“Well,” said Ben, pleasantly, “we'd set it up in the corner—”
“Oh, no, not in the corner,” cried Polly, whose spirits began to rise a little as she saw Ben so hopeful. “Put it in the middle of the room, do!”
“I don't care where you put it,” said Ben, smiling, happy that Polly's usual cheerful energy had returned, “but I thought.—'twill be a little one, you know, and I thought 'twould look better in the corner.”
“What else?” asked Polly, eager to see how Ben would dress the tree.
“Well,” said Ben, “you know the Henderson boys gave me a lot of corn last week.”
“I don't see as that helps much,” said Polly, still incredulous. “Do you mean hang the cobs on the branches, Ben? That would be just dreadful!”
“I should think likely,” laughed Ben. “No, indeed, Polly Pepper! but if we should pop a lot, oh! a bushel, and then we should string 'em, we could wind it all in and out among the branches, and—”
“Why, wouldn't that be pretty?” cried Polly, “real pretty—and we can do that, I'm sure.”
“Yes,” continued Ben; “and then, don't you know, there's some little candle ends in that box in the Provision Room, maybe mammy'd give us them.”
“I don't believe but she would,” cried Polly; “twould be just like Jappy's if she would! Let's ask her now—this very same minute!”