Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-10
BY FRANKLIN p. ADAMS
HOW TO LIGHT THE CHRISTMAS TREE
By G. ree Itch

DOSSIBLY you are unacquainted with Ben.
= thought 1t might hurt his vanity if he knew
you had never heard of him; but l suspected you
wouldn't have Ben is father. So am l. In other
nconsequenal details alike; but fundamentally
we are as dlsslmar as two peas in pod-wait mo-
ment, please-as two peas in pod are from a 1912
touring Rather good Sime that, though Ben
wouldn't think So This shows you the bgotry of the
Ben and fathers, then. Our offsprings are re-
spectvey two and two years old. That's odd way of
putting it. Ben wouldn't think SO; which shows how
scant his literary appreciation is
Mrs Ben is lovely woman; but she is absolute
monarch When she tells Ben to do thing the thing
is good promised to be done Mrs Ben calling
Letitia afternoon, and the question of Christ
trees up 1t came up in the ninth inning
after Clothes, the Servant Question "The Story of
Clementina' Mary Garden and the debate to which
husband was the worse business had been attend
well have the get the trees and help trim
them," said my Letitia, 3and we'll have it in house,
and the boys first Christmas tree will be in partner
Mrs Ben thought it fine idea and told Ben
who nvertebrate and mollusk that he is, agreed with
her. If he had only set his foot down the start the
thing would have been quashed; but he was
thusasc about it, and when the three of them told
about it, what could do but say yes it would be fine?
couldn't say anything so said, ayes, that will be
fine"
The day before Christmas Eve, Ben called me on
the telephone. "Let's 60 out and get that tree he
said.
l the most obligng of men; so 1 assented. l
called for him at his office.
"Where shall we get the tree?' asked Ben.
Il had been thinking" l responded, "that might
enter ewery and, going the clerk, ask for the
fir department. If he said they had fir trees we
might try photograph gallery that fails, might,
in the last extremity go out in the woods and get
Frequently, have read trees to be found growing
in woods, and"
"Ah," said Ben, "what lot you do know about for
estry!"
never know when the man is sarcastic II do know
something about it., said modestly ignoring his weak
attempt, "and let's go out and get tree"
We walked to the woods. My automobile was being
repaired the magnetic having alenated the affections
of the spark plug so walked. 1t was stroll of
little less than eghtysx miles We reached the forest.
What woods supposed to be full of, don't know.
1t is This the best forest in the country,
and there weren't SIX trees IN It, 1t wasn't what
would call an Impenetrable Forest.
"Well," said Ben, Il no Clifford Pinchot exc
John Burroughs; but l do believe that there
many trees in jewelry store in the forest Be it
distant from me- however, to advise graduate wood
man."
"Worse than senseess block" countered. @What
want is tree Here six. We have embar-
rasSnent Our task is merely selectlve. That tree,
should say, is the best for purpose"
| will not bore the reader with the ridiculous objec-
tons the made to my choice. He was for another
tree, misses size pine Finally l acceded.
"Well," said, "now that have found tree, let
us cut it down."
He gazed at me. 1t long Marathon gaze
don't know what the standing broad gaze record for
Illinois, but Ben broke it.
ayes, he said about twelve years later "let Give