Lillie sighed, Frank made a wry face, and Jennie could not quite help the exclamation:
“Oh, my bracelet!” but little Rosie’s brown eyes remained quite bright, and she stroked her father’s cheek contentedly.
“Well, my dears, what do you say?”
“Oh, papa, you could not think us so cruel; of course we are willing,” the three cried in a breath. “We did not think of that, you know, and so it can’t help being a disappointment just at first.”
“Anything would be better than that, papa,” ventured Frank. “It will be so dull—and then, no Christmas presents. Why, who ever heard of such a thing?”
“Little Alice, I dare say,” his father replied; “I imagine she has never had a present in her life.”
Frank seemed amazed at the idea. His imagination had never fathomed the depth of such misery.
“But,” continued his papa, “you can sell Robin, or your watch, or your gun.”
“Oh, papa, Robin! And, you see, I’m so used to the watch—and my gun, why, just think, I couldn’t stand seeing the ducks on the lake with nothing to shoot at them.”
“Well, my boy, Alice has no stockings, and Mrs. Ross no wood—just think of this room without a fire this morning!”