THE CHRISTMAS TREE 161 



very still, and for the last time Cho-koh-tung 

 stood in her gay trappings, a little one in white 

 stole softly down the stairs, and Emily, by the 

 light of the lamp without, came swiftly to the 

 tree. 



**I have been dreaming," she said, "and I 

 dreamed of a beautiful evergreen tree that I 

 found last summer in the forest. ' ^ 



The balsam-fir leaned closer. *'0 little 

 Emily," she asked, "has my Christmas dress 

 so changed me?" 



Then Emily reached up and gathered the 

 glittering boughs into her arms. "I am so 

 glad, so glad!" she laughed. "Beautiful lit- 

 tle fir tree, why did you come to me?" 



"Who told me that Christmas time means 

 happy time, and the giving of gifts?" 



"Yes, I remember." 



"And I thought, I have nothing to give. 

 Did you think fir cones were pretty? Yet no, 

 you would not have cared for them. Do they 

 look like candles on a Christmas tree? Then 

 the thought came — I tossed aside the dream of 

 years of life, and having nothing else to give, 



