The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-11-08

to bring her home again. The despair
was pieiful.
Z She imagined she was retracing Ter
steps. and cropping desperately I'm the un-
known dark she hurried on, often knock
Z ing agalhst low bOughs and sometimes fall
/ ing over half buried roots. Finally she
7 tripped on a fallen limb, and bruised and
halt Frozen the poor cnild was too tired
7 to rise.
I When she opened her eyes she was star
I ing at a light. distant and twinkling, but
bright and reassuring. She was spell
bound, no other thought occurring to her
than that II was a lighted Christmas tree
she rose like one hypnOtzed and made ner
way steadily toward the light, as though
drawn by a magnet
I The woods we're more open now and fear
and cold forgotten, as the child was con-
Iscious OF nothing else in the world but
the tree which any moment she expected
to see below that guiding light. After
walking much further than she knew, she
|stopped-f0r she was within reach Of a
real trimmed Christmas treel Not the
great glimmering one Of her imagination
but a small tree poisoning with an the
strange fruit Of the season. popcorn, REQ
and white and pink; striped candy canes
and baskets, shining balls and angels ana
Of the branches.
Not until there was a sudden opening on
an inner door and a merry burst Of child
ish laughter did Bette realize that her
face was pressed against window, her
fascinated eyes gazing into room eloIl-
fed bv the tree Of CHRIST whose laL Ieecll-
ling light had led her from the dark "oous
H. this cheerful little refuge.
] CDIg half cOmprehending what she saw
-. ---,fched the laughing children fasten-
- gfffs on the loaded tree and hanging
I-tt.,t7ris-s over the fireplace. Finally after
i LOST look of admiration, the chlidren re-
fi1,cts1ffv obeyed a summons to bed.
Nv and bv the rather opened the front
door and came out to shut the blinds. AS
he reached up, he stumbled over little
figure huddled in the snow.
~Bless me. what's here?" he exclaimed
u bending over the half-frozen child.
u IT'S me" uurmured Bette drowsily.
/ The man swept a puzzled glance over the
little girl. then gathered her I'D and car-
ried her into the house He placed her on
a lounge. and be and his astOnished wife
began chatting the numb hands.
II Where have you come from2 What are
you doing out this time Of night2'
!. Il was trying to find the forest of
trimmed Christmas trees, whispered Bet
The husband ana wife exchanged an
4-At-A AAArA AAaAALNa III my NAAet-es-N VIC A
Icn1ld was wandering, but the woman
caught the motherless child from the sofa,
holding her close in her arms.
You've found the Christmas tree, my
lamb. Now tell me all about It while We
get you warm and fed"
IT was not a very ineligible tale. but
the mother nodded and smiled, looking at
THE child's neat clothing and her honest
I eyes. She seemed to be able to nh an
Omissions in the story.
eff only Jack could see that tree" Bette
Imurmured as she fell asleep
II was Christmas night. and the little
kitchen back of the shop was fun Of hap
Dfnese Tom. chastened and thankful,
bovered around Bette. while Jacks eyes
never 1eff the little girl. The father was
ieonfant 10 hear her voice and to forget
AN the anxiety Of the preceding night The
good man into whose hands Bette hao
fallen had not returned from MS errand
alone for the frantic 1aJnet hao accom-
panied him, and sat by belue' Sleeping
lserenely in the strange oed.
4 ran at the outer door summoned the
lfstbcr Who left the kitchen. carefully
iolosinq rhe door. The children were ln
|high spirits. and it did not seem long be-
fore their father returned. he ntled JACK
lin his arms. and soberly turned to Tom
and Bettie:-
Il need this room for business. You chill
dren must go into the shop
He threw open the door as the Htte
group reached the threshold
Tbere was profound silence. then
Jimmy yelled Tom.
rs n realg'' whispered Bette. while Jack
asked il God had sent 1t.
No wonder. The clutfered little shop was
Itransdpured, for IN SIS centre stood q beau
Itiful tree. the branches reaching almost "a
itbe walls The good fairy who had SNUG
eled il into the room had been quicker than
lightning. for the tree was wen laden.
'Oh. Jackl Jacki isn't &c lovely2 It's as
fine as the tree last night4 cried Bette.
she cooked her small head and narrowed
her ewes. Il do believe, she said, slowly,
81 do believe IT'S the very same tree!'