“Yes, you are right; it is nice to be done,” said one.
“It was such a busy day; I thought I should never be rid of my last bodice; everybody had a bodice; there were too many bodices this year.”
“But then we know too that we have accomplished something,” said Mrs. With on her side.
“Yes, there our pastor is right,” exclaimed Mrs. Bentzen. “It is just the blessed thing about Christmas that one has done his duty, given to the poor. To-day no one can complain, and it is so nice to think of it when we are enjoying ourselves.”
“And it is not less pleasant to take with us to our homes the thanks and blessings of the poor,” gently added the police-chief’s wife.
The chaplain looked with admiration at the handsome lady, and in the lofty Christmas spirit in which he found himself he would have liked at the close to address a few edifying words to the listening group of ladies, but just then Dr. Bentzen came across the street.
The old gentleman smiled with his ill-humored grin, while he said:
“Merry Christmas, ladies! Great robbery over at Ellingsen & Larsen’s. The police have just caught a couple of them.”
“Robbery! Steal! Oh, my God! Steal on Christmas Eve! Impossible! Who—who? does any one know them?”
“It can’t be any one from our town,” declared the ironing-board majestically.