Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-12-31
THE STORY OF THE
CHRISTMAS TREE
BY viaao Toepfer.

Copyright, 1909, by w. X. Hearst.)
In a corner of the yard stood ar old
sawhorse. 1t had stood there for many
years among a lot of other old things,
| which, having been useful in many
| different ways, had worn out and no
longer were of any use.
The old sawhorse had a long history.
1t had seen bad days n grand days,
| and now that it had grown old and
shaky and stood idle in its corner, 1t
had plenty of time TO think of days
long one by.
The corner had just received another
inhabitant-a beautiful young spruce
tree.
1t was always a great event when a
new member was added to the society
in the corner All the old inmates
frightened up and began to whisper
| among themselves. But the spruce did
| not feel at home at all. 1t stood proud
/ and straight and stiff, and looked down
| upon all the others, n it was easily
seen that it wished itself far away.
Where dc you come from" asked
the old sawhorse. You look so young
and pretty; tell us the history of your
life
But the spruce did not move. 1t was
sad and melancholy for having been
thrown in among all his old rubbish.
What an insolent, stuck-up crea-
ture," Kissed an old. rusty pot He
imagines he is somebody, but wait a
little. He will soon change his mind
when he has been here some time"
Now, do not judge him so harShly,
Blacky. You iron things are always so
hard" whispered an old broomstick.
This is because We have. been
through both fire and water, but such
a dude, who comes %sneaking into our
society, should not be so stuck up that
he can't even answer a decent ques-
ton"
Il don't think he is stuck up at ALL"
said the old sawhorse. TT is only be-
cause he is down-hearted and embar-
raised that he did not answer-and,
really, you can't expect hat he should
feel at home right away among
strangers. | remember very well when
Mr.. BrOomstiCk and Mr.. Pot first came
here, after the one had been used to
dancing over the polished floor and the
other to a place of honor on the shin
ing stove. You were quite out of sorts,
too. Now you are used to being here,
and Mr.. Spruce Will soon begin to feel
at home, too"
The spruce had been listening, and
it's branches trembled at the idea of
staying in the corner forever, but see
ing that there was no chance of get
ting away, 1T made up it's mind that 1t
might as well make friends with it's
neighbors. -..
1t leaned heavily against the old
sawhorse, whose legs shook under it's
weight, and whispered: shall l tell
you a little OF my eXp~eriences?"
Sure you shall" ratified the pot in
It's hoarse voice.
The pruce began to tell, while all the
others listened.
II was born far away from here, in a
beautiful forest in the A~dirondacks.
Surrounded on all sides by the most
beautiful little baby oak trees, l grew
up while the years passed by. When it
was summer the whole forest was
dressed in green, and the little birds
flew around among our branches n
built their nests and brought up their
children. From the early forming they
filed the air with their songs, and the
rays of the sun kissed our leaves, which
the night had covered with diamonds
Of dew. All day long we were happy
and cheerful. And then, when darkness
fell, and the little birds slept with their
heads under their wings, we all rested
in peace until another morning daWned.
And when it was winter n the snow
had covered all with it's beautiful white
mantle, / alone stood green, still more
green aSd handsome than in the sum-
mer, and all the little oaks admired my
beauty when their own green clothes
had faded and dropped off. Then one
day something happened. The snow
had trimmed my green dress with it's
white ermine and | was proud n
happy, when a man with an ak walked
up to me.
Here is one that suits me-" / heard
him say, and a moment after his AK c6t
into my body M / fell trembling down
among the little oaks. This was my
last day in the dear old home. for when
] woke up again / stood in a large room
and busy hands were decorating me
with tinCel and cnn11aC A ND than oil
the candles were lighted, and while the
little children danced around me /
heard a lovely Christmas hymn sung
by their dear little voices.
And when the song had ceased /
still stood there admired by alI-but
soon the candles burned down, one af-
ter the other, and when all again was
dark I felt SO lonesome and homesick,
and cried at the thought of my little
comrades in the forest. For a week l
stood tberebut then all the nice things
were picked off again, and I was
thrown down in this corner of the
yard" And the spruce trembled all
over and sighed in fear of the days that
were to come.
1t was not the first time the old saw
horse had heard such q tale, Every
year it. had heard it repeated. and It
had always tried to cheer up the poor
Christmas tree during the time 1t
stayed in the corner. But it knew very
well that the beautiful spruce, that a
few days 6 stood in it's green dress
in the great forest, in a few days would
be broken and cut to pieces in the wood
shed
Dark, heavy clouds came up, and the
snow began to fall, and the spruce was
once more covered with the white
mantle, which made il think of its old
never to be forgotten home in the beau
tiful mountain forest.
Town Painting.