Fru Ekman bent and kissed the little girl. "Yes," she answered, "that is
why he puts on his skates every day and practices figure-skating on the
ice in the canals. But keep a brave heart, little Karen. You, too, shall
wear skates some day."

Karen's face lighted up with a happy smile, and a fire of hope was
kindled in her heart which made the long hours shorter, and the hard work
at the gymnasium easier to bear.




CHAPTER XIII

YULE-TIDE JOYS


It was the day before Christmas,--such a busy day in the Ekman household.
In fact, it had been a busy week in every household in Sweden, for before
the tree is lighted on Christmas Eve every room must be cleaned and
scrubbed and polished, so that not a speck of dirt or dust may be found
anywhere.

Gerda, with a dainty cap on her hair, and a big apron covering her red
dress from top to toe, was dusting the pleasant living-room; and Karen,
perched on a high stool at the dining-room table, was polishing the
silver. The maids were flying from room to room with brooms and brushes;
and in the kitchen Fru Ekman and the cook were preparing the lut-fisk and
making the rice pudding.