Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-24

gigantic tree. whose branches are COW
cred with burn ng candles, some standing
erect others upside down, and on the top
the vision of child with halo around
his curly head. The knight asked the
Pope for an explanation. He declared that
the tree represented mankind, the chlld
the Savior. and the candles good and bad
human beings.
1; X
From the trend of the traditions it is
evident that there was a desire to repre-
sent the pagan Christian tree of life,
which caused several of the nations to
establish a Christmas tree. In this age
there was scarcely a country that did
not produce a legend ella ming the ORIGIN
OF the Christmas tree. Two of the most
popular ones. having no association. how
ever. with those of the tree Of life, come
from Germany one credits Martin L-uth
or with its invention.
..One bright Christmas eve, the Ger
mans say, as Luther was Journeylns
home through a snow-covered country, he
was more than ever struck by the Won
Grous spectacle of the star-lit SKY. lie
arrived home with brain and heart Iuli
of the feelings and thoughts that mad
been inspired in him by the armament
of shining stars He tried to explain to
his wife and children just what those
thoughts and feel ngs were. suddenly an
idea o CURED TO him. Going to the garden
ne cut off a little fir tree. dragged 1t into
the nursery, put some candles into its
branches and | GIFTED them. Ever after
that Luther fixed up Christmas tree
in his home for the instruction and enter
tainment of his wife and children
X
With the other German legend arrives
the first authentic knowledge OF the use
bric &c a
manuscript in a German library written
by a citizen Of Strassburg. in 1893, which
describes the present-ladened and illurni-
mated tree d prominent feature Of the
Christmas festivities of that city. There
fore the S.rassburg legend because Of this
record holds perhaps more interest than
any of the others.
Between Strassburg and Drusenheim
stand the ruins of q castle Of the seventh
century Its chief feature is the massive
gate and sunken deeply and clearly in
the stone arch above il IS the impress OF
a small hand.
The great delight of ii lord of the cas-
tie Count Otto Won Gorges. a handsome
youth was hunting big game writes
the chronicier. 80 devoted was he to
the sport that love could find no entrance
in his heart. In vain did the ia.rest maid
ems sigh for soft speech or a tender
glance. so they spItefui.y gave him the
name OF Stonyheart
But Count Otto only laughed al their
anger one Chr stmas eve he ordered
that a monster hunt should take place In
the forest surrounding his castle. AT
nightfau ne found himself separated from
his friends. lie refined up beside far
away spring known to the country as
the Fairy's Well. His hands being STAIN
ed with the blood Of the hunt, he washed
them in the spring, and thereupon de-
lightful feeling ran through his veins.
Plunging his arms deep INTO the warm
water, he felt his right hand grasped by
another softer and smaller than his own,
which gently drew a gold ring from his
finger. The count was annoyed by his
loss He rode back to the castle, resolv-
ing that in the morning he would have
his servants empty the Fairys Well.
4
THAT night he tried in vain to close
his eyes. Suddenly he heard distinctly
the creaking of the dra wbridge as il was
the patter of many feet IN the chamber
next to his own. He softly rose dressed
and entered the next room, where he
found himself in the midst of merry as.
semblage of little men and women.
I'm the middle of the room stood &
Christmas tree, brilliant with many-col
ored lights Never did Christmas tire,
hear such fruits. The branches were huns
with diamond stars and crosses, pear
necklaces aigrettes of rubies and sap
phires, baldrics embroidered with ori
entail pears and DAG ers mounted IL
.fJd and studded with the 1areS st of gems
'''rhere WAS "A sudden movement at tn