The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-12-15
Che Laughing Valley

NAA, cluplJ save 1Or the grass, the
Crook, the wild flowers, the
bees anGl the butterflies If he would
make his, home here and live. after
the fashion, Of raerr he must have, q
house.. This puZzferf him at first but
while he stood smiling in the sunshine
he suddenly founo5 beside him old: Me-
ko. the servant OF the Master WoeAs-
man. NeaSo bore an AK, strong: a.neI
broad. wibii: blade, that sleamedi like
FURNISHED silver: This he placed: in
the young man's HAND, then disappear.
ed without a. word.
Claus understood. .anIT, turning to the.
Forests edge; he selected It number OF:
fallen tree Trunks. which he begani to
clear Of their deaB branches. He
would not 9,lt; into; IA living tree. His
life among: the nMlnE1s: who guarded
the Forest Had. taught him that live
tree is. sacced being" created thing:
endowed with: feeling But with the
dead and fallen: trees; Ii was different
They had Fulfilled their destiny as
active meEnbers. Of; lhe- Forest COM
munity,- aTxl now it: Wits fitting that
their remaIas' ShOulili minister to the
needs of man.
The ax:bft deep,intus abe logs at every
stroke. It. seemed to- have a force of
its own, ami CLAUS .iss9g but to swing
and guids.lt
When shadows. bss,zrn creeping over
the green. hills: to lis in the Valley
overnight; the young man had chopped
many logs into equal lengths and
proper:shapes- si1lilfIrs. 81 house such
as he hzrAi seem the. poorer classes of
men inhahit: Them resolving to await
another day: befora' he tried to fit the
logs together, Claus ate some Of the
sweet roots he we'll. R71ew how to find.
drank deeply. from; The laughing brook
and lay. down: to, sleep OH the grass.
first seeking Il; spot where no flowers
grew lest the wssi;yht OF his body
shOuldA cr.1sIi them:
And while he 'slil!mj>eretl and breathed
in.tha' perfume of: the wondrous Valley
the Spirit OF Happiness. crept into his
heart and. drove o1at all terror and
esand misgiviiRgs. Nevermore would
the face of; Claus be c1ouded with anN
ietNS: nevermors. would the trials of
life weigh him Gsswrr as with burden:
The Laughing. Valley had claimed him
foT it's own.
Would that VIC all might live in THAI
delightful place, But then, maybe, it
YOU'D become oHercrowded. For ages
it had awaiteS a tenant. Was it change
that led young Claus to make his home
in this happy vale? Or may we. guess
that his, thoughtful friends, the. I'm
\ mortals,. hse5 directed his steps, when
he wandered away from Burzes' to
seek a home in the great world?
Certain it is that while the moon
| peered over the hilltop and flooded with
It's soft beams the body Of the sleeping
| stranger the Laughing Valley was
! filed with the queer, crooked shapes
| spoke, no words, but worked with skill
and swiftness. The logs Claus had
| trimmed with his bright ak were car
| RED TO a spot beside the brook and
| fitted one upon another and during the
night strong and roomy dwelling was
built
The birds came sweeping into the
Valley at daybreak, and their songs. SO
seldom heard in the deep wood, aroused
the stranger. He rubbed the web OF
sleep from his eyelids and looked
around. The house met his gaze.
| 81 must thank the Knocks for this u
! said he gratefully. Then he walked tc
his dwelling and entered at the door
way. A large room faced him, having
a fireplace at the end and table anf
bench in the middle. Beside the fire
place was cupboard. Another door
way was beyond. Claus entered here
also and saw a smaller room with F.:
bed against the wall and a stool Sc
near a small stand. On the bed wer'
many layers of dried moss brough
from the Forest.
Indeed, it is palace" exclaimed
the smiling Claus. II must thank TIN
good Knocks again for their knowledg,
of mans needs as well as for thei
tabOrs in my behalf
He left his new home with a glat
feeling that he was not quite alone il
the world, although he had chosen t,
abandon his Forest life. Friendship!
are not easily broken and the I'm
mortals are everywhere