The school always broke up for the holidays three days before Christmas, and the day after its close, a grand Christmas tree was planted in the school-room, upon which were placed innumerable gifts, from teachers to scholars, from scholars to teachers, and from the girls to each other. This wonderful tree was lighted up in the evening, when the presents were distributed, and the boarders and day scholars were entertained by Mrs. Pomeroy.
Of course, all spare moments, and perhaps some that could not well be spared, were devoted by the girls to the preparation of their gifts. Great was the consumption of Chipland, Berlin and split zephyr, silver braid and embroidery silk, and all other working materials and numerous the enquiries for netting, knitting and crotchet needles, at old Mr. Barton's, who had kept a toy shop in M. from time immemorial, and who now filled his shelves with an immense variety of articles, useful, beautiful, and comical, each individual thing, according to his own account, being sold for just exactly what he gave for it.
Deeply did Emily regret the extravagance into which she had been betrayed, and which left her at this critical juncture, entirely without funds. Thanks to her aunt's training, she excelled in every species of work, both plain and ornamental, and she had made great calculations as to what she was going to do; but the best seamstress in the world cannot work without thread, nor the most expert knitter dispense with her wool and needles.
Emily saw no resource but to plunge deeper and deeper into debt, which she did with a recklessness which astonished herself, and induced Delia to give her a caution one day when she was more profuse than usual.
"You had better reckon up what you have bought already, Emily," said she, as her friend gave an order for a large quantity of Berlin wool. "Worsted amounts up faster than one thinks."
"I know it," said Emily, "but I must finish up what I have begun, and, as Almira says, I may as well die for a sheep as for a lamb."
"You are doing a great deal of work, Emily," remarked Mrs. Pomeroy to her the same evening, as she sat at work in the sitting room. "You seem to be especially fond of knitting."
"Yes, ma'am," said Emily. "It gets on so fast, and does not try my eyes in the evening like fine sewing. I think, too, it pays, when it is done, better than any other kind of work."
"As to that, I cannot say," replied Mrs. Pomeroy, smiling. "It is rather expensive, I think, though I must allow that yours is very beautiful. I should like to have you give Kitty some lessons, as it is work very well suited to her state of health."
"I like to do anything for Kitty," said Emily. "She is so good and patient, and it seems so hard for such a little thing to be shut up so, when all the rest are out at play. Do you think she will ever be quite well, Mrs. Pomeroy?"