EXLL1BRIS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 JOHN HENRY NASH LIBRARY 
 
 <> SAN FRANCISCO <$> 
 
 PRESENTED TO THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 ROBERT GORDON SPROUL, PRESIDENT. 
 BY" * 
 
 MR.ANDMRS.MILTON S.RAY 
 CECILY, VIRGINIA AND ROSALYN RAY 
 
 RAY OIL BURNER COMPANY 
 
Greetings to 
 
THE HAPPY TREE 
 
 :NC 
 
 IN Al 
 
 OTHER 
 
 TIME 
 
 the Spirit of All Things planted a tiny 
 seed. Deep down in the darkness, in 
 the close embrace of the ground, it lay 
 for long, long days. Mother Earth cra- 
 dled it, the Rains bathed it, the Winds 
 lulled it to rest, and the Sun's rays ani- 
 mated it until its consciousness of being 
 became desire of becoming of becom- 
 ing more than it had been; and the soul 
 of a tree, new-born, pushed forward and 
 upward, yearning for the light. 
 
THE STORY OF 
 
 Soon the tree had pierced through 
 the ground and breathed the light of 
 day. How happy it was ! What more 
 could it desire? Now it could know all 
 the beauty around it; the graces of flow- 
 ers and trees, the glories of mountains 
 and rivers; and it was content. But 
 soon a new vision presented itself, a 
 certainty of further accomplishment, a 
 knowledge that it might grow as great 
 and as beautiful as those other trees. 
 So ever on and up it pushed, happy and 
 content in being what it was and just 
 growing toward the accomplishment of 
 its destiny. 
 
 Day by day, month by month, it 
 grew stronger and larger and, because 
 its desire to be was great, and because 
 it was filled with the peace of being one 
 

 THE 
 
 H Af P Y 
 
 TiR E E 
 
 
 with all the world, it grew more beau- 
 tiful as well. Its branches rounded out, 
 it became green of a deeper and richer 
 shade than those about it. It sang now 
 with the wind and the water, the sun 
 and the snow, in all times and seasons, 
 for it was ever green. Never could the 
 elements mar what that beautiful soul 
 had put forth. 
 
 After many years had gone by and 
 the tree had attained its full stature and 
 grace, a traveler, passing that way to 
 gather trees for brightening the Christ- 
 mas of the world, spied the rich beauty 
 of The Happy Tree. What more fitting 
 than it could be chosen as a bearer of 
 the loving wishes and greetings of man- 
 kind? For that purpose it gladly left its 
 familiar surroundings at the call of the 
 
THE STORY OF 
 
 traveler's axe, giving itself and all its 
 possibilities to the service of Humanity. 
 Soon, in a splendid room it stood, 
 straight and rounded out and beautiful, 
 giving off its song of happiness, the 
 pure fragrance of mountain fastnesses. 
 Gentle hands and strong set gleaming 
 lights among its branches, for symbols 
 of that Love which is ever shining forth, 
 and bright balls of many colors were 
 added to represent the wishes of man- 
 kind. These, catching the gleam of 
 Love-light upon them, reflected it in all 
 directions, so that not only the creator 
 and recipient of that wish, but everyone 
 else, too, might be gladdened by the 
 glow of fulfillment. Then the tree was 
 surrounded by folk of brave hearts and 
 kindly spirit, and it heard a voice say : 
 
THE HAPPY TREE 
 
 "O Tree! You stand here, not only 
 to bear the wishes of those here pres- 
 ent, each to each, but also as a symbol 
 that every good wish spreads its light 
 throughout the world, bringing happi- 
 ness to all mankind and singing of the 
 power of Love." 
 
 Then The Happy Tree knew Joy. 
 
This Story of The Happy Tree has been 
 devised for their friends by the Ransoms, 
 Will, Helen, and Frances Rose, in the Christ- 
 mastide of Nineteen Hundred Twenty-one, 
 and printed by Will Ransom at his private 
 press.