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<v Speaker 1>Missus Olcott called her boys and bade them go to

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<v Speaker 1>the pine woods and get the finest, handsomest young hemlock

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<v Speaker 1>tree that they could find. Get one that is straight

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<v Speaker 1>and tall, with well bowed branches on it, and put

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<v Speaker 1>it where you can draw it under the wood shed.

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<v Speaker 1>After dark, she added, the boys went to Pine Hill

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<v Speaker 1>and there they picked out the finest young tree on

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<v Speaker 1>all the hill and said we'll take this one. So

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<v Speaker 1>with their hatchets they hewed it down and brought it

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<v Speaker 1>safely home. The next night, when all was dark, and

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<v Speaker 1>when Roger was quietly sleeping in the adjoining room, they

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<v Speaker 1>dragged the tree into the kitchen. It was too tall,

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<v Speaker 1>so they took it out again and cut it off

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<v Speaker 1>two or three feet at the base. Then they propped

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<v Speaker 1>it up, and the curtains being down over the windows,

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<v Speaker 1>and blankets being fastened over the curtains to prevent any

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<v Speaker 1>one looking in, and the door being doubly barred to

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<v Speaker 1>prevent any one coming in. They all went to bed

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<v Speaker 1>very early the next morning, while the stars shone on

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<v Speaker 1>the snow covered hills, the same stars that shone sixteen

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<v Speaker 1>hundred years before on the hills where Christ was born

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<v Speaker 1>In Bethlehem, the little purit and mother in New England

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<v Speaker 1>arose very softly. She went out and lit the kitchen

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<v Speaker 1>fire anew from the ash covered embers. She fastened upon

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<v Speaker 1>the twigs of the tree the gifts she had brought

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<v Speaker 1>in Boston for her boys and girl. Then she took

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<v Speaker 1>as many as twenty pieces of candle and fixed them

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<v Speaker 1>upon the branches. After that, she softly called Rupert, Robert

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<v Speaker 1>and Lucie and told them to get up and come

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<v Speaker 1>into the kitchen. Hurrying back, she began with a bit

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<v Speaker 1>of burning stick to light the candles. Just as the

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<v Speaker 1>last one was set aflame in trooped the three children.

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<v Speaker 1>Before they had time to say a word, they were

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<v Speaker 1>silenced by their mother's warning. I wished to fetch Roger

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<v Speaker 1>in and wake him up before it, she said, keep

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<v Speaker 1>still till I come back. The little lad, fast asleep,

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<v Speaker 1>was lifted in a blanket and gently carried by his

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<v Speaker 1>mother into the beautiful presence. See Roger, my boy, see,

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<v Speaker 1>she said, arousing him. It is Christmas morning. Now. In

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<v Speaker 1>England they only have Christmas boughs, but here in New

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<v Speaker 1>England we have a whole Christmas tree. Oh mother, he cried, Oh, Lucy,

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<v Speaker 1>is it really really true? And no dream at all? Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>I see, I see, oh mother, it is so beautiful,

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<v Speaker 1>for all the trees on all the hills lighted up

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<v Speaker 1>that way when Christ was born. And mother, he added,

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<v Speaker 1>clapping his little hands with joy at the thought. Why, yes,

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<v Speaker 1>the stars did sing when Christ was born. They must

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<v Speaker 1>be glad then, and keep Christmas too in heaven. I

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<v Speaker 1>know they must. And there will be good times there, Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>said his mother, there will be good times there. Roger

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<v Speaker 1>then said the boy, I shall aren't mind going now,

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<v Speaker 1>I've seen the Christmas boar? Ay? What is that? Mother?

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<v Speaker 1>What was it that they heard? That little Olcott home

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<v Speaker 1>had never before seemed to tremble? So there were taps

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<v Speaker 1>at the window, there were knocks at the door, and

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<v Speaker 1>it was as yet scarcely the break of day. There

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<v Speaker 1>were voices also shouting something to somebody. Shall I put

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<v Speaker 1>out the candles? Mother, whispered Robin. What will they do

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<v Speaker 1>for us for having the tree? I wish we hadn't

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<v Speaker 1>had it, regretted Rupert, while Lucy clung to her mother's

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<v Speaker 1>gown and shrieked with all her strength. It's Indians, pale

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<v Speaker 1>and white and still ready to meet her fate stood

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<v Speaker 1>Missus Orcott, until out of the knocking, at the tapping

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<v Speaker 1>at the door, her heart caught a sound. It was

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<v Speaker 1>a voice calling, Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. Unbar the door. She

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<v Speaker 1>cried back to her boy's at your father calling. Down

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<v Speaker 1>came the blankets, Up went the curtain, and through the

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<v Speaker 1>door in in walk Captain Olcott, surrounded by every man

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<v Speaker 1>and woman in Plymouth, who had heard at the break

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<v Speaker 1>of day the glorious news that the expected ship had

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<v Speaker 1>arrived at Boston, and with it the long lost Captain Olcott.

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<v Speaker 1>For an instant nothing was thought of except the joyous

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<v Speaker 1>welcoming of the Captain in his new home. What's this?

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<v Speaker 1>What is it? What does it mean? Was asked again

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<v Speaker 1>and again when the first excitement was passed. As the

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<v Speaker 1>tall young pines through aloft, its candles ablaze, its gifts

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<v Speaker 1>still hanging. It's a welcome home to father, said Lucy,

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<v Speaker 1>her only thought being to screen her mother. No child,

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<v Speaker 1>no sterney spirt, missus Elcott, tell the truth. It's a

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<v Speaker 1>Christmas tree, faltered poor Lucie. One and another and another.

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<v Speaker 1>Pilgrims and Puritans all drew near, with faces stern and forbidding,

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<v Speaker 1>and gazed and gazed, until one, and another and yet

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<v Speaker 1>another softened slowly into a smile as Little Roger's piping

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<v Speaker 1>voice sung out, she made it for me, mother did.

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<v Speaker 1>But you may have it now, and all the pretty

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<v Speaker 1>things that are on it, too, because you've brought my

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<v Speaker 1>father back again, if mother will let you, he added,

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<v Speaker 1>neither pilgrim or Puritan found at the gift. One man,

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<v Speaker 1>the sternest there, broke off a little twig and said,

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<v Speaker 1>I'll take it for the sake of the good old

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<v Speaker 1>times at home. End of story.