The Key West Citizen Newspaper, December 24, 1954, Page 12

~- The Little Tree That Was Chosen = High up on a rocky ledge on a big hill side in the midst of a great forest of evergreen trees in that far away forest land where all the Christmas Trees come from stood a lonely little evergreen tree — a tree nobody wanted, so he and all the trees in that vast forest be- lieved — growing all alone by him- self. ” CME (RRMMMRMMM MBAR RRM IRM IM IBRD Paul's Launderette 426 White Street companion trees which grew all about him. They were tall, sturdy handsome trees with beautiful green boughs and limbs, as befit- ting evergreens and very, very “Christmasy” looking. While he, poor little tree, fighting for exis- tence on his rocky ledge home, with its scanty soil which the winds aad rains were forever washing away, was quite the contrary. He was stunted and dwarf-sized in appearance, scarcely three feet tall, and clothing in a pale pasty rusty green, Not in that rich velvet green worn so proudly by all the trees growing in that big forest. Always and always, so it seemed | to the little tree, he had been lone- ly and sad. Especially in the day time when he saw the beauty of his fellow trees. He longed to be tall and beautiful as they were and to be clothed in their deep green, so that he too might be chosen by the Christmas Tree choppers at Christmas Tree chopping time for that great and exciting adventure to which every’ tree in that forest eagerly looked forward — the joy of being taken by the choppers to ‘derful customers we extend a heartfelt wish for a very MERRY CHRISTMAS L. VALLADARES AND SON DIAL 2-2931 1200 Duval Street 5 Be Be Be De Be We Be Be De Dee Be Be Bs Be Be Dede Be De BeBe: Key West TV Service 826 DUVAL STREET Z Radio and DIAL 2-8511 WEDD DDD DBL DD De DD DD DD DDB BB BT DTH WD HDI AMD DID | meRRy CHRISTMAS fo you, ow cadtomens, whose friendly support dering the pest year hes contribwred so greetly 00 em wellare we extend corte! and “appreciative thers! rd * 3 Key West Gas Co. 419 Fleming Street DIAL 2.2411 or 26731 & He was quite unlike his many | the big city many miles away and into the home of some little boy or girl on Christmas Morn and there to bring joy and happiness, or into the home of a grown up, to bring cheer where no children are. But always the little tree had been passed by. Not once, as far back as he could remember had he ever been considered by any of the Christmas Tree choppers, al- though year after year they had chopped all around and about his rocky ledge home ‘‘choosing” tree after tree. And all the trees on his hillside knew this and laughed scornfully at the little tree and derided him, jeeringly called out loudly so that all the trees in the forest) might hear “Look at the runt up MRAWAHMWRARANKHHMH MARANA HAMA WMH AMBM HRM HHMI M BHT there! He thinks he’s a Christmas Tree — Ha! Ha! He’s a tree no- body wants.” In all that great forest of Christ- mas evergreens the little tree did not have a single tree friend. Not a tree ever spoke kindly to him or felt sorry for his plight nor of- fered encouragement in anyway. KK. ok ch But the little tree did have a friend. A friend that no one, except the myriad of little stars in the great Milky Way high up in the heavens overheard knew about. A friend to whom nightly — when all the trees in the forest were fast asleep and a great stillness had settled over the land — the little tree turned to pouring out his long- ings and disappointments. A friend who cheered and comforted him throughout his many cold and lone- ly nights spent in solitude on his rocky ledge home — the kindly North Star. Then there came a night in the little tree’s life — an unforgettable night when the tang and smell of Christmas time was in the air and all the trees in the forest were re- joicing that Christmas Tree chop- ping timé had once again come to them, that the little tree heart broken and sorrowful and with all hopes taken from him that he ever would be chosen, faced the crisis of his life. And more than ever he needed the comforting solace of his kind- ly friend the North Star. For the choppers had been at work through- out the entire day on his hill side, from early morn until late at night- fall chopping trees until not a tree remained on the little tree’s hill. Yes, choosing all those happy laughing trees for their great Christmas journey and loading them into big yellow and red vans which rumbled down the hillside, and on and on to the big city where the chosen trees were to be ready for Christmas Morn, And once again, as in all the Many years past, not one of the choppers came his way, nor: did any of them as much as glance toward the rocky ledges which the little tree clinging so precariously, was violently sway- ing back and forth in a frantic endeavor to attract the attention of the choppers, calling out in his thin piping voice, ‘Please, please, Christmas Tree choppers, come and get me — I want to go — I want to go, too.” But of no avail. Not a chopper heard his voice, nor did they hear his sobbing plaintive cry, ‘Please, don’t go — please, please, don’t leave me behind” as one by one they gathered up their axes and with the coming of darkness de- parted with the last van load of trees to their camp in the valley below. ee AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! on) A CHRISTMAS STORY by Commander Ray W. Byrns, USN, Retired Jin amazement he | rusty green clothng had been chan- | ged to a beautiful white. The snow | cloud had given the little tree a thick coating of “Christmasy The little tree was left all alone ;bappily avout his branches and/ white? while he was fast asleep forsaken and abandoned on a big | singing so gaily and freely But strange as it may seem there barren hillside. Where until today} “And the Robin Redbreasts,” he | Was very little snow on the hill countless trees had grown kempt hillside of bald stumps. In the valley below he could see the gleaming camp fires of the Christ- mas Tree choppers, and could hear the audible and excitable mur- murings of the happy valley trees who were impatiently, but joyously, awaiting tomorrow’s choosing. “Oh! Oh,” he cried aloud. “If I were only in the valley I might still have a chance.” But his heart told him that this could not be, and that no amount of wistful thinking could alter the fact that he must remain forever cn his rocky ledge home. He knew now that never would be chosen. Although the choppers would re- turn year after year to choose Christmas trees from the big val- ley below and on the many distant hill sides, never, never in the little tree’s life time would the choppers return to his hill. In this his greatest hour of lone- liness and grief, he cried aloud despairingly, “Oh North Star, North Star, where are you? Where are you? Have you forsaken me too?” x wk * No, the North Star had not for- saken the little tree. The little tree’s eyes had become so blinded by his tears and his grief that he could not see the big snow cloud which for the moment was hover- ing over the forest and hiding the North Star from his sight. Suddenly he heard the voice of his friend calling out cheeringly, “Hello Little Tree, I heard you call- ing me.” Looking up he saw his friend the North‘ Star slowly emerging from behind the snow cloud and that he was focusing his five pointed star rays directly on him and his rocky ledge home, bathing both the little tree and his ledge in a beautiful mellow Christmas white. “Oh North Star, North Star,” cried the little tree in a heart - broken voice. “Nobody wants me. All the trees are gone. I shall never, never be chosen.” And he broke down completely and cried and cried. “Sh! Sh!” said the North Star in his quiet soothing voice. “Don’t ery, Little Tree,” and then pausing for a moment he exclaimed, ’”it strikes me that you are forgetting something.” “Forgetting something?” sobbed the little tree, “wha, wha, do you mean?” “That you’ve already been cho- sen,” replied the North Star. “Chosen — I — I don — don’t un- derstand,” stammered the little tree. And he was so astonished at the North Star’s words that he at once stopped his crying and stook up very very straight. “Yes,” said the North Star in a very kindly voice. ‘Chosen by the little birds and the robins who long ago found you pleasant for sight.” “Chosen — by the robins — plea- ant for sight?” repeated the little teee inquiringly to himself. He lik- ed those words. They comforted him. And then he smiled his very first smile for days and days as he re- called that throughout the years past the little birds on their spring | and fall flights always stopped at his ledge and visited him, hopping their home with me for y build- | ing their nests in early spring, laying their eggs and raising their young baby birdlings in my arms.” | “Well,” said the little tree alound, suddenly realizing that he wasn’t being very polite to his kind friend |the North Star by keeping his | thoughts to himself. “I never | thought of the birds choosing me, {North Star, nor being pleasant in their sight, or in the sight of any- |one for that matter. I just thought | | I was a tree nobody wanted. Why.”’| ‘he went on, “it must be so, North | |Star, in spite of all the many tall | | and beautiful trees which until just |a few hours ago grew on my hill- | | side.” | | “Of course it is so,” replied the North Star, and he beamed ap- provingly. “You made it possible Little Tree.” “Me?” queried the little tree in| a surprised and bewildered voice. “Yes, you,” said the North Star, | “by your courage and strength. If you had been a weakling and had let go when the cold winds and heavy rains were trying to dislodge | you from your home, the little} birds and especially the robins could not have chosen you and your | rocky ledge home for their sanc- tuary nor could they have nested | in your branches. Up there with you,” he went on, “high above all | the trees in your forest the birds | could see all about them and they felt safe. Not only the beasts of | | the forest and the birds of prey, | but from the hunters as well. Do! jyou know,” the North Star con- tinued, “your rocky ledge home jhas become a |the birds sing praises to Him who | made you ‘pleasant for sight.’ ” “Pleasant for sight?” questioned | the little tree. “Why, North Star, you said that before — just what does it mean?” “This.” replied the North Star. “Ages and ages ago ‘when the morning stars first sang together fer joy’ I was created by Him as an eternal light in the heavens. And at the same time He created all things on your earth for His pleasure and from the gound ‘made to grow every tree that is pleasant for sight’.” And before the little tree could get in another word the North Star | sang out, “Well I must be going now. I see another big snow cloud | coming my way and he wants to| take over. It’s getting snow time you know. Besides it's getting to- wards morning.” And as he slid behind the snow cloud he called out loudly, ‘“Re-| member, Little Tree, you've been | chosen, — you are pleasant for| sight.” “Chosen, chosen, pleasant for | sight,” murmuered the little tree drowsily, and he closed hie eyes | and went fast asleep, * *& * Early next morning the little | tree was awakened by the chirping | | sound of little snow birds who were |hopping about joyously on his branches and filling the morning air with song. Rubbing his eyes PREMIERE Lopez Wholesale Liquors 207 DUVAL STREET DIAL 2-5732 x# ri PIPMIPBS III AS SSS SSSSIVIssIssi Bird Cathedral | where every spring and summer REVUE UE VERVE VEU 1 EVV UE Ye VY VEDI VV UDE ETEL . , all that |thought. “Why they have made/ Side and none in the valley below, now remained was a sloping un-| nor on the distant hills. As far as he could see all the trees in the forest were still in green. The snow cloud has passed them all by alone honoring the little tree and bring- ing to him the first of the newly arrived snow birds. The choppers were at work in the valley below. The little tree could hear the sound of their ring- ing axes in the clear frosty air and the falling rumble and thud of the chosen trees, But somehow or other, he was not at all unhappy, although it did seem strange to see an empty and barren hillside with no trees grow- ing thereon. He found himself lik- ing the contentment and songs of his newly arrived friend even though he knew they were paying him put a passing visit and soon would be on their way and he would be left alone once more. The words of his friend the North Star, whom he would again see when night constantly coming to his thoughts. | “Remember, you're chosen. You! | ore pleasant for sight.’ |. “Yes,” said he somewhat slowly | to himself, “the snow birds think |s and the robins and all the other | must have thought so too — didn’t know it.” 1 But I REPRE RENEE NEEL ERE NCE Brown's Gift Shop 609 Duval Street DIAL 2-3041 HARM RMA RMP BMRB MIHRM, GRUPPE REE EEE CEE! OE NE EE OE CE saw that his} And then pausing momentarily at the wonderment of it all he shook his head slowly and said quite loudly, ‘‘Yes, they thought so jin spite of being a little tree and having only pasty rusty green clo- thing to wear.” And at the thought of himself he an to laugh, and his laugh was party and loud. Then becoming | conscious that he had shaken some | of the snow from his branches he stopped laughing and wistfully said, | | “I wish they could see me now ip my Christmasy white.” And the little tree yawned and stretched himself lazily in the warm morning sunshine and found himself wishing for the arrival of the robins. THE KEY WEST CITIZEN —— CHRISTMAS EDITION —— 1954 AEM MCENE EN MEUM MN EE PEE MC NEE NEN MEE MCN ENE MM ME U2 2H HE EE 2 LM MEY 2 HE EE 1 May J. - fall came on, kept RC OM I BO NN abound with the blessings of Peace and Good Will V4 tor you and your family. A - 2 4h ( / this joyous season v, R. Stowers Co. 505 Southard Street DIAL 2-6611 PDP VDDD D DDD WW We De De De Be UV De De De WD DDD DPD Di De De DD ee DB Ba Ba Be Be De BeBe De Da Be BeBe Be De BeBe De Be Bi Be Bi Be Dee Be BeBe Be i De PL awB sw BeBe Di De Bi Hs Wi Bi Di Bs Bi BiH 31d: 31 31D BB: | | | | That warm, friendi coming New Year. CC ME NEEL EME LMM UEC NS HU OO MN OE A UE ME EME MLM CE ME OE OE ME OE EN LE EE | ERRNO NH OO OO NN NN CT MERRY CERISTMAS ly feeling in the air is Christmas! May you enjoy all of its pleasures and good cheer throughout the Columbia Laundry & Dry Cleaners 617 SIMONTON STREET Phil and Joe SIGSBEE SNACKERY