THE CHRISTMAS TREE 149 



**Have you nothing else to give?" asked the 

 sunshine. 



The little balsam-fir did not reply ; she was 

 thinking, how sweet were sunlight and wind 

 and forest odors, grass and moss and flowers, 

 bird and bee and butterfly; how sweet to live! 



One day in December men entered the nur- 

 sery-room with axes in their hands. 



As they were passing, Cho-koh-tung called, 

 '^Takemel'' 



"Are you anxious to leave us?" asked the 

 spruce tree. "Your life has just begun. Life 

 is sweet I" 



"Already I am crowding my little sister on 

 the other side," answered Cho-koh-tung. "Be- 

 sides, it is the child-trees that go to town at 

 Christmas time." 



"Cho-koh-tung is going to town!" whis- 

 pered the trees excitedly. 



"Will you bring me something from town?" 

 cried her little sister eagerly. 



"When you come back," asked the cedar 

 tree, "will you tell us all about the wonderful 

 things you have seen?" 



