have a Christmas tree in any house where there ain't no
children."

Captain Eli rose and stood with his back to the fire. "I
didn't think of that," he said, "but I guess it's so. And when I
come to think of it, a Christmas isn't much of a Christmas,
anyway, without children."

"You never had none," said Captain Cephas, "and you've kept
Christmas."

"Yes," replied Captain Eli, reflectively, "we did do it,
but there was always a lackment--Miranda has said so, and I have
said so."

"You didn't have no Christmas tree," said Captain Cephas.

"No, we didn't. But I don't think that folks was as much set
on Christmas trees then as they 'pear to be now. I wonder," he
continued, thoughtfully gazing at the ceiling, "if we was to fix
up a Christmas tree--and you and me's got a lot of pretty things
that we've picked up all over the world, that would go miles
ahead of anything that could be bought at the store fer Christmas
trees--if we was to fix up a tree real nice, if we couldn't get
some child or other that wasn't likely to have a tree to come in
and look at it, and stay awhile, and make Christmas more like
Christmas. And then, when it went away, it could take along the
things that was hangin' on the tree, and keep 'em fer its own."

"That wouldn't work," said Captain Cephas. "If you get a