The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-12-20
NE COLD winter night the
snow was gently falling on
the pine trees of the for
oct Thnc toll cfafolu

trees stood very straight
and still on this cold night BY and
by the tailest 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
l may he good enough that they will
want me for some great ship, and then
shall have 4 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 a
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 in my branches and
sing to me all the time of the beauties
and wonders of the world. Then, too,
the starbeams, 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 trembled fer
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 its white blanket.
Wont you please ask the Starbeam
to tell us 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 l 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, Jo-
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 at 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 it's mother,
Mary, laid him in a manger on some
nice clean straw.
Away off in the East, the Brightest
Star appeared He had rever 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 CO. 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
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
he poor.
THAT is all of the story, and it is
dme for me t0be going" and the Star
beam went gayly ON, dancing over the
ops of the trees.