The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-12-15


but when it saw the notice
board it was so sorry for the
children that it slipped back into the
ground again, and went off to sleep.
The only people who were pleased
were the Snow and the Frost. "Spring
has forgotten this garden" they
cried, $50 we will live here all the
year round" The Show covered up
the grass with her great white cloak,
and the Frost painted all the trees
silver. Then they invited the North
Wind to stay with them, and he came.
He was wrapped in furs, and he roar
ed all day about the garden, and
blew the chimney-tops down.
81 can not understand why the
Spring is 80 late in coming" said
the Selfish Giant, as he sat at the
window and looked out at his cold
white garden: 81 hope there will be q
change in the weather"
But the Spring never came, nor the
Summer. The Autumn gave golden
fruit to every garden, but the Giants
garden she gave none. "He is too
selfish, she said. So it was always
Winter there, and the North Wind,
and the Hail, and the Frost, and the
Snow danced about through the trees.
One morning the Giant was lying
awake in bed when he heard some
lovely music. 1t sounded so sweet
to his ear that he thought it must
be the Kings musicians passing by.
1t was really only little linnet sing.
ing outside his window, but it was SO
long since he had heard a bird sing
in his garden that it seemed to him
to be the most beautiful music in the
world. Then the Hail stopped dance
ing over his head, and the North
Wind ceased roaring, and a delicious
perfume came to him through the
open casemate. 81 believe the Spring
has come at last" said the Giant;
and he jumped out of bed and looked
out.
What did he see?
He saw most wonderful sight.
Through little hole In the wall the
children had crept in, and they were
sitting In the branches of the trees.
In every tree that he could see there
was little child. And the trees were
SO glad to have the children back
again that they had covered them
selves with blossoms, and were wav-
ing their arms gently above the chill
dren's heads. The birds were flying
about twittering with delight, and
the flowers were looking up through
the green grass and laughing. Itwas
a lovely scene, only in one corner it
was still winter. 1t was the farthest
corner of the garden, and in it was
standing little boy. He was SO
small that he could not reach up to
the branches of the tree, and he was
wandering all round it, crying bitter
". The poor tree was still quite COW
cred with frost and snow, and the
North Wind was blowing and roar
ing above it. "Climb upl little boy"
said the Tree, and it bent it's branches
down as low as it could; but the boy
was too tiny.
And the Giants heart melted as he
looked out. "How selfish I have
been!" he said; "now know why the
Spring would not come here. I will
put that poor little boy on the top of
thetree, and then l will knock down the
wall, and my garden shall be the chill
dren's playground for ever and ever"
He was really very sorry for what he
had done.
So he crept down stairs and opened
the front door quite softly, and went
out into the garden. But when the
children saw him they were SO fright
ened that they all ran away and the
garden became Winter again. Only
the little boy did not run, for his eyes
were so full of tears that he did not
see the Giant coming. And the Giant
stole up behind him and took him
gently in his hand, and put him up
into the tree. And the tree broke at
once into blossom, and the birds came
and sang on it, and the little boy
stretched out his two arms and flung
them around the Giants neck, and
kissed him. And the other children,
when they saw the Giant was not
wicked any longer, came running back,
and with them came the spring. ct
is your garden now, little children"
said the Giant, and he took a great
axe and knocked down the wall. And
when the people were going to market
at IL O'Clock they found the Giant
with the children in the most
beautiful garden they had ever seen,
All day long they played, and in
the evening they came to the Giant
to bid him goodbye.
"But where is your little compan-
ion?" he said; 1.-THE boy | put into
the tree" The Giant loved him the
best because he had kissed him.
"We don't know" answered the
children; che has gone away"
"You must tell him to be sure and
come here tomorrow" said the Giant.
But the children said they did not
know where he lived, and never seen
him before; and the Giant felt very
sad.
Years went over, and the Giant
grew very old and feeble. He could
not play about any more, so he sat
in huge armchair and watched the
children play at their games, and ad-
mired his garden. 81 have many
beautiful flowers" he said, "but the |
children are the most beautiful flow
ers of ALL"
One winter morning he looked out |
of his window as he was dressing. He |
did not hate the winter now, for he !
knew, that it was merely the Spring |