When Marty and Edith appeared something else seemed to occur to her, and turning from the decorations she cried eagerly to them, “Oh, did you get—!” and then glancing at Miss Alice, covered her mouth with her hand, laughed very much, but would not finish what she had begun to say.
She nearly went wild over the beautiful Bible and could hardly thank the givers enough.
“And I can read it my own self too, 'cepting of course the long words,” she said. “How queer it'll be to be sitting up reading a chapter to mother 'stead of her reading to me!”
“You might read to her those Christmas verses in Luke to-morrow that I read to you not long ago,” Miss Alice suggested.
“Oh! I will. Where are they, I wonder?” said Jennie.
Edith found the place, while Marty snipped off a little bit of her blue hair-ribbon for a mark.
Some cakes and fruit Mrs. Howell and Mrs. Ashford sent Jennie were also highly appreciated. They had also sent some small but useful and pretty presents for her mother, which Jennie was to have the pleasure of giving to her. Thus they all tried to bring some Christmas joy into the poor little girl's life.
When Marty and Edith went home they each found a small parcel that Jimmy Torrence had left for them. They contained nicely crocheted bureau-covers for their dolls' houses, and were marked in Miss Alice's handwriting, “For Marty, from Jennie,” and “For Edith, from Jennie.”
“Ah! this was the secret she had with Cousin Alice,” exclaimed Marty. “Just look mamma! isn't it a pretty cover?”
Edith was equally pleased with hers, and Jennie seemed much pleased with their hearty thanks.