“She looks better,” said Uncle Oliver. “I wouldn’t wonder if she grew up into a strong, healthy girl after all.”
“Aunt Eva sighed and shook her head. Uncle Wallace didn’t say anything but shook hands with me. His hand was as cold as a fish. When we went out to the sitting room for dinner I stepped on Aunt Eva’s train and I could hear some stitches rip somewhere. Aunt Eva pushed me away and Aunt Ruth said, “What a very awkward child you are, Emily.” I stepped behind Aunt Ruth and stuck out my tongue at her. Uncle Oliver makes a noise eating his soup. We had all the good silver spoons out. Cousin Jimmy carved the turkeys and he gave me two slices of the breast because he knows I like the white meat best. Aunt Ruth said “When I was a little girl the wing was good enough for me,” and Cousin Jimmy put another white slice on my plate. Aunt Ruth didn’t say anything more then till the carving was done, and then she said, “I saw your school teacher in Shrewsbury last Saturday, Em’ly, and she did not give me a very good account of you. If you were my daughter I would expect a different report.”
“I am very glad I am not your daughter,” I said in my mind. I didn’t say it out loud of course but Aunt Ruth said, “Please do not look so sulky when I speak to you, Em’ly.” And Uncle Wallace said, “It is a pity she has such an unattractive expression.”
“You are conceited and domineering and stingy,” I said, still in my mind. “I heard Dr. Burnley say you were.”
“I see there is an ink-stain on her finger,” said Aunt Ruth. (I had been writing a poem before dinner.)
“And then a most surprising thing happened. Relations are always surprising you. Aunt Elizabeth spoke up and said, “I do wish, Ruth, that you and Wallace would leave that child alone.” I could hardly believe my ears. Aunt Ruth looked annoyed but she did leave me alone after that and only sniffed when Cousin Jimmy slipped a bit more white meat on my plate.
“After that the dinner was nice. And when they got as far as the pudding they all began to talk and it was splendid to listen to. They told stories and jokes about the Murrays. Even Uncle Wallace laughed and Aunt Ruth told some things about Great-Aunt Nancy. They were sarcastic but they were interesting. Aunt Elizabeth opened Grandfather Murray’s desk and took out an old poem that had been written to Aunt Nancy by a lover when she was young and Uncle Oliver read it. Great-Aunt Nancy must have been very beautiful. I wonder if anyone will ever write a poem to me. If I could have a bang somebody might. I said, “Was Great Aunt Nancy really as pretty as that?” and Uncle Oliver said, “They say she was 70 years ago” and Uncle Wallace said, “She hangs on well—she’ll see the century mark yet,” and Uncle Oliver said, “Oh, she’s got so in the habit of living she’ll never die.”
“Dr. Burnley told a story I didn’t understand. Uncle Wallace hawhawed right out and Uncle Oliver put his napkin up to his face. Aunt Addie and Aunt Eva looked at each other sidewise and then at their plates and smiled a little bit. Aunt Ruth seemed offended and Aunt Elizabeth looked coldly at Dr. Burnley and said, “I think you forget that there are children present.” Dr. Burnley said, “I beg your pardon, Elizabeth,” very politely. He can speak with a grand air when he likes. He is very handsome when he is dressed up and shaved. Ilse says she is proud of him even if he hates her.
“After dinner was over the presents were given. That is a Murray tradishun. We never have stockings or trees but a big bran pie is passed all around with the presents buried in it and ribbons hanging out with names on them. It was fun. My relations all gave me useful presents except Aunt Laura. She gave me a bottle of perfume. I love it. I love nice smells. Aunt Elizabeth does not approve of perfumes. She gave me a new apron but I am thankful to say not a baby one. Aunt Ruth gave me a New Testament and said “Em’ly, I hope you will read a portion of that every day until you have read it through,” and I said, “Why, Aunt Ruth, I’ve read the whole New Testament a dozen times (and so I have) I love Revelations.” (And I do. When I read the verse “and the twelve gates were twelve pearls” I just saw them and the flash came.) “The Bible is not to be read as a story book,” Aunt Ruth said coldly. Uncle Wallace and Aunt Eva gave me a pair of black mits and Uncle Oliver and Aunt Addie gave me a whole dollar in nice new silver dimes and Cousin Jimmy gave me a hair ribbon. Perry had left a silk bookmark for me. He had to go home to spend Christmas day with his Aunt Tom at Stovepipe Town but I saved a lot of nuts and raisins for him. I gave him and Teddy handkerchiefs (Teddy’s was a little the nicest) and I gave Ilse a hair ribbon. I bought them myself out of my egg money. (I will not have any more egg money for a long time because my hen has stopped laying.) Everybody was happy and once Uncle Wallace smiled right at me. I did not think him so ugly when he smiled.
“After dinner Ilse and I played games in the kitchen and Cousin Jimmy helped us make taffy. We had a big supper but nobody could eat much because they had had such a dinner. Aunt Eva’s head ached and Aunt Ruth said she didn’t see why Elizabeth made the sausages so rich. But the rest were good humored and Aunt Laura kept things pleasant. She is good at making things pleasant. And after it was all over Uncle Wallace said (this is another Murray tradishun) “Let us think for a few moments of those who have gone before.” I liked the way he said it—very solemnly and kind. It was one of the times when I am glad the blood of the Murrays flows in my vains. And I thought of you, darling Father, and Mother and poor little Mike and Great-great-Grandmother Murray, and of my old account book that Aunt Elizabeth burned, because it seemed just like a person to me. And then we all joined hands and sung “For Auld Lang Syne” before they went home. I didn’t feel like a stranger among the Murrays any more. Aunt Laura and I stood out on the porch to watch them go. Aunt Laura put her arm around me and said, “Your mother and I used to stand like this long ago, Emily, to watch the Christmas guests go away.” The snow creaked and the bells rang back through the trees and the frost on the pighouse roof sparkled in the moonlight. And it was all so lovely (the bells and the frost and the big shining white night) that the flash came and that was best of all.”