Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-12-19

could reveal The divine merchant
man" Of the life-parable gives in
good measure. pressed down and
| running over" But she did not gain
| all this wealth alone. Mr.. Dickerson
| protested that he should be allowed
| to suggest the best trees for telling,
| for forestry was his special delight.
and he would not let Lee despoil her
| self of her stalwart tree-kingS-only
those with some defect of symmetry
| or grace. By his eloquence, spots that
| had before seemed somber and lone
some now glowed with beauty. She
learned to appreciate broad, rich cop
per beeches, the grand oaks, the rustl-
Ing nut-laden chestnuts. the graceful
birch, the rich colors of crimson and
purple and gold that gum and ash
and maple would wear in their season
OF glory, the winter-harvests of hip
and haw and clustered berries,
She egan to wonder how this
chiYalric and cultured gentleman.
with his memories of foreign travel
and art his love for his own land.
could ever have been the awkward.
shy farmers lad, hired to sweep the
store and run errands for old SQUIRE
Richardson when he and Col. Christ
mas were the twin magnates of the
village. Then she forgot it ALL and
every day she thought more of his
superiority to every one else. Times
wheel had placed the pretty, proud
child that Stephen Dickerson had
watched as if she had been a fairy
princess, in the domain of poverty
and nearing middle age, while he was
man whom every one respected for
his learning as we'll as his wealth.
extraordinary wealth, it seemed to the
simple villagers, and had added subtle
attractions of expression, manner.
grace of utterance, which Lee dis
covered with surprise and pleasure.
Lee was falling in love and the
diplomatic mother and NANNY
Ellen smiled knowingly and in 81
lence, when day after day Mr.. Dicker-
son dropped in to lunch after ride
in the woods, discussions over each
separate tree, orders for the new
household comforts and pleasures
disguised as Christmas gifts for NAM
ma, Ben, nanny, Uncle Delaware,
Jim, all the neighbOrs and especially
above all, the children, whose blessed
festival it was now and forever, The
old house covered up cracks and dis
colOred places, breakages and rend-
lngs by its wealth of greeneIy and
scarlet and WaXen fruit When
Christmas eve came it was to be like
la bower, with yule-logs blazing and
cracking on the hearths, and some
body had ordered roses and spicy car
nations and beautiful fruits to fill
the frosty air with rich fragrances!
Lees heart was too full not to
share her late joys, though She
fancied she was only trying to give
Ben a good time with his young
friends, and bringing some children
in the house for her mother and old
nurse to have the lOng-lOst delight of
petting them and filling their little
cups of pleasure to the golden brim!
There was to be a Christmas dinner
and not only the young and gay. but
Cousin Jane, who had not been to
party for 10 years, was to be there
and the dear old doctor and his little
Wife-oh, yes, the plain, common
place folks and the sad were not for
gotten at this FEAST
1T all came out of our woods,
Cousin Jane said Lee, in a bright
little aside Of confidence; they have
been perfect mine of wealth to me-"
IF you had thousands, it could not
be prettier," exclaimed the invalid
cousin.
Nor the mistress, said Mr.. Dick
erson, impulsively.
Lee blushed wildly and looked
down, but that did not help matters
with the diamonds sparkling on her
much-prized finger. Cousin Jane
saw understood, and gave a de-
lighted little squeeze to Lees hand
that was on her shoulder.
Yes, that shadowy Paradise of
dreams-the Place of Lovers-had
swung open it's barred gates to these
two, and they had entered therein.
The before scorned and neglected
Christmas woods had been their
Eden.-ElIa F. Mosby in Sunday
Republican.