Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1905 — AN UNEXPECTED GUEST. [ARTICLE]

AN UNEXPECTED GUEST.

The Butterfly That Lived In a Christmas Tree. Papa, Archie and May went to the woods to get a Christmas tree and found Just what they wanted—a little pine, bushy and straight. “There Is something I must cut off,” said Archie. He pointed to a little gray bunch on one of the twigs and pulled out his knife. “No, no!” cried May, holding his hand. “Let it stay. It's a poor little caterpillar’s house.” May was right. One Indian summer day a caterpillar, dressed in brown velvet, was taking a walk In the woods. At last he came to the little pine tree and thought to himself, “What a nice place to spend the winter!” So he made himself a little house. He made it very tight and close, of fine, soft thread, and fastened up the door. He did not leave himself even a window to look out. If there had been one, how it would have surprised him to see that he and his house and the pine tree were riding In a sleigh with papa and May and Archie. He would have been still more surprised If he had seen the tree standing in the parlor, covered with toys and trinkets and little candles. “It must be spring at last,” he thought, for it was very warm in the parlor.'So he poked a hole in the wall of his house, and out he came. But what do you think? He was not a caterpillar. “Oh, see the lovely butterfly!” cried May. He flew to the tiptop bough, and the children said there was nothing else on the tree so pretty as the butterfly. “He must have come down the chimney with Santa Claus,” said May. And she never guessed that he came out of the caterpillar’s house.—Youth’s Companion.