Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-12-22
to buy a Christmas present.

to buy a Christmas present. The
mother was very much surprised.
Where could Hans have got the money.
She could not understand it. Jerker
did not know. He only told her what
Hans had told him, and that he would
not return before evening, and they
must not worry about him.
How cold little Hans felt, and how
that little heart of his felt heavy and
sorrowful. Young as he was, he had
already learned lesson from life's
story-the lesson Of self-denial. He
felt cold. his coat was short and
threadbare, the shoes in poor condi-
ton and his mittens full Of holes. But
he knew that Christmas eve would
bring him a new pair of mittens. From
his bed in the hut at night he had seen
mother knitting a pair Of mittens that
were too small for father. So, surely.
they must be for him.
But with all MS sorrow there was
warm glow at his heart. Was he not
wealthy? He had sold his Christmas
tree for two large silver crowns. Had
bought the medicine for father and
Lad a large silver crown left as a
Christmas gift for mother. God had
helped him. Had not mother said that
God watches, over little children, and
had he not sent wealthy lacy that
had given him two large silver crowns
for his tree, Notwithstanding he had
been told it was not worth fifty ore?
A little golden-haired girl had met
| him in the beautiful richly furnished
room where he had brought the tree.
| It was placed on table, and the lit
| tie girl was greatly pleased over the
tree. He wondered if the little girl
| had known why he had sold his tree,
| and that all of his Christmas pleasure
was lost, would she have been just as
highly pleased? He followed her with
his eyes as she ran round the large
room and clapped her small hands, full
of pleasure. She handed him large
sugar cake and filed his pockets with
apples and nuts and raisins. She had
so much. A table in the room had sew
eral large dishes filled with more beau
| tiful things than lie ever had seen be-
| fore. And the kind lady gave him
two shining silver crowns. But before
he left the room his eyes went back to
the tree. He would never see it again.
| It was as if he had separated from a
dear friend-from playfellow. He
! sat down on the staircase and tears
streamed from his eyes. His mothers
words rang in his ears: "Poor mems
children must learn to practice self
denial"
But now Hans was glad again as he
ran through the snow as fast as his
little feet could carry him. pulling the
sleigh after him. He felt cold and
tired. It was dark and the stars shone
in the heavens. He knew them all.
Father had told him all about them.
and he thought Of the little Christ
child, and how the whole Christian
world celebrated Christmas with trees
and candles and Christmas gifts. But
little Hans had neither the one nor the
other: True, the forest was full OF
Christmas trees. but it was not his, the
one that had grown on the hill near
his home, and over which he had re-
joiced so much. But it was gone; an
other child had his tree. He thought
of his tree as living being. and that
it felt the separation as much as he.
But now he was home. Father
slept and mother was at the hearth
preparing the evening meal.
'sHans, where have you been?" in
Quired mother.
"Into town, mother. and have a
Christmas present for father
sYou? Where did you get it? Have
you money, Hans" inquired the moth
er in her astonishment as Hans placed
| the bottle Of medicine on the table
''Where did you get it, boy?"
. Hans inclined his head. and smiling
ly pushed his mother toward the win
| dow. He drew away the curtain and
| pointed to the hill. Mother could look
out in the starlight night and at once
| noticed that the tree was gone. Yes
she saw plainly that little Hans
Christmas tree was not there. She un
derstood it all; she could read it in the
big blue eyes that sparkled up toward
, her. She lifted the child in her arms
, and pressed him toward her, too deep
, " moved to find words for her feel
ings. But she felt so happy. so proue
! that this was her child, and the poo1