And it was a happy morning, for its hours sped so swiftly away that neither of the children could believe it was over when dinner-time came. First there was a golden star to be cut out of some gilt paper that had adorned a cracker. This was fastened to the top of the bough.
"There are more dolls than we want in our dolls' house family," cried Clarice. "Let us take two of those, and put fresh sashes on them; and here is an old tin soldier, to keep them in order. Oh, I forgot this bag of sweeties! This will tie on here, and just fill up the bare space. What next, Milly?"
"My little sugar lamb, I think, Clarice. I do love my little lamb, and I have kept him so carefully. No; I really cannot let him go. But yes, yes I will. It will make poor little Corrie so happy. There! I have tied it on; and here is a pink rose to go next to it, and all these red and yellow crackers mamma sent up just now."
And so the miniature tree grew gay by degrees up in the nursery, while papa and mamma worked away at the big one in the dining room with locked doors.
Not even one peep could Alfred and Arthur obtain, though they hovered outside the windows all the morning!
[CHAPTER IV]
FATHER CHRISTMAS
CORRIE sat with clasped hands before her Christmas tree, her large eyes fixed upon it in speechless admiration. Robin stood beside her, waiting anxiously for the first word; he had persuaded her to shut her eyes as he carried her in from the adjoining room and placed her in her chair before the gaily-decked fir bough. It seemed as though some fairy vision had enthralled the child's senses as each green tip was gazed at in wondering awe.
Presently one small hand was raised gently to touch the sugar lamb, as if to make quite sure of its reality, and a deep sigh of satisfaction preceded the smile that broke over her features as she whispered, "Oh, Robin!"
As her arms stole round his neck, he saw there were tears in her eyes.