Gunnison news-champion., 1920-01-02
the HOLIDAY SPIRIT;
4 CHRISTMAS FANCY

ths great shops. 0ed from the
market places and from every
habitat Of mas until be came % the
quiet little sunlit path that runs
through the deep wood
When be was yet afar o6 the most
perfect Fir Tree In all the forest called
gayly to the Great Oak at hes side.
-Christma, Il coming-'
YEA" answered the big oak but
there u something wrong. See bow
he halts at the end Of the path. stoop
ing n n the load OF the worlds soe-
row lay upon his shoulder Bee how
be comes now. with all the giadness
gone from his step"
II was quite true. Christmas Spirit
came toward the most perfect Fir Trcs
in the wood With lagg.ay step. looking
away through the forest with sad and
troubled eyes.
'Why. what b the matter. Christ
masY' called the Fir Tree
There was no answer. The foriorn
foot Of the FIR Tree. but still there was
no answer
Tell me about II all. Christmas." In
vifed the Fir Tree in q voice vibrant
with sympatAy.
Il have been over the wide world I
have knocked at the door of every
heart. and no one has opened to me- !
am forgotten. and there II 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.
~ have been 10 the home Of men and
stood no close to them that could lay
q finger on their naked hearts. but they
did not stir At my touch. They looked
me squnrely in the eye. and these are
the things they said to some woman In
their homes: Don't break me- 7 shall
be months paying the bills you are
making Christmas II Q nuisance
'Confound this custom Of giving pres
ents anyway
These are the things they said while
they looked into my eyes. and all the
while my hands lay frozen against
their hearts.
~ went and stood beside the women
in many. many homes. and they booked.
through me. as though was not One
beautiful lady ] think Of now In par.
ticular. Oh. ! wanted q place In her
heart and knocked loud and long. but
the door did not open 10 much a. q
crack for me to enter. She looked into
my eyes and said: ! wonder what Mn.
Brown paid for that bag she save ne
last year. II looked like cheap thing.
and shall not spend much money on
her. And again. 1t In awful 10 Just
have to make gifts to people you do
not care Q thing about
.N0 one loves me. and cannot live
without love. and 20 I shall de-" sob
bed Christmas Spirit to the Fir Tree.
christmas has come to be just . big
exchange desk. where people give to
those whom they know will give to
them and grumble In the giving"
~Come closer" 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.
1--WE must dnd the most perfect tree
In all the forest. for none other will
do.' said the nrst woman
s.Yes.' said the second woman. for
the child has no one to bring Christ.
mae Gnlrit IN hap mn nelnflvoa nm
friends. no one to care
They talked on and on until the
story Of the little crippled child for
whom they were preparing q joyous
Christmas came out She was nothing
b them, bat 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 aRed father. who
worked bis fingers almost to the bone
IN years gone By to give his boy an
education Now be b very feeble. al.
most down the western slope. and his
son-who will always be Just little
boy te the old man-is going back to
the little country village to spend
portion Of the holidays with him and
lift the veil Of iopeiiness from his soul
He has planned some wonderful sur
prises for the lonely old man away
back there In the country" ended the
Fir Tree.
''Oh. has her exclaimed Christmas.
no longer forlorn little figure. but
happy. happy spirit
II am going away next week to be
decked for the little crippled child"
laughed the Fir Tree when Christmas
Spirit stopped mid his mad dance Of
JOY. And am going across the whole
world. and shall knock % earnestly
at the heart Of every human being that
no one can TAIL to open wide the inner
door. to Christmas Spirit" called the