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Page 35
"And what was the Christmas tree like?" asked the invalid.
"Exactly like the fir outside your door," was the reply. "Just about
that size, and planted in a pot covered with red cloth. It was kept in
another room till after tea, and then when the door was opened it was
like a street fire in the town at night--such a blaze of light--candles
everywhere! And on all the branches the most beautiful presents. I got
a drum and a penwiper."
"Was there an angel?" the child asked.
"Oh, yes!" the boy answered. "It was on the tip-top branch, and it was
given to me, and I brought it for you, if you would like it; for, you
know, I am so very, very sorry I thought of a snowman and made you ill,
and I do love you, and beg you to forgive me."
And the roguish face stooped over the pillow to be kissed; and out of a
pocket in the hooded coat came forth the Christmas Angel. In the face
it bore a strong family likeness to the drayman, but its feet were
hidden in folds of snowy muslin, and on its head glittered a tinsel
star.
"How lovely!" said the child. "Father told me about this. I like it
best of all. And it is very kind of you, for it is not your fault that
I caught cold. I should have liked it if we could have done it, but I
think to enjoy being a snowman, one should be snow all through."
They had tea together, and then the invalid was tucked up for the
night. The dray was put away in the cupboard, but he took the angel to
bed with him.
And so ended the first of the Three Christmas Trees.
* * * * *
Except for a warm glow from the wood fire in the stove, the room was
dark; but about midnight it seemed to the child that a sudden blaze of
light filled the chamber. At the same moment the window curtains were
drawn aside, and he saw that the spruce fir had come close up to the
panes and was peeping in. Ah! how beautiful it looked! It had become a
Christmas tree. Lighted tapers shone from every familiar branch, toys
of the most fascinating appearance hung like fruit, and on the tip-top
shoot there stood the Christmas Angel. He tried to count the candles,
but somehow it was impossible. When he looked at them they seemed to
change places--to move--to become like the angel, and then to be
candles again, whilst the flames nodded to each other and repeated the
blue greeting of the robin, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"
Then he tried to distinguish the presents, but, beautiful as the toys
looked, he could not exactly discover what any of them were, or choose
which he would like best. Only the Angel he could see clearly--so
clearly! It was more beautiful than the doll under his pillow; it had a
lovely face like his own mother's, he thought, and on its head gleamed
a star far brighter than tinsel. Its white robes waved with the flames
of the tapers, and it stretched its arms towards him with a smile.
"I am to go and choose my present," thought the child; and he called
"Mother! Mother dear! please open the window."
But his mother did not answer. So he thought he must get up himself,
and with an effort he struggled out of bed.
But when he was on his feet, everything seemed changed! Only the
firelight shone upon the walls, and the curtains were once more firmly
closed before the window. It had been a dream, but so vivid that in his
feverish state he still thought it must be true, and dragged the
curtains back to let in the glorious sight again. The firelight shone
upon a thick coating of frost upon the panes, but no further could he
see, so with all his strength he pushed the window open and leaned out
into the night.
The spruce fir stood in its old place; but it looked very beautiful in
its Christmas dress. Beneath it lay a carpet of pure white. The snow
was clustered in exquisite shapes upon its plumy branches; wrapping the
tree top with its little cross shoots, as a white robe might wrap a
figure with outstretched arms.
There were no tapers to be seen, but northern lights shot up into the
dark blue sky, and just over the fir-tree shone a bright, bright star.
"Jupiter looks well to-night," said the old Professor in the town
observatory, as he fixed his telescope; but to the child it seemed as
the star of the Christmas Angel.
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