Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-12-19
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
GERMAN STORY OF THE ORIGIN
OF THE CUSTOM.
FIRST TREE RECLAIMED A KNIGHT
WHO HAD LOST LOVE FOR HOME
In THE CRUSADES.
From the German of Anna Reschaaer /

Werner, professor OF ancient history at
the Vienna university, was invited with
him to attend dinner party at which
the other guests were the prevailing So
cial lions In art and literature Being
young and diffident and without expert
ence in the social world, she felt i'll at ease
among such a company. Happily, at the
table, she was placed next to the cele
brated Prof. X who at once interested
himself in her, and explained and ex-
pounded the topics and conversations
which were going on around the table.
He did this in that kind, clear manner
which only persons of learning possess,
and so, as the evening went on, the young
woman found courage enough to express
her views on several minor subjects, much
to the delight Of the professor, Who found
that his neighbor had not only clear in
teilect but also real German woman's
heart. He did not care that she was I'M
acquainted with the literature of the
ancients and had not much knowledge OF
the classics, for he perceived that she was
by no means a simple woman
Soon the conversation turned upon the
customs and manners OF the early Ger
mans. and DR.. Werner became involved
in discussion with the wife of doctor
OF philosophy as to the origin OF the
Christmas tree This worthy woman was
endeavoring to maintain that the Christ
mas celebration and the Christmas tree
found their origin in the desires of the
oar Iy (Nhristio tn III h., f.,,
loving Germans something to supplant
the Yule feast of their heather ancestors
Partly asserting to this, the doctor jok.
ingly responded that it seemed to him
that the Christmas tree was undou btedly
the work of some Christian woman, the
wife of priest (for at that time priests
were allowed to marry) who wanted to
aid her husband iii his work of gathering
in souls and who felt that the tree would
bring many worshippers to the church,
resulting in good to her husband as we'll
as Joy to the faithful.
Mrs. Werner, who with Prof X over
heard the discussion, felt vexed at such
sordid and unromantic view, and assured
Prof x that she felt as if her hus band
was tearing down he Lorr's pictures
from the altar or trailing a masterpiece in
the u t. She could not be reconciled to
The idea that the Christmas tree was the
invent on of a thrifty woman. Prof X.
smiled, for it pleased him to have found
woman who was not educated to point
where romance no longer cheered and
pleas d. However, in order to encourage
his friend Werner, he maintained with
assumed gravity that he believed him to
be right.
The party separated in good spirits ex-
cepting only the young wife, who felt
that her holy of holies had been desc
Grated. Within few days after the din
ner Prof X received a small package and
letter. Tearing open the envelope, he
found the letter to be from young Mrs
Werner in the following words:
My Very Honored Professor was sorely
grieved that you and my husband should give so
commonplace an origin to the Christmas tree,
| and took the matter very much to heart. |
believe you both are wrong. and that the &C
companying manuscript will change yonr
views; at least, hope so. so that you and he
may hereafter be charmed, as have always
been, 10y the Christmas feast and its beautiful
tree Your ever devoted,
MARTHA WERNER.
The manusc 'ipt read as follows:
ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE
"Henry Of Wartenstein, or Heinz, as his
good wife, Nine. Gertrude, was fond of
calling him. had just returned with the
crusaders from the Holy Land after two
years absence. His castle in the Necker
thai was alive with the revelry and j y of
great feast given in his honor. The
Eastern sun had Drowned him and East
ern customs had taken somewhat from
his German character. The hardships of
the crusade had hardened his sturdy fig
ure, and his blue eyes looked yet more
beautiful in his sun Drowned face. He
felt glad again to be in the home OF his
! ancestors and next to his beautiful wife
"Almost Immediately he went about
the daily routine to which he had been
| accustomed before the crusade, and the
affairs OF the castle went on as usual
The autumn and winter came, and with
them a change in the mood and spirits OF
spread around his soul to prevent the
light OF his sunny nature from peeping
through. The change was apparent to
and caused his good wife much sorrow
With a woman's intuition she OWNED
the cause of his unhappiness which he
himself did not Care admit. rhe castle
and the pleasures which were about had
no charms for him, and much as he had
longed to enjoy them, his thoughts were
ever wandering back to the sunny south
where, under the hot, deep blue sky, he
had led a free life.
'He felt ashamed OF his feelings and the
sad thought that his good wife was not
his only love but as time went on he
became more and more morose. He
would sit for hours, buried in deep
thought, before the great, big, burning
log in his sitting room. His wife,
through all this, assumed cheerful mien.