The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-21
rHE CHRIs.IAs TREE.

What has become OF the Chris ma
| tree2 -.
brings so clearly the old Back fonder-
was little brick church " IN n Wnit9
steeple and a sonorous bell. AUD IN me
days when all the geese We're swans a,u
| the pot of gold yet at the enc or the
rainbow and God heard the little pray er
you said at night. and saw and was sorry
| for the mean things you did through nc
| day, why. there used to be Chris mas
tree each year in the little brick churSh
with the white steepie and the deep-toned
pelI.
And never since was a tree like unto ~.
The big boys brought it from Pine creek
and put il in place on the church r3s-
| trum: and the big girls festooned Il with
gay colored paper ropes and popcorn
/ snowflakes. and adorned Il with shining
tinsel stars; and they hung the gifts upon
it or heaped the heavier presents around
its base. and when the hundred candles
were lighted among its branches IL was q
tree I'm the wonderful garden or Aladdln
to the youngsters and a foretaste OF Apr-
calyptic glory to the elders
And the Sunday school sang % Bethle-
/ hem and the superintendent led IN pray
/ er and the circuit rider told in simple
I language the story of the Wise Men who
came out OF the east Ana thsh mere W.
/ a jingle of sleigh bells and old santa
Claus came in At the door and up the
aisle in furry snowflaked coat and-0t an
/ things-he began taking presents OF tie
| tree and gave them away. right and left.
and Ev-erybody-got pres
ent. Wool socks went TO the right old man
The right boy got drum and the
trumpet and the jumpin jack. The right
girl got the gold ring and toilet set and
the candy peach. The right young man
got the silk handkerchief Of Persian rug
pattern and the long scarf knitted in
shen-stitch Of brilliant colored yarn. re
got a new suit and his wife blacS-stun
dress pattern Lawsy, lawsy. but that
tree was fine,
Wonder if chere is anything like Il now2
II there is. IT is back in a country neigh
borhood where folks rejoice and sorrow
together and every ncighbOr Is as dear
as a relation and each life IS like q page
in an open book: out in the country
where they still have quiltin's and Change
settin' eggs and trade work and loan The
sausage mill and come over before break
fast to borrow cup OF sugar cause pa
was busy and didn't get to town yester-
DAY but hes eoin' today. back In the
country where folks IS just folks Don't
smoker, God made the country ami His
| smiling providence is upon and around
| country people.
And If you are approaching Christmas
time with a crouch. and being asked for
feel like hell-before- breakfast. think OF
your own Christmas time OF life when
every goose was swan and God really
listened to your prayers. and smile and
if you do have the auarter-looscu upf-
E. z. X. in the Toronto Republican
KIND WORDS FOR THE LIVING.
1t may be pleasant to think friends will
gather around our body after death has
done its work, and drop perhaps a rev .
real tears Of sorrow and give the pocr@
body Christian burial but how much mora
pleasant il would be IL they would givei
Christian thought attention and yes.
Christian duty to us while we live. II
we would give them smiles. and flowers
while they live those who witness our
1 tears at their death would at least have
more faith in our grief. II is well 70 re-
member and honor the dead hue IL would
eb much better IL the honor was not en-
tirely posthumous. The time 10 carry
flowers is when they can be seen and
handled. when their frag -ance can be in--
hailed and their beauty enjoyed. Kind
words should be spoken I'm The ears OF che
living rather than uttered over the coffin
of the dead.-Norton County News.