buy me one. It was hard enough even to get shoes for us all. I thought
I should have to be satisfied with mittens.

"It was quite dark, and we all sat around the fire. I had rocked Tilly
to sleep and put her to bed. Willie and Joe were playing cat's-cradle.
The rest of us were making believe we were rich and could have all we
wanted for Christmas.

"All at once there was a heavy step on the porch, and a knock at the
door. I opened it, with Margie and Amy clinging to my dress. A boy
shoved a big box into the room and shouted, 'A merry Christmas to
you!' He then ran out at the gate.

"The box had all our names on the cover, and the children were wild to
see what was inside.

"'Wait till mother comes,' I said; and pretty soon we heard her at
the gate, She seemed surprised, and said Santa Claus had remembered us
early.

"Mother advised us to go to bed and wait until morning to see our
presents. It was pretty hard; but we had some oranges and candy, and I
put the boys to bed. Margie and I wondered and guessed what was in the
box; but at last we fell asleep.

"You may be sure we were up early in the morning. There were dolls and
toys for the little ones, with hoods and mittens, and for me a lovely
squirrel muff, lined with blue, with a soft little boa for my neck. I
was a happy girl that Christmas, I can tell you.