The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-25
The Cast Christmas Tree.
BY EUGENE UHLRIcH.

you all say, doesn't really come down
the chimneys 1 am glad that the chill
dren she notices around here are mostly
younger than she is.
They had hardly had time to CONS
pose themselves when the Little One'
came She looked at them all calmly,
as one who is sure of. her position kissed
her mother dutifully, put her books
away, got herself a good, juiey-looking
apple, and went out. There was a sigh
of relief when she was seen walking up
and down under the trees, 1eisurely,
knowing that some kindred spirits
woul soon drift that way.
Presently she gave loud, long "trill
lest it might be forgotten by the tarrying
spirits that she was on earth. Then
there was CONSERVATION in the house.
The Little One" and one of the kindred
spirits left the walk and went toward
lock The lock was meant to resist
possible thieves but as the mother
watched the Little Ones chubby
fingers pull at it, she said anxiously to
Jimmie, Maybe you had better go out
and try to turn them off in another
direction and get them away from that
| woodshed door,
The next evening the little Ones"
sled, instead of being in the woodshed,
STOOD on the DdCh pOICH- Liz litliO
One" took it from the new place without
a word and went down on patch Of ice,
formed when bit of water trickled
down into the slough, and froZe before
! the wind licked it up. There she and
| the other little and hitler ones slid
around and hauled each other back and
| forth, though the wind was raw and the
gray clouds rolled overhead threatening
! billiards. with dull insistence. But
these little ones were children of the
| prairie, and seemed to thrive on its wins
ter winds and summer heat.
The Little One went down to her
sewing school the next day for an ex-
ira afternoon, as the day schools were all
| closed now for the Christmas vacation.
AT home, the while, the others worked
! anxiously They strung popcorn, twist
/ ed tinsel, and with chilled fingers, they
fastened gilded nuts and colored candles
/ to the tree out in the woodshed.
eve want it nice" said Jimmie" for
| there isn't much, fun when everybody
knows all about it, and next year she'll
| know, too
On Christmas eve it was arranged that
the little One" should go to bed
and the father and mother go rather
early, too, as blind Jimmie and
Annie, and the two older girls would
| bring in the tree and set it up all ready
/ to light before dawn in the morning.
They were fixing a stand for it in the
corner of the room, when Annie started
| 81 believe [ hear some one in the hail. ;"
The door opened softly and the Lit
! tie One herself came in, in her night
dress and wooden bedroom slippers. The
| others stared at her as if she were a
ghost, and Jimmie slipped in front of the
stand with it's unusual white cover, as if
| his lank form could hide it. The little
One" looked around very calmly, then
stepped up to Agnes, as the oldest, and
! thrusting a package at her, said coolly:
! Put this on the Christmas tree for
| mama, from me-
Then she turned and went back UP
stairs with the composure that can only
belong to one who has none to question
her ways.
They looked at each other with gasp.
Finally Annie said, Lets see what it
is anyway"
Agnes opened the package It was q
hemstitched apron the Little One had
made at the sewing class.
We'll, will you lcok at the kid?'' said
Jimmie
Poor mama" said Agnes, cher last
baby has gone and growed up
I'm thinking, said Annie soberly
chow the Little One was the only one
that knew it all. 1.-The Sunday Com
panion.