Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-12-21
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
An Allssory Illustrating the Proverb, pride
Must Have a FALL"

and waited for the coming of the
wOodman.
Her needles, sharp and FURNISHED
glistened in the morning sun. Hel
branches radiant with a myriad oil
snow crystals, swayed gently to and
fro to the cadence of the wind that
whi stled merrily through the forest
The Christmas Tree had heard the
echoes of the grand and glorious
career that might come to her. as in
times gOne.by they had come to heI
ancestors a career in which she
would reign supreme, worshiped 10y
that human race that lived in the
distance. The telltale birds had sung
the secrets of the yuletide hearth, and
the warm Chinook wind had whis-
pered the joy of being loved. and the
old cedar near by, majestically tower.
ing aloft, whose vision it WAS said
could penetrate the distant lands and
cities teeming with humankind, had
told her many tale Of the grandeur
of the life that might be hers-of the
spangles that would deck her limbs, oI
the brilliant colorings with which she
would be furnished, aud all the adora.
tion OF multitudes.
Only the squirrel, chattering pessi-
mist that he WAS, lifted q warning tail.
Beware" he said, "for man is
treacherous. l who move about on
the tops of trees have seen him and
know. Shrink from his sight, little
girl, and be content with the simple
life Nature has ordained for thee"
But the Christmas Tree laughed 10
scorn at the voice OF the squirrel.
With hope strong in her rugged and
piney heart, she waited for the wood.
man. She spread her branches Out
and plumed herself in joyous antici'
patton, aud sang a song OF welcome:
Fair am |, o woodman,
And good to look upon.
The mountain winds have Drowned my
limbs, and
The kindly frost has nourished me.
No brother nor sister has my sympathy
o look upon me with favor.
Come with keen AK,
And sever me from earth!
| shall not mind the pain, nor moan, be
cause of the sweetness to come.
Bear me off to the haunts of men.
For l would be worshiped and glori
fed"
And anon the woodmsn came. With
critical eye he gazed upon the Christ
mas Tree and saw that her song was q
true song. And be lifted the AK ant
the forest resounied with the blows.
Goodbye" said the old cedar, ii
he waved . lofty adleu. Much love
awaits you and much glory. Goodbye
little girl, and make the most Of it,"
"Good.bye," said the squirrel, and
tear glistened in his eye, but he salt
no more, for he knew that it was use
less.
Over the rugged roads and through
the long rows of streets travelled th'
Christmas Tree, until for Q time sh'
rested with many others. Then sh
was taken up with tender and loving
hands and borne TO o brilliantly-light
ed interior.
How all the lights glistened! He
poor stump, the one unhandsom'
thing about her, was covered with I
soft, white cloth and then she fount
herself erect and ready to be trimmed
Her career had begun.
"How beautiful" said one, as sh
gazed admiringly upon her perfec
proportions.
"What a fine green it has," SAT-
another. "Just wait until we hav
finished and then what gloriou
sight it will be-"
The Christmas Tree swelled will
pride, and could scarcely believe he
senses, as she saw the countless decor
atoms that would be hers. The end
of the world had indeed been searche
to make her beautiful.
From the South the fields OF cOttoI
yielded to her their fruitage. From
the North, East and West came rit
bons, glass, shining tinsel, and painte
curios.
All the world paid her tribute. Ho'
poor indeed was common old Nature
work to these trappings. In colo
how frugal, in variety how scant! Jac
Frost could only paint her white, an
the best the sun could do was to max
her Q dull green. But here, with
few touch es, were all the colors OF th
rainbow. And then added to tn
pleasure came the candles with the
manifold brillisncy.
|, The Christmas Tree grew heavy wit
Joy. She had indeed reached I'll
summit OF her ambition. Little chile
rem cried out rapturously as they b,
held her enhancing beauty. Ol
men admired her with gestures I
approval: potentate and plebeian, ric
and poor, the strong and the weak, a
gave their worship. The world wi
~ her feet.
So intoxicated was she with tn
wonderful pleasure. that the hou'
, flew by needlessly. It had never o.
CURED TO her that it would ever stoI
Buy by.and.by she became consciot
of the heat. II seemed TO stiie be
She missed also the pure air OF h'
native home. Then, one by one, I'll
candles began to 60 out.
at is time TO 60 to Sleep" she SAT-
"All the world must sleep. as we'll
1. But tomorrow my joy will aga
, be renewed"
II So she tried to compose herse
But there WAS no sleep for the Chris
/ mas Tree that night. She felt b
needles, once so fine aud sharp, bur
ished by sun and wind, grow weake
and one by one fall silently to Il
> floor. Her wound troubled her grea
{ ". Her limbs, bent with the wsigl
!. Of 90 much finery. groaned with agon
She thought of the old cedar 81
, the fiseting birds. After all, only Il
3 squirrel was right. the noisy squire
, that clown of the woods. He had
deed struck the truest note.
II The Chistmas Tree was dying.
| the morning they came and tore