Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-24
ana want to see how Bessie be enjoying

| kitchen into the adjoining Chamber.
| There lay. in her bed the sick girl, a
| lovely child, with large burning dark
eyes, and a hectic flame in her checks.
she was SUPPORTED Ia The arms OF her
| sister. and was looking with delight at
| the little candles. at the oranges and
the glittering tin ornaments.
"Tom,' said Mary, Bessie do thank
you so for the spotted dog.
Yes. do" said the sick child, striv-
10 INT herself and extending hand to
the young gardener. ~
but. gracious me. Tom" exclaimed
Mary. Whatever Is the meaning o.
that?' pointing to the white band
around his arm. 1T is like what folks
put on now when in mourning-only
its white"
Hes going to be married. said the
ut is only that stiff collar; 1 couldn't
abear it no longerl" explained Tom.
Then the child laughed and laughed
till she coughed yff
Suddenly Mary uttered a cry-Tom
saw q crimson stream,
Run, run, Toni For heavens sake.
run for the doctor,"
And Tom ran.
In half an hour he returned
Polly was hneeling by the bed. on
IL lay the child. the face almost white,
but yet with little color In the deli
of her sister.
The doctor had not come; he was out;
would not be back TIL morning.
Tom could not explain this, and he
knew. moreover, that the surgeon could
effect nothing. without word he
knelt also by the child's bedside. The
candles Were quiverlng to extinction
on the Christmas tree. One was gutter
ing, and sending a stream of wax over
n tah
another fell twinkling through the
boughs and went out. And at the same
time the light went out in Bessie's
eyes.
A few days later when the earth had
closed over the child, Tom was speak
ing with Mary, and said she to him:
tom. ! think now ] should like that
Christmas tree to be planted on the
little maids grave. VIII you oblge me
by doing IT." Then, after wiping her
eyes: Tom, that is Tree of Death"
The head-gardener triumphantly car
cied away Bella: the marriage took
place within six weeks OF the Christmas
supper and dance. Isabella Frowd had
become Mrs. Sandy MacSweeny, and
was planted in the gardeners beautiful
cottage. But In all things human there
comes change. Within very short
time certain matters started to light.
the Squire's own lips. as he addressed
Tom Mountstephen.
tom" said the Squire, his broad
rosy face very hot and agitated. TON.
I've bundled MacSweeny off. I don't
see why should have to buy the fruit
l grow from the green grocer in our
market town. / don't see why II pur-
chase bulbs and greenhouse plants they
should invariably disappear, and be re-
ported to have died. don't see why.
II buy flower seeds, they should come
up in other folks gardens. j have not
been able to get fruit for my table
without sending to town to buy 1t.
have been ruined in procuring vast
supplies of choice plants from nursery
men, and have not enjoyed them.
MacSweeny ia off. Hang it, you may
not be a professional, and Al, and all
that, but you are honest as daylight.
I feel l can trust you. and--dash my
buttons.-there is the situation vacant
for you, II you choose to have 1t. And
there Is the cottage-the only disad-
vantage Is that 1t Is too large for you,
and you are unmarried"
oh as to that, sir. that is easily
remedfed. be Just now. on my way to
the passn to get him to have Mary and
asked next Sunday"
"Mary--Mary who?"
MARY Mauduit sir"
"Oh, oh! i wish you Joy. An ex-
cellent girl! There 1t is for you-the
house. Tom; you and Mary shall go
into 1t as soon as l have seen the back
of MacSweeny and his Bella, and have
had 1t whitewashed. And-hang 1t!
Tom, here-come round to my study
and I'll give you a cheque FOR ten
pounds towards the furnishing"
II thank you, sir; thank you with
all my heart"
my soul, when q master has n trust
worthy, honest servant, 1t is he is to
be counted lucky; and unless he Is an
ass he will keep him. There-come
round to the study"
And now nearly two years have
passed. And this time we are n little
party coming out of the church porch.
As / liyei II is Tom with Mary-no
longer Mauduit, but Mountstephen.
But they are not alone; there Is baby
in a long white robe being brought
forth-a babe that had been carried In
to church to be christlaned.
As Mary stood in the autumn sun
light outside the porch, she touched
Toms arm, and said:
LET us go to little Bessie's grave"
And they went, and the baby was
taken there also, over the dropping
grass, wet with autumn rains.
"The poor, little Christmas tree" said
Mary, "although tree of death, lives.
See--how hearty it appears!'
at is no tree of DEATH" answered
Tom. "See-here is the first fir-cone;
1t is alive. and bears seed. 1t is no tree
Of death, but tree of life" Then
Tom laughed. MARY" said he. II
think for once In my life I've said a
good thing"
But Mary did not applaud.
TON, do you think the little flr-cone
really has life in it?"