Shall have anything to do
with all this2" but he had already
amused them as much rs they wished.
Then the old man told them the story of
Humpty Dumpty, how he fell down stairs
and was raised up again, and married u
princess. And the children clapped their
hands and cried "Tell another, tell an
other" for they wanted to hear the story
Of Ivede Avede; but they only had
Humpty Dumpty. After this The fir tree
became quite silent and thoughtful; never
had the birds in the forest told such tales as
Humpty Dumpty, who fell down stairs,
and yet married princess.
"Ah yes, so 1t happens in the world"
thought the fir tree; he believed it all,
because twas related by such nice
man. "Ah WELL" he thought, "who
knows? perhaps may fall down, too,
and marry princess;" and he looked
forward joyfuly to the next evening, OK
pocting to be again decked out with
lights and playthings, gold and fruit.
ITO morrow / will not tremble," thought
he; 81 will enjoy all my spendor and l
shall hear the story of Humpty Dumpty
again, and perhaps Ivede.Avede." And
the tree remained quiet and thoughtful
all night. In the morning the servants
and the housemaid came in. Now"
thought the fir, "all my splendor is 90.
ing to begin again" But they dragged
him out of the room and upstairs to the
garnet and threw him on the floor in a
dark corner, where no daylight shone,
and there they left him
"What does this mean" thought the
tree. "What am to do here? can
hear nothing in place like this" and
he leant against the wall and thought
and thought. And he had time enough
to think, for days and nights passed and
10 one came near him, and when at last
some one did come, it was only to put
away large boxes in corner. SO the
tree was completely hidden from sight as
If it had never existed. ''It is winter
now" thought the tree; "the ground is
hard and covered with snow, so that
people cannot plant me. | shall be
sheltered here, l daresav, until spring
comes"
"Squeak, squeak" said little mouse,
creeping cautiously toward the tree; then
came another, and they both shifted at
the fir tree and crept between the
branches.
ooh, it is very cold" said the little
mouse, "or else we should be so comfort
able here, shouldn't we, you old fir treeY'
"I am not DID," said the fir tree,
'there are MANY who are older than
am"
"Where do YOU come from. and what
do YOU know?' asked the mice, who
were full of curiosity. "Haye YOU seen
the most beautiful places in the world
and can you tell us all about them and
have you been in the store-room, where
cheeses lie on the shelf, and hams hang
from the ceiling One can run abou
on tallow candles there, and 90 in thir
and come out fat
81 know nothing of that place." sale
the fir tree, "but know the wood where
the sun shines and the birds sing" And
then the tree told the little mice al
about its youth. They had never heart
such an account in their lives; and aftel
they had listened TO it attentively, they
| said "What number Of things yoI
have seen You must have been very
happy"
One morning people came to clear out
the garnet, the boxes were packed away
and the tree was pulled out of the corner
and thrown roughly on the garrett floor
then the servant dragged it out upon the
staircase, where the daylight shone
"Now, life is beginning again" said the
tree, rejoicing in the sunshine and fresh
air. Then it was carried down stairs anC
taken into the courtyard so quickly that
it forgot to think Of itself, and coult
only look about there was so much to bC
seen.
The court was close to garden. where
everything looked blooming. Fresh anc
fragrant roses hung over the little pal
| ings. The linden trees were in blossom
while the swallows flew here and there
crying: "Twit, twit, twit, nv mate il
coming" but il was not the fir tree the,
meant. "Now / shall live" cried TN,
tree. ioyfully, spreading out its branches
but, aiasl they were all withered ant
yellow. and 1t Law in a corner anon,
weeds and nettles. The star of gold pa
per still stuck In the top of the tree, an,
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