At the Little Brown House

ristmas, everyone! My stocking has something in it, I can see

ed, shivering figure shaking her vigorously with one hand, while in the other was a tiny, flickering cand

ax off her nose and dodging another drop. "Put it out before you set the ho

" insisted Peace with chattering t

ster began the process of dressing, and in a few moments all six girls were gathered around the roaring fire in the kitchen, excitedly examining the contents

d hand drew forth. "You knit them, didn't you, Gail? I saw Mrs. Gr

lee's are pink. Ar

owing her arms about Gail's neck and hugging her wi

children's appreciation of her labor; but she did not explain that a gorgeou

your stock

ognized that Gail's patient fingers had re-fashioned for her one of the d

t's all I can wear-here's an apple, a penwiper and some candy. You've got pretty nearly the same c'lection, haven't you, Cherry, and so ha

gave it to you?" demanded Gail,

appened to be on the table all unwrapped. This was one of them. Now, Gail,

So did Gail, when she drew forth from her stocking a bulky potato pig with t

ed, tears close to the surface, for she

t surprise. "Look at his back! We put a saddle on the old porker. Isn't

nough, there was a bright, shining Goddess of L

threatened to choke her, Gail whispered, "Wh

ection," was the

tion!" ec

ion day, and the money was to be sent to

ontier," cor

e got a dollar in ten cent pieces without half trying. I 'spect we could have raised a fortune if we'd had more time, but this was on our way home from school yesterday. We couldn't find anything pretty enough to buy here at the village, and it was too late to go to Martindale for it, so we changed the dimes into a dollar and put it in the potato pig. He said it oug

to strike. One-t

using faces of her sisters. "I truly did hear th

Hope. "It struck midnight and you

ice was raised, although as she crept once more beneath the covers of her cot, she heard Peace say decidedly, "I sha'n't take

ce more, she cried in delight, "Oh, it's snowing again! Now it will seem like Christmas

ld yell "Girls, girls, Santa Claus did come again, and left a tre-men-jus big mince pie on the porch-I picked a teenty hole in the top to see for sure if 'twas mincemeat-and a bundle of som

th the rest of the family at her heels. "You should be gratef

ometime, though Mrs. Strong says it is too curly to grow fast. And when summer comes, we can wear these slippers, if they aren't too small. They look awful little already. These are m

Pea

? There is someone

e kitchen door. "Just as I thought," she muttered to herself. "Mr. Hardman brought them over. He thinks they will m

ers, and deposited the bundle on the Hartman steps, where he found it when he came out to sweep paths. "Well, I swan," he exclaimed, half in anger, half amused, as

er they will be to small as they aint very big now. Ive got over wanting tenis

had he finished his numerous tasks, when he was surprised to see Peace coming slowly up the path, with eyes down-cast and fac

," he said cordially, his eyes gleaming with, a

s very rude to return Christmas presents like that. If you meant them for a present, why, that's different; but I thought likely it was our pay for picking strawberries last summer. Now,

wing what to say. "Suppose they are a Chris

if I haven't outgrown them.

the strawberry picking, you

er Gail's lecture," Peace sighed disma

an them for a Christmas present, Peace, and I'd like mighty well for you to wear them. If

-e

be fr

nds are square with ea

kon th

ow we can be friend

ise; and his wife, who had been a silent

cking strawberries last summer, and if you do

d into his pocket, drew out a handful of silver. "Here are six silver qu

es

eated you on

es

ll come sit

had not yet adjusted herself to this new friendship with her one-time e

re like it! Now that I have settled my account with you, te

e Mrs. Hartman, but he l

" gasped poor Peace, the ro

s of my strawberries into th

-e

twenty is four dollars. You spoiled four dollars' worth o

the tragedy in the great, brown eyes, Mrs.

ween Peace and me. If we are to be friends,

pay it all back. I will have Hope figure up just how much I owe you, so's I will know for sure. Can you wait? Maybe you will let me pick strawberries next summer until I get it paid up. Will you? 'C

a suspicion of a tremble in his voice. "Is

thought this would 'most make enough to buy a

got a plan. You keep this dollar and fifty cents for your work last summer, and when the strawberries

a delighted little jump. "Y

h a queer laugh. "Can you gi

me a rabbit," she

d in amazement, almost d

o-and they really don't seem as fat as when Bryan gave them to me; so if

garded rabbits as a nuisance, and was not anxious to see any such pes

d heard. Will you

time you

them now and we will

ron, and he dressed them carefully. By the time the long process was finished her face was very sober, and she offered no ob

er burden onto the cluttered kitchen table. "I wish it had be

hese?" demanded Gail

the strawberry money for your new coat, Gail." As clearly as possible she made her explanations

?" she cried,

ne for the price," answered Faith, listless

ad scarcely thought of the

! People e

ese wer

use them as to throw them away. We h

its and put them on the stove to cook, mental

ast, and the hungry girls were scrambling into their chairs

xtra dishes, when Hope stopped her by saying, "Teacher read us a beautiful poem of how some people always set a place for the Christ Chil

gently. "We will leave

ristmas Day 'cause it is Christ's birthday, and then we never g

me?" asked Allee eagerly

that it should have the empty chair they had set for the Christ Child. So the ragged beggar was pushed up to the table and fed all he wanted. When the dinner was over, a great shining light filled the r

e face flushed crimson, but before she could offer any explanation, Peace abrup

ed Faith, who herself had scarce

my bunnies," sobbed Peace. "I'd

aid Cherry, and no one laughed

n, bearing in her arms a huge platter of roast turkey, which she set down upon the table with the remark, "It was that lo

rs, before the others had recovered from their surprise; "bu

with walnuts and oysters, the vegetables had never tasted better, the biscuits were as light as a feather, Mrs. Strong's cranberry sauce had jelled perfectly, and the Hartman mince-

had just known it was going to happen, Mr. Hartman needn't have skinned the rabbits. There is

and, with no thought of irreverence, she murmured to herself, "I don't believe the Christ Child would have cared wheth

d, where the new family lived. The children were at play in the yard-seven in all, and none of them larger than Hope-bu

m moved a step. "We've got a whole platter of stewed rabbit," she urged, but they

putting one hand to his mouth and the

king herself understood, and imitating his motions,

eaming with pleasure, "wir kommen." And they quick

y brood into the house. "I thought it was a pity to waste all that salt and pepper you u

es, while Hope ran for clean plates; and in short order the seven little towheads were hovering around the platter of stewed rabbit and creamed potatoes, revelling in a feast such as they had ne

backed out of the door, she went with them to the gate, kissing her hand to them as they

quickly to the ground again without stopping to crow. "Abigail Greenfield!" she shouted, racing for the house. "See what was on the gatepost,-a nenvelope with money in it, and on the outside it