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Show The Wonderful i Tree i By Christopher G. Hazard ti, lilt. Western Newepeper Union.) j r STOOD In tho corner of a rather ( needy room. It was festooned with strings of popcorn nnd cables of cranberries. cran-berries. Wisps of tlssuo paper and tinsel ornaments were out upon the branches, and small candles stood ready to lllumlnnte tho occasion. Thcro wero many Invisible things upon the tree, too. Tho Imaginations of the children hnd been as busy as their dreams. Family resources may bo limited, but there are no bounds In the realms of Santn Claus and hope. In the magical Christmas time tho clouds JL of poverty nro ull as glided and beau- j tlful as any sunset enn furnish. Any- thing may hnppcn then. Cinderella Is us hopeful as her mora favored sin- ters: not nn urchin but hns nn expect- nnt eye. So the Tnnncr Christmas tree I wns as beautiful as n picture und as y full of presents ns a picture could be. B But, however pictured by fnncy Hnd I made of good wishes, tho presents wero H nil Invisible. No one could see whnt K was In tho heMs of tho dreamers nnd the hearts of tho anxious but needy B providers. For weeks the mill had B been closed, and now tho family pock- etbook was about empty. Father Tan ffj ncr looked ut the tree, could not see H a gift on It, nud shook his bead. Moth- B cr Tanner was Inclined to make thu Bj best of It. Yes, tho tree was ono of the family. Bj It had been tho tree of last year's I Christians nnd the tree of tho year be- Bj foro that It was a tree that kept Its H evergreen habit and that did not seem Bj to grow old. It was like a living tree, made to bring forth Its fruit every year. It had been so good to them that they had named It Bounty. And now It stood thero In the dark, all dressed up, but with nothing but blossoms, without nny fruit. It could sec the hurrying children running to their morning disappointment. It could henr their cries of surprise and chngrln. Silly Sam, moro needy of amusement thnn the others, would look M In vuln for his expected go-enrt; Sua Wt would miss the two dress pntterns for Bj her big doll, her now lint nnd high chair for her little doll; Bill Tanner would not get his skates; Dick would still need a sled. It was anything but n merry tree. But It wns a wonderful tree. It hnd a power of ranking itself felt ull over a neighborhood. It could summon Sun-tn Sun-tn Clnus by n kind of wireless message that went through walls and everything. every-thing. It reached as far as the folks who were huOng a Christmas ovo party two blorfcs away and mnde them think of Mr. Folsom'a mill boss nnd Mrs. Folsoms laundry womnn. They hnd been wishing for somo now fun for their party thnt dny and now It ""Bef came Into their heads to go over and JuJ be Santa for tho Tanners. So tho tree , ! drew a very silent but very busy com- 1 pnny to the Tanners' back door. 1 I As th children had loft directions I for Santa on the table It was easy to I find out whnt tho tree wns expected to ' do, so, presently, It did It- Thero wns , more, too, than orders for tho wnnted B things; the merrymakers hnd brought I with them enough to satisfy nny rcn- fl sonnblo tree ; thoro wero plcturo books, I picture puzzles, gnines, n scissors grinder thnt could tnnkc the spnrks BJ fly, a train of cars that could go, a doll that could say "mama," and candy I enough to go round. For Father and Bj Mother Tanner thero wus a pockctbook Bj with gold In It, nnd a noto of good m cheer that was better than tho gold. So the wonderful tree spent the rst B of the night In trembling Joy. It could B not sleep for thinking of the friendly H lovo thnt had provided such n happy morning to come. Ami when tho first Bj of the morning light brought all the Tanners downstnlrs tho treo fairly Bj shook with pleasure, amid the wonder Bj and the glee of that Christmas dny. H As for tho servants of Santa Clous, Bj they had never hud such a merry Bj Christinas before. Their hearts were Bj so warm that they did not mind the frost. They sang over tho pleasure of H giving pleasure and relief. They said they knew Unit Santa Claus had to live up North so that ho could cool off after his wurm Interest In the happiness of " others. They addressed him In verses that must have raado him Jollier than H ever, calling him : B THIS MAOIC MAN I There Is a man who lives up north All clad In robos and furs, B And every year he sallies forth H As love his going spurs. ,' He mitigates the winter's cold That otherwise would freeze, And keeps himself from Brovrlns ow i liy tending; Christmas trees. The children for hla comlne w". i ,fl So do the old folks, too; J If Unhapplneas go" ou' & iw ,'' When Santa comes to you. W And their own presents never seen! H 00 largo and good before. R B jtfrut.. . . . iJjBMjfe |