The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1914-12-15
The HOLIDAY SPIRIT;
A CHRISTMAS FANCY

throuGn the deep WOOu.
When he was yet afar OF the most
perfect Fir Tree In all the forest called
Rayly to the Great Oak at her side.
~Chrlstmas is comingr'
eyes" answered the big oak, "but
there is something wrong. See how
he halts at the end Of the path, stoop-
ing as II the load OF the worlds sor.
row lay upon his shoulders See how
he comes now, with all the gladness
gone from his step"
It was quite true. Christmas Spirit
came toward the most perfect Fir Tree
IN the wood with tagging step, looking
away through the forest with sad and
troubled eyes.
"Why, what is the matter. Christ
mas7" called the Fir Tree.
There was no answer. The forIorn
figure sat down on a fallen log at the
foot Of the Fir Tree; but still there was
no answer.
Tell me about it oil, Christmas" in.
v1ted the Fir Tree In a voice vibrant
with sympathy. -
II have been over the wide world.
have knocked at the door Of every
heart, and no one has opened TO me.
am forgotten, and there is no one who
loves me-" he said
every hearth questioned the Fir
Tree incredulously.
''No, but many, many hearts, and
they are all alike" he compromised.
II have been in the home of men and
stood so close to them that could lay
a finger on their naked hearts, but they
did not stir at my touch. They looked
me squarely in the eye, and these are
the things they said to some woman in
their homes: Don't break me- I shall
be months paying the bills you are
making christmas is a nuisance
'Confound this custom OF giving pres
ents anyway
'aThese are the things they said while
they looked into my eyes. and all the
while my hands lay frozen against
their hearts
81 went and stood beside the women
In many. many homes, and they looked
through me as though l was not. One
beautiful lady l think of now in par
ticuar Oh. wanted a place In her
heart. and knocked loud and long, but
the door did not open so much as d
crack for me to enter. She looked Into
my eyes and said: Il wonder what Mrs.
Brown paid for that bag she gave me
last year. II looked like cheap thing.
and shall not spend much money on
her And again, 1t Is awful to just
have to make gifts to people you do
not care thing about
''No one loves me. aud cannot live
without love. and so I shall die" sob
bed Christmas Spirit to the FIR Tree
''Christmas has come to be Just a big
exchange desk, where people give to
those whom they know viii give to
them and grumble ia the giving"
"Come cIoser,r whispered the Fir
Tree II have something to tell you.
"a woman came to the heart OF the
wood yesterday" said the Fir Tree.
"'and with her there was another wo
man.
We must lind the most perfect tree
IN all the forest. for none other will
do said the FIRST woman.
Yes said the second woman. for
the child has no one to bring Christ
mas Spirit to her. no relatives, no
friends. no one to care
'.They talked on and on until the
story OF the little crippled child for
whom they were preparing a Joyous
Christmas came out She was nothing
% them, but she was alone and not like
other children.
"a party OF men were walking
through the wood last Sunday" went
on the Fir Tree, for Christmas Spirit
had stopped sobbing now and was lis
tening intently.
zone. of these men was telling the
others about his aged father, who
worked bis fingers almost to the bone
! IN years gone by to give his boy an
education. Now he is very feeble, al
most down the western slope. and his
son-who viii always be Just a little
boy to the old MANS going back to
the little country village to spend a
portion of the holidays with him and
Aul Inc ven VI lOuclucoo AGOuA uAb bOui'
He has planned some wonderful sur
prises for the lonely old man away
back there In the country" ended the
Tr Trea
r0h, has bel" exclaimed Christmas.
no longer a forlorn little figure, but
happy. happy spirit
Il am going away next week 70 be
6ecxed FOR the little crippled child"
iaughed the Fir Tree when Christmas
Nulrtt stopped mid his mad dance OF
Soy. aAnd am going across the whole
world. and shall knock 30 earnestly
Al the heart OF every human being that
no one can fail 10 open wide the inner
1oors TO Christmas Spirit" called the
little hgure Of Christmas Joy az he
danced away toward the edge OF the
wood and the cities and towns beyond
Julia Chandler Manz in Bufalo EH'
press.
s. Profit and Loss At Christmas
ola Lady-what's the matter with