The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-12-17

branches Of the tree. lower down, how
thick the books begin 10 hnnG-tlln
books. In themselves NJ first hut many
,f them. with deliciously smooth covers
Of bright red and green
"A was an archer and shot M frog. '
or course be was He was IN apple
pie also. and there he vs. He WAS p
good many things in his time, was A,
and so were most Of his friends. except
Y. who bad 80 little versatility that |
never knew him to get beyond Aerxes
or Xaniippe
But now the very tree itself changes
and becomes a beanstalk. the marvel
Gus beanstalk by which Jack climbed
up to the giants house
Good for Christmas time is the rud-
DIV color OF the cloak In which. the tree
making IA forest of itself for her to
trip through with her basket. Little Red
Riding Hood comes 10 me one Christ
mas eve to give me information OF the
cruelty and treacbery Of that dissenl'
bling wolf who ate her grandmother
without making any impression on his
appetite and then ate her after max
ing that ferocious joke about his teeth
She WIS my first love. | felt that II
| could have married Little Red Rid
ing Hood | should have known perfect
bliss But II was not 10 be. and there
was nothing for il but 10 look for the
wolf in the Noah's ark there and put
him last in the procession on the table
as a monster who was to be degraded
Oh. the wonderful Noah's ark II
was not found sea worthy when put IN
q washing tub, and the animals were
crammed In at the roof aud needed 70
have their legs well shaken down be
fore they could be got in even there,
and then ten to one they began to tun.'
BILE out at the door. which was but I'M
perfectly fastened with a wire latch
But what was that against it!
Again n forest and somebody up in
n tree-not Robin Hood, not Valentine
not the Yellow Dwarf: ! have passed
these and all Mother Bunch's wonders
without mention but an eastern Hing
with the glittering scimitar aud tur
ban. Ii is the setting in Of the bright
Arabian Nights.
Oh. now all common things become
uncommon and quite enchanted to me-
All lamps are most wonderful. All
rings are taislnans. Common flower
pots are full of treasure. with little
earth scattered on the top; trees are for
Ali Bahia to hide in; beefsteaks are IL
throw down into the Valley OF Ola
monds. that the precious stones may
stick to them and be carried by the
eagles TO their nests. whence the trad
ers. with loud cries. will scare them,
All the dates imported come from the
same tree as that unlucky one with
whose shell the merchant knocked out
the eve OF the genies invisible son.
Bnt, bark. The waits are playing
and they break my childish sleep
What images do ] associate with the
Christmas music as ] see them sci
forth on the Christmas tree! Known
before all the others. keeping far apar,
from all the others. they gather round
nv little bed-an angel. speaking u
a group of shepherds 10 field; some
travellers. with eyes uplifted. following
q star; a baby In manger; child In
spacious temple. talking with great
men; solemn figure. with mild and
beautiful face. raising dead girl by
the hand: again. near city gate call
ing back the son Of widow on his
bier to life: a crowd Of people looking
through the open roof Of chamber
where he sits and letting down q sick
person on bed with ropes; the same
In tempest, walking on the waters
In ship again, on seashore, teach
ing q great multitude; again, with n
child upon his knee and other children
around; again. restoring sight to the
blind. speech to the dumb, hearing t.
the deaf. health to the sick. strength
to the lame. knowledge to the ignorant;
again. dying upon cross, watched by
armed soldiers. a darkness coming on
the earth beginning to shake and only
one voice heard. Forgive them. for
they know not what they do!'
Encircled by the social thoughts oil
Christmas time, still let the benignanl
figure OF my childhood stand unchang
ed! In every cheerful image and sug
gestion that the season brings may
the bright star that rested above the
poor roof be the star Of all the Chris
tan world,
A moments pause. o vanishing tree
Of which the lower boughs are dark q
me yet. and let me look once more
know there are blank spaces on thy
branches. where eyes that ! have loved
have shone and smiled. from which
they are departed But far above
see the raiser OF the dead girl and the
widows son-apd God is good