River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-12-23

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SsS9sR51a3 the pine trees Of the for
N&3E&S est. These tall, stately
trees stood very straight
and still on this cold night. BY ard
by the talleat and the Oldest Of them
said:
How happy | shall be when at last
] am strong enough and tall enough to
be cut down by the wood cutters. !
hope when they do cut me down that
/ may be good enough that they will
want me for some great ship, and then
/ shall have q chance to sail the seas"
What do you know about ships and
the seas?" asked little pine tree who
stood at the foot Of the tall one.
The stately tree bent his branches
very little and looked down at the
small tree, at his feet.
II have heard many stories Of the
seas, and the ships that sail on them,
for the birds sit il my branches and
sing to me all the time of the beauties
and wonders of the world. Then, too,
the starbcams, who are much older
than the birds, have some truly won
derful tales to tell of things that they
have seen in their trips around the
world There is the Starbeam Of the
Brightest Star, just peeping over the
hilltop. He can tell some truly won
derful tales"
The little pine tree tTembled for
very Joy. This was his first winter In
the forest, and these things were all
new to him. just as was the snow that
was covering his roots, and making
them all warm with it's white blanket.
Wont you please ask the Starbeam
to tell us a story?' asked the little
pine
Let us ask him to tell us again the
Christmas story" said another Of the
older pines, the one he told US last
year"
So, when the Starbeam came over
and rested gently on the tallest pine,
he asked it to tell again the Story of
the First Christmas.
Il love to tell this story best Of all
stories that | know" said the little
Starbeam.
Once upon time long time ago,
long before even the oldest pine trees
here began to grow, a beautiful wom-
an, named Mary, and her husband, 10
seph, went on journey to little city
called Bethlehem. All the people in
that country went to this same city, to
pay their taxes, and when Mary and
Joseph got there, they found so many
people, that there was no room left
for them az the inn The only place
where they could find shelter was in a
stable, and here they went That night
a little babe was born, and its mother,
Mary, laid him i'll a maAger on some
nice clean straw.
Away off in the East, the Brightest
Star appeared. He had never been
seen before, and some wise men who
knew that this was the time for the
babe to be born, saw the Brightest
Star as they started out to find the
babe. All their long journey the Bright
est Star kept just in front of them to
show them the way to go, and when
they rested at night, the Brightest
Star would rest too and wait for them.
At last they reached the city of Beth
lehem, and found the little babe in the
manager with his mother by his side.
These wise men had brought some
very costly gifts to this babe and it
is the birthday Of this babe that is
celebrated every Christmas, and it is
in his memory that gifts are given to
the poor.
That is all of the story, and il is
time for me to be going" and the Star
beam went gayly on, dancing over the
tops of the trees.