The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1906-12-21

swaying branches and lighting the
little candles.
Betty listened, painfully intent.
Then, with a sob and a shiver, she
stumbled on. Sle put her hand in her
pocket tor her handkerchief, but she
had lost it.
She imagined she was retracing her
steps, and cropping desperately in the
unknown dark she hurried on. often
knocking against low bows and some
times falling over half buried roots.
Finally she tripped on fallen limb,
and, bruised and half frozen, the poor
child was too tired to rise.
When she opened her eyes she was
staring at light, distant and twink
ling, but bright and reassuring. She
was spellbound, no other thought oc.
curing to her than that it was q
lighted Christmas tree. She rose like
one hypnotized and made her way
steadily toward the light, as though
drawn by magnet.
The woods were more open now,
and fear and cold were forgotten, as
the child was conscious of nothing
else in the world but the tree, which
she expected to see any moment below
the guiding light. After walking
much further than she knew she stop.
ped-for she was within reach of q
real, trimmed Christmas tree! Not
the great, glimmering one of her i'm
agination, but small tree, blossoming
with all the strange fruit Of the sea-
son-popcorn, red, white and pink;
striped candy canes and baskets, shin.
ing balls and angels, and little red
candles twinkling from the tips OF he
branches.
Not until there was sudden open.
ing of an inner door and merry burst
of childish laughter did Bette realize
that her face was pressed against q
window, her fascinated eyes gazing into
a room glorified by the tree OF Christ,
whose far reaching light had led her
from the dark woods to this cheerful
little refuge.
By and by the father opened the
front door and came out to shut the
blinds. As he reached up he stumb.
led over little figure huddled in the
snow.
"Bless me, what's here7" be exclaim-
ed, bending over the half-frozen
child.
"It's me-" murmored Bette, drow-
silly.
"Where have you come from?
What are you doing out this time of
nightT'
81 was trying to find the forest Of
trimmed Christmas trees" whispered
Bette.
The husband and wife exchanged
an alarmed glance, for they thought
the poor child 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 you get warm and fed"
1t was not a very ineligible tale,
but the mother nodded and smiled
looking at the chlld's neat clothing
and her honest eyes. She seemed to
be able to fill all omissions in the
story.
If only Jack could see that tree,'
Bette murmured, as she feel asleep.
X y 4 x
1t was Christmas night, and the lit
tie kitchen back of the shop was full
Of happiness. Tom, chastened and
thankful, lowered around Betty, while
Jacks eyes never left the little girl.
The father was content to hear her
voice and to forget all the anxiety OF
the preceding night. The good man
into whose hands Betty had fallen had
not returned alone from his errand to
her troubled family, for the frantic
father had accompanied him, and sat
by Bette, sleeping serenely in the
strange bed.
A rap at the outer door summoned
the father, who left the kitchen, care
fully closing the door. The children
were in high spirits, and it did not
seem long before their father returned
He lifted Jack in his arms, and sober.
ly turned to Tom and Bettie:-
II need this room for business
You children must 60 into the shop
He threw opon the door as the little
group reached the threshold.
There was ? profound silence, ther
Jimmy" yelled Tom.
"Is it real?" whispered Bette, while